First Annual Canadian Assessment for Learning Conference
The Faculty of Education at the University of Manitoba will host the 1st annual Canadian Assessment for Learning Network (CAfLN) conference on May 2.
This national conference is titled “Assessment for Learning: What Have We Learned? Where Are We Going?” and features well known assessment authors and CAfLN founders, Damian Cooper, Lorna Earl and Ken O’Connor as well as CAfLN members from across the country.
Organized by Dr. Martha Koch, CAfLN board member and Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Education, the event is expected to be an interactive day of sharing.
Dr. Koch explains “Conference delegates will explore how assessment can more effectively support student learning in literacy and numeracy classrooms as well as approaches to differentiating assessment for diverse learners and ways of grading students to ensure fairness and promote learning. “
Pleased to support CAfLN in their inaugural conference, Dr. David Mandzuk, Dean of the Faculty of Education welcomes conference delegates and the engaging conversations that will likely unfold. In his words, “the study of assessment for learning (AfL) is one of the most effective ways to increase learning for students and especially to reduce the gaps in learning for certain groups of students. We are eager to help advance research in this area by supporting CAfLN and its community as they explore and lead the country in AfL. We are particularly excited that the conference will include an interactive panel session to explore Aboriginal perspectives on assessment.”
Registration for the CAfLN conference is closed, however, the event will be video recorded and shared on the CAfLN website at www.cafln.ca.
If you are interested in learning more about CAfLN, assessment for learning, or how to get involved please contact Dr. Martha Koch at Martha [dot] Koch [at] umanitoba [dot] ca.
The Canadian Assessment for Learning Network (CAfLN) is a member-led, non-profit organization that connects people across Canada who are interested in the use of assessment for learning and the development of related policies and research in education.
Dr. Martha Koch
Dr. Martha Koch specializes in mathematics education and assessment. She has been a classroom teacher, researcher and teacher educator in Ontario for many years and joined the Faculty of Education at the University of Manitoba in July 2013. Dr. Koch’s research is focused on the study of classroom assessment and the ways it contributes to learning in inquiry-based mathematics classrooms. She views assessment as an inquiry process where educators gather, evaluate and use various kinds of information as the basis for their inferences, decisions and actions. Visit www.marthakoch.ca for more information.