O is for Outcome Based Reporting
What is outcome based reporting?
Outcome based reporting is a system of reporting on student progress based on the curricular outcomes at each grade level. There are various scales for marking, and some divisions use rubrics and exemplars as a guide for teachers and students. The biggest difference with outcome based reporting is that report cards are not based on the 1-100% scale. Parents may notice a big difference with this type of report card because they are used to a standard percentage scale.
Outcome based reporting is a system of reporting on student progress based on the curricular outcomes at each grade level. There are various scales for marking, and some divisions use rubrics and exemplars as a guide for teachers and students. The biggest difference with outcome based reporting is that report cards are not based on the 1-100% scale. Parents may notice a big difference with this type of report card because they are used to a standard percentage scale.
Why not stick with the old system? Parents understand percentages...
There are many reasons for the change. I will speak only from my own personal experience with the challenges I have faced in working with a report card based on percentages.
As teachers, we cannot be so accurate that we can differentiate between a 48% and a 51%. Marking is a subjective process and no matter how unbiased we try to be and how many examples we have to compare to, we still have to make a judgement call about the grade we give an assignment. A 1-4 scale eliminates some of the difference in the vast array of our grading process as teachers.
I have also found that marking by percentage forces me to mark more assignments than I would if I were reporting solely based on outcome. I would do much more formative assessment for student learning if I did not have to report grades for specific assignments. I would also spend more time developing student portfolios of learning to show growth and progress.
Because an outcome based report card is based on the curricular outcomes, the teacher plans for meeting those outcomes specifically. This changes the way he/she plans for assessment. Planning a course or unit "backwards by design" can help a teacher to ensure that students are achieving the outcomes. What this means is that the teacher plans for the final product first before designing daily lessons and instructional activities. The teacher no longer plans for assessment at the end of a course based on what was covered. Outcomes based reporting holds the teacher accountable to ensure that every student is achieving the desired outcomes, because they have to report directly on the outcomes. It would be very obvious to the teacher, student, parents, and administration if a teacher is not covering all of the outcomes at a grade because there should be evidence that the outcomes are being covered (and uncovered).
There are many reasons for the change. I will speak only from my own personal experience with the challenges I have faced in working with a report card based on percentages.
As teachers, we cannot be so accurate that we can differentiate between a 48% and a 51%. Marking is a subjective process and no matter how unbiased we try to be and how many examples we have to compare to, we still have to make a judgement call about the grade we give an assignment. A 1-4 scale eliminates some of the difference in the vast array of our grading process as teachers.
I have also found that marking by percentage forces me to mark more assignments than I would if I were reporting solely based on outcome. I would do much more formative assessment for student learning if I did not have to report grades for specific assignments. I would also spend more time developing student portfolios of learning to show growth and progress.
Because an outcome based report card is based on the curricular outcomes, the teacher plans for meeting those outcomes specifically. This changes the way he/she plans for assessment. Planning a course or unit "backwards by design" can help a teacher to ensure that students are achieving the outcomes. What this means is that the teacher plans for the final product first before designing daily lessons and instructional activities. The teacher no longer plans for assessment at the end of a course based on what was covered. Outcomes based reporting holds the teacher accountable to ensure that every student is achieving the desired outcomes, because they have to report directly on the outcomes. It would be very obvious to the teacher, student, parents, and administration if a teacher is not covering all of the outcomes at a grade because there should be evidence that the outcomes are being covered (and uncovered).
What has my experience with outcome based reporting been?
My division is currently going through the process of developing a new outcome based report card for grades K-8. We are going through a series of modules as a division to train our teachers for best practices when it comes to assessment, planning, and reporting. I am an early adopter so I have gone to several PD sessions so that I can help other teachers with the transition. I attended a workshop last fall that was filled by a large portion of teachers from my division and I gained a basic working knowledge of the theory and reasoning behind outcome based reporting. However, I have not yet used an outcome based report card in my career. I am looking forward to using the new report card next year with my class.
My division is currently going through the process of developing a new outcome based report card for grades K-8. We are going through a series of modules as a division to train our teachers for best practices when it comes to assessment, planning, and reporting. I am an early adopter so I have gone to several PD sessions so that I can help other teachers with the transition. I attended a workshop last fall that was filled by a large portion of teachers from my division and I gained a basic working knowledge of the theory and reasoning behind outcome based reporting. However, I have not yet used an outcome based report card in my career. I am looking forward to using the new report card next year with my class.