In line with its commitment to improve the quality of basic education in the Philippines, the Department of Education (DepEd) launched the Professional Development Program on Assessment and Emerging Literacies with focus on Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA).
Attended by teacher-participants all over the country, the launch kickstarted the Assessment PD which forms part of the DepEd’s ongoing preparations for its participation in the 2022 cycle of PISA.
“As we work towards improving quality through Sulong EduKalidad, we recognize the urgent need to upskill and reskill our teachers so that they will be equipped to meet the changing standards, landscape, and context of basic education,” said Education Secretary Leonor Briones.
The Assessment PD aims to improve teachers' assessment strategies, methods and content knowledge in Math, Science, and Reading, and to help them align their classroom practices with emerging literacies measured by international assessments.
“Our own national, regional, and even local assessments strategies have to be aligned with such methodologies and literacies in international assessments,” Briones added.
The Office of the Secretary worked in collaboration with the Bureau of Education Assessment (BEA), the Bureau of Learning Delivery (BLD), assessment experts, and partner National Educators' Academy of the Philippines (NEAP)-accredited Learning Service Providers (LSPs), specifically, the Assessment, Curriculum, and Technology Research Centre (ACTRC), the Center for Educational Measurement (CEM) Inc., and FrontLearners Inc. in the development of the PD.
The program consists of five component courses, namely: (1) Enhancement of Teachers’ Assessment Competencies; (2) Assessment of learning in DepEd; (3) The Philippine K-12 Curriculum and the international large-scale assessments (ILSA); (4) Adapting assessment principles and practices to the emerging literacies; and (5) Monitored application of assessment practice in the classroom setting.
During the roundtable discussion, Dr. Marlene Ferido of the ACTRC explained the rationale behind the initiative.
“This PD gives teachers a chance to move to a higher level of assessment practice as they unpack the curriculum,” Ferido said.
“We at ACTRC believe that assessment is for teaching. Why? It's because if assessment information and data based on evidence are used appropriately, then our students will learn, and demonstrate their true proficiency,” she said. “Teachers will be able to monitor learning correctly and students will be able to engage with relevant learning opportunities,” she added.
Addressing the teacher-participants, Briones emphasized that through the professional development program, “we hope to provide opportunities to enhance your assessment strategies, methods, and practices, and to empower you to explore innovative ways to implement them in the classrooms.”
DepEd said that program will cater to Grade 8 and 9 English, Science, and Math teachers in public junior high schools (JHS) nationwide. It will run from October 2021 to April 2022.