A Study On Lorna M.Earl'S Theory Of Classroom Assessment

Lorna M.Earl is an important leader in the field of research on the educational evaluation reform in Ontario,Canada.Her theory of classroom assessment,centered on "assessment as learning ",has important theoretical and practical guiding value for changing concepts of assessment and promoting students' learning more effectively.From the 1970 s to the 1990 s,educational evaluation reforms in western developed countries,including Canada,did not significantly improve the quality of basic education.In the face of the difficulties of educational evaluation and the challenge of students' learning style changing to autonomous learning,assessment needs to return to the essential function of promoting learning.In response to this,research on "assessment as learning" gradually formed a trend of thought,Lorna M.Earl is one of the outstanding representatives.Through a series of theoretical thinking and practical accumulation,Lorna M.Earl formed her own theoretical system of "assessment as learning",especially put forward and discussed the development program,implementation model and support system of it.Among them,with regard to the development program,Lorna M.Earl advocated it consists of five basic questions,namely,"why am I assessing","what am I assessing","what assessment method should I use","how can I ensure quality in this assessment process" and "how do I use the information from this assessment";and with regard to the implementation model and the support system,she proposed two implementation models: assessment propelling learning and assessment embedded in learning,with specific requirements for students,teachers,schools and districts,and parents and communities,respectively.Lorna M.Earl's theory of classroom assessment,especially her theory of "assessment as learning ",is a revolution and challenge to the traditional theory of classroom assessment with emphasis on results and discrimination in the past.It is different from the "assessment of learning" and the "assessment for learning" in respect of the theoretical framework,the basic connotation,the roles of teachers and students,as well as the operation plan,which has its own characteristics and is of great significance to promote student's learning.Lorna M.Earl's theory of classroom assessment provides some reference ideas for the classroom assessment reform of basic education in China in the future.