Looking At Students Work


Research on the Use of Student Work

Excerpted from Promising Practices for Improving Education Council for Basic Education, October 2001

The US Department of Education reports that student work is an effective tool in professional development…. "We found that professional development focused on specific teaching strategies increases teachers' use of these strategies. If professional development is also characterized by collective participation… or active learning…, the impact on using the strategies in the classroom is even greater. "

"…. Another element of active learning is the opportunity to examine and review student work. By examining students' written responses to problems, for example, teachers may gain an understanding of students' preconceptions, misconceptions and solution strategies (Schifter, 1996; Carpenter et al, 1989). And, by observing students' responses to questions posed by expert teachers, teachers may gain insight into the types of difficulties students are likely to have with complex subject matter and materials and teaching strategies that are likely to be effective. In particular, examples of student work may help teachers develop skills in diagnosing student problems and designing lessons at an appropriate level of difficulty. Finally, by discussing examples of students' work, teachers may develop shared interpretations of the kinds of problems that are easy and difficult and the standards of performance against which students should be held."

US Department of Education Planning and Evaluation Service. "Does Professional Development Change Teaching Practice? Results from a Three-Year Study " October, 2000.

US Department of Education, "Designing Effective Professional Development: Lessons from the Eisenhower Program." October, 1999 (PDF).

The Education Trust Standards in Practice program (PDF), which involves looking at student work, has demonstrated its effectiveness:

Standards in Practice was first evaluated and found to be an effective professional development approach by Policy Studies Associates, in Washington, DC. Since then, others have shown SIP to have positive effects on student achievement: in Pueblo, Colorado, the scores of students in the classes of SIP teachers were higher than those in the classes of non-SIP teachers; in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, an elementary and middle school - whose teachers had participated in SIP for a complete school year - had significantly improved scores on the PSSA (Pennsylvania State School Assessment).

As individuals, teachers look at their students' work on a daily basis. Now, more and more teachers are working collectively to examine student work as part of school reform efforts and as a professional development tool. Authors of "Looking at Student Work for Teacher Learning, Teacher Community and School Reform," examined schools working with three nationally-recognized organizations - Harvard Project Zero, the Coalition of Essential Schools and the Academy for Educational Development - and the process for looking at student work recommended by each organization. The authors found that looking at student work collectively fosters teacher learning, builds professional community and aids in the pursuit of school reform. In this paper, the authors describe the common elements as well as inhibitors for creating a constructive process.

As part of a broad school effort focused on student achievement, collective examination of student work serves as a window into student learning. The schools in this study used various processes for looking at student work but in each school, teacher learning was evident as were three key contextual elements: setting aside school time for the activity, bringing samples of work to the table and having a set structure for the conversation. It was critical in these schools that teachers have support from school administrators and time in the day to look at student work together. During the meeting, participants brought examples of work and discussed what they saw in each piece. In order to assure effective exchange of ideas, each school followed a protocol that laid out guidelines and organized the discussion. The purpose was to encourage participants to be open-minded, as well as focused in the examination of the sample work. This inquiry and examination of work also led to productive discussions about instruction.

The most significant challenge in using the process of collectively examining student work as a learning tool was the group's ability to transcend the traditions of privacy and non-interference in a teacher's work. Throughout their research, the authors also encountered other challenges, Some examples include: the scarcity of time; multitude of issues to tackle ; and the inability of some groups to overcome concerns about discomfort and hurting colleagues' feelings. Another common detriment was the uncertainty about how to implement the process effectively.

For further information about the approaches described and their corresponding bodies of research, "Looking at Student Work for Teacher Learning, Teacher Community and School Reform," by Judith Warren Little, Maryl Gearhart, Marnie Curry and Judith Kafka. AERA Paper, 2002.

For an example of one method for looking at student work, see Critical Friends Groups section of our website. Another valuable resource about looking at student work is the Web site: www.lasw.org.