Getting ahead with PAT (Online ACER Accreditation Course)
Getting Ahead with PAT (ONLINE ACER Accredited Course)
This course is for participants from schools and educational systems who are currently using PAT assessments and wish to deepen their knowledge, practice and staff capacity through a shared understanding of ACER’s PAT assessment suite.
Recommended prior learning
Getting Started with PAT, Data Driven Decisions ACER accredited professional learning courses.
Intended learning outcomes
Participants will be able to:
- demonstrate a detailed understanding of the PAT assessment suite and the role of PAT in a developmental model of teaching and learning and school improvement
- design and trial an implementation plan using PAT.
AITSL Professional Standards for Teachers
This course focuses on Professional Standards 1, 3 and 5 at the Highly Accomplished and Lead Teacher levels.
This course is targeted to the teaching levels indicated in the table below.
| Graduate | Proficient | Highly accomplished appropriate for this level | Lead appropriate for this level |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1.5 Differentiate teaching to meet the needs of students across the full range of abilities Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of strategies for differentiating teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities. |
1.5 Differentiate teaching to meet the needs of students across the rull range of abilities Develop teaching activities that incorporate differentiated strategies to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities. |
1.5 Differentiate teaching to meet the needs of students across the full range of abilities Evaluate learning and teaching programs, using student assessment data that are differentiated for the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities. |
1.5 Differentiate teaching to meet the needs of students across the full range of abilities Lead colleagues to evaluate the effectiveness of learning and teaching programs differentiated for the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilities. |
|
3.1 Establish challenging learning goals Set learning goals that provide achievable challenges for students of varying abilities and characteristics. |
3.1 Establish challenging learning goals Set explicit, challenging and achievable learning goals for all students. |
3.1 Establish challenging learning goals Develop a culture of high expectations for all students by modelling and setting challenging learning goals. |
3.1 Establish challenging learning goals Demonstrate exemplary practice and high expectations and lead colleagues to encourage students to pursue challenging goals in all aspects of their education. |
|
3.6 Evaluate and improve teaching programs Demonstrate broad knowledge of strategies that can be used to evaluate teaching programs to improve student learning. |
3.6 Evaluate and improve teaching programs Evaluate personal teaching and learning programs using evidence, including feedback from students and student assessment data, to inform planning. |
3.6 Evaluate and improve teaching programs Work with colleagues to review current teaching and learning programs using student feedback, student assessment data, knowledge of curriculum and workplace practices. |
3.6 Evaluate and improve teaching programs Conduct regular reviews of teaching and learning programs using multiple sources of evidence including: student assessment data, curriculum documents, teaching practices and feedback from parents/carers, students and colleagues. |
|
5.4 Interpret student data Demonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning. |
5.4 Interpret student data Use student assessment data to analyse and evaluate student understanding of subject/content, identifying interventions and modifying teaching practice. |
5.4 Interpret student data Work with colleagues to use data from internal and external student assessments for evaluating learning and teaching, identifying interventions and modifying teaching practice. |
5.4 Interpret student data Coordinate student performance and program evaluation using internal and external student assessment data to improve teaching practice. |
Course in detail
The course is delivered in online mode and consists of 5 modules and 1 learning assurance task (Design and trial a school implementation plan for your school). The modules are interactive and participants work through examples and activities to build skills and knowledge.
Introduction to Getting Ahead with PAT
This module questions our reasons for assessment and compares ACER’s approach to traditional methods of assessment. It looks at the three underpinning theories to ACER’s assessment, the requirements of effective assessment, and best practice. Using PAT tests and reports, it demonstrates how student progress is established on a described continuum to inform future action.
Module 1: Building teacher capacity
This module draws together the research about professional learning, the theory, principles and practices. It focuses on three key topics, building professional capital and professional learning principles.
Module 2: Accessing the right data for the right reason
This module explains how to access the data you need, and demonstrates how to generate and interpret a range of PAT reports. It provides resources to support you in your analysis of reports so your teaching and learning planning is well-informed. It offers strategies to build a culture of PAT in your school. It critiques a range of theories that underpin the development of a learning culture. It contains a case study about the Australian Teacher Performance and Development Framework.
Module 3: Creating a culture of PAT
This module explores how you might start to develop a productive professional learning community culture of using PAT in your school. It explores the five domains of the ACER Professional Learning Community Framework, and the elements of the framework that relate to professional culture. A case study shows how Medina Primary School improved its students’ literacy rates by making student growth visible.
Module 4: Implementation planning
This module focuses on a how to apply theories of professional learning to a real-life context. You are guided through SMART goals to design an implementation plan relevant to your students’ needs.
Learning assurance task
Design and trial a school implementation plan for your school.
On successful completion of this course, participants will receive an ACER certificate of achievement.
Delivery mode: Online
Time and duration: 20 hours of online coursework, 20 hours' practical application of course content over approximately 20 weeks.
Resources: All resources are included in the course.