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Using student work samples to evaluate the impact of professional learning

A practical guide for teachers and school leaders to evaluate the impact of professional learning.

About work samples

About using student work samples to evaluate impact

This guide supports teachers to use student work samples as an immediate source of data on student understanding and progress. When using work samples to identify evidence of impact, it is important to be strategic about student selection and the framework for analysis.

The choice of students will depend on several factors, including the focus for the new practice or approach and intended outcomes, the target students and whole school goals or priorities.

The framework for analysis might be external assessment devices, such as learning progressions and syllabus outcomes, criteria developed through professional learning undertaken, such as high-leverage strategies explored in professional learning, or school-developed rubrics. Regardless of the specific framework selected, it needs to be appropriate for the practice being applied, the content and the student learning level. It should also be used collaboratively to ensure consistency between teachers and across several instances of data analysis. ​

    Purpose of resource

    This guide supports teachers to use student work samples as an immediate source of data on student understanding and progress. When using work samples to identify evidence of impact, it is important to be strategic about student selection and the framework for analysis.

    The guide is designed to support school leaders and teachers to evaluate the impact of professional learning on student growth and performance as part of a cycle of continuous professional learning. It supports the application of the High Impact Professional Learning (HIPL) model and aligns with the Professional learning for teachers and school staff procedure within the School Excellence policy.

    Target audience

    School leadership teams, aspiring leaders and teachers can use this resource to evaluate the impact of professional learning on student growth and performance.

    When and how to use

    This resource supports teachers to:

    • use student work samples as an immediate source of data on student understanding and progress while a teacher applies new learning from professional learning into their practice

    • consider a range of factors when identifying target students, including the focus for the improved practice or approach and intended outcomes, the target students and whole school goals or priorities

    • establish a framework for analysis, for example, external assessment devices, learning progressions, syllabus outcomes, criteria developed through professional learning undertaken, identified high leverage strategies explored in professional learning or school-developed rubrics.

    The resource includes an implementation guide, a planning template and an illustration of practice which provides an example of what application of the resource looks like in a school context, including suggested time frames.

    Research base

    This resource is informed by and aligns to the department’s High Impact Professional Learning (HIPL) model which is embedded in the Professional learning for teachers and schools staff procedure within the School Excellence policy. The HIPL model is underpinned by extensive research about teacher professional learning to ensure that professional learning in schools has maximum impact on student growth and performance. Additional research includes:

    Contact

    Provide feedback on this resource by completing this short survey.

    Email questions, comments, and additional feedback about this resource to professionallearning@det.nsw.edu.au using the subject line ‘Using student work samples evaluation resource’.

    Alignment to system priorities and/or needs – This resource supports teachers and school leaders to implement the department’s Professional learning for teachers and school staff procedure within the School Excellence policy.

    Alignment to School Excellence Framework – This resource aligns with the following elements and themes:

    Leading Domain:

    • ‘Professional learning’ theme within the ‘Learning and development’ element

    • ‘High expectations culture’ theme within the ‘Educational leadership’ element

    Teaching Domain:

    • ‘Data analysis’ and ‘Data use in teaching’ themes within the 'Data skills and use’ element

    Alignment to Our Plan for NSW Public Education – This resource aligns with the following themes:

    • Support staff development through high-quality and accessible professional learning

    • Support schools to deliver school excellence through continuous improvement

    • Improve how data is used to inform teaching

    Alignment with the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers – 3.2.3, 3.2.4, 3.6.3, 3.6.4, 6.3.3, 6.3.4

    Consulted with: APC&I leaders, LEED and Quality Teaching Practice evaluation and PL teams

    Reviewed by: Director, Quality Teaching Practice and Executive Director, Teaching Quality and Impact

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    This step aligns with the HIPL element: Professional learning is driven by identified student needs.

    Step 1: Identify existing student need and relevant professional learning

    What is the existing student need and what professional learning might address this?

    Identify existing student needs through analysis of data.

    Identify relevant professional learning, in collaboration with school leaders, and ensure it is something you can measure the impact of by looking at student work. For example:

    • improving the structure of student narrative writing
    • improving the use of accurate complex sentences in student writing
    • justifying solutions to mathematical problems using appropriate terminology and examples.

    Resources to support selecting professional learning

    This step aligns with the HIPL element: Professional learning is continuous and coherent.

    Step 2: Identify a set of students and gather baseline data

    What group of students will we gather work samples from and why?

    1. Identify a set of students you will gather work samples from. Select 2-3 students from different groups within the same focus area in the class/cohort with whom you will be applying the learning.
    2. Be clear on why you have selected these students. Connect this to school targets (for example particular equity groups or achievement levels) and priorities and/or IPMs.
    3. Gather a pre-PL work sample from the selected students.

    Resources to support collaboration and applications:

    This step aligns with the HIPL elements: School leadership teams enable professional learning; and Collaborative and applied professional learning strengthens teaching practice.

    Step 3: Engage in and apply the professional learning, analyse baseline data

    What criteria will be used to analyse work samples, how and when will this happen?

    1. Complete the professional learning you identified in step 1 that will support improvement in the identified area.
    2. Following the professional learning, identify what criteria will be used. For example, use criteria from the professional learning or develop criteria/rubric based on learning progressions, syllabus outcomes or exemplar models.
    3. Collaborate with colleagues to analyse the pre-professional learning work samples using a protocol, such as the ones listed below, to support collaborative analysis.
    4. Apply the indentified practice in the classroom.

    This step aligns with the HIPL element: Teachers and school leaders are responsible for the impact of professional learning on student progress and achievement.

    Step 4: Gather and analyse post-PL work samples, identify next steps

    How will we know if the professional learning has improved teacher practices and had impact on student progress and achievement?

    1. After applying the identified practice in the classroom for 1-2 weeks, gather work samples from the same group of students and collaborate with colleagues to analyse these using the same criteria as in Step 3.
    2. Annotate the work samples and keep copies. Record any changes in student learning, reflect and adjust classroom practice in response as needed.
    3. Continue to apply practice in the classroom.
    4. After applying the identified practice for at least 6 weeks, gather a further work sample and analyse as above.
    5. Annotate the work samples and keep copies. Record any identified changes in student learning, reflect and adjust classroom practice in response (as needed).
    6. Consider any additional professional learning that may be required to embed practice or deepen understanding.
    7. Share learning, feedback and recommendations with the wider team or across the school to impact teacher practice and student learning outcomes more widely.
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