Using Edrolo assessment tools to lift HSC results
If you don’t know already, Edrolo now has a suite of assessment tools.
Why should you care about that?
Using them effectively can both help you motivate students, and get them on the path to better results in their exams. We use the Edrolo pre-made assessment tool, but you could also create and customise your own in the tasks tab and follow the same approach.
What I’m outlining here is a part of how I’ve led the Science teams at two schools to lift results, and achieve:
- Multiple Band 6 results where previously there were none
- Consistent performance above state average
- Improved student engagement and confidence in science
- Better preparation for high-stakes assessments
Getting students used to assessment
Most people would set the assessments as homework - but my team use these in class for consistency, under test conditions, on or offline. The 3 steps are:
- We implement a structured approach to these assessments, carefully timing them based on HSC requirements and making it clear to students, for example: "In the HSC, you are going to need to do 1.8 minutes per mark. It's a 100 mark exam. You have 180 minutes to do it."
- This helps students develop realistic exam skills and time management. Coaching sport, I always say that we play like we train. The assessments are our training for the big game in October/November. Regular assessments can also help students develop little, but crucial exam skills: How to focus, how to arrange your pens, how to have their calculator set up, how to make their working out and formula sheets help them, and how to keep track of the time.
- However we make it clear to the students there's no pressure to perform on the assessments but that they will have to perform at some point. Mistakes are okay, the mark has no impact on things like rank, the assessment is where they learn. This approach helps reduce anxiety while maintaining accountability - and builds, over time, their ability to perform better under exam conditions.
Feedback matters - for your time and their learning
Using Edrolo assessments also marks student work automatically and gives them direct video solutions, so they can see how to improve. Teachers also see students’ responses to a particular question at once on the one screen, rather than leafing through booklets. This saves hours of time. We can get marks back to students within the same lesson so the feedback lands better.
Having the students’ scores per question visible on the one screen also provides an excellent opportunity to review and give feedback on questions that the cohort performed poorly, or identify individuals that we need to sit one-on-one with and help. This means teachers can turn any gaps to growth, and bring RAP level insights whilst a teacher is teaching as opposed to when it’s too late at the end of the year
The impact on student outcomes
This comprehensive data-driven approach, supported by Edrolo assessment, creates a positive learning environment where students can see their progress and stay motivated, and teachers can directly turn any gaps into a growth opportunity. It's not just about collecting data - it's about using it strategically to support student growth and achievement while building their confidence and exam skills, without eating into the workload of your team.