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Understanding Learners and Adapting Teaching: Diagnostic Assessment
This course introduces teachers to diagnostic assessment and equips them with the practical skills and tools needed to implement diagnostic assessment in their classrooms.
About this course
Learners in the same classroom may have different levels of readiness for new learning. Diagnostic assessment helps teachers identify learners' existing knowledge, skills, misconceptions and learning gaps needed for new learning, to inform inclusive, learner-centred teaching. This course provides practical guidance on how teachers can planning and administering diagnostic assessments, interpreting learning data and using hte findings to inform lesson planning and targeted support.
The contents of this course draws on the UNESCO publication "Addressing learning needs in the Asia-Pacific region: Teachers' guide on diagnostic assessment."
This is the first of two complementary courses in UNESCO's Understanding Learners and Adapting Teaching (ULAT) programme. The companion course, Understanding Learners and Adapting Teaching: Differentiated Teaching and Learning builds on the concepts introduced here and explores how teachers can use assessment information to adapt teaching to respond to learners' needs.
Together, the two courses provide a coherent learning pathway: first understanding learners’ needs through diagnostic assessment and then responding to those needs through differentiated teaching and learning.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Explain how diagnostic assessment supports equitable, incluisive and learner-centred teaching and learning.
- Plan and implement diagnostic assessments to identify learners’ readiness for new learning and key learning needs.
- Collect and interpret learning information using appropriate diagnostic assessment techniques and tools.
- Use diagnostic assessment findings to provide effective feedback to learners.
- Identify appropriate instructional responses, including with digital technologies, based on diagnostic assessment findings.
Requirements
There are no formal prerequisites for this course. It is designed for teachers, school leaders, teacher educators, and others interested in understanding and supporting learner diversity. No previous knowledge of diagnostic assessment is required. Completion of the companion course on differentiated teaching and learning is not required, but participants are encouraged to continue their learning through the full course series.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is this course for?
This course is designed for pre-service and in-service teachers, teacher educators, school leaders, pedagogical advisers, and other education professionals interested in understanding and supporting learner diversity.
Do I need to participate at specific times?
No. This is a self-paced online course. Participants can complete all course activities according to their own schedule.
What types of learning activities will I complete?
Participants will engage with interactive learning materials, reflection tasks, classroom scenarios, case studies, practical diagnostic assessment activities, downloadable tools and templates, and end-of-section quizzes.
Can I apply the learning to my own context?
Yes. Participants are encouraged to reflect on their own practice and explore how the concepts and tools can be applied in their teaching and learning contexts.
How can I learn and exchange ideas with other teachers?
Learning from this course can be further strengthened when it is combined with face-to-face learning opportunities with a trainer and/or peer learning with colleagues. You are encouraged to take this course alongside colleagues or other teachers in your school or local community. Consider arranging regular informal meetings to discuss the course’s reflection questions, share classroom experiences and explore how to apply what you have learned.
Course content
8 modules · 40 lessons · 9 assessments
- IntroductionLesson
- ContentLesson
- 1.1. Section objectivesLesson
- 1.2. Definition of diagnostic assessmentLesson
- 1.3. Why does diagnostic assessment matter?Lesson
- 1.4. The five-step assessment processLesson
- 1.5. Different types of assessmentHomework
- 1.6. A real-world example of using diagnostic assessment to address learning gapsLesson
- 1.7. Summary of key pointsHomework
- ContentLesson
- 2.1. Section objectivesLesson
- 2.2. Planning basicsLesson
- 2.3. The WHY of diagnostic assessmentLesson
- 2.4. The WHAT of diagnostic assessmentLesson
- 2.5. The WHO of diagnostic assessmentLesson
- 2.6. The WHEN of diagnostic assessmentLesson
- 2.7. Reflecting on Why, What, Who and WhenLesson
- 2.8. Gender and inclusion considerations when planning diagnostic assessmentLesson
- 2.9. Using the diagnostic assessment planning templateLesson
- 2.10. Summary of key pointsHomework
- ContentLesson
- 3.1. Section objectivesLesson
- 3.2. Defining diagnostic assessment techniques and tasksLesson
- 3.3. Diagnostic assessment data collection techniquesLesson
- 3.4. Choosing a diagnostic assessment techniqueLesson
- 3.5. Gender and inclusion considerations when collecting dataLesson
- 3.6. Summary of key pointsHomework
- ContentLesson
- 4.1. Section objectivesLesson
- 4.2. Interpreting diagnostic assessmentsLesson
- 4.3. Which interpretation tool to useLesson
- 4.4. Building a simple analytic rubricLesson
- 4.5. Profiles and proficiency levelsLesson
- 4.6. Summary of key pointsHomework
- ContentLesson
- 5.1. Section objectivesLesson
- 5.2. Three feedback questionsHomework
- 5.3. Feedback stepsLesson
- 5.4. Summary of key pointsHomework
- ContentLesson
- 6.1. Section objectivesLesson
- 6.2. Differentiation - tiers and componentsLesson
- 6.3. From profile to one differentiated decisionLesson
- 6.4. Summary of key pointsHomework
- ContentLesson
- 7.1. Section objectivesLesson
- 7.2. Why digital technology for diagnostic assessment?Lesson
- 7.3. From digital technology reality to practical useLesson
- 7.4. Summary of key pointsHomework