1. What is LOA?

LOA should improve pupils´ motivation and goal orientation and encourage a critical approach to the subject. Their independence, originality and sense of responsibility should also be developed. This new method of assessment will also reduce the pressure on pupils to achieve and help relieve any apprehension they may have regarding their new school environment. It encourages teachers to be objective when grading work, which results in fewer grade discrepancies, and encourages pupils to be satisfied with their final performance grades. LOA helps pupils to learn to work as individuals during lessons and to adapt to a variety of classroom situations.

Characteristics of LOA

• At the beginning of each term pupils receive a learning goal catalogue including the various objectives to be achieved (= performance log-sheet).
• Learning goals are categorized into basic learning goals and more advanced goals.
• Learning goals which have been attained are recorded on the log-sheet in writing by both pupils and teachers.
• Pupils are given additional opportunities to prove they are capable of reaching goals to those provided by conventional forms of assessment (tests, exams), for example handing in presentations or producing independent work demonstrating the attainment of further learning goals.
• The final marks, which are decided on the basis of objectives achieved, are recorded on the performance log-sheet.

2. Putting theory into practice

At the beginning of the term pupils receive a performance log-sheet on which both the general learning goals and the subject-specific learning goals are listed. During the first year pupils also learn to take responsibility for keepíng their own performance log-sheet up-to-date. This method allows them to keep track of their current state of achievement. Consequently, the reasons for awarding a certain grade should be clearer and less open to debate. Teachers also have copies of their pupils’ log-sheets in order to be able to monitor each individual’s progress.

Because it is divided into basic learning goals and more advanced objectives, LOA helps pupils to learn how to take responsibility for their own learning. Pupils must achieve the basic learning goals in order to pass a subject and may reach one of the higher grades only by producing additional work. The teacher will provide various opportunities for fulfilling the necessary criteria. Individual pupils should make good use of these opportunities and take responsibility for their own learning. The tasks to be carried out should be assessed according to pupils’ ability to fulfil the task criteria which they have established previously with the help of their teachers. If these criteria have been satisfied, the tasks can be accepted as proof of pupils’ achievement and entered accordingly onto their performance log-sheets.

The criteria for the basic learning goals should be satisfied not only once in order merely to pass the subject, but as often as possible so that competence can be achieved through repetition. The tasks to be carried out in order to reach the higher grades are in general more difficult and sophisticated. Tasks enabling pupils to achieve a grade 1 or 2 („very good“ and „good“) are marked in the text book and may consist of general problems relating to the wider context of the topic or of relevant examples taken from the media.

All methods of assessment are weighted equally, and the conventional school tests form just one way of determining pupils’ achievement.

Table 1: Methods of assessment and grading in Mathematics

LOA grading helps encourage pupils to achieve, since repeating previously unattained goals is not only allowed, but actively supported.

The tasks vary considerably and should aim to develop as many personal skills as possible, for example:

• the ability to cope with changing situations
• the ability to take responsibility for one’s own learning
• the ability to monitor one’s own progress
• the ability to communicate
• being interested in one’s work
• being willing to apply oneself
• being able to draw upon a wide range of techniques to achieve a goal
• creativity

Examples taken from the LOA curriculum for 1st year Mathematics, English, German and Biology are described below:

The change from primary school to grammar school also means pupils must adjust from having one contact teacher (their form teacher) to working a different teacher in each subject. If at this stage pupils are given guidelines to follow and goals to achieve, and learn how to work independently to reach these aims, it will have a positive effect on their entire education.

The pupils are really enjoying their work! Independent learning, where pupils must move from base to base completing a different task at each, enables individuals to fulfil the criteria for both the basic and for the more advanced learning goals. They may also establish their own working speed.

Table 6: Plan of action for Mathematics

ARBEITSANWEISUNG	PFLICHT oder WAHL	KONTROLL-FORM	SOZIAL-FORM
MESSEN Bearbeite das Arbeitsblatt „ICH“.Hänge das fertige Blatt in der Klasse auf!		SK
ÜBERFALL Verwende Folienstifte		SK
MULTIPLIKATION I Rechne ins Heft		SK
MULTIPLIKATION II Rechne ins Heft	..	LK
MULTIPLIKATION III Rechne ins Heft .Kreuze am Zettel an.	...	LK
SCHLANGE Verwende Folienstifte		SK
SCHRIFTL: DIVIDIEREN Bearbeite Arbeitsblatt 1		SK
DIVISION Schneide die Kärtchen aus! Welches Bild entsteht?	.	SK
SCHRIFTL: DIVIDIEREN Bearbeite das Arbeitsblatt 2	...	LK
RESTEBÖRSE Spiele zu zweit.	.	SK
MEMORY Denkt gut nach!	..	SK
ÄPFEL Verwende Folienstifte		SK
TEXTAUFGABEN Rechne mindestens 3 Beispiele! Kontrolle beim Lehrertisch		LK

The role of the teacher is no longer just to convey knowledge and to examine, but also to supervise, stimulate and help the pupils! A feeling of security is also provided by the list of goals to be achieved. The willingness of the children to achieve and their creativeness within the LOA programme can clearly be seen.

3.) Feedback

The results of a questionnaire completed by parents of first year pupils have shown that this programme has been successful.

Questionnaire Results

• LOA has made to move from primary school to grammar school easier
• Initial anxiety regarding the new school environment was quickly dispelled
• Somewhat unusual enthusiasm for school was apparent
• The option of producing work on a voluntary basis was seen as very positive
• As were the various methods used to produce results
• As a result of LOA no problems whatsoever were experienced with the transfer from primary school to grammar school
• There was greater motivation to work and learn independently
• Leaning goals could be repeated
• There was no fear of written exams
• Happy children
• Satisfied parents

Criticisms from some parents:

• The pressure to achieve learning goals became greater at the end of each semester because of the desire to achieve a better semester grade.
• The conventional system of grading still appears on reports.
• This system has resulted in more work for the pupils and more pressure to achieve. It also demands a lot of individual guidance from the teacher.

4.) Conclusions

It can be concluded that this alternative form of teaching in the first year has been surprisingly well recieved by pupils and teachers alike. It has been proven that LOA reduces the problems pupils have in moving from primary to grammar school.

I would like to thank my colleague Mag. Hans – Jörg Kunze, who has been working on the development of LOA for a long time now, for his efforts and for convincing me that this project would be successful.

I would also like to thank the following colleagues for their contributions:

English: Mag. Sophia Soklaridis
German: Mag. Nina Kaspar – Markhoff
Biology: Mag. Brigitta Zillner