SBAfL, New Techniques for Teachers

 

SBAfL or School Based Assessment for Learning is a fusion of two terms, the SBA and AfL. SBA stands for School Based Assessment at which currently is being practiced since the new SPN21 education system started in 2010. AfL or Assessment for Learning is a new integration of teaching and learning with SBA that was introduced into the Brunei education system in 2012.

SBAfL's main focus is the pupils where they play a lead role in their own learning. Teachers are the facilitators and pupils must know the quality and potential of their very own learning which then lead to their success.

Assessments are integrated into learning and teaching, allowing pupils to see for themselves how far they have progressed in their subjects through self evaluation and self feedback. These, then, lead to pupils recognising the next steps needed to achieving learning outcomes and how to take them. The prime purpose is to improve learning and teaching in order to raise pupils' achievements.

In conjunction with this, a group of teachers who attended the seminar on SBAfL in 2012 made a presentation about it and delivered it to teachers from the school as part of teachers' professional development. It took place in the school's hall in the afternoon on 29 January 2013.

Cikgu Hashnalhakim bin Haji Abd Halim , the Assistant Headmaster II led the presentation before the teachers. Other facilitators joining the team were Cikgu Hjh Siti Khadijah, Cikgu Hjh Kamsiah, Ustaz Amiruddin, Cikgu Arie and Cikgu Zul Ariffin.

They presented the SBAfL contents on Learning Intentions and Success Criteria. The presentation started off with an activity where teachers were instructed to fold shirts within a given short time. This became the warming up assessment for teachers that they were assessed for the quantity of shirt folded within the given time. For this first task, the assessment was just simple and general.

Soon after they were shown with a video clip on how the shirts should be folded in 2 seconds and all instructions on doing the steps for folding were explained and showed in the video. This explained well to the teachers that they now, after watching the video, knew to fold shirts in 2 seconds.

The video linked well with the presention on Learning Intentions and Success Criteria. The learning Intention was to fold shirts within a given short time. The Succes Criteria were the steps folding the shirts in 2 seconds. When everything was explained then the learning and teaching were a success. Consider the teachers were the pupils and the facilitators were the teachers.

At the final before the presentation dismissed, Mr Simon Green, a CfBT Pra English teacher showed his talent on folding a shirt in seconds proving that his learning on folding the shirt was really a success.