The learning design comprises three activities. The main resource is the interactive multimedia program and peer and instructor interaction serve and the support mechanisms. The Learning Design Sequence is illustrated as follows.

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WHAT STUDENTS DO

1. Select one of five investigations available from a multimedia CD-Rom resource and produce a report about their findings (from their examination of the content provided in the CD-Rom). Students form pairs or small groups to work on the task and assume the identity of "new teachers" being requested to undertake this investigation by the school principal, subject co-ordinator or other senior person in the school. Students work on this task over a 2 week period during class time.
2. Each student group presents their findings to the class in the third class session. They maintain their roles and the class assumes a "staff meeting", parent meeting or other personality according to the investigation.

Students have a choice of five investigations into assessment strategies in mathematics classrooms. These investigations are presented to them realistically in the form of two documents. One document is shown below.

In one memo, a parent complains to a school about the assessment practices used, and in a second memo, the Mathematics Coordinator asks a group of teachers (the students) to do some research into assessment (talk to students, talk to teachers, read some expert opinion, etc. - all of which can be done collaboratively with the CD-ROM) and to come up with a new plan for assessment in the school. Students present their findings at a ‘staff meeting’ (presently set up as peer-assessed presentations).

SIGNIFICANCE OF ORDER
The nature of the activities enables the students to immerse themselves in an authentic context that gives a purpose and meaning to their learning of assessment strategies, The sequence of activities is important only in the broadest sense, in that the students need to have investigated the problem and created a report before that can give the presentation.

However, the manner in which students investigate the resources and their sequence is of little importance. It is this non-linear access to all the resources that possibly allows students to respond to the task in a reflective and considered manner.

CRITICAL ACTIVITIES
Given the relatively small scope of this learning design (i.e.: runs for only 3 weeks), both tasks are considered critical.

However, the resource can also be used quite flexibly in a range of situations by selecting or creating a different task, depending on the context and the group.

ACCESSIBLE RESOURCES
The CD-ROM is the main resource students have access to. This multimedia program has been designed to enable students to examine a problem/investigation from a variety of perspectives. Resources are available to students by clicking on elements of the interface:

Strategy selection:

Students select an assessment strategy to investigate from the white board. There are 22 to choose from.

Videos: Clicking on the video cases below the television plays a video demonstration of the strategy filmed in a real classroom, and an interview with a teacher and a student.

Descriptions: Clicking on the first drawer of the filing cabinet gives students access to a description of the selected assessment strategy.

Sample: The sample drawer includes work samples from children who have used the assessment strategy.

Reflections: This drawer gives access to reflective comments written by preservice teachers who have tried the strategy while on professional practice.

Experts: The final drawer gives access to expert comments on the strategy.

RESOURCES IN CONTEXT
The CD-ROM resource (or web-based versions of the resources) is important because it enables users to make their own judgements about these strategies based on: observing the strategies in use in regular classroom environments, hearing comments by practising teachers and their students, and reading the reflections of experts in the field as well as novice pre-service teachers.

VARYING THE RESOURCE SET
The multimedia program forms the crux of the learning setting. Without it, the two activities could not be conducted in such a short time frame as student would need to research the different types of assessment strategies available and would not have the opportunity to examine these assessment strategies from a variety of perspectives.

SUPPORTS SUPPLIED
The support elements provided in the learning setting are:

• Teacher firstly introduces the multimedia program in class and explains its functionality.
• Students work collaboratively in small groups on the assigned investigation task.
• Student presentations are assessed by both peers and the teacher, thus the students receive feedback from multiple sources (the teacher and each of the other students). Students receive the comments as well as the mark given by the other students.

The teacher is available to assist the students during class time. The teacher provides a scaffolding support as appropriate.

SIGNIFICANCE OF SUPPORT STRATEGIES
The value of the support strategies recommended for use in this learning design, in particular the use of collaborative groups, cannot be overstated. The strength of the support rests on opportunities that students have in social groupings to articulate and defend their growing understanding of issues associated with assessment. This support is backed up by contributions from, and discussion with, the teacher of the class. Solitary study of the resource will not give these opportunities.

SUPPORT STRATEGY ADAPTATION
Critical support: Orientation to the CD-ROM program.
The initial introduction to the multimedia program requires to identify the functionality of the CD-ROM. This support is given by the teacher but it could be modified by allowing the students to read the comprehensive instruction book that accompanies the CD-ROM.

Critical support: Collaborative work on the task is crucial to the success of this learning design. While it is possible that the program could also be used as a reflective, self-study resource, the main power of the design is derived from the scaffolding and support that students give each other as they work towards their goal.

Optional: The teacher assistance could be considered optional, but only if students work in groups and have access to the book.

Optional: The peer assessment strategy could be optional, although it strengthens the design considerably by providing valuable practice, feedback and guidance.