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Professional (Graduate) Diploma in EducationPreparing to teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector

Topic: Assessment and record

keeping

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Aims

To introduce the importance of assessment and some of the concepts involved

To give practice in devising assessment methods, activities and criteria

To explain some common ways of record keeping

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Learning outcomes/objectives By the end of the session students

should be able to: Explain the uses and importance of

assessment Explain some of the key terms in

assessment Identify the types and purposes of

assessment Keep assessment records in a suitable

format

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What is assessment of learning?

The measurement of a student’s: skills knowledge attitudes before, during or after learning

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Why is assessment so important?

Students need to know where they are Teachers and students need to

identify problems to put them right Helps the teacher evaluate their own

teaching Helps society to select people for jobs

or training Helps measure value for money

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Growing importance of assessment

Since 1988 Education Reform Act schools have used external tests at regular stages

Information used to inform parents and for league tables

Achievement data produced by these tests is now a key “performance indicator”

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Assessment in Further Education

The FE sector has also become much more assessment focussed

More testing on entry, part way through courses as well as at the end

Major changes to the level of recording of assessment data

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How do teachers assess skills, knowledge and attitudes?

Work in pairs to complete the first column of the worksheet

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How do teachers assess skills, knowledge and attitudes?

Assessment may be by: Observing practical skills Setting a written task Listening to a discussion Question and answer An electronic test…….and many other methods

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Terms to be familiar with

Formative assessment: Ongoing: takes place during the

course Used for diagnostic purposes Provides feedback for learner and

teacher May be very informal

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Summative assessment

Takes place at the end of the course Also known as terminal assessment Normally used for certification

purposes May be a summary of competences, a

final test or examination

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Can there be too much assessment?

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Criterion- referenced assessment

Assessment where work is judged against a set of criteria

All criteria need to be met for student to pass

Usually no grading Student may be given a long time

scale to achieve the criteria Used in NVQs, Key Skills, OCNs

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Norm referenced assessment

Student’s achievements are measured against those of other students

Marks or grades awarded A good test will usually produce a

‘normal distribution curve’ Standards can be kept the same from

year to year

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Validity: Does your assessment tool measure what it is meant to?

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Reliability

How robust is your assessment activity?

Would another assessor using it get the same results?

How do you avoid bias? Would the same assessment

activity produce the same results on a different day?

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Fairness

Fairness concerns all of the above being met

No cultural bias The student’s own work Students given equal access to

chances of achievement

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Take one of the following groups and construct an activity and a set of criteria against which their skills or knowledge might be judged

Cookery students learning to make pastry

Business students learning how companies market products

Basic Skills students learning how to set out a letter

Pottery students learning how to use clay

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Recording assessment decisions

Paper based records Databases Online records