Understanding the Principles and Practices of Assessment

Presentation - Louise Reed

Objectives

•The key concepts and principles of assessment

•The responsibilities of the assessor

•Key factors in planning holistic assessment

•Validity, authenticity, currency and sufficiency of evidence

Key concepts and principles of assessment

as·sess·ment  /əˈsesmənt/

NounThe evaluation or estimation of the nature, quality, or ability of someone or something: "the assessment of educational needs".

Assessment is the tool used to help both the teacher and learner gauge progress on a course.

Decisions are based on criteria, set by the awarding body.

Criteria should be clear to all learners and assessors.

Assessment should be:

•valid, reliable and fair; as such it should involve a variety of methods .

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It should also be:

•made clear what is expected in order to meet criteria requirements

Responsibilities of the Assessor

• Plan and deliver workshops and activities to the requirements of the awarding body & meeting the needs of learners

• Observe and assess candidates in the workplace

• Provide feedback and advice

• Keep accurate records

• Sign off the candidate when criteria has been met

Meeting learners needs

•Do not discriminate

•Consider learning disabilities and needs

•Consider any ethnical requirements

•Consider working schedule of learners

•Be consistent and professional

•Maintain standards for the College and Awarding Body

Another thingAssessors

should maintain

credibility and relevance by keeping up

with CPD

Planning Holistic Assessment

A holistic approach to assessment enables the teacher to see an overall picture of the progress of the student.

It gives the student a number of ways in which to demonstrate their understanding and can suit all learning types.

Points to consider

•Planning to meet learning criteria

•Reliability of assessment methods

•Location and resources

•Good communication for all involved

•Learner’s awareness of criteria being assessed and giving timely feedback

Judging evidence

•Assessments needs to be valid

•They should assess what they are intended to assess in terms of the Learning Outcomes or criteria set.

•Criteria should be made clear to all involved.

Authentic• In a vocational context,

assignments should reflect practice in the industry. This is where a good industry knowledge is essential.

• Authentic also means that all work submitted by the student - should be their own. Initial and formative assessment helps understand ability.

Current

•For assessment to be current it has to take place during the course and in a given time frame.

•It is possible to assess prior knowledge through witness statements, as long as they are reliable.

Reliable• Assessors must follow college

and Awarding Body’s regulations to make the training and qualification reliable.

• Industry knowledge is a huge advantage and some courses may insist on it.

• There must be suitable resources to deliver the course

• The qualification must be awarded by a recognised Body such as City and Guilds.

Fairness•The assessment must be fair and

able to be achieved by all.

•There should be a range of assessment methods

•Learning support or adapted resources

•No bias towards learners

•Consistent, timely and constructive feedback should be given

Sufficient evidence

• Is there enough evidence to be sufficient?

• Guidelines on assessment methods from Awarding Bodies should be followed

• Tasks should relate to criteria and be clearly achieved

• Assessment decisions must be recorded and verified