Controlled Assessment

GTE Conference

January 2008

GCSE Geography Coursework

• Tensions – Coursework = fieldwork– Formulaic - inspired – Reliability – Validity – Manageability– Plagiarism – Level of support by teachers / parents

What will be assessed?

• Outcome– Test, essay, report, presentation, story

board, research notes, mind map, …….?– descriptions, explanations, judgements…?

• Process– Questions, hypotheses, data collection,

presentation, analysis, thinking, group work…?

Controlled Assessments:

Controlled Assessments

Key Principles:•Reliability, validity >>•Match to specification: balance of assessment objectives? >>•In geography, assessment of enquiry skills, especially fieldwork

•Awarding Body input <-> teacher involvement +•Degree of supervision, feedback, timing, individuality/collaboration, resources +•Awarding Body <-> teacher marking

= level of control

Three stages of controlled assessments: key issues

Task taking•Discouraging malpractice•Teachers confident to authenticate students’ work•Manageability: students and teachers

Task marking•High quality judgements

Task setting•Validity & reliability•Avoiding formulaic/predictable responses•Supporting good teaching & learning

Levels of control

Highest level: • Tasks set, defined, marked by AB

Lowest level:• Tasks set, defined, marked by teachers

Three levels of control (high, medium, low) +

Three stages: (task setting, task taking, task marking) = >>>>

Level of control:

Task setting Task taking Task marking

High Set/approved by AB – eg task bank

Five key controls: supervision, feedback,

time, collaboration resources,

AB marks task

Medium Teachers design tasks – get approval from AB

AB defines 3 or 4 of the key controls: rest defined by centre

Teachers mark, AB moderates and adjusts

Low Teachers design tasks –to AB criteria

rest defined by centre

1 or 2 controls: rest defined by centre

Teachers are trained and mark.

All max high = external

assessment

All min low = probably too little control

Pp4-6

The level of control should:* ensure validity and maximises reliability

* be manageable for teachers, students & ABs Level of control:

Task setting Task taking

Task marking

High Set/approved by AB – eg task bank

Five task-taking

parameters

AB marks task

Medium Teachers design tasks – get approval from AB

AB defines 3 or 4 key controls

Teachers mark, AB moderates and adjusts

Low Teachers design tasks –to AB criteria

1 or 2 controls: rest defined by centre

Teachers are trained and mark.

Controls are set for each stage, e.g. briefing, planning, research, report production. High control in final stages (AB defines most – eg time)

p7

Draft Specifications

• All four England and Wales ABs developing 2 specifications

• QCA encouraging 1 per AB?

• GA being asked to comment

• Timescale?

Controlled assessment

• 25% ?

• Externally set / internally marked

• Externally set / externally marked

• Internally set / externally marked

• Internally set / internally marked

QCA rules

One task – AB set comparable titles

At least one AB is challenging this1. Difficult to prescribe fair range of tasks

2. Geog community would prefer more localised / individual decisions with range of suggested tasks

3. Dilemmas • research or fieldwork? • Which unit?

One proposal

Fieldwork• Task setting - low• Task taking – high• Task marking – mediumDME• Task setting – high• Task taking (research – medium) ?high• Task marking – mediumPostal moderationE-portfolio

E-scape

• D&T: e-scape project: structured task where the process as well as product is assessed

http://www.qca.org.uk/16657_18754.html

ePortfolio – Where next ?

Design and

Technology

in the future ?

PDAs Digital capture pens

PDA photo captured images that may be annotated and printed.

Digital capture pens store student answers electronically.

Peers critique on the same paper

Task + objectives

Space to jot down your ideas and sketches

What will your design be like to be successful

Images of work in process

Post-it notes

Partners 1 & 2: final thoughts on your ideas

Progression

Act of improving or moving forward

• Progression in a subject:– Subject structure– Planned curriculum experience – Pupils’ performance

Developing understanding

ExperiencesIdeasMental constructs

Generalisations

Model / theory

Mental processes

Language, recall, reflective thinking Personal meanings,

Public meanings

(adapted from: Bennetts, 2005)

Progression, Continuity, Sequence

• KS1 – establishing foundations

• KS2 – moving out to new challenges

• KS3 – building confidence, capability and inspiration

• KS4 – promoting participation, citizenship and new possibilities

• Post 16 – ensuring possibilities for specialism and scholarship

Planning based on curriculum experience

• Teaching and learning experiences plan for increasing:– precision and sophistication in language and grammar

of geography, – breadth and complexity of understanding at a range of

scales– use of generalised knowledge, abstract ideas and

linkage– maturity of understanding of issues, values and

attitudes – independence in using the enquiry process and

geographical skills (use of reasoning, explanations, linkages and judgements)