1. Role of Educational Assessment in European Education and European Society Chris Whetton, President, AEA-Europe

2. Outline Purposes of Assessment Historical Trends Current Roles Current Issues in Assessment Response of Assessment Providers

3. Purposes of assessment To provide information to assist in a decision May be :  Summative (at the end of a period of study)  Formative (integrated into teaching and learning) About  Individual Student  Groups (Classes, Schools, Areas, Countries)

4. Summative Purposes For Individuals  Certification  Selection  Advice For Groups  Monitoring  Resource Allocation  Treatment  Accountability

5. Users of Information Individuals  Parents  Students  Universities  Employers Groups  Schools  Politicians  Public

6. Formative Information Generally for Individuals Embedded in Teaching and Learning

7. Dimensions of assessment Purposes Processes SummativeFormative FormalExaminations Tests Diagnostic Tests Analysis of tests, exams InformalClasswork Homework Classwork, Homework Questioning Peer assessment Self assessment

8. Dimensions of assessment Purposes Processes SummativeFormative FormalReliable Less Valid Secure Reliable Can be Valid InformalLess Reliable More Valid High Validity Generally unknown reliability

9. Other Purposes Introduce Curriculum Change Teachers’ Professional Development Pressurise Students Pressurise Schools and Teachers Parental Choice

10. Historical development in UK 19 th Century  Selection for Civil Service  (Merit, Reduce corruption) Early 20 th Century  Selection for Academic Education  (Universities, Selective Schools, Ideas of Innate Ability)  Assessment of low achievement

11. Historical development in UK 1960s & 1970s  School Leaving Certification for All 1980s  Monitoring Programmes 1990s  Accountability 21 st Century  Formative Assessment  Assessment for Learning

12. Growing Purposes 2000s 1990s 1970s Selection Selection, Certification Monitoring, Accountability Selection, Certification Monitoring, Accountability, Formative Assessment & Assessment for Learning Influencing Educational Process Early Years

13. Variable Role of Assessment in European Education and Society According to History and Circumstances Selection – Almost all countries for higher education, but differences in philosophy and assessment  Contrast of UK, Sweden and Italy

14. Variable Role of Assessment in European Education and Society Certification – All countries?  But school certificate or global qualification or subjects  Vocational education  What Age? Monitoring – Some countries  National Assessment (All students or samples)  or Use international surveys (PISA, TIMSS,PIRLS)

15. Variable Role of Assessment in European Education and Society Accountability  “Anglo Saxon Disease” (French View)  Different Views of Purpose of Education Explicit Role of Formative Assessment  Related to Summative Uses?  Or only for teachers?

16. Current Issues for Assessment Systems in Europe (1) Systems with too many purposes Issues of Trust in assessment Issues of Trust in teachers Fairness for All in Diverse Societies

17. Current Issues for Assessment Systems in Europe (2) Changing Curriculum for the Information Age Use of Information Technology in Assessment Measurement of Soft Skills and Values (Team working, problem solving etc)

18. Response of Assessment Providers Be clear about Purposes Recognise Rights of All Involved  Students, Parents, Employers, Society, Elected Representatives Balance Needs of Reliability, Validity, Load on students and schools Welcome change, but introduce it carefully

19. Role of Educational Assessment in European Education and European Society Chris Whetton c.whetton@nfer.ac.uk www.aea-europe.net