ASSESSMENT IN EDUCATION ASSESSMENT IN EDUCATION

Copyright Keith Morrison, 2004 DOMAIN-REFERENCING Specify the domain – the content field – that is being assessed, for example: ‘light’ in science; ‘parts of speech’ in grammar. Set out the contents of the domain fully. Domains might also include orders of thinking (c.f. Bloom’s taxonomy). Write all the test items to cover the domain. Select test items to represent and sample the field fairly. Clarify the scoring and weighting, with reference to levels of difficulty. Compute the student’s achievements.

Copyright Keith Morrison, 2004 DOMAIN-REFERENCING Imagine: a domain has 1,000 items The test has 50 items The student scores 30 marks out of the maximum 50  she has grasped ((30  50) x 100) = 0.6 x 100 = 60 per cent of the domain.

Copyright Keith Morrison, 2004 PROBLEMS IN DOMAIN-REFERENCING Identifying, agreeing and specifying the domains. Overcoming the problems of aggregation of scores from a range of questions. Overcoming the problems of identifying levels of difficulty. Agreeing the criteria and scoring/grading of achievement of the criteria.

Copyright Keith Morrison, 2004 DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENT IS... often used to identify particular strengths, weaknesses, problems; widely used for preparing statements of students’ special educational needs; usually an in-depth form of assessment; often a platform for formative planning, though it should not be confused with formative assessment; it is a summary of the ‘state of play’.

Copyright Keith Morrison, 2004 FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT Assessment for learning. Builds on feedback from assessment to plan and shape future planning and teaching. Assessment is to improve learning and performance, not just to audit it. Formative assessment tends to be teacher assessment. If the teacher continues without any adjustment, then formative assessment has not taken place.

Copyright Keith Morrison, 2004 FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT... must influence and maybe change and modify planning, teaching and the curriculum; is not simply testing; is usually informal, e.g. by observation, questioning, marking work.

Copyright Keith Morrison, 2004 FOUR FREQUENT PROBLEMS IN TEACHER ASSESSMENT ‘Classroom evaluation practices generally encourage superficial and rote learning, concentrating on recall of isolated details, usually items of knowledge which pupils soon forget.’ ‘Teachers do not generally review the assessment questions that they use and not discuss them critically with peers, so there is little reflection on what is being assessed.’

Copyright Keith Morrison, 2004 FOUR FREQUENT PROBLEMS IN TEACHER ASSESSMENT ‘the grading function is over-emphasised and the learning function is under-emphasised.’ ‘There is a tendency to use a normative rather than a criterion approach, which emphasises competition between pupils rather than personal improvement of each. The evidence is that with such practices, the effect of the feedback is to teach the weaker pupils that they lack ability, so that they are demotivated and lose confidence in their own capacity to learn.’

Copyright Keith Morrison, 2004 WHAT DO TEACHERS DO WITH ASSESSMENT RESULTS? If the class scores an average of 7 out of 10, then teachers take this as an indication to continue rather than as an indication of the need to revise and re-teach, despite the fact that a significant proportion of the class may not have understood half of what was taught.

Copyright Keith Morrison, 2004 FORMATIVE TEACHER ASSESSMENT WORKS WHEN IT... it is criterion-referenced rather than norm- referenced; uses praise rather than blame; is differentiated to meet individual needs; concentrates on, and is referenced to, learning goals; sets attainable targets; is part of a flexible and changeable programme of learning;

Copyright Keith Morrison, 2004 FORMATIVE TEACHER ASSESSMENT WORKS WHEN IT... is referenced to the student’s previous achievements; leads to rich feedback to students so that they know what and how to improve; builds up students’ self-esteem and motivation; relates intention to actuality, and identifies how to ‘close the gap’; is specific and focused; relates to intended learning goals.

Copyright Keith Morrison, 2004 IMPROVING LEARNING THROUGH ASSESSMENT DEPENDS ON... the provision of formative feedback and feed- forward; the active involvement of students in their own learning; adjusting teaching to take account of the results of assessment; recognition of the profound influence that assessment has on motivation and self-esteem, both of which are central to learning.

Copyright Keith Morrison, 2004 IMPROVING LEARNING THROUGH ASSESSMENT DEPENDS ON... sharing learning goals with students; involving students in self-assessment; providing rich feedback to students which leads them to recognise the next steps necessary and how to take them; providing positive support rather than negative comments; providing clear indications of how to improve.

Copyright Keith Morrison, 2004 SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT Assessment of learning. Comes at the end of a programme. Is often concerned with certification, transfer and selection. Must be based on common criteria for grading (consistency). Can be used for accountability. Has little formative potential.

Copyright Keith Morrison, 2004 DANGERS OF SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT Negative backwash effect on the curriculum, narrowing it to test materials. Can be behaviourist. Discourages risk-taking. Encourages too much competition. Encourages extrinsic motivation and discourages intrinsic motivation.