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Assignment No: 7PTLLS Course L4. Different Assessment Methods. As a teacher carrying out assessments, you need to know thoroughly both the standards for which you are assessing and the job/task you are assessing. The assessment process is to assess evidence of candidate’s competence against standards, this is why it is important for them to complete an Initial Assessment at the start. The Initial Assessment identifies the individual needs of candidate’s and can also identify the learning styles of individuals early on to see if additional support will be required and if they are on the right course for them. If the candidates are struggling and not fully prepared or able to complete the assessment it is demotivating for them and you as their Assessor because the best possible results will not be achieved. In my job role I assess candidates who are quite practical people working in the hospitality industry, writing skills and completing assignments, for most are not necessarily the most popular form of assessment method used. I assess both formatively as an ongoing part of the learning and summatively where NVQ units are passed and the course is complete. I make sure that each assessment carried out is planned so that the candidate is fully aware of what will take place. This is recorded on an Assessment Plan. I think about SMART as I do this. Is the assessment plan I have set, Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time Bound' Am I ensuring the assessment plan set will cover evidence that is Valid, Authentic, Current, Sufficient and Reliable also known as VACSR. Try to remember “Valid Assessments Create Standard Results” (Ann Gravells Pg83) The assessment methods I use most often are:- Observation The best method of assessment I find is to observe the candidates in action, watching them perform a skill so that you can see how well they are doing. I find this method of assessment both valid and reliable because you can be sure that the evidence you see is both authentic (It is the learners own work) and current proving their competency at that moment in time. It is an ideal method of assessment in my job role but may not necessarily be the best method for those candidates who are more academic and prefer to carry out written assignments. It may not necessarily be used for candidate’s not within the psycho-motor learning domain. Throughout any assessment method I use I ensure that what I am assessing is valid. Are the assessment methods appropriate to the standards being assessed' Are they a valid way to judge that particular competence and reliable, Are you assessing consistently' If the assessment was done again would you receive similar results' Is it fair – How does the decision made compare with the decisions made with other learners. Questions. I use this method during an observation with oral questioning to assess their knowledge and understanding e.g why are you doing that' What is that for' This is recorded on the observation report. I also use written questions to cover areas of the criteria that may not be able to be observed, so the candidate can show me their knowledge and understanding in order to meet all of the criteria. It is important to ask open ended questions so that the candidate has to explain rather than provide a yes/no answer to be happy they have the knowledge and understanding to complete that part of the course/qualification. Professional Discussion. I use this method of assessment to ascertain the candidate’s knowledge of a particular task. It is best to plan the discussion with your candidate first to put them at ease and allow them time to prepare, so that they feel relaxed about talking to you to gain the best possible evidence. “90% of a successful professional discussion is down to preparing and training the candidate and the assessor” (Ento Pg 24) One barrier for using this method is if the candidate’s are quite nervous and do not necessarily like to be recorded, as this is done by dictafone and you won’t get the best out of them. I find it a good means of collecting evidence towards standards in my job role as quite often they are discussing tasks that they have carried out for a long time and gaps in the criteria, not demonstrated in observation can usually be filled this way. There are many different methods of assessing and I have identified the methods I use in my daily job role most often. Other ways to assess are through checking assignments/essays, learning journals/reflective accounts, witness testimonies, simulation, puzzles and quizzes. At the end of any assessment a decision is made as to whether the candidate is competent or not yet competent and will require further training and assessment. This decision is made purely on the assessment and nothing else and it is important to provide constructive feedback to your candidate after the assessment has taken place, providing both positive and (if given carefully) negative feedback which can be very useful and important for the candidate to develop. It is important to be specific about what could be improved and why. Encourage the candidate telling them what they did well first, improvements that can be made and ending on a positive note to keep them motivated. Finally I complete a review sheet, reviewing the candidate’s progress and what has taken place which is recorded and referred to throughout the course and this is when I also update assessment plans in preparation for future assessment. An internal verifier checks and passes judgement on my assessment decisions to ensure that I am assessing to the standards required. References. Gravells, Ann - Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector – Third Edition (2008) – Learning Matters. Read, Hilary – Excellence in Assessing – Ento (2006).