Ptlls

ASSIGNMENT 4 (800 – 1,000 WORDS) 5.1 Identify different assessment methods 5.2 Explain the use of assessment methods in different contexts, including reference to initial assessment (NB - 5.1 & 5.2 have been answered together) Initial assessments are a pre-requisite for any learning or NVQ assessment session. They enable the learner and teacher or assessor to meet on a one-to-one basis and fully discuss all the requirements of the topic or session(s), establish the learners background, functional skills level, current experience or expertise and any learning difficulties or disabilities. From this, the teacher or assessor can establish if the learner is on the appropriate level of scheme or session for them, pitch their lessons correctly, or suggest possible sources for the learner to develop the required skill levels prior to starting the course. Assessments are then carried out at regular intervals, some at pre-set intervals, others may be ad-hoc as the learner or assessor deems fit, to establish various things, including: Learning process: ➢ Whether learning has taken place ➢ Learners current level ➢ To check on progress ➢ As an incentive to motivate learner ➢ To help enhance the learning ➢ To prove learners’ competence For a Qualification: ➢ Nationally recognised level (ie: a level, BTech, BA, NVQ level 1,2,3 etc) ➢ To demonstrate that learning has taken place and the learner has achieved nationally recognised standards (Exams) ➢ To demonstrate that competency in the workplace has been demonstrated to nationally recognised standards (NVQs) ➢ For self development (ie: for new processes being introduced) ➢ For continued personal development (ie: as required by professional institutes) For Quality Assurance: ➢ Benchmarking (ie: comparisons of one learning establishment with another) ➢ To justify examination entry fees (for colleges this can be around £1M / year) ➢ League tables ➢ Inspections (ie: OFSTED) ➢ Accreditation to awarding bodies ➢ To evaluate teachers’ performance To cover all the types of learners (Honey & Mumford), learning styles (Bloom’s Taxonomy), and learners individual levels of retention (learning pyramid) assessments can be in the form of various activities, such as: ➢ Quiz (read, write, listen, do) ➢ Observations (of practical tasks or simulations) ➢ Question and answer (can be formal – written; or informal – verbal) ➢ Gathering of naturally occurring product evidence ➢ Written assignments ➢ Informal assessment by teacher ➢ Professional discussion ➢ Personal statements (ie: candidate reports – this is how I perform a certain task) ➢ Witness testimonies (3rd parties confirming the learners’ competence) Assessments can be: ➢ Initial: These are carried out before learning or assessment (ie: NVQ) takes place (see above) to identify the learners needs and requirements from the start (ie: Q&A, personal profile, enrolment, NVQ sign up; They enable the trainer to establish the skill level(s) of learner; They are sometimes hard to implement. ➢ Formative: Made or carried out during learning or training sessions (ie: observation, Q&A, quiz, games or paper-chase); Learner can learn from assessment and has the chance to adapt or improve; If not careful they can dominate the course ➢ Summative: At the end of a session (ie: final practice or theory tests, exams), checking the learning of that session by shows result or achievement, or validating learner achievement; Leave little room for any corrective or remedial action(s) ➢ Peer: Where the learners mark each others tests or assess each others performance(s); can introduce diversity, shows that learners themselves have learned or met their objectives; For formative assessments only as not suitable for summative assessment ➢ Self: Self evaluation – some people can find this difficult as most of us tend to under assess our capabilities ➢ Formal: Final tests, exams or NVQ assessments where the result ‘counts’; Recognised qualification and outcome: Can be time consuming, costly, put pressure on learner ➢ Informal: Devised by trainer (ie: observations, Q&A (written or verbal), quiz, games, paper-chases), may be light hearted and the learner may not be aware; Learners are often more at ease and therefore give a more accurate impression, teacher can give formative feedback, does not go on record; However, learners may not take it seriously ➢ Examinations: See formal above ➢ Coursework: See informal above It is obvious from the above that there is no clear delineation between many of the many and various methods of assessment. 5.3 Explain the needs for record keeping in relation to assessment Assessment records must be kept to demonstrate: ➢ Legislative requirement – in my specialist area it has to be demonstrated that training has taken place, and recognised levels of achievement have been attained for certain subjects ➢ Corporate requirement – companies HR or training departments need to include records in order to comply with their own requirements (ie: their own integrated management systems) which will advocate the retention of various records for specified times ➢ Trainers’ requirement – I shall need to keep records so I can tell who has been trained, when and for what ➢ Learners’ requirement (professional development & CPD) ➢ Statistics – These can be developed from records and used to promote the learning facility (league tables), or provide various information, as required, pass / fail ratios (justification of the costs of examination entry fees) ➢ Retention and attendance – Learners not dropping out of courses; maybe going onto other courses later; attendance levels may be demonstrated to claim funding ➢ Accreditation – Learning facilities have to keep records to demonstrate aspects of assessments, achievement, functional skills, internal QA for accreditation to awarding bodies ➢ Lesson development or improvement – records and feedback are invaluable for the continual development of lessons to constantly improve their content and delivery (886)