Unit_3

Diploma in Teaching in the Lifelong Learner Sector – Unit 3 Enabling Learning & Assessment Assessment is the process of documenting, usually in measurable terms, knowledge, skills, attitudes and beliefs. Assessment can focus on the individual learner or groups of learners and includes the collection of evidence about learners` performance in order to give them marks and grades or use it as feedback either for teachers to determine how successful the teaching has been or learners to identify performance and development towards known objectives or goals. Assessments are an essential component of teaching some would say the most important. Race (2001:31) states “Whether we think of ourselves as lecturers, teachers or facilitators of learning the most important thing we do for our students is to assess their work”. Assessments can happen at any stage of a specific course at various locations dependant on the desired outcome Atherton J S (2010) suggests “assessment is not a discrete process, but integral to every stage of teaching, from minute to minute as much as module to module, informal assessment (or evaluation) is going on all the time. Every time a student answers a question, or asks one, or starts looking out of the window, or cracks a joke, he is providing you with feedback about whether learning is taking place”. The main aims of assessment are: • Confirm learning has taken place. • Diagnose learners’ needs. • Provide acknowledgement and certification of learning. • Enable selection processes. • Evaluate learning programs. • Motivate and encourage learners. Assessment is a broad term that includes testing. A test is a special form of assessment which is made under contrived circumstances. The are numerous methods of assessment including the following: • Essay writing. • Simulation exercises. • Information gathering exercises. • Multiple choice tests. • Short answer tests. • Demonstration of specific skills. • Problem solving exercises. • Peer assessment. • Role play. • Self assessment. • Portfolio assessment. • Observational assessment. • Performance tests. • Test paper. • Group discussions. • Interviews. • Presentations. • Role play. Many different methods of assessment exist, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, these can easily be divided into traditional methods such as essay writing and objective and subjective test papers or alternative assessment methods such as peer assessment and self assessment. It is clear that no one method of assessment is going to meet all of the varied needs of individual students; teachers must offer students more than one way to show what they have learned. The key to a successfull assessment strategy is to find an appropriate balance of assessment methods to suit learner needs. This balance will likely change from class to class, and student to student, but through experimentation teachers will be able to achieve an appropriate harmony of traditional and alternative assessments to fit any situation. For the remainder of this paper I will concentrate on the following assessment methods: • Observational assessments linked to performance tests. This assessment method is used as part of the Military Engineer (Geographic Technician) aptitude course. Observational assessments linked to specific performance test are used to determine whether individuals have the aptitude to join the Army and become geographic technicians • Portfolio assessment. This assessment is based on a experiential learning model which is the process of learning from direct experience based upon reflection. The portfolio is produced in between a Military Enginneer (Geographic Technician) Class 2 and Class 1 course. The aim of this assessment is to evaluate understanding of knowledge and practical applications gained at Class 2 level within a military context prior to commencing the Class 1 course. High quality and successful assessments adhere to the following principles: • Validity. Atherton J S (2010) suggests “A valid form of assessment is one which measures what it is supposed to measure”. For example, it would not be valid to assess driving skills through a written test (alone); the most valid way of assessing driving skills would be through a combination of practical assessment and written test. If examinations do not properly assess the syllabus upon which the examination is based; they are, effectively, not valid. There are five aspects of validity of assessment which need to be considered: o Face – Does the assessment assess what it was intended to assess and does the assessment method fit the required outcome we are trying to assess. o Content – Does the content of the test measure stated objectives. o Construct – Is the assessment structured correctly ie a correctly constructed assessment for vehicle mechanics could include a written test and practical exercise, it certainly would not just be a written test. o Predictive – Do scores and qualifications gained from assessments correlate to an outside reference ie if learners have received qualifications can they actually do the job or perform the tasks linked to that specific qualification. o Authenticity – Assessments need to mirror the real-life application of the knowledge or skill that was tested. Authentic assessments link directly to the everyday practise of the occupational area that the course is centred on. • Reliability - Reliability relates to the consistency of an assessment. A reliable assessment is one which consistently achieves the same results with the same (or similar) cohort of students. Various factors affect reliability – including ambiguous questions, too many options within a question paper, vague marking instructions and poorly trained markers. A good assessment is valid and reliable. Note that an assessment may be reliable but invalid or unreliable and invalid, but an assessment can not be unreliable and valid. Atherton J S (2010) suggests “A reliable assessment will produce the same results on re-test, and will produce similar results with a similar cohort of students, so it is consistent in its methods and criteria”. Yu, Chong Ho (2005) ststed that the reliability of an assessment is based on the following: o Temporal stability: Performance on a test is comparable on two or more separate occasions. o Form equivalence: Performance among examinees is equivalent on different forms of a test based on the same content. o Internal consistency: Responses on a test are consistent across questions. • Sufficiency – How many different assessments irrespective of methodology are necessary in order to ensure learning has taken place and is there sufficient material available in order to demonstrate unequivocally that a specific Learning Outcome or criteria have been met. • Fairness - fairness in testing and test use, the rights and responsibilities of test takers, testing individuals of diverse linguistic backgrounds, and testing individuals with disabilities. Atherton J S (2010) suggests “fairness is really an aspect of validity, but important enough to note in its own right. Fairness ensures that everyone has an equal chance of getting a good assessment. This may include (where appropriate) anonymity of submitted material, so that extraneous considerations (such as the quality of contributions in seminars, if they are not part of the assessment scheme) cannot influence the final result”. • Currency – Is the assessment based on current requirements. • Authenticity – Is the work produced on assessment their own and does the assessment reflect the reality of the workplace that the learner is preparing to enter. Authenticity relates to its realism. The table below shows how the two assessment methods I have chosen link to the principles of assessment: | |Observational Assessment linked to performance tests |Portfolio assessment | |Reliability |The assessments are consistent as the same marking schedule is |All portfolios are assessed by one specific instructor working to the| | |used and while three different instructors mark the assessments|same assessment guidelines and criteria ensuring consistency. | | |they are always cross referenced to ensure consistency. | | |Validity |The assessments are linked directly to the military |The portfolio includes specific products which clearly demonstrate | | |requirement. We understand what is expected of soldiers |competence of skills learn placed in a military context. We need | | |therefore all assessments are aimed at identifying specific |specific evidence of competence in certain areas linked to the | | |suitability criteria. |current military operational requirement. | |Sufficiency |The aptitude course consists of numerous assessments which |Over 100 hours of work is required within the portfolio clearly | | |ensure sufficient evidence exists of suitability. |demonstrating specific criteria have been met. | |Fairness |All individuals are given equal time and opportunities to |The portfolios have to consist of an equal amount work produced in a | | |demonstrate suitability for military employment. If learners |standard time. If learning difficulties are identified appropriate | | |have specific learning disabilities, these are fully considered|steps are taken. | | |and appropriate steps taken. | | |Currency |The assessment evolves to ensure it meets current requirements.|The evidence required to be included in the portfolio is based on | | | |current requirements. | |Authenticity |All observations are based on determining individuals |The learners work is checked by the chain of command to determine it | | |suitability towards performing specific military tasks which |is their own and the work produced is based upon the current military| | |are required in the current operational environment. |requirements. | There are three types/stages of assessment as follows: • Initial/Diagnostic - Diagnostic assessment measures a student's current knowledge and skills for the purpose of identifying a suitable program of learning. Self-assessment is a form of diagnostic assessment which involves students assessing themselves an example of this is a learning styles assessment. The observational assessments conducted as part of the aptitude course are a form of initial/diagnostic assessment. • Formative - Formative assessment is generally carried out throughout a course or project. Formative assessment is used to aid learning. In an educational setting, formative assessment might be a teacher (or peer) or the learner, providing feedback on a student's work, and would not necessarily be used for grading purposes. Summative and formative assessment are refered to in a learning context as "assessment of learning" and "assessment for learning" respectively. Atherton J S (2010) stated “Formative assessment is going on all the time. Its purpose is to provide feedback on what students are learning; to identify student achievement and areas for further work and to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching to date, and to focus future plans. While grades or marks may assume primary importance in summative assessment, their role in formative assessment is simply to contribute to the feedback process”. The goal of formative assessment is to improve, the goal of summative assessment is to prove. Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (1998) consider an assessment formative “when the feedback from learning activities is actually used to adapt the teaching to meet the learner's needs” • Summative - Summative assessment is generally carried out at the end of a course or project. In an educational setting, summative assessments are typically used to assign students a course grade. Summative assessments are evaluative. Ainsworth (2006:23) states “classroom formative assessments allow teachers to make decisions and monitor their instruction based on student performance, while summative assessment occurs at the end of a learning unit and determines if the content being taught was retained” Assessment (either summative or formative) is often categorized as either objective or subjective. Objective assessment is a form of questioning which has a single correct answer. Subjective assessment is a form of questioning which may have more than one correct answer (or more than one way of expressing the correct answer). There are various types of objective and subjective questions. Objective question types include true/false answers, multiple choice, multiple-response and matching questions. Subjective questions include extended-response questions and essays. Any assessment cannot discriminate against learners with disabilities. In order to ensure there is no discrimination against learners assessments must be diversified. We must understand and appreciate learning difficulties such as dyslexia, discalcula, disgraphia and dispraxia. It is extremely likely that some of our learners will have learning difficulties even if they have not been identified yet, the validity of assessments must be completely understood in any assessment strategy. Learners today as with society in general are becoming increasingly diverse. We need to be socially inclusive in the way that they teach to ensure that every student feels valued and can achieve to their greatest potential. From a legal perspective, individuals should not be discriminated against on the basis of; • Age • Disability • Ethnicity • Gender • Religion or belief • Sexual orientation • Social class The Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) is used to describe the process of giving credit for previous learning. It is a general term and covers the following: • APL – this describes the process where you already have a particular qualification that may be applicable to a particular course. This will be investigated and, if applicable, credit will be awarded. This is called the Accreditation of Prior Learning. • APEL – This involves the award of credits for learning through experience not associated with a particular qualification. An example of this would be skills and knowledge gained through everyday work which would not normally be credited towards a qualification. This would then be the Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning. [pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic]