Assessment of Learning Summative Assessment Dame Alice Owens

Assessment of Learning (Summative Assessment) Dame Alice Owen’s School. January 2013 Pam Perrett

Aims of the Session: Ø To consider why and how students work is assessed. Ø To identify and discuss issues related to summative assessment Ø To understand some key terms used in summative assessment

Task 1 In pairs discuss what you could be assessing at the end of a topic or unit of work. In addition discuss anything you could be assessing that was not intentional

Reliability and Validity Reliability: The assessment is able to produce consistent results when repeated over time. Validity: The assessment is able to test what is intended.

What factors can effect reliability? Errors in marking Variations in grading Variability of students from day to day Variability of students from question to question Bias

What factors can effect validity? A more difficult multi-faceted concept, particularly relevant would be: Ø Content Validity – is the test asking questions about what has been taught Ø Construct validity – is the area you are testing measurable by the test e. g historical understanding or problem solving

How can we assess students? Tests and exams Controlled assessments Oral assessments Questioning Observation Practical work In the classroom for homework and in more formal settings

Task 2 Assessment can serve many different purposes. In pairs try to sort the cards into order of importance How easy was it to agree?

Food for thought ‘Any assessment should ultimately support learning’ Wynne Harlen

And finally…. . Researchers Shorrocks and Taylor in 1993 concluded that ‘… there will always be an error in any assessment: the perfect system has not yet been devised and is probably not possible.

Any questions?