CERTIFICATE IN ASSESSING VOCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT (CAVA) Unit 1: Understanding the principles and practices of assessment.

REFLECTIVE PRACTICE Being reflective in all you do really can make a positive contribution to your Continuing Professional Development. As illustrated below.The CPD cycle should be seen like any other learning cycle.

WHAT IS REFLECTIVE PRACTICE? As an assessor, just like your learners you need to be able to reflect on your current practices. Doing this enables you to self-assess your effectiveness. It is also important that you are able to reflect on what you do in terms of maintaining the national standards and looking at your practice from your learners’ point of view.

REFLECTIVE PRACTICE An honest yet critical eye is required to do this. Being able to reflect critically but of course constructively on your own assessment practice means that you see for yourself where you may need to change the way you do things, or may be where help or guidance is needed. Any improvement you can make of your own practices will enhance the abilities of the assessment team and will give you the opportunity to share this with others at standardisation meetings or even in less formal settings.

REFLECTIVE PRACTICE It is the classic standing back and seeing the wood for the trees sometimes. Assessors can be so preoccupied with the needs of their learners that they forget to consider their own needs. Yet the needs of both; the development of both are firmly linked. Every so often you must stop and take stock of your role and your performance. It does not have to be yet another form filling exercise; it can simply be an informal time to reflect and make brief notes of what went well? What didn’t go so well or may be could have gone a little better?

REFLECTIVE PRACTICE There are many ways of reflecting on your assessment practice; there are no concrete rules to follow. Many assessors keep a reflective diary or an on-line log and make small regular entries. It becomes more real and useful if it is focused on incidents that are significant to you and relevant to how you approach assessment.

TRIGGERS FOR REFLECTION COULD BE An article you have read on assessment or a training course you attended An assessment period of time that has not gone well One of your learners achieving or failing Lack of support or welcomed support from some one The introduction of new ways to assess Before or following a standardisation meeting

FORMAT AND STYLE Most reflective accounts use fairly informal, personal styles (using ‘I’, ‘we’ or ‘you’) some even use a diary format. A list of questions can be very helpful to focus the mind and get the reflection processes flowing.

FORMAT AND STYLE You could use the following check list as subheadings What happened, time and place? What went well/and/or badly? How do I feel about this? What have I leant? What will change as a result of what I have learnt?

EXAMPLE….

TEACHING AND LEARNING If your role also includes teaching and/or supporting learning – for example coaching in the workplace – and your organisation is in receipt of government funding, you will need to start working towards a teaching qualification as well.

CONTINUOS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (CPD) CPD includes a whole range of activities, formal and informal, externally organised or self-directed. In this module you will hear teachers talking about and reflecting on CPD activities that they have chosen to undertake, the reasons for their choice and the impact that this has had on their practice. Reflection is a critical aspect of all stages in the CPD process, teachers and assessors/IQA are expected to provide evidence of their reflective practice.

EXAMPLE CPD ACTIVITIES FOR ASSESSORS Reading textbooks Attending standardisation meetings One to one feedback from your IQA Attending trainingo Attending seminars Free courses on Alison or Open University

FURTHER READING the best assessor’s guide

Activity Write up a reflective account on what you have learnt so far on this course, this will provide evidence for your qualification Write up a Personal Development Plan. Make sure all your goals are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound)

WHAT NEXT? COMPLETE ACTIVITY 8….AND THEN COMPLETE THE FINAL ASSESSMENT…