CEM Conference
Welcome Peter Tymms
Outline The day Assessment for excellence –Why Monitor? –Choices –Layers –Traps CEM E-Assessment Metrics
Why Monitor From “Assessment for Curriculum for Excellence”: –to support learning; –to give assurance to parents and others; –to provide a summary of what learners have achieved; –to inform future improvements
Some key points From time to time teachers also take stock of their learners’ progress. –This is vital in ensuring that learners’ progress is on track. –This stocktaking is particularly important at transitions. CfE emphasises literacy and numeracy Greater breadth and depth of learning and a greater focus on skills development The practices for arriving at a shared understanding of standards and expectations involve teachers Self-evaluation in schools –It is important that staff in schools reflect on a wide range of sources of information. They need to have easily available valid and reliable performance data to help to identify areas of strength, aspects which prompt further questions, and scope for improvement
Choices: Assessment Domains Physical Cognitive Affective Behavioural
Layers of Information Brain modules Schools Authorities Classes Pupils
Traps Relying entirely on teacher assessment –Reliability? Comparability? Bias? Discrimination Believing that top down accountability raises standards –Failed south of the border Using only aggregate data –Ecological fallacy
CEM 1,000,000+ students each year 1000s schools Ages 3 to 18+ Scotland, England, Australia, New Zealand, Netherlands, Hong Kong, China, S. Africa 100s of international schools Confidential and accurate Translations into a dozen languages Norm and criterion Paper based and e-assessment Cognitive, affective, physical and behavioural With support
E-Assessment Two main approaches –Flat assessment – paper move directly on to computers –Adaptive assessments – capitalising on advances in psychometrics and IT capacity
Traditional approach LowAverageHigh
Individual approach LowAverageHigh
Disadvantages Closed questions Computer access Atmosphere in computer room Not suited to high stakes tests. Gremlins Takes years of development
Advantages Efficient Economical Rapid Good student experience Detailed feedback LAN or web Green Standards referencing and/or norm referencing
What children know and can do
Which metric?
Choices: Criterion and Norm Referencing
Possibilities Norm referenced –IQ style –T scores –Z scores –Age equivalents Criterion Referenced –A, B C etc –Alpha, beta etc –1st, 2:1, 2:2 etc
Issues Criterion referencing generally preferred Because –Progress is clear –We can work together –Goals are clear –Can tracking progress
But
Reporting in CfE Experiences and levels –Developing –Consolidating –Secure Are these categories discriminating enough? Will they satisfy parents? How will modest progress be shown? How will agreement be ensured across Scotland?
Possibility