E-assessment Stuart Jones Assistant Director of Learning and Teaching

How can technology be used to support the assessment of learner's work in main stream education? How much of our vision is in place? Wheres the money and resources coming from? Are there issues of inclusion and exclusion? How do we keep up to date with this? Does technology change the skills, knowledge and understanding being assessed? How does this contribute to the whole school vision? Evolution or Revolution? Some Key Questions What is e-assessment? Are all our staff effective with ICT?

Some definitions Formative assessment - recognition and motivation Summative assessment recording and rewarding learners progress and achievement Diagnostic assessment helping people to establish a baseline and understand their progress, strengths and development needs standard setting: defining levels and thresholds of achievement differentiation and selection: enabling employers and HE to understand what young people have achieved, and how individuals compare to their peers

Summary of Activities Mini technical audit for schools Development of the ICT tests for Initial Teacher Trainees Tomlinson / MIAP / ULN

Learner Information Service Common Data Definitions National Register of Providers Data Sharing Framework LSC HESA Awarding Bodies DfES eg. SLC, JC+, Connexions LEARNING DATA INTERFACE FE/WBL/ACL/ Learndirect HE Assessment Achievement Schools/ LEAs Other LearnersProviders National agencies Local agencies Overview of the MIAP Proposals: Data Sharing Interface Unique Learner Number MIAP Enabling Projects

Developing Work Programme: Emerging Phases 1.Establish user requirements. Agree common data definitions. ULN collection trials. (Reports Spring 05) 2.Develop technical options. (Spring/Summer 05) 3.Agree technical solution. ULN pilots. (Summer 05) 4.System design/development. ULN initial implementation. (Autumn 05) 5.Phased Roll-out. Data Sharing Interface. (During 2006) Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4 Phase 5

Summary of Activities mini technical audit for schools development of the ICT tests for Initial Teacher Trainees Tomlinson / MIAP / ULN Computer marked / ICT assessments QCA E-portfolios

E-Portfolios as a Learning Space By facilitating & capturing the evolution of concepts & ideas through revisions of work & interactions with instructors, mentors, classmates & friends, electronic portfolios can be much more than a Web site that simply organizes and presents final projects. They can foster learning spaces where the author can gain insights & a better understanding of him/herself as a learner Source: eportconsortium, Electronic Portfolio White Paper

Summary of Activities mini technical audit for schools development of the ICT tests for Initial Teacher Trainees Tomlinson / MIAP / ULN Computer marked / ICT assessments QCA E-portfolios E-assessment group Vocational assessment

Issues Technical capability Copyright / legal Question banks Plagiarism Innovation Deficit testing The extended school

Some questions… What is e-assessment? How can technology be used to support the assessment of learner's work in main stream education? Does technology change the skills, knowledge and understanding being assessed? Are there issues of inclusion?

General considerations Technical standards and interoperability. Security of assessment. Student tracking through continuous formative e-assessment. Types of assessment. Computer marking of complex answers

Fitness for purpose Matching styles of assessment to styles of learning. Variety of assessment methods. Assessment for learning. Reliability: Validity: Credibility.

Where next? – and what is Becta doing about it? The opportunities Common standards and formats. Awarding body / Institution alignment Assessment techniques Pedagogic approaches