1. ART Conference 2017 ART Assessors – the key to quality
Paul Lewis
Old Basing - 11 March 2017

2. ‘Quality’ in what sense……? Process or product……?
What are we aiming to achieve?
Hitting the bullseye for……..?
…….ART Assessors, Teachers, new Ringers and / or a more sustainable ringing future?
ART’s purpose … “to develop and support the delivery, integrity and standards in the teaching, instruction and education, of the art of change ringing”

3. Mixed news! - Number of Accreditations
M1 accreditations were significantly higher in 2016 (95) than 2015 (62)
M2 accreditations were down from 62 in 2015 to 38 in 2016 with all the decrease happening in the second half of the year
Overall proportion of teachers accrediting (in ratio to mentors) has continued to rise

4. Some not so good news! - Module 1 Accreditation rates
Virtually no delegates who attended a course in 2016 accredited within that year
We missed the 6% or so of enthusiastic delegates who in previous years accredited within 6 months of attending a day course
% delegates accrediting by close of 2016:
Course Year
< 6 month
< 1 year
< 18 month
<2 year
Total
2013 8% 7% 4% 9%
28%
2014 5% 2%
19%
2015 6% 0%
15%
2016 -

5. Module 2 / 2F / 2C Accreditation rates
Similarly very few delegates who attended an M2 course in 2016 accredited within that year
% delegates accrediting by close of 2016:
Course Year
< 6 month
< 1 year
< 18 month
<2 year
Total
2013
13%
11%
10%
44%
2014 6% 4%
12% 3%
25%
2015 9% 2% 1%
21%
2016 0% -

6. Module 1 Assessments 84 original Assessors
65 active; 4 removed; marked as not-active
432 assessments to date (37 non-standard)
In total 81 different ‘assessors’ have accredited at least one teacher each →
Majority of assessors have performed more than one assessment allowing them to gain experience, confidence and develop consistency
Teacher to mentor accreditation ratio is around 3:1 and rising

7. Module 2 / 2F / 2C Assessments
51 original Assessors
43 active; 5 removed; marked as not-active
222 assessments to date (90 non-standard)
In total 77 different ‘assessors’ have accredited at least one teacher each →
Only about a third have performed more than one assessment – due to situations where mentor is acting as the ‘assessor’ and only ever does the one assessment. Fortunately now reducing - only 2 instances of this in 2016
Teacher to mentor accreditation ratio is around 3:1 and rising

8. ART Assessment – evolution and reflection
Developed somewhat piecemeal alongside other areas of ART and set up with little management and backup
ITTS External Moderators / Assessing Mentors – Module 1 only
Early model was to appoint a dedicated Assessor for every course including Tutors assessing
Both ‘internal’ and ‘external’ gripes – within ART, its funders and wider ringing community!
Divergence in ART assessment knowledge, activity and confidence
Lack of good systems support with Moodle
SmART Ringer capability helped to move things forward
Using these foundations to build something better

9. Assessment in focus – what needed to be thought about?
Accreditation process
Assessment criteria
Assessment session
Choice of assessor
Assessor standards
Appointment of assessors
Support and advice for assessors
Reward and recognition for assessors
Assessor training
and ……?

10. Defining the problems to build the solutions

11. Defining the problems to build the solutions

12. Assessor essentials and desirables
Well versed in ethos and approach of ART teaching
Accredited at the level which is being assessed - although there may need to be some temporary relaxation for situations where there are no local assessors
Consistent in approach
Relaxed in manner; flexible approach to put teacher and mentor at ease to perform at their best
Able to say if a further assessment is required, and that certain areas need further practice before accreditation can be given. This needs to be tempered with explanation and support to both teacher and mentor
Capable of demonstrating any teaching element, to show what is required

13. Phase One - Implementation
Starting to implement a system whereby assessors cover specific geographies rather than being attached to a day course
Only assessors who are ART members to be allowed to assess. Those who have assessed to date but haven’t yet reached membership status should be strongly encouraged to accredit (within their allowed two year time limit) – listed as non-active
Assessors can be teachers, mentors or tutors
List of active assessors now available to mentors on SmART Ringer – contact then via the ART Directory
Assessor guidance notes now available to teachers and their mentors via SmART Ringer
Assessors now able to submit teachers for accreditation if mentors don’t

14. ‘Active’ Assessors available for contact via the ART Directory
SmART Ringer - Mentoring and Assessor Resources section

15. Location of UK ART Assessors

16. Assessor Nuts and Bolts
Appointed for 5 year term (as per tutors)
New appointees to be approved by Management Committee
Tutors can be assessors provided they have attended a day course for the relevant Module being assessed
Advice ‘factsheet’ issued to all assessors
Travelling expenses can be claimed
‘New starts’ encouraged to shadow
Will need existing assessors to travel to new geographies to do first assessments
Assessed lesson guidance notes now available for download and personalising as assessed lesson record sheets
Contact mailing list –

17. Assessor Proformas

18. Phase Two - Considerations
Ongoing on-line assessor cpd?
Top-up courses for assessors?
Potential assessors could go on a possible repeat day course before beginning?
Bespoke assessor forum area on SmART Ringer?
QA!? How can standards be monitored and improved further – back to trying to define quality?
Should teachers be feeding back about their assessments?
Moderation through sample shadowing of assessors?
Skills set wanted to assist with future assessor appointments?

19. The ART Assessment Journey
Where from.…and where to….?
Are we there yet….?!
Any more bumps in the road….?
A new dawn….?

20. Building confident….
Assessors
Teachers
Ringers

21. Assessors’ Project
Lesley Belcher
Leslie Boyce
Nick Brett
David Hacker
Chris Hartley
Paul Lewis
Rose Nightingale
Susan Read
Frank Seabright
Ruth Suggett