Assessment and Learning Essays

Assessment and Learning Essays Assessment and Learning Essay Assessment and Learning Essay Assessment and learning Assignment 1 Student results are used to review the quality and standards of teaching within the college. My students do a Btec level 2 which is graded from a pass to distinction based on the level of criteria the student achieve during each assignment. The students also do an NVQ in sport excellence. This is also graded from a pass to distinction depending on the quality of work provided through the year. The students Btec work is marked by me using the criteria which has been set by Btec. Each assignment is marked and then an overall grade is give to each unit which has been studied. The students work is also marked by an internal verifier who ensures I am marking the work correctly and giving the grades in accordance to the standards which are set by Btec. This verification also ensures that all teachers are marking consistently at the same level in the same course in different lessons. The college use these pass grades and course completion rates to assess the quality of teaching in th e college so if the grades start to slip the college can give assistance to the teachers where necessary. The college also use these grades and pass rates to market the college and maintain the profile of the courses within the college. The course work is also externally verified by Btec to ensure the college marks work to the same standard as other colleges in the country this means that anyone who passes the course will be consistent with others in the country. The college runs a SAR which the teacher can use to review the students progress through the year. The success rates of each student is important to the college as it shows that the standards are consistent and the pass rates will be achieved at the end of the year. If a teacher feels that students are not going to achieve the necessary standards the heads of department will have to look at the scheme of work and how the lessons are being implemented. The college will assist with any changes that may be required as the course could ultimately be dropped if standards are not achieved. The college has an OFSTED inspection which reviews the colleges overall performance. OFSTED report on all aspects of the college from the teaching to the administration of all departments. This inspection is done in every college across the country and OFSTED report on the necessary improvements which need to be made in each college. This is done in order to maintain the national standards of all subjects that are available at college. If the college drops below the national average then OFSTED have to assist the college in increasing the teaching standards within the college to improve the standards. Fair The purpose of the assignment was to determine the progress of learners and to provide adequate feedback that will motivate and assist their development. It was a formative assessment to gain an idea of the current abilities of learners and therefore did not contribute to their final grade. Also it was not constrained by time therefore making it less stressful as opposed to undertaking a summative assessment. iii. The assignment was appropriate for the learners to undertake as it was based on lessons and work that had been carried out previously during the academic year therefore students already had the necessary knowledge and skills to complete assignment. Careful consideration was taken when creating assignment to ensure that what was being assessed matched with what learners had previously learnt. It was vital to make the assignment a practical exercise that accurately measures the competence of learners as this approach was a requirement by the awarding body Edexcel. Using the competence approach of assessment gave learners an insight to the conditions and skills closely related to that of the IT industry. (Get a quote Reference: Anne Cox and Harriet Harper (2000), Planning Teaching and Assessing Learning, London, Greenwich University Press p73) Adjustments were made on the diverse needs of learners to ensure that all learners had equal access and opportunity to complete the assignment. Learners with a disability were given extended time to complete the assignment and had the option of getting assistance from a learning support worker. According to Keeley browne 2007 all educational institutions have had a responsibility to make reasonable adjustments for learners who have a diagnosed learning difficulty or disability and where approrpraite make adjustments to the way they are assessed. Assignment was done within lessons that took place within the IT labs therefore all learners had access to the resources necessary to complete assignment such as Computer, software, internet access etc. Task 3 In education feedback is a very useful tool that is used to assist in the development of learners. The general aims of providing feedback are to encourage learners, correct errors improve performance and reward or penalise certain behaviours (Haines 2004). The manner feedback is communicated to learners can have a positive or negative effect on the students moral, confidence and ultimately their learning experience. Any criticisms of learners work must be constructive in an attempt to encourage, motivate, and highlight areas for concern whilst focus on positives to improve the learning experience. Giving feedback to learners on their work can be done either in a written or verbal format; however the approach used is dependent on the assessment method, and the outcome/results of the assessment. For example if there is a common problem that majority of students have expressed then a verbal group feedback session could be adopted. In this approach to giving feedback, the teacher gives feedback to the whole class. Browne 2007 states that this type of feedback requires thoughtful planning and should be done prior to returning marked assessment in the form of a short introductory part of a teaching lesson. A feedback mechanism that encourages constructive feedback is the feedback sandwich. Docheff (1990) cited in F Butler describes the feedback sandwich as an effective model that comprises of reinforcing informational and motivational phrases. This approach is very useful as it gives learners an indication that they are heading in the right direction, provides critical information on performance; highlighting both strengths and weaknesses and finally encourages learners. Another approach of issuing feedback to learners is the use of feedback sheets with handwritten comments on learners assessed work. According to (Rece) this is an example of a type of written feedback. The use of comments in giving feedback is widely used within education and can be applied to essays, reports, dissertations etc. This is a very effective way of giving feedback as the comments are linked directly to the assessment criteria giving the students a clear understanding on the outcome of their work and any problems in a particular area of the assignment. An example of a comment could be You have carried out an extensive review however wider reading is required on the subject area. The feedback is therefore personalised and tailored to each individual learner. This approach of giving feedback is beneficial for learners as it can be repeatedly reviewed and learners can use it as a point of reference as opposed to verbal feedback. The disadvantage to handwritten comments is that it can be an exhaustive process for teachers to personalise comments to each individual learner. In the process of target setting learners should have an active role as it demonstrates a level of responsibility and accountability for their learning. Targets set should be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely (SMART), and agreed on by both the teacher and student. Within learning institutions a typical example of target setting occurs at the beginning of the academic year in the form of Individual learning plans (ILPs). According to Browne 2007 it is a planned route that takes into consideration the needs and abilities of learners to achieve success. The use of ILPs is beneficial as it serves as a guide to what work needs to be completed, and a way of tracking and logging learners progress i.e. outcomes and action plans. Meeting targets can improve the confidence levels and morale of learners; however those who are unsuccessful should be given appropriate support in the form of feedback to acknowledge their errors and ways of improving. Task 4 Continuing to develop ones teaching practice is an integral part of a teachersâ„ ¢ profession. It is important to maintain and acquire new skills to ensure that learners receive a high standard or quality of education. There are a wide range of resources available to teachers that can assist in improving knowledge and skills on assessment issues. A teacher may wish to improve on giving constructive feedback or learn how to create valid, relevant, fair assessments. A very useful approach is to update your skills and knowledge of assessment by researching using books or material available on the World Wide Web. There is a vast amount of books and online material dedicated to providing information on assessment topics e.g. Training to teach in the learning and skills sector by Liz Keeley Browne or tda.gov.uk website. Training to teach in the learning and skills sector provides detailed information on the various types of assessment, designing assessment tasks, using feedback to help learners improve and record keeping. This book is very helpful as it provides templates of assessment tasks, and tests your understanding by using short tasks/exercises. The use of books and online material to enhance your teaching practice is beneficial as it is cost effective, can learn at own pace, provides theory that can be experimented within lessons; however a disadvantage is that it is not practical based and you may find difficulties transferring theory into practice. Learning by observing an experienced teacher such as your mentor is another way of improving your teaching practice. This can be done though observing a teacher issuing coursework or giving feedback to learners, view samples of assessments he/she has issued and seeking advice through discussions. This approach to developing as a teacher is hugely significant as you are able to receive suggestions and advice from an experienced professional and it also improves communication amongst colleagues. Further study or undertaking a course that solely focuses on assessment is a good way of developing. The University of Cambridge offers a course called the certificate of education in the principles and practice of assessment. This is a good way of improving as you obtain knowledge of assessment from specialists whilst receiving a recognised qualification; however it can be an expensive option as the course fee is ?760 per course or ?2210 for three courses. Source (https://cpdsearch.tda.gov.uk/ProvisionDetail.aspxe=fQCguFY5tkyDmYHsxSnw6PN1ukni+elx) Another route available to improve professionally with regards to assessment is to become a marker/examiner for examinations boards such as OCR. A key advantage to this approach is that you do not have to be a qualified teacher to become a marker; however good communication skills and a level 4 qualification, such as a degree is a requirement. Moderation is done frequently throughout the year typically January, June and March (put in Source OCR website and is a good source of earning an extra income whilst providing practical experience of marking learners work. References Armitage. A; Renwick M. (2008) Assessment in FE : a practical guide for lecturers, The Essential FE Toolkit Series, London, Continuum: pp70-80