Principles and Practice of Assessment

|assessment as a process of making judgments of learners’ knowledge, skills and competence against set criteria |

Fairness ensures that everyone has an equal chance of getting a good assessment. It is important that you act fairly for all students if you expect to be respected. It is important to be as objective as possible to be objective is

a) Direct observation is the best way to evaluate the assessor’s ability to carry out a fair and valid assessment. The observation should ideally take place in the work environment and involve the learner carrying out specific tasks as required for inclusion in the learner’s portfolio of evidence. The IQA can quickly establish the effect of the assessment on the learner and can get a good impression of the rapport that the assessor has with the learner and the

Feedback is a vital part of the assessment process as it gives the assessor an idea of if the learner has met the criteria set and if they haven’t, what action is needed to achieve the criteria.

The assessment strategy should state how the subject should be assessed, and subsequent results recorded. It should also state the experience, professional development and qualifications that assessors should hold. Quality assurance requirements, for example internal and external verification or moderation, will also be stated. Organisation may also have an assessment policy which an assessor should familiarise him/herself with.

With focus on the quality and standards of assessors to meet the learning needs of the candidates, where a lack of progress is highlighted or an inconsistency within assessments will result in further support for the assessment team, potentially in the form of further standardization

There is a large variety of assessment methods available for assessing learners’ achievements. These include observation; questioning the learner; examining product evidence; discussion; witness testimony; looking at learner statements; recognising prior learning; simulated environment; skills tests; oral and written examinations; assignments; case studies and projects. Choosing the most appropriate assessment methods is vitally important, to help and support the learner and to ensure the job of the assessor is as straightforward, reliable and problem-free as possible.

Haydn (2009 cited in Capel et al 2009 page 329) defines assessment as "all those activities which are undertaken by teachers, and others, to measure the effectiveness of teaching and learning".

“Assessments should be a regular process; it might not always be formalised, but you should be observing what your learners are doing, asking questions and reviewing their progress throughout their time with you”.

For example, assessment provides clear measurement and recording of achievement during a course that provides identification of individual

The function of assessment in learning and development is to provide a measurable way of planning and supporting students’ progress. Assessment is carried out by means of checks and tests carried out throughout the course. Assessors should provide feedback throughout ensuring that learning is occurring and the learner is at the correct level. It is also important that assessor’s decisions are also consistently reviewed and internally and externally verified.

I will assess all assignments as fairly as possible, I would hope the same is done for me, despite any differences I may have with the writer when it comes to their views on a particular subject. When it comes to feedback, I would try and abstain from stating my personal feelings or opposing view, only focusing on the quality of the material being presented. Overall, my response would be critical, yet positive. This would ensure an accurate and honest assessment on my behalf. Furthermore, from the Learning Guide Unit this week, Brown, Rust, and Gibbs (1994) suggested assessment may encourage a more in-depth knowledge of the material, I agree very much with this theory. By virtue of that, I will take my peers view into contemplation, this way I can think about the information from a different angle in an attempt to further my own understanding of the criteria.

It is important that I do a student evaluation and a self evaluation in order to see how well

Subjective assessment is a form of questioning which may have more than one correct answer and/or more than one way of expressing the correct answer, whereas opinion might in addition to- also consist of unsubstantiated information, in contrast to knowledge and fact-based beliefs. Some have argued that the distinction between objective and subjective assessments is neither useful nor accurate because, in reality, there is no such thing as "objective" assessment. In fact, all assessments are created with

4) Valid and reliable ways to assess competence. They use scenario-based multiple-choice exam format to ensure holders have demonstrated their competence.