The MARRA cycle is a management cycle that allows practitioners to track the progress of their students. It is based mainly on assessment although it comprises of various elements; these are namely – monitoring, assessment, recording, reporting and accountability. Assessment serves two fundamental functions: it can be used to improve teaching and learning (classroom assessment) and to fulfil official requirements such as those set out in the Education Act 1998.
The MARRA cycle was developed from the initial version of the National Standards DfEE 1998. The purpose of the MARRA cycle is to ‘enable learning, teaching and accountability through the effective use of assessment’. Headington (2003, p.2).
For this reason, assessment is a core element of the cycle; all aspects relate back to this element. Nonetheless, each area of the cycle has its own significance in maintaining the National Standards. The first area of the cycle is monitoring. Monitoring is a continuous process not a one-off operation. ‘Monitoring allows the practitioner to look for patterns and changes in patterns of attainment, approach or attitude’. Headington (2003, p.9). This is vital for the teacher as it allows them to not only understand the needs of the children but also how they might better their teaching or planning in order for the children to benefit. For example changing the learning style or using a range of learning styles if children do not comprehend the learning by using simply one learning
This is considered as formal method of assessment, which may be carried out in the middle or at the end of course, or
Assessment plays a significant role in the learning experience of students. It determines their progression through their programmes and enables them to demonstrate that they have achieved the intended learning outcomes. It is assessment that provides the main basis for public recognition of achievement, through the awarding of qualifications and/or credit.
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
In 1989 a group of voluntary researchers named the Assessment Reform group (ARG) were formed by the British Educational Research Association (BERA). The group had the task to take account of relevant research and evidence in regards to assessment for policy and practice. In 1996 BERA’s support ceased and was taken over by the Nuffield Foundation till the ARG dissolved in 2010. It was in 1996 that the foundation funded Paul Black and Dylan Wiliam members of the ARG to review literature on the use of assessment to help with learning. As a result, evidence was found that ‘formative assessment’ could help to improve learning and the findings were published under the title ‘Inside the black box’. The ARG was one of significant influences on the design of Scotland’s Assessment is for Learning (AfiL) initiative which aimed to develop assessment in learning in Scottish schools. This essay will discuss and explore how effective formative assessment of pupils’ progression can be carried out.
NCFE Level 4 Certificate in Leading the Internal Quality Assurance of Assessment Processes and Practice
Formative assessment, or assessment for learning as it is often called, is the assessment that
The function of assessment in learning and development is primarily to provide a measurable barometer for the students progress.
In preparing for the assessment, it is important to explain the purpose of the assessment, explaining why it is
Through the identification of these assessment methods, I will analyse their purpose and the role that they play in my learner’s development; and how these are used to identify learner progress and confirm their knowledge and understanding. I will explore theories and principals of assessment, covering formative and
|4.13 |Providing assessment opportunities that meet the needs of learners, including giving personalised constructive feedback to motivate |
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.
* This is to determine if the delivery and assessment meets the requirements of the standards or assessment criteria , the whole assessment process needs to be accutat, consistate, safe and meets all organisation requirements.
Assessment for learning is any assessment for which the first priority in its design and practice is to serve the purpose of promoting further student learning and enabling improved student learning through purposeful interaction and providing meaningful feedback. Formative assessment is specifically intended to generate feedback and feed forward on performance to improve, accelerate and enable learning (Sadler, 1998). Formative assessment can and should occur throughout a daily class, through implementation of learning and teaching strategies that lead to both oral and written feedback. The Formative assessment approach is equitable and reliable, producing some significant indicator of student developed understanding that links directly to the syllabus outcomes. This then allows the teacher or other students to respond by trying to
I need to monitor and assess the progress of each student by maintaining accurate record using a variety of assessment tools, gaining feedback, formative informative,formal and informal whilst also maintaining my organisations requirements.