Although University A has always had a long-standing and reputable culture of student assessment, to align itself with the new national policy requirements from the HEQC, “The institution has undertaken a comprehensive review of its strategy and standing orders on the assessment of student learning from the last two years”(UAR1,29/6/2015). The analysis of the data indicates that the satisfied students regarding the variety of assessment methods and clarity of assessment and marking is significantly better in both Universities. The satisfaction level of students regarding quality of assessment practices is better. The assessment of student performance is grounded in continuous assessment policy. As one of the interviewees explained, “The continuous …show more content…
It is generally believed that students’ assessment has an important impact on instruction and learning (Gibbs, 1999; Scouller, 1998). Another essential aspect of the University A continuous assessment strategy’s practices is that students’ performance has become criterion-referenced rather than norm-referenced. Criterion-referenced performance is judged according to predetermined criteria, rather than according to group performance. The implication of this is that benchmarking of students’ performance in a course is based on pre-specified standards, and assessment of students’ performance is against such standards of achievement. As national and institutional policy states, “there is a responsibility to provide criteria that make explicit the constructs of the teaching and to make these available and accessible to the students’ learning in as many different ways as …show more content…
These universities have documented evidence that shows the policies and guidelines that govern the practices of continuous assessment but in practice there are some flaws. This could be one of the reasons for the few slightly satisfied students regarding the assessment practices for quality in learning. These findings show that student assessment and grading practices at the public universities are constrained by profusion of few problems but overall continuous assessment strategy has positive impact on quality of teaching and learning but some poor practices need to demolish because one may imagine how these assessment practices can affect quality of student learning in the public universities and as proper feedback is considered to be an important aspect to enhance learning. It also can help students to internalise the standards and notion of quality (Gibbs,
This is done now through the process of having a two assessment category- formative and summative. Both of these categories are used to determine the student’s quarter and semester grade. The summative category would be based on four common assessments, and one of these must be a performance task. As for formative assessments, this would show students the progress that they have made in mastering the material that would appear during the summative exam. He continues by saying that the school has realized that they can no longer control student’s grades based on behavioral infractions.
Hamilton (2003) What are the major elements of the test-based accountability system? Which element(s) can be used to distinguish high-stakes tests from low-stakes tests? How does a teacher’s reallocation of efforts toward tested content strengthen/weaken the instructional practice? If you are going to teach K-12 students in an exam-oriented context, what will you emphasize in your classroom instruction?
Standardized testing is becoming a concern for many. There are many pro and cons associated with standardized testing and students. In our present education system, standardized testing is view as a way to find out the progress the student has or is academically. However, this may not always be the case. Standardized testing is actually putting a lot of pressure on students, families, teacher, and the school system.
Figure 1 is a summary of the students’ learning throughout the learning segment. I administrated this test as a pre-assessment prior to the lesson one and administered it again after the completion of lesson 3. This test is a compilation of students’ learning and it demonstration how they met the standards and objectives that were set out for them to achieve. The evaluation criteria in which this assessment and all other assessment in the individual lessons did was not altered. Even though the students have different learning needs, the assessment met all of the needs for all learners.
However, Alonso bases her argument on inferences she has drawn from her own personal experiences. For example, a professor will not always admit when they have failed to teach a topic, or acknowledge when they are grading with frustration behind their red pen. Alonso’s conclusions would carry more weight if she were to base them on research. Overall, Alonso has constructed a strong argument about the advantages to examinations that accounts for the different points of view teachers and students
1. What are some important steps in interpreting data from high stakes assessments? In order to make assessment data useful teachers must understand what information is being reported and determine if additional information is necessary to understand student performance. Specifically, for assessment results for students with disabilities, teachers would have to identify what accommodations were being used.
Everyone encounters an adversity in life. One vital adversity in my life would be standardized tests. Standardized tests such as the ACT and SAT have caused a majority of stress since my junior year in high school. It amazes me how a test score can play a key role when it comes to defining you as a person. Not everyone has the same strengths as another person and it should not be the main focus when it comes to admitting an individual into college.
To Test or To Read It would be nice to imagine that everyone begins at the start line together. Unfortunately, a majority of people start at a disadvantage. In most public elementary schools, there are students in every grade level that are reading behind grade level. Consequently, these same students will encounter tests throughout their whole academic career. Starting in elementary school, a literacy gap will begin to emerge among students.
Increasingly today in America’s school system, there is a recognition of tension between individuality and conformity. The struggle between students’ personal needs and the needs of the whole continues to grow. This can be seen though the controversial issue of standardized testing. These are tests that are designed in a way, which are administered and recorded in a consistent method. In standardized testing, all test takers are required to answer the same set of multiple-choice, true or false questions, short answer, and essay questions.
2:1 Compare the strengths and limitations of assessments of a range of assessment methods with reference to the needs of individual learners. Workplace Observations, question and answer/professional discussions, projects/assignments, portfolios, witness statements. A good assessor will always take into account their learners needs and what particular subject they are studying for prior to confirming with learner type of assessment method to be used. Workplace observations
Welcome to the age of testing, where standardized tests reign supreme in the classroom. Today, schools religiously use standardized tests as a tool to measure success. Every year a new set of standards are released because the test scores the year before were not adequate. Leaving teachers and students under pressure to perform better. The pressure to do so well has led to cheating scandals and school districts scores being eliminated.
Evaluating individual sudents through standardized tests is a poor way to evaluate a students knowledge and should be replaced with performance based assessments. Standardized tests are used in most schools and institutes. These are tests that are designed and graded in a consistent and standard method. In standardized tests, all participants are required to answer the same set of questions. The exams are usually multiple-choice or true or false questions, the participants are given a certain amount of time to complete the test in.
What is intelligence? Can true intelligence even be measured? The theory is that certain tests can measure such intelligence and intellectual achievement. Testing in education and physically, is an attempt to measure a person’s knowledge, or other characteristics in a systematic way. Also, teachers give test to find the certain abilities students possess and tell whether they have learned the subject (“Testing”181).
Students are Intellectually Affected by Grading Assessments and Standardized Testing Educators utilize rubrics and grading criteria for assignments so that students educational growth can be taken into consideration for the future curriculums and requirements. There are times, though, when these methods of determining grades can actually cause students to exceed, remain constant, or regress in their educational growth. Mike Rose’s idea in “Achievement of Desire” that highlighted the impact grading assessments and standardized testing have on a student’s capability to learn will be extended to also explore the benefits and drawbacks on a student’s educational growth and development.
In order to make their learning and assessment ongoing and not episodic, I develop an appropriate curriculum, planning lessons to meet students' learning needs and using inferences about student progress to inform my teaching. I make lessons and assessments a linked series of activities undertaken over time, so that progress is directed towards the intended course goals and the achievement of relevant