Curriculum, learning and teaching
Is your school assessment approach effective and efficient in promoting learning? How do you know? asks Jamie Scott There are, arguably, three key pillars of education: pedagogy, curriculum and assessment. For too long, the third of these has been both under- and mis-used; the potential for assessment to be a powerful learning process, as well as an accurate barometer of learning itself, is often not realized. Assessment is inextricable from teaching, and the quality of the latter is – in many ways – dependent on the quality of information derived from the former. Great assessment, the type that helps improve teaching and learning, is not a single entity, but it leads to a single point: a meaningful decision which has positive consequences for students’ learning. Autumn
Spring |
| 2019
It is purposeful, manageable, efficient and effective. Great assessment is lean and valuable. It is used thoughtfully to achieve specific aims, aims for which it is better suited than any other tool or strategy a teacher has at their disposal. Every school has their assessment policy and framework, but is it fit for purpose? Schools use assessment daily, and it can be difficult to stop, step-back and review our approach to ensure it is fit for the purpose intended. So, in the spirit of reflection and self-evaluation, here are five questions to ask of your school assessment framework to help determine its efficiency and effectiveness.
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