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Questions and Answers
What is the main purpose of formative assessment?
What is the main purpose of formative assessment?
Which statement best describes the interaction between teaching and assessment?
Which statement best describes the interaction between teaching and assessment?
Which of the following is a key component of diagnostic assessment?
Which of the following is a key component of diagnostic assessment?
What question does formative assessment seek to answer regarding student learning?
What question does formative assessment seek to answer regarding student learning?
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What is a characteristic of summative assessment?
What is a characteristic of summative assessment?
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What best describes assessment as a process?
What best describes assessment as a process?
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Which stakeholder is most importantly involved in the assessment process according to the framework?
Which stakeholder is most importantly involved in the assessment process according to the framework?
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How is meaningful assessment characterized in the context of learning and teaching?
How is meaningful assessment characterized in the context of learning and teaching?
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What does assessment provide information about in a child's learning process?
What does assessment provide information about in a child's learning process?
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According to the black box analogy of classroom assessment, what are considered inputs into the educational experience?
According to the black box analogy of classroom assessment, what are considered inputs into the educational experience?
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What is a key component of assessment as outlined in the primary school curriculum?
What is a key component of assessment as outlined in the primary school curriculum?
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Which of the following statements about assessment is NOT true?
Which of the following statements about assessment is NOT true?
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Which aspect is NOT a purpose of assessment in the learning context?
Which aspect is NOT a purpose of assessment in the learning context?
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What must teachers prioritize when assessing students according to the curriculum?
What must teachers prioritize when assessing students according to the curriculum?
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Which Act requires schools to identify and provide for the educational needs of all students, including those with special needs?
Which Act requires schools to identify and provide for the educational needs of all students, including those with special needs?
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Which of the following is a requirement of the Education Act (1998)?
Which of the following is a requirement of the Education Act (1998)?
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What type of assessment includes both spontaneous and planned evaluations?
What type of assessment includes both spontaneous and planned evaluations?
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Which of the following is NOT mentioned as part of the continuum of assessments?
Which of the following is NOT mentioned as part of the continuum of assessments?
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What is according to the Data Protection Act regarding access to students' personal data?
What is according to the Data Protection Act regarding access to students' personal data?
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What does triangulation of assessment material involve?
What does triangulation of assessment material involve?
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Which requirement is placed on schools regarding assessment policies according to the Education Act?
Which requirement is placed on schools regarding assessment policies according to the Education Act?
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What is the purpose of the 'Purposes of Assessment' quiz?
What is the purpose of the 'Purposes of Assessment' quiz?
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Which document provides guidelines for assessment in primary schools?
Which document provides guidelines for assessment in primary schools?
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In which year were the NCCA Guidelines for Assessment published?
In which year were the NCCA Guidelines for Assessment published?
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Which authors discussed the concept of assessment literacy and student learning?
Which authors discussed the concept of assessment literacy and student learning?
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What action must students take to access course content on Moodle?
What action must students take to access course content on Moodle?
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What is the main purpose of the Equal Status Act (2000) in the context of assessment?
What is the main purpose of the Equal Status Act (2000) in the context of assessment?
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What does the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act (2004) require from schools after assessments?
What does the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act (2004) require from schools after assessments?
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Why is it important to assess children's learning according to school policy?
Why is it important to assess children's learning according to school policy?
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Which of the following should a school assessment policy address?
Which of the following should a school assessment policy address?
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What aspect of assessment is covered by the question 'When should assessment happen?' in a school policy?
What aspect of assessment is covered by the question 'When should assessment happen?' in a school policy?
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According to good teaching practices, assessment results should be used to:
According to good teaching practices, assessment results should be used to:
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In terms of assessment information, what role does sharing with others play in the school policy?
In terms of assessment information, what role does sharing with others play in the school policy?
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What is a fundamental principle established by GDPR regulations relevant to primary schools?
What is a fundamental principle established by GDPR regulations relevant to primary schools?
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What is the primary purpose of diagnostic assessment in schools?
What is the primary purpose of diagnostic assessment in schools?
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What types of skills should be assessed during the early years?
What types of skills should be assessed during the early years?
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In which classes is standardized assessment required?
In which classes is standardized assessment required?
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Where should the information from assessments be recorded?
Where should the information from assessments be recorded?
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Who has the right to access assessment information according to the Data Protection Act?
Who has the right to access assessment information according to the Data Protection Act?
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How frequently should assessment information be shared with parents?
How frequently should assessment information be shared with parents?
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What must be done with assessment information until a student reaches their 21st birthday?
What must be done with assessment information until a student reaches their 21st birthday?
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What role does assessment play in educational practice?
What role does assessment play in educational practice?
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Study Notes
EDU304 & EPS300 Week 1 Lecture B
- Course title: EDU304 & EPS300
- Lecture topic: Assessment Policy & Context
- Lecturer: Dr. Suzanne Parkinson
- Qualifications: B.Ed., B.Sc., M.Sc. in Developmental & Educational Psychology, Ed.D., Ed. Psych.
Overview
- What is Assessment?
- Purposes of Assessment
- Methods of Classroom Assessment
- National Legislation on Assessment
- School Policy on Assessment
What is the Purpose of Assessment?
- Complete a worksheet titled "What does Assessment mean to you?"
- Define assessment
- Reflect on past assessment experiences
- Consider how you assess students
- Reflect on any dissatisfaction or discomfort with assessment results
- Note changes in primary school assessment methods
Our Conceptions of Assessment
- MICRA-T (Primary School Reading Test) has been used for over 3 decades
- Provides accurate reading performance information for Irish primary school pupils
- Various assessments covering different areas like Mathematics, Social, Environmental and Scientific Education, Arts, and Physical Education
- Provisional Leaving Certificate results are also included (showing subjects like Irish, English, Mathematics)
What is Assessment?
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Assessment involves collecting and reporting information on a child's progress in various areas.
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Assessment is an integral part of learning and teaching
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Provides information for various stakeholders, especially children
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It is a continuous process that involves children, teachers, parents, and others
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Information enhances teaching and supports children's learning in all curriculum areas (NCCA, 2022, p. 6)
What is the Purpose of Assessment?
- Builds a picture of a child's progress and achievement in the Primary School Curriculum over time.
- Provides information on how the child learns (learning process)
- Provides information on what the child learns (products of learning)
- Used by teachers to identify and celebrate current learning and provide support for future learning, both short and long term (NCCA, 2007, p. 7)
Inside the Black Box
- Current classroom policies treat the classroom as a black box (certain inputs from outside are fed in, and outputs hopefully follow)
- It is important to understand what happens inside, to potentially improve outputs
- Teaching and learning are interactive
- Teachers need to understand their pupils' progress and difficulties, adapting their work to meet their needs
Purposes of Assessment: Formative
- Formative Assessment for Learning (AfL) is done on an ongoing basis and informs teaching
- Assessment takes place during instructional time, and information gained helps students learn (Murchan & Sheil, 2017, p. 5)
- Questions should be asked: Where are children now in their learning?, Where are the children going in their learning?, How will the children get to the next point in their learning? (NCCA, 2007, p. 9)
Formative Assessment (AfL)
- Teacher uses information to establish where students are in learning
- Teacher identifies learning destination and plans a route.
- Progress checks are made regularly
- Teaching adjusted to conditions
- Information is used as feedback to adapt teaching and learning (Murchan & Sheil, 2017)
Formative Assessment (AfL) - Process
- Gathering: Part of classroom routine, learner involved
- Recording: Amount of recording depends on purpose
- Interpreting: Teachers' understanding guides interpretation.
- Using: Daily basis to inform teaching, feedback for students
- Reporting: Daily basis, sharing between teachers and students
Purposes of Assessment: Summative
- Assessment of Learning (AoL): Focuses on medium and long-term assessment, focusing on what students have learned after teaching.
- Students may receive grades or scores.
- Information typically does not guide student learning.
Summative Assessment (AOL) - Examples
- Example of teacher reflecting on students' long multiplication skills
- It's important to consider any potential drawbacks to this assessment method.
Classroom Assessment Methods
- Not all learning needs assessment
- Prioritise what students need to learn focusing on knowledge, skills, values, attitudes and dispositions using the Primary School Curriculum.
- Teacher decides what to assess, how to assess, and how the assessment information will be used.
Continuum of Assessment
- Various assessment methods, ranging from child-led (like self-assessment, conferencing, and portfolios) to teacher-led (like questioning, observation, and standardized testing).
- Child-led assessment methods are positioned at one end, while standardized testing is at the other.
Classroom Assessment Methods
- Variety of assessment methods, both informal and formal.
- Continuum of assessments.
- Triangulation of assessment material (using multiple methods to validate findings).
Legislative Requirements for Assessment
- Education Act (1998)
- Data Protection Act (2003, 2018)
- Equal Status Act (2000)
- Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act (2004)
Education Act (1998)
- Principals and teachers regularly evaluate students and periodically report results to students and parents.
- Schools ensure educational needs of all students are identified and met, including those with disabilities or special educational needs.
- Schools must create an assessment policy as a requirement.
- Assessment data must be recorded appropriately (e.g., Pupil File, Report Card).
Data Protection Act (2003, 2018)
- Parents of students under 18 (and students over 18) have the right to access personal data.
- Schools must store information safely to enable access by former students up to their 21st birthday.
- GDPR regulations for primary schools must be considered.
Equal Status Act (2000)
- Prohibits discrimination in assessment.
- Assessment methods should not discriminate against students (e.g., EAL, SEN students).
Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act (2004)
- Further provision for the education of people with special educational needs.
- Aim for inclusive environments for students with special educational needs.
- Following assessment, the school must create an "education plan" for the child (IEP).
School Policy on Assessment
- Questions to be answered in a school assessment policy:
- Why assess student learning?
- What should be assessed?
- When should assessment happen?
- How should learning be assessed?
- Where should assessment be recorded?
- With whom should assessment information be shared?
- How should assessment information be shared with others? (NCCA, 2007)
School Policy on Assessment (Question 1 - Why Assess?)
- Part of good teaching and learning
- Gives teachers valuable information
- Identifying next steps in student learning and teaching strategies.
School Policy on Assessment (Question 2 - What to Assess?)
- Curriculum areas/subjects should be addressed
- Appropriate methods for each curriculum area should be applied
School Policy on Assessment (Question 3 - When Assessment Happens?)
- Ongoing process
- Diagnostic assessment, to guarantee needs of all children are met
- Early years screening in literacy, numeracy, and developmental skills
- Standardized assessments in 2nd, 4th, and 6th class
School Policy on Assessment (Question 4 - How Assessment Happens?)
- Variety of assessment methods gathered over time
- Appropriate methods for curricular areas
School Policy on Assessment (Question 5 - Where Recorded?)
- Teacher's daily records
- Pupil File
- Report Card (GOI, 1998)
School Policy on Assessment (Question 6 - With Whom Shared?)
- Data Protection Act (2003) gives parents the right of access to information and personal data relating to their student
- Parents should be provided with regular information and reports(NCCA,2007)
School Policy on Assessment (Question 7 - How Shared?)
- Information must be accessible
- Shared with parents twice a year (one of which should be a written report)
- Information kept until the student's 21st birthday (NCCA, 2007)
Considerations
- Purpose of assessment
- Teacher knowledge and ability in student assessment
- How assessment informs educational practice
Next Steps
- Enroll in Moodle.
- Review Course Documentation
- Self-study NCCA Guidelines for Assessment (2007)
- Self-assess with the "Purposes of Assessment" quiz.
- Review three short videos on Assessment
Bibliography
- Include various research articles and documents, but avoid repetition.
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Description
Explore the fundamentals of assessment in education through this quiz based on the first week of the EDU304 & EPS300 course. Discover the purposes, methods, and legislation surrounding classroom assessments. Reflect on your own assessment practices and the evolution of assessment methods over time.
