A new assessment culture

Traditionally examinations have exerted a powerful influence on educational practices. The belief is that examinations provide an objective and fair way of selecting individuals for their future roles in society.

Current thinking about assessment practices has however shifted the focus of assessment from that of classifying and selecting students (summative assessment) to assessment practices which help individuals work on their learning, improve their learning and develop their full potential (formative assessment).

Such a new philosophy of educational assessment has a "constructive focus where the aim is to help rather than sentence the individual and it emphasises the individual's achievement relative to him or herself rather than to others or in relation to defined criteria" (Gipps & Murphy, 1994, p. 261). Within such a philosophy there needs to be a shift in pedagogy as well as curricula. The characteristics of an effective pedagogy are:

1. A pedagogy which is set in a context with assessment tasks set within similar contexts related to real life situations. This allows the students to see the relevance of what they are doing and to use assessment tasks in a positive manner to enhance their own personal learning.

An example: When teaching students about magnetism, this can be very easily related to the use of magnetism in the kitchen, such as fridge magnets, can openers, drawer magnets. This can be accompanied by a project outlining the uses of magnetism in the kitchen.

2. The use of constant qualitative feedback which allows students to understand their strengths and weaknesses and helps them to improve their learning.

An example: Feedback is one of the most important characteristics of a new assessment culture. Comments given to students regarding their work encourage and motivate students to learn about their strengths and weaknesses and ways in which they can improve. This involves more work for teachers but creates a meaningful and rewarding relationship with students. Also if curricula are revised space and time for feedback can be integrated into the development of new curricula.

3. Making use of multiple forms of assessment. The different forms of assessment can be used to assess different ways in which students learn, it encourages learning in different situations and by different methods and does not value one form of learning over the other. All students will be able to show and perform well in areas in which they are better in.

An example: There are a variety of ways in which students can be assessed. The examination at the end of the year can remain one of the modes of assessment, however, not the only mode. It can be accompanied by tests, project work, research work, work done in school, work done at home, community involvement, role play and any other way in which the teachers and students feel most comfortable with.

4. Clear guidelines and criteria should be provided to students. This encourages intrinsic motivation and allows the student to know what is expected out of them. This encourages success rather than failure.

Comment: Once the students know what is expected of them it is very easy for them to work towards a specific goal. The students will also know what to expect out of the assesssment and this is a much fairer method of assigning a grade or mark to students.

5. An active involvement of both teachers and students in the assessment process. Different work can be assessed by different individuals, teachers, parents, colleagues and the students themselves can be involved in the assessment process. This will give a multiple perspective of the students' learning and allow students to build up an assessment profile based on the views of different individuals.

Comment: Traditionally it is the teacher who assigns the work and the grade to the students. This makes it a one-way process with the power being completely in the hands of the teacher with the students having no say whatsoever. An assessment system which allows teachers and students to work collaboratively can make use of modes of assessment where students can decide with their teachers in what way they want to be assessed and also they can negotiate grades and marks given to particular pieces of work.

6. Valuing values and differences among individuals. This encourages difference rather than labelling. It emphasises the positive characteristics of each individual and that the values of individuals may be different but not necessarily better.

Comment: In this way the differences among students are valued. Students can be allowed to work on different assignments, different tasks according to ability and interest and be given credit for anything positive which they can do.

7. Assessment practices which provide teachers and schools with feedback regarding the development of students' skills and talents with a view to revise and improve curricula and teaching pedagody.

Comment: Assessment practices can also provide feedback to teachers and parents and the school administration. For example exhibitions of project work, the organisation of open schooldays to show what has been done by the students can give a great deal of feedback and involve students directly.

8. Actively involving the teachers in any policy making regarding pedagogy and assessment so that they will feel involved and use assessment effectively.

Comment: No change in assessment practices can be brought about unless there is direct involvement of the teachers. This is a powerful tool which needs to be developed much more if assessment is to become an integral part of the teaching and learning process.

The benefits of such an assessment policy are boundless and not impossible to achieve. With such an assessment model students leave school with something which is worthwhile, which has led to a deeper understanding of knowledge which is relevant and meaningful to their daily lives. The teaching and learning becomes interesting and motivating and the teachers have more satisfaction in seeing their students become more involved in the learning process. There is also more information for teachers, students and parents regarding the progress of the individual students and this progress is continuous from one year to another and from one teacher to the next. There is also more information for prospective employers who can look at different aspects of students, achievement rather than solely academic achievement.

Dr Chetcuti is senior lecturer, Department of Maths, Science and Technical Education, Faculty of Education, University of Malta.