Welcome

Welcome to IEAMail, the topical monthly members e-newsletter, carrying news and views from the Institute of Educational Assessors (IEA).

Content:

Institute News - Institute launches NQT assessment awareness campaign
New - Online Member Poll: E-assessment - What do you think?
Institute News -IEA Re-branding - Your logo; your decision
New - Further Insights (podcasts) covering conducting and feeding back on assessment now available
New - Frequently asked questions page
Institute News - Membership update
Institute News - Assessment Policy continued
Institute News - Are you eligible for Member or Fellow status?
CPD - Events and Training Course Calendar
Assessment News - And Finally...
Feedback

Institute News - Institute launches NQT assessment awareness campaign

The IEA has recently compiled an assessment-specific information booklet for Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs).

The pack has been designed specifically to be an assessment and teaching aid and provides information about good educational assessment practice and contains details on the various types of assessment, how assessment skills can help career progression and information about the support offered by the IEA.

To date, the pack has been sent to a sample of approximately 2,000 schools across England and due to a high level of interest it will be sent out to all secondary schools in England in January 2008.

To order hard copies of this document please email members@instituteofeducationalassessors.org.uk . Please enter the word 'NQT Pack' in the subject bar and in the content of the email enter how many copies you wish to receive and your preferred mailing address. As always, we would appreciate your initial feedback.

PDF version of NQT Booklet. Read more ...

New - Online Member Poll: E-assessment - What do you think?

Is e-assessment a good or bad thing for the assessment community? Does it create more problems than it's worth? What are the key issues and what are the best ways to implement e-assessment? Have your say as the IEA launches its first monthly poll to determine if e-assessment is the way forward.

Read more ...

Institute News - IEA Re-branding - Your logo; your decision

In the October edition of IEAMail we invited you to vote on your preferred new CIEA logo design to coincide with the change of company name from the Institute of Educational Assessors (IEA) to the Chartered Institute of Educational Assessors (CIEA).

The results have been compiled and our brand design agency, The Team, is currently compiling the new logo of the CIEA. The new brand and company name will be launched in April 2008.

You can view the new logo design by following this link Read more ... 

New - Further Insights (podcasts) covering conducting and feeding back on assessment now available

In July the IEA launched IEA Insights, a selection of audio visual presentations (podcasts) that can be downloaded (via the IEA website) and used to support the effective setting of questions and the issues relating to the use of technology in assessment. More recently two further Insights looking into Conducting Assessment and Feeding back on Assessment have been launched along with supporting articles and resources.

Conducting Assessment - This insight looks at conducting assessments and considers the issues around:

• How to develop and apply assessment criteria
• Ensuring consistency and accuracy in assessment
• Standardising assessment across a subject and within a centre

The insight considers the processes involved in effective moderation and standardisation techniques, as well as ensuring both accuracy and consistency.

Read more ...

Feeding back on Assessment - This Insight looks at Feeding Back after Assessment and considers the issues around:

• How evaluating performance can influence teaching and learning
• What forms feedback might take
• Some of the effects of feedback on the wider assessment community

The Insight looks at feedback for both summative and formative assessment, its impact upon the learner, upon other assessors, upon senior managers and on other "stakeholders" such as parents and the wider community.

Read more ....

New - Frequently asked questions section on IEA website

As part of the IEA member services plan we have created an informative frequently asked questions (FAQ's) section on the IEA website. This page which can be found by following the link below lists all queries from contact address details to member login issues. This enables members to obtain information outside of the normal office hours of the IEA.

To find out more please follow the link below.

Read more ...

Institute News - Membership update

The IEA, this month, received its seven thousandth membership application. This shows a genuine interest in an organisation that supports the professional role of those from the assessment community and is a positive sign for the IEA moving forward.

Following successful marketing campaigns with all of the major awarding bodies the IEA has been able to communicate, with potential members, the benefits of membership. This has been well received and has attracted over two thousand applications over the past couple of months.

Institute News - Assessment Policy continued

Step 3 of 3

This step in the process will help you to collate all the information as well as consider how you will mange the data that is produced.

Collate the information

Following the initial audit, all data can be collated by the Assessment Co-ordinator into one large document detailing who does what and when in terms of assessment throughout the institution. It will also detail how the assessment is to be carried out.

Read more ...

Institute News - Are you eligible for Member or Fellow status?

If you are practicing as a senior examiner (at Team Leader level or equivalent) and would like to establish if you are eligible to apply for Member or Fellow status please visit the new online membership upgrade identification tool located on the IEA website.

Read more ...

The tool will ask you some very simple questions to establish whether or not you meet the set criteria, and if so will direct you to the correct online application form.
 
Internal assessors will be pleased to hear that Member and Fellow grades will be launched along with the formative assessment version of the IEA Professional Framework in early 2008. Specific routes to Member and Fellow status will include:

• School or college route
• Applied or workplace route (vocational focus)
• Higher education institution route
• Local Authority route
• Researcher route
• Independent consultant route
• Professional body route
• Awarding body employee route

CPD - Events and Training Course Calendar

Each month the IEA communicates educational assessment focused events and training courses that are taking place around the UK.

Communicate-ed Assessment related training courses:

Communicate-ed is a company specialising in the training of education professionals who work in the area of special needs.

The IEA has negotiated a 15% discount for members. Please download the appropriate form for the Communicate-ed website Read more ... Please return your application clearly marked 'IEA discount' with your membership number. Please note that the discount only applies to the standard rate and cannot be used with any other offer.

Training providers. Please contact info@ioea.org.ukif you would like to promote your courses within this section of IEAMail.

Members should be aware that the IEA is only communicating these events to its members and not endorsing them.

Assessment News - And Finally

Evening Standard, 27 November 2007

Children are to be tracked in school via radio chips sewn into their uniforms. The manufacturer is marketing the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) surveillance system nationwide, following a trial with 19 pupils at Hungerhill School in Doncaster this year.

The chip is embroidered into school uniforms using conductive 'smart threads'. A teacher can then scan these to view the pupil's identity, photo, whether they misbehaved in lessons and their school attendance record.

Read more ...

E-newsletter feedback

Let us know what you think of the e-newsletter and any features you'd like to see in future issues. If you're feeling creative and would like to contribute an article, please send an email to info@ioea.org.uk. Until next time...

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