Welcome

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

Content:

Institute News - Board of Trustee Voting 2008 - Call to action!
Institute News - Institute ramps up online CPD offering!
Institute News - CIEA seeks volunteers to test-drive new assessment-related CPD Tool
Institute News - CIEA 3rd National Assessment Conference and Call for Papers
Membership News - Are you eligible to upgrade your membership? Find out more!
Monthly Member Poll - What now for assessment post Sats at Key Stage 3?
Assessment News - 2007/08 Ofsted annual report: An assessment-focussed summary
Assessment News - Assessing Pupils' Progress (APP) booklet published
Assessment News - Key Stage 3 National Curriculum Tests factsheet
Assessment News - Ofqual welcomes announcement on tests for 14-year-olds
Assessment News - ABC Awards offer CIEA membership bonus scheme
CPD - Events and Training Course Calendar
Assessment News - And Finally...
Feedback

Institute News - Board of Trustee Nominations 2008 - Call for action!

Fellows, Full Members and Associate Members (the Voting Members) of the CIEA will shortly be invited to vote for their preferred nominees to take office of The Board of Trustees of the CIEA.

Three Trustees are currently being sought to take up their seats for a three year term during the current round of elections and will formally take office from the close of the Institute's Annual General Meeting (AGM) to be held in May 2009.

Six members have nominated themselves to stand for election and as a voting member of the CIEA you are invited to select three members who you feel will be most suitable to lead the strategic direction of the CIEA.
Voting forms will be mailed only to those eligible and the closing date for receipt of voting forms is NOON UK time on Friday 19th December 2008.

Institute News - Institute ramps up online CPD offering!

The Institute is pleased to announce the launch of three new continuing professional development (CPD) focused online resources available exclusively to CIEA Members:

1) New integrated teaching, learning and assessment cycle - An interactive presentation

The presentation provides an overview of the CIEA's Professional Framework for Assessors. Using the CIEA Professional Framework will enable assessors to prepare and deliver more effective assessments. In turn this will contribute to more focused teaching and better learning.

We have developed a 'how to' guide to ensure that you can fully understand and gain maximum benefit from this tool.

Please follow the below link and login into the members area to gain access to this new tool.

Find out more...

2) New Assessment Skills Gap Analysis Tool (ASGA)

The assessment skills gap analysis is an interactive tool that can allow you to analyse the competencies in which you are secure when working in assessment, as well as highlight any areas of development with which you may need support. At the end of the process you will be presented with a spider gram that will summarise your skills and competencies and will suggest tools, resources and training that will help you to improve your capability.

The assessment skills gap analysis tool can be used by individuals, by departments, by subject areas, by entire schools or by a local authority. It will provide the user with detailed information to help decide which areas of assessment skills need support, as well as point the user to the tools, resources and training to support those developments.

The tool is linked to a selection of assessment compendia so that once skill gaps have been identified they can be addressed straight away (see External Summative article below)
Follow this link to the ASGA tool and follow the onscreen instructions.

Find out more...

3) New External Summative Assessment Compendium

The External Summative Assessment Compendium enables members to address assessment-related skill gap(s) and/or area(s) for development that have been identified by the ASGA tool. The compendium links all of the main assessment-related competencies (contained in the CIEA Professional Framework) to targeted information, advice, member resource recommendations and links to third party resources.

Internal summative and formative versions of the compendia will be released in the New Year.

Read more...

Institute News - CIEA seeks member user-panel to test-drive new assessment-related CPD Tool

Over the past two years the Institute has been working hard to develop new ways for members to improve their assessment-related skills and knowledge. In the Spring Term the Institute hopes to launch an e-portfolio tool that will enable you to log your professional development (against the CIEA Professional Framework) and evidence your individual competencies. Functionality will also include product/service recommendations, a CPD calendar, personalised updates relating to CPD deadlines to help address any developmental requirements. Once a portfolio is complete it will enable you to apply for more senior membership grades. If you would like to join the panel please email Membership Manager, Richard Gott, for further information richard.gott@ciea.org.uk.

Institute News - CIEA 3rd National Assessment Conference and Call for Papers

The Chartered Institute of Educational Assessors is planning to hold its third National Assessment conference at The Millennium Gloucester Hotel, Kensington, London on Wednesday 6 May 2009.

The theme of the conference will be quality assuring assessment and embedding good practice and its timing has been planned to coincide with what would have been the start of the Key Stage 3 National Curriculum Tests.

Read more...

Call for Papers

The CIEA is issuing a call for papers on different topics of educational assessment to be presented at the conference.

For examples of possible topics and key dates for the diary please follow this link.

Membership News - Are you eligible to upgrade your membership? Find out more!

If you are practising as a senior examiner (at Team Leader level or equivalent) or hold a senior internal assessment role (within a school, college or workplace) and would like to establish if you are eligible to upgrade your membership status please visit the new online membership upgrade identification tool located on the CIEA website. You will need to login to the members area to access the tool.

Read more...

Monthly Member Poll - What now for assessment post Sats at Key Stage 3?

On 14th October this year, Ed Balls announced that National Key Stage 3 exams for 14-year olds were to be scrapped after marking problems delayed results. This will have a considerable impact on teaching methods, with uncertainty over how pupils will now be assessed.

To ensure we are able to give as powerful and accurate voice as possible to our members, we would appreciate your thoughts on this by completing our monthly poll. Please follow the link below.

Read more...

Assessment News - 2007/08 Ofsted annual report: An assessment-focussed summary

Not surprisingly the 2007/08 Ofsted Annual Report places increased emphasis on educational assessment. The report sees educational assessment referred to some 97 times (compared with 77 times in the 2006/07 report) with Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert outlining (yet again) that assessment is a key component of good teaching and learning.

The report outlined that a notable characteristic of leaders in good and outstanding schools is their determination to provide high quality teaching, supported by ongoing assessment, and their skilful analysis of data to identify and act upon weaknesses.

Read more...
Read more...

Assessment News - Assessing Pupils' Progress (APP) booklet published

Assessment is an integral part of effective teaching and learning. It allows progress to be recognised and celebrated and it informs the next steps and priorities for both teachers and learners. It is inextricably linked to the curriculum, which provides the content and context of assessment.

Much assessment takes place in day-to-day teaching where learners receive immediate feedback on their understanding of the specific aspect or topic being explored and where teachers adjust their short-term planning in line with learners' needs. At other times, teachers need to stand back and reflect on the learner's overall performance across a subject or aspect of learning, drawing on a wide range of evidence. This more holistic, periodic assessment provides a clear profile of attainment against recognised criteria. It also helps identify the learner's strengths and priorities for improvement and informs the teacher's medium-term planning. This means the teacher is better able to personalise the curriculum for pupils.

To find out more and download the APP booklet please follow the link below.

Read more...

Assessment News - Key Stage 3 National Curriculum Tests factsheet

The National Assessment Agency has developed and disseminated to all schools a factsheet that outlines the changes to key stage 3 tests.

A copy of this factsheet can be accessed by following the link below.

Read more...

Assessment News - Ofqual welcomes announcement on tests for 14-year-olds

The Chair of Ofqual, Kathleen Tattersall welcomes the government's announcement on key stage 3 national curriculum tests.

Read more...

Assessment News - ABC Awards offer CIEA membership bonus scheme

The Institute is pleased to announce that ABC Awards have taken a bold decision to offer its moderators and verifiers a 25% bonus on top of their regular centre visit fee if they join the CIEA. The scheme highlights the importance ABC Awards places on continuing professional development (CPD) and the Institute is keen to promote similar schemes with other awarding bodies!

CPD - Events and Training Course Calendar

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

The INGOTS Staff Development Courses

The assessor model supports staff development and this can be used to gain recognition through the Teacher Learning Academy (TLA) of the General Teaching Council for England.

ICT Assessor Training

Assessor training courses are arranged on a regular basis at various geographical locations. If you are interested in becoming an assessor, sign up at click here... for the forthcoming courses or put your name and details on the course waiting list. We will use this to arrange courses as far as possible to suit the geographical location. In general, the course fee is £129 per delegate. However, a discount of 15% is offered to CIEA members reducing the fee to £109.65.

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 CIEA 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 'CIEA 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@ciea.org.uk if you would like to promote your courses within this section of CIEAMail.

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

Assessment News - And Finally

BBC News, Friday 21 November 2008

More than 15,000 primary seven pupils across Northern Ireland have sat the second part of the last 11-plus exam.

Some politicians, parents and teachers are concerned that there is still no final plan for what will replace the controversial exam next year.

The test ended on Friday after 60 years, but academic selection is still allowed for the time being.
Some grammar schools have said they will stage their own entrance exams next year.

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@ciea.org.uk. Until next time...

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