Principles of Assessment

Regardless of the nature in which assessment is carried out, the core tenets of effective assessment still hold true today.

Assessments need to be valid, reliable, robust, consistent, fair and fit for purpose in meeting the needs of learners as well as meeting the needs the assessment instrument was put to in the first place.

Valid in the way the assessment mechanic is carried out in meeting the needs for which that particular assessment has been carried out.

Fair in treating every learner in an equitable manner, providing opportunities for all to reach his or her potential.

Consistent in their application and approach regardless of the age, sex or background of the learner.

Fit for purpose in achieving the aims for which the assessment has been chosen in the first place, and above all else robust.

Assessments need to be appropriate, measured and reliable. If we cannot rely on effective assessments then we cannot be sure that teaching & learning too has been effective.

Relying on the old ways in the new world may have worked in the past but there is no guarantee they will work in the future.

Why an Institute?

From the initial concept of an Institute, we asked stakeholders such as yourselves, as well as educational assessors what would make it distinct from others and meet the needs of the education community.

From our research we identified that those who assess the education of others are supported in different ways by different organisations offering different things. For Awarding Bodies keen to fulfil the requirements of that particular session, support is given through standardising days. For teachers in their role it could be mentoring by their head of department. For students or those looking to enter the profession support might come by way of coursework.

Overall the quality, degree and type of support varies between providers. At the Institute we want to develop a consistent approach to supporting educational assessors. Supported by a distinct approach to the professional development of assessor informed by a Professional Framework of Assessment leading to the designation of Chartered Assessor where individuals meet the requirements of membership. These Chartered Assessors will play a pivotal role in helping to develop better assessment in centres of learning by working with others to capture and disseminate good practice in assessment by working across different subject areas and eventually different learning centres.

Educational assessors told us that they felt professionally unsupported unrecognised and professionally unrepresented. If you were to put your hand up in the staff room ten or fifteen years ago as a senior examiner you might have attracted some kudos, today that is not the case. Teachers in the profession may feel that assessment is something that is done to them rather than being something that is done with them, we would like to help change this perspective.

So too in the vocational area where general qualifications and vocational learning will come together to form the new diplomas, we would like to support the implementation of good education with good assessment in schools, colleges and the workplace.

Why now?

The education community faces distinct challenges in the years ahead. New educational reforms will bring a new approach to teaching and learning in the classroom, a new approach to functional skills or the teaching of vocational alongside general qualifications in the classroom. E-assessment will itself bring new challenges to bear.

The timing for a new organisation to support those who assess, meet the challenges that change in education will bring and develop better assessment practices in centres of learning has never been greater.

Why Independent?

Independence will be key to the new Institute. We wish to support good assessment practice, suggest alternatives where practicable and inform opinion with the media, general public and the education community. Only through an independent voice can we truly reflect the professional perspective of those who would seek to join us. Lending credibility to the debate on educational standards and an impartial voice to the debate on improving the quality of assessment.

Summary

In today's environment flexibility is the key. One size fits all may no longer hold true for a tailored world where every product or service can be fitted around the needs of the individual rather that expecting the individual to fit round the needs of the system.

Does this mean that teaching and learning can be improved in this country? Of course there is a great deal of good work carried out by those who teach, train, educate and support learners. Our standards of education in this country remain high.

However we feel that more can be done to create a stronger link between good assessment and good teaching & learning. In a recent report, Ofsted remains an area in schools where the most improvement can be made. Creating this stronger link between assessment and education means taking responsibility for the assessment of others. If schools feel that assessment is something that is done to them rather than something that is done by, or even with them, then this approach to learning needs to be developed over time in order to meet the challenges that lie ahead.

At the heart of the Institute is one simple goal, to improve the quality of assessment by supporting those who assess others. By supporting better assessment in schools, colleges and the workplace we can help learners to et more out of learning.

If the challenge of the 20th century was standardisation of a one size fits all approach, the challenge of the 21st century is to create more personalised learning with in-built flexibility which puts the needs of the learner centre stage.

More flexible learning opportunities, more flexible qualifications and training solutions and above all else more flexible assessment provided through more professional assessors.

Only by creating better assessment in centres of learning can we deliver better education and a more equitable society for the future.