Transforming Assessment In Education

This book transforms our current understanding of assessment practice in different educational settings and cultures. Drawing upon the resources of language games and critical realism the authors argue for an innovative engagement with the philosophical, theoretical and practical foundations of assessment. What is the connection between learning, motivation and assessment? Is assessment for learning a motorway or a blind alley for improved learning outcomes? How can creativity be assessed through the eyes of the connoisseur? How can assessment cultures be understood as forms of life and language games? Do new forms of society transform our assessment practices? A critical appreciation of the work of Royce Sadler is offered for assessment specialists.

This book reports the results of a research project that investigated assessment methods aimed at supporting and improving inquiry-based approaches in European science, technology and mathematics (STM) education. The findings were used to influence policy makers with guidelines for ensuring that assessment enhances learning. The book provides insights about: - The concept of competence within the STM domains and its relevance for education - The conceptualisation and teaching of four key competences: scientific inquiry, mathematical problem-solving, design processes, and innovation. - Fundamental aspects of the two main purposes of assessment, formative and summative, the relations between the two purposes and ways of linking them. - The main challenges related to the uptake of formative assessment in daily teaching-learning practices in STM and specifically, the usability of formative on-the-fly dialogue, structured assessment dialogue, peer assessment and written teacher feedback. - The systemic support measures and tools teachers need in order to integrate formative assessment of student learning into their classroom practices and how it can conflict with summative assessment practices. - How research-based strategies for the formative use of assessment can be adapted to various European educational traditions to ensure their effective use and avoid undesirable consequences. - How relevant stakeholders can be invited to take co-ownership of research results and how a productive partnership between researchers, policy makers, and teachers can be established. - Concrete research vistas that are still needed in international assessment research.

Responding to both the trend towards increasing online enrollments as the demand for face-to-face education declines, and to the immediate surge in remote learning owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, this book provides vital guidance to higher education institutions on how to develop faculty capacity to teach online and to leverage the affordances of an ever-increasing array of new and emerging learning technologies.This book provides higher education leaders with the context they need to position their institutions in the changing online environment, and with guidance to build support in a period of transition.It is intended for campus leaders and administrators who work with campus teams charged with identifying learning technologies to meet an agreed upon program- or institution-level educational needs; for those coordinating across campus to build consensus on implementing online strategies; and for instructional designers, faculty developers and assessment directors who assist departments and faculty effectively integrate learning technologies into their courses and programs. It will also appeal to faculty who take an active interest in improving online teaching.The contributors to this volume describe the potential of artificial intelligence algorithms, such as those that fuel learning analytics software that mines LMS data to enable faculty to quickly and efficiently assess individual students’ progress in real time, prompting either individual attention or the need to more generally clarify concepts for the class as whole. They describe and provide access to a hybrid professional development MOOC and an associated WIKI that curate information about a wide range of learning software solutions currently available; and present case studies that offer guidance on building the buy-in and consensus needed to successfully integrate learning technologies into course, program- and institution-level contexts.In sum, this book provides readers with a comprehensive understanding of the technological capabilities available to them and identifies collaborative processes related to engaging and building institutional support for the changes needed to provide the rapidly growing demand for effective and evidence-based online learning.

This book offers fresh perspectives on the challenges of assessment and feedback in higher education. A must-read for university leaders, academics, and educational developers, it asks ‘what if’ questions to unlock some of the systemic problems of assessment and feedback. It shifts the debate to focus on students’ experience at a programme level, introducing a different way of thinking about assessment and feedback, and advancing the value of theories of alienation and engagement. Based on the ‘Transforming the Experience of Students through Assessment’ (TESTA) project, the book discusses a method for understanding the impact of assessment and feedback on student learning. Drawing on evidence from TESTA, it provides practical insights about changing programme assessment patterns to foster student agency and engagement. The book gives impetus to changing the design assessment and feedback, inviting academics, educational leaders, and students into more transparent, open, and shared decision-making about assessment and feedback beyond the module level. This key title is designed to support academics and educational leaders to making sustainable and systemic improvements to the pedagogy of assessment. It expands on good principles, practices, and theories about how students learn from assessment and feedback by paying attention to a programme level perspective of the student experience.

"A Marked Improvement has been developed by a group of experts, working with the HEA to provide a strong rationale for transforming assessment in higher education. It includes an assessment review tool, offering a practical method to take stock of current practice and look to a targeted approach to strategic change. The publication also includes further resources for staff, which can be used to support changes to assessment policy and practice." -- Provided by publisher.

It's not what students know, but what they do with what they know that is important Schools are changing in response to this reality, and in Transforming Schools Using Project-Based Learning, Performance Assessment, and Common Core Standards, Bob Lenz, Justin Wells, and Sally Kingston draw on the example of the Envision Education schools, as well as other leading schools around the country, to show how the concept of deeper learning can meet the need for students who are both college and career ready and engaged in their own education. In this book, the authors explain how project-based learning can blend with Common Core-aligned performance assessment for deeper learning. You'll discover how many schools have successfully made the transition from traditional, teacher-centered learning to project-based, deeper learning and find many practical ideas for implementation. Companion DVD and website include videos showing how to implement deeper learning strategies in the classroom Evidence-based descriptions show why deeper learning is right for students Performance assessment experts explain how to align assessments with Common Core by shifting the emphasis from knowing to doing Extensive game plan section provides step-by-step guidance for change Schools are complex organizations, and transformation involves all of the stakeholders, from students to superintendents. But as this book shows, there are amazing benefits to be realized when everyone commits to diving deeper into learning.

Donated by Ms. Friedhaber-Hard.