Purpose of Assessment Essay Example for Free

Purpose of Assessment EssayThe primary purpose of discernment is for the contemplateer to go away bear witness of learning by demonstrating the understanding of content and achievement of learning outcomes. This gives an insight of their strengths and beas of development. Whereas for teacher, it provides a moment to review their assessment strategies in terms of effectuality and facilitate progression by giving constructive feedback. It also informs the curriculum board, managers, and relevant staff to evaluate learning programmes for any improvements.Learners are assessed through versatile stages of learning journey by using regeneration of methods and strategies. They are usually assessed constructively before or during the course and summatively near or the end of it. fictile assessment provides a continuous source of information about students progress, improvement and problems encountered in the learning process. It could be an initial Assessment to determine prior knowledge or Diagnostic Assessment to find areas of development and strengths. Feedback is an integral part of it.(NCFOT, 1999) said it occurs when teachers feed information back to the students in ways that enable the student to learn die, or when students can engage in a similar, self-reflective process(Principle 4). It has also been supported by several educationists such as Scales (2008 p. 179), Black and William (1998 17) and Reece and Walker (2007 p. 325). Formative assessments are not graded which allows flexibility to modify and adjust the teaching practices and reflect the needs and progress of learners as well as motivating them. However, formative assessment in its purist form is seldom used (Brookhart, 1999).I feel that teachers should be given training to as how and when to employ it successfully. There are variety of methods by which students are assessed formatively such as Accreditation of prior learning (APL), Observation, Oral Questioning, Discussion, Role play, Case study, Essays, Projects, Assignments, MCQs etc. which when used in combination has proven powerful in measuring a variety of complex learning outcomes (Reece and Walker, 2007, p. 326) It is useful for development of Cognitive, Psychomotor and Affective Domains of learning as explained in charges Taxonomy and could assess higher order skills of these domains.Some teachers are predominantly concerned with cognitive learning with some use of psychomotor skills but affectional learning can be a useful tool in changing attitudes i. e. gender, culture etc. even if its not a fate of a course. Summative Assessment happens at the end of the course, unit etc. and is for grading and decision purpose. It is used for informing employers, institutions etc. about learners overall performance. It does not however, give information about detailed abilities of learner and there is no feedback so it is debated for its complete reliability and validity.(Scales, 2008 and Rust, 2002). Learners a re assessed summatively mostly by Examination, Assignments, Portfolios, and Essays. They develop the skill levels of cognitive and psychomotor domains depending on how effectively they are set out and the type of course. MCQs and Viva for instance can provide better coverage of syllabus as well as assessment of deeper knowledge whereas essays does not serve the same purpose but assess higher levels of cognitive domain i. e. synthesis and evaluation. Feedback is an important element of assessment and is directly related to motivation.In order to accelerate learning process it has to be timely, positive and constructive. Maslows hierarchy makes us think about the total experience.. From physiological factors. to relationships (do we give positive regard and development feedback? ) to self-esteem needs (Im no good ), his hierarchy provides a useful device to help us understand learning and motivation(Scales, 2008 p. 72). We need to keep records to track and monitor the progress of our learners. They are many different types of internal, external and formal and informal records.Internal records include mark books, matrix, learner progress sheets/ reviews and results of mock tests. In ESOL, we keep records of Initial interview, Initial assessment, spiky profile, ILPs, Diagnostic assessment, Formative assessment, observation reports, feedback reports, peer/self assessments and Summative assessments to assess the progress of learners and efficacy of programme and teaching. The external records include all the evidence in form of written work or internal verification to sent to external bodies i. e. exam board, auditing bodies, other educational organisations, support staff, etc.