One area the Authority is particularly interested in is the role of formative assessment[2] in national examinations and how it can be used in conjunction with summative assessment[3] (see Harlen, 2005 for examples of this). The SQA is mindful of the work of the Scottish Executive Education Department (SEED) and Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS)[4] in schools where there has been slow and careful piloting of ‘Assessment is For Learning’ (AiFL)[5]. This is an innovative programme, with its roots in highly respected research findings (Black and Wiliam, 1998; Wiliam, 2001) designed to move teachers and schools away from an emphasis on testing and summative assessment. Instead, the use of formative assessment as a pedagogical tool is being encouraged and supported. The SQA are receptive to the advantages of this approach in providing a more detailed and accurate record of children and young people’s abilities, acquired knowledge and skills. They are keen to research the arguments, discussions and methods of application, including grading at all education levels in Scotland and other parts of the world.
The first of the two reports,
Assessment: a review of practice by Carolyn Wallace, Jane McKie, Muir Houston and Mike Osborne (in conjunction with the Centre for Lifelong Learning)
[6] will map the forms of assessment used in two contrasting subjects in Scotland, namely English and Biology. For these two subjects it will analyse the appropriate SQA curriculum documents pertaining to all school levels from age 5 through to the national and higher national qualifications and analyse a limited selection of approaches used at higher education level in Scotland. Finally, it will assess approaches being considered within the Sector Skills Agreements. The second report,
Grading: A Review of National and International Issues by Lesley Doyle, Muir Houston and Mike Osborne will search the international literature with a particular focus on Finland (successful in the OECD PISA tables
[7]), Denmark (child-centred) and Australia (cultural similarities). Approaches to grading will be explored using the following dimensions: the range of norm-referenced and criterion referenced systems available; how these might be utilised at different ages and in different settings (school, college/other VET settings, university and work); how effective they are in relation to their capacity to reflect difference in student performance and their formative capacity and fairness.
References
Black, P. and Wiliam, D. (1998) Assessment and classroom learning. Assessment in Education 5, pp. 7-73.
Harlen, W. (2005) Teachers' summative practices and assessment for learning - tensions and synergies,
Curriculum Journal,
16(
2 ), pp. 207 - 223
Wiliam, D. (2001) What is wrong with our educational assessments and what can be done about it?, Education Review, 15(1), 57–62.
[1] The SQA is an executive non-departmental public body (NDPB) sponsored by the Scottish Executive Education Department. It is the national body in Scotland responsible for the development, accreditation, assessment and certification of qualifications other than degrees. Its overall aim is ‘to manage the qualifications system below degree level to allow students to fulfil their potential to participate in the economy, society and communities of Scotland (http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/5656.html)
[2] Observations which allow one to determine the degree to which students know or are able to do a given learning task, and which identifies the part of the task that the student does not know or is unable to do. Outcomes suggest future steps for teaching and learning (www.journeytoexcellence.org/practice/assessment/glossary.phtml)
[3] Evaluation at the conclusion of a unit or units of instruction or an activity or plan to determine or judge student skills and knowledge or effectiveness of a plan or activity. Outcomes are the culmination of a teaching/learning process for a unit, subject, or year’s study (www.journeytoexcellence.org/practice/assessment/glossary.phtml)
[4]Learning and Teaching Scotland is the main organisation for the development and support of the Scottish curriculum. It ‘work(s) with the Scottish Executive and education authorities to take forward the national education improvement agenda. http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/assess/
[5] http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/assess/about/index.asp
[6]CRLL: The aim of the Centre is to undertake a programme of research and related activities which will inform the development of policy and provision in the field of lifelong learning in Scotland and beyond. It is co-located at the University of Stirling (see crll.gcal.ac.uk). ESCalate is the UK Higher Education Academy’s subject centre for Education and is co-located at the University of Stirling (see www.escalate.ac.uk)
[7] The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is an internationally standardised assessment that was jointly developed by participating countries and administered to15-year-olds in schools. The survey was implemented in 43 countries in the 1st assessment in 2000, in 41 countries in the 2nd assessment in 2003, in 57 countries in the 3rd assessment in 2006 and 62 countries have signed up to participate in the 4th assessment in 2009. Tests are typically administered to between 4,500 and 10,000 students in each country.
(http://www.pisa.oecd.org/pages/0,3417,en_32252351_32235907_1_1_1_1_1,00.html)
