To investigate assessment results, their use and implications
Aim
To investigate assessment results, their use and implications.
Evidence and reflection
Consider a set of test, task and/or teacher assessment results for one subject, say English, for a year group. Are there any patterns in the scores in relation to gender, ethnicity, social class, age, special needs, etc.? Do you feel that the results provide a valid indicator of the full attainment of the children? Do the results give a clear indication as to what the children have achieved? What use is made of such results within the school? What meanings are inferred by other teachers and parents? How do pupils interpret the results when thinking about others, and when thinking about themselves?
Extension
Try reading Armstrong (1989) and Drummond (1993) for suggestions about how important it is to use valid forms of assessment and to relate outcomes to children's learning needs.
