Assessment in Education

Answer

Introduction

It is essential to note that for quite a long time, assessment has been connected with the appraisal of students in learning institutions globally. There are many diverse and unique ways that can be used in enhancing an assessment exercise. They may include practical ways, verbal, observational, practical/ applied, and written mechanisms. Assessment is a term in education that refers a set off activities or procedures that are significant in the collection of information in relation to skills and knowledge as well more so for a particular group of learners (Sharman, Vennis & Cross, 2015: 898). Therefore, assessment is the method used in obtaining information that will be used in coming up with decisions regarding the education performance of the students, by giving the feedback about their strengths and weaknesses, and the crucial progress mechanisms that will improve on where they are experiencing some problems. Besides that, assessment can be carried out in groups, one-on-one basis, through a computer, among many others (Saracho, 2015: 876). For instance, if we decide to adopt and embrace a holistic view that means assessment ought to be based on the students will perform after completing a complex task.

Assessment remains as one of the most significant things that we can do in order to give the students the best learning environment and facilities. As a matter of fact, students at times do ignore our teaching mechanisms, but if they have to qualify, that means they have to partake the assessment mechanisms that we design and as well implement them (Ramburuth, Marshall & Henry, 2014: 65). Globally, assessment is altering the nature of both teaching and learning mainly in the after-compulsory changes in the education sector. Besides, the learning environment is changing dynamically due to the availability of the diverse students around the world. This calls for the urgent need to expand the quality of education, with calls coming from all corners including the media houses, the political arena, and through modern-day writings (Sanzo, Caggiano & Myran, 2015: 57). The concerns regarding the quality of education quality that is offered are not new, with many proposing diverse changes such as re-organization of the learning methods, to changing curriculum, peer tutoring modes, involving the parents in the school and learning activities, and improving the education levels of the teachers. However, it is significant to note that the major reforms have proposed the embracement of better assessment procedures in order to improve the quality of education.

There are two significant types of assessment namely the summative and formative assessment (Dixson & Worrell 2016: 153). Formative assessment gives feedback to the students at the instructional method, when learning is still taking place. It measures the progress made by the students, although it can also be used to assess and gauge the progress made by the instructor as well. Examples in those mode include observational and homework exercises. Summative assessment happens after completion of learning modules, and gives information as well as feedback so as to mark the end of both teaching and learning processes. This means that at this stage, there is no formal learning that is happening via assignments and projects completion. Therefore, summative assessment assesses the final product from the students.

Assessment Task

In this segment, the assessment task is for the adult learners: that is for students over 18+ years and who are most likely in the college level. The assessment task is made up of two English literature assignments. The first assignment will be given as a takeaway assignment during the beginning of the first semester, and the second being an individual assignment to be submitted towards the end of learning semester. The two assessment tasks include;

Assignment Task One

Introduction and Self-Reflection

Standards of the task

1. Identify the significant sections of an introduction such as bridge, and background. Expound on the significance and function around the structure of introduction.
2. Compose and develop the introduction section that focuses on the debatable main claim, together with other main sections such as bridge and background.
3. Distinguish writing as a procedure such as drafting and editing. When creating a written article, apply the steps.
4. Reflect on individual weaknesses and strength around the skill level, in association with produced work to assist in development of future success plan.

Task

Choose one of the following questions as a prompt that will shape and support your main argument, and then try to build your introduction based on it:

1. You are sited around discussing the current trend of events. Choose a famous individual, public figure such as sports personality, politician. Explain why you think they are the best at what they do. Have they had any positive impact on the society?
2. Your relatives always bombard you at family gatherings, inquiring what career path you want to follow. Choose your future possible career and support with explanations why it is the best for you.

Please be sure to print two copies of the introduction and bring them to class. In one copy, highlight each part of the introduction with diverse colors. Make sure the following reflective questions are answered and attached as well:

1. Did you experience difficulties in the introduction? What was the hardest part? Explain why.
2. What grade do you believe you ought to get? Why? (Use grading rubric to answer this)
3. Let’s imagine the introduction section was only a draft, do you think you would like the feedback suggesting on how to change and why? Explain.

N.B label and include all sections of an introduction

Assignment task two

Purpose

Give the learner an opportunity to:

• Analyze texts, show knowledge of understanding key components in literature, and artistic aspects used by the author.
• Consider the mechanisms in which the readers and creators can use language techniques to come up with meaning and as well influence opinions.

Assignment Description

Using knowledge from classroom discussion and close reading of the text on the stylistic aspects and the literary methods, write a critical essay paper that will answer the following question:

What language methods together with stylistic features that were employed by Shakespeare proved to be effective mainly in shaping up how you understand the ideologies in King Lear?

Summary of the Task

You need to read King Lear by William Shakespeare, and write a critical essay of not more than 900 words.

The above standardized English tests are mainly used for not only assessment purposes, but also for accountability features mainly because the tests have managed to establish validity, reliability, and objectivity. Can the students be creative in describing and explain certain aspects? What can they deduce from learning exceptional English literature? This assessment will test the learners on how they can deal with the above questions. Besides that, there is ease of administration and the cost effectiveness in scoring.  It is also essential to note that the above tests are likely to refer to increased succinctness in line with the content standards. It is easy and simpler to verify the content represented by the learners in comparison to the many modern measures that have been enhanced in classrooms (Hay, & Penney, 2013: 23). Moreover, credible research has pointed on the availability of several limitations more so in achievement tests that are not only used for the assessment of the learners, but also the accountability issues as well. Besides that, research has implied that some of the high-level stakes policies of the testing can lead to inequality especially for the students performing poorly, more so when they have been excluded partaking those assessment tasks so that they can demonstrate improvement in the general achievement performance by the student. Therefore, the above assessment tasks will be vital in testing the learning and understanding capabilities that the students exhibit.

Ferreira and Vieira, (2014: 575) indicates that there are three significant levels associated with transition assessment. The first level is appropriate for majority of the learners and comes with inclusion of reviewing the existing learning materials together with other essential information for learning. For example, interview of a student, interest and preference assessment, and the skills test. The second level of assessment targets students who experience difficulty and hurdles when deciding on their career path or expounding on their interests, or in some worst case scenarios, having to contemplate if they will continue or quit schooling. Notably, this level includes assessments that target an individual’s information in relation to readiness for white collar jobs after clearing college, that is, this level is more of work-related issues in learning platforms. Lastly, the last assessment level is for students who require extra help, particularly when earlier efforts of assessment proved to be inconclusive and unfruitful. Moreover, it is also used in assisting the students with disabilities in learning (Prisacariu, 2015: 120). The types of assessment used in the assignment tasks are the formative and summative assessments. The formative assessment will be successive as it will be used to measure expression skills of the students, and the fact that it will be assigned to students during the beginning of the learning semester, and be assessed during the progression of the learning period. The second assignment makes use of summative assessment, as it will be assessed when the learning period is almost over.

Part B

The two assessment tasks remain relatively essential more so in contributing to the monitoring activities and improved provision in the learning environment. The main purpose of the assessment remains determined and gauge if the learners have achieved the set performance level according to the standards of the unit (Keçetep & Özkan, 2014: 660). This means that assessment ought to be kept very close to the mode of learning in order to ensure that the learners will continue with the learning schedule, and be assessed regularly with time progression as they inch closer to the set performance level in that particular learning environment. Consequently, the performance of the learners ought to be compared regularly according to the set criteria and guidelines that revolve around the set unit standards that make it acceptable for the learners to undergo assessment within diverse settings (Mortimore & Dupree: 103). For the above assessment tasks, the students hail from the same class and will be required to complete the assessment tasks on their own. This is in line with the fundamental requirements of the set unit standards. After doing the assessment of the learners, the results ought to indicate the performance levels that have been achieved in diverse aspects of learning that include knowledge, set of skills, and apprehending as well. It is significant to note that no credit is available for both failure and success.

What about the individual children progress? Evidence of learning children that was gathered via the assessment mechanism ought to be used for enhancing authoritative communication, and at the same time enable them to view their individual learning progress (Yu & Li, 2014: 839). This should encourage individual self-efficacy of the children, meaning they can trust their own capabilities to take positive actions enabling them accomplish the learning goals. Moreover, the children can gauge with progression of time their learning efforts. Besides that, assessment in young children offers support to collaborative learning practices to individual children progress, and also provides to set the challenging learning goals. Children play significant roles in learning assessment, and they should regularly be encouraged to participate at all learning stages. Children have always been assessed through mechanisms based on available knowledge about the individual children progress (Polly, 2016: 90). Moreover, assessment of children in connection with their learning environment and development rates can happen via diverse types such as conversations and observations as well. For integral purposes of the overall provision of individual children progress, working closely with parents ought to provide accurate and valuable assessment of children performance in learning environments.

Part C

The principles of quality assurance in education have been used to promote fairness in the assigned assessment tasks. Every student in the learning environment should be entitled to equal opportunity to enjoy and be guaranteed fair assessment (Dugarova & Kalinina 2015: 192). This is regardless of who has the mandate of marking the assigned assessment tasks, and under no circumstances should the learners be discriminated.  Therefore, for the purpose of this paper, moderation mechanism provides the assurance for the consistency together with fairness of the results of the assessment. In brief, moderation is the quality assurance method that is normally directed towards making sure that the assessments assigned to the learners are marked without bias and enhance accuracy, fairness, and consistency, and the fact that the feedback procedures to the students remain fair, steady, and rigorous as well. It is significant to note that this is a requirement that accompanies each and very assessment mechanism that normally encompasses the degree of subjectivity.

This is in association with inclusion of the whole assessment exercise, design, and after-exercise analysis of the healthy assessment for learning of students, and as well meeting of the results of the unit. In the above assigned assessment tasks, the moderation procedure can make way for the adjustment of the learner’s marks, but this is dependent on the re-assessment of the assigned assessment tasks submitted by students (Georgakis, Wilson & Evans, 2015: 67). However, it is essential to note that as part and parcel of the moderation procedure, any adjustments or changes made to the marks of the learner ought to be made prior to communication or knowledge of the student. This is in line with the principles of quality assurance in education, and lies with the best practices of dealing with the above assigned assessment tasks (Coates, 2014: 5). It is good to note that objective testing, for example, multiple choice assessment tasks, moderation plays significant roles, although it is done in diverse mechanisms. This generally consists of the review of assigned assessment questions before they are used coupled with the after-hoc examination of the results of the learners (Harrison, Carey & Lebler, 2014: 77). In addition, enhancing the principles of quality assurance in education in the above assigned assessment tasks will also play significant role in improving professionalism levels employed by the teachers in learning environments as well.

Part D

Accommodating children who require specific needs remains as a continual procedure that comprises each of the child’s collaborative team. It is possible to make certain adaptations mechanisms to address the needs of the affected children (Webber & Scott, 2016: 67). However, it is good to nota that most of the materials and activities as well that are used in learning environment of kids are designed to address the needs of all the children, regardless of whether or not they have disabilities. However, if they do not address the detailed requirements of the child, they can be adapted in order to accommodate and address the individual needs of the children (Tănase, & Velica, 2015: 55). Moreover, the main purpose of adaptation in education is to help the kids in compensating mainly for the challenges that can be behavioral, intellectual, and or physical.

Adaptation enables the affected children to use current skills while enhancing acquisition of the new skills. Adaptation makes the main difference of a child being actively involved, and being present in class (Hatzipanagos, & Rochon, 2014: 28). A good example of such a case is dyslexia, which is disorder that makes students to have trouble reading, concentrating, and expressing themselves. Students affected by dyslexia ought to be given extra accommodation assistance in the class by their teachers. For instance, assigning extra time on the assessments, allowing affected children to use high-level technological equipment such as word predicting software (Williams, Brown & International Council for Open and Distance Education, 2015: 18). Internal support approach by the teacher remains utterly important. In the inclusive assessment procedure, assessing a student remains as an essential entity of majority of the education programs, and it is a fundamental structure used to evaluate the skills and knowledge of the students. Inclusive assessment mechanisms have a mandate to make sure while academic standards are maintained, the learners are neither advantaged nor disadvantaged as well.

Conclusion

Assessment in education remains of significance in the learning environments. Assessment in education is important not only offering a development platform for students, but also monitoring and provisioning the quality of programs offered in schools. It seeks to establish how the students are faring on with the learning at diverse environments. Assessment in education together with the feedback are essential in assisting the students to learn. Feedback plays significant role as students gain insights of the learning platform and how well they understand the content. One advantage of assessment in education is it is easy to administer, and the results of the students remain easily quantifiable. On the other hand, the disadvantage is that the test mechanisms do not evaluate higher-level of the thinking skills in students. Assessment of education can be done using the summative and formative assessment mechanisms of education in learning environment.