EDU3323 Applied Educational Assessment

EDU	3323	79525	2, 2008	ONC	Applied Educational Assessment	1.00	Toowoomba
Subject	Cat-nbr	Class	Term	Mode	Description	Units	Campus

Academic group:	FOEDU
Academic org:	FOE002
Student contribution band:	National Priority Teaching
ASCED code:	070113

Staffing
Requisites
Other requisites
Rationale
Synopsis
Objectives
Topics
Texts
Student workload
Assessment details
Important assessment information
Assessment notes
Other requirements
Production date
PDF version

STAFFING

Examiner: Linda De George-Walker
Moderator: Patrick O'Brien

REQUISITES

Pre-requisite: Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: BEEC or BEPR or BPMU or BEPH or BEEH or BESP

OTHER REQUISITES

State law in Queensland (Australia) requires that all adults working/undertaking professional experience/researching with children under the age of 18, in the state of Queensland are required to possess a current suitability card (Blue Card). (See "Other Requirements" for further information.) Also see: http://www.childcomm.qld.gov.au/employment/bluecard/informationSheets.html.

RATIONALE

Assessment is one of the most valuable tools available to teachers. In this course assessment is conceptualised as a series of systematic, hypothesis driven, goal oriented processes which employ both formal and informal methods to generate reliable and valid information. Applied skilfully, assessment provides the data for improving the quality of teaching and evaluating the progress of students. This course introduces student teachers to assessment practices that may be used in both regular and special education with a focus on classroom, rather than clinical, applications.

SYNOPSIS

On the completion of this introductory course, students will understand how sound assessment can enhance all aspects of their educational practice. Particular emphases will include: (a) the nature of assessment; (b) basic assumptions underlying measurement in education; (c) essential measurement concepts; (d) how assessment underpins and informs educational decision making; (e) principles of item writing and teacher-made test construction; and (f) accommodations/special considerations for students with special needs. Notes: The assignments in this course may involve working with students in schools. Students must observe professional ethical standards in the conduct of their practical work.

OBJECTIVES

The course objectives define the student learning outcomes for a course. The assessment item(s) that may be used to assess student achievement of an objective are shown in parenthesis. On completion of this course students will be able to:

1.: demonstrate knowledge and understanding of assessment concepts, concerns, standards and ethics (all assessment items)
2.: plan and construct teacher-made assessments to produce valid and reliable data (all assessment items)
3.: summarise and interpret assessment data using basic descriptive statistics to facilitate decision making about student performance and instructional effectiveness (all assessment items)
4.: demonstrate knowledge and understanding of standardised achievement tests and testing practices (all assessment itmes)
5.: demonstrate an understanding of student diversity in relation to assessment practices (all assessment items)
6.: demonstrate effective use of ICT in their academic work (all assessment items)
7.: demonstrate knowledge, understanding and application of correct communication skills including literacy, presentation and reference protocols (all assessment itmes)

TOPICS

	Description	Weighting (%)
1.	Assessment concepts, concerns, standards and ethics	20.00
2.	Planning and creating assessments	20.00
3.	Summarising and interpreting assessment data	20.00
4.	Summarising and interpreting assessment data	40.00

TEXT and MATERIALS required to be PURCHASED or accessed

ALL textbooks and materials are available for purchase from USQ BOOKSHOP (unless otherwise stated). Orders may be placed via secure internet, free fax 1800642453, phone 07 46312742 (within Australia), or mail. Overseas students should fax +61 7 46311743, or phone +61 7 46312742. For costs, further details, and internet ordering, use the 'Textbook Search' facility at http://bookshop.usq.edu.au click 'Semester', then enter your 'Course Code' (no spaces).

Whether you are on, or off campus, the USQ Library is an excellent source of information http://www.usq.edu.au/library/ . The gateway to education resources is here... http://www.usq.edu.au/library/faculties/education/default.htm

Payne, DA 2003, Applied educational assessment, 2nd edn, Wadsworth Thomson Learning, Belmont, CA.

REFERENCE MATERIALS

Reference materials are materials that, if accessed by students, may improve their knowledge and understanding of the material in the course and enrich their learning experience.

STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS

ACTIVITY	HOURS
Assessments	30.00
Class Contact	26.00
Private Study	109.00

ASSESSMENT DETAILS

Description		Marks out of	Wtg(%)	Due date
TEST		50.00	50.00	18 Aug 2008
ASSIGNMENT		50.00	50.00	20 Oct 2008

IMPORTANT ASSESSMENT INFORMATION

Attendance requirements:
It is the students' responsibility to attend and participate appropriately in all activities (such as lectures, tutorials, laboratories and practical work) scheduled for them, and to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration.
Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
To satisfactorily complete an individual assessment item a student must achieve at least 50% of the marks.
Penalties for late submission of required work:
If students submit assignments after the due date without (prior) approval of the examiner then a penalty of 5% of the total marks gained by the student for the assignment may apply for each working day late up to ten working days at which time a mark of zero may be recorded. No assignments will be accepted after model answers have been posted.
Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must achieve at least 50% of the total weighted marks available for the course.
Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the aggregate of the weighted marks obtained for each of the summative assessment items in the course.
Examination information:
There is no examination in this course.
Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
As there are no examinations in this course, there will be no Deferred or Supplementary examinations.
University Regulations:
Students should read USQ Regulations 5.1 Definitions, 5.6. Assessment, and 5.10 Academic Misconduct for further information and to avoid actions which might contravene University Regulations. These regulations can be found at the URL http://www.usq.edu.au/corporateservices/calendar/part5.htm or in the current USQ Handbook.

ASSESSMENT NOTES

1.	The due date for an assignment is the date by which a student must despatch the assignment to the USQ. The onus is on the student to provide proof of the despatch date, if requested by the examiner.
2.	Students must retain a copy of each item submitted for assessment. This must be produced within twenty-four (24) hours of receipt of request being made by the examiner. The student must retain this copy until the grade for this course has been finalised.
3.	In accordance with University policy the examiner may grant an extension of the due date of an assignment in extenuating circumstances.
4.	The Faculty will normally only accept assessments that have been written, typed or printed on paper-based media. The Faculty will NOT accept submission of assignments by facsimile. Students who do not have regular access to postal services or who are otherwise disadvantaged by these regulations may be given special consideration. They should contact the examiner of the course to negotiate such special arrangements.
5.	Students who have undertaken all of the required assessments in a course but who have failed to meet some of the specified objectives of a course within the normally prescribed time may be awarded the temporary grade: IM (Incomplete - Make up). An IM grade will only be awarded when, in the opinion of the examiner, a student will be able to achieve the remaining objectives of the course after a period of non-directed personal study.
6.	Students who, for medical, family/personal, or employment-related reasons, are unable to complete an assignment or to sit for an examination at the scheduled time may apply to defer an assessment in a course. Such a request must be accompanied by appropriate supporting documentation. One of the following temporary grades may be awarded IDS (Incomplete - Deferred Examination); IDM (Incomplete - Deferred Make-up); IDB (Incomplete - Both Deferred Examination and Deferred Make-up).
7.	When there is more than one marker for a single item of assessment, the distributed patterns and means for the different markers will be compared and marks adjusted if necessary.
8.	Marking criteria are provided in course material as mark sheets/guides or as part of assignment specifications.
9.	Summative assessment items will receive a numerical score.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

IMPORTANT NOTE: Working with Children: State law in Queensland requires that all adults (including university students, pre-service educators, trainers, vocational teachers, industry educators) working with children under the age of 18, in the state of Queensland*, obtain approval before commencing such work. Many education courses include a practical component (professional experience, project work, research, assessment etc.) that may require engagement with children under the age of 18. It is your responsibility to ensure that you possess a current suitability card (Blue Card) before commencing any practical components of this course. DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN ANY PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE WITH CHILDREN UNDER 18 UNLESS YOU POSSESS A CURRENT 'BLUE CARD'. For further information: http://www.childcomm.qld.gov.au/employment/bluecard/informationSheets.html. *If you are undertaking practical experience outside the state of Queensland, Australia you should check local requirements.
Students will require a basic functions calculator.

This version produced 28 Aug 2009.