FET8603 Assessment: Principles and Practices (FOEDU)

Units 1.0 (Education Studies) Band 5

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.

Synopsis

The two parts of the course address the theory and practice of assessment. In Part 1 participants gain an understanding of the principles, theories and recommended practices that govern quality assessment, and the domains of development in which assessment occurs. Participants explore methods of assessment and distinguish between assessment, evaluation, measurement, testing and resporting. The purposes of assessment and the different frames of reference for interpreting assessment information, including norm-referenced, criterion referenced and ipsative-referenced interpretation are explored. Participants are introduced to methods of recording and reporting assessment information, and the use and interpretation of descriptive statistics. Part 2 of the course engages participants in scoping and designing an authentic assessment tool to meet learner and stakeholder needs in their professional context, justifying the methods selected for reporting results. Reflective dialogue and peer review allow a synthesis of the theory, principles and practices of quality assessment. The course concludes with a reflection on the learning journey from novice to expert. Students enrolling in this course are required to have first-hand knowledge of and access to a teaching situation in school, post-compulsory, community education or training context.