ICT Framework: Assessment and Target Setting - Report Example

Monitoring and Assessment “Assessment has always been at the heart of teaching and learning” (QC 1993:1). The terms formative and summative were first used in the context of curriculum evaluation, but they now have wide currency in assessment. Formative assessment is specifically intended to provide feedback on performance to improve and accelerate learning. It supports teaching and learning by providing feedbacks to learners and teachers that is often referred to as “assessment for learning” (QCA 1993:1). In contrast, “assessment of learning” (QCA 1993:1) or summative assessment is generally an end-point assessment that contributes to student’s grades (Brown and Bull 1999:113). A “summary of the points that students have reached in their learning” (QCA 1993:1) Assessment has advance considerably over the past decade or so. One insight that it increasingly recognized, particularly by researchers and practitioners, is the importance of formative assessment. Evidence according to Hall and Burke (2004) from teacher effectiveness studies shows that assessment that is learner-centred like those that is geared to help the learner make progress, is a major characteristic of successful teacher’s practice (p.1). However, this paper is not after their reliability but following the particular purposes to which both formative and summative assessment can be put in ICT. The features of ICT can be helpful in various ways. The clarity of the display of pupil’s work makes it easier for pupils to express their understanding and for teachers to evaluate the ideas expressed (Kennewell 2004:162). The assessment of children’s work when using ICT according to Williams and Easingwood (2003) and Leask and Pachler (1999) can take several different forms, formative assessment, and summative assessment. Since it takes full account of the evidence of what learners know and can do, a review of students work leads to fairer, more complete judgements of learner’s strengths and weaknesses (NCA 2007:1). This is where some form of task or testing takes place in order to group levels of achievement into broad bands, such as National Curriculum attainment targets, and diagnostic testing to identify the cause of a particular problem (p.23; p.129). However, given the very nature of ICT, formative types of assessment predominate since these types are characterised by regular and ongoing gathering of data on pupils’ progress through the scheme of work. In addition, it has the purpose of feeding back information about the teaching and learning processes like whether learning objectives have been reached and whether activities were appropriate. Summative assessment however, does need to be seen as an important aspect in the assessment of ICT capability as there is a need, as with all other subjects of the National Curriculum, to determine the pupil’s progress in the subject where ICT has been used. This includes how to set up ICT activities with targeted objectives for assessment and make provision in those activities for all pupils to demonstrate achievement, conceptual understanding, and learning using ICT (Leask and Pachler 1999:131). The variety of media available such as words, diagrams, images, sound, and video provides potential for alternative ways of expression understanding and thus facilitate better feedback from the teacher. The provisionality of work provides the potential for improvement following feedback. The interactivity of ICT often provides feedback either directly such as checking the pupil’s input against the correct response to a question or indirectly in the sense that pupil realises that their response is not achieving the desired outcome. This feedback can be continual during a task, providing the structures that a pupil needs to help improve their work. If the pupil’s attention is drawn to the way they are using the indirect feedback, their skills in self-assessment can be developed, ready for application in situations where they are not gaining the feedback that ICT provides (Kennewell 2004:163). Analysis of a range of studies concerning the effects of formative assessment has show impressive impact on attainment, and highlighted particular value for low attaining pupils. Pupil’s who encounter difficulties and poor results are led to believe they lack ability, and this belief leads them to attribute their difficulties to a defect in themselves about which they cannot do a great deal (Kennerwell 2004:163). According to Harlen and Deakin (2002), the influence of testing on teaching and pupil’s success is well represented in review of research. However, considerably less interest has been given to the impact on motivation for learning (p.1). Teachers are, at times, unclear about what pupils have really demonstrated through their use of ICT and in order to understand how to monitor, evaluate and assess their teaching and pupils’ learning in the subject when using ICT. Moreover, to evaluate the contribution that ICT has made to the teaching of their subject, trainees must know how to monitor pupils’ progress by being clear about teaching objectives and the use of ICT in achieving them. Observing and intervening in pupils’ ICT-based activities to monitor and support their progression towards the identified objectives. In addition, asking key questions, which require pupils to reflect on the appropriateness of their use of ICT. More importantly, they should know how to recognize standards of attainment in the subject when ICT resources are used including the ability to recognise how access to computer functions might change teacher expectation of pupil achievements such as automatic spell checking, image-making, graphical representation (Leask and Pachler 1999:133). The government of the United Kingdom set a national goal for pupil’s achievements in ICT at the end of Key Stage 3. It is expected that 85% of pupils will reach level 5 by the end of 2007 (Dfes 2007-B). The government believes that is important to assess regularly what pupils know, understand, and can do. This include a short-term assessment plan aimed to check pupil’s skill or technique and if they can explain their work using ICT technical terms. The medium-assessment plan was designed to review pupil’s progress over a particular unit of work since it is necessary to look at the successive versions of the work particularly attainment and progress using ICT-based process or product. The long-term assessments plan is summative. It is designed to assess individual pupil’s work against the level of descriptions of a “best –fit” basis at the end of a key stage (Dfes 2007-B). The Assessment and Qualification Alliance or AQA released a GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) ICT specifications that would that would encourage candidates to choose, use and design ICT systems to carry out a range of task to solve problems, making effective us of appropriate principles. Moreover, develop a broad and balance experience of the variety of information and communication systems and their applications. More importantly, develop an understanding of their capabilities and limitations (AQA 2005:12). The assessment objectives to mention the most relevant ones are to enable candidates to apply their knowledge, skills, and awareness of ICT in various situations. Analyse, design, apply, test, evaluate and record information and communication systems for use by others and acquire understanding of the wider applications and outcome of ICT (AQA 2005:13). The scheme of assessment is consist of two components. First is Written Paper equivalent to 40% of the marks that includes a Foundation Tier, a 1 ½ hours eight structured short answer questions set in contexts and Higher Tier with 2 hours eight structured question also set in contexts that are compulsory. The next is Coursework that is equivalent to the 60% marks where a candidate is required to provide a report on two coursework tasks. One from communicating and handling information and the other for controlling, measuring, and modelling (AQA 2005:14). From the range of applications that is accessible and relevant from our perspective, Record Keeping Systems for school pupils was selected. The Key Skills Qualifications requires candidates to demonstrate levels of achievement in the Key Skills of Application of Number, Communication, and Information Technology and the units for each Key Skill come in three sections. One is A – What you need to know, B- What you must do, and C- Guidance (AQA 2005:22). As part of the coursework, reports will be submitted in accordance with the two coursework tasks. However, in order to cover the requirements of this specification, one of the tasks must come from either communication and handling information or controlling, measuring and modelling. When choosing the later, tasks should be relevant to the candidates and broad enough for the candidates to demonstrate knowledge skills and understanding required by the coursework marking criteria. More importantly, limited enough to enable candidates to complete the tasks satisfactorily (AQA 2005:28). According to the guidance on setting the Centre Assessed Components, each task on this coursework should only take 15 to 20 hours. In addition, as we mentioned earlier, two separate reports for each of the coursework tasks must be submitted. These should be concise and of approximately 5 pages of A4 supplemented by evidence of printouts, graphs, photographs and so on. The Centre mark the coursework component and each report must be marked separately then it will be aggregated to produce an overall coursework mark. For the first tasks (Communicating and Handling Information), it should focus on applications where ICT is used to process and present information. The other (Controlling, measuring and modelling) is for applications where ICT models real-world situations, for problem investigation, physical data measurement, and processing (AQA 2005:30). The Assessment Criteria is necessary to provide for the assessment of the coursework. Each tasks is marked out of 40 that includes A- Description of the task to be attempted with corresponding mark of 3, B-Analysis with 3, C-Specification with 3, D-Design of the ICT system with 4. In addition, E-Implementation with 14 (total for various subtasks combined), F- Testing with 4, G-User Documentation with 3, H-Evaluation with 3, and J-Communication within the report with 3. These marks total is 40. Following AQA GCSE these specifications, guidelines, and assessment criteria, a sample marking of work was undertaken (see appendix-Grades Report). In this report, pupils were previously marked according to their achievement from Task A to H and on this submission; they were marked for Task J (Communication within the report), the last tasks of the GSCE Assessment Criteria. Six pupils were chosen and their achievement to each task (from A to J) was marked. Pupils with better achievement on all tasks were classified as High and those with lower marks were given High 1, Middle, Middle 1, Low, and Low 1, in this order. For instance, Pupil 1 is classified “High” because his achievements from Task A to J are highly remarkable as he is getting full mark (highlighted in green). On the other hand, a High 1 pupil similar to Pupil 2 was also receiving full mark on some task but unfortunately he failed to submit the requirements for Task E (vi) –Output Format (highlighted in red) and he did not managed to get a full mark on Task F-Testing. Task E (vi) is equivalent to 3 marks where a pupil is expected to show awareness that the default outputs from application software are not always suitable and therefore should be designed according to the need of intended audience. Task F on the other hand requires evidence of testing of the solution using a clearly defined, comprehensive and fully justified strategy. Apparently, pupil 2 was unable to justify fully his strategy and received only 3 marks. This is the reason why he only received 35 mark for all tasks compared to a “High” pupil with 36. A “Middle” pupil, Pupil 3 for instance, did not managed to get a full mark on the majority of tasks and in fact failed to submit the requirements for tasks E(ii)- Software resources (2 marks max.) and E (vi)- Output Format (3 marks max). Similarly, pupils getting Middle 1, Low, and Low 1 were marked using the same criteria but failed to satisfy the requirements for a full mark in each task. Following the guidelines for Evidence to Support the Award of Marks (AQA 2005:40), records was kept during the course to facilitate the complete and accurate submission of the final assessments at the end of the course. At the end of this assessment, marks earned by pupils will be entered on a Record Form along with supporting information. Reference Lists: AQA, 2005, General Certificate of Secondary Education-Information and Communication Technology Specification B 2007, Assessment and Qualifications Alliance, AQA GCSE 3522, Devas Street, Manchester M15 6EX., online, www.aqa.org.uk Brown Sally and Bull Joanna, 1999, Computer-assisted Assessment in Higher Education, Published 1999 Routledge, ISBN 0749430354 Dfes, 2007-A, Assessment for Learning-Whole School and Subject Specific Training Materials, The Standards Site, online, http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/secondary /keystage3/all/respub/afl_ws Dfes, 2007-B, ICT Framework- Assessment and Target Setting, The National Strategies Secondary Key Stage 3, online, http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/secondary /keystage3/respub/ictframework/assessment_and_targets/ Hall Kathy and Burke Winnifred, 2004, Making Formative Assessment Work: Effective Practice in the Primary Classroom, Published 2004 McGraw-Hill International, ISBN 0335225659 Harlen W, Deakin Crick R (2002) A Systematic Review of the Impact of Summative Assessment and Tests on Students' Motivation for Learning. In: Research Evidence in Education Library. London: EPPI-Centre, Social Science Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London. Kennewell Steve, 2004, Meeting the Standards in Using ICT for Secondary Teaching, Published 2004 Routledge, ISBN 0415249872 Leask Marilyn and Pachler Norbert, 1999, Learning to Teach Using Ict in the Secondary School, Published 1999 Routledge, ISBN 0415194326 NCA, 2007, Gathering Evidence for Periodic Assessment, National Curriculum in Action, online, http://www.ncaction.org.uk/ QCA, 1993, Assessment matters, Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, 83 Piccadilly London W1J 8QA, online, http://www.qca.org.uk/geography/innovating /assessment_matters.htm Williams John and Easingwood Nick, 2003, Ict and Primary Science, Published 2003 Routledge, ISBN 0415269547 Read More