System Of Assesment

What Is the Right Way to Assess Pupils?

Kseniya Shilova

Group 753

Introduction

• It is a common assumption that effectiveness of educational process depends on its organization. Orientation towards a direct aim, a correct set of methods for its achievement and gradual accomplishment of goals provide a high academical progress.

• The process of upbringing and education includes many aspects, realization of which leads to the successful work of the whole system.

One of the most influential components is the system of assessment.

The Functions of the System of Assessment

• Regulatory(to fix the academical progress

level; to evaluate the teacher’s work);

• Diagnostic

(to compare the class’ achievements and a pupil’s progress to his/her own previous result);

• Punitive-encouraging (to motivate pupils for study)

Etc

Requirements to the System of Assessment

• Possibility to compare a pupil’s academical level to the standard demanded by the programme;

• Possibility to fix the dynamics of a pupil’s achievements in cognitive activities;

• Standardized form of the system of assessment;

• Possibility to interpret the result;

Requirements to the System of Assessment

• Possibility to improve self-assessment skills in pupils;

• Possibility to provide contacts between the teacher, pupils, parents and administration of the establishment;

• Universality of the system (suit to every class and subject);

• Possibility to be health-preserving.

Traditional System of Assessment

• The “5-ball system of assessment” is actually reduced to the 4-ball or even 3-ball (“excellent”, “good” and “satisfactory”);

• The meaning of every ball is very vague;

• The system is extremely subjective;

• The resultant mark is a summarized ball including all the marks got during a term;

• The criteria of assessment is vague;

A mark is an indicator of an authoritarian position of the teacher.

Criteria System of AssessmentGeneral Information

• This system is introduced to the process of education in the framework of International Baccalaureate (IB) system – an international association which unites schools in more than 40 countries;

Criteria system aims at evaluating the volume of definite skills and knowledge but not pupils’ abilities;

The level of skill development is measured to reveal “weak points” of the process of study and correct them;

This system is not means of influence or punishment.

What Are Criteria For ? In comparison with traditional system, criteria system

is more effective because it helps… realize the goal of the modern education: to make

pupils’ attitude to study more conscious and let them orient themselves in the process of cognition independently;

motivate pupils towards studying;

make the system equally suitable for assessment and self-assessment;

make the process of evaluating more objective.

The Essence of the Criteria System The main educational skills are singled out and similar skills are

united into several groups that form the criteria of assessment; The formed criteria are at the same time the set of educational goals

that should be achieved in the process of studying; According to every criterion a pupil may get from 0 to 6 balls; Every level (from 0 to 6) is supplied by a detailed description: a

mark may be transformed into a clear description of the achieved level.

Due to the “subject-subject” type of relationships between a teacher and pupils, pupils have an opportunity to negotiate with the teacher about the nuances of the educational process, analyze success and failures.

The Essence of the Criteria System

The final assessment (at the end of the term) aims at evaluating the result of a pupil’s work (the achieved level) but not his/her work during the term.

The marks for the final test-paper are transformed into a 7-ball mark:

• 7 balls – excellent• 6 balls – very good• 5 balls – good• 4 balls – satisfactory• 3 balls – mediocre• 2 balls – bad• 1 ball – very bad.

Arrangement of the Feedback

Oral type• Pupils and teacher(s) sit in

a circle;• Every member airs

his/her views about the work: impressions, wishes etc.

• This method improves skills of an attentive listener;

• Reflection: emotional.

Written type• Pupils are offered a list of questions or statements (“the most successful”, “the most unsuccessful” in the work; “wishes to the teacher, classmates and myself” etc);• The opinions are studied by the teacher and the results are shares with the pupils.• Reflection: substantial.

Pros and Cons of Traditional System of Assessment

“Pros”• The system is clear and

simple;• The system is familiar

to many generations of teachers and pupils;

• The procedure of assessment is not time-taking.

“Cons”• The mark is not objective;• The system doesn’t develop skills of self-assessment and reflection;• It doesn’t meet the requirement of health-preserving since it is often a cause of stress.

Pros and Cons of Criteria System of Assessment

“Pros”• Objectivity;• Encouraging individual

achievements;• Monitoring of academic

progress;• Self-evaluation critical

thinking;• The criteria are clear to

the pupil possibility to improve weak points of a pupils;

• Provides feedback.

“Cons”• The system is complex and unconventional.

Conclusion• After the analysis and comparing of the two

assessment systems it is possible to conclude that the criteria system of assessment is more effective and progressive first of all because it meets the requirements for any system of evaluating.

• The foremost difficulty of introducing it to the schools is that it supposes ground changes in the educational system on the whole including the approach to the pupil, the teacher’s position in the class, the pupil’s attitude to the studies etc.

• Nowadays when the educational paradigm has changed, schools should be ready to undergo significant modifications in many spheres, the system of assessment included.