EDM101-Assessment and Measurement

Module Provider: Institute of Education
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:7
Terms in which taught: Spring term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2021/2

Module Convenor: Dr Rowena Kasprowicz
Email: r.kasprowicz@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:
This module focuses on the development of knowledge and skills in assessment across the different fields in Education. Students will become familiar with a range of assessment practices and techniques, and ways to evaluate their validity and reliability using SPSS or a similar statistical package. They will also be expected to develop an understanding of the different purposes of assessment (e.g. formative and summative assessment), and become aware of the impact of assessment on learning.

Aims:
This module aims to provide an understanding of:
􀀕 The essential knowledge classroom teachers need to develop assessments in a professional way.
􀀕 The differences between standardised tests and classroom tests; formative and summative assessments; criterion-referenced versus norm-referenced tests.
􀀕 A range of assessment practices and techniques and how to evaluate their appropriateness for different subjects and settings.
􀀕 How research underpins assessment practice and how research can be critically evaluated
􀀕 Validity and reliability and how these can be measured
􀀕 The ways in which assessment impacts learning and teaching.
􀀕 Issues of value-added versus absolute standards, test bias, fairness and ethics in assessment
􀀕 The basic mathematics that underpin assessment (e.g. levels of measurement; descriptive and inferential statistics as needed for testing; variability, percentiles, standard scores)
􀀕 How to compute descriptive and inferential statistics (e.g. correlations, t-tests, chi-square etc.) using SPSS or a comparable statistics package.
􀀕 The ways to interpret and systematically analyse evidence, and make appropriate use of data
􀀕 How to carry out their own research into assessment.

Assessable learning outcomes:

On successful completion of this module students will:

• Understand the functions and purposes of assessment and how these are related to different types of assessment


• Critically evaluate the ways in which assessment impacts learning and teaching


• Essential concepts in assessing the quality of assessments (validity, reliability)


• Understand and apply a range of assessment practices and techniques, including examinati ons, portfolios, peer reviews, poster presentations, oral presentations


• Read, understand and evaluate research on assessment and publications that report the use of assessment as a research tool


• Organise, manipulate and analyse assessment data using SPSS or a similar statistics package

Additional outcomes:

For students to become more reflective and self-critical about assessment practices in education in different contexts.

Outline content:

• The functions and purposes of assessment and their relationship with the users of assessment


• Issues involved in the design/construction, administration and scoring of tests


• Types of tests (standardised tests and classroom tests; formative and summative assessments; criterion-referenced versus norm-referenced tests)


• Assessment for learning


• Types of questions (open/closed; e.g. essays, multiple choice, true/false and m odifications thereof)


• Computer-based assessment techniques


• Standards and adaptations for different groups, including bilingual students or students with special educational needs


• The organisation, manipulation and analysis of assessment data


• Basic mathematics as needed for assessment in education (e.g. levels of measurement; descriptive and inferential statistics as needed for testing; variability, percentiles, standard scores)


• How to compute descriptive and inferential statistics (e.g. correlations, t-tests, chi-square etc.) using SPSS or a comparable statistics package


• Reporting the results of assessments in tables and graphs, following good practice in educational research

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

• Interactive seminars, based on reading which is provided in advance


• Group discussions, partly through the medium of discussion boards on Blackboard.


• Practical tasks in pairs and groups


• Online practice tests on Blackboard


• Presentations of research projects in class

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

Coursework: Students must produce an essay of approximately 2,500 words.

Class Test:ÌýA short-answer test, covering key concepts in assessment and measurement.

Formative assessment methods:
Students will be set regular tasks on which they receive feedback from the tutor.

Penalties for late submission:

The below information applies to students on taught programmes except those on Postgraduate Flexible programmes. Penalties for late submission, and the associated procedures, which apply to Postgraduate Flexible programmes are specified in the policy 􀀓Penalties for late submission for Postgraduate Flexible programmes􀀔, which can be found here: