Good assessment design The overarching principles of good assessment Alan Newall

1. Good assessment design The overarching principles of good assessment Alan Newall

2. Assessment and its purpose Assessment is the collection and evaluation of evidence to establish achievement of learning outcomes. It must cover a full range of skills and knowledge required of learners. Three main purposes of assessment: To provide feedback for all learners To measure learning outcomes For quality assurance and accountability.

3. Mātauranga Māori Mātauranga Māori is about the Māori way of being and engaging in the world – in its simplest form, it uses kawa (cultural practices) and tikanga (cultural principles) to critique, examine, analyse and understand the world.

4. Ako and Aromatawai Ako is described as the interaction between key concepts in tikanga Māori. It is about ‘learning meaning’. Aromatawai is a way of understanding ‘how well that meaning has been learnt’.

5. The Principles of Assessment

6. Assessment is equitable(learner-centred, transparent, inclusive) Ensures that learners know when, where and what is being assessed. Is relevant and appropriate to the learners. Is culturally responsive and embraces Mātauranga Māori. Avoids bias and subjectivity. Supports the use of Te Reo Māori.

7. Assessment incentivises further learning(emphasises progress as well as achievement) • Supports teaching and learning goals. • Improves the rate of progress for learners (regardless of their starting point). • Ensures that Mātauranga Māori is understood, valued and used to create authentic learning and assessment.

8. Assessment is appropriate(manageable, suited to purpose) • Uses the best method(s) to assess the specified learning outcomes. • Equitable through open access and opportunity for learners. • Occurs within a suitable timeframe.

9. Assessment is valid(content and predictive validity, repeatability) • Aligns content and criteria directly to learning outcomes. • Is a sound indicator of learner performance. • Ensures that the inferences that are made based on the outcome of the assessment are meaningful, useful and appropriate.

10. Assessment is authentic(attributable to the learner, worthwhile, relevant) Is meaningful and closely connected to the ‘real world’ situation. Provides the best opportunities for learners to demonstrate skills and understanding. Ensures evidence is produced by the learner – that outside assistance does not influence / affect / distort the assessment.

11. Assessment evidence is sufficient(meets all learning outcome criteria) • The assessor can be confident that all assessment criteria have been met and that the learner’s performance can be repeated to the same standard.

12. Assessment is consistent(reliable, stable over time and different assessors) • Ensures that assessors assessing learners against the same set of outcomes, but in different contexts, make comparable assessment decisions. • Uses rubrics, assessment schedules, exemplars. • Uses discussion with other assessors and/or uses a moderation process to assist assessors in making judgements.

13. Assessment informs at all levels(individual, organisation, systems, data) • Is underpinned by the curriculum, e.g. NZC. • Must be used at some level of the ‘system’ to improve the learning of learners. • Uses data to evaluate/review assessment policy, principles and practices, and thereby maintain credibility • Builds assessment capability.

14. Good assessment design: The overarching principles of good assessment. alan.newall@nzqa.govt.nz