Can the public have confidence in national assessments?

Each year examination boards and awarding bodies have to respond to some negative perceptions in the press and among their stakeholders of the working of the examination system. Yet statistics suggest that the examinations achieve a reasonable level of reliability.

Each year examination boards and awarding bodies have to respond to some negative perceptions in the press and among their stakeholders of the working of the examination system. Yet statistics suggest that the examinations achieve a reasonable level of reliability. Is a general questioning of the professionalism of the boards undermining the national exam system? The awarding bodies and Ofqual have responded by increasing the transparency of the system and by emphasising that practices and procedures conform to a system of public regulation. Perhaps this agenda should include more discussion of the meaning of the term ‘measurement error’? But will that term be unhelpfully misunderstood? This seminar will also address the current moves to improve in-school assessment practice and will ask if such moves will produce greater reliability and confidence in the system.

This seminar is part of the Assessment Principles series of seminars presented by Andrew Watts, a Principal Consultant for the Cambridge Assessment Network Division. The series focuses on five key topics in assessment: the purposes of assessment; the relationship between assessment and learning; the development of assessments; the validity and the reliability of assessments. Each session addresses one of these topics. Though the topics are the same each year, up-to-date issues are discussed which focus on recent news stories or which represent the latest thinking in that area. The series is for those who want to take a broad view of the field of educational assessment, in company with others working in the field. Participants will be able to share their own experiences and perceptions, and to reflect on those of others. A certificate is awarded for attendance at all five sessions (contact the Network team for details).

Dates for 2012 are:

8 March: What is the purpose of public assessments (Cambridge)
12 April: What is the purpose of public assessments (Coventry)
10 May: How can assessment support learning? (Cambridge)
12 July: Measurement or judgement: is assessing an art or a science (Cambridge)
13 September: How can we ensure the value of the assessments we create? (Cambridge)
11 October: Can the public have confidence in national assessments? (Coventry)
8 November: Can the public have confidence in national assessments? (Cambridge)

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