EDM101-Assessment and Measurement

Module Provider: Institute of Education
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:7
Terms in which taught: Autumn term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2019/0

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 examinations, 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 modifications 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: Design a test in small groups, evaluate the test with reference to theories, principles, and research of assessment and measurement, and submit an essay of 2500 words with an evaluation of the test .

Class Test: 1 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:
Penalties for late submission on this module are in accordance with the University policy. Please refer to page 5 of the Postgraduate Guide to Assessment for further information: http://www.reading.ac.uk/internal/exams/student/exa-guidePG.aspx

Assessment requirements for a pass:
Students must achieve a 50% overall aggregate mark

Reassessment arrangements:
Resubmission within one calendar month of the notification of failure

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):
1) Required text books: There are no required text books for this module. However, two useful books listed are Bell, J. (2010). Doing your research project (5th ed.). Maidenhead: Open University Press ISBN: 978-0335215041 and Cohen, L., Manion, L., &Morrison, K. (2011). Research methods in Education (7th ed.). Abingdon: Routledge ISBN: 978-0415583367.

These texts are available in the library or you may be able to source them more cheaply than the publisher􀀒s recommended price (£21.99 for Bell (2010) and £30.00 for Cohen et al. (2011).
Many items on the reading list are journal articles or e-books that are freely available via the University Library databases.

2) Specialist equipment or materials:
3) Specialist clothing, footwear or headgear:
4) Printing and binding:
5) Computers and devices with a particular specification:
6) Travel, accommodation and subsistence:

Last updated: 10 April 2019