Program Overview

ESS422 Assessment and Evaluation for Learning

This subject builds students' capacity with curriculum-based, authentic assessment and the use of standardised assessment. With a focus on literacy and numeracy, these approaches can be employed to differentiate the learning for all students. The subject addresses assessment at both school/setting and classroom levels and how assessment and evaluation information can be employed at whole-of-organization scale for instructional decision-making using a Master Teacher approach to inclusive settings.

Subject Outlines

Current CSU students can view Subject Outlines for recent sessions. Please note that Subject Outlines and assessment tasks are updated each session.

Availability

• Session 1 (30)
  • Online
  • Bathurst Campus
• Session 3 (90)
  • Online
  • Bathurst Campus Continuing students should consult the SAL for current offering details: ESS422. Where differences exist between the Handbook and the SAL, the SAL should be taken as containing the correct subject offering details.

Subject Information

Grading System

• HD/FL

Duration

• One session

School

• School of Teacher Education

Incompatible Subjects

• ESS402

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:

• be able to identify and describe the different purposes of assessment types and their utility in instructional decision making. Demonstrate their roles in a preliminary annual assessment plan;
• be able to evaluate the role of classroom ecology in the assessment process and build a device for measuring classroom ecology;
• be able to identify the distinct features of curriculum based assessments and curriculum based measurement and use that information to design a CBM or research and apply an existing curriculum-based measure. The tool should be specific to a specific curriculum area/aspect of difficulty and include all of the details required for classroom use including guidance for scoring, space for student demographic information and level;
• be able to self-evaluate their current knowledge of standardised testing and measurement principles and apply that evaluation using a knowledge audit tool to build technical knowledge of test development and use;
• be able to evaluate the utility and limitations of standardised testing;
• be able to understand and evaluate contemporary standards for the design and use of standardised tests with students who have disabilities or cultural differences;
• be able to apply knowledge of standardised testing to make a recommendation about a test for use with students in an inclusive school setting;
• be able to develop a scholarly position on the use of standardised testing in schools and settings; and,
• be able to build an assessment schedule/matrix for a classroom/school for the purpose of making a valid and reliable determination of student growth and then build a rationale for the schedule/matrix as described. The experience draws together learning about curriculum-based and standardised tests and outcome measurement in schools/settings.

Syllabus

This subject will cover the following topics:

• Purposes of Assessment
• Classroom Ecology
• Curriculum-Based Measurement
• Self-Evaluation of Testing Knowledge
• Utility and Limitations of Standardised Testing
• Contemporary Standards
• Applying Assessment Knowledge
• Position on Standardised Testing
• Classroom/School Assessment Plan