Peer and Self-Assessment Issues - Assignment Example

TAQA T2 ASSIGNMENT OF OLA OYEWUSI, 15TH OF OCTOBER By Presented to Question 8: Give examples of information types that should be made available to learners and those involved in the process of assessment. The learners should be given guidelines of how and what they should do during the assessment. They should be aware in the event that there are any penalties given in case of fraud work done. These guidelines should make them know what is expected of them during the assessment process as well as learning. During assessment, the learners as well as others involved in the assessment process should have enough information about what the assessment involves in general. The assessor should be more knowledgeable to perform the assessment effectively (National Council for the Social Studies, 2003). Information provided to the learners during assessment should be able to build their ongoing learning process. Information regarding feedback of their previous assessment done should be given to each learner so that they can track their learning progress. Question 9: What are the benefits of peer and self-assessment? Peer and self-assessment has significant benefits on students and learners in general. Peer and self-assessment involves students creating for themselves criteria for assessment while seeking aid from their teachers. Peer assessment is about students individually assessing each other through a list some criteria and awarding each other marks. The first benefit of both peer and self-assessment is that they help build student responsibility and participation (National Council for the Social Studies, 2003). The student’s skills of judging are developed through peer assessing, where one can award relative marks to another student in accordance to performance. Another benefit of these techniques is that some students consider them fair as each one of them is judged in according with his or her participation. Lastly, when working in a good direction, these techniques help a lecturer in reducing the load of marking since the students here will be grading each other thus reducing the load. Question 10: How can assessment arrangements be adapted to meet the needs of individual learners? Teachers need to make diverse entry points that will consider the different abilities, needs and strengths of their students. On the other hand, the students will need a plenty of chances so they can display their knowledge in accordance to the teaching. The learning tasks during assessment should consider both strengths and weaknesses of the students. This will enable visual learners to attain visual cues while hearing learners attain hearing cues. The learners should be given to chances to think for themselves, as this will help improve their critical and strategic thinking. The main factor in assessments is to ensure that every learner participates. Here, the assessor should pay attention to what each learner knows and from that will evaluate what they need and yearn to learn. The assessor should then provide resources in which each learner will be able to gain information in relation to personal interest. Question 11: Explain how one can judge evidence and make assessment decisions, making reference to the criteria and assessment requirements. To judge evidence and make assessment decisions on their performance, I will first of all, discover the best time when I can carry out an assessment. Then after, I will agree with the learners and review the plans for the assessment of their performance. The plans will be reviewed and updated to account for the students’ progress. Then, I will assess the performance and knowledge of the candidates against the agreed upon standards. Through observing of the assessments, I will analyze the evidence and judge whether competency has been attained. I would then make an assessment decision and give the learners feedback. Question 12: Explain the procedures for and importance of quality assurance and standardization. Standardization is the process that produces solutions that can be applied repetitively to problems in various fields of study. It involves creating and implementing of standards. Its procedures include instructions that are written to achieve the uniformity of a function’s performance. The importance of quality assurance and standardization include enhancing of alignment of various activities or procedures that take part in the learning process and hence producing better results (National Council for the Social Studies, 2003). There is also an enhanced motivation and understanding of learners towards their assessment as well as their participation in the learning process. The confidence of both the learners and the assessors is built in accordance to effectiveness and efficiency of the learning process. Question 14: Why is the management of information important? Management of information helps learners together with everyone involved in the assessment reduces time wasting and the making of mistakes. Information that is regularly updated offers a learner as well as the assessor easy access to what one is in search (National Council for the Social Studies, 2003). It also prevents the repetition of work when dealing with documents that are out of date. It allows both learners and assessors to include additional information as well as retrieve them as efficiently as possible. Information management also offers better cooperation. Projects that have a lot of information and involve many people are provided with easier access, better teamwork, as well as faster achievement. Question 15: Why should you give the learner feedback? Learners should be given feedback so that they may know their progress in learning. It helps them know which mistakes they made and can learn from them. Feedback motivates a learner in working hard and seeking more knowledge. It should be given as quickly as possible after every completion of an assessment. Learners should be given feedback as frequently as possible. Each task they are engaged in; should be looked into critically. Feedback that is given in a positive manner not only provides the learner with more information but also improves the learning motivation and an individual’s self-esteem. When providing feedback on mistakes done, a helpful approach should be sought. Question 16: What are the key policies and procedures that relate to assessment? For example, bright delivery policy and appeals and complaints procedure. Give a brief explanation of what each one is. There are several policies and procedures that relate to assessment. The assessment policy is set to determine if a learner can achieve the set competency standards that the government has set. The monitoring of academic progress policy entails that the academic progress of each learner should be observed in relation to assessments and results guideline. This policy allows assistance to be provided to a learner who does not achieve a result that satisfies the standards set. The intervention strategy is one that identifies and assists learners who are lagging behind in terms of academic progress. The student appeals and complaints procedure allow complaints given by students, to be observed, heard and resolved in a fair manner. Question 17: How can you use technology in assessment? Technology can be used in tracking and assessing of the performance of both the learners and the assessors. It can also be used to enhance communication between the learners and the assessor. Technology can also be used to make records that are digital of growth and development of learners. Spreadsheets can be used to track the learner’s performance as well as track the teaching strategies of the assessor. They can enable an assessor to highlight the points of interest and where their teaching should center (National Council for the Social Studies, 2003). With a wider community, the internet would be an appropriate tool to communicate about assessments as well as giving feedback. Technology provides a way of getting feedback continually from the assessor during the process of learning instead of at the end of it. Question 18: How do you ensure equality and diversity during assessment? For effective contribution in learning, all boundaries present and barriers should be detected and monitored throughout the learning process. The identity of each the learners should be known in identifying the boundaries in them and striving to eliminate them. The assessor should be fair in terms of allocation of resources and should not be discriminative, as this would lead to favors. All individual learners in a group should all be assessed equally putting into consideration their weaknesses and strengths. The assessor should be able to keep in record what the students have learnt to assess them according to their knowledge. The learners should be told in advance about an assessment and should be given ample time to review previous work done. The assessor should include the learners when deciding the right time to perform the assessment. Question 19: What are the benefits or reflective practice and CPD? The art of reflective practice together with CPD has so many advantages. It enables assessors to improve on their teaching. The assessor takes time to reflect on their teaching, to find out which sectors of their work they do well, where their teaching techniques should be improved as well as problems that are to be faced in teaching and how to solve them (National Council for the Social Studies, 2003). Through reflective practice, a teacher has the ability of learning a lot. It helps a teacher to relate what different aspects in his teaching to what revolves around his teaching. Through this, he will be able to learn new learning techniques that he will use in his teaching. Reflective practice enhances skills of problem solving. As an assessor reflects on his teaching, he is bound to concentrate on problems that may arise. By strategically analyzing these problems, he builds the skill of problem solving. References National Council for the Social Studies, 2003. A vision of powerful teaching and learning in the social studies: Building social understanding and civic efficacy. Journal of Social Education, 67(2), pp.213-23. Read More