CAVA
Understanding the principles and practices of assessment
Understand the principles and requirements of assessment.
1. Explain the functions of assessment in learning and development.
The function of assessment in learning and development is mainly to provide a means of measuring the learners’ needs and progress.
The assessments are carried out formative, continuing checks throughout the learning, testing against previous marks and summative at the end of the course. This helps the learner see their own development and allows the assessor to give feedback. This allows the assessor to gain and measure the learner understanding of the subject against the outcomes set in the criteria.
Throughout the assessments the assessor should ensure that their decisions are; fit for purpose, reflect the required standards and assessment criteria. Assessment decisions should be internally or externally verified, thus contributing to quality assurance and development of best practise.
2. Define the key concepts and principles of assessment.
The key concepts and principles should include; Fairness, Reliability, Validity, Safety, Suitability.
Fairness – Assessors and assessments must be objective and tied to the criteria. Having internal and external checks on random samples ensures the validity of the assessment decisions made.
Reliability – Decisions should be made by an assessor with the competence in the field the work relates to, this ensures that any decisions made are from a professional perspective.
Validity – All decisions must be justified with clear referencing of the assessment criteria. In doing this another assessor should be able to award the same grade for the same piece of work.
Safety – Assessments must take in account of the suitability of the learners’ needs, i.e. learners’ that are prone to stress or anxiety during group assessments, could feel unsafe or singled out, these could be given 1 to 1 alternatives.
Suitability – Is the
Understand the principles and requirements of assessment.
1. Explain the functions of assessment in learning and development.
The function of assessment in learning and development is mainly to provide a means of measuring the learners’ needs and progress.
The assessments are carried out formative, continuing checks throughout the learning, testing against previous marks and summative at the end of the course. This helps the learner see their own development and allows the assessor to give feedback. This allows the assessor to gain and measure the learner understanding of the subject against the outcomes set in the criteria.
Throughout the assessments the assessor should ensure that their decisions are; fit for purpose, reflect the required standards and assessment criteria. Assessment decisions should be internally or externally verified, thus contributing to quality assurance and development of best practise.
2. Define the key concepts and principles of assessment.
The key concepts and principles should include; Fairness, Reliability, Validity, Safety, Suitability.
Fairness – Assessors and assessments must be objective and tied to the criteria. Having internal and external checks on random samples ensures the validity of the assessment decisions made.
Reliability – Decisions should be made by an assessor with the competence in the field the work relates to, this ensures that any decisions made are from a professional perspective.
Validity – All decisions must be justified with clear referencing of the assessment criteria. In doing this another assessor should be able to award the same grade for the same piece of work.
Safety – Assessments must take in account of the suitability of the learners’ needs, i.e. learners’ that are prone to stress or anxiety during group assessments, could feel unsafe or singled out, these could be given 1 to 1 alternatives.
Suitability – Is the