Assessment is for Learning
Glossary
This glossary explains terms used in AifL - Assessment is for Learning. It is not intended to be exhaustive in educational terms, nor does it include an explanation of every word used in the case study extracts. Instead, it seeks to clarify meanings in order to remove potential barriers to understanding and help the reader to appreciate the messages intended more fully.
Keyword search
| Range of evidence (of learning) | For improved learning and teaching within a coherent assessment system a range of assessments over a period of time is required as evidence. This range of evidence should include formative and summative assessment, provided by both teachers and the pupils themselves, and may take a number of forms: drawings, artefacts, solo talks, musical performance. It does not necessarily need be written. |
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| Ranking | Placing pupils in order according to their performance in classwork or tests/examinations. |
| Recording (of learning) | Recording is the continual process of summarising evidence gathered through a range of assessment activities as learning and teaching take place. It should not be the responsibility of teachers only: learners should be involved where possible or appropriate. It is important to be clear about the difference between assessment evidence and recording. |
| Reliability (of assessment) | This is about how well an assessment actually measures what it is intended to measure and how precisely an assessment measures a pupil's level of ability, depth of knowledge, mastery of skill, or whatever the test or teacher's rating scale is intended to measure. The process of assessment rarely, if ever, results in exact measures of learning, for a variety of reasons. A single score from a single test used on a single occasion is unlikely to be a precise measure of a pupil's level of knowledge, ability or skill. Test reliability can be increased by increasing the length of the test or narrowing the focus – this, though, risks compromising content validity and curriculum relevance. Standardised tests are designed to be highly reliable technically, but they are not always able to fully reflect the taught curriculum. |
| Rubrics | A set of graded criteria, often in the form of a grid, which describe the essential quality indicators of a piece of work or product, in order for it to be accurately assessed. Rubrics provide learners with learning intentions and success criteria, and can also be useful for encouraging interactive dialogue about quality. For example, they can demonstrate the key features at a variety of levels, which indicate to learners what would be a poor, an average and a very good piece of work. They can be used before, during and after activities, and can be helpful in providing learners with quality feedback as well as enabling opportunities for self and peer assessment. |
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