Using Assessment of Learning to Support Assessment for Learning

There is a widely held view that when it comes to summative assessment and formative assessment, ne’er the twain shall meet. But this is wrong.
While SQA’s primary function is to deliver effective summative assessment the websites used to support teachers in this context; the SQA Academy and the Understanding Standards website also offer the potential for strong support for assessment information to be used in a formative way and specifically the widely accepted key features of Assessment for Learning. In order to realise this potential SQA approached LT Scotland who lead the Assessment is for Learning programme in Scotland and together they agreed on a joint initiative.

The result has been a collaborative project which explores how teachers can enhance their pupils’ learning when studying for National Qualifications by employing formative assessment techniques in this summative context.