Enabling Learning through Assessment

To enable learning is to equip and facilitate the learner with all the necessary skills required to understand and retain knowledge. One way in which the teacher can ensure that learning has taken place is through the medium of assessment – to evaluate what the learner has taken on board.

Assessment methods help form a vital stage of a learner’s journey helping them to draw on skills they have acquired, and aids in the consolidation of the knowledge learnt. From the perspective of the teacher – assessment gives the advantage to better understand the learner’s level of knowledge and understanding relating to a given topic. This understanding feeds into to assist in the tailoring of each class
The summative assessment is nearly always a formal method of assessment and is so placed as it is the deciding element in which it is judged whether or not the learner has achieved the criteria set for the award – in this case for an NVQ/Diploma in Painting and Decorating. In order to determine if the criteria has been met the final assessment takes the form of a final exam, in which the material learnt over the duration of the course is brought together to assess the students grasp of the subject matter as a whole. This final exam could be a written paper, or a practical assessment where observation is required to ensure that the necessary skills have been mastered to an acceptable standard. A final portfolio of work can also be used to achieve this - by drawing together work completed throughout the course.

In order to provide valid, reliable and appropriate assessments it is vital to conduct each stage in compliance with the principles of assessment. It is also important that the correct type of assessment is conducted for the given subject, and the reasons for carrying them out are clear, with a specific goal or target, and are all fair and equal – thus helping learner’s to foster learning and accomplish the set goals.

The main principles of assessment to consider are reliability, validity, sufficiency, current in nature and authenticity - these principles must