Understanding the Principles and Practices of Assessment

UNDERSTANDING THE PRINCIPLES
AND PRACTICES OF ASSESSMENT

INTRODUCTION
Training increases learners understanding by providing them with appropriate
knowledge and information that helps them in learning and developing. Assessor plays
a crucial role in keeping close monitoring over their student’s and maintaining their
learning as well as growth. In this regards, the present study is taken into consideration
which covers all the principles and practices of assessment. Further, this study gives
brief analysis about the methods appropriate to the assessment of knowledge and
understanding. In addition to this, this report gives appropriate justification about the
strengths and limitations of a range of assessment methods with reference to the needs
of individual learners. It gives effective information about the importance of involving the
learner and others in the assessment process.
LEARNING OUTCOME 1 – UNDERSTAND THE PRINCIPLES AND REQUIREMENTS
OF ASSESSMENT
1.1 Explain the function of assessment in learning and development
There are different functions of assessment within learning and development which
clearly provides a measurement for the student progress.
 One of the most important purposes is to measure the learners understanding of
the subject against the expected outcomes set by the criteria. In order to assess
the learning and development one of the best ways is by creating different
quizzes on socrative.com. It is the best function through which formative
evidence of learners understanding can be attained
 Another most appropriate function for the assessment of learner’s development
is using formative or summative assessment. As per the viewpoint of assessor it
is being determined that it is highly essential to ensure that assessment
decisions are consistently reviewed and verified internally and externally both. It
is required by assessor to introduce themselves to the learner and make them
sure that they understand what course is. They usually support them by
explaining all the units to the learners and support them in selecting right and
suitable units. Measurement and recording of achievement helps in identify the
learner’s development as well as his/her area of interest.
 With the help of setting targets for individuals as well as implementing
benchmarking technique appropriate learners performance can be assessed. It
helps in identifying all the areas of improvements and making quality assurance
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as well. Setting target covers the setting dates and times to meet with the
learners. After completing any assessment, assessor requires providing
appropriate feedback. However, he needs to encourage individual by giving
them constructive feedbacks. For example when a learner submit their
coursework, it’s essential to give a feedback, whether is 1-1 or by clearly
marking the papers and let them know exactly what they need to do. With the
help of implementing all these functions learners area of growth and
development can be easily measured.
1.2 Define the key concepts and principles of assessment
The major concept behind this assessment is just to check and monitor the progress
and development growth of learners. Identify who is it for, is it for the learner, trainer or
organisation, also the experience of the learner should be put into consideration, for
example, when people who does not have a care experience, want to take education in
HND Health and Social Care, I believe they should have at least 3years work
experience or level 3 in Health and Social Care environment.
There are some of the key concepts and principles of assessment which includes:
Fairness: Assessment should be related to particular criteria and requires being follow
integrity in the whole process. At the time of samples of marking internal and external
checks in samples of marking are high required. With the help of this marking only
assessor can take any decision regarding the validity of assessment.
Reliability: The assessment decisions are requires to be made by tutor with the correct
competence. It is the best effective way which provides appropriate judgment that is
informative and forms a professional viewpoint.
Validity: There is a requirement of clear referencing within any assessment criteria.
Here, decisions require to be justified with clear statement of examining body e.g
Pearson, Edexcel, OCR. At the time of assessing it with another tutor he also requires
to award the same grade for the stated piece of work.
Achievement: It is quite essential to have assessment related to the particular
achievement. All decisions require to be made on the basis of success. It is regarded as
a key principle of assessment that individual get success. It is the most effective way on
the basis of which learner can easily monitor their success and growth.
Benchmarking: This is the most popular way to identify the progress and growth of
learners. It is the best way of assessment on the basis of which learner can compare its
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performance with others. It provides most suitable options to grow and develop from
learning’s. This process may takes place by the tutor as he is responsible for giving
appropriate guidelines and feedbacks to individuals after comparing their performance
with others.
Figure 1Benchmarking wheel
Assessment Strategies: Basically, this strategy is developed for tutor to make them
more frequent in their teaching, planning and curriculum design. In this regards, tutors
are able to guide their learners in a best suitable way and they can easily enhance
progress and development growth of learners. The ultimate goal of teaching
understands and with the help of assessment strategies tutors can propose best
solution.
1.3 Explain the responsibilities of the assessor
At the time of assessing individual’s learning and growth it is highly essential to maintain
the appropriate roles and responsibilities of assessor. Assessor is responsible for
proper monitoring for the growth of individual. It is highly essential for an assessor to
make an informed decision about the evidence a student may submit to demonstrate
their knowledge. However, assessor might leads to face several problems regarding the
learning of individual. They should be able motivate, encourage and support their
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learners. Although there should be boundaries between a trainer and a leaner, but
assessor should be friendly to their learners. I will not like a trainer who is too serious. It
is requires to understand that individual is meeting all the assessment criteria. One of
the major job responsibilities of assessor is just to provide feedback to learner on the
basis of their performance. This feedback clearly illustrates the requirements and needs
of individuals. It is the best and most effective way to learn and grow effectively.
Through this, their progress can be monitored with their phase of development
throughout the qualification.
Developing learners and making them grow effectively with time is becoming serious
concern for assessor. For the same, evaluator requires to devise an appropriate
assessment action plan which helps the learner to develop them. Through this action
plan, they are able to identify all the areas of improvements and easily identify some
specific needs where development requires. In order to complete any assessment all
the learners must have complete knowledge within that area. It ensures the fairness and
presents that everyone has affair chance to reach their potential.
In order to fill this responsibility assessor wants to work in partnership with IQA
assessor which is known as internal quality assessor. I want to attain the IQA CPD
training with them as it is considered as excellent workshop. It is known as a continuing
professional development workshop which equips all the trainers with the necessary
skills to assess their own students.
Further, in this regards, I have to do a CPD course and training in order to enhance my
skills. I have already attended the Level 3 PTLLS Award (QCF), but do not have the
assessing qualification. With the help of this workshop I am able to become more
professional and continue to learn and develop throughout my career.
1.4 Identify Regulations and requirements relevant to assessment in own area of
practice
There are mandatory regulations and requirements in health and social care, which are
essential for the assessment of own area of practice. There are also regulatory bodies
of standards such as Sector Skills Council and institute for learning, one of the most
common acts is: The Equality Act 2010 which helps people in protecting from
discrimination in the workplace as well as in wider society. This is important for
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assessor to follow in order to avoid any type of discrimination. All their learners should
be provided equal opportunities and delivering them effective information as per their
qualification. For the same, assessor needs to avoid any type of assumption about
learner stereotypes and plan and deliver required qualification to meet out the needs of
wide variety of learners.
In addition to this, another most important regulation is Health and Safety Work Act
1974. It presents the different duties of learners such as an employer requires
protecting the health and safety and welfare at work of all their employees as well.
Assessor need to use Act’s mandatory guidelines which helps them in protecting the
personal data they hold about the learners as well. All the information needs to be
processed lawfully and used only for the lawful purposes. Total assessment information
should be processed according to the individual rights and kept secure with the admin.
Moreover, the training centre of assessor must comply with the eight data protection
act:
 Fairly and lawfully processed
 Processed for specific purpose
 Adequate and not excessive
 Accurate and up to date
 Secure
 Not transferred to other countries without any type of adequate protection
 Do not kept for longer time period than is necessary
 Keeping protected all the rights of individual
By following all the above legislations fair and lawful information can be provided to all
the learners. This in turn helps the organization in increasing their skills as well as
productivity of their respective workforce.
Designs and Patents act 1988: At the time of going through the assessment in own
area it is considered as another most important area which needs to be maintained.
This act is developed by the parliament of UK and formulates almost completely the
statutory basis of copyright law. This law states that copyright in most works lasts until
70 years. While going through the creation to be protected by copyright and must fall
within one of the following categories to literary work, dramatic work, musical work,
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