Understanding Assessment: Purpose and Practice

In this unit, students will explore the history and philosophy of assessment in schools and educational spaces. Assessment has increasingly played a significant role in educational contexts within local and international settings. The unit is designed to enable education professionals to critically consider current assessment practices and pose the question: who do they serve? Students will explore potential answers through various theoretical frameworks. Drawing on the knowledge of the strengths and challenges of current assessment practices, students will develop a repertoire of innovative strategies considering aspects of universal design and inclusivity, ready for implementation in practice.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:

1. Critically analyse the history of assessment and current assessment practices in a global context;
2. Research educational theories and academic literature underpinning contemporary assessment practices;
3. Design and extrapolate on innovative assessment strategies relevant in a global and inclusive context.
4. Appraise and challenge an academic community of discourse through reflective and critical engagement in academic texts and understanding of principles of academic integrity