Procedure for Designing an Assessment Framework
Designing an assessment framework for formative
assessment within the context of operation is not an easy endeavour. As an
educational leader, it is a herculean task to get some teachers to cooperate
on a shared set of goals to be achieved. The objective is to design an
assessment framework through which teachers in similar classrooms administer
consistent assessment tools that enable them to assess students’ progress and
compare information to reveal the effective instructional strategies within the
school district.
Students’
assessment is of ample importance for an educator because in a knowledge-based society, high-level mastery skills among the students are increasingly demanded.
Students’ performance and achievements must be assessed, followed by tailoring
to relevant knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for critical thinking
and problem-solving. In order to establish or design a comprehensive assessment
framework for formative assessment of prospective teachers in their teaching
practice, the procedure involves nine steps, discussed in detail as follows.
Step 1: Finding out the starting point
The first step in designing a formative assessment
framework is to be aware of common pitfalls and obstacles that might be faced
while implementing the assessment system. This initial reflective exercise will
contribute towards creating a strong foundation with the students’ best
interests in mind. Seeking the involvement of veteran teachers and other
stakeholders, finding ways to incorporate assessment systems in the existing
instructional endeavours, and establishing measures for the sustainability of the assessment system will help to avoid fluctuations in the assessment framework.
These techniques initially will prove the assessment system flawless and will
prove to be achievement-oriented.
In the very
first step of designing an assessment framework, engage stakeholders in the
process to establish a set of guidelines for decision-making after reaching a
consensus. Identify and analyse the information gathered from a wide range of
stakeholders. These stakeholders may be students, teachers, administrators,
parents, the community, advocacy groups, and policymakers. Thus, this practice
will provide an appropriate place to start.
Step 2: Formation of an assessment team
In order to design a successful formative assessment framework,
an assessment planning team is required from the start. A large team will not
be possible at once; however, it is viable to begin by forming a small “Core
Assessment Team”, which will include a productive team of key stakeholders to
ensure manageability. The team may be expanded later on a need basis. This is the
time to determine goals in initial meetings where directions can be
foresighted. In this step, carry out an
inventory of the measures in the existing assessment system in schools and
classrooms.
Then clarify the purposes of the formative assessment framework, evaluating the usefulness of the data. Determine the purposes and uses of the
assessment that meet the needs of the students in the target schools. Presume that the assessment procedures are
workable in a coherent way to address the valued student learning outcomes. It
needs to see what needs to be added or deleted on the basis of whether the same
type of information is being collected from multiple sources, or are the
information from multiple sources is unnecessary.
Step 3: Establishing a flexible timeline with milestones
This is the step where a tentative timeline and
milestones are established. Charting out a framework for the assessment to be
implemented is important at this stage. Now the nature of initial meetings
of the core assessment team turns into research-based, action-oriented meetings. Monitoring and evaluation of the progress
towards achieving formative assessment are done, and an outline of the objective of
each meeting is shared with the team in advance so that each participant can
prepare accordingly.
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Step 4: Establishing a common understanding
regarding research and terminology
The entire team members must be on the same
consensus before taking the next steps. At this point, compiling operational
definitions of the terms will be helpful to prevent misunderstanding. For this
purpose, the team needs to discuss relevant research topics relevant to the
formative assessment. Many of the team members are well aware of
the advantages of assessing students. However, research-based discussions on
multiple measures and assessment formats contribute to unifying the team members’
ideologies. It will be the right time to chalk out a plan to survey the
setting to determine what assessment techniques are already practised.
Step 5: Exploring assessment sources and structures
At this stage, the data is compiled and analysed, and survey results and acquired assessment components are reviewed. Emerging
structures of assessments start here, and the recommendation overview is
completed. An analysis of what sort of assessment
techniques are currently practised in the existing system, which can be
beneficial to incorporate in the newly designed assessment framework. It is the
right time to begin taking into account the source from which assessment tools
to be obtained, such as whether these resources will be developed locally, or purchasing
standardised tests, or applying those tools that are available in textbooks.
Step 6: Determining specifics
Along with the near completion stage, it is now time to
convert a general framework into more specific plans. Here, the presentations by
prospective vendors are viewed to assist with finalising the source of
formative assessments. The importance of introducing an effective assessment
management system cannot be denied. Through reviewing the assessment
recommendation overview form, specifications such as labelling conventions,
length of assessment tools, and performance bands are addressed. It is wise to evaluate possible assessment
components more closely, determining who will complete the necessary details on
forms before the next meeting.
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Step 7: Creating an action plan
The long-held assessment goal is near being achieved
here. Using all the data collected till now, an action plan is finalised for
each grade level under consideration and the course requirements for assessments. As
an assessment team, all the items in designing formative assessment are compiled
and reviewed on the basis of completed forms to direct the final details of
assessment components. It is also determined the way participation in
assessment elements creation sessions will be established and disseminated
while ensuring the objectives and timeline associated with the team members of
each assessment component team.
Step 8: Creating and/or revising elements
It is the time when the assessment element teams necessarily
should go ahead and design their respective element. For the purpose of assisting the teams,
material from completed forms, such as the assessment recommendation overview form
and research topics discussed previously, should be furnished and reviewed. The
leading educator should play a supportive role and plan to provide assistance related
to the pacing guides, question selection, and the overall creation of quality
assessments.
Step 9: Evaluating progress and communicating
next steps
This is the ending stage of the process where the
commitment to the cause does not diminish. After a rigorous exercise, the ending is
brought forward by the assessment element teams. Now, attention is diverted to the discrimination of what was exercised and the final product with the prospective
teachers for implementation. It is helpful to chalk out a plan for communicating
with all the prospective teachers to implement and follow that plan. It is important
to get feedback from teachers before assessment elements are put into practice.
Post administration evaluation will be highly effective in making the designed
formative assessment framework productive. Formative assessments attempted to
make perfect over time, as the data from the assessment management system
reveals which items might be misleading, or which assessments’ difficulty might
be out of scrutiny with other grade levels’ or subjects’ assessments.