I will be looking at how my employer Tower Hamlets Idea Store Learning (THISL) records the success of the non-accredited adult learning courses that it runs.

1. The purpose of the assessment and why you chose this method of assessment

The assessment system I have constructed is designed to determine whether the students has achieved the learning outcomes specified for the Darkroom Techniques beginners courses that I teach for THISL (Appendix 4). This is primarily a summative assessment that includes elements of formative assessment.

Because the darkroom groups are small (maximum of 8 students) I am able to individually assess each student’s competence in the first two objectives against pre-determined criteria through observation and questioning. This is a criterion-referenced assessment that is based on whether or not the student has been able to perform a darkroom technique (eg processing film, varying the contrast of the print). During this process I am also able to offer them developmental feedback giving a formative element to my assessment system. The criteria for this assessment are recorded on multiple leaner tracking sheets (Appendix 5a)

Outcomes 3, 4 and 5 are assessed through a darkroom quiz (Appendix 5b), the results of which are also included on the tracking sheet. The quiz also provides me with a gauge of the students understanding of the theoretic aspects of darkroom practice.

The final column of my tracking sheet records the results the results of a peer assessment of 3 prints submitted by each students on the final day, they are asked to grade each other work and give reasons for their grading. (Appendix 5c)

2. The extent to which you feel the assessment task is reliable, valid and fair

Validity of the assessment

 (Tummons, 2009) describes apects of validity that can be used to ascertain the validity of assessment:

• Face Validity – Does the the assesmment assess what it was intended to assess?

          The purpose of this assessment was to ascertain wether the students have passed the course learning objectives. The summative darkroom quiz in combination with the observation and questioning provide me with a clear means to assess each objective for each student.

• Content Validity – Does the assessment cover the content of the unit or program of study?

         The students are assessed on a weekly basis throughout the duration of the course and all the assessment criteria are clearly linked to the course learning outcomes

• Construct Validity – Is the assessment based on or appropriate to the skill or knowledge that we are trying to assess?

 The darkroom practice course is largely practical, I have tried to reflect this by assessing them mainly according to their ability to perform practical tasks

• Predictive Validity – Is the assessment able to predict students ability to progress?

  Because of the breadth of my assessment I am confident    it can be used to assess their suitability for an intermediate level darkroom course.

Reliability of the assessment

•  Reliability refers to the consistency of assessment results and since much of my assessment is measured by very clearly defined physical results (eg. a correctly processed roll of film) it has an inherent reliability. (Nitko, 1996) states that the reliabily of assessment can be improved by “lengthening and broadening the scope of the proceedure and combining results from several assessments”, since my system spans the entire length of the period of study and includes a variety of assessment methods (observation, questioning, summative written test) it should be reliable.

Fairness of the assessment

I try to make my assessment fair by integrating peer and self-assessment. At the end of each session there is an informal group review of students work from that session. This gives them the opportunity to review my assessment criteria on their own terms and apply it to each other’s work.

3. The ways in which you have made this task appropriate and accessible for all 

I have tried to make my assessment system student centered and included sufficiently diverse range of means for assessing the students learning that it should not disadvantage any of the students. Since the darkroom techniques course is non-accredited I do not have any specific guidelines with regards to inclusivity in my assessment practice.

Tummons, 2009 offers useful guidance on the importance of making adjustments to assessment methods make them inclusive: “Tailoring assessment methods will not just involve disabled students…It is important for us to realize that the onus will sometimes be on us, as teachers and trainers, to take the first steps in meeting the learners needs”. My approach is to be aware of barriers to learning caused by disability, age, ethnic background and to compensate for this.” For example one of the learners on my darkroom course only had the use of one arm, this meant that he was unable to perform certain aspects of an assessed task such as loading film into a processing tank, I was able to compensate for this by asking one of the other students to do this part of the assessed task for him. Since my learners on the course have very varied levels of ability and experience I am able to compensate for this by asking the students to work in pairs during assessment activities and by pairing the more experienced or able students those that are having more difficulty I am able to level the playing field to some extent.

4. An evaluation of the design of your assessment task, using feedback from other trainees and/or colleagues and/or learners and/or your mentor

The main criticism from my mentor regarding my assessment system was that he felt I should incorporate some means of recording the students work for the assessment tasks, this would help me define the criteria for the difference between amber and green for my assessment of the practical exercises and could help me to standardize my assessment of the students work. He suggested that I could use one of the departments to photograph examples of their prints.

I also gathered some feedback from the students, I asked them if they felt the quiz was a valid way of assessing their learning and the general consensus was that their understanding of the theoretical aspects was very important, as they may be able to produce a good print “by accident”. They also gave feedback on my proposal for the critiquing on the final session and the majority agreed that this was a good way of re-enforcing their learning although some did admit to feeling reluctant to criticize their peer’s work.

Task 3 – Describe and justify the ways in which written and/or oral feedback is given to a learner. Discuss how feedback and target setting promote learner progress and achievement, whilst also maintaining or increasing the confidence of the learner

Giving feedback to students is an integral part of the formative assessment of learning. Effective feedback has been shown to give students a good sense of the progress of their learning, clarify what they need to do to reach their desired standard and encourages positive motivational beliefs and self-esteem. The teacher can also use information from feedback sessions to help shape their teaching. (Jones, 2009) defines the qualities of effective feedback as the following:

• is written or spoken in plain English
• is written or spoken clearly
• is detailed
• is evaluative
• is constructive
• is positive
• identifies strengths and weaknesses
• provides effective guidance on how a learner can improve
• begins by saying what the learner has done well
• progresses to areas the learner could have done better
• ends on a positive note
• is specifically linked to learning goals/task/assignment/unit success or assessment criteria (cross-referenced to what practitioners have asked learners to do)
• must be prompt.

There is a range of ways to incorporate feedback into a program of study:

Oral feedback can be employed in a formal context through tutorials or more informally through discussion during a taught session. Oral comments are clearer, more detailed, and thus more understandable to students than written comments. It is more personable way to deliver feedback and allows the students the opportunity to respond. The effectiveness of oral feedback is dependent on the communication skills of both the teacher and the student.  If employing oral feedback during a lesson the tutor should provide the student with guidence based on the feedback, allow the student time to absorb the feedback and help set targets and action plans based on it.

With a large class it may sometimes be dificult  for the teacher to engage in dialogue with students. A solution to this problem could be to use peer dialogue and assessment. (Mcfarlane-Dick, 2006) identifies the following benefits to this form of feedback: “Firstly, students who have just learned something are often better able than teachers to explain

it to their classmates in a language and in a way that is accessible. Secondly, peer discussion exposes students to alternative perspectives on problems and to alternative tactics and strategies” The weakness of this approach is that students are often reluctant to make citicisms of their peers making it a less reliable means of providing constructive and developmental criticism.

Task 4 – Discuss the possible value of opportunities you might plan and develop to improve your own practice and knowledge of assessment issues

As part of my teaching duties for THISL I also run digital photography courses, these courses have learning outcomes which learners are required to pass. My assessment of the students on these courses could be enhanced through the integration of e-Assessment. A broad definition for e-assessment is the use of information technology for assessment-related activities.

(Tummons, 2009)  list the following six reasons for using e-assessment:

• Assessment can be supplied when learners are ready
• Results and feedback can be provided immediately
• The reliability of marking can be assured
• The paperwork burden can be reduced for learners and tutors
• ILT can widen participation amongst groups underrepresented in education and training
• IT literacy is a valuable work and life tool

The digital photography medium would seem an ideal learning environment to use this form of assessment. I have identified 2 means to integrate e-assessment into my digital photography courses:

1. Submission of assignments via internet based photo-sharing applications

There are a number of web sites that enable users to create a group for sharing photos online, most notably Flickr and Picasa. This facility could be used to enable students to submit work for assignments. This would give me the opportunity to review their work online before the class and prepare feedback in advance. The resulting work could then be reviewed and graded during the class using the whitescreen facilities at the college.

2. Completion of summative questionairres using the colleges Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) system – I could liaise with the IT department at THISL to use their VLE system to create a questionnaire that the students could complete online during the class. The results from these questionnaires could be used to generate information that would be a more valid assessment of learning than the current achievement data capture forms.

There are opportunities to develop my experience of assessment through my role as a photography tutor for the City and Guilds(C & G) Diploma courses that we run at the college. I have been asked to act as an IV for some of the work that has been assessed by tone of my colleagues and have asked if I can attend the visit of the External examiner to give me experience of the EV procedure.

Bibliography

Jones, D. C. (2009). Assessment for Learning. Learning & Skills Improvement Service. London: The Learning & Skills Network.

Mcfarlane-Dick, D. N. (2006). Formative Assesment & Self-regulated leaning: A model and seven principals of good feedback practice. Studies in Higher Education , 31(2), 199 - 218.

Nitko, A. J. (1996). Educational Assessment of Students 2nd Ed. Des Moines: Prentice Hall Inc.

Petty, G. (2011, 01 02). Feedback:Medals and Missions. Retrieved 05 23, 2012, from geoffpetty.com: http.//www.geofpetty.com/feedback.html

Petty, G. (2004, 01 01). Learning Centered Feedback in Pracice. Retrieved 04 09, 2012, from www.geoffpetty.com: http://www.geoffpetty/downloads/WORD/BlackandWilliam.doc

Race, P. (2001, 11 01). A Briefing on Self, Peer and Group Assessment. York, Yorkshire, UK.

Taras, M. (2001). The use of tutor feedback and studnt self-assessment in summative assessment tasks;towards transparency for studnts and tutors. Assessment and Evaluation in studnts self-assessment , 26(6), 605 - 614.

Tummons, J. (2009). Assessing Learning in the lfelong learning sector (2nd Edition ed.). Exeter: Learning Matters Ltd.

Appendix 1 – Achievement Data Capture forms

Appendix 2 – Non-Accredited course success Rates for THISL Visual Arts Courses

Appendix 3 – THISL – Student individual learning plan

Appendix 4 – Black and White Darkroom Techniques Course Description and Outline

Appendix 5 –

Appendix 5 - A Summative assessment system for Black & White Darkroom Techniques - Beginners

5a – Tracking and criteria for assessment of students

5b – Summative Darkroom Quiz

 

1. What are the 3 main chemicals you use in the dark room, in the order that you use them, and briefly explain about what each one does.

2. What lights can be on while printing? While loading film into a processing spiral?

3. If an area on the negative is very thin, or clear, and you project it onto your photo paper, what tone will be the photo paper show after development?

4. What is the temperature in Celsius degrees that we use as the “normal” temperature for processing?

5. Why should we carefully monitor the temperature of the film processing chemicals?

6. Which way round should you place your negatives into an enlarger to ensure the prints have the correct perspective?

7. What’s the ratio of our paper developer stock to water when we make a working solution to process our paper?

8. What are the 2 exposure controls we have in the darkroom when we print, and how do we adjust them?

9. Define the 3 important print characteristics we will keep in mind as we make our master prints? Briefly define what you’re talking about.

10.    What is dodging and burning-in?

11.     If you increase the contrast of a print how does this affect the mid-tones?

12.    What should you use to move prints from processing trays? Tongs or hands?

13.    Name 2 safety rules for working in the darkroom?
14.    Within the workspace of a darkroom what does wet side & dry side refer to?

15.    Name 2 essential elements that are required to convert a space into a darkroom?

5c – Critiquing system for coursework