assess [v.]

1. evaluate or estimate. 2. set the value of a tax, fine, etc. for [a person or property].
- DERIVATIVES assessable, adjective; assessment, noun; assessor, noun. Old French assesser, from Latin assidere ‘sit by [later 'levy tax']’.

Compact Oxford English Dictionary

Assessment is integral to all aspects of learning not just because it is required, but because it allows us to judge the effectiveness of the learning process for those presenting the material and those learning as a result of its use. It allows educators to review, refine and improve what is offered. It allows learners to know how well they have learned and what they have to do to improve future learning. It can be used at every level from early childhood to higher education and be either individual or system wide assessment.

There is no single assessment method which is best for every situation. There are some perhaps easier to use, though not necessarily more effective in providing worthwhile information. The assessment format used should provide the best information to manage future improvement.

This page looks at assessment processes in all states & territories. Other information includes software, documents, professional development, specific types of assessment and more. Individual Education Plan information can be found via the link provided. This page should be used in conjunction with the Reporting page.

This will be a page with additions made as sources are found, present sources expanded and changes made within systems.

States & Territory Information

Australian Capital Territory

• Access to Student Records
  Document providing essential information.
• ACT Scaling Test
  Board of Senior Secondary Studies.
• Performance Indicators in Primary Schools [PIPS]
  ‘The early years assessment program uses Performance Indicators in Primary Schools to assess early reading, phonics and numeracy skills of students in their first year of school.’
  A PIPS Brochure 2008 is available here.

New South Wales

• Assessment Resource Centre
  ‘The aim of this website is to support and enhance professional practice in the assessment and reporting of student achievement across Years K to 12. It has been developed primarily for teachers, although parents and students will also find it useful.’ Covers school sections, Assessment Links, a Glossary of Terms and Assessment for Learning in the new Years 7-10 Syllabuses.
  Highly Recommended !
• Assessment Certification and Examination Manual
  PDF document from the Board of Studies.
• Canberra & Goulburn CEO
  ‘Assessment Data - Collection and Use Policy.’
• Consistent Teacher Judgement
  In action - A Resource for Shools. ‘Revised to reflect the Curriculum Programming and Planning, Assessing and Reporting K-12 policy. Its aim is to help establish the understandings necessary to ensure that consistent teacher judgements about student achievement can occur across all key learning areas.’ Covers consistency, moderation, assessment [and reporting] as well as support materials including Professional Development material.
  Highly Recommended !
• Curriculum Planning, Programming‘Information to support parents, teachers and school leaders in understanding the requirements of new policy in curriculum planning and programming, assessing and reporting to parents and in planning for implementation.’ Covers policy, reporting to parents, assessment, reporting support materials, Q & As, a parent section and more. Some sections restricted to NSW School Intranet access.
• Entitlement
  ‘Some students require special consideration but all students are entitled to have access to syllabus outcomes, because all students are entitled to achieve success in learning.’
• HSC Assessment
  A Guide to Best Practice. ‘Produced to assist schools and teachers in continuing to design and implement good policies and procedures for the Higher School Certificate Assessment Program. It will also assist in the evaluation of the effectiveness of current practices.’
• K-6 Assessment
  Details as well as special links
• Principles for Assessment & Reporting
  New South Wales Government Schools.
• Standards-referenced Assessment in Primary Schools
  ‘Information about the assessment of student progress against specified standards, commonly known as standards-referenced assessment. It looks at four key questions.’ Also includes a reference bibliography.
• Yrs 7-12 Assessment
  Details as well as special links.

Northern Territory

• Curriculum e-Tool
  ‘The Curriculum eTool [commonly known as the CeTool] is an online resource that provides teachers with the opportunity to record student achievement based on evidence of learning, use assessment information to inform and plan units of work and [more].’
• NT Curriculum Framework Progress Maps
  Covers year levels to Y6 and English and Maths for 7-9.
• NTCE - Operations
  [Northern Territory Certificate of Education]
  ‘Offers teachers and schools [a range of] facilities to assist in teaching the NTCE.’ Includes Assessment Plan information.
• Assessment & Reporting
  Includes National Assessment Program, Assessment of Student Competencies, Senior Secondary Assessment and NTCF Assessment Guidelines.

Queensland

• Assessment and Reporting Site
  ‘This website brings together information and resources you will find useful in making decisions about assessment and reporting practices at Years 1 to 10 in your school and about engaging in professional learning opportunities.’ Two main sections Key Documents and Resources.
• Essential Learnings and Standards [Years 1-9]
  Essential Learnings, Standards, Assessment Bank, Queensland Comparable Assessment Tasks, [Guidelines for Reporting], Planning, Using the Essential Learnings and Standards, Professional Development.
• Learning P-12
  Queensland Studies Authority. Sections on assessment for various levels.
• Senior Assessment
  General Information, Special Provisions, Forms & Procedures, Reports, Information for Panellists.
• Student Assessment
  Includes assessment program overview, policy, special provisions, P-12 assessment and moderation resources.

South Australia

• Assessment & Reporting : Catholic Education Office
  How We Assess, information for students, a culture of care and more information.
• Assessment Strategies
  5 Key Strategies are detailed.
• Benchmarks - Targeted Programs
  Descriptions, information, assessment processes within independent schools in South Australia.
• DECS - School Entry Assessment
  Assessment prior to school entry.
• Let’s Talk Assessment
  ‘This is a series of newletters to provide information and professional learning in the key areas of assessment, recording and reporting.’ Developed 2006-8.
• SACE Board of South Australia
  Senior Secondary Assessment.
• SACSA Framework
  Frameworks including assessment. Also used in the Catholic Education System.
• Schools - Policy on Assessment and Reporting
• Staff - Contacts
  Staff contacts for assessment/standards.

Tasmania

• Assessment & Reporting
  Many topics covered, ncluding the Assessment and Reporting package for schools, providing current details.
• Assessment : Principles
  Tabulated information for Learning, Teaching & Assessment.
• Kindergarten Development Check
  ‘Designed to assist teachers in the early identification of any Kindergarten student who is at risk of not achieving expected developmental outcomes and may require a specific intervention program and/or support from specific support personnel. A set of 21 identified critical core markers determines whether a student is deemed at risk of not achieving expected developmental outcomes.’ For Support Materials go to this site. Most links have PDF downloads.
• Tasmanian Curriculum 2008 and the Essential Learnings
  ‘Outlines the main changes from the Essential Learnings Framework to the Tasmanian Curriculum. For further details look at the summary below or access the relevant syllabus and support materials.’
  Now need to be able to log in to access this site.
• Tasmanian Qualifications Authority
  ‘Advises the Minister about matters relating to qualifications; issues consolidated statements of qualifications, including the Tasmanian Certificate of Education ; accredits courses for senior secondary education, vocational education & training and higher education; … .

Victoria

• Assessment and Reporting
  Assessment for the Victorian Essential Learning Standards. Covers a 5 sections on assessment from Characteristics of Effective Assessment to Developing Rubrics.
• Assessment Resource
  ‘Provide further assessment advice, ideas and strategies for teachers working with the Victorian Essential Learning Standards sample units.’
• Blueprint for Government Schools
  Information on Assessment and Reporting is found via the High Expectations of all learners section of the logo.
• Curriculum Planning Guidelines [Prep to Y10]
  Sections on Continuous Monitoring and Evaluation & Review for whole school, groups and individuals.
• Curriculum Planning Guidelines [Y10 to Y12]
  IContinuous Monitoring and Evaluation & Review for whole school, groups and individuals.
• Guidelines for Assessment in the Catholic School P-12
  Click on CECV Policy Index, then look for 1.15 & 1.15b.
• Measuring Academic Progress Against Each KLA
  For students with disabilities.
• Multi Domain Assessment Tasks
  ‘A process for teachers to develop multi domain assessment tasks based on sound design principles and guidelines is provided. The sample tasks were developed by teachers for teachers. It includes : Principles for quality task design, Design guidelines, Teacher acknowledgements and The sample tasks.’
• Prep to Year 10 Assessment
  Advice, Assessment and Reporting for the Victorian Essential Learning Standards and AIM.
• Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority
  Covers P-12.
• Victorian Essential Learning Standards
  ‘Assist school communities to make decisions about their curriculum programs and inform approaches to teaching and learning and assessment.’ Download a PDF version here.
• Victorian Qualifications Authority
  ‘The statutory body in Victoria responsible for developing and monitoring standards for education and training after Year 10 [excluding higher education]. We accredit new qualifications, and are responsible for approving the education and training providers who offer them.’
• Years 10 to 12 Assessment
  ‘Assessment processes that apply to the different paths that students take at this stage of learning.’

Western Australia

• Assessment & Reporting
  Technology for learning. ‘Links to a range of generic and learning area specific assessment checklists and ideas incorporating a range of assessment practices.’
• Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting K-10
  [Policy and Guidelines]
  Summary, targetted audiences, documents, related material.
• Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Support
  Several sections and a link to the policy [see above].
• Curriculum Council of WA, Assessment
• Monitoring & Assessment, Gifted & Talented
  Multiple sections including checklists and external links.
• Monitoring Standards in Education
  Includes School Assessment Materials, among areas including Tracking Student Performance, Reporting and Making Consistent Judgements.
• Objectives in an Outcomes Focused learning Environment
  CIP technology for Learning.

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Other Information

Assessment Software

Software and online packages available or used in Australia. Several are Fee-based, sometimes expensive.

• Grade Book
  ‘Basic grade book. If you can use a regular paper grade book then you can use this program.’
• MarkBook - Assessment & Reporting System
• SNIP
  Software to manage students with special needs and learning disabilities.
• Student and Achievement Tracker
  ‘AUSSAT Online is a performance measurement and student achievement tracking tool. A secure tool that helps classroom teachers to manage class and student performance, measure student improvement, conduct longitudinal analysis and set individual student targets’.
  Note there is a significant cost involved for a school.
• UTGrade
  Full featured assessment & reporting program from the University of Toronto. Can be slow to load.

Kidmap

• Kidmap Training Modules
  Eight modules, each in Word format. Site is now archived.
• Finding out about KIDMAP

Documents

• ACSA Publication
  Click on Publications, then Assessment & Reporting.
• Assessment and Reporting English
  Information from the Australian Association for the Teaching of English.
• Assessing Learning In Australian Universities
• Assessment for Learning : 10 Principles
  ‘The 10 principles outlined on this leaflet/poster have benefited from comments from a wide variety of individuals and associations.’ Done by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority in the UK. This has a PDF download.
• Assessment for Students with Disabilities
  An International Comparison. ‘UK briefing on assessment arrangements for disabled students in various countries’.
• Core Principles of Effective Assessment
  ‘Enhancing learning by enhancing assessment.’ Online, as a PDF or a Powerpoint presentation. University of Melbourne.
• Critical Issues in Assessment
  Five major areas. Links to support materials and resources. North Central Regional Educational Laboratory in the US.
• How the World’s Best-Performing School Systems Come Out on Top
  ‘Examines the common characteristics of school systems producing students who perform well on international tests.’ PDF, 9+ mb.
• Programme for International Student Assessment [PISA]
  ‘Internationally standardised assessment that was jointly developed by participating countries and administered to 15 year-olds in schools. Tests are typically administered to between 4 500 and 10 000 students in each country.’ What is involved, how it works, Assessment Cycle, results and more. From the OECD.
• Sustainable Assessment
  Abstract, additional comments.

General Sites

• A Collection of Assessment Strategies
  ‘Each portion describes and analyses a particular type of assessment strategy, then lists sources of further information.’ Alaska Department of Education & Early Development.
• Assessment
  From ACARA. NAPLAN testing, National Assessment Program, 2010 National and International Tests for Schools.
• Assessment for Learning
  Curriculum Corporation. The topic, assessment tasks, professional development,links to assessment, world information. Their General Links page has annotated links grouped under headings.
• Assessment in Kindergarten
  Part of a larger site. Links for specific and general information
• Association for Achievement and Improvement through Assessment
  ‘For all those with a professional interest in improving learning and teaching through assessment.’ UK based but containing usable resources and information.
• Curriculum Corporation : Assessment Services
• Educational Assessment Australia
  ‘Specialises in large-scale assessment programs including the International Competitions and Assessments for Schools [ICAS].’
• Five Practical Assessment Guides
  Centre for the Study of Higher Education, University of Melbourne. Covers Online Assessment, Assessing Large Classes, Minimising Plagiarism, Assessing Group Work and Assessing students unfamiliar with assessment practices in Australian higher education. Many have a range of strategies.
• Free Online Industrial Training Skills Assessment Tool
  ‘For your own customized industrial testand also has a growing list of industrial related online assessment tests.’
• NAPLAN Online
  ‘An online resource which aims to assist all Australian students and teachers to achieve excellent learning outcomes whilst preparing for the NAPLAN [National Assessment Program-Literacy and Numeracy] tests. Completely free to use’.
• National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy 2009
  Published December 2009. Access the Report here [18.6mb], or download sections from the first page. 13 sections in all including definitions..
• Resource Collection
  University of Western Australia. Significant material on student assessment. Tertiary.
• Standards and Benchmarking
  A Guide to Junior Secondary Curriculum and Credentialling in Australia and New Zealand.

Professional Development

• Assessment Alternatives
  Articles from New Horizons. 19 plus recommended reading and other links.
• Assessment Deliberations
  ‘It is thus important for teaching staff to be familiar not only with the technical aspects of the many different forms of assessment currently in use but also with their advantages and limitations and about assessment issues and concerns.’ London Metropolitan University.
• Assessment, Evaluation, and Curriculum Redesign
  Online workshop providing explanation, demonstration, exploration and implementation of the concept.
• Classroom Assessment
  ‘Divided into 2 parts, each containing 3 lessons. Part I focuses on basic concepts and common assessments such as multiple choice and essay questions. Part II includes performance assessment, classroom interactions, and attitude surveys. Throughout the lessons, resources and techniques for integrating technology are included.’

Performance Assessment

• Performance Assessment
  Looks at all aspects of performance assessment from a description to the theory and research which underpins it.
• Performance Assessment [2]
  US Department of Education. Now archived.
• Performance Assessment Resource Centre
  Opens to the Resource Library page. Links to other assessment resources, publications and more.

• Teaching for Learning - Assessment
  Main page, Assessment section of Teaching is Learning from Flinders University. Directed at university staff.
• What is Good Assessment ?
  PowerPoint presentation [4+mb] created for an American educational conference.

Special Types of Assessment

Alternative Assessments

• Alternative Strategies for Science Teaching and Assessment
  These range across 20 different formats from Virtual Field Trips to debates, portfolios, cyberguides to Concept Maps & Future Wheels. Each section contains links covering various educational levels. While some are only associated science, others could be adapted to other subjects.
• Forms of Alternative Assessment
  Definitions and brief information about several alternative forms of assessment. Links from each to suggested processes.

Electronic Assessment & Reporting

• E-assessment
  Literature Review. Summary. Full review available as a PDF document.
• Using Technology
  To Support Alternative Assessment and Electronic Portfolios. ‘Describe and discuss the use of technology to support alternative assessment from a number of perspectives.’
• Web-based Assessment - Two UK Initiatives
  ‘Tackling the technological, pedagogical and organisational aspects of using the Web to support student assessment.’
• Welcome to Assessing Online
  ‘To help VET professionals plan, design and deliver assessment using the web. There are three parts : The Guide, The Resources and Our Research.’ A manual, glossary, case studies.

Individual Education Plans

• See information on the Assessment Resources page for links to information, checklists, advice and more.

Portfolios

• An Introduction to Science Portfolios
  Introduction, common sense information. Links to resources.
• Definitions of Portfolios & Portfolio Assessment
  More information relating to portfolios.
• Digital Portfolio Development
  A Method for Documenting Student Learning, Growth, and Development. Report plus a PDF document.
• Portfolio Assessment
  ‘Intended to provide an introduction to portfolio assessment. They were assembled from the World Wide Web, ERIC Database, and a variety of other bibliographic resources.’
• Portfolios for Student Growth
  Free publication covering a process-led approach to portfolio development.
• Student Portfolios : Classroom Uses
  Done some time ago by the US Department of Education. Contents still hold true.
• The Digital Portfolio
  A Richer Picture of Student Performance. Information, Digital Portfolio Samples.
• The Power of Portfolios
  Introduction to the portfolio system, especially with early learning and junior primary.
• Welcome to Portfolio !
  Canadian site. ‘A place to read, learn and share strategies and resources related to portfolio practices - paper or electronic’.

Student Self Assessment/Evaluation

Productive for students to assess their progress. Often done more stringently and constructively than teachers.

• Association for Achievement and Improvement through Assessment [UK]
  Final report on benefits of self-assessment.
• Graphic Organizer Index
  Use a range of assessments. Click titles for visual presentations.
• MyRead - Monitoring and Assessment

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