ASSESSMENT

The grading system in Australian Secondary Schools with approximated percentages:

• A (Excellent) - 85% and above
• B (Good) 70-84%
• C (Satisfactory) 50-69%
• D (Needs Improvement 40 -49%
• E (Unsatisfactory) 39.12% and below

The primary aim of assessment is that it uses merit as a selection process instead of favouritism. The western world is one which is heavily centred around the ideology of a meritocracy.

Assessment types:

• Formative (progressive assessment 'for' learning) and Summative (conclusive assessment 'of' learning
• Subjective (more than one way to express the answer) and Objective (one single answer)
• Criterion Referenced (measured against defined criteria) and Norm Referenced (measured against the student body undertaking the assessment - grading the curve)
• Informal (Does not contribute to final grade e.g peer evaluation and feedback) and Formal (given a numerical score or grade e.g test or quiz)

NB - A good assessment has both validity (measures what was intended) and reliability (gives a consistent spread of results). There will often be a trade-off. e.g a performance assessment is hard to score accurately due to its subjective nature, but a multiple choice test on performance technique is easily graded.

Drama assessing is done according to the: making, performing and appreciating criteria

NB - It is important that tasks are weighted properly. Also, do not mark a task too hard or set a task that is too difficult.

Scaling appropriately assigns marks to task weights. It rewards student consistency. The group then get ranked accordingly.