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Assessment Fundamentals
About this course
A practical course on classroom assessment: why we assess and the difference between formative and summative purposes, writing clear test items and rubrics, giving feedback that pupils can act on, making marking fair and consistent, and using results to decide what to teach next.
Learning outcomes
- Tell formative from summative assessment and choose the right one for the decision you need to make
- Write clear test items and a four-level rubric that match a learning outcome
- Give feedback that tells a pupil what to do next, and make time for pupils to act on it
- Spot sources of bias and inconsistency in marking and use simple routines to make marks fairer
- Read class results for patterns and decide whether to move on, re-teach or regroup
Session plan
Why We Assess: Formative and Summative Purposes
Tell formative from summative assessment and match each classroom assessment moment to the decision it informs.
Writing Good Test Items and Rubrics
Write clear test items that match an outcome, repair flawed items and build a four-level rubric with observable descriptors.
Feedback That Improves Learning
Give feedback that says what worked, what to improve and what to do next, and plan time in the lesson for pupils to act on it.
Fair and Reliable Marking
Name the main sources of bias and inconsistency in marking and use simple routines to bring marks closer together.
Using Results to Adjust Teaching
Read class results for patterns, decide whether to move on, re-teach or regroup, and plan the checks of a unit on one page.
Assessment
| Weight | Exemplary looks like | |
|---|---|---|
| Purposes-of-assessment sorting task | 25% | Classifies every assessment moment correctly and names the decision each one informs |
| Test items and rubric | 35% | Repairs flawed items and writes a rubric with observable descriptors that do not overlap |
| Marking, feedback and follow-up plan | 40% | Marks consistently, writes feedback with a next step and turns class results into a re-teach decision |
Required readings
- Classic short article on how everyday classroom assessment raises learning
- Practical guide to writing multiple-choice items and rubrics
- Evidence summary on feedback and on using assessment to guide teaching
AI integration
AI tools can help with drafting: a first set of practice questions, a first version of a rubric or a tidy layout for a results table. They never replace your judgement about your pupils or your marking, and they can write items that look right but have two correct answers or a wrong key. Check every item yourself, try it on a colleague, and never enter pupils' names, marks or personal data. See course 5.9 (AI Literacy for Teachers) for the full routine. No activity here needs technology.