1. What are the functions, concepts and principles of assessment in learning and development?
(1.1, 1.2)
Assessment is essential to overall teaching process as assessment helps the learners and the assessors to determine the level of the success of their learning and teaching. It is a way of finding out if learning has taken place or not. Assessment plays a crucial role in the education
Process: it determines much of the work learners undertake (possibly all in the case of the most strategic learner), affects their approach to learning and, it can be argued, is an indication of which aspects of the course are valued most highly. Assessments take place in several ways but two of those used most commonly. They are Formative assessment and Summative Assessment which are discussed below.
1) Formative Assessments:
Formative assessment is most useful part way through a course or module, and will involve giving the learner feedback which they can use to improve their future performance. During the learning process frequent reviews are essential for the tutor in order to monitor progress and make adjustments to the learning. For the learner it is an important time to understand and gauge progress made and receive on-going feedback. This is also an important time for the learner and tutor to reflect on their input. The tutor should be using this stage of assessment to motivate the learner and should also hope to identify the areas of development. During the formative stage observational monitoring should be used to identify the learners Psycho-motor skills and also motivations and attitude. Learners should be given timely feedback from the observations and tasks and done in a manner to inspire and motivate, without motivation to encourage continued development the learner can lose interest or become despondent or give up all together. Written exercises or group discussions provide the learners with an opportunity to reflect on the recent