Blogs

How can we be sure assessments are fair and inclusive for all? At Assessment Horizons we explored some of the barriers students may experience with assessments, and heard from speakers who are championing ‘assessment for inclusion’ to ensure greater equity and better outcomes for all learners.

In this second post of a four-part series on assessment data, James Beadle, Senior Professional Development Manager, The Assessment Network, explores the important role grades continue to play in education today, as well as explaining alternative ways to report student performance.

When we talk about ‘assessment literacy’, what do we mean beyond understanding how assessment works? And why is it important for different stakeholder groups to develop their understanding of assessment?

Data can be used to gather, interpret, and critically inform practitioners and organisations' decisions at every level of assessment. In this blog, Alejandra Miranda, Researcher at Cambridge, explores why assessment data can be more than a measure of student performance.

Psychometrics is the statistical process used to ensure that educational assessments are fair, reliable, and valid. In this blog, Dr Tom Benton and Carmen Lim, Cambridge researchers in the field, explain how psychometric methods underpin every stage of assessment.

At The Assessment Network we believe in bringing together powerful knowledge and insights from assessment professionals across sectors, so we invited a range of diverse speakers at our Assessment Horizons conference in April to reflect on developments in AI and assessment.

To assist educators in improving their MCQ design for language assessment, Margaret Cooze, expert in language assessment at The Assessment Network, offers insights into common mistakes, effective strategies, and the role of the CEFR framework, along with details of her upcoming workshop series.

To help you choose the most suitable learning format, The Assessment Network has created a guide to explore each option, so you can find the perfect learning pathway to enhance your assessment practice.

With the application deadline for the Postgraduate Advanced Certificate in Educational Assessment fast approaching, now's the time to start thinking about preparing your application. Read this handy guide on what you need to consider before applying and how you can prepare for the course.

To support those interested in the assessment cycle, James Beadle, Senior Professional Development Manager at The Assessment Network, has provided an overview of this topic along with a brief description of the key steps involved.

In this blog by James Beadle, teacher and Senior Professional Development Manager at The Assessment Network, he suggests the reasons we assess in the classroom and the key differences between assessment of learning, assessment for learning and assessment as learning.

At Cambridge, we take pride in conducting principled assessments that meet the highest technical standards, ensuring learners from around the world have access to quality education. In this blog, The Assessment Network at Cambridge explains the six different principles of assessment.

This blog by Dr. Tom Benton, Principal Researcher at Cambridge’s Research Division, examines the complexities of comparing GCSE subject difficulties using Ofqual’s interactive grade distribution data.

Computer adaptive testing (CAT) is a form of assessment that adjusts question difficulty to match each test taker’s ability, creating more accurate and personalised evaluations. In this blog, Christopher Hubbard, Assessment Group Manager at Cambridge English, explores the key principles and benefits of CAT.

This November, research from the Cambridge Digital Assessment Programme will be presented at the 25th AEA-Europe conference. In this blog, Research and Thought Leadership Lead Sarah Hughes summarises the research her team will present at this global event, all of which focusses on digital assessment.

This September a range of delegates from Cambridge University Press & Assessment attended a conference held between BERA and WERA in Manchester. In this blog, Principal Researcher, Dr Jackie Greatorex, summarises the research presented by Cambridge at this global event.

In this blog, Cambridge researcher Santi Lestari, explores the differences between handwriting and typing in high-stakes school exams, focusing on score comparability, marking biases, text characteristics, and composing processes. You will gain insights into the impact of digital exams and the some of the key considerations required for a smooth transition from paper to digital formats.

Recently, Cambridge researcher Elinor Lieber attended the British Educational Research Association (BERA)’s annual conference for the first time. In this blog, Elinor describes her experiences and details some of the key takeaways from the event.

Dr Simon Child reflects on insights shared at a recent Assessment in Higher Education Conference. This blog explores some of the key themes focusing on threats and possibilities that developments in could AI bring, and how approaches like authentic assessment can be considered to mitigate against the challenges faced by the sector.

Wellington College International Shanghai, holds a distinguished position in the educational landscape of China. Founded in 2014 and part of the esteemed Wellington College Family the school has quickly garnered recognition for educational excellence, preparing students for success worldwide and achieving some of the highest exam results in the region. In March 2024, Wellington commissioned a bespoke training project with The Assessment Network at Cambridge to enable greater assessment literacy across its 1600 learners, staff, and parents.