Blogs by The Assessment Network

Graeme Arnott is an assessor for the Scottish Electrical Charitable Training Trust (SECTT), where he assesses the Final Integrated Competence Assessment (FICA) and the Approved Competence Assessment. We spoke with him about his journey from electrician to assessor, his interest in nervousness as a construct irrelevant variance, and how this can influence the validity of assessments. He also shared practical approaches to recognising and addressing its impact.

In this blog, Matthew Carroll, Senior Researcher, Cambridge University Press & Assessment, explores what assessment data can tell us about the future and the care that is required in interpreting these predictions.

In this blog, Researcher Carmen Lim explores the difference between standardised and normalised scores, explaining why understanding these scoring methods is important for accurate assessment interpretation.

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.

Rebecca Dowbiggin links the ‘linguistic divide’ students may face when reading Shakespeare to the importance of clearer assessment language. She argues for a culture in which "assessment is not a mystery, but a tool for growth. Where the language of learning is one that we build together."

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.

New ambassador for The Assessment Network Paul Muir offers an insightful look into the evolving landscape of education and assessment, exploring the pressing challenges in assessment design today, while also highlighting the role that professional communities play in shaping the future of fair and inclusive assessments.

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.