Assessment


With new qualifi cations come new forms of assessment. Lynn Senior looks at the modes and methods that can be put into practice to make assessment of the Diploma a walk in the park


Reports Reports as a means of assessment are useful in the Diploma as they can be linked to the real world, and the learners can focus on a particular area to demonstrate their underpinning knowledge and the application of that knowledge in practice. For example, a learner on the Construction


Diploma might be asked to write a health and safety report for a company following a fi eld trip to a construction site. T is would allow them to demonstrate their knowledge of health and safety legislation and also apply it to their experiences on the visit.


Displays and exhibitions Within the Diploma, using displays and exhibitions as a means of assessment can range from a small-scale in-house event to a full- blown exhibition that invites external guests Consider the Hair and Beauty Diploma; learners could stage a hair show, showcasing latest designs and fashion to a local community group, or learners on the Media line could put on a fashion show for a local clothing company. T is type of assessment can be extremely motivating for the learner and can also develop other skills, such as team-work, functional maths (costing the room hire), and communication (publicity and sales).


Role-play Role-play has its place in Diploma


Reader off er!


Lynn Senior is the author of T e Essential Guide to Teaching 14 to 19 Diplomas, in which she off ers practical support, advice and guidance for all those involved in teaching these qualifi cations. Dispelling the myths surrounding the 14 to 19 Diploma and its place in the classroom, this book focuses on providing a hands-on framework to help you teach the Diplomas with confi dence. To purchase any books within the Essential


Guides series, and receive an exclusive Delivering Diplomas 20 per cent discount, simply visit www.pearson-books.com/DeliveringDiplomas


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Assessment top tips


assessments, in that it allows the learner to demonstrate a skill that they may not be able to do in the workplace itself. For example, within the Travel Diploma, a


role-play assessment could be the checking, costing and booking of a holiday for a family of four (played by peers or other teachers). While this may be something that the learner would do in the workplace it is something that a teacher may not get the opportunity to observe, and therefore a simulation through role-play provides an eff ective vehicle for the learner to demonstrate his or her skills.


Case study


Case studies can be used in a variety of ways to assess a learner. As a tool, a case study can provide the learner with a range of information about a workplace, activity or specifi c organisation. T e case study can then be used to assess how the learner uses his or her underpinning knowledge to answer


a range of questions, create reports, deliver presentations and so on. Within the Society, Health and


Development Diploma, learners could be provided with a case study on obesity and eating habits and be required to produce a display on cause and eff ect.


Portfolio


As an assessment tool, a portfolio can allow the learner to demonstrate their development in a particular subject over a period of time, or it can just be a collection of material linked to the learning outcomes of the qualifi cation.


Recording assessment – the Diploma way Record-keeping can feel like a major chore in the day-to-day activities of a teacher. However, it is crucial that you keep and


maintain records of your learners. What records should you be keeping? You will need to know how well each learner is progressing with the units and the outcomes within each unit as a bare minimum, as this may form the basis of tutorials and learning plan discussions. It is also advisable to keep a record of the


progress of the entire group. T at way you can identify if any learners are falling behind, or whether any of the units may be proving diffi cult for the entire group.


• Lynn Senior is the acting head of subject for education studies at the University of Derby, and is responsible for a range of education programmes. She has worked with the local Diploma consortium providing advice on the implementation of the Diploma lines, and more widely in training Diploma teachers.


Delivering Diplomas • Volume 2 No 2 Autumn 2010 DD


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