VIEWS & OPINION What does the future for


assessment hold? Comment by MARK HOUSE, Product Manager, RM


Like most people I use comparison sites – to choose insurance, holidays, cars – almost anything. Assessing relative value is easier when you make comparisons. But what has this got to do with Education – and assessment in particular – where accurate judgement is key? One reason is that human nature


makes accurate absolute judgements very difficult. Despite best endeavours, it has been suggested that "across all subjects at both A Level and GCSE, about 1 in every 4 (grades), awarded every year, is wrong". This might sound extreme, but it is widely accepted that where human judgement is required there will be some level of variance – this is true for football referees assessing whether a player is offside, or a teacher or examiner marking an assessment. If there are ways to reduce those variances, we should look at it – shouldn’t we? It wasn't always like this. In 1792 a team of examiners at Cambridge


University convened at 5pm on the last day of term to compare work submitted by 19 students, and by midnight they had published them in rank order. Sadly, as student numbers increased this became less tenable and so started the first steps towards modern objective testing. RM has supported examiners for many years, helping them make


informed judgements. In looking to the future, we have developed a new product – building on what those Cambridge examiners were doing


200 years ago. RM Compare provides the opportunity to use the latest technology to undertake Comparative Judgement at scale, addressing the limitations that stopped those Cambridge Dons continuing their approach as numbers increased. In its most basic form, it surfaces pairs of items taken from an assessment set and asks judges to choose the superior one. The intelligent adaptivity algorithm makes adjustments to the pairings as judgements are made to create a reliable rank order in super quick time. Our work with schools and universities globally continues to surface


an interesting conundrum. Users tend to understand the principles behind Comparative Judgement quickly, but have more difficulty accepting it as a valid method to assess work. Even when shown the relative benefits, they feel that grading against a mark scheme is fairer and more accurate. Breaking through two centuries of assessment practice is tough. As Covid-19 has disrupted the traditional ways of delivering education


and assessment, it is time to look beyond what we do today – especially as more people realise the potential that Adaptive Comparative Judgement (ACJ) can bring, with use cases added daily, including: • Raising attainment by learning through evaluation – allowing learners to complete a short ACJ session before a course starts delivers significant performance gains. Interestingly these gains are the same for all learners, regardless of ability. • Raising attainment through peer assessment – RM Compare allows users to support their judgements with explanatory comments. These can be used as feedback for learners to understand their relative performance. • Standardising teachers' approach to assessing and grading student work – RM Compare offers an engaging way for teachers to have a shared understanding of 'what good looks like'. This is an exciting development and we are looking for early adopters


to help us better understand the benefits of Adaptive Comparative Judgement within Primary School Writing. Contact RMCompare@RM.com for more information on getting involved.


Piecing education back together


Comment by JULIE BAILEY, Chair of The Cavendish School Local Governing Body


The recent school closures have had an incredibly significant impact on most students, and in particular those with SEND. However, this impact hasn’t been wholly negative and, as a school, we have been able to use the current situation to adapt and review the conversations that we are having as well as our procedures for when we officially open in autumn 2021. A key positive that can be taken from


remote learning is the focus on flexibility. With schools and teachers able to adapt, shift the focus of lessons and teach classes via video, it allows more room for them to try new and exciting methods of teaching when everyone is back in the classroom. This flexibility is something that we are going to be incorporating into our timetable at The Cavendish School. Our curriculum will follow International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes and accredited qualifications alongside specific therapies or interventions as appropriate for individuals and the bespoke nature of IB programmes will enable us to cater for each individual’s needs and developmental demands. The flexibility of IB programmes means that the age and key stage of our students will not determine how each individual is guided through their learning; instead, therapy, interventions and multidisciplinary support will be paired alongside learning for those who need additional help, expertly


March 2021


complementing the IB programmes of study. At the heart of our new school will be relationships and the important


ways in which they support the growth of each child. These relationships include those between each student and the staff they work with, other students in the school and their families and the wider autism community. During this period of home learning, other members of the senior leadership team and I have been talking to parents of young people with autism, who are experiencing home learning first hand and asking them what it is like – what challenges they are overcoming, what is working well for them. This has included both education and parenting forums, as well as review meetings with specific families who are joining us later in the year. These conversations allow us to listen and build on the positive elements, but also gives a space for the families to voice their concerns. From these discussions, we will ensure that our teaching methodology will support each individual student; building on their newly developed skills and experiences, allowing them to achieve, make progress, experience success and thrive. These important conversations have enabled us to adapt our approach in light of the current situation and allow us to be ready to open The Cavendish School in the context of piecing education back together. The wellbeing of students with SEND is a top priority and a key focus


during this time. If we allow ourselves to focus on the negatives in this situation, it will mean that we are distracted from the genuinely positive experiences that we can take away and build on. There is no ‘how to’ guide when it comes to supporting a young person with autism, especially following this period of change and uncertainty. For staff members at special schools, this time can be used wisely to align teachings with the new experiences and routines that students will fall into and to ensure that they can slot back into the educational environment with ease and understanding.


www.education-today.co.uk 21


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