ePortfolio: Using Controlled Digital Frameworks
to Assess Practical Synoptic Tasks
AO Forum 2016, London
21st April
Patrick Craven
Director Assessment Policy & Research
Matt Wingfield
Chief Business Development Officer
Assessment: An Inexact Science
Trust & Regulation Agenda
RELIABILITY
Industry &
Assessment
Agenda
VALIDITY
Fit for Purpose and Authentic
Rigour and Quality Assurance
Service &
Business
Agenda
VIABILITY
Robust and Sustainable
The Scope for Innovation
Divergent
Assessment
Convergent
Assessment
E-ASSESSMENT COMPLEXITY
OBJECTIVE
SUBJECTIVE
Creative
Essays
Technical
Factual
Essays
Multiple Choice,
Hot-Spot,
Drag & Drop,
Interactive ...
Single Word/Value
Response
Explanatory
Phrase/Sentence
Formulae
Explanatory
Paragraph
Creative
Professional
Performance
Technical
Performance
Skills/Functions
Tests
ASSESSMENT TYPES
HUMAN MARKING
AUTOMATED ASSESSMENT
The environment is changing
• New profile for Technical and Professional in KS4 and
KS5 stages;
• Apprenticeships is the main investment (dual channel);
• Provider channel and funding reform in England;
• Nations diversity of key policies and regulation;
• Localisation of the skills agenda – LEPs, City Deals;
• Synoptic end-weighted assessment;
• The challenge of grading;
• Independent End Assessment;
• Further review of ‘level 2 Maths & English’;
• Employer and Learner driven choice.
Theory of evolution
Evolution of the Tech-Levels
Meeting Tech-Level qualification delivery challenges:
• Meeting the requirement for external assessment of
practical skills – in coursework or projects
• Ensuring delivery of sound assessment standardisation
• Providing an intuitive, transparent mechanism to
support centres and learners
• In touch with a more digitally enabled landscape
• Offering City and Guilds centres best value for best QA
• Satisfies the ‘triangle challenge’ and is authentic
TechBac System Deployment
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Proof of Concept with Digital Assess in May-June 15
Configuration to model TechBac quals Jan-Feb 16
Centre training March
Deployment took place this month in 10 subject areas:
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Digital Technologies (Level 2 & 3)
Automotive (Level 2)
Engineering (Level 3)
Constructing the Built Environment (Level 3)
• Construction Technician
• Civil Engineering
Animal Care (Level 2)
Equine Care (Level 2)
Higher Project
Extended Project
User Feedback to date…
• Centres very positive about the system:
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No paper!
Intuitively models the assessment framework
Empowers the learners to be involved in the assessment process
Provides a transparent audit trail of learner work and assessment
Quick and easy digital submission to the external
assessor/moderator
• Training sessions have confirmed the centre appetite for
a digital approach – they can see the benefits
• External assessors/moderators also positive about the
approach and like the assessment process transparency
What’s next…
• Preparations for wider deployment from September:
• Tweaking workflow and configurations in light of lessons learnt
• Seamless data flow integration with SAP and C&G Walled Garden
• Modelling of more complex ‘optional assessments’
• Potential extension to the use of the system to support
Trailblazer apprenticeship assessments
• Potential integration with Learning Assistant to extend
approach to a wider set of qualifications
• International deployments?
What does this look like in practice?
A digital solution to meet the challenges of
Tech-Level qualification delivery:
Two approaches to supporting intuitive, digitally enabled
Evidence-Based Qualification Assessment and Moderation
Project-Based Assessments
Reflection and evidence of learning is intuitively captured by the
learner and can be shared with tutors & mentors (and employers)
as part of a formative assessment approach.
Synoptic Assessments
Capturing planning and thought process
Synoptic Assessments
Capturing performance/knowledge application
Synoptic Assessments
Understanding the whole learner journey
Modelling Assessment Frameworks
Learner evidence is linked to the assessment objectives,
creating a transparent audit trail that supports standardisation.
Managing EBA for AOs
Centralised management of external assessment
workflow of EBA qualifications via digital submission
The Benefits of effective EBA
• Enables quicker work-readiness through use of authentic
assessment tasks;
• Facilitates richer, stronger formative support of learning
through improved visibility of process;
• Provides ‘forward indicators of readiness’:
 The right skills;
 The right attitude;
 In the right time.
• Provides greater transparency:
 Extending learning to address weaknesses;
 Of collaboration and teamwork;
 Of progress, decision making, critique & explanation.
Supporting Evolution
• A not for profit association focused on supporting
the wider use of e-assessment in all its guises
• Individual membership is FREE
• Corporate sponsorship packages are also
available, currently starting from as little as £500
(no-VAT).
• To join, either go to our website at
www.e-assessment.com or chat to one of us.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING
Patrick Craven
[email protected]
www.cityandguilds.com
Matt Wingfield
[email protected]
www.digitalassess.com