As we come to the end of the semester our Year 10 and 11 students will soon sit their end of semester examinations. For many students this time can be seen as stressful with many arguing that examinations promote a superficial understanding of topics and that they fail to represent the real world. However, examinations can offer some benefits.
Good assessment across a school semester aims to provide a balanced and fair evaluation of each student. This can be achieved through varying contexts so that students can demonstrate what they know and can do. Our teachers use a variety of assessment methods including research projects, group assignments, oral and visual presentations, the use of technology including, podcasts, as well as the more traditional class tests and assignments
Assessment tasks must also be specific to the goals or goal of what it is assessing, meaning that creativity could look different to a knowledge task. Whilst project based, group work can offer deep, rich assessment that promotes higher order thinking and decision making skills; examinations will allow a student to showcase a breadth of knowledge across the subject. This is what we want – differences in our assessment tasks that allows students the opportunities to demonstrate what they know and can do.
We look forward to the students performing well during the examination period which will be held in Week 8 of Term 2, for both Year 10 and 11 students.
Raymond Kropinski
Senior School Coordinator
