Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-assessment-for-teachers-seneca-certified-assessor/3-1-1-research-on-assessments

[Revision notes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes.md) › [Teacher CPD](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd.md) › [CPD: Assessment for Teachers - Seneca Certified Assessor](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-assessment-for-teachers-seneca-certified-assessor.md) › Research on Assessments

# Research on Assessments

CPD: Assessment for Teachers (by Dawn Cox), topic 3.1.1

## Research on Assessment Methods

According to Rob Coe (2017), assessment is a field with lots of very good research. However, some questions are still unanswered, especially related to practical implications.

### Cognitive science and testing

![Cognitive science and testing](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/73d35e89-2ebd-4dbd-a75a-18d839fe0b06/brain-1845962_1920.jpg)

- Recalling knowledge, also referred to as ‘retrieval’ or ‘retrieval practice’, stimulates the neurological connections involved in storing that knowledge. 
- Retrieving that knowledge in a variety of contexts creates new mental pathways and supports long-term learning.
- Well-made assessments can be a form of retrieval practice and also improve long-term learning.

### Examples of assessment

![Examples of assessment](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-07/4c0a9508-51a4-42b3-afb5-59aebbfcb629/question-2736480_1920.jpg)

- Direct verbal questioning.
- Self-questioning.
- Writing notes from memory.
- Using flashcards.
- Writing essays.
- Group discussion.

### Interleaving and AfL

![Interleaving and AfL](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-05/2ec1947d-b395-4517-bb18-d9498b9f6e7d/numbers-.jpg)

- Interleaving refers to sequencing learning tasks so that similar items are interspersed with different types of items, rather than being consecutive. 
 - E.g. if the first topic covered (1) were interleaved with the second (2) and third (3) topics, instead of block-assessing students in a sequence of 1, 2, 3 over a period of time, students would be assessed in an interleaved way (123, 123, 123).

### Time to forget

![Time to forget](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/courseImages/physics/5.2.3%20Radioactive%20decay/time-430625_640.jpg)

- In linear teaching, interleaving may involve spaced retrieval practice. This means including time delays between learning and retrieval practice to give students ‘time to forget’.
- During and after teaching a topic (3), knowledge from previous topics (1,2) should be assessed, thus requiring students to retrieve previous knowledge. So, interleaved and spaced retrieval would result in a staggered approach to learning and retrieval (1, 12, 123).
- Multiple assessment methods should be used.

## Test yourself on Research on Assessments

- If the first topic covered (1) were interleaved with the second (2) and third (3) topics, which of these would we NOT have?

[Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/04e36b88-c9c6-47ac-8a4b-54b9ceeea532/section/912a30d4-0abd-4445-9dec-969ae16a89ae/session)

- Previous topic: [2.1.1 Feedback](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-assessment-for-teachers-seneca-certified-assessor/2-1-1-feedback.md)
- Next topic: [3.1.2 Rubrics & Comparative Judgment](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-assessment-for-teachers-seneca-certified-assessor/3-1-2-rubrics-and-comparative-judgment.md)

## CPD: Assessment for Teachers (by Dawn Cox) contents

### 1 Introduction to Assessment
- 1.1 Definitions
  - [1.1.1 Validity & Reliability](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-assessment-for-teachers-seneca-certified-assessor/1-1-1-validity-and-reliability.md)
- 1.2 Types of Assessments
  - [1.2.1 Summative & Formative Assessments](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-assessment-for-teachers-seneca-certified-assessor/1-2-1-summative-and-formative-assessments.md)

### 2 Feedback
- 2.1 Feedback
  - [2.1.1 Feedback](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-assessment-for-teachers-seneca-certified-assessor/2-1-1-feedback.md)

### 3 Assessment Methods
- 3.1 Assessment Methods
  - [3.1.1 Research on Assessments](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-assessment-for-teachers-seneca-certified-assessor/3-1-1-research-on-assessments.md)
  - [3.1.2 Rubrics & Comparative Judgment](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-assessment-for-teachers-seneca-certified-assessor/3-1-2-rubrics-and-comparative-judgment.md)
  - [3.1.3 MCQs & Self-Assessment](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-assessment-for-teachers-seneca-certified-assessor/3-1-3-mcqs-and-self-assessment.md)