Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/3-1-1-the-problem-of-assessing-on-or-off-track

[Revision notes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes.md) › [Teacher CPD](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd.md) › [CPD: The CRAFT of Assessment - Seneca Certified Assessor](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor.md) › The Problem of Assessing 'On' or 'Off' Track

# The Problem of Assessing 'On' or 'Off' Track

CPD: The CRAFT of Assessment (by Michael Chiles), topic 3.1.1

## The Problems with Assessing 'On' or 'Off' Track

At GCSE level, many teachers are still expected to track whether a pupil is ‘on target’ to achieve their expected grade. The problem with this is we cannot accurately say if
a pupil is ‘on track’.

### Inevitable subconscious bias

![Inevitable subconscious bias](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/f43b1e42-1380-4f3f-8c37-0a7147f659eb/anchoring-anchor-.jpg)

- Firstly, when teachers make a judgement about pupils work, there is the inevitability of subconscious bias, as explained by the economist Daniel Kahneman. 
 - He identifies a particular form of bias, the anchoring effect, which he believes occurs when we try to think of a value for an unknown quantity before estimating that quantity.
- When teachers assess a piece of work for a child that we have taught for a length of time, we introduce bias into the process.

### Summative assessments

![Summative assessments](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/eee6bab5-d6a7-493a-8fb2-39322a189cd0/exam-sheet-answers.jpg)

- When pupils complete an in-school summative assessment, like an end of
topic test, end of year exam or a mock exam, this will usually be based on one
paper or several components of the subject. 
- The problem with suggesting that a pupil is on or off ‘track’ from these summative assessments is highlighted in the following slides.

### Problems with on/off track

![Problems with on/off track](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2020-04/1f1c1162-4ce9-450f-93cb-544174465b21/problem-.jpg)

- Pupils will be preparing for one aspect of their GCSE rather than the
whole course.
- Pupils may already know what parts of the subject are being assessed in the
school assessment.
- Teachers are using historical grade boundaries, which are set based on the
performance of a cohort in each examination series.
- Teachers may not have the expertise when applying mark schemes and,
therefore, suggested grade outcomes from these summative assessments
will likely be inaccurate.

### Problems with on/off track (cont.)

![Problems with on/off track (cont.)](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2020-04/b3544c98-2909-4dbf-a2ad-2d7b5bd538a1/problem-.jpg)

- The assessment could be completed in a classroom environment that
won’t represent the same conditions that pupils will be exposed to for
their actual examinations.
- Teachers may set up assessments that provide students with too much or too
little time to complete, which is not representative of the real examination

### Summary of problems

![Summary of problems](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-05/c0a5a954-a659-4f4f-84b0-0b9ada645ca1/question-mark-.png)

- Therefore, it is difficult for teachers to know if a pupil is going to achieve a
specific grade or if they are in fact working at a specific grade at different
checkpoints along their GCSE journey.
- There needs be a culture shift to modify how assessment is used in schools for it to be a decisive pedagogy tool that supports the facilitation of learning rather than for accountability or driving school improvement.

## Test yourself on The Problem of Assessing 'On' or 'Off' Track

- Which of these is NOT a common problem with teachers assessing students from an in-school summative assessment?

[Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/0ca96d36-7b23-451b-bac3-a78ec368872f/section/44e45540-c4e6-4d22-8fb8-5aa754e9be21/session)

- Previous topic: [2.3.2 Low-Stake Spaced Quizzing](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/2-3-2-low-stake-spaced-quizzing.md)
- Next topic: [3.1.2 Summative vs Formative Evaluation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/3-1-2-summative-vs-formative-evaluation.md)

## CPD: The CRAFT of Assessment (by Michael Chiles) contents

### 1 ‘C’ - How Can Knowledge be Effectively Condensed?
- 1.1 'C' - Condense
  - [1.1.1 The Basics of Condensing Knowledge](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/1-1-1-the-basics-of-condensing-knowledge.md)
- 1.2 Strategies for Condensing
  - [1.2.1 Condensing the PowerPoint](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/1-2-1-condensing-the-powerpoint.md)
  - [1.2.2 The Four Cogs to Expert Explanations](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/1-2-2-the-four-cogs-to-expert-explanations.md)
  - [1.2.3 Cornell Notes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/1-2-3-cornell-notes.md)

### 2 'R' - How do we Generate Reflective Learners?
- 2.1 Research on Memory
  - [2.1.1 Semantic & Episodic Memory](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/2-1-1-semantic-and-episodic-memory.md)
  - [2.1.2 The Importance of Spacing Learning](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/2-1-2-the-importance-of-spacing-learning.md)
- 2.2 Timings for Reviewing Previously Learnt Material
  - [2.2.1 How Long and How Often to Review Material](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/2-2-1-how-long-and-how-often-to-review-material.md)
- 2.3 Strategies for Generating Reflective Learners
  - [2.3.1 BUG Twist](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/2-3-1-bug-twist.md)
  - [2.3.2 Low-Stake Spaced Quizzing](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/2-3-2-low-stake-spaced-quizzing.md)

### 3 ‘A’ - Using Assessment as a Responsive Tool
- 3.1 Formative & Summative Assessments
  - [3.1.1 The Problem of Assessing 'On' or 'Off' Track](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/3-1-1-the-problem-of-assessing-on-or-off-track.md)
  - [3.1.2 Summative vs Formative Evaluation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/3-1-2-summative-vs-formative-evaluation.md)
- 3.2 Determining Whether Learning has Taken Place
  - [3.2.1 Proxies for Learning](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/3-2-1-proxies-for-learning.md)
- 3.3 Strategies for Assessing Student Learning
  - [3.3.1 Hinge Questions](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/3-3-1-hinge-questions.md)
  - [3.3.2 Exit Tickets](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/3-3-2-exit-tickets.md)

### 4 'F' & 'T' - Precise Feedback to Feedforward
- 4.1 Giving Effective Feedback
  - [4.1.1 Creating an Effective Feedback Culture](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/4-1-1-creating-an-effective-feedback-culture.md)
  - [4.1.2 Effectiveness of Feedback](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/4-1-2-effectiveness-of-feedback.md)
- 4.2 Grades
  - [4.2.1 Research on Giving Grades as Feedback](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/4-2-1-research-on-giving-grades-as-feedback.md)
- 4.3 Strategies for Providing Feedback
  - [4.3.1 The Language of Feedback](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/4-3-1-the-language-of-feedback.md)
  - [4.3.2 'In the Moment' Feedback](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/teacher-cpd/cpd-the-craft-of-assessment-seneca-certified-assessor/4-3-2-in-the-moment-feedback.md)