This article was originally published some time ago, when there was a previous iteration of the National Computing. However, although the context has changed, many of the issues remain, which is why I've decided to republish. I hope you find it useful. It has been lightly edited to remove dud links)
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The perfect evaluation method is an ever-receeding goal. Photo by Terry Freedman
Course evaluations and their pitfalls
I think evaluations are very odd devices to be honest. Someone once “marked me down” on her evaluation of a one day course I was running on the grounds that the traffic was terrible. I pointed out to her that I wasn’t in charge of local traffic conditions and that she should complain to the council.
Read MoreTesting pupils using stories (Update)
Here’s a different and more engaging way of testing pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding. This is an updated version of an article I wrote in 2020. This version includes some ChatGPT-generated additions.
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My automated assessment machine
My issues with assessment by AI
I have serious misgivings about the use of AI to assess students’ work.
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Crowds and queues, by Terry Freedman
Job-seeking as a metaphor for assessment in computing
When I saw several hundred people lining up for some sort of job registration recently, I immediately thought of the challenges of assessing pupils’ educational technology capability. A bit of a stretch? Not necessarily.
Perverse incentives in assessment (Updated)
Trying to be helpful to pupils while assessing their understanding could actually be counter-productive.
Read MoreUsing badges
The attractive thing about badges is that a school can invent their own categories and achievement levels.
Read MoreThe problems with rubrics
Rubrics look like an easy way to tackle assessment. But they can be deceptive in that respect, and can cause the unwary to slip up.
Read MoreHow to create a grade-prediction system in Excel, and save yourself loads of time (Updated)
Spotting the unexpected results of mock exams of scores or even hundreds of students need no longer be a nightmare.
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Discussing, by Terry Freedman
Discussing exam grades with students
Is there anyone in the Department for Education who understands that education is more than issuing edicts?
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On This Day, by Terry Freedman
On this day #12: usability, assessment, tiffs, pointless data and Computing
Gosh! I don’t know if there is something special about the date December 6th — like the Ides of March, say — but I seem to have been astonishingly prolific on that date.
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Who?
Does anyone know Adam from Adam?
I have to say I think it is really insulting to have someone who looks like he has just finished studying for ‘A’ Levels himself telling us why exams are best.
Read MoreOn this day #7: Marking workload reduction
The only thing worse than feeling tired but knowing you have to mark 30 books by tomorrow morning is that feeling of ennui at 5 o-clock on a grim Sunday evening when all you want to do is curl up with a mug of tea and watch a movie, but having those exercise books smirking back at you.
Read MoreOn this day #5: The importance of not being nice
It’s important to be nice — but even more important to be honest. I wrote this article on 10 November 2011, and still think it holds true today.
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Questions, by Terry Freedman
A new assessment resource
A new assessment resource has come to my attention. It shows the keywords and synonyms in the SAMR and Bloom’s Taxonomy models, and apps which enable the teacher to address those areas.
Read MoreOn this day #1: Assessment
Why bother with theories of assessment? Surely all that matters is whether or not it works?
Read MoreTeacher assessment in ICT and Computing: not a perfect solution
What’s wrong with teacher-assessed grades?
Read MoreTesting pupils using stories
Here’s a different and more engaging way of testing pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding.
Read MoreHow to see the trend in students' grades at a glance
Updated! Here’s a little-known function in Google Sheets which gives you an in-cell graph. Handy for displaying trends in students' grades at a glance.
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Questions, by Terry Freedman
The best part of the Initial Teacher Training Core Framework is the References section
Is it surprising that the recently-published initial teacher training core framework contains no reference to education technology?
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