Assessing Computing and ICT in a post-Levels world

April 12, 2019

Several years on from the removal of levels, assessment — especially in Computing and ICT — is still a hot topic.

How I became more efficient at marking and got my life back

November 22, 2018

Here is a short exposition of the changes I made in order to reduce the amount of marking I had to take home with me.

Education technology qualifications update

August 31, 2018

Computing and related qualifications: I’ve updated my spreadsheet of qualification at Key Stage 4 and 16-18. Please read on for details.

Automated assessment: a blast from the past

April 27, 2018

There’s nothing wrong with automated marking. Indeed, there is much to commend it.

Ask them to explain what they think they've learnt. Picture by Kidaha on Pixabay.com CCO

7 questions to ask pupils during lesson observation

March 2, 2018

If you're observing a lesson, here are seven questions to ask the pupils.

Digital Education: what's in the latest issue?

March 21, 2017

Assessment, Book reviews, Ofsted: just three of the topics covered in the latest issue of our newsletter, Digital Education.

Formative assessment vs Summative assessment

March 19, 2017

To some extent, the difference between formative assessment and summative assessment is a matter of context and objectives.

Assessment and the black swan problem: a new free resource

March 12, 2017

A new, free, resource.

I've been thinking about, and running courses on, assessment for a long time. In a mini essay called Assessment and the black swan problem, I discuss an issue that I think receives scant attention. In this short article I tell you how you can get hold of the essay.

More assessment resources, and a change of cover

March 7, 2017

I've been adding resources to the list for my forthcoming course, and changing the cover of my book.

But does she understand what she's doing? Photo by Gerd Altmann.

Collating resources for my Assessment in Computing course

March 3, 2017

I'll be running a course in Assessing Computing soon. What are the challenges in compiling a list of recommended resources for course particpants?

12 things I've learnt about assessing Computing and ICT

September 30, 2016

I've been thinking about, doing, and running courses in the art and science of assessing what kids know, understand and can do when it comes to Computing and ICT for a long time. Here are 12 things I've learnt.

Articles on ed tech: Retrospective 02

August 8, 2016

A selection of articles on education technology you may have missed, from last week, last year, and the Digital Education newsletter.

Messy problems and ed tech

June 29, 2016

Do we spoonfeed students too much? Or ask them the wrong kind of questions? Here's an interesting discussion between Kevin Hogan of Technology & Learning and Alan November.

4 things I've learnt about assessing Computing and ICT

June 7, 2016

Assessing pupils' ability in Computing or ICT is not easy. Here are four things I've learnt about it.

ICT & Computing Qualifications List Update

June 1, 2016

News about the updated ICT & Computing (etc) qualifications list, and how you can get it.

Such a shame that we can't look inside kids' heads. It would make assessment so much easier!

5 articles on assessment and assessing computing

April 28, 2016

How to assess pupils in Computing, marking, evaluation -- here are 5 articles that I hope you'll find challenging, thought-provoking and perhaps even useful!

My 10-point marking strategy

April 19, 2016

Marking is an important part of assessment, but it need not be unduly arduous.

Hollywood here I come. Or maybe not. Picture from pixabay.com CC0

Terry's 2 minute tips #1 Marking with coloured pens

April 12, 2016

Is marking with different coloured pens a good idea? That's the topic I cover in this edition of Terry's 2 Minute Tips.

An observation sheet should be more than a checklist. Picture from www.pixabay.com CC0

The checklist approach to assessment

April 7, 2016

An interesting article on assessment in an Australian magazine for teachers leaves a few questions to be answered.

What colour shall we use today? Picture from www.pixabay.com CC0

Marking with coloured pens? Don't make me laugh!

April 4, 2016

I find the notion of marking kids' work in different coloured pens ridiculous. Always have done.

Recent book reviews

Review: How I review books on edtech

My views on what constitutes a book on edtech are fairly catholic. Indeed, it would me more accurate to denote the books I review as books for teachers of ICT, Computing, digital literacy etc etc,, rather than books on edtech. The latter tend to have titles like “How to teach Computing”, or “How to use Excel in the classroom”.

Review: Nuts and Bolts: How Tiny Inventions Make Our World Work

It's rather disconcerting when one considers that buildings like The Shard are essentially held together by nuts, bolts and washers.

Review: Love Triangle: The Life-changing Magic of Trigonometry

Like, I suspect, many people, I have never knowingly come across an isosceles triangle in my life, and wouldn’t know what to do with it if I did. However...

Review: Making Sense Of Chaos – A Better Economics for a Better World

Before you rush off on the grounds that this book has nothing to do with Computing, let me reassure you that it does.

Bjork & Bjork’s Desirable Difficulties in Action

The original work on which this volume is based has perhaps been honoured more in the breach than in the observance.

Review: Coderspeak – The language of computer programmers

This book won’t necessarily help a student pass a computing exam, but it will almost certainly make them a more aware, and thus better, programmer.

Review: Quiet Power, by Susan Cain

Introverts thrive by being allowed to be quiet, having time for reflection and not being required to 'perform' all the time.

Quick look: Desirable difficulties in action

The idea of desirable difficulties has always appealed to me. In my teaching I’m partticularly in favour of applying Vygotsky’s concept of the zone of proximal development.

Review: The Collaboration Book – 41 Ideas for Working Better

Most people would agree that collaboration is a good thing – so how can we collaborate more effectively in school settings?

Review: Listen: On Music, Sound and Us

This book might not directly address obvious aspects of the music curriculum, but it can certainly give teachers access to a rich seam of facts and anecdotes with which to embellish their lessons.