Dr Margaret Forster is the Research Director of the Assessment and Reporting
Research Program at the Australian Council for Educational Research.
Dr Forster has extensive experience in the area of assessment and reporting, and works as
a consultant nationally and internationally. She has direct experience in the development
of support materials for teachers, and policy makers. She conceptualised and co-authored
the first Developmental Assessment Resource for Teachers (DART English Upper Primary),
and is co-author of the ACER Attitudes and Values Questionnaire, and the Assessment
Resource Kit (ARK) materials. She also wrote the introductory overview to the Discovering
Democracy Assessment Resources , and prepared the introductory materials for the
Curriculum and Standards Framework II information kit that were distributed to all
schools in Victoria (Progress Maps: A Teacher's Handbook).
Dr Forster has a particular research interest in the collection and use of achievement
data to improve learning. She co-directed the National School English Literacy Survey
(NSELS) and co-authored the NSELS report. She has written a number of general research
based publications on the reporting of student achievement including A Policy
Maker's Guide to International Achievement Studies, and A Policy Maker's Guide
to Systemwide Assessment Programs.
Dr Forster also has extensive experience in providing advice at policy level. She is a
member of the Values Education Project Advisory Committee, the Queensland Expert Advisory
Group for the Curriculum, Teaching, Assessment and Reporting project, and the Victorian
Ministry of Education Assessment and Reporting Taskforce. Recent national consultancies
on the revision and implementation of assessment and reporting frameworks include work
with the Western Australian Curriculum Council, the VCAA and Education Queensland. Recent
international consultancies include work for the World Bank Institute, for the Peruvian
Ministry of Education, for AusAID in Papua New Guinea and the Philippines, for UNICEF,
for the Scottish Executive, for the Hong Kong Curriculum Development Institute, and for
the Chilean Ministry of Education.
[NOTE: A comprehensive list of booklets, assessment resources, workshops and publications
can be accessed from the Vitae section of this site.]
Contributions to Books
Articles
Misc. Documents & Unpublished Papers
Confrence Papers & Presentations
Reports
