Bridging the conceptual gap between classroom assessment and system accountability

Margaret Forster, ACER
Geoff N. Masters, ACER

Abstract

This chapter is part narrative and part commentary. In the first part of the chapter, the authors tell the story of their experiences over the past decade in supporting the work of classroom teachers and the system-wide monitoring of student achievement. In the second part they reflect on the connections between the pieces of this narrative. It is these connections that provide a framework that bridges the apparent conceptual gap between teachers' classroom assessments and assessments undertaken for system accountability. The authors describes the development of a set of resource materials designed to support teachers in their assessment of students' English literacy skills in reading, writing, speaking, listening and viewing. Developmental Assessment Resource for Teachers (DART) was developed at the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER). The DART model was later adopted for the National School English Literacy Survey (NSELS). Recognising the need to support teachers in their understanding of assessment principles and practice, ACER developed the Assessment Resource Kit (ARK).