AssessmentTool(1).doc

MA Applied Language Studies for TESOL/MA TESOL
/Assessment Programme Document

Designing and Developing an Assessment Tool
(with Rationale)

Assessment Overview

The second assessment for the Syllabus Design and Assessment module involves the design of an assessment tool with an accompanying rationale. This task comprises 50% of the mark in the Syllabus Design and Assessment module. General assessment criteria for this task can be found in the Teaching and Learning Handbook.

A draft assessment tool and rationale will need to be submitted on which students will receive formative feedback.

Key Dates

Submission of Final Assessment Tool and Rationale : Wednesday 25th April 2012 by 5:00pm to the English Language Centre Office, ER62a.

Details of the Task

(i) Target Group

For this assessment you must select a specific group of English language learners for whom you are required to design the assessment tool. The selected group and its characteristics must be clearly defined. The description may be included within the design statement.

(ii) Design Statement

You will need to produce some form of design statement describing core parameters relating to test design. Examples of such statements can be found in the appendix of Bachmann and Palmer (1996). Nevertheless, you need not follow this format precisely and may include other information in your design statement, as long as this is relevant to test design.

(iii) Test Blueprint/Specifications

You will need to include a test blueprint or specifications document which provides a rationale for the generation of the test tasks. These specifications should include an outline description of how the test will be scored.

(iii) Implementation Statement

You will need to produce a description of how the assessment will be implemented and describe resourcing requirements and cost implications of the assessment.

(iv) Evaluation Statement

You will need to produce a document which evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of the assessment tool and which identifies possible areas of difficulty in both the assessment tool and its implementation.

(v) Provision of the Test

The assessment tool itself should be provided as an appendix to the rationale document. Answer sheets and assessment criteria should accompany the assessment tool in the assessment appendix.

Assessment Length

The rationale for the assessment should be 2000 words in length. This excludes the assessment tool itself which should be included in the appendix and which does not contribute to the assignment length.

Additional Notes

(i) This is not an essay task. The document can be structured according to the task areas outlined above, or you may decide an alternative structure within the parameters of the task.

(ii) The keys to an effective assignment answer are to:

· provide a full and reasoned justification for the assessment tool
· provide an assessment tool which would work in practice
· provide documentation which would facilitate the design itself and would enable future test designers to design parallel assessment tools

(iii) References and core sources must be provided as is necessary and conventional in academic writing, with a full reference list included.

(iv) The assessment tool need not comprise a formal test but could be in the form of portfolio or other forms of assessment.
Philip Nathan 2011-2012