Press Release
TOP UK UNIS TO OFFER NEW MASTERS IN ASSESSMENT
19 May 2008
The CIEA develops new qualification to raise standards of assessment in schools, colleges and the workplace
The Chartered Institute of Educational Assessors (CIEA) has significantly furthered the professionalisation of assessment by strategically bringing together leading UK universities to offer the world’s first Master Degree in Assessment. Some of the UK’s top universities, including Bath Spa University, Durham University, University of Leeds, Warwick University, Swansea University and the Institute of Education, will now offer an MA in Assessment to students. Bath Spa will be the first to offer the new MA this September, while the other universities will follow in September 2009.
Graham Herbert, Deputy Head of the CIEA, says: "We are absolutely delighted with the responses we have had so far from this prestigious list of universities and we welcome Bath Spa University’s spearheading of the programme’s roll-out this September. Assessment is too often seen as the poor relation to teaching and learning. For example, the average teacher receives just five hours of assessment training as part of a nine-month PGCE course. At the same time Ofsted cites assessment as one of the most variable factors impacting upon school performance. In order to ensure quality assessment in schools and colleges, teachers and lecturers need a deeper understanding of more effective assessment practice. The MA programme will provide this."
Dr Steven Coombs, Chair of the Professional Master’s Programme at Bath Spa University, says: "By working closely with the CIEA to launch this Professional Master’s Programme, Bath Spa University’s School of Education is demonstrating its responsiveness to the needs of the education and training profession. The qualification is very timely, as it will provide a range of benefits to both secondary school teachers and FE college lecturers alike; allowing them to oversee the quality assurance of project work completed in schools and colleges as part of the new National Curriculum initiative and the new Diploma awards. Headteachers and Principals should welcome this new Continuous Professional Development (CPD) opportunity."
The MA in Assessment stems from the development last year of Chartered Educational Assessor (CEA) status, which can be applied for by CIEA members, validating assessment as a skill inseparable from teaching and learning. The performance criteria to achieve CEA status are similar to those required to work at the level of a Masters degree. Although each university will offer its own unique blend of learning and assessment criteria, successful students will be able to move quickly on to the CEA course. Durham University plans to offer an MSc in assessment, which could lead to further research in a specific area of assessment.
The courses will look at the five functions of assessment:
- preparing for assessment and developing effective questions or tasks that are based upon the principles of assessment
- conducting assessment
- understanding of standardisation and moderation techniques
- feeding back after assessment
- showing an understanding of how to handle the data that emanates from assessment activities
The CIEA is a professional body dedicated to supporting the needs of everyone involved in educational assessment – from senior examiners, moderators and markers to individuals with an interest in or responsibility for assessment in primary schools, secondary schools, colleges, universities, training centres and other educational organisations.
Launched in May 2006, the CIEA has worked to develop the status of assessors, demonstrating how their evaluations of a students’ performance are essential to the teaching strategies employed and the progression of the student as they monitor their continuous assessments.
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