Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Summative assessment
T2 - dealing with the ‘measurement fallacy’
AU - Yorke, Mantz
PY - 2011
Y1 - 2011
N2 - Much grading of student work is based, overtly or tacitly, on assumptions derived from scientific measurement. However, the practice of grading and the cumulation of grades into an overall index of achievement are socially constructed activities that fall a long way short of what is expected of scientific measurement. If scientific measurement is an unattainable ideal, how should the summative assessment of student achievement be approached? The case is argued that the professional judgement of assessors has to be given prominence, and that this implies a sustained commitment to developmental work at institutional and sectoral levels. Some suggestions along these lines are outlined.
AB - Much grading of student work is based, overtly or tacitly, on assumptions derived from scientific measurement. However, the practice of grading and the cumulation of grades into an overall index of achievement are socially constructed activities that fall a long way short of what is expected of scientific measurement. If scientific measurement is an unattainable ideal, how should the summative assessment of student achievement be approached? The case is argued that the professional judgement of assessors has to be given prominence, and that this implies a sustained commitment to developmental work at institutional and sectoral levels. Some suggestions along these lines are outlined.
KW - academic achievement
KW - grading
KW - academic success
KW - assessment
KW - measurement
U2 - 10.1080/03075070903545082
DO - 10.1080/03075070903545082
M3 - Journal article
VL - 36
SP - 251
EP - 273
JO - Studies in Higher Education
JF - Studies in Higher Education
SN - 0307-5079
IS - 3
ER -