Should Scotland reform its educational assessment system?
Learning vs. outcomes. Understanding vs. memorisation. What is the true purpose of assessment for students in schools? Assessment has 3 key purposes. Firstly, it allows teachers to see what progress a student is making, whereby teachers can use this information to assist them with helping to plan for further student progress. Secondly, it enables the schools to report information to parents and students, which students can use to plan for further qualifications or career paths. Thirdly, assessment means schools can set targets for future, to measure performance and outcomes which they can use to report to local authorities and national bodies, including the Government (Department of Education, n.d.). Historically, realist ideologists such as Plato, suggested education should prepare students to be specifically trained for vocational occupations, provide physical and moral learning, and allow for philosophical learning (Mintz, 2018). Accordingly, assessment should follow i...