ABSTRACT

The intention of assessment is to tell us something about a learner’s attainment and is at the heart of learning. We can model learning in many ways. One way we fi nd useful is to view an episode of learning as a gap to be bridged between what was not known and what is now understood. Teaching, in supporting learning, is about crossing this bridge. To effectively support students in crossing this bridge, the teacher must know where the bridge starts. This is where assessment begins. Assessment is then used in a continuous process to ensure the bridge is successfully crossed and the endpoint reached, before informing the start of the next ‘bridge’. This process forms an assessment cycle ( Figure 15.1 ).