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Centres and institutes_

Centre for Educational Measurement and Assessment

Modern educational measurement and assessment
CEMA supports education sectors, governments, businesses, and the University by efficiently and cost-effectively providing psychometric solutions, and by developing capacity in assessment practice informed by research.
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Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash.

Study with us 

If your research interest aligns with CEMA’s Research Themes (see Research section), then we would encourage you to apply to undertake an M.Phil or PhD with us. You would be working within a supportive community consisting of some of the world's most accomplished academics and fellow students, to find solutions to real-world problems associated with assessment, measurement and/or psychometrics. Find out how to apply, if you wish to arrange a time to discuss your draft research proposal, please email us.

Events

Upcoming events

Date: Tuesday 4 July 12:00pm - 2:00pm

Presenter: Brent Duckor, President of Validity Partners specialising in innovative solutions to assessment, testing and evaluation learning outcomes.

Topic: Feedback Continuous Improvement in the Classroom, New Perspectives, Practices and Possibilities

Based on recent publications of this topic – Feedback connects, deepens communication, and helps everyone focus on advancing student learning. What if you could use the dimensions and facets of formative feedback in ways that emphasize authenticity, equity and care for ALL students?

If you would like to participate in the Educational Measurement Interest Group, please email Kathleen to be included on the mailing list Kathleen.walker@sydney.edu.au

 

Date: Thursday 24 August 12.00pm – 1.00pm

Location: Hybrid - You can choose to attend either in person on campus, or online via Zoom.

Presenter 1: Prof Bandana Saini

Presenter 2: Dr Lucy Lu

If you would like to be added to the invite list for the CEMA Research Seminar Series please email us.

Past events 

On a regular basis, CEMA invites speakers to the University to address our community on relevant topics, and we have also hosted a range of meetings and courses as well as contributing to events further afield.

February: A Course in Rasch Measurement Theory 2023 

  • Part 1 – Overview of principles of Rasch measurement and the RUMM2030 software
  • Part 2 – Rasch Measurement Theory

Participants had the option of attending only Part 1 or Part 2 or both parts of the course – each with different pricing structures.

June: Sydney Educational Measurement and Assessment Symposium 2023

May: AERO’s Evidence Backed-up Plan for Improvement – Dr Jenny Donovan (CEO of the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO))

September: Portraits of Teachers’ Enactments of Instructionally Informative Assessment Tasks: Examples from Middle and Elementary Grade Science Classrooms with Implications for Assessment Design and Practice – Dr Sandra Zaidi (Research Assistant Professor at the Learning Sciences Research Institute (LSRI) at the University of Illinois Chicago)

October: Reverse Musical Chairs: What happens when the music stops and there is a choice of chairs. When workforce demand outstrips teacher supply, does quality suffer? – Mark Grant (Chief Executive Officer at Australian Institute for Teaching & School Leadership (AITSL))

November: New Methods for assessment of general capabilities: findings from the New Metrics Program – Professor Sandra Milligan Enterprise Professor and Director of the Assessment Research Centre at the Melbourne Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne)

April: Roadmap to Improve Formative Assessment Practices in NSW Government Schools – Dr Lucy Lu (Dr Lucy Lu is Director, Education Measurement and Statistics in the Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation at the NSW Department of Education)

June: Teacher Performance Assessment in Australia: The story of the AfGT – Dr Wayne Cotton (Wayne Cotton is the Director of Academic Partnerships and Engagement in the Sydney School of Education and Social Work at the University of Sydney)

October: What are we trying to do, where are we up to, how are we going and what issues are we confronting in our quest to measure graduate qualities at a student-level at The University of Sydney? Professor Jim Tognolini & Dr Kathryn Bartimote

December: Building the Validity Argument for Automated Essay Scoring – Dr Goran Lazendic (Research Director Systemwide Testing and Manager Sydney Office at Australian Council for Educational Research)

Publications

  • Tognolini, J. & Shakra, R. (2023). Beyond Numbers: Assessment Data in the Classroom
  • Ying, S. & Shakra, R. (2022). ‘Data data on the wall show me progress for them all’: Using data walls to track student growth in learning
  • Ryan, M. & Hendry, G. (2022). Sources of teacher efficacy in teaching reading: success, sharing, and support
  • Ratner, S. (2022) Re-imagining assessment in Australian schools
  • Tognolini, J. & Shakra, R. (2021). Give teachers a stronger voice in assessment
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Banner image: Photo by Isaac Quesada on Unsplash.

Director

Professor Jim Tognolini