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Courses in assessment for educators

Empowering educators through professional learning

The Centre for Educational Measurement and Assessment (CEMA) has a broad range of educational products available to support you.

National and state education assessment landscapes have grown in significance with data informing major education, accountability and investment decisions. Arguably more important, is the use of assessment and evidence at school level to inform teaching and improve learning outcomes.

The education community has identified an urgent need to develop teachers’ professional practice in these areas. This imperative is made more compelling by recent reports* which link professional learning, quality teaching including assessment practices, and improved student outcomes.

Click on the educational resource link or the resource date of your choice to register or register and pay. 

All courses are delivered online and address the Highly Accomplished Standards. 

Teachers, Leading others, Leading school:

Each of these short courses provides 1 hour of Elective PD and provides a basic understanding of assessment or data. The cost of each is $121.00 (GST inclusive) per participant. Each is online, on demand, and interactive. Please note: Payment by credit card during registration is required for successful enrolment.

Short course 1 (Assessment): Modern Assessment Theory and assessment strategies for higher order thinking

Short course 2 (Data): Empowering teachers through the meaningful use of data and evidence

 

 

Each masterclass is scheduled between 3.30pm and 5.30pm

Masterclass 1 is a pre-requisite for all of the other masterclasses. The cost is $250 per teacher. Make sure that you enrol for this on a date prior to the pair of masterclasses you wish to do. (If this is not possible, you may enrol in Assessment Literacy for Teachers Module 1 which covers the same content.)

Apart from masterclass 1, each masterclass is offered as a pair.

These Masterclasses address standard descriptors at Highly Accomplished from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers, which can be submitted by Proficient and Highly Accomplished Teachers for Professional Learning hours.

Cost: $400 per teacher (per pair)

Please note: Payment by credit card during registration is required for successful enrolment. 

Masterclass 1: Pre-requisite for the pairs of masterclasses

This masterclass lays the foundational knowledge and understanding required to engage in the pairs of masterclasses listed below.

Introduction to modern assessment theory including standards referencing

3.30-5.30pm This masterclass covers the content of the first Assessment Literacy for Teachers module

Content

  • The masterclass starts by defining several assessment related terms;
  • The concepts of cognitive depth and difficulty are introduced and explained;
  • The presenter then introduces the notion of tracking student progress along a developmental continuum;
  • The presenter then discusses the importance to teachers of the two main principles of assessment (validity and reliability); and, then
  • Demonstrates how current standards referencing systems are examples of assessment theory in practice.
  • Conclusion and Evaluation

Presentation style

This foundational masterclass comprises theory delivered by the expert presenter and interactive discussion and activities.

Accreditation stage

Highly Accomplished (and can therefore be used as PD hours for Proficient and HA teachers)

Australian Professional Standards for Teachers: Descriptors covered

5.1.3

Masterclass pair: How to build quality classroom tasks

This pair of masterclasses may be undertaken once Masterclass 1 has been completed.

3.30-5.30pm This pair of masterclasses addresses the design of high quality classroom assessment tasks

Content

The first masterclass in the pair will introduce the theory behind each type of assessment task:
  • Selected response
  • Short answer items
  • Extended response
  • Performance tasks
  • Taxonomies underpinning curriculum, learning and assessment
During the break between the two masterclasses you will be expected to design and implement one type of assessment task with a class and make notes on the process and outcomes.
In the second masterclass in the pair we will:
  • Discuss the challenges and solutions to the design and implementation process
  • The presenter will then introduce assessing Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) through these tasks
  • Conclusion and Evaluation

Presentation style

This foundational masterclass comprises theory delivered by the expert presenter and interactive discussion and activities.

Accreditation stage

Highly Accomplished (and can therefore be used as PD hours for Proficient and HA teachers)

Australian Professional Standards for Teachers: Descriptors covered

3.1.3, 5.1.3

Masterclass pair: How to make assessments fair for all students

This pair of masterclasses may be undertaken once Masterclass 1 has been completed.

3.30-5.30pm This pair of masterclasses supports teachers to design good quality assessment tasks, ensuring fairness in assessing students of all abilities

Content

The first masterclass in the pair will introduce:
  • The concept of Reliability and why it is important
  • The concept of Validity and why it is important
  • Designing quality assessment tasks
During the break between the two masterclasses you will be expected to design and implement an assessment task with a class and make notes on how you aimed to make it good quality, ensuring reliability and validity.
In the second masterclass in the pair we will:
  • The presenter discusses the importance to teachers of appraising classroom tasks and assessments
  • The group will discuss the exemplars generated during the break between sessions
  • Conclusion and Evaluation

Presentation style

The pair of masterclasses are comprised of theory delivered by the expert presenter and interactive discussion and activities.

Accreditation stage

Highly Accomplished (and can therefore be used as PD hours for Proficient and HA teachers)

Australian Professional Standards for Teachers: Descriptors covered

5.1.3, 5.4.3

Masterclass pair: Statistics for teachers and school leaders

This pair of masterclasses may be undertaken once Masterclass 1 has been completed.

3.30-5.30pm This pair of masterclasses addresses statistics

Content

The first masterclass in the pair will introduce the theory of statistics and address the uses of statistics for teachers:

  • The importance of the language of statistics for teachers and school leaders
  • Statistical terminology
  • Frequencies and Frequency Distributions
  • Graphing Frequency Distributions
  • Bar Graphs, Histograms and Pie Charts
During the break between the two masterclasses you will be expected to generate some data from a classroom assessment task and present it in what you consider the most useful manner for a particular audience. You should make notes on the process and the reasons for your choice.
In the second masterclass in the pair we will:
  • Discuss the challenges and solutions to the process of presenting data, using the exemplars generated during the break between sessions
  • The presenter leads a session on interpreting and understanding some other exemplars eg NAPLAN, HSC, PISA
  • Conclusion and Evaluation

Presentation style

The pair of masterclasses are comprised of theory delivered by the expert presenter and interactive discussion and activities.

Accreditation stage

Highly Accomplished (and can therefore be used as PD hours for Proficient and HA teachers)

Australian Professional Standards for Teachers: Descriptors covered

5.1.3, 5.4.3

Masterclass pair: Planning and evaluation: Moving beyond the obvious when measuring success

3.30-5.30pm This pair of masterclasses addresses the concept of measuring student performance

Content

The first masterclass in the pair will address:

  • What schools are expected to address and what is reported
  • Discussion of what school teachers and leaders value
  • A common approach to building a measurement scale
  • Measuring performance against the scale
  • Measurement rubrics
  • Ways that an evidential argument might be built to support the scale
  • Some ways that teachers might assess students to collect evidence of what they know, can do, and value, in relation to what is being measured
During the break between the two masterclasses you will be expected to select a construct to measure. You will then design and implement a measurement rubric with a class and make notes on the process and outcomes.
In the second masterclass in the pair we will:
  • Discuss the challenges and solutions to the design and implementation process, using the exemplars generated during the break between sessions
  • The presenter will then explain the value of setting quality classroom tasks and assessments and measuring outcomes effectively
  • Conclusion and Evaluation

Presentation style

The pair of masterclasses are comprised of theory delivered by the expert presenter and interactive discussion and activities.

Accreditation stage

Highly Accomplished (and can therefore be used as PD hours for Proficient and HA teachers)

Australian Professional Standards for Teachers: Descriptors covered

5.1.3, 5.4.3

No prior knowledge assumed.

Each workshop is scheduled between 9am and 3pm.

These Workshops address standard descriptors at Highly Accomplished from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers, which can be submitted by Proficient and Highly Accomplished Teachers for Professional Learning hours.

Cost: $500 per participant. Please note: Payment by credit card during registration is required for successful enrolment.

Workshop: Building analytic and holistic rubrics

9am-3pm This workshop addresses the value of rubrics and outlines the steps to designing rubrics which are fit for purpose
Content The workshop will cover:
  • Introduction and Overview
  • Defining rubrics and measurement rubrics
  • Considering some interesting examples
  • Introducing types of rubrics
  • Building rubrics
  • Locating students on a rubric
  • Examples of rubrics for non-cognitive skills
  • dentifying 3 key questions for your school
  • Conclusion and Evaluation
Presentation style

The workshop is comprised of theory delivered by the expert presenter and interactive discussion and activities.

Accreditation stage Highly Accomplished (and can therefore be used as PD hours for Proficient and HA teachers)
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers: Descriptors covered 

3.1.3, 5.1.3, 5.2.3

Workshop: Measuring what we value

9am-3pm This workshop addresses the concept of measuring student performance in cognitive and non-cognitive tasks
Content

The workshop comprises:

  • What schools are expected to address and what is reported
  • Discussion of what school teachers and leaders value
  • A common approach to building a measurement scale
  • Measuring performance against the scale
  • Measurement rubrics
  • Ways that an evidential argument might be built to support the scale
  • Some ways that teachers might assess students to collect evidence of what they know, can do, and value, in relation to what is being measured
  • Discuss the challenges and solutions to the design and implementation process
  • The presenter will then explain the value of setting quality classroom tasks and assessments and measuring outcomes effectively
  • Conclusion and Evaluation
Presentation style

The workshop is comprised of theory delivered by the expert presenter and interactive discussion and activities.

Accreditation stage Highly Accomplished (and can therefore be used as PD hours for Proficient and HA teachers)
Australian Professional Standards for Teachers: Descriptors covered 

5.1.3, 5.4.3

EDPZ6011 Assessment Literacy for School Teachers

EDPZ6012 Data Literacy for School Teachers

We offer innovative Master of Education units of study delivered entirely online that provide a basic introduction to what teachers need to know and do to assess effectively and maximise learning.

By successfully completing all six Modules in the Assessment Literacy for Teachers course, participants will be eligible to undertake an extension assessment module for an additional fee. 

Successful completion of this complete program is equivalent to the University of Sydney postgraduate unit of study EDPZ6011 Assessment Literacy for School Teachers (6 credit point value) and your statement of completion may be used to apply for credit toward a Master of Education program.

By education sector or union

CEMA’s Assessment Literacy for Teachers modules are available through the Catholic Schools NSW website.

Full day NESA accredited courses. Please follow the link for further information and to enrol:

Course 1:

Wednesday 21 June 2023: In person at the Teachers Federation Office, Federation House, 23-33 Mary Street, Surry Hills, NSW 2010

Wednesday 25 October 2023: Online

Empowering teachers through the meaningful use of data and evidence (nswtf.org.au)

Course 2:

Tuesday 25 July 2023: Online

Modern Assessment Theory and Assessment Strategies for Higher Order Thinking: K - 12 (nswtf.org.au)

Course 3:

Wednesday 3 May 2023

Part 1: In person at the Teachers Federation Office Federation House, 23-33 Mary Street, Surry Hills, NSW 2010

Wednesday 17 May 2023

Part 2: In person at the Teachers Federation Office, Federation House, 23-33 Mary Street, Surry Hills, NSW 2010

Wednesday 18 October 2023

Part 1: Online

Wednesday 1 November 2023

Part 2: Online

Leading Assessment Practice in Schools K-12 (nswtf.org.au)

Two hour NESA accredited courses: 

  • Course 1: Let’s start at the very beginning…of assessment literacy for teachers
  • Course 2: What is the trick to building quality projects, investigations, or performance assessment tasks?
  • Course 3: How do you make your assessments fair for all students?
  • Course 4: What evidence is needed to show that we are producing consistent and comparable judgements across our school?

Visit the Independent Education Union of Australia NSW/ACT Branch website for further information and to enrol.


*NSW Curriculum Review final report (Masters, 2020) which describes assessment as a ‘powerful influence’ … on teaching and learning; and the National School Reform Agreement (2019)

Banner image: Photo by Tuur Tisseghem from Pexels.