The Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) has organized a three day Assessment Awareness Workshop for Grades 10 and 11 school leaders on a student assessment program that will promote a student’s achievement level without the usage of a grading system (i.e. a mark or a percentage).
The initiative is part of the Abu Dhabi School Model’s (ADSM’s) to introduce a diverse assessment and curriculum scheme for Cycle 3 students.
In efforts to transform the educational system in par with international standards, and due to the ADSM’s success with the earlier years (Cycle 1 and Grade 7 public schools), the model – now in its 5th year – has matured to include Grades 10 and 11 students.
Grade 10 students now study a common set of subjects matched to their earlier achievements. Grade 11 students now follow a common core curriculum with opportunities to take “electives” in line with their interests, ambitions and aspirations.
After attending the Assessment Awareness Workshops, school leaders are expected to play a pivotal role in relaying key messages to teachers, students and parents regarding the benefits of introducing an assessment process, emphasized Ms. Shaikha Ali Al Zaabi, ADEC’s International Assessments Division Manager.
“The assessment process will help improve their overall performance since assessment will be constant and students can help one another in an area/subject they can master, while realizing their areas of strength and weaknesses,” said Ms. Al Zaabi, who added that a student’s achievement level will now be measured using a concept known as “NEDM” – N (No Achievement) – E (Emerging) – D (Developing) and M (Mastered).
Students will receive regular feedback and continuous assessment throughout the year in order to achieve maximum learning outcomes. This will be done through year-long short tests, analysis, direct investigation, exploration, large scale research, experimentation, individual tests, inquiry, projects, observation, oral performance, peer evaluation, tasks, practical work and presentations.
“Continuous assessment encourages the teacher to observe and record a student’s gradual progress over time, and can/should take place on a day to day, period by period basis over all three trimesters, thus providing greater opportunities for students to demonstrate progress via a wide variety of assessment techniques that do not rely solely on paper and pencil type of assessments,” concluded Ms. Al Zaabi.
- ADEC Media
