What purpose does educational assessment serve? Are the same instruments suitable for different purposes? How much trust can we place upon the outcomes of educational assessment? The subject of educational assessment is much discussed and much misunderstood. Policymakers assert its importance to quality in education and its essential role in ensuring accountability for public education, and the results of educational assessment are thought to be of such vital interest to society that they are often made public knowledge. This approachable text explores the philosophical issues underlying these debates and how they impact on public educational policy. Two leading educators well-known for their work on educational assessment offer different perspectives on the value of exams and tests for a flourishing system of education, while the editor, Gerard Lum, comments on the strengths and weaknesses of the arguments.

Key Concepts in Educational Assessment provides expert definitions and interpretations of common terms within the policy and practice of educational assessment. Concepts such as validity, assessment for learning, measurement, comparability and differentiation are discussed, and there is broad coverage of UK and international terminology. Drawing on the considerable expertise of the authors, the entries provide: - clear definitions - accounts of the key issues - authoritative and reliable information - suggestions for further reading Created to support students of education on undergraduate and postgraduate courses, and established education professionals including those who are members of the Chartered Institute of Educational Assessors (CIEA), this book is an accessible guide for anyone engaged in educational assessment. Tina Isaacs is Director of the MA in Educational Assessment at the Institute of Education, London. Catherine Zara was most recently Director of the MA in Educational Assessment and Director of the BA (Hons) in Post Compulsory Education and Training at the University of Warwick. Graham Herbert was most recently Director of the CIEA. Steve J. Coombs is Head of Department for Continuing Professional Development at Bath Spa University, which offers an MA in Educational Assessment. Charles Smith is senior lecturer in economics and education at Swansea Metropolitan University of Wales Trinity Saint David.

What purpose does educational assessment serve? Are the same instruments suitable for different purposes? How much trust can we place upon the outcomes of educational assessment? The subject of educational assessment is much discussed and much misunderstood. Policymakers assert its importance to quality in education and its essential role in ensuring accountability for public education, and the results of educational assessment are thought to be of such vital interest to society that they are often made public knowledge. This approachable text explores the philosophical issues underlying these debates and how they impact on public educational policy. Two leading educators well-known for their work on educational assessment offer different perspectives on the value of exams and tests for a flourishing system of education, while the editor, Gerard Lum, comments on the strengths and weaknesses of the arguments.

Educational Tests and Measurements in the Age of Accountability is a core text for use in a first level graduate course in educational measurement and testing. In addition to covering the topics traditionally found in core textbooks for this course, this text also provides coverage of contemporary topics (including national testing programs, international achievement comparisons, the value added assessment of schools and teachers, and the public policy debate on selective admissions vs. affirmative minority enrollment).

Validity is the hallmark of quality for educational and psychological measurement. But what does quality mean in this context? And to what, exactly, does the concept of validity apply? These apparently innocuous questions parachute the unwary inquirer into a minefield of tricky ideas. This book guides you through this minefield, investigating how the concept of validity has evolved from the nineteenth century to the present day. Communicating complicated concepts straightforwardly, the authors answer questions like: What does ′validity′ mean? What does it mean to ′validate′? How many different kinds of validity are there? When does validation begin and end? Is reliability a part of validity, or distinct from it? This book will be of interest to anyone with a professional or academic interest in evaluating the quality of educational or psychological assessments, measurements and diagnoses.

It is becoming increasingly important to examine the relationship between the outcomes of a clinical trial and the costs of the medical therapy under study. The results of such analysis can affect reimbursement decisions for new medical technologies, drugs, devices or diagnostics. It can aid companies seeking to make claims about the cost-effectiveness of their product, as well as allowing early consideration of the economic value of therapies which may be important to improving initial adoption decisions. It is also vital for addressing the requirements of regulatory bodies. Economic Evaluation in Clinical Trials provides practical advice on how to conduct cost-effectiveness analyses in controlled trials of medical therapies. This new edition has been extensively rewritten and revised; topics discussed range from design issues such as the types of services that should be measured and price weights, to assessment of quality-adjusted life years. Illustrative materials, case histories and worked examples are included to encourage the reader to apply the methods discussed. These exercises are supported with datasets, programmes and solutions made available online.

′This is a very exciting book and should be read widely by anyone who wants a better understanding of the role of assessment in the diverse, globalised, digital societies of the 21st century.′ - Professor Mary James, University of Cambridge, President, British Educational Research Association ′Highly readable and thoroughly researched, this call for a new vision of education deserves to be ready by all those who share the concern to shape today′s assessment practices to meet the needs of tomorrow′s society.′ - Professor Patricia Broadfoot, CBE, University of Bristol Do you need a practical guide to assessment, curriculum and policy? Are you also looking for a book that is firmly grounded in theory and professional practice? This book makes assessment processes transparent for practitioners, and shows how assessment should align with curriculum and teaching for success in education. The book will show you how practitioner use of achievement standards can improve learning, equity, social justice and accountability. Inside this book, you will learn about: Quality assessment and judgement practice Relationships across curriculum, assessment, teaching and learning Front-ending assessment based on the learner′s needs Practitioner judgement approaches and standards The conditions under which teacher assessment can be valid Principles derived from research of social moderation practices Assessment for Education is the perfect guide for students, researchers, academics and teaches, and anyone working in curriculum and assessment policy.