Assessment burdens

A visit to the GCSE exhibition at Sir William Borlase's Grammar School included an interesting discussion on the amount of work students do in art. We came to no clear conclusions but felt that the assessment burden on teachers and students for GCSE/GCE examinations does seem excessive in art. But it was harder to identify precisely where the pressure comes from. To a certain extent it is self imposed, the examination rubric talks of a 'selection' implying that not everything the student sdoes should be selected. We have also invented an evidence trail which consists of highly contrived and carefully executed works of art in the form of 'artists books'.

The question posed by the head of art was quite simple. "Are we asking them to do too much and what are other schools doing?" I guess the answer to the first question is 'probably' and to the second it is 'the same as you'. It is interesting to compare the sketchbook/journal approach with that used by Ben from Chalfonts Community College. The evidence for his development of ideas and research for his AS this year is given simply on YouTube as a video blog. Other work in the same school uses a narration over a slide show to present ideas rather than a sketchbook (using relatively simple software).

This year I worked with QCA to revise the subject criteria for art and design GCSE examinations. I wrote the initial working paper proposals which went to a consultative group. Part of the brief was to seek ways to reduce the assessment burden on pupils and teachers. One of the stumbling blocks was that all 4 assessment objectives are assessed in both coursework and externally set test. Which means that the same objectives are met twice. It also means that the externally set test has the constraint of requiring evidence for each of the 4 assessment objectives - which are equally weighted. Hence the evolution of a particular pattern of response which is virtually identical from school to school. There was a brief moment when a new pattern began to emerge but consultation forced it back to the status quo. However, exam boards are likely to be charged with seeking to reduce the assessment burden by defining more carefully what might constitute evidence for assessment.

However, perhaps the question has two perspectives. From the simple perspective of producing evidence, for assessment, of the ability to research and develop ideas students probably spend too much time illuminating sketchbooks. However, from the perspective of producing works of art which are illuminating, expressive and often deeply personal it is hard to regret the time and effort. Indeed these are often the most exciting and creative outcomes of their course.