All teachers are responsible for assessing the children they teach and the outcomes of any assessment are important for individual learners and the wider school.

This book is your one-stop-shop for understanding assessment in schools. It covers formative and summative approaches used across primary and secondary education, supporting a balanced overview with policy examples drawn from the UK, Ireland and wider international contexts.

Designed as a pragmatic handbook for new teachers and those training to teach, the book discusses key principles of assessment, before providing guidance on developing and carrying out assessment in the classroom, and looking at how assessment information can be used to benefit your teaching and the children you teach.

About the Author
Damian Murchan is Associate Professor in the School of Education at Trinity College Dublin. Formerly a teacher and principal in primary schools, he has held additional leadership positions as Head of the School of Education and Head of the School of Creative Arts in Trinity College. Involved in initial and continuing teacher education programmes for many years, he has wide experience of working with primary and second-level teachers, especially in the area of assessment. His research interests include assessment, e-learning, educational reform and professional development for teachers. Some recent projects have focused on reform of policy and practice in relation to Junior and Senior Cycle in Ireland. Damian is Vice-President of the Association for Educational Assessment-Europe and has held a number of advisory roles in relation to the development of assessment policy and practice in Ireland and internationally. Gerry Shiel is a Research Fellow at the Educational Research Centre, Dublin, Ireland, where he is working on the evaluation of a scheme to improve language outcomes in schools in Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking) areas. In the past, he has worked extensively on the development of tests of English, Irish and mathematics at primary and post-primary levels, and on national and international assessments, including the OECD's Programme for International Assessment (PISA). He teachers a number of modules at the Institute of Education, Dublin City University and works as a consultant on assessment and evaluation for the World Bank. A former teacher, he has worked with children with special education needs and with children experiencing difficulties with literacy and numeracy. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he worked with the State Examinations Commission in Ireland on aspects of the Leaving Certificate examination.

Reviews

Damien Murchan and Gerry Shiel have provided an invaluable resource for both qualified and student teachers. The authors have written a text which drills down under the surface of practice facilitating the understanding of the fundamental underpinning theoretical constructs of assessment. Supported by case studies, thought-provoking questions and supplemental material on the accompanying website, this volume will contribute to a more informed professional body and more effective practice in the classroom.

-- Mhairi Beaton

Damian Murchan and Gerry Shiel have written a brilliantly organised, practical and in-depth book on all the key aspects of assessment that teachers are likely to encounter throughout their professional careers. While the book and its companion website will demand reflection and active engagement, readers can expect to be richly rewarded in terms of gaining a more sophisticated understanding of how assessment can be used to enhance teaching and learning in every classroom.

-- Michael O'Leary



Book Information
ISBN 9781473913295
Author Damian Murchan
Format Paperback
Page Count 248
Imprint Sage Publications Ltd
Publisher Sage Publications Ltd
Weight(grams) 440g