What is Pamoja Education's approach to assessment?
A strong commitment to quality IB assessment
Pamoja Education understands that the primary aim of Diploma Programme assessment is to support and encourage student learning. At the same time, we recognise that assessment requires the highest level of discipline and integrity from all concerned.
Formative and summative assessments
We strive to make our formative and summative assessments fully consistent with IB "best practice", both in design and implementation. In designing these assessments, it is our aim to:
- make the student a better judge of his/her own performance
- help the student to develop his/her own strategies for improvements
- provide teachers with information on the nature of each student´s strengths and limitations.
Wherever possible, we take advantage of the online environment to make assessments interesting as well as challenging. We are currently developing a series of case studies to demonstrate innovation in this area.
IB Internal Assessments
As in traditional face-to-face courses, our students' IB internal assessments follow strict IB guidelines and are graded by each student´s classroom teacher (in this case the online teacher), with work samples sent for formal moderation upon request by the IB.
IB External Assessments
Our online students sit their IB external assessments at their own IB World School®. They take exactly the same exam, at exactly the same time, in exactly the same way, as they would in a traditional face-to-face course.
Teacher collaboration
Teacher collaboration is essential to ensure consistent assessment standards where there are multiple sections of a course taught by different online teachers. Our teachers work together, in cross-marking assessments and in sharing ideas with their colleagues, in order to ensure that assessment standards are uniform and accurate.
Grading (formative and summative assessments)
Student performance in formative activities is rated as: Outstanding, Satisfactory, Needs improvement or Ungradable. Student work is assessed according to specific descriptors regarding: Quality of Work; Discussion Participation; Application and Analysis of concepts and theories; Organisation and Presentation; Timeliness; Group Work.
Summative assessments are scored according to IB subject-specific rubrics that relate directly to the assessment criteria found in the IB subject guides. All of these assessments are graded on the IB 7 to 1 scale.
Reporting
Reporting is the face of assessment to the students, parents and school. Pamoja Education reporting is designed to keep everyone well informed of student performance.
Fortnightly feedback is available to students (online) and SBCs (online and by email) every two weeks. This feedback includes ratings of students' general performance, as well as teacher comments when appropriate.
Term Reports (every 7 to 8 weeks) are available to students and SBCs online, and are also emailed to the SBC. Term Reports include:
- An overview of performance ratings in formative assessments
- All summative assessment grades for the term
- A Term Grade using the IB 7 to 1 scale
- Teacher Comments, including strengths and recommendations for improvement.
Semester Reports are available to students and SBCs online, and are also emailed to the SBC. Semester Reports include:
- An overview of performance ratings in formative assessments
- All summative assessment grades for the semester, grouped by term
- The Term Grade assigned to the student in the previous term
- A Semester Grade from the teacher using the IB 7 to 1 scale
- Teacher Comments, including strengths and recommendations for improvement.
Annual Reports are available to students and SBCs online, and are also emailed to the SBC. Annual Reports include:
- Semester Grade from the teacher for the second semester, using the IB 7 to 1 scale
- A tentative Predicted Grade using the IB 7 to 1 scale
- An annual commentary from the teacher.
Please note: The IB grade indicators are criteria-related, and the IB does not "translate" 7 to 1 grades into other grade indicators. If a school wishes to include an additional non-IB grade indicator for a subject in their school report or transcript (e.g. a percentage or letter grade), they may do so according to their own school-specific standards.