Developing assessment for use across multiple classes is problematic. Each teacher and text interprets the syllabus a little different and each class enters with different prior knowledge and horsepower. There is a sweet spot where courses can cater to students and minimise work for teachers. It is not always possible to bring all teachers together to co-write assessment, typically it is assigned to a teacher to complete.
Conflict can occur if the following occurs:
- Teacher that writes the assessment is inflexible (or unable to take constructive criticism)
- Teachers that read the assessment are overly critical
- The teacher writing the assessment has not had enough/spent enough time developing the assessment.
- Grade related descriptors and exemplars are not consulted (or been used over prescriptively)
- The assessment is too broad or narrow in scope
- Syllabus has not been taught fully in one or more classes
- Corners of the course have been emphasized in one class (particularly skills based work)
- If an assessment is written below or beyond the capabilities of a class
- Time is not given to consider the assessment before the requirement to present it to students
To solve these issues requires patience and developing a collegiate approach. Teachers need to feel safe when developing assessments that if they have done their best, the college will improve it, not "correct it" because they have done it wrong. It's a mindset developing growth in the team.
In some cases it's a case of developing a shared language:
"I understand what you are saying but in this case..."
"Given the Syllabus dot point identifies this behaviour/concept/idea perhaps we could modify it to..."
"This question may be beyond the scope identified through this grade related descriptor and may be more suitable for year x".
"Here is an alternative problem that might be substituted."
"I might have to think on that some more and will come back to you.."
Using past assessments as an item bank where this process has already been navigated might help as long as the syllabus is used as a basis for identifying appropriate questions.
Anger, aggression, threats, forcing an opinion, getting personal in criticism, going rogue, white anting and undermining, are not ok, professional or appropriate.
Where a difference of opinion exists, ensuring there is time to investigate a solution or involving a HOLA to mediate helps. Sometimes having slightly different tests or a supplementary tests for different classes are ok as long as the difficulty level is maintained (to assist with consistent judgements and class ranking).
A collegiate approach requires those more experienced to work with those less experienced to develop a shared understanding (which requires investigating why the views are different and considering all opinions until a mutual or adjudicated position is found).
Similarly a reflective approach requires all of us to consider new ideas, especially if our experience or understanding indicates otherwise. Being right all the time is an irritating and frustrating trait that will draw ire from colleagues.
