It looks to me, as far as that attached document is concerned, that assessment is what we think of as formative, and evaluation is what we call summative, and neither are to do with what we'd call student evaluation of courses/teaching.
Debra
Debra Boyask, Educational Developer
UWE Learning and Teaching Fellow
Learning Development Team, FET
0117 328 3211
________________________________________
From: Online forum for SEDA, the Staff & Educational Development Association [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of David Baume [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 30 April 2012 18:39
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Assessment and Evaluation (a Canadian perspective, eh...)
Colleagues,
Mantz Yorke and I went to a conference on ‘assessment’ in Charlotte North Carolina to give a paper on our research into portfolio ‘assessment’ at the OU. As with Joelle and Janet, confusion ensued. But everyone was very polite.
Attached is a partial answer, Celia. But only partial. I used to think it was a straight swap of meanings. I now don’t think so.
Between us all, we could write a valuable cross-cultural paper on this! OK, a note.
Alan is just unkind. Canada has ended up with a happy combination of Canadian government, Canadian culture, and Canadian know-how. Unbeatable! (But they’re too modest to say so!)
What other cross-Atlantic linguistic traps have we fallen into? For starters I give you – faculty!
David
From: Online forum for SEDA, the Staff & Educational Development Association [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Strivens, Janet
Sent: 30 April 2012 14:18
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Assessment and Evaluation (a Canadian perspective, eh...)
I’ve also met this problem, partly as a language issue. Many years ago I supervised an Israeli PhD student. He assured me he knew all about evaluation so I asked for a draft chapter relevant to his project and got back – a chapter on assessment. When queried, he claimed that there was only one word in Hebrew for both English terms, which didn’t help trying to explain what I really wanted!
Best wishes
Janet
Dr Janet Strivens
Centre for Lifelong Learning Educational Development Division
The University of Liverpool
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From: Online forum for SEDA, the Staff & Educational Development Association [mailto:[log in to unmask]]<mailto:[mailto:[log in to unmask]]> On Behalf Of Joelle Adams
Sent: 30 April 2012 12:41
To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Assessment and Evaluation (a Canadian perspective, eh...)
Apologies for the delay in responding, but as another 'international academic' (from Canada to UK) I completely understand Celia's frustrations. This came to a head recently when I was asked to write a paper for a journal running a special issue on 'assessment'. A UK-based colleague and I merrily wrote our paper and submitted, only to find that the editors required us to discuss what we would term 'quality assurance'. Conversations worthy of a 70s sitcom ensued, where we talked at cross-purposes for a while, but I think we got there in the end. The paper is still under review, but I will let you know when it is available.
I won't even start on the term 'course'!
Best wishes to all. Hope to see you at the SEDA conference in May.
Joelle
Joelle Adams
Coordinator, Writing and Learning Centre
Project Developer, FASTECH
Bath Spa University
01225 876365
www.bathspa.ac.uk/writingandlearning<http://www.bathspa.ac.uk/writingandlearning>
On 19 April 2012 23:52, Alan Wright <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote:
Dear colleagues,
Our "international" colleague Celia has made me smile because she has posed a question I have wrestled with for many years, having to stop and 'rehearse' the difference between the ways the terms 'assessment' and 'evaluation' are used in higher ed settings in the UK as opposed to the USA at every usage. Educator beware...the terms are used quite differently as Celia has learned from her experience in North America.
Unfortunately, Celia's query is now made from the Canadian perspective, and in Canada we experience the dual influences on a daily basis of the 'mother country' (at least one of the mother countries!) and our mega neighbour to the south. Result...it depends who you talk to in Canada.
The best (read most amusing, not meant to be offensive) quotation regarding Canada is approximately as follows...
"Canada, as it developed into a full-fledged nation, may well have had the good fortune of benefitting form the best of British Government, French culture, and American know-how. Sadly, we ended up with a sorry combination of French government, American culture, and British know-how."
Cheers,
Alan
W. Alan Wright, PhD
Vice-Provost, Teaching and Learning
University of Windsor
508B Chrysler Hall Tower
401 Sunset Avenue,
Windsor, Ontario,
CANADA N9B 3P4
Telephone: 519-253-3000 (4835)
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From: Celia Popovic <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>>
To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Date: 2012/04/19 06:37 PM
Subject: Assessment and Evaluation
Sent by: "Online forum for SEDA, the Staff & Educational Development Association" <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>>
________________________________
Dear SEDA colleagues
I wonder if anyone could help me out with an academic reference that defines ‘Assessment’ and ‘Evaluation’. As a UK immigrant to Canada I find that my understanding of the two terms (‘Assessment’ as a measure of student learning and ‘Evaluation’ as a measure of student satisfaction) is not universally shared. It seems that in the US the terms are reversed, and in Canada they are interchangeable. Does anyone know of a reference that succinctly summarizes these differences?
Many thanks
Celia
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