RARPA - Recognising and Recording Progress and Achievement

This blog aims to comply with the 5 stages of  RARPA for assessment purposes:

RARPA STAGE 1
The WEA Individual Learning Plan for the current course ID No. C3663965 details the Group and Individual Learning Outcomes which may change throughout the course by negotiation with students or depending on individual learning needs.

This is a group of students who all have learning difficulties to varying degrees, therefore assessment tasks and evidence of assessment will reflect their specific needs.  Please bear in mind that due to confidentiality between the Venue and its Service Users (Students of the WEA) there may be limited availability to detailed information on each student.

At the start of the course the group learning outcomes are:

1.  Identify at least 3 features of a computer.
Assessment of this task may be via Question and Answer session, quiz, paper resources, online rescources, photograph, video, audio recording.

2.  Logon to a computer following verbal or written instructions.
Assessment of this task may involve the use of visual resources, handout using instructions in text, verbal instructions from the tutor or support worker/volunteer.
Assessment of this task may also involve consideration of implied conditions such as:
Compliance with and understanding of Health & Safety in relation to ICT equipment.
Identifying the point at which the computer is correctly logged on & ready to open applications.

3.  Enter Text - aim to create a simple list or a few lines of text in a word document.
Assessment of this task may involve observation by the tutor and/or support worker/volunteer.
Printing a document when authentication has been verified.
Alternatives to the word document such as: Notes, Email, Internet, Comments on this Blog.

4.  Practice the use of thinking skills for ideas, questions and discussions.
Assessment of this task can be supported by audio or video recordings, note taking by students/support workers/volunteers, formative feedback verbally or in a portfolio, witness testimony.

5.  Participate in group activities & discussions about ICT or agreed topics.
Assessment of this task could involve audio or video recordings, photographs, portfolio, storyboard, drawing/illustrating, quiz, question & answer session.

RARPA STAGE 2
Initial assessment is carried out  with the aid of the WEA Initial assessment check list & also via group & individual conversations.  These conversations may instigate an assessment activity to establish the suitability of the course for a student & if necessary the referral for further action or request for specific support, dependent of individual learning needs.

RARPA STAGE 3
Discussion and negotiation to identify appropriately challenging objectives.
Students are individuals with a variety of skills and attributes.  Discussion & negotiation can take place at any stage during the course to enable differentiation & to stretch students to explore their capabilities.

RARPA STAGE 4
Formative assessment, checking on progress & giving feedback.
Every activity during the course will be considered for formative assessment.  The tutor will offer feedback in the form of constructive verbal comments, appropriate marks in portfolios, interim certificates of achievement  & the use of alternatives (visual or audio recordings) to demonstrate the progress of each student.

RARPA STAGE 5
Final recognition of progress, recording & celebration of achievement - summative assessment.
This Blog should act as an integral part of the summative assessment for this course, as well as the completion of portfolio's, Individual Learning Plans and the WEA Tell Us About It forms.

Technology & Assessment

Some of the possibilities for the use of technology in the assessment process which are acceptable for the 5 stage process of RARPA are listed below:

Audio & Video assessments can be used to help students to identify their achievements & to highlight areas for further development.  They can help to engage students in dialogue & reinforce a tutor's feedback.

Mind mapping software is useful to capture & display thoughts & ideas.  It is also useful to demonstrate aspects of assessment criteria.

Interactive voting systems for instantaneous feedback. Also promotes relaxed & fun learning environment.

Online Forums can reveal information about students & their preferences via profiles.  They can promote the use of informal chat to reinforce learning.

Quiz software provides the assessor with a toolkit for assessments that are:
Realistic - incorporating images, video or audio clips
Accessible, adapting the assessment to students' needs
Easier to differentiate
Available at different times/or even all the time on a VLE

INTRODUCTION

This Blog is a record of teaching & learning on our computer course,

'Using Computers for Research & Discussion' by the Foresight Minster Group in Scunthorpe. 

We are a group of adult learners who have additional needs & we have a variety of skills & abilities. 

The overall aim of our course is to develop our ability to use computers & other digital solutions as they become available (e.g. Tablets & smartphones, digital cameras & voice recorders) to research a variety of interesting topics and to discuss them in a social purpose context. 
Also to develop the ability to think freely & participate in group discussions. 

That might involve, for example: 
Finding out what a healthy lifestyle involves & illustrating it in a visual form. 
Use of interactive images to create an illustration of a healthy or unhealthy meal & making audio recordings of comments to demonstrate understanding of concepts. 
Comparing foods & drinks & deciding on their nutritional value, safe & unsafe levels (such as units of alcohol) according to the information available on packaging. 
Extracting information from text, images, icons & colour coding & illustrating understanding of them in a storyboard.  
Finding out government guidelines about portions & recommended limits & holding a group discussion to encourage thinking skills & confidence building. 
Learning to compare & appreciate weights & measures, not only from numbers, but by learning how to measure using containers.
Discussing sports & alternative activities such as countryside walks, gardening & household duties that can contribute to a healthy lifestyle. 
Collecting students' opinions in voice recordings.
Evidencing learning using illustrations, pictures, videos & new technology such as 'Augmented Reality'. 


Our Blog will be a comprehensive digital portfolio which supports the work of students, complements the course outline, individual lesson plans, group & personal learning goals. It is intended to help us to produce excellent teaching & learning in accordance with the requirements of the RARPA 5 stage learning process. 

Please follow our progress for each session & we welcome constructive & supportive comments.