What are educational measurement and assessment?

Educational measurement gathers evidence about learning; assessment interprets that evidence against clear purposes and criteria to inform decisions.

Purposes and tools

Short questions, observations, performance tasks, written exams and student work offer different evidence. A check during teaching can show whether a concept needs reteaching, while an end-of-term test may summarise achievement against goals. One score cannot describe an entire learner. Alignment with the task, fair access and barriers related to language or disability matter. Learners should understand what is assessed and why.

From evidence to action

Using results only to rank students misses chances to improve learning. Teachers identify common errors and plan the next explanation; students learn which step to revise. Consistent rubrics and multiple kinds of evidence can strengthen interpretation. EEF treats feedback as information learners can use to decide their next steps.