Assessment Belief Statement

Miles Macdonell Collegiate

Assessment Beliefs, Strategies and Practices

Valid, ongoing feedback is key to the development and progression of skills and to the attainment of knowledge.  The focus of assessment at MMC is to provide students the opportunity to demonstrate an understanding of the curricular outcomes.

To facilitate reaching this goal, a common understanding has been determined:

Assessment is outcome-based.

-          Students are assessed based on their ability to meet the learning outcomes established by the Province of Manitoba.
-          Teachers design tasks such as assignments, tests, labs, presentation, performances, etc. to offer students the opportunity to meet the learning outcomes.
-          These tasks will be assessed based on how well the students meet the prescribed outcomes.
-          Teachers will clearly communicate the timelines for these opportunities to meet the outcomes e.g. on assignment sheets, course outline, board, website, etc.

More than one opportunity to meet learning outcomes will be available.

-          If students to not take advantage of an opportunity, they are responsible for arranging an alternate way of demonstrating their ability to meet the outcomes particular to a task.  The minimal timeframe for this is a reporting period while the maximum is the end of instruction in a semester.        
-          If students attempt tasks but show no evidence of meeting the outcome, a grade of “0” will be recorded.
-          If students do not attempt these tasks, the code “NHI” (not handed in) will be recorded.  (“NHI” entries will be converted to “0” in grade calculations at the end of a reporting period or semester, dependant upon the stated expectations for that particular task.)

Teachers and departments will use the appropriate assessment tool for curricular outcomes to be evaluated.

-          Teachers will ensure that students know how they will be assessed.
-          Formative, developmental assessment is emphasized.
-          Teachers / departments will develop common assessment tools for common tasks.
-          Where available and required, teachers will use external assessment tools e.g. provincial marking schemes, IB criteria, etc.

Academic Dishonesty includes any submission of work that is not wholly the student’s such as plagiarism, copying, cheating, not citing sources, etc.
-          Teachers will determine which, if any, outcomes have been legitimately met.
-          A grade of “0” will be entered for those that have been compromised.

Miles Macdonell Collegiate remains committed to assisting students in their pursuit of academic success. These guidelines will assist in this endeavor by making clear the opportunities before them.