The Ruhan PACQ Model of Formative and Summative Assessments
[What have my students learnt and how best to consolidate and evaluate their knowledge and understanding]
P: Portfolio 25% (Formative): Completing and compiling daily classwork and homework; submitting the subject/course portfolio.
A: Assimilation of Learning 25% (Formative): Displaying focus, taking notes for retention and recall, practising questions conscientiously, participating in class discussions; actively assimilating knowledge and constructing neural networks in the classroom.
C: Communication of Critical Understanding 25% (Summative): Primary school students – Oral expression of subject knowledge in response to probing questions; Secondary and JC students – Oral presentation of pertinent topic (with Q&A).
Q: Quiz 25% (Summative): A short test that allows the student to demonstrate his or her competencies prior to the award of course certificates.
The Ruhan PACQ Model of Formative and Summative Assessments
Class Participation
This is a crucial component in all tuition subjects and enrichment courses taught at Ruhan Nexus. Participating in academic discussions is an indispensable aspect of learning as it reflects the student’s focus and an ability to articulate ideas coherently. All students are also evaluated on their contribution to the learning dynamics involving themselves and their peers in a stress-free classroom setting.
Practice Engagement
As with Class Participation, this component assesses student learning during lessons and is applicable to all subjects and courses taught at Ruhan Nexus. It is a Ruhan ideology that every minute of class time shall count towards student learning and development. For this reason, Ruhan does not believe in mass lectures involving scores of students who are not yet ready for this learning mode. Practice Engagement ensures that students are still actively constructing knowledge in their minds while the teacher is not speaking and who, instead, is going around guiding and coaching them closely. This component is a form of formative assessment that allows teachers to gauge students’ understanding of the taught content by studying their answers, and how they are crafted. The learning attitude, attention levels and application approaches of individual students will also be evident to the teacher, who will then provide constructive feedback to them on the spot.
Subject / Course Portfolios
While lesson time is key to learning effectiveness, so is the time allocated to independent self-study. Students will compile all lesson notes and practice answers in a folder that they will submit to the teacher at the end of each term. The portfolios ensure that students stay up-to-speed with all classwork and homework for the day. Consistency and conscientiousness are the prerequisites to sound academic performance, not forced studying, grinding away at ten-year-series questions and answers, or desperate anxiety. If students are absent from Ruhan for a valid reason, they know that seeking help and catching up on notes and homework for the portfolios will be required.
Term Quizzes
This component tests students’ knowledge and application and enhances their academic performance. To relieve workload, these short tests, which carry a relatively small weighting in the overall mark, usually take place at the end of each term. All students need to have at least passed this component in order to be awarded a Certificate of Completion for each subject and course completed at Ruhan for the academic year.
Pair Work
Pair Work is an essential component in any educational system as it trains students to work collaboratively with peers and co-workers. Ruhan gives students ample opportunities to engage in pair work, from regular discussion on practice questions and presenting about ideas and reflections, all through to creating robots in workshops and producing quality videos for screening. Pair work at Ruhan is assessed under Class Participation and will be in the form of teacher observation, student presentation and the quality of submitted work.
Group Learning
This aspect of Education is vital to students’ professional career in adulthood. Brainstorming is the norm in the corporate world so collective wisdom is highly valued. Ruhan wants its students to understand the psycho-social nuances of working in a group and to also possess the ability to interact empathetically and professionally with others. Group learning at Ruhan comes mainly in the form of whole-class discussions where students are qualitatively assessed on their ability to cite learning points and pose constructive questions, especially after a presentation has been made by their peers. Ruhan aims to hone the Emotional Quotient (EQ) of the student, which is why Camaraderie (群) and Internationalisation (寰) are the basic learning objectives of its subjects and courses. EQ certainly goes a long way in equipping our students to work effectively in a team, and to step confidently into their professional world in the near future.
Some assessment components may not apply to certain programmes, or may be adjusted to suit the nature of those programmes, within Ruhan Nexus.