Project TEMPUS/TRAST

SUMMARY OF PROJECT: IB_JEP-24141-2003

TRUE ASSESSMENT - Distance Learning Network for Teachers (TRAST)

Grant-holder: University Roma Tre (Italy)

Project consortium members:

• University Roma Tre (Italy)
• CDELL, School of Education, University of Nottingham (UK)
• Testing Board of Professional Competence Assessment (Ukraine)
• National Academy for Public Administration, Office of the President of Ukraine (Ukraine)
• Central In-Service Teachers' Training Institute of the Academy of Educational Sciences of Ukraine (Ukraine)
• Ukrainian Association of School Heads (Ukraine)

Project term: September 1, 2004 - August 31, 2007

Source of funding: European Commission, Tempus programme

Goal: 3-year project "True Assessment - Distance learning network for teachers" aims at the introduction of modern assessment methods and techniques in everyday practice in schools, colleges, and universities by exposing educators (classroom teachers and their administrative supervisors) to new knowledge and practices in educational assessment.

Objectives: 2 specific objectives will enable the achievement of this goal:

1. Introduction of courses on educational assessment for educators within the system of compulsory in-service teacher training.
2. Launching of the Thematic Distance Learning Network "True Assessment" (DLN "TRAST") for educators.

Thematic Distance Learning Network "TRAST" is a group of interested individuals from partner institutions and beyond who will promote the ideas of educational assessment in Ukraine. In future we hope that the DLN "TRAST" team will become the nucleus of the Ukrainian Association for Educational Assessment.

The functions of DLN "TRAST" are viewed as:

• Educational - provision of distance learning courses, leading tailored seminars on request.
• Informational - preparing printed and electronic publications, provision of consultancy services, providing information on world events and existing resources in educational assessment, maintenance of a database on frequently asked questions and consulted topics.
• Networking - with Ukrainian and international entities and individuals in the area of assessment: establishing Ukrainian association of educational assessment, organisation of, and participation in, Ukrainian and international conferences, joining international associations, collaboration with interested Ukrainian entities in educational assessment projects, providing Ukrainian educators with appropriate means of communication devoted to educational assessment, informing the State about educational assessment needs, participating in state activities on educational assessment.

Project activities:

• Development of courses on educational assessment: "Basics of educational assessment in the classroom", "Making educational assessment decisions", that can be taught in one block or separately.
• Introduction and provision of courses on educational assessment as part of the compulsory in-service teacher training program.
• Introduction and provision of courses on educational assessment as Distance Learning Courses for voluntary training of teachers in service, administrators, researchers.
• Creation and running of a web portal "True Assessment" devoted to various aspects of evaluation, assessment and measurement. The web portal will serve as a source of relevant information for educators and as means of communication for interested educators and the public.
• Generating up-to-date information on educational assessment in Ukrainian and Russian languages (that includes instructional course sets, a book on educational measurement, "Ukrainian Standards for Educational Testing", translation of research and practice articles in the area of educational measurement). Establishment of English-language library/resource centre.
• Online consulting of educators by foreign and Ukrainian experts in educational assessment, informing the Ukrainian public about relevant events both in Ukraine and internationally.
• Organisation of a conference on educational assessment in Ukraine.
• Opportunity to attend international conference on educational assessment for selected educators who have demonstrated evidence of changing everyday assessment practices. At this conference educators will be able to present their own results, become acquainted with foreign issues/problems and establish useful connections.
• Establishment of Ukrainian association of pedagogical assessment (UAPA) open for individuals and educational institutions.

We expect that a combination of face-to-face and distance learning courses, online information and networking resources, publications and the possibility of establishing "live" links with people holding similar views, will have a significant influence on changing assessment practices in classrooms.