The Ecology of Assessment: Evaluation in Educational Settings

Authors

  • Robert J. Wilson Queen’s University
  • Ruth Rees Queen’s University

Keywords:

Educational evaluation, Assessment models, Measurement, Reliability, Validity, Decision making

Abstract

A theoretical model of evaluation for complex educational settings would be welcome. We propose a model of evaluation with three components (measurement, judgement, and decision making) with related criteria (reliability, validity, and utility), and another for educational settings based on the work of Parsons (1986), Beer (1979), and Rees (1983). The latter model depicts the provincial educational setting as hierarchical and interdependent with lower levels nested in the operational subsystem of levels immediately above them. The development of a provincial item bank illustrates an application of the models.

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Published

2026-10-16

How to Cite

Wilson , R. J., & Rees , R. (2026). The Ecology of Assessment: Evaluation in Educational Settings. Canadian Journal of Education Revue Canadienne De l’éducation, 15(3), 215–228. Retrieved from https://cje-rce.ca/index.php/cje-rce/article/view/8439

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Articles