ProfessorJames Tognolini

Project Opportunities

Title: Centre for Educational Measurement and Assessment

Summary of opportunity:

We conduct research, teaching and consulting on the methodology and practice of educational measurement and assessment.

Opportunity synopsis:

The centre's work focuses on:

• developing theories and models of educational assessment to improve formative and summative assessment in different educational settings
• evaluating how the different types of assessment influence the effectiveness of learning and learning systems
• exploring the impacts and opportunities of new assessment technologies in test design, distribution, administration and delivery of results
• constructing and validating measurement scales for cognitive and non-cognitive constructs
• researching notions of validity and reliability in different educational assessment contexts
• exploring how psychometrics is changing education and assessment and how it is impacting on lifelong learning
• supervising postgraduate studies for local and international students in the areas of educational measurement, assessment and psychometrics.

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Project Opportunities

Title: Educational Assessment

Summary of opportunity:

Jim Tognolini is currently Professor and Director of the Centre for Educational Measurement and Assessment (CEMA) at the University of Sydney and Managing Director of JT Educational Consulting Pty Ltd.  In his current position he is responsible for establishing a Centre of Assessment and Educational Measurement at the University of Sydney.

Opportunity synopsis:

Research interests

My specialist research and educational evaluation work focuses primarily on educational assessment and the application and appropriateness of measurement models and theoretical perspectives to education and learning in both local and international contexts.

Much of my inquiry and professional work has pursued eight major themes: (1) researching how Rasch Models can be applied to the to the assessment of social outcomes of education; (2) investigating teacher development and use of formative assessment in the classroom at both the school and university sectors; (3) developing measures of teacher assessment and data literacy and strategies to transform teacher practice in these areas; (4) constructing measurement rubrics to measure values such as those commonly described as 21st century skills that are typically considered to be “unmeasurable”; (5) developing innovative assessments and measures for monitoring growth, teacher effectiveness and system level performance against pre-determined developmental continua; (6) exploring the integration and application of technology in assessment with a focus on reducing teacher workload; (7) evaluating how the different types of assessment influence the effectiveness of learning processes and systems; (8) researching notions of validity and reliability in different educational assessment contexts

Most recently, my research activity has been focused transforming teachers’ and leaders’ practice to effectively and efficiently utilise the latest advances in assessment and measurement theory, and technology to harness the tsunami of data and evidence that is available to improve student learning without increasing the volume of work required by teachers.

The research program uses integrated theoretical frameworks to develop, trial, integrate, and apply evidence-informed professional learning, technologies and administrative practices that enable effective and consistent assessment practice without adding to schools’ and teachers’ administrative burden. The program of research takes place in five workstreams that reflect the enablers for changing teacher practice: teacher assessment and data literacy; scalable professional learning programs; transformative uses of digital technology in assessment and measurement; enabling school/system administrative practices; and, the role of school leaders in integrating assessment and data literacy reforms.