A review of literature regarding the validity of coursework and the rationale for its inclusion in the GCSE

Abstract

Coursework was included in many GCSEs from their introduction in 1988 to increase the validity of assessment by providing wider evidence of student work and to enhance pupil learning by valuing skills such as critical thinking and independent learning (SEC, 1985). As the Secondary Examinations Council put it 'above all, the assessment of coursework can correspond much more closely to the scale of values in this wider world, where the individual is judged as much by his or her style of working and ability to cooperate with colleagues as by the eventual product' (SEC, 1985, p. 6). The validity and reliability of the assessment of GCSE coursework has come under much discussion since its introduction with the focus of concerns changing over time. At the inception of the GCSE, the main threats anticipated were possible unreliability of teacher marking, possible cheating and concern that girls were favoured (see QCA, 2006a). Now, concerns about consistency across similar subjects, fairness and authenticity (including the issues of internet plagiarism and excessive assistance from others), tasks becoming overly-structured (and hence reducing learning benefits) along with the overall burden on students across subjects, have led to a review of coursework by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA). This article reviews relevant literature using the stages of assessment described by Crooks, Kane and Cohen (1996) to structure discussion of possible improvements to the validity of assessment as a result of including a coursework element within GCSE specifications and possible threats to validity associated with coursework.