| I CONGRATULATE The Straits Times on last Friday's articles, 'Project Work grading method is fair: MOE' and 'Five years on, grading still draws debate'.
Could the Ministry of Education (MOE) clarify the following:
While there is merit in students' own junior college teachers assessing the two limbs of the assessment criteria - the written report and the group project file - the third limb, the oral presentation, is best assessed by teachers from other JCs, so as to reduce conflict of interest, if any. This will ensure greater fairness, credibility and objectivity.
How are teachers trained in assessing Project Work, including oral presentation? What is the nature of the 'customised training sessions given to teachers'?
Why is there still so much disparity between and within JCs? And what assistance is given to students to beef up their performance? Also, what is the 'rigorous consistency' the MOE spokesman referred to?
As the assessment includes effectiveness of group presentation, why do a few junior colleges not insist on Project Work teams of students electing their own leaders?
A related point is whether any weight is given to team leadership and assessment of individual performance within the team.
Should MOE consider outsourcing Project Work assessment to reputable agencies?
S. Ganesamoorthy
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