The name is absent

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for others it was Singluarly valuable. Clarity about the demands
of ways of working and, critically, their anticipated place in the
student’s overall learning is essential and should become central
to the process of negotiation that must underlie any move towards
4
self assessment.

Once

the process of theorising and reflection becomes central to the

PGCE then the student’s own learning rather than generalised outcomes

become central

The focus of the PGCE moves from the transmission

of knowledge within well-defined and limited areas to the process
of developing, applying and refining professional knowledge. Once
this shift is underway then assessment procedures which may suit
the demonstration of acquired content appear singularly unsuitable.
They fail to reflect the aim of the course as percieved in its prac-
tice which is concerned with generation, use and application. Given
the importance of assessment the contradictions posed were highly
visible to staff and to students.

to modify patterns of assessment at the same

t ime as

developing

new modes of working was to accept that these new modes

were capable of producing personal and professional outcomes which
were demonstrable. Whilst explicit knowledge would form a part so
might demonstrations of tacit knowledge at work. Alongside the under-

standing of expert knowledge comes the formulation and application

Underpinning this is the

of one’s own professional common sense.

formulations

of attitudes and values which influence conceptions

and behaviour as a teacher.

To have

persisted 2

developing new modes

of working without at the same time
attempting to change the pattern

of assessment would have entailed a
refusal to consider the problems

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