SPHE will not be formally examined in the Junior Certificate examination as at present configured. The modes and techniques of assessment that have been in use for national certification purposes are not appropriate to the content or methodology of SPHE. Neither is it appropriate that students should be certificated at national level in SPHE, in the Junior and Leaving certificate examinations. However, as part of the school curriculum, with stated aims and outcomes, SPHE must be open to assessment and evaluation. These fall into three broad categories:
STUDENT SELF-ASSESSMENT AND PEER ASSESSMENT
Such assessment might be done in class with the students provided with questionnaires and/or worksheets on which they might record their own perceived progress in a given skill. Rather than an end of module activity for students, such self-assessment should be seen as an integral part of the teaching, learning and assessment process. Self-assessment tools should be based on clearly stated criteriacriteria that must be clear to the students as well as to the teacher. Without such criteria, self-assessment can become a chore and even a hindrance to effective learning. When the criteria are clear and the assessment instrument relevant and stimulating, self-assessment can be a powerful motivator.
Some outcomes of self-assessment must be private. However, teachers, reacting effectively to some of the insights of the students, can modify or extend the SPHE programme in the light of those insights.
Peer assessment could be used by groups of students to evaluate how well they worked as a team, for example. It is facilitated by the teacher, and training in this skill might be provided in the context of training for SPHE.
ASSESSMENT OF STUDENTS
This might involve the assessment of the students' work and skills through specific tasks, homework, or project work. Samples of work done in SPHE might be kept by the students as a record of achievement. Such work might be shown and discussed at home.
Time spent on SPHE is important and valuable time. The possibility of a certificate of completion being awarded by a school at the end of a term, year or module of work should be considered. The provision of national certification for students who complete an SPHE programme in the junior cycle of post-primary schools is to be explored.
PROGRAMME EVALUATION
This would involve continuous evaluation of the programme structure and materials in a school. All involved in SPHEparents, teachers, students, and managementmight contribute to this.