My journey in education began in the late '60s as an elementary school teacher in Ontario, Canada, and later in Kenya and South Africa. After about five years of teaching internationally, I returned to Canada to pursue my further studies. I then worked as a researcher and consultant in Saudi Arabia and other parts of the Middle East.

Following that, I returned to Canada and taught secondary school in British Columbia for five years, and also taught at the post-secondary level at York University in Ontario. It was in BC that I got involved in assessment, initially through marking sessions in Victoria. I found the experience fascinating and soon joined the BC Ministry of Education as an assessment coordinator, and later as an assistant director of provincial and scholarship exams.

My experience in assessment development and administration helped me transition to Saskatchewan, where I supported the establishing and leading of their student assessment branch for five years. Eventually, I moved to Ontario, where I supported the launch of the provincial agency - Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) in 1996. I served as their Director of Assessment for about 15 years.

During this time, I also contributed nationally, helping shape the early School Achievement Indicators Program and staying closely connected with the Council of Ministers of Education. I have also represented provinces at international meetings for the international assessments - PISA, TIMSS, and PIRLS.

The complexity and ongoing evolution of assessment experiences provincially, nationally, and internationally inspired me to commit the rest of my career to identifying innovative ways and sharing best practices across jurisdictions that help improve the assessment and learning experiences for students, administrators, and policy makers. 

Sharing Best Practices

Over the past few years, I have been organizing an annual Pan-Canadian discussion forum that brings together ministries of education and assessment agencies to share their experiences in modernizing their educational practices related to large-scale summative and formative assessments. 

I have also been publishing articles regularly to reflect the work that is being conducted across various jurisdictions. These have been shared on my website, on my LinkedIn profile, and also via newsletters of assessment organizations and the international e-Assessment Association, UK.

My publications also include two books - one on large-scale assessments and the other on program evaluation. They reflect and share the insights that I have gained through my experience in teaching, research, and educational assessment.

Charting the Future Initially, I was drawn to how large-scale assessment could inform improvement, provided it's done right! Over time, modernization became a major focus, first transitioning assessment practices from paper-based environments to digital deliveries, and now exploring the application of Artificial Intelligence to improve the quality of developing assessment items, the efficiency of administering large-scale assessments, the integrity of data management, and the speed of reporting. I am currently researching ways in which AI can be integrated into assessment programs while maintaining reliability and fairness.

Accessibility and engagement are critical to the success of every student. In recent studies and conversations with jurisdictions, many commended how online systems, particularly the e-assessment solution from Vretta, support both areas effectively. That’s a major shift from the days of disengaging pencil-paper tests. The technology solution is widely recognized as being intuitive, responsive, and helping students better demonstrate learning gaps and focused feedback.

The evolution of assessment practices can largely be attributed to the collaboration of assessment practitioners across jurisdictions. Whether summative or formative, assessment improves when people come together to share resources, confront challenges, and exchange best practices. My goal has been, and continues to be, to facilitate these vital collaborations through research, writing, and ongoing dialogue. There is always more to learn and more to share in the pursuit of student success, both nationally and globally. At its core, I believe assessment isn’t just about scores; it’s about stories, struggles, and success. My journey has been about ensuring that every student’s potential is seen, supported, and strengthened.

Dr. Richard Jones