A lot of us played games when we were young. Come on! Did you ever get to connect the dots on the board? Were you able to complete puzzle boards? Did you play mind games too? Even adults still learn stuff from completing the puzzle by checking out random pieces. If it fits, it's a go. If it doesn't, find another one until it works out. If you're a teacher, or a teacher at heart, I guess you get what I mean here.
I chose the puzzle as a metaphor for the assessment process.
When you choose a puzzle board for your kid, do you mind checking the age bracket for which that game is designed for? If you wish to make puzzle a truly rewarding exercise for your kid, you choose the appropriate one, right? Because that's the purpose of learning. It's not only about the ease or difficulty of the exercise or any activity for that matter, but the "right"-ness of an instrument to bring out the best in an individual. I think that goes the same for every assessment exercise. Oops - for every GOOD or ideal assessment activity.
Have I just realized that I have been totally unaware until now about the important roles of educational assessment in teaching and learning processes?
When I was a gradeschooler, I did not like quizzes and other graded assessment. I had to review to get that pass mark. However, in my favorite subjects, I recall that i would always look forward to taking short tests and even periodical examinations. Now, as an adult, and having been an educator for some time, it makes me reflect why I would look forward to certain tests but sort of cowered at the other exams when in fact, they're both forms of assessment BUT the way they are conducted (or the purpose for which the test is created) quite differ. I think this also underscores the important roles of educational assessment in teaching and learning processes.
Assessment Primer provides an introduction that explains the dual role of assessment - (1) it "drives student learning" and (2) provides "essential feedback" to guide learners and teachers. Now, this brings me back to the example I provided above. When I enjoyed the subject, I felt more "driven" to do my best and compete with others in a good way. No comparison, just healthy competition! This way, I did not feel compelled to take the test. On the other hand, whenever I would find a subject challenging, I would just take it and wait for the pass or fail numbers. The result would now become the indicator for gauging the necessary feedback to improve my skills. When I became a teacher, I also used these "essential" results to assess how I could guide my students to avoid failing the subject OR help them perform better in the subject. Therefore, assessment is not meant to make students worry about the next exam but to gauge their skills level and how to enhance them. Can I now imagine how assessment can be made meaningful and perhaps even enjoyable for students?
In my first year as a high school teacher (and even when I became an assistant professor), I would always find creative ways to make assessment fun. From games to individual mind games to collective endeavors, I always ensure that activities that aim to assess the performance of learners should not necessarily be in the form of written tests or recitation. Some of the important things that teachers must keep in mind is have the purpose as the objective of every activity. I think it's also important that while identifying the purpose, the stakeholders i.e. students should also be kept in mind. Will they be able to genuinely learn from such an activity? Is this activity conducive to their growth? Is the activity aimed at bringing out the best in them? While not all activities are easy, there are skills that really need to acquire - these needs to be emphasized though. At the end of the day, the way in which assessments are to be done is much like "telling a story" - we provide a background, describe the plot, and end with a good bang! It's supposed to be a happy ending. Now, what about failing grades - that's where "follow-ups" and "bridging programs" come in - another integral part of the assessment cycle. But that's for another entry! :)
References
Guidelines for Judging the Effectiveness of Assessing Student Learning
Comments