Pass or Fail? Effective Assessment Can Make the Difference.

EDUC300 Module 6 Synthesis by Ilicia Kelly



      We are always assessing things in life. Did my hairdresser cut my hair too short? Was my chicken overcooked? In a classroom setting, as students, we are always wondering, am I getting this concept? Did my paper seem smart and cohesive? Did the teacher like it? As a teacher, we need to wonder, did the students understand the material? Are they learning it? Is the learning authentic? In order to answer those questions, we can use assessments. I stated the following in my initial post in the discussion forum:

      Assessment allows educators and students to give feedback while learning is occurring (formative) or afterwards (summative) in the form of tests, papers, etc. We explored the concepts of assessments so we can better understand the point of giving each other assessments at the end of our responses. "The goal of formative assessment is to monitor student learning to provide ongoing feedback that can be used by instructors to improve their teaching and by students to improve their learning... The goal of summative assessment is to evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional unit by comparing it against some standard or benchmark" (CMU). Formative assessment can be used as a guide by the instructor as a form of communication to lead the student in the right direction. It has little to no point value in the assessment. Summative assessment has a high value in grade to the student and evaluates the student and the quality of the assignment. (From Module 5)

There are different ways to do assessments, and each way will give different forms of feedback. The trick is to find ones that help give higher order thinking and extrapolate deep learning.

• Performance assessments: students develop a product such as a blog or wiki
• Authentic assessments: students complete work under the same conditions that they would in the real world
• Portfolio assessments: students demonstrate progress over time by showcasing artifacts and reflecting on their learning
• Computer generated and scored tests and quizzes: allow for banks of questions, randomization and, in some cases, instant feedback (Student Learning Outcomes)

        According to the reading, Student Learning Outcomes "Such performance-based assessment techniques require students to directly reveal the abilities and skills and knowledge that professors desire to develop in their students." Assessment allows students to show how much information they absorbed and prove their understanding of the material. Assessments are critical in the learning process. Assessments can be individually authentic for each student by getting to know them through the semester. Creating a detailed description about information to be covered in the sections, detailed assignments and rubrics so the students know what's expected, and to give good feedback, you can be authentic for all feedback. "Timely and frequent feedback is especially important in an  online environment where the chance for students to become confused or feel alienated is greater than in a traditional course. Ask students early in the term how the course is going and for suggestions for improvement" (Student Learning Outcomes). (Initial Post)

            Regina Azimova makes a good point when she discusses the importance of assessment.  As I stated in my initial post, "successful assessment techniques embody creativity, adaptability, reliability, and validity. Through the use of multiple methods, triangulation, and the measurement of knowledge and performance over time, effective assessment techniques can begin to capture and reflect the complex nature of learning" (Good Practices for Assessment).

            I loved the quote Christina Boxler posted from the video by Ken Robinson: Bring on the learning revolution: “…if you're doing something you love, an hour feels like five minutes. If you're doing something that doesn't resonate with your spirit, five minutes feels like an hour. And the reason so many people are opting out of education is because it doesn't feed their spirit, it doesn't feed their energy or their passion.” I completely agree because it's the same concept for me. I also believe another reason people are opting out of education is because the cost is so high and when you graduate, you can drown in your own debt while unable to get a job. A college degree no longer guarantees a job after graduation. In an article in the Denver Post, "about 48 percent of all working college alumni - not just recent graduates - were underemployed in 2010 as the United States began a slow recovery from the Great Recession, including 5 million graduates in jobs that require less than a high school diploma, according to a study from the Center for College Affordability and Productivity".

            If we are to produce respectable students and release them into the workforce, we must make sure that they are prepared. According to an article from Concordia University, " the goal of authentic assessment is to enhance the learning process and help students gain knowledge while completing tasks that are beneficial to their “real-world” experiences" (Education.CU-Portland.edu). As educators, it's our job to get to know students so we can help create lesson plans that will apply to their lives to make the learning more authentic. It is our duty to make a rich learning environment so they can learn, synthesize the material, and make it part of their thought process. How can we make sure of that? Using effective assessments that will ensure the students are learning the material. A combination of formative and summative assessments will guarantee the students are learning what they need to know. This will ensure authentic learning takes place and helps these students survive in the vicious shark pit of life.