As in the article is stated, during the learning process we must look for evidences that not only show the superficial or obvious knowledge acquired from any contents but a deep understanding from them. It is very usual to associate the word assessment with grades, which come up as the advisable method to measure whether the students learnt or not. Undoubtedly this is the most basic way to view the culmination of a learning process, because our goal is not only focused in getting grades at the end of a unit but to create the instances in which the students can show evidences of their understanding through its practice. It means that teachers can control the process from the very beginning to the end through the application of formal and informal ways of assessing in order to check how students have assimilated the tasks and how they have worked related to achieve our goals. Therefore we can say that assessment is not only a way of grading students but one to give a point of reference about whether our teaching practices have been effective or not according to the expected results. That is why it is fundamental to have pre- determined what our goals are, before we plan the further activities, because teaching without regarding an aim, seems to be a waste of time and effort in the classroom.
We can not conceive to teach something just for the fact of getting marks, on the contrary we must teach, thinking in how we can guide our students to develop the necessary skills which allow them to extract a deep understanding from the different units taught. In that way we will be aware about what are the suitable tasks which can make them to transfer abstract pieces of information into the real world, assuring a fruitful teaching and learning process, because the more we focus our lesson on the reality, the more students will learn, while at the same time they may have the opportunities to make the necessary connection to reach a true understanding. If we as teachers are able to show them how adults solve x situation in the real world, I am sure that we would obtain better results than only teaching meaningless and isolated units. Therefore the students ‘performance will depend on how teachers plan their lesson looking for: the statements of the goals, the correct design of the core tasks or activities, and finally the application of a balanced type of assessment which allows to measure permanently the level of understanding achieved by students related to each unit seen in class.
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It is not only that students get good marks, but of course is is a must to allow our students to show that they know, understand and let them transfer what they know by designing coherent and effective assessments instruments to get sheer evidence, and not just scratch the surface to get the loose ground we are usually so interested in, instead of looking for these precious gems of learning, by digging deeper. Of course goals or objectives should be clear through this continuous ongoing process of assessment, because learning is a cyclical recursive process, and thus assessment has to be consistent with the idea of a cyclical process too.
ReplyDeleteBalance is one important thing to think about my dear, since when one is able to analyze, interpret and make appropriate decisions out of students evidences of learning, then we can think in terms of assessment implementations, in order to make further adequate modifications in our planning and in our teaching praxis to foster learning.
Jonathan,
ReplyDeleteyou're absolutely right when you mention that in general we associate assessment with marks, but I really think it's not our fault, but the system's fault. At school we were always evaluated through tests, and at university it was the same story so, why should we see it in a different way? Well, now things have changed and we are in an MA program, now we see things from a different point of view, and at the same time, we are becoming aware of the mistakes we've been making. Therefore, future changes are in our hands, we are the ones in charge of promoting this innovative and neccesary changes into our schools in order to improve learning and understanding in our students.
Hi Jonathan,
ReplyDeleteA well planned and organized course of action not only for a class but a term or even a yearly based one certainly organizes what will take place in the classroom.
Therefore, class by class planning comes and takes place. Formative assessment ought to be included regularly before a big test, and keeping record of what the students have achieved. How can we expect students to do well without having monitored their learning process beforehand? It actually does not make any sense, and it seems even irresponsible and unprofessional. Yet, that is what teachers do and then after a tragedy in terms of marks has taken place, they start blaming students, and no guilt is felt by them.
As agents of change, we ought to plan and perform classes which include project based learning, and consolidation of contents through activities which will lead to undestanding.
Finally, I think it is healthy to find a balance between the assesors and the task-designers we are, so as to lead our students through the right track with our permanent feedback.
Jonathan,
ReplyDeleteSome of your words strongly called my attention,especially when you say that assessment it's not just a way of grading ss. but one to give a point of reference.
From all the reading it seems to me that Assessment IS the beginning of the effective learning process, the thing is that we didn't know it until now.
We are asessing all the time,but good assessment practices and policies are not still properly integrated in most schools.
When I say most schools I refer to those that form the vast majority of the educational system.
When I was at university one of my teachers told me assessment was not necessarily the same as evaluation; So now, I understand it this way, and perhaps he was not so confused since Mary Jane taught us (in the microteachings) to assess our students at the end of every class. My post is a call to tranquility; I've noticed that we are a little bit upset trying to take everything we read into practice and we feel guilty for not doing as we would like to do it. Relax colleagues... This is the end of the year, we are full of things to do, read, write, present, etc. Besides, we have families who wait for us. So do not feel guilty, we try our best, two years ago we did not even know about all these concepts. Next year will be the right moment to apply our knowledge... In the meantime, let us just reflect and build more understanding.
ReplyDelete