Have you ever spent countless hours preparing for an assessment? You examine your notes, make flashcards and walk into the assessment with the utmost confidence of knowing the content, only to be handed back a paper covered in red marks with a poor grade at the top. It’s a scenario that captures the essence of the complex world of assessments in education.
As I continue my journey in the exploration of the complex world of education, the concepts of learning, education, technology and assessments continually challenge my understanding. After taking a deeper dive into the roles and purposes that assessments serve in the realm of education, I aim to share my evolving perspectives.
Let’s Talk About Grades
One of my core beliefs revolves around the contentious issue of grades. I have come to question the validity and fairness of traditional grading systems. Grades, I believe, are inherently arbitrary, serving as a poor reflection of genuine learning. They often elicit fear of failure, discourage students from taking on more challenging tasks and can impact one's mental health. This raises the question, does everyone receive an A or a perfect 4.0? In my view, the answer is not a simple yes or no. Instead, it causes me to rethink the very concept of grading.
Throughout my Masters in Educational Technology (MAET) experience at Michigan State University, I have received a wealth of learning experiences through feedback provided by my instructors and peers which has been more beneficial than a letter grade. I know exactly what I did well, as well as where and how I can improve. Through this experience, I believe feedback is an essential component of assessment. I believe it is a collaborative effort for me as the educator along with student peers to allow for a multifaceted perspective that enriches the learning experience. I can look at the concept of feedback as a technology and know along with its affordances there are “limits and constraints that it imposes as well as opportunities that may offer for individual action” (Selwyn, 2011 p.9) because providing feedback takes time and practice in order to be meaningful.
A crucial question I grapple with is, who determines a student’s grade? This is a question that touches on the power of influence within the system of education. While as an educator, I hold valuable insights into the progress of my students, I agree with Shepard (2000) about the importance of self-assessment and providing students the opportunity to have a say in assessing their own learning, fostering a sense of ownership, honest reflection and responsibility to hold themselves to higher standards.
What About the Types of Assessments?
The idea of standards-based assessment has always intrigued me, especially at the middle school level. It appears to offer a more holistic approach to evaluating student progress, focusing on mastery rather than comparison. However, it leaves me wondering whether it adequately captures students “truly understanding a concept and being able to transfer knowledge and use it in new situations” (Shepard, 2000 p.11). I believe standards-based assessments are only one piece of the bigger puzzle of assessments. In order to have an accurate assessment of one’s learning, I need to look at the data from all different types of assessment.
Assessment is a tool that supports learning rather than inhibits it. Formative assessment, with its emphasis on ongoing feedback and improvement, seems ideal for nurturing growth and reflection. Summative assessments, on the other hand, can serve as a valuable endpoint, summarizing the learning journey and providing closure.
When creating learning experiences, assessments need to be weaved into the planning, implementation and reflection. This is not an afterthought but a guiding principle in education.
Conclusion
My beliefs about assessments have evolved through a journey of self-reflection and research. I have come to appreciate the complexity and nuance of the topic of assessment and understand there are no easy answers. As I continue the exploration of the complex world of education and the concepts of learning, education, technology and assessment, I remain committed to the idea that education is a deeply personal and reflective journey, where assessments serve as valuable tools rather than culminating benchmarks.
References
Selwyn, N. (2011). Education and technology: Key issues and debates. Continuum International Publishing.
Shepard, L. A. (2000). The role of assessment in a learning culture. Educational Researcher, 29(7), 4-14.
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