Assessment is an important and intregal part of teaching. In Gibbs and Simpson, 2004-05, Conditions Under Which Assessment Supports Students’ Learning, Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, they comment that assessment should be designed foremost to support worthwhile learning. They continue by saying that the conditions under which assessment supports learning are in the research stage. This article was written and published in 2003 and it would be informative to have recent published articles to follow up with research results. However, after reading Gibbs and Simpson’s articles I have more insight into assessment strategies. Regardless, that this literature is focused on higher education it does give me a better idea of how to look at assessment with my Grade Ones.
Now that I have officially completed my first Moodle quiz, with much concern and anxious moments of attempting something that I have never done before, I am reflecting on the whole process as one with an extremely steep learning curve. I feel like I have been climbing a mountain and I finally reached the summit. A huge feeling of relief set in and I can breathe again. The climb itself was full of setbacks. For instance, even though I was following Moodle directions and I also found another source that was very helpful, there were many things I had to discover for myself. Trial and error has been well tried out.
My first intent when developing this quiz was to make it relevant and specific to the Grade One curriculum. At this level assessment is done on my different levels. Daily interactions with my little ones are very important. We are much like a classroom family. Formative assessment is not a huge component, but never the less it is there. So, with my Moodle quiz, I developed the questions and found some pictures to make it look more interesting and appealing. Then I was ready to tackle developing them within Moodle. I took me many hours to complete. The next time it should be quicker. I am still assessing whether the time involved would warrent its application in my classroom. That is an individual decision for each teacher and it depends on what subject or grade they teach.
My final comment in this reflection is one of being proud of my ability to complete this assignment to the best that I could do. I even embedded a few pictures to support the questions. I am also feeling that I can now tackle the modules that I have planned. It also gives me a new appreciation for the feeling students get when learning is new and challenging.
Leslie Dawes