Thank you all for your participation in the Problem Based Assessment presentation. So many interesting ideas and perspectives have been posted this week; this is a summary of what was discussed: PBA IN MET People highlighted a number of ways we have used PBA in MET, including creating concept maps, wikis, blogs, as well as […]
Continue reading Week 10 – PBA Wrap-UP Posted in: Uncategorized, Week 10: Product-Based Assessments
As I was drafting my final post, contemplating David’s question about product based ventures in the PBA space I noticed that Brenda made a similar post in her Final Post: Emerging PBA for the future. I also see the value in a framework for ePortfolios that support PBAs related to Professional Development in the workplace. […]
Continue reading Final Post – Products Posted in: Week 10: Product-Based Assessments
Take a moment to write your final post about which PBA future emerging market tool (product or service) you have used and which one you would like to see more of. As some of the coursemates have mentioned in their posts, I would also like to see more of blogging. Blogging is the area that […]
Continue reading Final Post: Blogging and Cloud Computing are Ways to Go Posted in: Week 10: Product-Based Assessments
Hello Deb,
I agree that next steps could be developing rubrics and assessment for PBA assessment tools. Creating a Web 2.0 tool that offers examples. That would be an interesting business opportunity….
Verena:)
Deb & Ver
Very interesting take on the issue. The rubric would certainly add some form of standard even the aim is not to standardized these assessment. The aim is to keep them as informal and authentic as possible.
Everton
Hi Deb,
I also agree that blogging should be used more frequently in classrooms for students to use. I think it’s a wonderful way for student’s to be creative and express their thoughts and learned knowledge.
Jenaca
Before I participate in Activity #1, I’d like to compliment the Week 10 group for your awsome work! I especially like the SWOT Analysis. Moreover, PBA is a great topic to discuss as assessment is the area that my colleagues at my school are paying a lot of attention to this year. As there is […]
Continue reading [ACTIVITY #1] My PBA Experience Posted in: Week 10: Product-Based Assessments
Hi Deb,
First, thanks for the compliment! 🙂 I agree that assessment is difficult — for me, it’s probably also the most challenging area. As a MET student I’ve also learned so much about authentic assessment just through experiencing the value of it. We learn how to *do* school very early, and PBA-style assignments can push us to do new things and think more creatively because we have to. Did you find any adjustment to the PBA activities popular in MET, or did you immediately feel comfortable with it?
Andrea
Hi Andrea,
I wasn’t familiar with the PBA activities in MET at first, but I soon became comfortable with it.
You just need some time to get used to it. This requires time and effort as well. Once you get used to it, everything becomes pretty much a piece of cake. 🙂
Deb
As a course designer (I’ve had the pleasure of writing every course I’ve taught), I’ve used PBA’s a lot – both before I knew that there was such a term/acronym, and before my involvement with MET. A quick sampling: In Aboriginal art history, my students produce photo essays of Aboriginal and Aboriginal-inspired art in Vancouver. […]
Continue reading PBA’s, learning objectives, and academic anxiety Posted in: Week 10: Product-Based Assessments
Allie,
Great post! Do you see where your courses will one day omit exams in their totality? Is there a possibility that exams will one day be a thing of the past?
Everton
That’s a very interesting observation Allie. Typically I think of high-stakes testing as being a part of anxiety, but I can see how a new or different way of assessment (and therefore learning) can cause anxiety. As you say though, the hope is that the end of the process ties back towards the learning process, and here again I think we are seeing the importance of reflection.
My next question that comes to me is I wonder if there is an EVM (product or service) which can help educators or learners ease through this process of anxiety?
cheers
Doug
Hi Allie, someone in another post mentioned that sometimes PBA-style assignments take us outside our comfort zone, and you’ve really reinforced what that looks like here. Once we’re in the habit of writing papers or exams for every course, for some people it’s unsettling when they’re asked to do something different. We know how much time it takes to study, or to research and write a paper. A project that involves something more authentic is intimidating both because it requires *real* skills and because it’s an *unknown*. Thanks for describing your experience on the teaching side of this so clearly!
Andrea
I have always been a hands-on learner, when I was a child my parents would take me out of school for two weeks and we would drive down to Florida from Ontario. We would stop along the way to learn about the different states we were driving through and they would always ask my teachers […]
Continue reading Hands-on Learning through PBA Posted in: Week 10: Product-Based Assessments
Hi Ashley
I think you’re right about concept mapping, and in my mind this tool has significant potential for an emerging venture in PBA.
I like how you bring up your own personal experience from when you were younger, and highlight how project assessment seems to be better for tailoring to individuals. I think this would be a strength of PBA, and perhaps something that potential PBA ventures could focus on. It also aligns with 21st Century Learning, as espoused by many institutions including the newest initiatives from the BC government.
Hi Ashley!
Thanks for personal story. I can visualize a family trekking slowly down to Florida- exploring as they go.
I helped my daughter’s kindergarten teacher create her classroom blog, and it is based on voicethreads….It is an amazing medium for PBA for students who do not have the written skills to still create a “project” of their own. An example from a “farm visit” http://voicethread.com/?#u451150.b690134
Although she is using them more for content at the moment..I know that the grade 1 classes may develop some more this year themselves…..
I like to use Mindmeister as well….although I noticed that if you do not have the premium version, it doesn’t “look” as good. The idea of “concept” mapping is great though. I hope you have a chance to add to our SWOT analysis this week.
Thanks again for the personal connection….
Verena:)
Hi Ashley,
I have also always been a hands-on-learner, so this course is definitely the right fit for me! I am also a huge fan of concept maps, voicethreads and other forms of PBA tools!
Jenaca
Before you publish your posting, please make sure that you select a category (eg. Introductions) as well as assign some meaningful tags (keywords).
Doug Smith 9:28 am on November 13, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Julie, I think there is a lot of potential for e-portfolios outside of education. I was an engineer for 15 years and I can’t count how many times I was supposed to have a yearly or bi-yearly evaluation, and it was never completed. There is no doubt that large corporations and HR units could use a system like Mahara for tracking parts of the employee’s performance, goals, 5 year plans, etc. There is a ton of potential here. This is an e-portfolio specific aspect of PBA, but these eport reflections and thoughts are products as well.
cheers
Doug
Julie S 2:04 pm on November 13, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Thanks for the feedback Doug. Yes, the unfinished evaluation is all too commonplace.
andrea 12:13 pm on November 13, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Hi Julie, I agree there are many applications for your idea in the workplace. I think tools that allow people to concretely connect their work with the goals, vision or mission of an organization, and potentially to connect with others who are doing the same thing, would make the typical performance management tasks much more useful.
Andrea
Julie S 2:04 pm on November 13, 2011 Permalink | Log in to Reply
Thanks Andrea – I like like the idea of having the peers connect inside the organization as well – good idea.