Assessment Challenges

1. Are there other methods that are equally as economical, particularly in terms of instructor time, that are more suitable for assessment in a digital age? For instance, do you think automated essay grading is a viable alternative?

When looking to develop units and lessons in my classroom, one of the biggest challenges in teaching elementary school aged children in Grade 6/7 is the sheer volume of assignments that could possibly be suitable for assessment.  I learned very early in my career that trying to assess every possible assigned piece of work in a class of 30 teaching in 10 different subject areas was not possible.  Certainly, you could try to assess every assignment given to your students, but then one would have to question the validity of the assessment, time spent in the formal assessment process, and ultimately whether the learner is getting anything out of the feedback given, which more than likely would be very minimalistic and probably lacking detail and depth.  As I have evolved in my assessment practice with students, I have been quick to develop the skills necessary for students to peer and self assess their work.  Giving students criteria at the outset of an assignment and quelling the question ¨will this be marked¨ right away gives students a sense of ease in that they know the expectations from the outset.  I also spend a large amount of teaching about how to peer and self assess, critique and ultimately provide both meaningful and authentic feedback.

Once these skills have been taught, practiced and debated at length, we utilize these skills in looking at student work well before it makes its way to me.  For example, in our creative writing unit, students follow the following procedures:

1. brainstorming around possible ideas for a chosen topic (through the use of a collaborative google document).
2. planning and drafting of their creative writing piece in a google document
3. first draft is edited by a peer providing formative assessment utilizing criteria from Adrienne Gear’s Writing Power (3,2,1 Check it)  – This edit and revision stage is a critique done in a different colour so that I may differentiate and help support those students who require further direction around proper critique and revision.
4. second draft is written and again given the same treatment as the first draft.
5. criteria is added to the end of the final draft document where a peer and self assessment occurs
6. this process enables the students to work together in collaboration throughout and gives me an opportunity to support students as well.
7. making the assessment process authentic, I give weight to both peer and self assessment in my final assessment of the process and the product.

2. Would it be helpful to think about assessment right at the start of course planning, rather than at the end? Is this feasible?

It is vital to begin with the end in mind as the backward design model suggests.  Thinking about assessment needs to occur as educators are looking at the learning that is to occur against the learning outcomes that are prescribed by their local education boards.  Think about assessment to start enables educators to think about the process of how they will get the that end goal rather than a central focus on how do we get there and then what do we assess.  When educators and students are assessment oriented to start, it gives that sense of authenticity that helps create the critical thinking thought processes of 21st century learning.  It also enables a sense of ease in the eyes of students as it answers the questions of what and why we are doing what we are doing.