0.2 A-reef: assessment  (Page 3/3)

Students and their teachers create the assessment criteria and/or tools so that they are meaningful and generate knowledge.For more on this subject, as well as example, click here .

Seamless and Ongoing

Instruction and assessment are integrated; assessment of the process and products occurs throughout the instruction.To read more about this subject, click here .

Authentic Assessment

Authentic assessment is geared toward assessment methods that correspond as closely as possible to real world experience.The instructor observes the student in the process of working on something real; provides feedback; monitors the student's use of the feedback; andadjusts instruction and evaluation accordingly. Authentic assessment takes this principle of evaluating real work into all areas of thecurriculum.

Performance-Based

Assessments are meaningful, challenging experiences that involve presenting students with an authentic task,project, or investigation, and then observing, interviewing and/or examining their artifacts and presentations to assess what they actuallyknow and can do. For an example using mathematics, click here .

Suggested Reading:

Performance Assessment : A strong overview of the field.

PDF version of Performance Assessment below:

Performance Assessment:

Portfolios

When we hear the name, "portfolio," we often think of artists carrying around a large valise of their creations, or of abusiness-person carrying around a thin briefcase of financial papers. The portfolio in education is a powerful assessment technique, as well, andincludes evidence from one's work on major topics, successes, challenges, and questions. The key word is evidence that can show - far more than tests - what students know and what they need to do in order to improve.

What can be in a Portfolio?

• Examples of best work; the range of work (from satisfying to unsatisfying work); work that shows growth.
• Samples from each theme or unit or response to a large question.
• Work displaying progress and the value of the course in moving the student along.
• Evidence of insight - samples that show concepts being developed.
• Student self reflections - why the student made certain choices; how the student believes s/he is doing; what s/he wants to do in order toimprove.

Portfolios and good questions

A good question, serving as the central core of a course, is best combined with a portfolio from individual students - or ateam - to demonstrate progress.

Here are some examples of core questions:

• How much trash is produced in a day in your community? Students would collect and carry all of the trash they produce in a 24-hour period, thenorganize the trash into categories, report the environmental problems that exist with each type of trash, and find solutions forthese problems. They must then devise an advertising plan to increasepublic awareness about waste disposal. Finally, they must determine if they were correct in their calculations or in the effectiveness oftheir campaign.
• A tractor has stopped running. Why? How can it be restarted again and made useful? Is it worth it? If the tractor were abandoned in favor ofsomething else to do the work, what would that be? How would it be accomplished? And, how could you use the old tractor for otherpurposes? Where would it go if you're not using it?

Examples of portfolios

Below is a general outline for a portfolio's contents:

• Table of Contents.
• A letter from student to the teacher explaining the contents.
• Student reflections on his/her performance.
• Best work and reason why the student has selected it.
• Work the student is unsatisfied with, and reasons why.
• Most improved work or work that shows growth.
• Plan and commitment for improvement.

Porfolios are creative efforts and show the individuality of student work. They can take many forms and should tap intothe cultural themes of the students themselves. Consider, too, how the forms below may fit into your subject:

• Museum exhibit
• Oral history
• Documents
• Diaries
• Songs
• Stories
• Dances
• Rituals
• Film
• Drawing
• Interviews
• Three-dimensional art work

Recommended Reading: Using Portfolios in the Classroom

PDF File below

Using Portfolios in the Classroom

This article talks about the ability to use the Internet and computers to create and edit student portfolios.

To see an example of a science-related student portfolio, click here .

To see examples of teacher portfolios, click here .

HOW TO GET TO THE NEXT MODULE:

Usually, you just click "Next" to go to the next page. When you finish a section, however, (as you're about to do when you finishreading these two paragraphs), you need to click on the "Outline" button, which is on the bottom, right-hand side of the page. Look underneath the bluebar and click on the word "Outline."

When you click on "Outline," a screen will come up that will show you the outline for Course 3. Look for the next section to read andclick on the first topic in that next section. For example, when you get to the outline now, look under the next section called "A-REEF: Reflection" andlook for the first topic in black lettering called "A Teacher's Story." Click on "A Teacher's Story."