Module 4: Gaining new understanding

I determined that the different purposes of assessment vary on the timing and the manner that the assessment is conducted. Diagnostic, Formative and Summative assessments are occurring before during and at the end of the lesson respectively.  Also, understanding assessment of, for and as learning are essential concepts I learned that guided me to base my assessments accordingly.

Now that I am both a student and a teacher, I try to think which roles of assessments I should apply for myself. And I find myself using all three of them (unconsciously though). In order to have a more engaged lesson activity, a teacher should consider the interests of their students in deciding what activity to give them. I believe that learning should be something fun and enjoyable for them in order to have a more meaningful and effective assessment.

“We do not learn from experience, we learn from reflecting on experience”

– John Dewey

Assessments being reflective and evaluative should also drive students to learn more and help them become their own learners. I like remembering the idea that teaching student how to fish is one assessment that allows teachers to only guide and support students. Let them set their own goal through self- monitoring and self assessing. Teachers reflect on their own teaching while students also help themselves reflect on their own learning.

How students set their own goals and monitor their own progress is an important assessment for students to be able to be effective learners. As to the alignment of assessment to the learning goals, a teacher should make sure that these goals are specific, clear and measurable. Defining goals aligned to the assessment will help teachers create a more credible teaching strategy that is effective for students. I hope to be able to apply in my teaching all these reflections and learnings.

” Teaching is a reflective practice.”

-Nicole Arndt

Happy Learning!