Explain
Overall, I agree with Wiggins in that a formal assessment is important but is not the only piece that accurately assesses a student’s knowledge base or mastery of unit objectives. “Triangulat[ing] the information” is a great way to phrase what’s happening: it’s not one unit of measurement but rather several to present a complete picture of the level of success (or in this case, a more accurate telling of what the student has learned and to what degree).
Choose Two
“testing is part of the picture” - The content I teach (world languages) lends itself to a more demonstrative proof of learning - speaking, listening comprehension, written expression - more than what a traditional exam would require. Learning a language is holistic, so asking students to show their understanding in multiple ways - ways that reflect true communication is inherent. While a formal assessment may give me a quick way to determine vocabulary acquisition or basic grammatical structures, asking students to put these concepts into authentic practice is a more effective method of determining a student’s growth in communicative language.
(last paragraph of response to question #4) “...really cool projects, it’s still got to fit within the context…that relates to school objectives.” - I love having students create something using the content. Especially for those that struggle with formal assessments, they are a way to boost confidence, encourage creativity, and allow for a personalization of the content. I make sure to provide students with guidelines, rubrics, and examples, but ultimately it is up to them on how they would like to represent what they have learned.
Beyond the Article
I would suggest to a new teacher to Begin with the End in Mind as much as possible. But to that note, “the End” isn’t necessarily a unit test or a final exam. It should be broader than that; what are the students truly able to accomplish when considering learning standards or objectives? If we consider assessments the same way we think of the SAMR technology model, what can students do beyond “the basics”? And speaking of technology, my recommendation is to not use it for the sake of using it, but rather what can students create that they couldn’t do without the technology? Making assessments - formal or otherwise - need to have purpose and intent, not just another grade for PowerSchool. I have found that when I ask myself what I really, truly want my students to do with the content, I have found more creative inspiration beyond a traditional test. Even though we are all beholden to the NYS assessments and final exams, there are still ways to assess students differently, creatively, and meaningfully.
Overall, I agree with Wiggins in that a formal assessment is important but is not the only piece that accurately assesses a student’s knowledge base or mastery of unit objectives. “Triangulat[ing] the information” is a great way to phrase what’s happening: it’s not one unit of measurement but rather several to present a complete picture of the level of success (or in this case, a more accurate telling of what the student has learned and to what degree).
Choose Two
“testing is part of the picture” - The content I teach (world languages) lends itself to a more demonstrative proof of learning - speaking, listening comprehension, written expression - more than what a traditional exam would require. Learning a language is holistic, so asking students to show their understanding in multiple ways - ways that reflect true communication is inherent. While a formal assessment may give me a quick way to determine vocabulary acquisition or basic grammatical structures, asking students to put these concepts into authentic practice is a more effective method of determining a student’s growth in communicative language.
(last paragraph of response to question #4) “...really cool projects, it’s still got to fit within the context…that relates to school objectives.” - I love having students create something using the content. Especially for those that struggle with formal assessments, they are a way to boost confidence, encourage creativity, and allow for a personalization of the content. I make sure to provide students with guidelines, rubrics, and examples, but ultimately it is up to them on how they would like to represent what they have learned.
Beyond the Article
I would suggest to a new teacher to Begin with the End in Mind as much as possible. But to that note, “the End” isn’t necessarily a unit test or a final exam. It should be broader than that; what are the students truly able to accomplish when considering learning standards or objectives? If we consider assessments the same way we think of the SAMR technology model, what can students do beyond “the basics”? And speaking of technology, my recommendation is to not use it for the sake of using it, but rather what can students create that they couldn’t do without the technology? Making assessments - formal or otherwise - need to have purpose and intent, not just another grade for PowerSchool. I have found that when I ask myself what I really, truly want my students to do with the content, I have found more creative inspiration beyond a traditional test. Even though we are all beholden to the NYS assessments and final exams, there are still ways to assess students differently, creatively, and meaningfully.