In exploring assessment, for, of and as learning, we must understand what each of these assessment methods means. Assessment of is summative evaluation which determines the mark or grade achieved. Assessment for is a type of formative assessment, which can comes from external sources, so not only from the teachers but also from peers. This assessment helps students improve their understanding and how to better take on the course. Assessment as is another type of formative assessment but it comes from an internal source and causes self reflection.
I can remember in high school when we would take quizzes that didn’t count that were used as Assessment Of learning, in order to gage how well students were learning and what the teacher needed to do in order to improve their understanding and change how they were approaching the lessons. Assessment For learning was used more often as motivation for the student to do better and involved more interaction between student and teacher, giving lots of feedback to strengthen a student’s work. Finally, Assessment As learning was the self reflection questions we were given once finishing a project or an evaluation and reflecting on how we felt that we had done, what we had struggled with, etc. A way to understand how to assess our own learning and becoming self-involved with how we were doing. It is another great way to improve motivation for students.
I know that these assessment methods are quite beneficial to students but it is important to understand how students identify themselves to their grades, and in doing these assessments to make sure they are aware that their worth is not related to their grades. Grades and improvement are something to take pride in, but they should not be something that should destroy student’s self-esteem. Working with students not only to improve their understanding of the course but also how they have been feeling about it is very important. Bad grades can lead to low self-esteem and a lack of motivation, something that can be stopped when teachers and students work together.
I believe that all of these can be used in a variety of ways. For instance, they could all be combined. An example of this could be a project based on the unit that students had learned and this project could be an assessment of learning. In order for their project to be approved they must make up a plan to show to the teacher. Together the student and the teacher worked together to improve the plan and to motivate the student to make it even better. After finishing the project and receiving their grades the students are given self-reflections of their projects, these are assessment as learning. The students are able to assess how they did on the project, what areas they might have improved, what they might have changed, etc. They are able to assess their own learning and in this are able to learn more about themselves and the course.
As mentioned before, it is important to have built a relationship with your students and to make sure that they are comfortable with the assessment you are doing. We do not want assessment to lead to anything negative when is supposed to be beneficial and motivating to the students. These should not always be used together but can be spread out throughout the semester. It is interesting however how you can combine all three when it comes to projects. Assessment is not only important for the students but for how teachers can acknowledge how well they are doing and what they can improve themselves in their classrooms.
Emma's Teaching Corner 