Blog Post #1
Blog Post #1:
Assessment – EDCI 335
As a University student who is entering their fourth year, exposure to various assessment strategies is not something I am short of. Assessment is not only essential for guiding instruction and learning but also gives us a basis for measuring progress and identifying necessary supports.
Assessment Strategies Used
From what I have seen in the course thus far after thoroughly reviewing the course outline for EDCI 335, and exploring the various resources and readings provided to me there are a few different approaches to assessment that are being taken. First of all I would note that this course is using a form of formative assessment through the weekly blog posts and encouraged comments. This aligns with a traditional formative assessment strategy by providing continuous feedback and encouraging engagement and reflection (Conrad & Openo, 2018). Furthermore ongoing feedback is a feature of this portion of the course and formative assessments are generally performed continuously through activities such as submitting drafts, feedback and revision.
Secondly, This course uses a form of summative assessment for both the learning blueprint assignment and the interactive learning resource model. This form of assessment evaluates a student’s ability to apply learned concepts to a project. This form of assessment also generally takes place at a set point in the course and is less continuous.
Additionally, Peer assessment is utilized in EDCI 335. Students are required to evaluate each other’s work during the review of an interactive learning resource. This fosters both critical evaluation skills and collaborative learning.
Finally, the form of assessment that this course embodies throughout can be categorized as qualitative. The element of reflection and self-assessment and the measurement scale being holistic (e.g. meets expectations, exceeds expectations etc..) instead of precise measurements demonstrates this.
Not used
Building off this same concept, by identifying what assessment strategies are used in EDCI 335 we can also do the counter and identify what forms of assessment strategies have not been utilized in this setting. For example by stating that a qualitative approach has been taken we can then investigate if a quantitative approach is also in the mix. However by ruling out the usage of tests and quizzes that measure numerical data and scores we can determine that this form of assessment is not occurring.
Furthermore, I would note that “high-stakes testing” is not a form of assessment being used in this course. There is no final exam and instead the course focuses more so on projects and continuous assessment. Finally There is no pre-assessment for this course that was carried out. Sometimes courses utilize a form of assessment that addresses what the current knowledge of the learner is, however such measures were not carried out in the initial stages of this course.
Connection to Learning Theories From Week One
Some of these assessment strategies that present themselves in the course outline and through further descriptions of course requirements can be related back to the learning theories that we explored in week one. The article by Ertmer and Newby (2013) compares the critical features of behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism from an instructional design perspective. For example the “Constructivist Learning Theory” that emphasizes active engagement and reflection can be observed through the formative assessment that this course utilizes that we touched on prior being Blog posts and comments which follow with feedback and revision. This concept is based on the fact that students don’t acquire knowledge through direct instruction and rather through interaction with the material.
Additionally I feel as though Keller’s ARCs model that falls into a motivation theory can also be related to the Blog format of assessment that we are using in this course (Keller, 1987). Blogs can capture and sustain interest therefore fulfilling the “attention” aspect of the ARC model. They can also address relevant information for a learner therefore relating to the “Relevance” portion of the model. By receiving feedback and applying the proper corrections students can gain “confidence” in the blog writing skills. Finally by successfully completing projects and uploading such criteria to one’s blog one might feel “satisfaction”, all of these in turn reinforce a learner’s motivation to acquire additional knowledge.
However, not only constructivist and motivational techniques and theories can be observed. I feel that this course layout can be seen as systematically eclectic as it integrates various theories of instructional design. Both behavioral and cognitive learning theories can also be observed when looking at the measurement of the learning blueprint assignment (behavioral) and the self-assessment and reflection (cognitive). The blueprint assignment fits into the behavioral learning theory as it allows learners to apply learned concepts to concrete tasks. Whereas the self-reflection task can be related to the cognitive learning theory because it focuses on the mental processes involved in learning.
Comparison to Other Courses I’ve Taken
When comparing the assessment tool of this course to those in which I have taken prior I would say that this course does take a slightly different approach. I have more experience taking courses that embody the quantitative approach I discussed prior. Most courses that I have been enrolled in as a part of my post secondary education have at least one midterm and final exam as a part of their layout.
References
Conrad, D., & Openo, J. (2018). Assessment strategies for online learning: Engagement and authenticity. Athabasca University Press. https://doi.org/10.15215/aupress/9781771992329.01
Ertmer, P. A., & Newby, T. J. (2013). Behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism: Comparing critical features from an instructional design perspective. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 26(2), 43-71.
Hattie, J., & Timperley, H. (2007). The power of feedback. Review of Educational Research, 77(1), 81-112. Retrieved from https://www.visiblelearning.com/sites/default/files/Feedback%20article.pdf
Keller, J. M. (1987a). Development and use of the ARCS model of motivational design.Journal of Instructional Development, 10(3), 2 – 10.
25 May 2024 at 3:17 pm
Hi Emma,
Great to read your post, I agree that many of my past classes in school and university have tended to be quantitative/summative based in terms of assessment. I wonder how you feel learning with this, alternative, approach?
It is interesting to me that there is a feeling of disparity within certain classes – using formative feedback/qualitative statements when at the end we will be given a quantitative judgment in the form of a grade.
Also, just as a thinking point, how easy do you think rubrics are to use as a learner? Personally, I have found that they vary much in terms of their usefulness to me as I go through a class, needing them to be quite specific in order to be helpful. I also wonder at times about the subjectivity of the language used in them, and how they, like grades, can be interpreted in different ways by different people (Brookhart, 1993)- learners and instructors.
Ref:
Brookhart, S. M. (1993). Teachers’ grading practices: meaning and values. Journal of Educational Measurement, 30(2), 123–142. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-3984.1993.tb01070.x
27 May 2024 at 10:36 am
Hi Sophie,
Learning with this approach that includes formative feedback and qualitative assessments has been an interesting experience for me! I feel as though I have had to adjust my approach to assignments as I am more familiar with studying and memorizing content then critically thinking and applying the knowledge I may encounter in a course reading for example.
Regarding Rubrics, I completely agree that the specificity of them is necessary in order to be helpful. I think vague language in a rubric can lead to a lot of confusion and inconsistent interpretations between learners and instructors. I appreciate when rubrics are given long in advance to an assignment’s due date. I feel as if this allows the learners an opportunity to ask questions about a rubric and gain clarification in advance to the assignments submission!
26 May 2024 at 4:21 pm
Hi Emma, great first blog post!
I found it interesting that you found the assessment tool of this course different than your other and previous courses. As for me, I found them quite similar. I think the subject of study has such a big impact on how the assessment looks. For example, as an education major, all my classes rely heavily on formative assessment. I think this is because continuous assessment and learning how to incorporate feedback is an essential skill for teachers. Do you think quantitative assessment, the assessment you mentioned most of your classes embody, supports your area of study best? If so, how?
Additionally, I found it interesting how you brought up pre-assessment as I did not think of this. I, personally really like pre-assessment for a couple of reasons. Firstly, from the perspective of a student, I sometimes like to look back at them to see how much I have learned in the course. Next, from the perspective of a future educator, they can help you adjust to your students needs. I understand how this may be different for university-level courses, but for elementary it is a great strategy to figure out where students are at and then make any necessary adjustments. What are your thoughts on pre-assessment?
27 May 2024 at 11:01 am
Hi Abby,
I do feel as though quantitative assessment being the assessment I am most familiar with as a psychology major supports my area of study! I feel this way because a lot of psychology surrounds the brain and neurological processes. Furthermore in this degree we often explore the history of past psychologists and their revolutionary findings. This knowledge that we are being taught is factual information and memorization of its content is necessary for moving forward in this area of study. I feel as though quantitative assessment is a tool that encourages this form of memorization to take place and it also eliminates any subjectivity because most of the content at hand is known to be factual.
Secondly, I agree with your point on how pre-assessment can be useful for elementary teachings but I also feel like it can be incorporated at all levels of study! Just this past year I took an anatomy course through UVIC and we did a form of test prior to any of the teachings of the course took place. Then after the course was finished we were handed back this same evaluation and I found it quite interesting for comparison purposes!