Reflection for Module 4 -Variety of Assessment Tools

I have to say that this midterm has been an experience that I could describe as “satisfying.” It felt good to spend time trying to learn, somewhat in depth, a program that I can use. I know that in my review, I tried to find the immediate educational application and suggested that Groove was not quite ready for widespread educational use. There are plenty of potential uses even though many of my colleagues may not step out and purchase the program. In this case, it does require someone with the same application with whom to collaborate. Learning it was a challenge that I enjoy. Truthfully, I wish I had time now to investigate all of those links you provided. In addition, it was interesting to actually use “pbwiki” for our collaboration. I had used other wikis but not this one, and I found it to be useful. I think that this web resource will be one that I use more often.

However, the thing I appreciated most in this assignment was the opportunity to work with my classmates. I am impressed by their expertise and accomplishments, as well as their kindness and willingness to help. I learned a lot from them as we worked out what needed to be done in our project. Watching the time differences when arranging a meeting time, made me consider how I would handle my online students if they were all over the world. Beatrice took several hours of her time to help me to have a good experience with Groove. Elli had good editing suggestions and gave me advice I desperately needed when my computer kept shutting down on Saturday night.

In thinking about putting our final document together, I was reminded of an artist friend I once had who painted brilliantly. The problem was that he could not give up ownership of his creations enough to allow him to distribute and use what he had created. The last conversation I had with him was about all those paintings stashed behind his couch in his low-rent retirement apartment. That same feeling can come out with anything we write or own. What was confirmed was the idea that we have better results when we are willing to collaborate, recognize each other’s expertise and talents, and put them together for a better result.

The article from the Australian Flexible Learning was a good overview of assessment and online teaching. The section about the Barriers to Online Assessment summarized realistically the difficulties online instructors need to address. It did get me to thinking about why my colleagues look at me curiously, sometimes incredulously when I tell them I am taking these courses, at this level, online. While our children mostly do not fear experimentation and new vistas online, many adults are worried that they will do something to their expensive computer or that their computer will lose all of their work. I know these attitudes are out there in numbers, even in the educational circles. So those shortcomings associated with education online and more specifically, assessment online, need to be overcome, so that adult learners, especially, become confident and use the plethora of options for learning out there beyond the “walls.”

Furger’s article, “Assessment for Understanding” sparked a question thread. I need to ask myself what kind of proof I need to know that a student has learned about history (the primary subject I teach to middle school students). I concluded that one my goals is that they apply the lessons of past events in history to current events and future plans. If completing a project can be a true test of what a student has learned about a subject, projects should always contain a component for application of that mission.

Incidentally, I know that many social studies teachers only want to teach appreciation of other cultures, and that is important. However, my school’s mission includes active training in ideology and worldview. So, while we need to start with “love one another,” we also seek to guide in how to walk that out by a strong commitment to truth as they interpret current events and participate in plans for their future.

So, I wondered, how do my objective tests stack up to project based assessment? I don’t think the two are mutually exclusive but that they could be viewed as hierarchal. It is difficult for anyone to honestly form opinions or views on a topic where the foundation of facts has huge holes, or is missing in action! They need to know the facts! The easiest way to find out if they do is to test. To assess whether they understand those facts well enough to apply them, takes an additional approach, a chance for constructivist learning. As a teacher, I need both. In our world, the most amazing people are those who both know and learn from history and make the connection with what is happening in the world today. So, I need to add more of those kinds of projects and give the students opportunities to use the facts to think deeply. I like the principles of backward design, beginning with the end in mind! And, I need to get on with that task now!

I want to finish by adding a few more good ideas about student portfolios. I liked the idea used by Key Learning Community where the students select a semester long project, every semester, within a school theme. These are added to the portfolio, which can show progress in maturity as well as learning. Also, their idea to put these on a CD-ROM to be placed in the portfolio is excellent! It could include interviews, video projects and plenty of documents that could be given to college admissions departments.