Assessment and Evaluation!

Introduction

    Assessment is the action or an instance of making a judgment about something, and Evaluation determines the value, nature, character, or quality of something or someone (The dictionary by Merriam-Webster, n.d.). Assessments the teacher, parent and student about progress made towards achieving learning objectives. All effective schools utilize assessment to promote deeper learning, growth and development. “There is considerable evidence that assessment is a powerful process for enhancing learning” (Rethinking classroom assessment, 2006, p. 5). My last school of work was an IB day school in India called Pathways World School, NOIDA branch. They offer IBPYP, MYP and DP programs.

Assessment practices in the school

“Assessment works best when its purpose is clear, and when it is carefully designed to fit that purpose” (Rethinking classroom assessment, 2006, p. 13). 

Our teaching team is very reflective with continuous upgradations of curriculum ongoing. Hence the school has a wide range of intentionally designed assessments covering formative, summative and metacognitive. They make a great effort to cover assessment ‘for’, ‘of’ and ‘as’ learning 
(Rethinking classroom assessment, 2006, p. 13).

• Each week in Pathways begins with meeting between students and their academic mentors that encompasses a reflection on the work done. This helps the students to reflect on their learning goals and their blockers.
• Subject teachers maintain the system of a student portfolio where students document their progress and reflections.
• Extended Essay, a standard IB assessment component includes reflective and metacognitive elements to facilitate student awareness of their thinking. This metacognitive practice “maximise the potential for and efficacy of learning” (Webb, 2021, p. 23).
• Pathways also focuses on a diversity of activities that lend to a diversity of formative assessments. Some of these are group projects, problem-based learning, cooperative learning and inquiry learning. Teachers are encouraged to provide students with regular, ongoing feedback which helps students progress toward achieving these objectives (Butler & McNunn, 2009, p. 3).
• In Pathways, due to the IB influence, the Summative assessment strategies include not only exams, but also meaningful performance-based assessments (International Baccalaureate Organization, 2014), such as exhibitions, scientific investigations, and personalised projects. This range of assessment strategies creates a balance between assessment for learning, assessment as learning, and assessment of learning (Rethinking classroom assessment, 2006, p. 13).
• IB has a heavy examination culture too and it is the teachers’ responsibility to help students navigate towards that. For this Pathways has a clear program of summative assessments focused on giving feedback to students on their learning in a comprehensive manner several times a year.

Analyses of Assessments and Need for Change

• Although Pathways is already quite diverse in its assessment practices, thereby allowing for differentiation (ASCD, 2012) however there are ways where change is needed.
• Not all teachers diversify the assessments or use them for learning. The practice needs to go wide and deep in the school.
• Assessment outcome needs to inform instruction in the classes. The connect is often missing.
• Judicious use of technology is needed to bring in data driven assessments in the schools.
• Differentiation of assessments needs to diversify to include students of disabilities. Physics catalyst (2019) “sometimes the oral exam is offered in schools as an alternative to a written exam for students with a learning disability, like dysgraphia, developmental coordination disorder, or non-verbal learning disorder.” 

Conclusion

The ultimate goal of assessments and evaluations is to inform the teaching and learning process. Authentic assessments provide this environment and relevance for students” 

(Butler & McNunn, 2009, p. 6). 

    Overall Pathways focuses on lifelong learning by differentiation of assessments to drive the teaching learning process. The focus is to create a balance between assessment of, for and as learning. Although written examinations remain a barrier towards going deep into assessment as learning, efforts are on by the community to create as wide an impact as possible.

References

• ASCD (2012). Differentiated instruction: Using ongoing assessment to inform instruction.https://pdo.ascd.org/lmscourses/PD11OC117/media/DI-Assessment_M1_Reading_ Assessment.pdf
• Butler, S. and McMunn, N. (2009). A teacher’s guide to classroom assessment: Understanding and using assessment to improve student learning. Jossey-Bass.
• Rethinking classroom assessment with purpose in mind. (2006). Manitoba. https://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/assess/wncp/full_doc.pdf
• The dictionary by Merriam-Webster (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary
• Webb, J. (2021). The Metacognition Handbook: A Practical Guide for Teachers and School Leaders. John Catt.