Two teachers that teach in STEM areas
Assessment can be an end of unit test giving the final report or it can be based on the daily opportunities afforded to teachers to collect data about student work. (Coffey & Black, 2001).
I spoke to two teachers in my network. I will address them
as M and Z. For one of them, M, assessment is primarily based on end of the
task. For the other, Z, it is chiefly based on the daily opportunities in the
class. So, for one of them it is the formality of the final exam that matters
and for the other one it is a part of daily life, natural. M believes that
anything that a student does can be used for assessment (Coffey & Black,
2001).
For example, in teaching energy conservation, M organized
for a class discussion. Through that, observing the students, she realized that
students did not understand it fully and hence she organized for an activity in
the laboratory. She gave students clear instructions for the group activity
(using a pendulum to initiate thinking). She asked the students to think why
the pendulum rests after each movement back to the middle and discuss to arrive
at their conclusions. The students had a rubric to guide them through the task.
A rubric helped her for it focused the thoughts of the students towards
expected levels of performance (Developing Rubrics, n.d.). M meanwhile walked
around and observed the students deep into discussions. She was able to
ascertain the various skills and behaviours the students displayed through this
and used that to design further lessons.
Z on the other hand, conducted the activity in the class as
a demonstration. The students observed. The she explained the concept of energy
conservation, gave students some reading material for discussion and finally
took an assessment to check their learning. The assessment was based on a score
out of 10 and was to be counted for the final grade that the stduents obtained.
Both M and Z have their own way to assess. The reasons come
from their own personalities. While M is fluid and wants to give students a
wider space to grow in the class, Z is concept focused and feels a sense of
achievement when the students have scoped high on her tests. M tried a task
format complete with instructions and rubric (Bell, Van Horne, Penuel, &
Stromholt, 2016). Z preferred a summative. While M’s assessment was
holistic and inclusive of the personalities of the students. Z’s assessment was
focused on concept. Both have the pluses and minuses. M’s assessment covered
width but at the end of it one does not know how well stduents would perform on
a formal test for their knowledge of the concept is not checked. Z would
perhaps give a description of the performance but would not know the student
widely or give space to the ones who do not take to formal education to come
forth.
I would prefer a balance of both. I would rather have what M
practices but in the scaffold of what Z practices. That would make it complete
for me.
References
- Bell, P., Van
Horne, K., Penuel, B., & Stromholt, S. (2016). How can assessments be designed to
engage students in the range of science and engineering practices? http://stemteachingtools.org/brief/26
- Coffey, J., & Black, P. (2001). Read "Classroom Assessment and the
National Science Education Standards" at NAP.edu.
https://www.nap.edu/read/9847/chapter/5.
- Developing Rubrics (n.d.). https://assess.pages.tcnj.edu/files/2011/06/Developing-Rubrics.pdf.
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