In
reading this chapter, I think the first thing that really piqued my interest
was talking about promoting learning. It said assessments can motivate students
to study and learn, and it can influence how they study. It got me thinking
about how we're taught to basically regurgitate information. It stated how
different kinds of assessments can affect how students study and that's really
true. We make flashcards for vocabulary, or make an outline for an essay
question. But on the other hand, we're often not motivated to study or learn
things that we think or know won't be on the test or quiz or whatever form of
assessment. I feel like there are disadvantages of assessments that people
forget to discuss. When they say that it helps them develop different ways of
studying, that's true. However, the opposite side of that is that we're
inclined to only learn what we think we need to know to earn an A. Whatever
else isn't relevant or tested over is just cast aside and forgotten. So I think
it is important to recognize how assessments can be helpful, but also
damaging.
Another
thing that grabbed my attention was informal assessments. I never really
thought about assessments as being “informal.” And if I did, I wasn’t sure what
was considered an informal assessment. It was interesting to me to read about
that type. It makes so much sense, though. When you ask a student a question,
his/her response is going to say a lot about what they know or feel about a
topic. If they make a confident statement, but it’s wrong, you know that they
feel like they have a solid foundation in what is actually a misconception.
But, if they answer your question with a question, they’re not sure or don’t
grasp the subject. It’s a good way to get a feel for whether the student
understands, is confused and needs further instruction, or doesn’t understand
at all.
A
third thing that was interesting to me, partially because it was in the QTC, so
I was looking for it, was the difference between norm and criterion reference
assessments. I think the criterion assessments are important for judging an
individual student’s ability and knowledge. They’re good at evaluating whether
a student grasps a subject or concept. Norm assessments, on the other hand,
compare students to each other. These tests are good at evaluating whether a
student is performing at grade level, has acquired the knowledge they should by
a certain point. They are both very useful. However, I think norm assessments
are only appropriate in certain situations. I think they’re useful at the end
of the year, for example, to make sure a student is learning at the level
appropriate for their age, grade, or even disability.
Lastly, I liked the teaching
testwise-ness section. It made me think about standardized testing, like SAT
and ACT. I was always that kid who rushed through a test and made careless
errors and didn’t go back to check my work. I had to learn how to slow down and
then once I finished, go back and check through it. Also, using deductive
reasoning and guessing made me think of multiple-choice tests. I use those two
strategies together if I’m not sure of an answer. I use reasoning to narrow my
choices down, and then guess between the two. I think teaching testwise-ness is
important for children to succeed in test taking. I think its especially
helpful is students who struggle, because it helps them figure out ways to do
the best they can.
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