November 2, 2010

The authors of the books Assessment is Essential and Assessing Students in Groups, discussed many topics that I have been considering integrating into my own classroom.

Susan K. Green and Robert L. Johnson discuss teacher-made assessment in the form of performance assessment in this week's reading. During my research for the visual project, I came across an article by Michael Lehman, entitled 'Assessing Assessment: Investigating A Mathematics Performance Assessment' (1995), that explains his experience using performance-based assessment for the first time in his math classroom. This article really got me thinking about using this form of assessment periodically in my classroom. Performance-based assessment offers an aspect that the previous forms of assessment have not presented - explanation. The 'why?'-factor is evident in this form of assessment. It really shows the students that simply being able to perform a task is not adequate and the true knowledge is judged based on how you can use and adapt what you know to solve a problem and being able to explain why you solved it a particular way.

Previously, I have discussed using a lengthy project to assist my students in seeing where math is used in the real world. I, now, feel that performance-based assessment, could be a better way of doing that. I still think that my 'boat project' could still be used in my future classroom if it is changed to fit in the guidelines of developing performance assessment prompts. First the 'boat project' would need to be shortened to just focus on a few learning goals (not a semesters worth of objectives). I also think the topic of the performance assessment should be changed to something more pertinent to the students' lives. For example, an assessment based on their own school or happenings of the town they live in will assist in making the task meaningful.

Now, that I have assessed my own idea, I think its appropriate to mention David W. Johnson and Roger T. Johnson's chapter on self-assessment. I have been a advocate for making sure that students don't simply rely on teachers and their peers to assess them, but also participate in assessing themselves. I think it should be noted however, that for this to occur for students who are not already self-assessing, the teacher must be diligent in using the resources the Assessing Students in Groups book offers.

I have also mentioned using a journal format for students to describe what they have learned. This matches closely to the idea of using learning logs and journals. The book gave great advice on how to incorporate my previous idea in cooperation with group work.