Learning the key factors for Assessment is very importance to teaching strategies to enhance student’s ability to learn. It is important for teachers to have a clear vision of their roles and responsibilities to provide the best teaching strategies for their students. The instructor’s role is a dynamic one that requires having individuals who are able to create a virtual climate that encourages meaningful individual and collaborative learning. Assessment is an important element in the teaching and learning process that challenges instructors to consider evaluation techniques that meet the learning needs of today’s adult learners.
Importance
of Assessment
A holistic view will consider evaluation a vital
part of the entire teaching and learning process. Adult learning should be evaluated to help individuals learn of their strengths and
academic deficiencies that can be corrected
during and after a course or seminar. The student should be given information
on the quality of their work to have
an accurate view of their learning. Additionally,
the student should be given specific suggestions on how to improve their academic performance. Distance education studies
reveal concerns that online instructors vary in the quality of their academic feedback to students. Instructors
who fail to provide relevant and timely feedback are undermining the teaching and learning process. Students
consider teacher assessment procedures as a
relational prompt that transcends receiving grades on assignments. The
absence of consistent teacher feedback creates
doubt in the students’ minds about their academic abilities while their classes
seem more impersonal (Muirhead,
2002). The process of assessment
involves gathering information from a variety of sources to cultivate a rich
and meaningful understanding of
student learning. A primary aim of assessment is provide the necessary
information to improve future
educational experiences. Yet, it is vital that the assessment data be accurate
and relevant to effectively make
informed decisions about the curriculum. It requires taking the time to ask
relevant questions that help
evaluate the effectiveness of the teaching strategies and curriculum plans
(Huba & Freed, 2000).
Reference
Davies, M., Wavering, M. (1999). Alternative
assessment: New directions in teaching and learning. Contemporary Education, 71
(1),39-45.
Huba, M. E. & Freed, J. E. (2000). Learner centered
assessment on college campuses: Shifting the focus from teaching to learning.
Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Muirhead, B. (2002). Relevant assessment strategies
for online colleges & universities. USDLA Journal, 16 (1) http://www.usdla.org/html/journal/FEB02_Issue/article04.html.
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3 comments:
Hi Christopher,
Great thinking! How might you, as a future instructor, make sure that your students receive timely and relevant feedback?
Hello Christopher:
I truly agree with your blog, that learning is the key factors for assessment, which is very importance to teaching strategies to enhance student’s ability to learn. I also, agree that it is important for teachers to have a clear vision of their roles and responsibilities to provide the best teaching strategies for their students. As stated in order for students to be guided they must know the vision. The vision and assessment is a guide and it sets a foundation for teaching. The bible says, without a vision the people perish. Assessment is used to determine what a student knows or can do, while evaluation is used to determine the worth or value of a course or program. Assessment data effects student advancement, placement, and grades, as well as decisions about instructional strategies and curriculum (Gardner, 1987).
Blessings
Eric
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Reference
Gardner, H. (1987, May). Developing the spectrum of human intelligence. Harvard Educational Review, 76-82.
Hi Christopher,
I like your blog and agree with your approach to assessments. I must admit I did not see feedback as being part of the “assessment” process. But after reading your blog and understanding how you used feedback as a vital process in the learning loop; I see the relevance. I had an instructor who did not provide feedback to any of the projects that I completed. I received a grade, got docked points, and there were usually vague reasons behind why my answer was not the right answer. The feedback was not there and that made it difficult to assess where I stood in the class and did not prepare me for future assessments; whether they were written, oral or in project form, I was still in the dark of why my understanding was lacking because of the lack of feedback. Feedback is where we gain a better understanding of our deficiencies and we are able to self-correct; thus learning new concepts. Great post!
Have a great week.
Olivia
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