The Importance of Assessment

     An instructor's job does not stop after presenting a lesson. The instructor should also assess the learning occurring in the class as well as assess how well s/he is teaching. Multiple choice exams are probably the easiest way to assess students, but they aren't always the best. In her article, "Classroom practice: Practical classroom assessment," Joy Egbert presents a number of assessment strategies. The guidelines to assessment, says Egbert, are four:

1. Assessment takes place in multiple contexts.
2. Both process and outcomes are assessed.
3. Assessment is spread out over time.
4. The method of assessment fits the content and method of what was taught.

 As you can see, assessment must be varied, must be both formative (process oriented) and summative (outcome oriented), and must accurately fit the lesson that was taught. This is why multiple choice exams, such as standardized tests, are not always the most effective assessment strategy.

     Besides testing, Egbert presents strategies such as verbal reporting, written and oral retelling, self-assessment, and portfolios. I am very familiar with all the strategies she presents. Two strategies that I have not used very often are verbal reporting, and written and oral retelling. These two methods can be both formative and summative and should be further explored.

      First of all, it is important to briefly mention the difference between formative and summative assessment. Formative assessment takes place when the instructor receives feedback that helps him/her to adjust the materials and methods used in the classroom to the needs of the learner. Basically, the teacher aims to find out if the students are learning what s/he believe s/he is teaching. An instructor who truly cares whether or not students learn will chose to assess the students formatively prior to assessing them summatively. Summative assessment takes place when the instructor assigns a score to the amount of learning that has taken place. Summative is, of course, the most popular form of assessment.

     Verbal reporting is an interesting method of assessment because in verbal reporting students are asked to reflect on what they have learned and understand how they have learned. The student, through either verbal or written words, reportrs what they have learned and how they learned it. Egbert points out that in this method the instructor assesses the process of learning, not the product.

     In retelling the students summarize what they have learned either orally or verbally. The idea is that the instructor can get a deeper understanding of whether or not the students are actually learning the material. The instructor cannot fully understand the students' level of comprehension simply through traditional testing techniques such as short answer and fill-in-the-blank activities. This assessment can be used both formatively and summatively.

     There are so many viewpoints on assessment. Mine aligns with those of Egbert in that assessment is important and should be valued. Assessment should also be varied, purposeful, and fit the goals and objectives of the course.