Today we reflected upon what is assessment.
The mindmap highlights that assessment has moved away from traditional pen-and-paper testing / tasks to include a variety modes of assessment over the years. A few examples of the inititatives in assessment: Project Work, Alternative Assessment such as Portfolio, Performance Task. Moving away from the traditional way of testing enables the child to show you what they know. With Holistic Assessment being the new kid on the block, I believe it will equip us with more tools to better understand our children's learning needs and for our own personal development.
Keeping in mind the purpose of assessment: (1) Assessement for learning, (2) Assessment of learning and (3) Assessment as learning. Knowing the purpose (1)why we assess, we will be able to plan (1) What we assess? and (3) How we assess?
We went on an experiential trip for our Performance Task tonight.
Topic: Length
Task: To measure the height of a pillar (groupwork)*
Given a few measuring tools, we explore and experimented a few ways in which we can use them to find the height of the pillar. We also discovered that we could make use of our surrounding e.g. the tiles on the wall, the shadow cast, the stair in solving the task given.
Bring the task back into class, we learn to evaluate our own learning. With these 3 questions:
(1) I could have thought of these methods myself.
(2) These methods make sense
(3) These methods do not make sense to me
Stretching Exercise: This activity allows one to assess child if they can measure longer distances.
*Working collaboratively to solve problem, trigger more ideas. Learning comes from doing.
