Choosing Assessments

Artifact three is an article titled "Choosing Assessments That Matter", and attempts to answer the questions of how teachers can choose between all of the assessment options available to them.


“Choosing Assessments That Matter”. Debbie Abilock. Knowledge Quest; May/Jun 2007; 35, 5; ProQuest Education Journals.

While searching for articles on different forms of assessment, I came across this one. It is titled "Choosing Assessments that Matter". I found this article very interesting, as it is a question that I have been silently holding on to for some time now. There seems to be nearly endless options to choose from when designing assessments for the classroom. Formative and summative. Unit tests, quizzes, multiple choice, short answer, essay questions, high stakes testing. Rubrics, ChecBrics, checklists, rating scales. Teacher-assessment, peer-assessment, self-assessment. Anecdotal, question and answer, oral testing. The list goes on.

With all of these options to choose from, how do we choose the most effective method of assessing?

In her article, "Choosing Assessments That Matter", Debbie Abilock examines this question.

Summary

Abilock brings forward two key points within the first few pages. First, whether the assessment is formative or summative, backwards design is essential. Second, The type of assessment should match the kind of knowledge being assessed. She goes on to describe online learning tests that prepare students for some of the high-stakes testing in the states, but that is not quite relevant in Canada.

The article cites a book by Barry Schwartz titled, The Paradox of Choice. In the book, Schwartz tells of a study where 24 types of jam were available for purchase in two stores. In one shop people were allowed to sample only six, and the other where they could sample all of them. The shop that allowed only six to be sampled outsold the second, which was selling the exact same jams, by 10 times. The research stated that the more choice people had, the more difficult time they had making a decision, and opted to not buy any at all. Abilock then likens this to education. With a nearly overwhelming array of assessment tools being thrown our way, how to we, as educators, sift through them and select the best one? She outlines a six-step plan to help guide the decision making process, which includes matching it to your objectives and evaluating its effectiveness.

The article also addresses what she describes as “the echo chamber”(p 4). This effect refers to what happens when you hear the same story everywhere you go. It seems that people everywhere are proclaiming the greatness of a particular type of assessment. Because you hear it repeatedly, you are more likely to repeat it to others, and it promotes the passing on of possibly inaccurate information.

Lastly, Abilock offers her advice to find quality assessment tools:

"Read widely beyond our professional literature. Then experiment. Pick a few goals and match your assessment to them…choose assessments that are engaging, include prompt feedback, test judgment, and aim for understanding rather than recall." (p 5)

Abilock encourages teachers to try new things, but to be ready to revert to tried, tested, and true techniques - just in case the new attempts fail.

Evaluation

I found this article to be very helpful. I personally have been feeling a little bit overwhelmed by the variety of options and techniques. The list of all of the tools that are "effective" seems to be never ending. I appreciate the advice that Abilock offers, especially as a frightened, soon to be first year teacher.

I have witnessed what happens when teachers are immobilized by the amount of choices that are coming their way. During my internship I encountered three types of teachers. The first type were the ones that denied change. They did not want to hear about new types of assessment. They have been teaching for a long time, and have decided that what has always worked for them will always work for them, and they aren’t looking for something new and confusing to mess with their flow.

The second type of teachers were teachers who jumped on the bandwagon. I can see now that they were subject to what Schwartz’s “echo chamber” idea. They go to conferences, listen to guest speakers, read books, discuss with colleagues, but don’t pause to reflect on any of the different assessment tools. They take each one and say, “That sounds great!” and try to work it in to their next lesson or unit. Before they have even implemented the tool and tested its validity, they are already telling others how great it is, and how they should try it too.

The third type of teacher that I encountered are those that accept new ideas, but not without question. They have a set of assessment methods that work well for them, but they aren’t afraid to work in some new ones to test out the waters. They understand that all methods won’t always work, and that just because they work well with one class, they might not work as well with another.

So how do I fit in? “Easy!” I say as I write this reflection, “I’ll be the last kind of teacher.” Realistically, I don’t think that it will be as easy as that. I think that there will be times when it is necessary to just get things done and use assessment tools that you know will work. But I would like to think that, when I have time to evaluate and think about new techniques, I will attempt to incorporate them in small doses to do my own studies of how well they are received by the class, and by myself. It will be hard at times to not jump on the bandwagon. Those around me influence me when I am unsure of myself. As a first year teacher, it will be difficult not to be sucked in by every new technique that comes along, especially if it is recommended by more senior teachers. The trick will be moderation. Welcoming new ideas, but take the time to evaluate them before they are implemented, and also re-evaluate them once they have been used in the classroom.

I really like the advice that Abilock offers in the end of the article. Student engagement and prompt feedback should be in all assessment. If I, as a student, do an assignment and receive it back a month later, I might check the grade and toss the paper, unless I think that I can hold on to the old notes and maybe use them as an example, or sell them as a study guide to a student taking the class later. If the feedback is prompt, I can reflect on it, make changes, understand why I got the mark I did, and decide upon how to improve for the next time.

It was reassuring to find an article to tell me that I wasn’t alone in being nervous about assessment. I found Abilock’s advice to be refreshing and definitely helpful in my quest to find my own professional identity in the classroom.


Choosing Assessments That Matter

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