What is the difference between traditional standardized testing and authentic assessment?
The standardized traditional testing provides information or results against a standard. It gives information about how the student is progressing in specific content areas. Whereas the authentic assessment can provide feedback from peers and others. According to Egbert, authentic assessment can also help the language learner move ahead by allowing the learner to improve, become familiar with their own position in the language learning process, fine-tune understanding and set goals.
Describe how computers can be used for both.
According to Egbert computers can be used for both by performing actual assessment or to help carry assessment, allow learners to post their products to the Web for peer and teacher feedback, send output electronically to experts, can be used to create rubrics, record observations, reflections, teacher records, summarizing and reports on student progress.
So according to Egbert, computers can be used literary in standardized testing by actually performing the assessment and keeping records on observations, student progress reports and teacher reflections on students.
Egbert also mentions that computers can be used within the process of authentic assessment by having the learners create a product for assessment. For example, creating an electronic portfolio or creating a photoshop product demonstrating their understanding of the content. The assessment is based on the process.
I feel that an authentic assessment is the ideal format for testing. I think that to actually get a true picture of whether the learner actually understood the content is to see if they are able to apply what they have learned. This type of assessment empowers learners when they see that they reallly did understand the concept because they were able to create a product.
Describe examples from the reading.
Examples from Egbert include students creating an electronic portfolios showing students work and progress throughout the year. Students can insert their creations and showcase them at the end of the year. This is especially interesting to me because it would allow the students to take ownership of the work.
Another example of using a computer for assessment is having the learner create a design in Photoshop about a concept or theme they have learned about. This second example also allows the learner to demonstrate what he/she has learned. It allows them to take what they have learned and create a product showcasing their knowledge. The learners would also discuss and explain their designs to the class which further exemplifies true learning. I reallly like this because it also allows the students to take ownership.
To effectively assess the work students do via the computer the teacher must:
- assess multiple aspect or contexts of the project or assignment
-assess both the process and the outcome
-spread the assessment out over the time of the project
-fit the contect and method of what is taught
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2 comments:
Adrienne,
I agree with your comments to my post. I like what Nebraska did allowing other forms of assessment along with the standardized test. to me, that would definitely help the lower income schools. I have always preferred a multiple assessment model. I think it was an Valenzuela, an article we read in Dr. Wright's assessment class that made a really good argument for multiple assessment versus high stakes standardized testing.
You mentioned that authentic assessment is important because it allows the students to take ownership of their learning. I really like that concept. I plan to start an electronic portfolio for my students next year. Like you said, being able to create and apply the product of knowledge is what motivates and makes the student feel that they are really learning something in school.In addition, they can share their portfolio with others by presenting their work or simply using it as a resource later in their educational career.
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