Digital Assessment

Motivation theories explain how people may feel motivation and how it is related with their involvement and participation in decision process as stakeholders. Researchers agree that learner contribution to their own learning makes direct positive impact to learning results. Learners may be involved in assessment through self-assessment, through peer assessment and through co-assessment.

Self - assessment may be realized through the involvement of learners in making decisions about their own learning, particularly about their achievements and learning outcomes (Boud, Falchikov, 1989).

Peer - assessment is the process whereby individuals evaluate their peers (Falchikov, 1995; Freeman, 1995). Evaluating the work of peers is a non-anonymous mode of assessment, therefore, the process is also involving learners into the decision or agreement at an early stage.

Co-assessment is a form of learner participation together with the teacher in the assessment process. This process provides an opportunity for learners to assess themselves while allowing the teachers to carry out the control over the final judgement.

Self-, peer- and co-assessments should not be viewed as assessment methods. They only indicate that the student is involved as one of the assessors.

The assessment required of a teacher today is completely different — the one that could suit to the digital environment and for the pedagogical approaches of the 21st century. Involvement of learners and tracking of assessment criteria against submitted assignments of learners maybe much better facilitated and recorded with digital technologies. It is important to look through assessment methods and see which technologies may be used to support their implementation.

Based on: https://www.reading.ac.uk/engageinassessment/using-technology/eia-managing-assessment-with-technology.aspx

Assessment as learning design

There are multiple taxonomies of assessment:

1. Inquiry based learning

a. Formal and informal observations

b. Discussions, learning conversations, questioning, conferences

c. Tasks done in groups

d. Demonstrations, performances

e. Projects, portfolios

f. Peer and self-assessments

g. Self-reflections

Based on:https://teachingtools.ophea.net/supplements/inquiry-based-learning/assessment-inquiry-based-learning

2. Flipped classroom learning assessment

Based on workshop in Moodle: https://www.edutopia.org/blog/five-steps-formative-assessment-jon-bergmann

There is given one formative assessment strategy, which has the side benefit of not taking papers home to grade. This strategy, called mastery check, has five specific steps:

1. Assignment

Students work should be completed and based on one specific objective. This work takes the form of a paper-and-pencil set of exercises.

2. Choice

Students should solve either the even or the odd problems. It could be some other combination as well.

3. Check for Mastery

After student has finished his work, teacher should complete a check for mastery. This is so called critical step. The teacher asks him to explain one or two of the answers.

4. Remediation (If Necessary)

If students were asked to perform some extra exercises for the reasons above, provide appropriate remediation and have them complete the work, then have them ask for a second check for mastery.

5. Check for Mastery #2 (If Necessary)

After receiving appropriate remediation and completing extra exercises, students have a second check for mastery and repeat as necessary.

Based on: https://www.edutopia.org/blog/five-steps-formative-assessment-jon-bergmann

3. Interactive and connected learning

https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/1006_personalize_learning_west.pdf

4. Distributed cognition

http://mcs.open.ac.uk/yr258/dist_cog/

5. Student generated content

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3142969/

6. Personalized learning

http://www.personalizelearning.com/p/home.html (by Barbara Bray and Kathleen McClaskey – in their blog)

Assessment OF learning(Individualization) refers to strategies strategies confirming what learners know, demonstrate whether or not they have met curriculum outcomes or the goals of their individualized programs, or to validate the student’s proficiency and decisions on learners’ future programs

Effective assessment of learning requires teachers to provide:

• a rationale for undertaking a particular assessment of learning at a particular point in time;
  
• clear descriptions of the intended learning;
  
• processes that enable students to demonstrate their competence and skill;
  
• a range of alternative mechanisms for assessing the same outcomes;
  
• public and informed decision-making points for making judgements;
• clear interpretation methods;
• descriptions of the assessment process;
  

• strategies for recourse in the event of disagreement about the decisions
  

Assessment AS learning (Personalization) is based in research on how the learning takes place and is described by learners reflecting on their own learning and adjustments in order to achieve deeper understanding. The teacher’s role in promoting the development of independent learners through assessment as learning is to:

• develop and teach self-assessment skills;
  
• guide learners in setting goals, and monitoring their progress;
  
• provide examples and models of good practice and quality work that reflect curriculum outcomes;
  
• work with learners to develop clear criteria of good practice;
  
• guide learners in developing internal feedback or self-monitoring mechanisms to validate and question their thinking, and to deal with the ambiguity and uncertainty that is inevitable in learning anything new or when teaching something new;
  
• provide regular and challenging opportunities to practice, so that learners can become confident, competent self-assessors;
  
• to give the feedback every minute;
  
• monitor metacognitive process of learners’ as well as their learning, and provide descriptive feedback;
  
• create an environment where it is safe for learners to take chances and where support is readily available.