Concept Analysis Student Centered Assessment - Essay Example

? Assessment for Learning Table of Contents Question 3 Question 2 4 Question 3 6 Question 4 8 References 11 Question centred Assessment is also known as child-centred assessment. Student-centred assessment approach is an educational approach focussing on the students’ needs. This educational approach of students has several propositions for the design of the course content, interactivity of courses, curriculum, assessment and evaluation process. MCAST is the leading post-secondary vocational education and training institute of Malta. This essay will talk about the student-centred assessment process on vocational teaching and learning process. MCAST is offering a chance to several individuals to acquire effective knowledge and skills in order to make themselves more employable through the lifelong education and assessment process (MCAST, 2010, p.1). This study will discuss the student-centred assessment approach to MCAST Art & Design Institute’s Media Studies subject. In student-centred learning process, the students play an important part in the learning evaluation. In this process, the students can decide the demonstration of their learning process. The students should develop an assessment that supports motivation and learning which can be thought of to be an important criterion of student-centred approaches. Media studies generally deals with the history, effects and contents of several media. Media studies deal with traditions from the humanities and social sciences. Communication science, mass communication, communication studies and communication are the important ingredients of the media studies. MCAST Art & design institute incorporated these subject matters in Media studies. MCAST conducts assessments in the international and national context of higher education. The major aim of student-centred assessment strategy in MCAST is to develop skills, knowledge and competencies. The program learning outcomes are very much practical. These outcomes are focused to help the students to develop their skills, competencies and knowledge. This program has several clear and transparent program assessment strategies like assessment plans. The learning assessment strategies are very much student focused. Both the program teams and program board work together to develop the skills, competencies and knowledge of the students. In this process students are supported and encouraged to become significant independent learners. E-learning facility and advanced technology are implemented to assist the students to achieve the learning outcomes. It is important that the teachers should help their students to make a positive approach to the subject matter. Student centred assessment strategy is important in the vocational institutions as it helps the students to provide the practical knowledge. It is important for the students to gain practical knowledge in the media studies. The institution focused on providing effective practical guide to the students. It is important to apply Student-centred assessment approach in media studies. It will help to fulfil the special needs of students. This educational approach of students has several propositions for the designing of the course content, curriculum, assessment of courses and evaluation process. Question 2 Formative, summative and portfolio assessment methods are three major assessment methods. Formative assessment takes place throughout the learning program. In MCAST, the learner is assessed and provided feedback during the learning process. It is known as the formative assessment. On the other hand, summative assignment helps to assess the students at predetermined points at the end of the learning process. Portfolio assessment can be described as the collection of activities that are linked with concepts which are required for the students to learn. Validity of an assessment method is the specific extent that helps to measure the suitability of the interpretation of outcomes. It is a matter of degree. There are four types of validity, such as content validity, face validity, constructs validity and criterion related validity. On the other hand, reliability addresses the consistency of the assessments. A reliable assessment constantly achieves the similar result with the same group of students. Generally, reliability of a particular assessment depends on the internal consistency, temporal stability and form equivalence. There are several key factors that influence the validity and reliability of formative assessment. Affective factors, task factors, process factors and structural factors effectively influence the formative assessment process. In terms of the affective factors, the teachers are devoted to help the students to learn. In this process the students of media studies become careful about their learning process. The teachers always encourage and motivate the students to develop their skills and competencies. It is important for the students to focus on the practical practices based on the nature of the study program. The students need to achieve effective knowledge about the subject. The teachers only can guide the students to identify and rectify the problems and challenges. In terms of process factors, the teachers of the media studies help the students to develop collaborative working skills and self assessment skills. In this process the teachers identify the misunderstandings and obstacles to the achievement and success. This assessment process takes place throughout the course program. This method is highly reliable as it improves the skills, competencies and knowledge of the students throughout the program. Validity and reliability of summative assessment are judged using different criteria. It is true that, these two are almost similar. Validity has different measurements, including construct, content and instructional process. It is important in Media Studies to use appropriateness of outcome inferences, actions and assessments. On the other hand, reliability generalizes across the tasks. It can involve the variability in the performance across several actions and tasks. It is important for both teachers and students to create a new portfolio or adopt an existing portfolio based on the nature of the course program. Most importantly, it will be beneficial for the students to maintain effective communication with the teachers. Therefore, this assessment process is highly essential. This assessment process defines assessment codes in terms of the validity and reliability. It describes how the concepts are involved in assessment and instruction. The validity and reliability of portfolio assessment method provides important guidelines to create new portfolio. This process will help to achieve both reliability and validity. Question 3 This part of the easy will discuss about the effectiveness of four key assessment methods and tools which can be implemented in class to facilitate the learning process of students. These four methods are synoptic assessment method, formative assessment method, summative assessment method and portfolio assessment method. Synoptic assessment helps to encourage the students to combine the fundamentals from several parts of their academic program. It helps to show the accumulated knowledge, skills and understanding of a narrow subject area. This synoptic assessment significantly helps the students to make them understand about their ability. This assessment method will help the students of MCAST Art to integrate and implement their skills, competencies and in-depth knowledge in that specific subject. This synoptic assessment can effectively assess more than one module at a time. In some situation, it becomes less complex and more appropriate in order to design a single credit module. Portfolio assessment method and tool has multiple significances and several potential advantages. Portfolio assessment method helps to assess the students who have special needs. It is very much important to develop communication with the parents of students when implementing the portfolios. Portfolios can develop the communication between home and school if they use it appropriately. Communication between school and community or home and school is key objective of Portfolio assessment tool. According to Resnick and Simmons, “What you assess is what you get, if you do not test it you will not get it (Resnick and Simmons, 1993, p.32). It significantly helps in the teacher’s documentation process. Finally, it helps to develop the cognitive skills of the students. There are several potential advantages of this Portfolio assessment tool. It fosters the depth of exploration and student-teacher communication. It engages the students effectively with the communication process (Damiani, 2004, p.130). Portfolio assessment tool enhances the understanding of the educational structures and processes among the community and parents of students. Most importantly, portfolio assessment tool assesses the ability of the students. The specific principles of formative assessment can be applied at the policy level in order to identify the areas for betterment or improvement. According to Gipps (1997), “Assessment that supports learning and reflection can be defined as Formative Assessment” (Gipps, 1997, p.12). It can promote constructive and effective cultures of evaluation throughout the education system. Formative assessment methods are important to raise the overall level of the achievement of a student. Qualitative and quantitative research approaches on the formative assessment is the most important intercessions for promoting the superior performance. Formative assessment method improves the learning process. It helps to build the learning to learn skill of the students. It builds the skills of students for self and peer assessment. This assessment method helps the students to realize their learning (OECD, 2008, p.2). Moreover, it helps to develop effective strategies for learning to learn. Formative assessment method helps to strengthen the culture of evaluation. Summative assessment generally takes place at the end of the program or project or course. Summative assessment helps the students to assign a course grade. Summative assessment method is evaluative. Summative assessment is referred as the assessment of learning. This summative assessment method tries to maintain an appropriate balance of the assessment in order to maximize the chances of student achievement and learning. There are five types of summative assessments, such as performance task, oral product, test, written product and standardized test. Summative assessment method helps both teachers and students to identify the clear areas of program. Question 4 In this present era of modernization, the changing nature of knowledge, competencies and skills are required. Assessment and evaluation are both essential for the development of the instructional program. Students need to undergo several practical approaches in the media studies in order to understand the subject matter effectively. In the student-centred learning process the students can decide the revelation of their learning process. The students should develop assessment that supports motivation and learning. The students should understand the key subject concept trough practical approaches. Effective assessment strategies can improve the skill, knowledge and competencies of students. The teachers have to guide the students in such a way, so that the students can take effective decisions individually in several critical situations. It is important criteria of student-centred approaches. Media studies generally deals with the history, effects and inside of several media. Media studies draw on behaviour from the humanities and social sciences. Without effective evaluation and assessment, a student cannot implement their knowledge and skills in practical work. Therefore, several assessment models can help the students to increase their core competencies. Depending upon the nature of the course program it can be stated that synoptic assessment method, formative assessment method, summative assessment method and portfolio assessment method can be implemented in order to develop the skills, competencies and knowledge of the Media Studies students. This assessment method will help the Media Science Students to integrate and implement their skills, competencies and knowledge with depth and breadth in that specific subject. This assessment method will allow the students to cultivate appropriate knowledge and effective understanding. On the other hand, the portfolio assessment can be employed as an effective assessment method. This method will foster the depth of exploration and student-teacher communication. Therefore, the students can achieve effective guide from the teachers. This portfolio assessment tool will help to engage the students with the communication process. Formative assessment method is another assessment tool. This assessment method will help to strengthen the institutional culture of assessment and evaluation. Through this formative assessment method the teachers will always try to encourage and motivate the students. It will help to develop their knowledge, skills and competencies. It is important for the students to focus on the practical practices basis as it will help them in their future career. As it is a vocational institution, the teachers always try to involve their students in practical works. The students need to achieve effective knowledge about the subject. The teachers only can guide the students to identify and rectify the problems and challenges. Effective learning outcomes and assessments help the students to become encouraged and motivated. Summative assessment usually takes place at the end of the course programs. It helps to assess and evaluate the overall performance of students in the classrooms at the time of course completion (Wood and Blanton, 2009, p.252). These all are important assessment methods for media Studies students. Therefore, from the above discussion it can be recommended that assessment of Media Studies in MCAST are developed with a key focus on the skills and knowledge required in their future career plan. References Damiani, V., 2004. Portfolio Assessment in the Classroom. [PDF]. Available at: . [Accessed on July 2, 2013]. Gipps, C., 1997. Achievement, Equity and Pedagogy. London: Routledge. MCAST., 2010. 63 students receive the MCAST vocational degrees. [Online]. Available at: . [Accessed on July 2, 2013]. OECD., 2008. Assessment for Learning Formative Assessment. [PDF]. Available at: . [Accessed on July 2, 2013]. Resnick, I., and Simmons, W., 1993. Assessment as the catalyst of School Reform. London: Sage. Wood, K., and Blanton, W., 2009. Literacy Instruction for Adolescents: Research based Practice. London: Guilford Press. Read More