Assessment for Learning and Motivation - Essay Example

Assessment for Learning Assessment for Learning are provided with assessment for learning in order to enhance their level of activity within the classroom and their participation in the associated assignments. Class teachers implement these tactics as a part of their assessment of students’ skills and expertise. These assessments for learning help students throughout their academic life, how to learn and manipulate knowledge into useful information. The best aspect of using learning for assessment is that it allows teachers to know exactly where the student is on progress chart. Moreover, by interviewing students, teachers also get an idea of what are the additional requirements of students that might help to learn even more skills. During learning for assessment sessions, students are communicated of what is expected from them to deliver and how they can produce quality work in their lives to complete different developmental stages in their careers (Black & William, 1998). Assessments for learning also enables the teacher to communicate to the student, any misconceptions that the student might have pertaining to different aspects in an individual’s life and how these misconceptions would lead to gaps in information that might effect decision making skills. As the process of learning goes on, the teacher identifies any gaps present in the student’s knowledge pertaining to life events and the decision-making skills. As a result, techniques to cover those gaps are identified by the teachers and incorporated into the assessment plan for students. These techniques improve the overall results of the assessment and produce pupils with enhanced decision-making and knowledge processing students (Black et al., 2003). The question, which arises here, is that why are assessments for learning so critical for the rest of students’ lives. Apparently, teachers found themselves as being responsible for the pupil’s life and career and for that reason they held themselves responsible for the quality of conduct that a student might adopt in future life. In this manner, students are prepared to be professional in their relationships with the colleagues, kind in relationships with their family and spouses and down to earth in their social lifestyle (Black et al., 2003). Teachers ensure that students are achieving good progress and results from the assessment methods applied by the teachers. Teachers might carry out following activities in order to promote good progress and results delivered by students: Establish inspiring, motivating and challenging expectations from students By establishing high expectations from students, teachers aim at providing a safe and stimulating surrounding environment for students, which promotes mutual respect for everyone. Additionally, teachers also aim at setting goals for students that test students’ character under challenging environment and their ability to cope up with stress. Lastly, these exercises also enable teachers to generate positive values and attitudes towards life events in the behaviour building exercises (Black & William, 1998; Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth, 2006; Stobart, 2008). Enabling students to make the good progress and deliver superior results These activities in learning for assessment are designed by teachers to hold students responsible and accountable for their progress, results delivered and objectives attained. Moreover, the exercises also helps students in achieving awareness about their set of skills and capabilities, and how they can be utilized effectively, acknowledge students about their future requirements and how they can plan to use their resources to meet these requirements and encourage students to take responsibility for their personal and professional life and conduct (Black & William, 1998; Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth, 2006; Stobart, 2008). Enable students to reflect enhanced subject and curriculum related knowledge Activities carried out by teachers during assessments for learning also helps students to possess sound knowledge about their field of interest, subjects studied to enhance knowledge and eliminate any misunderstandings of misconceptions pertaining to the subject. Students are also acknowledged about different important aspect of their field of interest, and how superior results would result in scholarships that are beneficial for enhancing the knowledge of students (Black & William, 1998; Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth, 2006; Stobart, 2008). Enable teachers to effectively plan lessons Learning for assessments also helps teachers to efficiently utilize their teaching time to deliver the important knowledge pertaining to the subject under study. Moreover, learning for assessments also helps teachers to create a favourable environment for learning and increasing students’ intellectual curiosity pertaining to different information processes. Planning is an important aspect of learning for assessment as it helps teachers to formulate a timetable of in-class and out-of-class activities to enhance students’ skills of problem solving and knowledge processing (Black & William, 1998; Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth, 2006; Stobart, 2008). Adapting a teaching style favourable for all students Assessments for learning enable teachers to understand the strengths and weaknesses of every student and also, the learning behaviours and attitudes of students. In the light of these findings, it becomes easier for teachers to adopt a suitable teaching style that is favourable for all students and not only for two or three students. If a teacher is efficient in recognizing students’ requirements, he/she will know exactly how to differentiate between two approaches to problem solving, understand the influence of different factors that might have an effect on students’ learning abilities and gain an understanding of students’ physical, social and intellectual developmental needs. It also helps teachers to identify any particular or differentiating needs of a single student as compare to the whole class of students. With this knowledge, a teacher can make suitable alterations to his/her teaching style to fulfil the learning demands of all students (Black & William, 1998; Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth, 2006; Stobart, 2008). Enable teachers to make the proper use of allocated assessment schedule Assessments for learning enable teachers to understand the statutory assessment requirements and how formative and summative assessments can help to monitor students’ progress on the progress chart. As the time schedule is tight for enhancing students’ skills and learning abilities, teachers use the allotted time efficiently by keeping up-to-date record of activities and the results retrieved. This information enables teachers to make timely decisions after every lecture, keeping in view the individual progress of every student. Also, teachers can also give timely feedback to every student after each lecture, pertaining to their progress and the areas where students need to improve. In this way, students get extra motivation to achieve designated tasks from assessment for learning exercises (Black & William, 1998; Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth, 2006; Stobart, 2008). Enable teachers to manage and mould students’ behaviour In assessments for learning exercises, teachers set certain rules and guidelines that need to be followed by students. By setting these boundaries, teachers aim at moulding the behaviour and attitude of students towards learning processes and hold them responsible for the results students might achieve pertaining to exercises for social relationship management. After such assessments, students have attitude and behaviour that reflects courteousness and humbleness amongst students and help to establish a safe learning environment. These exercises also enable students to think strategically for communicating to other students in the classroom and how a win-win situation can be created during negotiation procedures. Students are more motivated and encouraged in a restricted environment as it ensures the flow in knowledge sharing and learning procedures (Black & William, 1998; Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth, 2006; Stobart, 2008). Enable students to fulfil their professional responsibilities Assessment for learning enables the student to positively adapt to the environment in their professional lives and help them to learn ethos of the school. Additionally, these exercises help students to be social and humble towards their relationships with their colleagues. Students become more aware of the tactics related to negotiation and decision-making, enhance their ability to utilize resources efficiently and strengthen their skills of communication. In this manner, assessment for learning does not only enhance students’ attitude in their personal lives, but also strengthen their confidence and motivational levels in their professional lives. As a result, the learning procedures from the early childhood can be held responsible for an individual’s attitude and behaviour in their professional and personal lives (Black & William, 1998; Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth, 2006; Stobart, 2008). In this section, the benefits and requirements of assessments for learning are described. The next section of the essay would focus on describing the key features of assessment for learning and assessment of learning. Assessments for learning are aimed at promoting a sense of achievement amongst students to motivate them to live up a standard style of life and achieve immense growth in their professional and personal lives. On the other hand, assessment of learning is a view of student’s learning behaviour and attitude, usually provided by a third person who is a colleague or fellow student of that individual. It is useful in developing a progress report for a particular student. In assessments for learning, students reflect their views about their learning experiences whereas, assessment of learning is the perception of a third person or teacher about the progress of a student. The teachers set the focus of assessments for learning for enabling students achieve designated targets. In contrast, once the learning period is over assessment of learning enables teachers to assess the achievement standards attained by each student. Therefore, it can be suggested that assessment for learning is a process, which takes place during the learning cycle whereas, assessment of learning is the process that occurs once the student has gone through the process of learning. Assessments for learning enable students to get an insight into their progress and also facilitate teachers to identify and fulfil different needs and desires of students. Additionally, assessments for learning also help parents to get acknowledged about their child’s progress over the period of time. On the other hand, assessments of learning are utilized for certifying students’ achievements and progress and highlights students’ strengths and weaknesses in the report given to the parents. Teacher’s role in assessment for learning is to manipulate standards into the classroom so that students may know how they are expected to behave and enable them to understand what is expected from them to achieve in their personal and professional lives. In the assessment of learning, the teacher’s role is to remove any flaws in the learning assessment test and develops a comprehensive report on the student’s progress, attitude toward problem solving and decision-making. The student’s role in assessment for learning is to keep a track of improvements or progress during the learning process, contribute to achievement of targets and goals and to ensure improvement in the future tasks or goals. Student’s role in assessment of learning is to fulfil the standards set by the teacher and avoid failure, re by efficiently attempting the grading tests. Example of assessment for learning is the rubric that a teacher develops for students. Rubrics are used by teachers to acknowledge students about the amount of resources and energy that students should reserve for a particular activity. Another example of assessment for learning is a self-assessment test or the descriptive feedback students receive from their teachers on their progress. Example of learning of assessment can be tests designed for identifying achievement level of a student, final examination conducted by teachers, placement tests and short quizzes (Stiggins et al., 2007; Xhappuis & Chappuis, 2006). From here, the discussion would focus on defining the different forms of assessments. The first form is the initial or formative form of assessment is also referred to as pre-assessment, which is carried out by the teacher through a course or a project designated to students. Then there are objective and subjective forms of assessment, which includes providing questions to students with a single answer and then providing students with questions that have multiple answers. Another form of assessment is developing a report on the basis of comparison. This format requires teachers to either select criterion-referenced assessments in which students are assessed on the basis of their achievement of defined goals or norm-referenced assessment, which requires teachers to notice students’ behaviour towards achieving goals. The last section of this essay would focus on presenting example of science based assessment arrangements. For science based assessment arrangements, teachers need to develop a favourable climate which is co-constructivist and non-threatening. In this manner, students of the science classroom would feel free to express their ideas and be innovative in their approach to problem solving and decision-making. Research is the key area of science, which provides an insight into the need for a solution to a problem. In this manner, a science teacher should encourage questioning, feedback, self and peer assessment practices. For this purpose, the teacher can use summative tests for formative purposes and allow students to be practical in their approach to attaining results (Hodgson & Pyle, 2010). List of References Black, P. et al., 2003. Assessment for learning: Putting it into practice. Maidenhead: Open University Press. Black, P. & William, D., 1998. Assessment and classroom Learning. Assessment in Education, 5(1), pp.7-71. Black, P.J. & William, D., 1998. Inside the Black Box: Raising standards through classroom assessment. London: Kings College. Hodgson, C. & Pyle, K., 2010. A literature review of assessment for learning in science. Research Report. London: National Foundation for Educational Research National Foundation for Educational Research. Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth, 2006. Rethinking assessment with purpose in mind: assessment for learning, assessment as learning, assessment of learning Winnipeg. Manitoba: MECY. Stiggins, R.J., Arter, J.A. & Chappuis, J., 2007. Classroom assessment for student learning: Doing it right-using it well. NJ: Pearson. Stobart, G., 2008. Testing Times: The uses and abuses of assessment. London: Routledge. Xhappuis, J. & Chappuis, S., 2006. Understanding school assessment. Portland: Educational Testing Service. Read More