Essential question #4 - Assignment Example

ESSENTIAL QUESTION #4 Assessment can be understood as deciding the quality or the importance of a given thing. It may also refer to judging the value or cost of something. This essay thus seeks to explain the purpose of assessment; determine whether standardized assessment is necessary; analyze what is meant when a school is said to be doing well and the purpose of school assessment. Whitman, (2014) explains: the purpose of assessment is to: first, give insights on the students’ mindset. As such assessment enables the teachers gain understanding of the mindset of students regarding the education curriculum, teachers’ performance and the quality of teaching they get.

Secondly, assessment also provides a continual feedback in how the students are able to actively retrieve information to facilitate learning that is long lasting. Standardized assessments are therefore necessary because they make students develop performance related goals. As the students get assessed, they are able to get motivated by their earned grades, the rankings as well as intrinsic rewards that result from assessment. These assessments deepen the students’ memory for the assessed materials.

As such it enables better performance of students. Additionally, assessment provides the students with significant challenge which makes them work harder to improve their learning as well as playing to a student’s strength. According to Shaw, (2014) when a school is said to be doing well, the following is implied: the students are gaining new levels of understanding each time. “The hope is to help students gain expertise much like musicians improve with repeated guided practice”, John Bransford.

Thus students expertise can be measured and progress shown. Secondly the students are buying in on what they are instructed. As such they are gaining knowledge. “The greater understanding, is so much more enriching than having a lecture and regurgitating information.” Sandomirsky. This implies that there is increased understanding of the curriculum and as such the students are getting gainful knowledge. Eisner, (2012) outlines; A school is thus said to be doing well when they ensure accountability as well as be flexible so that it leaves no child behind in the learning process.

Additionally the school needs to have a rationalized approach dependent on easily quantifiable standards. Thus the purpose of a school assessment can be understood in various levels as follows: formative assessment will enable the teachers know how the students learn best. As such ideas are shared with the student and an assessment is done to find out how the student is fairing with the ideas. This gives the teacher or instructor insights on how to make adjustments on the instructions or content to enable proper learning by the student (Edutopia, 2012).

High stakes on the other end provides a measure for narrow part of the school curriculum even though it can be used to compare students in diverse fields. High stake tests are not the best because they are mostly geared towards the typical student rather than the diverse interests and needs the student presents (Au, 2008). Summative however, is transformational. It enables the instructors or teachers check for understanding, it enables the teacher works smatter rather than work so hard. As such the students are able to understand where they are in so far as their academic journey is concerned.

Additionally, it enables students take ownership of the learning process. Therefore summative assessment transforms the students learning experience and is thus very important.ReferenceAu, W. (2008). Unequal by design: High-stakes testing and the standardization of inequality. Routledge.Edutopia (Director). (2012). Project-Based Learning at Clear View Charter Elementary School (Learn and Live) [Motion Picture].Eisner, E. (2012, August 18). SlideShare. Retrieved April 15, 2015, from What Does It Mean to Say a School is doing well: http://www.

slideshare.net/marcomed/what-does-it-mean-to-say-a-school-revisedShaw, L. (2014, March 1). Less lecturing, more doing: New approach for A.P. classes. Retrieved April 15, 2015, from The Seattle Times: http://www.seattletimes.com/education/less-lecturing-more-doing-new-approach-for-ap-classes/Whitman, G. (2014, June 17). Assessment, Choice, and the Learning Brain. Retrieved April 15, 2015, from Edutopia: http://www.edutopia.org/blog/assessment-choice-and-learning-brain-glenn-whitman