Evaluation of Learner Assessment Methods in a Distributed Learning Environment - Assignment Example

Patch 2 Patch 2 Devise and present a rationale or the choice of………strategies What is a rationale? This is a reasonedexposition which defines the fundamental reasons for a course of action or learning process. How many strategies could I choose? (Strategies are the methods we choose to enable this process to take place). There are six strategies that could be chosen and they are: Clarification/verification: This strategy involves a learner asking for an example of how to use a word or expression and repeats words to confirm understanding. Monitoring: This strategy corrects errors in the learner’s pronunciation, vocabulary, spelling, grammar and style. Memorization: This strategy involves taking notes of new items, pronounces out loud, and finds mnemonic and writing items repeatedly. Guessing/inductive inference: This strategy involves guesses of meaning from key words, structures, pictures and context among others. Deductive reasoning: This strategy involves comparing native/other language to target language; group’s words and looks for rule of co-occurrence. Practice: This strategy involves experiments with new sounds; repeats sentences until pronounced easily; listens carefully and tries to imitate. Discuss the sort of format that this assignment might take. What might the finished assignment look like? How many words might Patch 2 contain? This assignment might take question and answer format. The finished assignment will look like a questionnaire with essay kind of answers. The purpose of assessment Grade attainment and set goals for learners Select candidates for jobs or future courses Contribute to evidence on the effectiveness of recruitment Provide ongoing judgments on whether learning has been successful How many of these types of assessment have you heard of before? Initial assessment, diagnostic assessment, norm-referenced, criterion-referenced, self-assessment, peer assessment and group assessment. How many could you confidently explain? Six 1. Initial assessment Initial assessment gives the necessary information required to decide the starting point of a learner. Initial assessment needs to be done with learners rather than to them (Sheets, 2006). Importance of initial assessment To the learner Sets up the starting point so that the learner can see how much they achieve during the course A more reflective approach to learning is fostered. To the Teacher The teacher is given an opportunity of effectively plan how to meet individual learners’ needs. A starting point is established so as to review a learners’ progress and achievements. The quality of teaching is improved. How to carry out initial assessment It may start during enrolment to establish learners’ interests, experience and motivation. It needs to be flexible and should reflect the nature of the group. It should be adapted in a way that it will suit the needs of the individuals of the group itself. The following range of assessment methods will enable you to capture a learner’s starting point. The observation of a tutor Exercises for self assessment Group discussion Personal interaction with tutor Through practical activities and even games Both quiz and questionnaires 2. Diagnostic assessments Diagnostic assessments provide teachers with information about what the learner knew and misconceptions subjected to before commencement of a learning activity. Here, a baseline for comprehending the amount of learning which has taken place when the learning activity is completed is provided. There is a sequential build up of concepts by the teacher throughout a course. 3. Norm-referenced Norm-referenced tests are used to compare a learner’s performance. They are standardized examinations and norm-referenced tests, the goal being the ranking of the set of learners being examined. 4. criterion-referenced Criterion-referenced tests vary since the performance of each learner is compared to a pre-defined set of criteria. The goal here is to establish whether or not the learner has the exhibited mastery of any skill. Results are usually “pass” or “fail”. 5. Student self-assessment Here, the term student self-assessment is used as an umbrella term which encompasses: Student self-assessment, self-evaluation; and self-regulation or self-monitoring. The focus being on the ability of the learner to: Comprehend both learning intentions and success criteria Use these criteria to review both what they have and what they will learn and still need to learn Reflect on the process of learning in order to ascertain how they learn best Act on feedback gotten from both their teacher and their peers Set learning targets on the basis of what they still need to learn Manage the organization of their learning. 6. Peer assessment Here, learners assess each other’s work. It might be used for formative feedback or summative grading purposes. When learners are engaged in peer assessment, it helps them in learning to evaluate their own learning and interpretation of assessment criteria (Sheets, 2006). Types and methods of assessment A type of assessment is the technical process you use to test your students knowledge, skills and ability. A method of assessment is a way in which you can assess your students to see if they are learning and progressing with their studies. A syllabus will usually tell you which method(s) to use. Note down all the different methods of assessing learners Oral Interview You can conduct a one on one interview with the students to get a better knowledge of their abilities. Class Presentation This being a different characteristic of spoken language when a learner is asked to speak in before of his colleagues, he is able to research and organize what he wants to say Role Play When a learner is given a situational role to play, as a teacher, you are able to see their level of creativity. What is required of you as a teacher is listening for content and grammar, while attuned to their creativity in use of language (Sheets, 2006). Close Exam This is an atypical way used to test the grammatical comprehension of a learner. Fill in the Blank Though similar to a close exam, it tests a specific grammatical structure. Writing Sample This is another good method of assessing the learner’s grammatical proficiency. Portfolio This is a gathering of samples with numerous point of views of the assignments completed by a learner. This is an effective way in assessing student’s similarity in reading, writing, listening, speaking and grammar. True/False Quiz Classify these methods into formal or informal assessments. What are the pros and cons of formal/informal methods? The advantages of formal and comparative assessments for students Due to the predetermined patterns in formal assessments, there is a good uniformity of testing circumstances. In comparative assessments, all the involved be it teachers, students or parents are able to comprehend a student’s performance in comparison to others in his grade level. Individual Progress Measured It measures a learner’s success rate when it comes to acquiring a specific skill with no comparison to others of their level. Clear Measure of Progress A learner is made to take the learning process seriously and work consistently when knowing that they will sit for assessments where they will be graded accordingly at the end of a grade, makes a teachers and learning authorities are given the ability to examine the instruction and teaching methods that work best. Disadvantages Formal Assessment can bring about Stress Students might suffer from exam anxiety causing them to freeze and therefore making them to forget everything they learned momentarily; during cases like this, it is hard to get a precise reflection of their learning. Such test conditions have a negative impact to their learning in future. Flawed Test Construction As a result of a badly worded question, students might be lead to misinterpret the problem thus being passed by opportunity to showcase their knowledge. It is unfortunate that not all tests made are able to actually measure that which they are supposed to measure. Advantages of informal assessment It is done frequently.  You can also do it in the middle of your lessons to make sure that people are following.  This makes it useful for getting relatively constant feedback. Every student gets to answer every question, and the teacher can see and save the responses task-specific opportunities given for the student to demonstrate content mastery and performance mastery. All assessment methods should be suited to the level and ability of your students-Can you think of any barriers to any particular student? Can you suggest any other assessment methods used? Dissertation, essay and reports What are the benefits to the learner and to the teacher of conducting an initial assessment? Makes the learners feel they belong to the learning culture Reduces learners anxiety Provides the teacher with necessary information for the careful planning of learning activities needed Helps the teacher to determine individual learning needs An appropriate challenging task/goal is given or negotiated in advance so that the learner knows what is coming. Present a rationale for the choice of initial assessment strategies used within your own teaching. Link this assessment rationale to (one of) your four resources in Patch 1 Initial assessment is led by a qualified and experienced teacher who is supervised by a highly experienced and qualified superior. It is carefully planned with clarity about responsibilities and timescales which information is shared with parents on how it will be conducted.  The planning process and decisions about the timing of the different assessment activities is undertaken in collaboration with all those involved with the child and family. In pairs, please consider the needs of your learners and the initial assessment methods you could use in your area of teaching. Please report back to the group seeing and speaking to the learner alone when appropriate. This includes observing and communicating with the learner in a manner appropriate to his or her understanding, ascertaining and giving due consideration to the learner’s wishes and feelings having regard to their understanding when making decisions about what (if any) teaching methods to employ. Present a rationale for the choice of summative assessment strategies used within your own teaching. Link it to (one of) your four resources in patch 1 High quality summative information shapes how teachers organize their curricula or courses offered to learners. Consider the needs of your learners and which summative assessment methods you could use in your area of teaching. In my area of teaching, I would use state-mandated assessments because it will provide measures of student success in compliance with the State Accountability Mandate. Present a rationale for the choice of e-learning assessment strategies used within your own teaching. Link it to (one of) your four resources in Patch 1 Online learning This is in regards to the internet, which makes it possible to give and receive feedback in numerous ways for the teacher and learner. Teachers can personalize assessment, allowing them to adapt to the requirements of different learners.  A test bank of questions can be assessed and indexed in order to give learners tests matching their abilities. Consider the inclusive needs of your learners. Which e-learning assessment methods could you consider using in your area of teaching? Work based e-learning assessment This method describes a multiplicity of approaches of learning through work, while classroom based assessment is the method of assessing the performance of a learner by measuring academic and/or behavioral progress while participating in a typical learning situation. Do you have experience of assessing learner’s skills and competence in the workplace? I do not have that kind of experience. Have you ever been asked at work? No, I haven’t. How the assessment methods are different from classroom based assessments? Work based learning assessment includes learning for work like work placements, learning at work like company in-house training programmes, and learning through work. On the other hand, classroom based assessment is an approach designed to assist teachers find out what students are learning in the classroom and how well they are learning it. Reference Sheets, D. W., 2006. An Evaluation of Learner Assessment Methods in a Distributed Learning Environment. Colwood: Royal Roads University. Read More