Teachers can use effective assessment strategies as a teaching GPS, or “global positioning system,” by finding out where students are located on the learning path. In this way, teachers promote instead of merely judge or grade student success.
Teachers can use effective assessment strategies as a teaching GPS, or “global positioning system,” by finding out where students are located on the learning path. Teachers can then adjust instruction accordingly and help students to reach the next “mile- marker” on the road to success. In this way, teachers promote instead of merely judge or grade student success.
The educational process can be designed to allow the teacher to assist students with asking these questions: “How am I doing?” leading to “Where am I going?” and finally, the question that will lead to ideas for developing appropriate instructional planning answers, “Where to next?” (Hattie & Timperley, 2008).
In his article, From Formative Assessment to Assessment FOR Learning: A Path to Success in Standards-Based Schools, Rick Stiggins (2005), suggests that students should be taught to self-assess and set goals by providing them with examples of strong and weak work. These skills along with continuous access to feedback, can trigger an optimistic learning response in our students that will guide them to know what to do next and motivate them to keep trying.
Ideas for teachers include, sharing achievement targets with students, using examples of exemplary student work, providing access to descriptive feedback, and self-assessment. Teachers and students should be partners in the assessment process (Stiggins, 2007).
The good news is that research has shown for years that consistently applying principles of assessment for learning has yielded remarkable….gains in student achievement, especially for low achievers (Stiggins & Chappius, 2006).
Resources:
If you are interested in the ways in which feedback can be used to enhance effectiveness in classrooms, read The Power of Feedback: http://rer.sagepub.com/cgi/content/full/77/1/81
Case studies illustrating examples of classroom practice can be found at:
http://www.gtce.org.uk/research/romtopics/rom_teachingandlearning/afl_sep04/casestudies#Case%20study%204:%20Examples%20of%20four%20lessons%20using%20peer%20and%20self-assessment%20skills
ETS: Assessment Training Institute Resorces and Webinars http://www.assessmentinst.com/
References
Stiggins, R. (2007). Assessment through the students’ eyes. Educational Leadership, 22-26.
Stiggins, R. & Chappuis, J. (2006). What a difference a word makes. National Staff Development Council, 27(1), 10-14. Stiggins, R. (2005). From formative assessment to assessment FOR learning: A path to success in standards-based schools. Phi Delta Kappan, 87(4), 324-328.
Hattie, J. & Timberley, H. (2008). The power of feedback. Review of Educational Research, 77(1), 81-112.