We teachers normally struggle to really determine what our students truly know or what they are able to do. According to chapter 7 teachers will assess effectively the work of students if they take the position of an assessor more than a teacher. But what’s the main difference between these two concepts? Basically, the difference is that teachers are more interested in generating grades, through the use of appropriate exercises which include right or wrong answers. On the other hand, an assessor is more interested in analyzing evidence of transferability, which is based on the ideas of how to use knowledge and skills effectively in different situations.
I think we have to clearly understand what assessing students means, since in general the most common, easy and natural way of assessing our students is through giving them tests, and we don’t really consider the information gathered during the process, which is of great value and importance. Although, gathering relevant evidence during the process is not that easy since we must recognize that it’s quite complicated for us to keep an eye on every student in the classroom, especially when we have 40 or 42 students working together. I know this is our eternal problem, our unsolved problem, but the more I read the more I realize this is one of the key points to achieve quality and equality in our educational system. But anyway, as we know things won’t change, we have to do and give our best considering all the failures the system may have, and according to this chapter, this time it’s related to the way we assess our students. We should keep always in mind the objectives we’ve set for every single class, which might vary considerably depending on the group. Besides, we need to consider the different kinds of assessment in order to pick up the most appropriate regarding our students characteristics and needs, which is not easy, not at all, but again it sets us a great challenge to develop and improve our teaching skills.
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It is absolutely true that a teacher that thinks not only as a teacher but as an assessor should be more interested in getting, analizying and interpreting evidence of transferability, rather than just giving a test at the end of the year, giving good or bad marks then and making some scarce comment, pseudo-feedback, having always in mind that it is more important that students get good marks, because marks are a valid, consistent and a reliable way of knowing whether students are learning or not.
ReplyDeleteOf course this is teacher’s collective, I dare to say, view of what assessment is, and what it is for. But I always remember what one of my mentors told me at ULS, the idea that students learn for life and not for the class, or to get a seven.
Altough I sometimes think things will not change, as you say my dear Scarlette, I have been started to realize that things can change and we are the ones that can contribute to this change. It is not that we do a collective brainswash on colleagues and students, but it is essential to start thinking about in what ways and to what extent we can contribute to generate changes, which of course are not going to happen soon.
Just by giving at least one ore two grams of pedagogical contribution, we are somehow helping filling this big 10 tons bag of educational change up.
Hi dear Scarlette!
ReplyDeleteI like your idea of quality and equity regarding education. I completely agree with you when you mention that we normally do not consider the information we receive through the process of learning. However, we were not properly trained to do so. Nevertheless, as we are aware of the adequate process we should carry out, we should try to put into practice all this new, crucial, pertinent and relevant information that has to do with our role of being not only teachers, but also assessors.
Thx
CU
Dear Scarlette,
ReplyDeleteAs you pointed out, the difference between teachers and assessors recides in the sruggle agains the actual educational system that demands teachers in generating grades. The latter, leads us to test students through exercises which include right or wrong answers which of course are "zero" meaningful, but are easier and faster to mark. On the other hand, there is the ideal (an assessor), who is more interested helping students to use knowledge and skills effectively in different situations.
I don't know if it is my lack of positivism, but I think it is difficult to make the changes we are so eager to implement, unless education policies foster them.
I don't think that we should take the position of an assessor "more" than a teacher. Our role as a teacher is fundamental to enhance students' learning process. We have to understand and be aware of the meaning of being a teacher,which it is not only about choosing proper activities and grading students. Our role has to do with motivation, planning lesson, stating objectives, unpacking our beliefs and thinking like an assessor.
ReplyDeleteIn other words, the position of an assessor should be part of being a teacher.
Scarlette,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that we have improve the way we assess our students. To begin with, this implies considering the process and not only the product. I also regard as highy important the fact of evaluating students through varied and numerous ways. Undoubtedly, the cost we pay for this modern evaluation is also very high. It is extremely time-consuming and particularly challenging, if we have 40 or 42 students in a classroom. Nevertheless, when understanding is at stake, the only way out is to take up an already prestigious approach to planning: Backward Design.
How many of us are taking into practice everything we are reading this semester? As I have been saying in my previous posts I think we first need to be aware of the real eduaction and then take everything into the classrooms. We force ourselves and demand to use what we learn immediately, but I believe we have to do it step by step. We have to read dozens of articles, write reports, essays, read researches, etc... So we don't have enough time to think as assessors... If we start thinking about essential questions, none of us will ever see our beloved ones again. That is why I say, let's go step by step. Next year, with more spare time, with more experience, we will be able to use everything we have learnt here with our students.
ReplyDeletesaludos!
The difference that you made on "teacher" and "assessor" is clearly what is understand by the society, teachers are there to mark students, lets, be the new teacher, who are able to do more that just the person who mark students, be the one that really taught them valuable thing, concepts and knowledge that is going to be with them all their life. Make the change is possible
ReplyDelete