Blog Post #1

Which of the assessment strategies in your reading this week are being used in this course?

When going through the readings this week I felt that our course used quite a mixture of assessment strategies. Some of the strategies I noticed were formative, summative, self and authentic assessment. 

Looking through the formative lens of assessment I notice that both our Community Contributions and Assignment 2 Interactive Learning Resource draft contain elements of formative and peer feedback that occur throughout the course. The two assignments allow for peer feedback/comments with classmates’ insights to help continue your learning process throughout the class. After one of the readings, I can recognize that this idea of peer feedback is beneficial to both the receiver and the giver (Salvin, 2011). Salvin (2011) notes that the giver of feedback is gaining knowledge by expanding and elaborating on their own understandings to help clarify for the receiver. As for the receiver, they are gaining simplified specific constructive corrections about their work, along with they are seeing how the giver models thinking through concepts to widen their cognitive skills. 

Throughout these two assignments, I feel that the peer feedback will work in a way to create an element of a formative method of assessment. Through Chapter 1 of Assessment Strategies for Online Learning Angelo and Cross (1993) state that “Formative is generally understood as interaction and feedback that is ongoing and that contributes to learning expertise”. Agreeing with Angelo and Cross’s definition I think the two assignments allow for feedback and interaction to foster the learning process connecting these assignments as formative.

However, when I look at all of our assignments there is an element of summative with them as well even the one that contains formative. I feel in this class we are using formative assessment throughout the course to gain feedback and knowledge to help learn and improve the work before submitting it as summative in the end. Angelo and Cross (1993) note that “summative occurs at critical and designated points in the learning process and is usually attached to a grade”. This statement I think is fair to say we see within our assignments as with all of our assignments being submitted for a grade in the end.

Another way we are building to that summative at the end is by using self-assessment. Particularly in the ideas of assignment 3 with creating and after we have completed all of our blog reflections, we are taking the time to reflect on our learning and choosing our best work to submit in the end for the summative. Noted in the Assessing Learning blog post, self-assessment helps learners to look at their learning in blog, reflection or meeting with classmates. The idea allows the student to reflect, ask questions, and clarify misunderstandings (EdTech Admin, 2023). The blog also connects how with our Community Contributions we are self-reflecting on all of our blog posts to pick our “best work” at the end to submit for summative assessment. Goff et al, mention the idea that students act as bearers of skills that drive us toward authentic assessment where they can show direct evidence of how they applied their learning (2015).

Through our class, we are also using key components of authentic assessment. Acknowledge in Chapter 4 of Assessment Strategies for Online Learning, that authentic assessments are created from real-world experiences to include activities that practitioners may meet in their future careers. (Herrington, Oliver, & Reeves, 2006). Through our assignments of creating a learning blueprint and an interactive learning resource, I think those are two activities that I could face in my future career as a teacher.

In conclusion, the course blends a mix of different elements of formative, summative, self and authentic assessment, including formative peer feedback to promote the learning process before summative assessments. Self-assessments allow for reflection and connection to the practical application of authentic assessments. 

Which are not being used? 

As mentioned above I think our course has a blend of quite a few assessment methods, however, there are parts of summative that our course does not have and our course does not use service-learning assessment.

Noted in the Assessing Learning blog post, summative assessment “comes at the end of a learning experience, and is generally a final assessment of the learner’s performance” (EdTech Admin, 2023).  This idea might project the idea that the summative is typically done with a final test at the end, which is something we do not have in this course. However, we are submitting assignments for grades which as noted in my above answer typically means summative. This was an idea I was slightly on the fence about as we are submitting projects for grades that demonstrate our learning experience at the end of the class but what’s different is that we are getting formative feedback throughout the creation process so I think the course partially uses summative but not a lot. I would love to hear what you think as I am not fully confident or sure of my answer.

An assessment me

Then I noticed that we are not using is service-learning assessment. Through Chapter 4 of Assessment Strategies for Online Learning, service learning is described as when the learner leaves the classroom to complete meaningful and authentic work getting the hands-on experience of learning in real-time (Bok,2006). The chapter also describes service-learning assessment where learners are assessed based on their on-site work connecting to the learning outcomes of the course (Conrad & Openo, 2018). Noting what service-learning assessment is we can see that we do not have that within our course as there are no opportunities to get out in the field to work.

What learning theories (from Week 1) do these connect to? 

Looking at the different learning theories from week 1 and comparing them to the different assessments used in our class. I think that our class and assessment focus more on constructivism theory.

As stated in Foundations of Learning and Instructional Design Technology, constructivism focuses on filtering input from the world to produce its unique reality (Jonassen, 1991a).  Knowing this I think it is clear that the formative, peer feedback and self-assessment ways of learning help to connect to the ideas of taking the information and putting it into our reality. Through our online course, we can reflect and connect through blog posts while connecting with others using a constructive mindset. We also know that constructivism isn’t about remembering a specific fact but more about focusing on how you can elaborate and interpret the information being taught (Ertmer & Newby, 2013), which fits into the main ideas and formative assessment methods of our class. We are not expected to memorize any information or get tested within our class and with how we are getting assessed we are taking information and elaborating further in blog posts, projects and conversations. This quote from the chapter helps to sum up the connections to the assessment method of formative, summative, self and authentic assessment. “ The role of instruction in the constructivist view is to show students how to construct knowledge, to promote collaboration with others to show the multiple perspectives that can be brought to bear on a particular problem, and to arrive at self-chosen positions to which they can commit themselves while realizing the basis of other views with which they may disagree” (Cunningham, 1991, p. 14). I believe with the activities of group projects we are collaborating and sharing each perspective while accepting others. 

Overall, the activities and assessment methods of formative, summative, self and authentic assessment within our class embody the theory of constructivism. Encouraging self-reflection, interpretation, collaboration with classmates and using knowledge learned to apply it in meaningful ways.

How does it compare to other courses you’ve taken in your studies? 

Throughout the other classes I have taken I felt that the first year when I was in very general courses that were filled with people coming from all different degrees I noticed it was much more summative. Especially in the classes that revolved around science, math or history, I think it was like this due to the number of students within the class being just too large to use the method of formative. 

Moving into my second year of University where it became less general and more specific to my degree I saw the more formative method of assessment along with a few elements of peer feedback and self-assessment. I also felt being in smaller class sizes of around 30 this year I was doing a lot more experiential learning with a more constructive view rather than the typical memorizing of information.

Additionally this year I got to experience service-learning assessment for the first time. I completed my 3-week practicum where my field advisor would come and watch me teach along with looking at my created lesson plans. This experience also involved formations where she was able to offer feedback to help me improve as I continued teaching. 

Another moment from that practicum was that by teaching the students I was able to better assess a grade 1 using formative vs any test or worksheet as they were often able to have discussions with me much better than writing out the answer. 

References:

Angelo, T & Cross, K.P. (1993). Classroom assessment techniques: A handbook for college teachers. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Bok, D. (2006). Our underachieving colleges: A candid look at how much students learn and why they should be learning more. Princeton University Press.

Conrad, D., & Openo, J. (2018). Assessment strategies for online learning: engagement and authenticity. Edmonton Au Press.

Cunningham, D. J. (1991). Assessing constructions and constructing assessments: A dialogue. Educational Technology, 31(5), 13-17.

EdTech Admin. (2023, May 1). Assessing Learning – EDCI 335. Learning Design for Technology-Mediated Environments. https://edtechuvic.ca/edci335/assessing-learning/ 

Ertmer, P., & Newby, T. (2013). Foundations of Learning and Instructional Design Technology. Edtechbooks.org; EdTech Books. https://edtechbooks.org/lidtfoundations/behaviorism_cognitivism_constructivism 

Goff, L., Potter, M. K., Pierre, E., Carey, T., Gullage, A., Kustra, E., …& Van Gastel, G. (2015). Learning outcomes assessment: A practitioner’s handbook. Toronto, ON: Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario. Retrieved from https://www.heqco.ca/SiteCollectionDocuments/heqco.LOAhandbook_Eng_2015.pdf 

Herrington, J., Oliver, R., & Reeves, T. C. (2006). Authentic tasks online: A synergy among learners, task and technology. Distance Education, 27 (2), 233-248.

Jonassen, D. H. (1991a). Evaluating constructivist learning. Educational Technology, 31(9), 28-33.

Slavin, R. E. (2011). Instruction based on cooperative learning. In R. E. Mayer & P.  

My practicum partner and I after we finished our first 3-week practicum!