During this season of new government-mandated assessments, the critical eye has been cast once again toward traditional selected-response type testing. In general, these critical educators and administrators contend that assessments such as multiple choice test cannot validly and adequately measure higher-order thinking and student performance in real-world contexts. I agree. It is indeed doubtful that an objective test on decontextualized grammar and spelling "rules" will ever tell us how effectively a student can compose a focused, coherent essay.
This time of educational assessment reform and accountability should also present opportunities for a fresh look at total learning reform. That is, we can take real steps to shift our view from merely improving teaching and instructional material to helping learners improve and understand their own learning processes. With this view, our instructional strategies and material, learning environments, and curriculum all would be candidates for reform. All of the aforementioned aspects of learning (including assessment) should be and can be reformed in tandem. An NCREL's (http://www.ncrel.org/) Pathwa yto School Improvement article Critical Issue: Rethinking Assessment and Its Role in Supporting Educational Reform (Bond, 1995) addressed all of these issues. It pointed out that assessment reform can be viewed as a means for reforming student learning goals, curriculum, and staff development programs.
The article also conveyed the attitudes of some who claim that "we have to teach to the test" or "what gets assessed is what gets taught." In order for our students to do well on current assessments, I do not believe that educators have to abandon teaching underlying concepts for skills in order for students to succeed. Neither do I believe that they have to abandon all constructivist instructional activities in favor of only direct instruction in order for students to do well. In fact, I believe an eclectic approach helps strengthen the case for assessment reform that includes alternate assessments and greater teacher participation.
The encoding specificity principle that holds that retrieval cues should match the original encoding conditions comes into play here (Tulving, 1983). The teacher provides the greatest guidance concerning the encoding strategies employed during instruction. So, he or she must not be left out of the assessment reform process. And, when a teacher is asked how she aligned her instructional activities and assessment, she could respond that "I contextualized learning experiences. For example, to help prompt implicit memory processes, I provided the tools and opportunities for learners to rehearse procedures and skills in authentic contexts. They transferred skills by trying them in related contexts after some time (reliability). Now, let's figure out how we can best demonstrate for you indicators of their performance. How can we make students' creativity, critical thinking, problem solving and assessment skills visible in a reliable and valid manner?"
References:
Bond, L. A. (1995). Critical issue: Rethinking assessment and its role in supporting educational reform. Retrieved April 14, 2006, from North Central Regional Educational Laboratory Web Site:http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/assment/as700.htm
Tulving, E. (1983). Elements of episodic memory. New York: Oxford University Press.
This time of educational assessment reform and accountability should also present opportunities for a fresh look at total learning reform. That is, we can take real steps to shift our view from merely improving teaching and instructional material to helping learners improve and understand their own learning processes. With this view, our instructional strategies and material, learning environments, and curriculum all would be candidates for reform. All of the aforementioned aspects of learning (including assessment) should be and can be reformed in tandem. An NCREL's (http://www.ncrel.org/) Pathwa yto School Improvement article Critical Issue: Rethinking Assessment and Its Role in Supporting Educational Reform (Bond, 1995) addressed all of these issues. It pointed out that assessment reform can be viewed as a means for reforming student learning goals, curriculum, and staff development programs.
The article also conveyed the attitudes of some who claim that "we have to teach to the test" or "what gets assessed is what gets taught." In order for our students to do well on current assessments, I do not believe that educators have to abandon teaching underlying concepts for skills in order for students to succeed. Neither do I believe that they have to abandon all constructivist instructional activities in favor of only direct instruction in order for students to do well. In fact, I believe an eclectic approach helps strengthen the case for assessment reform that includes alternate assessments and greater teacher participation.
The encoding specificity principle that holds that retrieval cues should match the original encoding conditions comes into play here (Tulving, 1983). The teacher provides the greatest guidance concerning the encoding strategies employed during instruction. So, he or she must not be left out of the assessment reform process. And, when a teacher is asked how she aligned her instructional activities and assessment, she could respond that "I contextualized learning experiences. For example, to help prompt implicit memory processes, I provided the tools and opportunities for learners to rehearse procedures and skills in authentic contexts. They transferred skills by trying them in related contexts after some time (reliability). Now, let's figure out how we can best demonstrate for you indicators of their performance. How can we make students' creativity, critical thinking, problem solving and assessment skills visible in a reliable and valid manner?"
References:
Bond, L. A. (1995). Critical issue: Rethinking assessment and its role in supporting educational reform. Retrieved April 14, 2006, from North Central Regional Educational Laboratory Web Site:http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/assment/as700.htm
Tulving, E. (1983). Elements of episodic memory. New York: Oxford University Press.
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