Final eJournal

Key Takeaways from the Course

The main takeaways, for me, were from the module of Assessment Design. Ever since reliability and validity was discussed, I have always been wondering how assessments can be properly valid, reliable, and aligned with instruction. The table of specifications, the categorizations of assessments into their respective knowledge (declarative, process, and practical) and by their cognitive levels was a very systematic and relatively simple framework for plotting assessments.

Other key takeaways include learning about the purposes of assessment and the types of assessment. It is worth sharing that I took a lot of EDS courses before taking this course. Assessment was mentioned in most of them. However, I never really understood what assessment meant as well as it purposes and its types. Whenever I encounter the word, I would feel the need to look it up on the internet.

Changed Perspectives

Before I delved deeply into the course, I really had misconceptions about assessment in relation to evaluation. In writing papers, I would use the two terms interchangeably, unaware of the key differences between them. Because it was so ingrained in my mind that evaluation equals assessment, I had a particularly hard time absorbing the content in module 1. However, once the contrast became clear, I was open to more understanding and realizations about assessments and its implication on learning. Evaluation is about the measuring of student learning. While assessment goes beyond evaluation as it also includes aspects of improvement of learning. In particular, I became aware of how assessment is in relation to instruction and the learning process itself. Assessment is involved in learning rather than just merely being a test conducted after a lesson unit.

Furthermore, I became aware of even more aspects of assessments, particularly during my learning of the types of assessment. Reading on the types of non-traditional – including constructivist, authentic, and reflective – assessments particularly gave me ideas of assessments that went beyond what I originally knew. Hopefully, these new realizations will give me the knowledge to provide adequate formative assessments to my students during my time as an educator.

Reflection to Action

When I read about the issues related to assessments, such as grading, standardized testing, and selective attention by students and teachers, I often wonder what would happen when it becomes my time as an educator. Overall, the authority regarding what is meant to be taught and the student learning outcomes are regulated by school administrators and educational policy officials. Though some degree of autonomy is given to teachers, plenty of aspects in education are highly standardized, including the form of assessment. Plenty of teachers would probably just stick to the standards because they need to follow what is mandated by the higher-ups. Also, it is easier for them to use a plan that is already prepared. However, I hope to become someone who will work towards more innovative forms of assessments and instruction to give my students meaningful and holistic learning experiences.