#authenticassessment

It all started with an AB rhyme, A series of words all strung in a line. Before text response, before assessment, I would use poetry as a form of refreshment.  

Writing became a personal salvation. Perfectionism caused a block in creation. Technology changed the mode, the form. And critical questioning became the norm.

My classroom is one of dialogue, Analysis through handwriting, spoken and blog. Negotiation with students is the key Of my classroom that is to be…

… Or not to be? That is the question.

So, enjoy your journey through this site. Non-linear, form-tastic, a miniscule insight To this world of writing inside my mind, Who knows what treasures you may find?

What can technologies do that pen and paper can’t?

I regularly participate in journal writing, as it clears my head. I was only ever able to handwrite, as it felt inherently more personal, however typing on a computer was able to capture the speed of my thoughts more efficiently, though still never fast enough. Locke explains this as ‘different media are not equally effective in aiding the externalization of inner thought’ (2014, p. 34). The computer was also quick to point out my mistakes in grammar, spelling and punctuation, though with the free-flow style of my writing, these mistakes were not important to me. Nevertheless, I couldn’t leave my entry with all the red squiggly lines and uncapitalized letters, so I edited my own thoughts. It felt wrong, yet I couldn’t leave my imperfect thoughts typed so haphazardly.

So, Jasmin, why did you choose to format your assignment in a blog?

As writing is a deeply intimate exercise, students should be given opportunities to express themselves in a variety of forms. Blogs and Vlogs allow for a multimodal and technology-based focus, which presents a portfolio of ideas, musings and creations which reach beyond the restrictive limits of a traditional essay response. In our ‘networked and electronically connected world’, multigeneric technologies such as this blog allow for authentic contexts to be realised in assessment rather than imagined (Jetnikoff 2009, p. 307). As students today are finding online forms of self-expression through various social media sites, these platforms can be used collaboratively to connect the outside world to the classroom setting in an authentic context, with a potential ‘real’ audience beyond the teacher or assessor.  

Are you saying we should ditch traditional forms of writing?

Not necessarily! Language skills should continue to be taught, as the act of handwriting can crystallise syntax, grammar, rhythm and provide excellent opportunities for drafting and editing processes. However, I can’t imagine writing essays these days on paper, as we expect our students to. My thoughts translate to the page in messy phrases, where the links are not immediately apparent. I construct my essays as though they are a puzzle, rather than a letter. Sometimes whole chunks of text are moved, shifted and deleted. However, our students are expected to handwrite for hours on end and spill free-flowing thoughts onto the page in a logical, coherent and ordered manner. Technology has changed the nature of drafting and editing to become a live and fluid process, and yet there will always be a place for the pen and paper, both in my heart and within the classroom.

(via Digital Storytelling and Authentic Assessments)

Digital storytelling is an awesome authentic assessment that encourages 21st century learning and skills. This type of authentic assessment allows students the chance to demonstrate their understanding of different writing types and craft, connect to local and global audiences, and provide a sense of purpose and ownership in their work (Burns). 

Will this be on the test? The question dreaded by every secondary teacher.

There is a constant struggle of creating instruction and assessments that lead to active engagement of students. It will always be an awesome teaching day for me when students are no longer concerned if something is going to be on a test and more concerned about learning, questioning, applying, and discussing. It will always be a great day when their attention is more consumed with learning, exploring, and generating new ideas than memorizing ideas and vocabulary for an exam. 

A great article I found from Concordia Online Education, explains in detail what authentic assessment is. What I really liked about this article was how the author gave 6 tips to help teachers who are trying to incorporate authentic assessments into their classrooms. The tip that really resonated with me was, “Don’t dwell on rules: When creating authentic tasks, educators must remember that there is no one right way to do them. They should approach it with the same creativity with which they expect their students to complete the work” (Concordia Online Education, 2016). I think this is the hardest part for myself, as well as several other teachers I know because we are perfectionists and we want to be told how exactly something needs to be done. This advice helped me realize that it’s okay to try things out and have them fail, as long as I keep trying, and while I preach this to my students constantly, this article helped me take a step back and realize that I need to take my own advice in order to succeed in converting my classroom to a 21st Century learning place.

This resource can be located at:  Concordia Online Education 

References:

Advice on Using Authentic Assessment in Teaching. (2012). Retrieved June 

            15, 2016, from http://education.cu-portland.edu/blog/curriculum-

             instruction/tips-on-how-to-use-authentic-assessment-as-a-teaching-