Assessment for Learning is the future; Evaluation of Learning is the past

When a teacher looks at student work, s/he can look at it through the lens of the future and in terms of Teaching & Learning, or through the lens of the past and as Measurement & Reporting. However, s/he must be clear in purpose and not mix the two, even though the same task or activity could be used with both. Join us in this Philosophy and Practice (methodology) discussion as we weigh these two very different functions of education.

Assessment or Evaluation - same difference?

The terms "assessment" and "evaluation" are often used interchangeably and may be viewed as synoynms. Techniques, tasks and activities may be the same. The wider community generally sees no difference. However, significant differences exist in the purpose(s) of any such instrument and so having distinct terms is valuable. This session reviews "assessment" and "evaluation" as representing two essential yet refquently misunderstood and misapplied concepts.

Planning, Assessing and Evaluating Writing Activities and Writing Coursework

 

What is "writing"? Why teach writing and when and how? How to evaluate writing? If you have questions, we can help. Keep reading.

Planning, Assessing and Evaluating Oral Activities and Oral Coursework

 

What is "speaking"? Why teach speaking and when and how? How to evaluate speaking? If you have questions, we can help. Keep reading.

Assessing Groupwork

Groupwork is one of the most effective teaching and learning tools, and is of course an integral part of life beyond school in all contexts. Accordingly, evaluating a student's groupwork performance should be a part of his/her oral performance profile.

Evaluating Pairwork

Pairwork is likely the most effective teaching and learning tools, and is of course an integral part of life beyond school in all contexts. Accordingly, evaluating a student's Pairwork performance should be a part of his/her oral performance profile.

Evaluating writing through portfolios

 

Over the course of a year or a programme or a cycle, students amass a significant quantity of written work, some of which shows progress and development, some achievement. These are of course not the same, and a focus on the latter harms the former. Portfolio assessment means the student selects pieces from his/her annual, programme or cycle corpus against defined criteria and the selection as a whole is then assessed, being both representative as will as summative.

Evaluating Writing

Writing is the least natural of all language skills, requiring guidance and practice, and it is that combination which places demands on teachers. The only way to develop as a writer is through producing written texts and receiving feedback, and providing that feedback takes time.

Formative Assessment

 

Differentiating between Assessment and Evaluation is critical to effective teaching; the former is often called formative and is a teaching approach, the latter summative and it is used for measurement and reporting. This series of related sessions explores the Philosophy & Practice of assessment for learning.

Grade Inflation : the Harvard Problem

 

Positive Assessment, an overview

 

Assessment as a part of Teaching and Learning should provide all partners in the interaction(s) with useful information on what is known, shown and can be done. At the same time, assessment should not end the process or negatively impact the learner. 

This Philosophy and Practice session reviews how to assess positively and several such approaches.