Assessments Tara Thomas

SOE 115 Psychology of Teaching and LearningKendall College

Assessments Teachers and students are all very familiar with Assessments. Assessments are used to evaluate a student. This information can help a teacher, parent, school and student understand useful information when it comes to planning, placing and grading. Assessments measure how well a student is doing in a specific area or unit. Assessments can also show how much a student has learned based on previous assessments. Many times assessments have the ability to show if a student needs extra help or should be placed in an enrichment group. Assessments can be done in many different ways. A few popular assessment types includes Standardized tests, Pre Assessments and Formative Assessments (Hidden Curriculum, 2014). Assessments are very important in the academic process.

Source #1 This site explains the importance of having assessments in the classroom. Not standardized tests but actual quizzes, spelling tests and tests. A great point this source makes is that it does not only benefit teachers and parents but it benefits the students too. Assessments are for the students just as much as they are for the teacher. With that being said it is the teachers job to create meaningful assessments that can help a student understand the material and prove the best they can be. A statement made ASCD.com says If assessments provide information for students and teachers, then they should never mean its the end of learning (Gusky, 2003). In reality assessments must be followed by corrective instruction created to help fix any noticed confusion during the assessment. This statements holds the idea that assessments should not be the only form of a grade. Assessments should be used to help obtain the information to achieve the grade. ASCD.com refers to assessments as a way to improve education.

Source #2• This is one I found interesting based on it specific pros and cons list

along with examples. The list of assessments is long, there are many type of ways to assess students and it is an argument of weather or not assessments are the best way to evaluate students. For most categories such as graded homework, pre-tests, post tests, papers reports, and projects the cons and pros are very equal making it difficult for someone to win an argument based on one side. A very common con seen throughout the site is that assessments cause anxiety in students which does not allow them to perform well. Assessments are also very labor intensive for both students and teachers.(Spurlin, 2006). On the positive sign we see assessments allowing creativity, reflecting a students resource access, and showing a more mature knowledge level.

Source #3• This site proves that is it for assessments in a number of ways,

however it also presents ideas for a new way of assessments. An assessment types that fits the century we are in. In this article we are shown that standardized states were used in the mid-1930, so much as changed since then so why wouldn’t our testing? (Wolpert-Gawron, para 4). Some other ways that this article supports new assessments is the many idea given throughout. The author introduces the idea of collaborating with other students, connecting through writing, more problem solving and critical thinking. I believe all of these ideas are worth giving a chance because they all have the ability to prove a child's intelligence and many other things as well. This article is very encouraging and attempting to chance the way we assess our students to benefit them.

Analysis• These websites differed in a few ways. The first site really aimed on

sharing why assessments are used and how they are used in the classroom. This site explained the importance of assessments on parents, students and teachers. The second website showed the ways that people disagree and agree when it comes to assessments. I was able to understand why some people frown upon assessments for their students and children. The last article I found was a great addition to my list. This article completely agreed with assessments but introduced new 21st century ways to do give them.

Connections• Assessments allow teachers to tell him a child has a disability that

may need extra attention or help. They also allow students to reach their intelligences. Assessments are taken to help measure intelligences. They have the ability to tell if a child is gifted or talented as well. • Assessment have the ability to help children be able to build a

foundation for emergent literacy skills

Conclusions

• Overall I am very pleased with the topic I chose to research and discuss. It seems that most people can conclude that assessments are a positive and useful portion of academics. My sites were all very different in the information they gave me. This strategy has proven to improve development because it allows a child, parents and students to see areas of improvement and struggles. While there were negatives that mentioned otherwise the positive effects outweigh them. Anyone that visits these sites would see how good assessmets are in every academic career.

Communication with Families

• Families appreciate the use of assessments in their child’s academic career. It gives them the ability to see how their child is doing in a certain area or subject. The idea of studying for certain tests may put stress on the parents because they have no control over the outcome which may pose as a downside to some parents Parents are kept in the loop when there are assessments, without assessments it would be very difficult for parents to understand how their child is grasping the information being taught to them.

References Educase . Pros and Cons of Assessment Methods on Students Learning.

Gusky, Thomas (2003). How Classroom Assessments Improve Learning. ASCD.

Volume 60, Pages 6-11

Hidden curriculum (2014, August 26). In S. Abbott (Ed.), The glossary of

education reform. Retrieved from http://edglossary.org/hidden-curriculum

Wolpert-Gawron, Heather (2010). Classroom Assessments for a New Century.

Teacher PD Source Book. Vol. 04, Issue 01, Page 16