Student’s Opinions on Different Assessments
Every teacher and student is familiar with the standard types of assessments, tests, quizzes, and the various more interactive projects that teachers use to mix up their teaching. These assessments have been used for centuries and are considered the standard for assessing students. However, there has been little interest in trying to see how the students feel about these assessments. Many students would say they do not enjoy tests as they raise their anxiety and quizzes can be similar especially if they are given without warning. Understanding this, teachers should do a little more research into the different ways to assess students and which ways the students may prefer to be assessed in the classroom.
The first article I read from Iowa State University focused on quicker classroom assessment techniques (CATs). These assessments, such as journals, one minute papers, and peer reviews, help teachers check student’s understanding as they learn rather than waiting until the end of the unit lesson to see where they are at in their learning. According to the article students, “increase understanding and ability to think critically about the course content; foster an attitude that values understanding and long-term retention; show your interest and support of their success in your classroom”. These shorter assessments help students build confidence in themselves and gives the teacher enough information to allow them to change their lesson plans mid-unit in order to better suit the classes needs.
The second article I read was the assigned Plaut article. The article describes how student assessment can involve them assessing their own work and how they can build from it. In the article Plaut explains, “It is necessary for us to help them see their work as a way to see themselves. When my students saw their own speech transcribed , they saw themselves differently”. This is a good explanation by Plaut on how students need to be able to perform assessments on their own work in order to understand how they can improve themselves. Peer reviews are common, but having students go back over their own assignments can lead to new insights.
The third source I used to analyze student reactions to assessments was the assigned video, Songs for Biology: Students Write Hip-Hop to Learn Science. This video showed how using creative assessments can engage students in ways common assessment could not. In the video the Science Genius Project finishes with a Battle of the Best Raps. This is in no way a common assessment, but it is one that gets students excited and actively engaged in the classroom. Rather than learning to get ready for a test, they are learning in order to create the best rap songs. This inclusion of primary discourse is a great way to motivate students within the classroom.
It is important to remember that these more unorthodox assessment techniques are less stressful to students than the tests or projects that are usually assigned. Judy Willis from Edutopia explains how tests can raise student anxiety and lower their own confidence, “These teachers have described a disturbing response by some students to open-ended test questions when they realize that rote fact memorization is no longer adequate preparation. Previous high achievers are showing fight/flight/freeze stress responses when tested with single-response questions.”. These students were too accustomed to assessments that test pure memorization which become less and less common as students move up in grade level. Thus it is better for them to begin to experience new forms of assessment that challenge their abilities in different ways. Forcing students to adapt to new forms of assessments grows their skill set while also introducing them to different assessments that may not be as anxiety inducing.
It is evident that students prefer the unorthodox type of assessments over the common tests and quizzes. Quick assessments in class, having students assess their own work, and finding creative ways to learn and assess are all alternatives to the standard assessments. Standard assessments are not always bad, many students may prefer them over more complicated assignments, but even these standard assessments have variations that students like and dislike. It is important for us as teachers to understand what types of assessments our particular students prefer and then work to accommodate their preferences in order to better teach them
Works Cited Page
“Classroom Assessment Techniques: Quick Strategies.” Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy [Flash Version]–,www.celt.iastate.edu/teaching/assessment-and-evaluation/classroom-assessment-techniques-quick-strategies-to-check-student-learning-in-class/.
Willis, Judy. “Student Responses to Common Core Instruction and Assessment.” Edutopia, George Lucas Educational Foundation, www.edutopia.org/blog/student-responses-ccss-instruction-assessment-judy-willis.
Plaut, Suzanne. The Right to Literacy in Secondary Schools: Creating a Culture of Thinking. Teachers College Press, 2009.
