From what you’ve seen of the course so far and in the course outline, which of the assessment strategies in your reading this week are being used in this course? Which are not being used?
There are many assessment strategies that are being used in this course and in the course outline from the reading this week and in the course outline. For example, formative assessment is being used throughout the whole course. We will get the chance to get feedback on our Blueprint before we continue working on the Interactive Learning Resource. Summative assessment will be used at the end of the course with a grade on our final project. We are also using self-assessment in this course. We are provided the opportunity to reflect on our blog post and select the one that we feel represents our “best work” and our learning in this course. We are using peer feedback in this course on our blog posts and throughout working in our learning pods on the Blueprint and the Interactive Learning Resource. Through each step, we can give and receive feedback from our peers in order to adjust, understand, and refine our work – similar to the way Austin applied constructive, specific feedback and created six drafts when drawing his butterfly in “Austin’s Butterfly: Building Excellence in Student Work.”
We are also able to refer to the SOLO Taxonomy rubric to guide us in our learning and the UVic Undergraduate Grading Scale to understand how we will be assessed with five clear categories. Another assessment method that is present in this course is authentic assessment. Authentic assessments are based on real-world activities (Conrad & Openo, 2018, p. 56). As a future teacher, I will be creating and using different learning resources. Therefore, the Interactive Learning Resource is an example of authentic assessment in this course. Table 4.1 on page 70 in Assessment Strategies for Online Learning by Conrad & Openo (2018) also provides 10 characteristics of authentic activities, which are closely related to our final project in this class. The Assessment Triangle is being used in this course as well. Quizzes, tests, and exams are not being used in this course for assessment.
In Chapter 1 of Assessment Strategies for Online Learning, I found it interesting to read about how online learning environments and technology can benefit assessment:
Image – (Conrad & Openo, 2018, p. 8).
What learning theories (from Week 1) do these connect to? How does it compare to other courses you’ve taken in your studies?
I think the behaviourism, cognitivism, and constructivism learning theories are all connected to these different assessment methods in one way or another. Specifically, peer assessment and feedback from our professor is linked to the behaviourism learning theory because we are given the opportunity to create learning habits with reinforcements. I think the reinforcements, in this case, are positive words of encouragement, specific feedback, and a grade on projects. I think the cognitivism learning theory is evident in our blog posts and Blueprint because we can make connections to prior knowledge in both of these and build off of it. Lastly, constructivism learning theory is evident in the Blueprint and Interactive Learning Resource we will create. We are able to learn how to design and create online learning environments for people. Thus, we are learning by trying in both of these real-world projects in this course.
The assessment and learning theories embedded in this courses are very similar to the other course I have taken in the Education Program at UVic. Self-assessment and reflection is valued highly, and formative feedback and assessment is provided throughput the process of learning in most of the courses I took this past year. Peer feedback is also present in the courses I have taken, as we frequently participate in discussion posts on Brightspace to give and receive feedback. There are also many opportunities to acquire feedback from peers throughout many group assignments and projects. I would say that cognitivism and constructivism learning theories are most evident in this course and in the courses I have taken this year because we are encouraged to engage meaningfully in real-world contexts. In my first couple years of university, assessment looked different from this course. I was taking a lot of Science and Math courses. Therefore, I think summative assessments in the form of final exams were waited more heavily.
References
Berger, R. [EL Education]. (2012, March 9). Austin’s butterfly: Building excellence in student work [Video]. Vimeo. https://vimeo.com/38247060
Conrad, D. & Openo, J. (2018). Authenticity and engagement: The question of quality in assessment, Assessment strategies for online learning (pp. 55-71). AU Press.
Conrad, D. & Openo, J. (2018). The big picture: A Framework for assessment in online learning, Assessment strategies for online learning (pp. 3-20). AU Press.
My Comments:
mtancon 26 June 2024
Amazing Post Emma! In our course, we use a variety of assessment strategies like formative assessment, self-assessment, and peer feedback. We’ll get feedback on our Blueprint and then create the final project. There’s no use of quizzes or exams. The course connects to learning theories such as behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism, similar to other classes I’ve taken. I’m excited for a course that teaches what it preaches!