MY Journey Through Teaching and Leaning Module in BUID

Assessment is a (qualitative) data -gathering process to provide useful feedback for the improvement of teaching and learning. Assessment is feedback from the student to the teacher about their learning, thus it is a “formative” process. Evaluation is a value (quantitative) judgment of data-gathering processes of the program, it is a “summative” assessment.  While Evaluation uses methods and measures to judge student learning and understanding of the material for purposes of grading and reporting. Evaluation is feedback from the teacher to the student about the student’s learning.

 

The recent reform direction of assessment is performance based or standard based assessment, this reform started 35 years ago in 1983 in the USA after the report of “A nation at risk” described how America's educational system was failing to educate students well.  Among other things, it recommended that schools become more rigorous, that they adopt new standards, and that teacher preparation and pay be evaluated. Thereby; they start using (SAT) results to demonstrate the need for reform and as an instrument to reform, SAT - Scholastic Aptitude Test. The SAT is a standardized test designed to measure basic critical reading, math and writing skills. Students in American curriculum schools set for this exam in the UAE.

 

Standard based, or standardized tests used to emphasize accountability, and emphasis on (1) suing forms of assessment that require students to perform more substantial tasks (e.g., construct  extended essay responses, conduct experiments) rather than only select answers on multiple choice items, (2) adopting standards that both shapes the assessment and define levels of acceptable performance, and (3) the inclusion of all students.

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Both of evaluation and assessment are important for the purpose of formative assessment is improving the effectiveness of teaching and students’ learning as it is used to monitor student learning to provide ongoing feedback, it is linked to instruction process. It is a helpful tool for both teachers and students.

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For teachers

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Assessment for learning helps teachers to gather information:

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• Plan and modify teaching and learning programs for individual students, groups of students, and the class as a whole

• Pinpoint students’ strengths so that both teachers and students can build on them

• Identify students’ learning needs in a clear and constructive way so they can be addressed

• Involve parents and families in their children's learning.

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For students

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• Assessment for learning provides students with information and guidance so they can plan and manage the next steps in their learning.

• Assessment for learning uses information to lead from what has been learned to what needs to be learned next.

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Assessment informs teacher’s lesson planning, while evaluation inform teaching and learning strategic planning on subject / department level. In general; it motivates students to learn, assess their current knowledge, monitor their progress, determine areas of difficulty, providing feedback and inform future planning. 

 

Evaluation is an important requirement for the education system at both school and national level since it informs the main following aspects:

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Learning: it contributes to the formulation of objectives, designing of learning experiences and assessment of learner performance.

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Teaching: Evaluation is concerned with assessing the effectiveness of teaching, teaching strategies, methods and techniques. It provides feedback to the teachers about their teaching and the learners about their learning.

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Curriculum: The improvement in courses/curricula, texts and teaching materials is brought about with the help of evaluation.

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Ministries of Education: can use assessment information to judge school performance (accountability purpose) or/and undertake policy review and development at a national level.

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Parents: Evaluation mainly manifests itself in a perceived need for regular reporting to parents.

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Through the assessment process, the teacher assesses students' knowledge, understanding, skills and attitude to inform their teaching in the classroom throughout the teaching and learning process by using strategies to provide the feedback and scaffold students’ learning such as: teacher observation, teacher questioning, students’ questions, self and peer assessment and short quizzes, report back from group work.  In addition to specific techniques, e.g. minute papers, chain notes, directed paraphrasing, application cards.