Annotated Assessment/Evaluation Exemplar
A) How would I describe the design of this assessment? (e.g., is it a test? a cloze activity? a group project? an essay assignment? a portfolio assignment etc.?)
This assignment would be one that I would view as an essay form of assessment. We're looking for thoroughly answers from the reading that is given to the students, yet it isn't set up in a test format. There will be chances to improve upon the writing skills of the students and feedback given in order to ensure that the students are able to perform more adequately on their next essay assessment.
B) What is the purpose of the assessment?
The purpose of the assessment is to see if the students are truly understanding the information that they are being asked to read. There is not a significant focus on the formality of the writing because we really just want to gauge the students' level of understanding of the readings.
C) How does this assessment align, if at all, with the curriculum standards that guide my professional practice?
I am not currently an instructor that teachings on my own, I am a teaching assistant and can only speak from the viewpoint of someone who longs to be an instructor but not from a person who has had a great deal of experience. I am lucky enough to work with a professor who seems to have the same learning expectations and teaching style I would like to adopt once I am teaching classes of my own. The fact that this professor is worried more about the understanding of information than she is about the formality of the writing speaks volumes as to what is important to her when it comes to education. I'm not saying that being able to write formally is something that should not be address, it absolutely should, but I do agree that the students' knowledge supersedes their ability to write in an APA format.
D) What information will this assessment give me about each student?
This assessment will allow us to see if any students are struggling with the material we are assigning them and if they are, we can set aside some one on one time with that student and work together to get them back on track. We do not want to see any students struggling with their assignments and if they are, we really have to take into consideration that there is something that we could be doing wrong on our part and change that.
E) How do I intend to use the information provided by this assessment?
This form of assessment will allow us to see whether or not the students can read information presented to them and then form cohesive answers to questions about the text. It will also allow us to see if they are able to pick up the material or if we need to spend more time in certain areas.
F) What assumptions have I made about whether this assessment will, in fact, give me the information I need about the students who do it?
Through this assignment, I have assumed that the students will be able to convey their feelings and information in a manner that will allow me to understand if they are truly learning or not. I know there are many students who can read and write very well but that does not mean they are absorbing the information. I like the way this assignment was put together because I do feel it will help to weed out those who are able to appear as if they are learning but are not truly learning. Though, I am aware that is another assumption.
G) What skills have I assumed students have that will enable them to complete this assignment?
There are a couple of things that could be said we have assumed when creating this assignment (even though my participation was small, I did participate a bit). First, we assume that the students can read and write at a college level, not necessarily formal but well enough to get their point across. Secondly, we assume that the students have no issue with speaking of serious issues such as Ebola and the impact that it has had on different societies. I could state that this assessment would assume that these students have an idea of the burial practices held by other cultures but that information is in the text. The text speaks of the impact Ebola has had on these practices and how cultures have changed due to the fear of Ebola spreading.
H) For whom would this assessment prove difficult? Why?
I think that this assignment could be difficult for many people. It could be difficult for those who are not used to taking online classes and really do not know how to navigate the website well. If you have never taken an online class, this could be an entirely new issue for you. If you're older, you may not have much experience with technology. What may be difficult for young people may prove 100 times more difficult for older people. People who have issues with mental illness could have issues with this assignment because when you have certain mental illnesses doing anything can be next to impossible. Simply because mental illness can make it difficult to focus or form full, cohesive thoughts. I feel that students who have a hard time speaking of illness and death might have a great deal of issue with the context and may not want to read some of the things they are assigned to read. This could be caused by a fear of contracting an illness, a recent loss in their family or the loss of a friend, these are the types of situations we need to make sure we are very sensitive to. Lastly, I feel that people who are not able to read very well or write very well will have difficulties conveying the message they are trying to get across. These students may know what they are trying to say but it just is not coming across the way the wish it would.
I) Based on my readings this week, are there ways that I can imagine re-designing this assessment so that it's better in some way? Explain your rationale and justification for your re-design idea(s).
After doing the reading this week, I feel that all assessments can be re-designed in a way that would make them better. One way that this assessment could be improved upon is by holding a Google Hangout or Skype session with small groups of students. This may be hard for some introverted students to take part in but I do believe that giving the students a platform to relay their views and understandings of the information could be extremely beneficial. I also feel that they could speak with other people in their class about the subject matter and gain insight they may have not had prior to speaking to others. I truly believe that students can learn just as much from each other as they can from their instructors. I feel that instructors should guide students in the right direction but never tell them what to think or how to think, in a class such as this. There is so much room for open interpretation that it would be a shame to say that answer A is right and answer B is not.
