Assessment in a Constructivist , Technology-Supported Learning

1. Assessment in a Constructivist , Technology-Supported Learning

2. In a CONTRUCTIVIST CLASSROOM , learning transcends memorization of fact . It is putting these isolated facts together , form concepts and construct meaning from them .It is connecting the integration of these facts and concepts to daily life . It is seeing the relevance of these facts and concepts to what we value and treasure in life. If this is what learning is from the eyes of the constructivist , then definitely , the pure memorization (sometimes without understanding ) done for a mere recall test does not jibe with such belief.

3. What then is the assessment practice that will be congruent with the constructivist’s thinking? It is a higher level form of assessment that will require the display of the basic skills of writing and speaking, computing and the more complex skills of applying concepts learned, analyzing ,integrating and creating , critiquing and evaluating and the social skills of working with others . Such higher level form of assessment will call for alternative forms of assessment . The traditional paper-and pencil test will prove to be inadequate to measure basic skills integrated with higher-order-thinking skills and social skills.

4. Authentic assessment is most appropriate for the constructivist classroom Authentic assessment measures collective abilities , written and oral expression skills , analytical skills , manipulative skills ,(like computer skills ) integration , creativity ,and ability to work collaboratively . In authentic assessment, students perform real world tasks , thus the word “authentic” . It is an assessment includes performance or product assessment .

5. The performance is a reliable measure of skills learned and the product is a proof of the acquisition of skills . These performance and product are assessed . Again the mere paper-and-pencil test cannot evaluate these .So what do we need? We need to observe and evaluate and ,to do it more objectively .,with the aid of a scoring rubric .

9. You and your students may develop a rubric . It can be a collaborative effort for both of you –teacher and students-in line with the practice of self-assessment, which is highly favored and encouraged. In fact with scoring rubric , standards are clearly set at beginning for you and your students and with that rubric your students can assess their own progress. In this case, the much of the fear for test gets dispelled . Assessment is accepted as a natural and normal part of the learning process .There are no more secrets on more secrets on how students will be tested , what kind of questions will be asked. The students themselves know how their progress gets assessed.

10. Assessment in a technology-supported environment necessarily includes display of skillful and creative use of technologies , old and recent , because that is what is naturally expected of us in the real world , a technology –dominated world. In this present world, we need to be computer literate and fluent or we get lost or become helpless .These technology and integrative skills are demonstrated when our students present answers they have found to two or more assigned problems or present the group project they have worked on for a purpose with the use of various technologies . These presentation need performance –based assessment or product assessment .It is a direct assessment. We do not test their computer and creative skills ,their analytical and integrative skills by way of a multiple –choice-type of test nor test their computer skills in life ? that becomes the natural setting of the test in computer skills.

11. A technology-supported classroom maximizes the use of old and new technology .Students are expected to demonstrate learning with the use of both old new OHP to demonstrate the learned skill of topic presentation or may choose to use powerpoint presentation . To assess their manipulative skill , we conduct direct assessment with the help of a scoring rubric. From the eyes of a constructivist learning is an “active , constructive, intentional, authentic and cooperative process , so should the ways in which we assess learners and the criteria that we use to evaluate them . Obviously the traditional paper-and-pencil that cannot assess this type of learning .

12. How then should we evaluate learning? Definitely, the paper-and pencil test won’t fit . If it is the meaning and interpretations of experiences that individual students and groups construct that we have to evaluate , there will be different answers and there may not be one right answer .So what we assess should be the process or performance assessment .How do we assess if our students have learned the constructivist’s way of thinking ,behaving and living ?The rubric for understanding and improving meaningful environments .