Tag Archives: Assessment

Transforming assessment for today’s classrooms: A guide to empowering teachers and students


Written by - By Marcela Cecilia Danowski, Argentina

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Introduction

Assessment serves as the compass guiding educators and students through their academic journey. Beyond mere grading, assessment is a tool that fosters growth and understanding. In this article, tailored for classroom teachers, we will delve into four key elements reshaping the assessment landscape in education: rubrics, e-portfolios, differentiated activities, and metacognitive activities.

The power of rubrics in the classroom

Rubrics, structured scoring guides, offer a unique ability to bring objectivity and clarity to assessment within the classroom setting. They not only provide educators with a standardized approach to evaluate student work but also offer transparency to students regarding the criteria for success.

Consider a writing assignment, where a rubric might assess grammar,  Continue Reading →

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Assessment
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The nature and impact of portfolio-based language assessment (PBLA)


Written by - Terry Vanderveen, Abbotsford, BC

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Abstract

The nature and effects of PBLA were investigated. I examined LINC program evaluations, government-solicited assessment reports, PBLA research, and other PBLA-related documents. I discuss the features of PBLA and its reported effects on language outcomes and teacher and student attitudes. I found that the government did not provide a rationale for PBLA and that the results of research did not support the introduction of PBLA. I also found that PBLA is neither standardized nor portfolio-based as claimed. It is costlier, more time-consuming, and appears to have more teacher pushback than the approach it replaced. Regardless, there is no evidence that the LINC program has improved students’ language skills before or after the implementation of PBLA

In 2010,  Continue Reading →

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Assessment, Professional Development, Training
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Students at the margins


Written by - Karen Robson, McMaster University

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Since 1980, the number of university-bound students has more than doubled. The expectations that parents and youth have around attaining post-secondary credentials has become a taken-for-granted reality. No doubt that you have heard that “a university degree is the new high school diploma.” Extensive university and college expansions have occurred in all areas across the country to accommodate this growing desire. The 2016 Federal Census revealed that Canada has the highest proportion of university and college graduates in all of the OECD countries, with more than half of adult citizens between the ages of 25 and 64 having such a credential (Statistics Canada, 2017).

There is widespread perception that it is only possible to get a good job by attaining post-secondary education.  Continue Reading →

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Assessment
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