Let's Talk Assessments!

Are tests the only objective form of assessment?

I would have to say, no. In fact, I think that many times our standard multi-choice tests don’t do our students justice.

·      A good test taker can guess their way to a decent score even when they haven’t mastered a concept.

·      A bad test taker may have a firm understanding of a concept, but due to test anxiety their test score might not reflect that competence.

I believe that the one key to establishing an objective assessment is:

·      First to form measurable objectives and to define varied levels of performance. (In other words, draw up a rubric)

·      Then to design the assessment based on the measurable objectives. (In other word… is the assessment going to be a presentation, essay, portfolio, demonstration, etc.)

·      Finally, the evaluator must allow the rubric to justify the evaluation of the assessment.

A further thought:

The whole reason for using assessments is the need for evaluating a student’s mastery level and pinpointing any re-teaching needs.

I would like to point out that just because an assessment is objective, doesn’t mean it is effective or efficient.

It takes the human element (the teacher) to decide if the designed assessment has been an effective measure of the individual student’s abilities. We have to remember that in education we do not measure objective machines in a vacuum. We are assessing human beings with complex emotions and experiences. Our students have good days and bad days… and it takes a teacher to process these variables and derive meaning from them. 

What do you think? Let me know by posting your comments!