tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1513616792028141844.post7196429845280994591..comments2023-04-14T06:11:34.177-04:00Comments on Connecting 2 the World: Incorporating assessment into a constructivism based instructional designV Yonkershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11910904367068063554noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1513616792028141844.post-7831070265617811622009-06-26T23:14:09.588-04:002009-06-26T23:14:09.588-04:00Kia ora Virginia!
You certainly have gone the ext...Kia ora Virginia!<br /><br />You certainly have gone the extra light year here. I concur with what you believe about the distance learner having no social cues around times and occasions for assessment.<br /><br />One real area of concern for me with assessing distance learners for qualifications is that there is little or no opportunity for teacher monitoring close to assessment.<br /><br />The onus is on the learner to check all the tick-boxes. If they don't do that thoroughly time can be wasted and the learner can feel betrayed, as you say.<br /><br />I have a strategy that can sometimes be difficult to implement - I use it nevertheless. It involves explicit written instruction (in several places) as well as phoning and interviewing the learner beforehand. Of course, this relies on success of contacting at the appropriate times - but I've found that when all that happens, it is worthwhile.<br /><br />Catchya laterBlogger In Middle-earthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08722634477041121797noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1513616792028141844.post-41024241054931388462009-06-23T09:02:09.081-04:002009-06-23T09:02:09.081-04:00I have used electronic portfolios, blogs/journals,...I have used electronic portfolios, blogs/journals, and <a href="http://connecting2theworld.blogspot.com/2008/10/lessons-learned-about-wiki-use.html" rel="nofollow">wikis</a>. I also have had students work collaboratively doing primary research and presenting their findings in a format of their choice which can include podcasts, wikis, social networks (such as a Ning), video (i.e. on Youtube), webpage, or even an interactive game (especially effective for my education students). Truthfully, my teaching style tends to focus on performance assessment rather than content assessment, especially in distance or online learning as I believe content will change depending on a student's situation (situated learning). My online students come into the course with such a large variety of backgrounds, learning goals, experience, fields of study, age/demographics, even majors (course of study), that I need to focus on skills and their use of content that is relevant to their own situation.<br /><br />In terms of any rubric, I think the way a rubric is written is very important (more than the reason for the rubric whether is be norms, criteria, or ipsative tools. Many of my students come into my class with a certain rubric in mind, but soon find it is important to create their own based on the learning objectives. If you look at the rubrics my students created for the class (see link above for my home page where the rubrics are located), there are some good electronic tools based on the level students are at. However, as the students worked in groups to develop a "generic" tool for each level of education, they found short comings in standard rubrics each used and realized that the tool was not as important as knowing what you really want to measure. They were surprised to discover that they often had a rubric that was much too narrow (usually based on content rather than performance). The primary education group had the easiest time creating a rubric because the curriculum in New York State uses both criterion and normative learning goals which made it easy to populate the rubric.<br /><br />What I have discovered over the years is the process for developing the rubric. For my own part, I use a version of Rogers & Rymer rubric.V Yonkershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11910904367068063554noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1513616792028141844.post-71847214301496410742009-06-23T05:02:48.659-04:002009-06-23T05:02:48.659-04:00Hi Virginia and Kathreen; have either of you under...Hi Virginia and Kathreen; have either of you undertaken any performance-based assessment in a constructivist context - I'm thinking specifically about using Read/Write Web tools to support student's portfolios, individual and collaborative essays, using mindmaps to demonstrate knowledge and skill acquisition at the higher levels of Bloom's Taxonomy in the cognitive domain (analysis/synthesis/evaluation)? <br /><br />Similarly, have you any views on instruments to measure learners using criterion-referencing, norm-referencing, and ipsative rubrics?<br /><br />BTW - I'm really enjoying reading this thread!<br />--Michael Hanleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07213504001447084845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1513616792028141844.post-50157935841955677692009-06-22T20:58:31.034-04:002009-06-22T20:58:31.034-04:00Great point Kathreen. As you see from the rubrics...Great point Kathreen. As you see from the rubrics my students developed, I have them work as a group in developing assessment tools. I also do a lot with students posting drafts of projects for peer review and comments. For myself, I try to place students in different groups throughout the semester but with similar interests and backgrounds. <br /><br />For example, the rubrics were developed by students that taught at each of the grade levels. These rubrics were then posted for comments by other groups with guided questions. In addition to the group work, I have each individual assess the relevance of classmates' work to their own situation as part of their journals. For example, when I did technology, I placed students in groups according to their interests towards a specific technology. They posted their findings in an online presentation to the class who then commented and/or asked questions about the use of the technology for their own situations. Then students wrote a journal that analyzed each of the groups presentations and how it might be used in their own situation.<br /><br />This allowed me to assess the impact of the presentations, how prepared the students were in applying their group research to a real life context, and individual as well as group learning.V Yonkershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11910904367068063554noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1513616792028141844.post-63712071009644387382009-06-22T19:01:56.197-04:002009-06-22T19:01:56.197-04:00Hi V,
Another key component to constructivist le...Hi V, <br /><br />Another key component to constructivist learning and sustained student engagement is the integration of peer based assessment strategies. What kind of peer based assessment tools are available for the distance/online learner?Kathreenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01809365782131436268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1513616792028141844.post-92126002314452154322009-06-22T16:23:32.824-04:002009-06-22T16:23:32.824-04:00No problem.No problem.V Yonkershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11910904367068063554noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1513616792028141844.post-18865055189677130922009-06-22T09:09:41.754-04:002009-06-22T09:09:41.754-04:00Virginia,
Great post - really comprehensive, consi...Virginia,<br />Great post - really comprehensive, considered, and well-balanced. If you don't mind, I'd like to link to it in the next part of my series on instructional design.<br />Best regards,<br />Michael<br />--Michael Hanleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07213504001447084845noreply@blogger.com