Assessment Practices - Artifact Six Reflection
In Dr. Barber's EDUC 5305G Authentic Assessment course, we discussed in length new modes of assessing student work. One method discussed was the student portfolio. Cummings et al. (2008) state that an advantage of the portfolio over standardized testing is its provision for showcasing student learning over time:
They allow students to reflect upon what they have learned and determine for themselves what evidence they will include in their portfolio to demonstrate learning. They allow students and instructors to work together to assess learning. Finally, through examination and scoring of student portfolios over the course of time, data accrue so that programmes may be evaluated and modified as the need arises (pg. 601).
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Since students are responsible for gathering artifacts to be included in portfolios, the primary responsibility for educators is to assess portfolio contents once students complete their course. Cummings et al.(2008) argue that this commitment will be less cumbersome and time-consuming if all involved agree to practice curriculum-embedded performance assessment such as written examinations, essays, research papers, presentations, online bulletin board activities, or group projects (p. 602). Student work on curriculum-embedded performance assessment tasks may be assessed as part of course requirements, but also can be used for portfolio assessment and program review (Hintze et al., 2006). Embedded into the course curriculum, the student is responsible for the ongoing collection, review, and goal-setting of the portfolio artifacts, thus no additional faculty time is required for data collection (Cummings et al., 2008, p.602).
The following artifact is a video I produced for EDUC 5305G that outlines many of the benefits of student portfolios as a vehicle for 21st-century learning. While the digital portfolio is an option for student collection and reflection over a long period of time, “what constitutes a portfolio can vary widely from one setting to another” (Linn et al. 1999, p.17) and that “to develop technically sound performance assessments, portfolios, simulations, and so forth, we must address certain criteria for evaluating such assessments” (p.15). Any move from the generalization of a specific assessment task to the broader domain of achievement needs to be justified and carefully planned (p.19). The collection of student work, without a mechanism in place to promote higher-order thinking, is not authentic assessment and does not promote 21st-century learning.
The following artifact is a video I produced for EDUC 5305G that outlines many of the benefits of student portfolios as a vehicle for 21st-century learning. While the digital portfolio is an option for student collection and reflection over a long period of time, “what constitutes a portfolio can vary widely from one setting to another” (Linn et al. 1999, p.17) and that “to develop technically sound performance assessments, portfolios, simulations, and so forth, we must address certain criteria for evaluating such assessments” (p.15). Any move from the generalization of a specific assessment task to the broader domain of achievement needs to be justified and carefully planned (p.19). The collection of student work, without a mechanism in place to promote higher-order thinking, is not authentic assessment and does not promote 21st-century learning.