Module 3 - Weekly Reflection- Assessment

Module 3 – Weekly Reflection

This week’s focus on assessment of student learning in the online classroom was consolidated into three stages of the learning cycle. (Wiggins & McTighe, 2000) It was valuable to review the importance of essential questions as a framework for learning outcomes. Not only do we as online instructors / course designers need to focus on essential questions in the teaching process but our students need to focus on the essential questions that should be raised in developing the constructs of their own learning . The answer is the question. I hope to spend more time with teachers and students reviewing the necessity for essential questions in any teaching/learning activity. I will also investigate the possibility of a workshop for teachers during staff development days on developing essential questions in the curriculum. I wonder if any of our classmates has conducted or attended such a workshop in their districts?

The assessment learning cycle http://web.uconn.edu/assesment/cycle.htm was a very clear and useful tool in understanding Stage 2 – What is evidence of understanding? This flowchart substantiates the fact that assessment must be an active, continuous process rather than a final point in the learning process. Curricula, teaching strategies, assessment tools and more must be reevaluated and redesigned to meet the needs of continuous needs of students.

Choosing assessment tools to match learning objectives and expected outcomes is extremely important. As we continue to review these tools throughout the course we will have a rich repository of resources at our disposal. I also believe in the importance of a diverse arsenal of tools that will meet the diverse learning styles of a student population.

The 30 emerging technologies from Bonk’s article in Module 3 were examples of existing tools that have been implemented in online teaching and learning up to date. Although the article focused on higher education tools, many of these tools can be used successfully in the K-12 environment.

Concept maps as a final tool to connect learning objectives to assessment was a little ambiguous. The article provided did not lend itself to a clear explanation of its use in the educational environment. The activity and the sharing of concept maps were extremely helpful in understanding the wide range of opportunities for mapping. There are many software programs available that specialize in concept maps. Inspiration and Kidspiration are two tools that are frequently used.