ASSESSMENT METHODS
LEARNING SCENARIO 1 - Project Based learning :
"Project based learning is a comprehensive approach to classroom teaching and learning that is designed to engage students in investigation of authentic problems" (Blumenfeld et al., 2011). Project based learning (PBL) can be compared with a learning by doing approach during which learners acquire the knowledge to complete a project whilst they go.
A great example of a project based learning approach is the final project all carpenter apprentices (in Switzerland) have to produce to pass their carpenter apprentices after four years. The aim is to assess the knowledge the apprentices have gained over the course of their four year apprenticeship. This project takes place over an extended period of 3 days and apprentices are asked to solve an authentic and complex problem such as planning, designing and constructing a dining room chair for the home of a person in need.
There are multiple milestones learners have to complete throughout the 3 day period and the authentic assessment approach could look as followed:
(1) learner reads and understand the brief incl. assessment criteria (rubric)
(2) learner designs a step by step strategy about how to achieve the goal and sets milestones
(3) learner brainstorms different designs and ideas
(4) learner picks the preferred idea
(5) formative assessment: first feedback meeting between learner and grader and coaching/scaffolding support by the more experienced party
(6) learner designs and draws a construction plan of the final product based on the feedback received
(7) learner start the production of the product
(a) drawing out the different pieces on wood
(b) cutting of the wood into separate pieces
(c) grinding of the wood pieces
(d) gluing together the separate wood pieces
(e) etc.
(8) learner reviews the final product and makes some minor updates and fixes last issues
(9) formative assessment: second feedback meeting between learner and grader and coaching/scaffolding support by the more experienced party
(10) learner reviews final product again and finalizes based on feedback received
(11) summative assessment: leaner submits the final product for assessment
(12) learner fills out a self-assessment-reflection form
(13) grader assesses the final product based on the previously communicated assessment criteria and gives a grade and feedback
(14) learner reviews the grad and feedback given my the grader and reviews the areas of improvement
The assessment is authentic because it achieves some of Rule's (2006) most common elements that must be present for it to be considered authentic:
- It focuses on a real life problem by designing and providing dining room chairs for people in need.
- It is positioned in an authentic context and provides authentic resources.
- It promotes reflection by asking the learner to fill out a self-reflection form at the end of the process
- It provides scaffolding a coaching support twice throughout the process.
In addition, the assessment is one complex task and is assessed based on pre-communicated assessment criteria and the grader bases his scoring by observing the apprentice's skill level throughout the development of the final product. Although the whole project is used as an assessment tool, due to the scaffolding and expert support, it is at the same time still a project based learning experience.
LEARNING SCENARIO 2 - Experiential learning:
The experiential learning approach is based on learning by doing. Kolb (1974) is the leading scholar in this field and highlighted that the theory consists of four steps which come together as a cycle:
A practical example for the experiential learning could be a situation where a student is asked to plant some seeds for a sunflower to grow, he/she might or might not know at this point that the seeds will need the right amount of water and sun exposure to grow. Once the experiment either failed or succeeded, the learner reflects on the completion of the task and evaluates what had happened. Based on this reflection, the learner then designs a hypothesis which might be that the seed needs water and light to grow (conceptualize) and he/she can then go back to test the hypothesis by planting another batch of seeds and evaluating if the newly implemented knowledge increased the likelihood of the seeds growing strongly.
References:
"Project based learning is a comprehensive approach to classroom teaching and learning that is designed to engage students in investigation of authentic problems" (Blumenfeld et al., 2011). Project based learning (PBL) can be compared with a learning by doing approach during which learners acquire the knowledge to complete a project whilst they go.
A great example of a project based learning approach is the final project all carpenter apprentices (in Switzerland) have to produce to pass their carpenter apprentices after four years. The aim is to assess the knowledge the apprentices have gained over the course of their four year apprenticeship. This project takes place over an extended period of 3 days and apprentices are asked to solve an authentic and complex problem such as planning, designing and constructing a dining room chair for the home of a person in need.
There are multiple milestones learners have to complete throughout the 3 day period and the authentic assessment approach could look as followed:
(1) learner reads and understand the brief incl. assessment criteria (rubric)
(2) learner designs a step by step strategy about how to achieve the goal and sets milestones
(3) learner brainstorms different designs and ideas
(4) learner picks the preferred idea
(5) formative assessment: first feedback meeting between learner and grader and coaching/scaffolding support by the more experienced party
(6) learner designs and draws a construction plan of the final product based on the feedback received
(7) learner start the production of the product
(a) drawing out the different pieces on wood
(b) cutting of the wood into separate pieces
(c) grinding of the wood pieces
(d) gluing together the separate wood pieces
(e) etc.
(8) learner reviews the final product and makes some minor updates and fixes last issues
(9) formative assessment: second feedback meeting between learner and grader and coaching/scaffolding support by the more experienced party
(10) learner reviews final product again and finalizes based on feedback received
(11) summative assessment: leaner submits the final product for assessment
(12) learner fills out a self-assessment-reflection form
(13) grader assesses the final product based on the previously communicated assessment criteria and gives a grade and feedback
(14) learner reviews the grad and feedback given my the grader and reviews the areas of improvement
The assessment is authentic because it achieves some of Rule's (2006) most common elements that must be present for it to be considered authentic:
- It focuses on a real life problem by designing and providing dining room chairs for people in need.
- It is positioned in an authentic context and provides authentic resources.
- It promotes reflection by asking the learner to fill out a self-reflection form at the end of the process
- It provides scaffolding a coaching support twice throughout the process.
In addition, the assessment is one complex task and is assessed based on pre-communicated assessment criteria and the grader bases his scoring by observing the apprentice's skill level throughout the development of the final product. Although the whole project is used as an assessment tool, due to the scaffolding and expert support, it is at the same time still a project based learning experience.
LEARNING SCENARIO 2 - Experiential learning:
The experiential learning approach is based on learning by doing. Kolb (1974) is the leading scholar in this field and highlighted that the theory consists of four steps which come together as a cycle:
- Experience: the learner gets confronted with an experience or a task he/she doesn't know much about
- Reflect: after completion of the experience/task mentioned above, the learner then reflects on what happened
- Conceptualize: based on the reflection, the learner makes some conclusions and designs a hypothesis
- Test: the learner goes back to the experience/task and tests if her/his hypothesis can be confirmed or not
A practical example for the experiential learning could be a situation where a student is asked to plant some seeds for a sunflower to grow, he/she might or might not know at this point that the seeds will need the right amount of water and sun exposure to grow. Once the experiment either failed or succeeded, the learner reflects on the completion of the task and evaluates what had happened. Based on this reflection, the learner then designs a hypothesis which might be that the seed needs water and light to grow (conceptualize) and he/she can then go back to test the hypothesis by planting another batch of seeds and evaluating if the newly implemented knowledge increased the likelihood of the seeds growing strongly.
References:
- Blumenfeld, P., Soloway, E., Marx, R., Krajcik, J., Guzdial, M. & Palincsar, A. (1991). Motivating Project-Based Learning: Sustaining the Doing, Supporting the Learning, Educational Psychologist, 26:3-4, pp. 369-398, DOI: 10.1080/00461520.1991.9653139
- Kolb, D. A. (1976). The Learning Style Inventory: Technical Manual. Boston, MA: McBer.
- Rule, A. C. (2006). Editorial: The Components of Authentic Learning. Journal of Authentic Learning, 3(1), 1–10.