What is learning or assessment if we never have the opportunity to refine our work? This has been a question that has always intrigued me as an educator. I’ve encountered teachers who believed that there is no opportunity to refine, that once an assessment was done that was it. While others believed that there is no definite, that lessons to be learned were a continual growth process. I’m still stuck in the middle of the two, but know there comes a time when all things are final.
That day is today.
As I reflect on this past year of learning, and things that I have done that have made a difference in my own learning career, I think back to the beginning of it all and Lorrie A. Shepard’s (2000) thoughts on assessment and implying that assessments worth creating must have a level of motivation geared towards student use in the real world and their ability to be successful within it. This idea melds with that of Richard Marzano’s (2009) thoughts in regards to assessment by his research which notes the importance of allowing a student the opportunity to see their own growth through the practice of revision, self-reflection, and charting their successes. Looking at these together I see where this is what we have done in regards to CEP813. The times when we were challenged to go outside of our comfort zones and use new media to advance our own learning, even when it meant being uncomfortable, and the research of new applications to assess students in a digital era. These were all practices we were afforded as learners, as well as those we would ask of our own students.
With these very practices as building blocks underneath me, I am now able to present my best piece of work, the creation of my Google Classroom and the assessment pieces within it. In this assessment, students are provided with a space where they can house their work and continue to refine it and grow based on new lessons. Feedback is used as an integral piece, both as a student and teacher, and serves as a way of connection and growth. In this new era of digital learning, we must provide students with such tools and opportunities to drive student success and encourage motivation.
These thoughts, which are the basis for my project, were created with the teachings and research of Marzano and Shepard in mind, as well as others learned throughout my own practices within CEP813. To be able to incorporate these lessons by giving students the ability to grow their own portfolio, as well as use grades, feedback, and learning experiences as motivational factors, I know I can assist my students in achieving their educational goals while creating important building blocks to grow upon.
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Marzano, R. (2009). Classroom assessment and grading that work. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Shepard, L. (2000). The role of assessment in a learning culture. Educational Researcher, 29(7), 4-14
Nicole D. Seymour: Thoughts on the Journey & Evolution of an Educator 