Assessment at My Educational Institution

 

Assessment at My Educational Institution

Author: Santosh Kumar Biswa, Sr. Teacher, Damphu CS, Tsirang, Bhutan

 

Abstract

Today's education includes assessment as a crucial component. Relating their instruction to students' performance should make it possible for teachers to evaluate the success of their in-class instruction (McDaniel, 2023, September 5). The assessment determines whether or not the educational goals are being met. Assessment, according to Damphu Central School, my school, is the benchmark for real education. It is situated in the country's center, where students from the surrounding areas and other, more culturally diverse regions of Bhutan attend. Our school offers grades 9 through 12, with 11 and 12 having separate programs for the arts, business, and sciences. In total, we have around 860 students in the school, which is a boarding school.

The Assessment Practices in My School

In our school, assessment is an essential component of the teaching and learning process. We use continuous formative assessment, continuous summative assessment, written examination, and a variety of assessment methods, tools, and rubrics that have previously been disseminated to all teachers via the CFA manual. Using a variety of assessment tools, we regularly and meaningfully evaluate our students. The results are then submitted to the school administration. Based on the assessment framework and process, the learners' performance is evaluated, noted, and reported.

Learning is the major focus of assessment in the classroom as opposed to periodic evaluation of learning. The sole goal of assessment in my school is to increase students' capacity to use their knowledge and skills in accurate and meaningful ways. Since the primary goals of assessment in our system are to guide instruction and encourage and promote learners' learning, Earl and Katz's (2006) idea of assessment is consistent with our educational philosophy (Department of Curriculum and Professional Development, 2022). My school's teachers employ a variety of tools to gather data during assessments, which are then analyzed to judge both the student's performance and their teaching. It is carried out to determine if students have acquired tangible knowledge and understanding of the material taught or to assess the extent of their development in a concrete skill or talent. Eventually, teachers compile the anecdotal notes using a variety of tools, including checklists, inventories, conferences with students and teachers, portfolios, and so on. To make sure that assessment is used appropriately FOR learning, AS learning, and OF learning, it is taken into account throughout the data-gathering process as learners develop. To fulfill the needs of the students, the teacher, for instance, prepares the lesson plan, classroom instructions, and activities by presenting evidence of the student's learning. The subject head for each domain in the actual world supervises the assessment process, planning, and execution to ensure a successful outcome while taking the necessary steps and needs into account.

Is Assessment Used FOR learning, AS learning, or OF learning

Our school switched to a continuous formative and summative assessment system, which replaces the former assessment of learning method with an assessment of learning. In the past, evaluation at my school was goal-oriented, and we evaluated students' topic knowledge. As a result, the pupils received points, and their performance was evaluated using those points. Since the introduction of continuous formative assessment, we have used the data gathered to infer information about students from which we have provided feedback and suggestions based on their knowledge, beliefs, understanding, and abilities to keep ourselves informed about our teaching. Students are taught how to learn effectively and evaluate the caliber of their work to become self-directed, self-motivated, and academically prepared learners (Harapnuik, 2020). My school conducts assessments all year long to clarify students' learning and comprehension as they go along. At my school, we believe that students should evaluate their development while learning, therefore assessment is also a component of the learning process. The pupils are frequently asked to write reflections on what they have learned as a result. They can then analyze their learning, ask questions, and employ a variety of tactics to determine what they already know and are capable of, as well as how to use assessments to facilitate new learning. Thus, evaluation at my school focuses on learning since we think it's important to understand the caliber and effectiveness of our classroom instruction. To evaluate our teaching and the caliber of the feedback we provide to students based on their accomplishments versus outcomes and standards, we use the evidence gathered from students.

A Need for Change in the Assessment Practices in My School.

Because we have been testing largely to enhance some of the core abilities in students who comprise the academic, it is firmly thought and felt that a shift in assessment practices is necessary for my school. However, after reading Earl and Katz's (2006) text, I genuinely believe that evaluation in my school should be focused on societal change with appropriate planning and methodology depending on the type of society that our students will encounter in the future. Assessment should go beyond only concentrating on the subject matter. We should keep in mind that social mobility should be facilitated by assessment and that academic success should prepare all students for the world of tomorrow in addition to serving as a prerequisite for employment (Earl and Katz, 2006). Assessments should also inspire students to learn, probe into their learning, and equip them with the tools to become autonomous learners. Additionally, assessment needs to be used to assist learning in all areas so that students may comprehend the depth and breadth of the learning they have accomplished and move forward with the help of effective planning and discussion (Parent Zone, n.d.).

Conclusion

A crucial component of teaching and learning is assessment, which should not just grade performance but also take learning and motivation into account. Planning, designing, and implementing it should be done in a way that allows for the acquisition of relevant information about the students and the implementation of interventions that enhance learning. To effectively assess students in the classroom, the teacher must be picky enough to identify the right assessment instruments. The instructor should be well aware that assessments should be used to support learning rather than evaluate it.

 

 

 

References

Department of Curriculum and Professional Development. (2022). National School Curriculum. Ministry of Education. RGoB. Bhutan. 

Earl, L., & Katz, S. (2006). Rethinking classroom assessment with purpose in mind: Assessment for learning, assessment as learning, assessment of learning. Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth.  https://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/assess/wncp/full_doc.pdf

Harapnuik, D. (2020). Assessment OF/FOR/AS Learning. Retrieved from https://www.harapnuik.org/?p=8475

Mcdaniel, R. (2023, September 5). Student Assessment in Teaching and Learning. Vanderbilt University. https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/student-assessment-in-teaching-and-learning/

Parent Zone. (n.d.). What is assessment, and when and how does it take place? https://education.gov.scot/parentzone/learning-in-scotland/assessment-and-achievement/what-is-assessment-and-when-and-how-does-it-take-place/