Lesson 17 - Assessment in a Constructivist, Technology-Supported Learning

“We should go beyond memorizing for tests and we should not study only for a passing score and a passing grade”

     In constructivist classroom, learning transcends memorization of facts. It is putting isolated facts together, from concepts and makes meaning out of them. It is connecting the integration of these facts and concepts to daily life.

   What then is the assessment practice that will be congruent with the constructivists thinking? It is a higher level of assessment that will require the display of the basic skills of writing and speaking, computing and the more complex skill of applying concepts learned, analyzing, critiquing  and evaluating, integrating and creating, and the social skills of working with the others. Such higher form of assessment will call for alternative forms of assessment. The traditional paper-and-pencil test will prove to be inadequate to measure basic skills integrated with higher-order-thinking-skills or HOTS and Social skills.

     Authentic assessment is most appropriate for the constructivists classroom. Authentic assessment measures collective abilities, written, and oral expression skills, analytical skills, manipulative skills, integration, creativity, and ability to work collaboratively. In this assessment, students perform the real world tasks. The performance of the student is reliable measure of skills learned and the product is a proof of the acquisition of the skills. What do we need? We need to observed and evaluate, and to do more objectively, with the aid of Scoring Rubric. Sample of scoring rubric to get an idea of what it is about. 

• Organization- Students presents information in a logical, interesting sequence that the audience can follow.
• Subject Knowledge- Students demonstrates full knowledge by answering all class question with explanations and elaboration.
• Graphics- Students graphics explain and reinforce screen text and presentation.
• Mechanics- Presentation has no misspelling or grammatical errors.
• Eye Contact- Students maintains eye contact with the audience, seldom returning to notes
• Elocution- Students uses a clear voice and correct, precise pronunciation of terms so that all audience members can hear presentation.

     You and your students may develop a rubric. It can be a collaborative effort for both of you. In fact scoring rubric, standards are clearly set at the beginning for you and your students and with that rubric your students can assess their own performance or products.

     Assessment in a technology supported environment necessarily includes display of skilful and creative use of technologies, old and recent. These technology and integrative skills are demonstrated when our students present answers they have found to two or more assigned problems or present the group project they have worked on for a purpose with the use of various technologies. These presentation need performance-based-assessment or product assessment (it is a direct assessment). Measuring their computer skills directly in an authentic or real-life setting.

     A technology supported classroom maximizes the use of old and new technology. Students are expected to demonstrate learning with the use of both old and new technology. To assess their manipulative skills, we conduct direct assessment with the help of scoring rubric. From the eyes of constructivist, learning is an active, constructive, intentional, authentic and the cooperative process, so should the ways in which we assess learners and the criteria that we use to evaluate them.

POSTCRIPT

     Students study and learn based on the way they are tested. The type of assessment anticipated appears of influenced how and what they learn. Therefore, the quickest way to change the way students learn is to change the way learning is assessed.

     In a technology –supported classroom, the student learns FROM and WITH technology. Technology is seen as a source of information that the students learn FROM  in the same way that you, the teacher, are a source of information. We combine the traditional paper-and-pencil test with authentic assessment to assess analytical integrative and collaborative skills, skills that are taught in constructivist classroom.