Traditional and Nontraditional Methods of Student Assessment

Traditional and Nontraditional Methods of Student Assessment

Introduction

Over the years, the best approach for assessing and grading students has been in question and has always been a known cause of stress and anxiety for both, the instructors and students. However, this is one question that cannot be neglected, for research has shown that the assessment of students' learning seems to have an impact on all that is taught and learned in any classroom. Currently a great deal of research is being done to evaluate the various assessment methods so as to identify and evaluate the most appropriate approaches (Anderson, 1998).

Student Assessment

The term assessment refers to the process which involves the collection and interpretation of information that can be used to inform a learner and his parents or guardians about his progress towards the learning and acquisition of knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors. The process of assessment helps an instructor and other staff involved in making educational decisions to become aware of their progress and the appropriateness of their approaches.

Assessing the students assist in the identification of any amendments or improvements that need to be made in the instructional and curriculum planning, in addition to the right placement of staff members. Additionally, any flaws in the program development or policies of the institute can also be recognized through this process.

Phases of the Student Assessment Process

The process of assessment is a continuous and an ongoing procedure which involves the observation of a student's behaviors, acknowledgement of his ideas and the development of questions that promote conceptual understanding of concepts. In general, this process completes in three phases which include the baseline assessment, formative assessment, and summative assessment.

The initial stage of baseline assessment sets the foundation or the starting point of a student's understanding and his knowledge, through the evaluation of his prior skills and knowledge. The second phase, known as the formative assessment helps in the collection of information that is later utilized to direct instruction and guiding of students throughout the term. The last stage of summative assessment enlightens both the instructor and the student about the extent of conceptual understanding and the performance potentials that the student has acquired (Badders, 2000).

Purpose of Student Assessment

For any educational institute, the maintenance of an effective feedback channel holds great importance, and the process of assessment facilitates greatly in this regard. The outcomes of assessing the student's performance provide feedback to children, their parents, and to the teaching staff as well. Additionally, these outcomes can be used to measure a student's level of achievement in various dimensions. However, for students that require more attention, these outcomes provide an insight to the aspects on which they may require more facilitation. Briefly explained, the course of assessment helps to examine a student's understanding, his capabilities, and his overall performance on significant tasks that are relevant to his life, both within and outside the classroom setting.

In the past, the outcomes of assessment were primarily communicated in the form ...