Self-Assessment and its role in Socially-Distanced learning

When students are learning online, which is the most common way to social distance learn, the tradition methods of assessment no longer become the best way to assess students. Education is more than receiving that A on that science test. We, as teachers, need to help equip our students with the tools they need or may use for the rest of their lives. There is no better time to teach students how to self-assess than during a pandemic. Please enjoy this short video, by John Spencer (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRmWJULBr4CIP5xUucVgOvw), on different strategies for self-assessment in the classroom.

Self-assessment can only go so far as it is a informal way to ascertain a student's comprehension. Formal assessment will need to happen and I have some different ways to show you how to do that.

At the end of the day, formal assessment will need to given if students are online or not. More factors will need to be considered as student wellbeing also needs to be monitered (Jimenez, 2021). Depending on your grade level this can look differently. I had the pleasure of interviewing a 4th grade teacher who had experience with this topic. One of the ways that my interviewee had success was using web 2.0 tools like google surveys. The interviewee said that they had success using these structured tools as students gave her feedback that they enjoyed it more (Mrs. Bryant, personal communication, February 18, 2021). However, she did also still used some traditional methods and had success. A simple take-home test is something that students have been doing a long time. At this early grade level, a simple take home test should do the trick. It also brings a sense of familiarity that some students value so it should be overlooked. As you go higher up in the grades, options become limited. More effort from the teacher will be needed as different versions of test will need to be created or short answer questions thought of. The basic concept of formal assessment brought forth from my interviewee still stand. However, academic dishonestly will need to be taken into account.

Preparing Students for Assessment

Preparing students for assessment is equally as important as the assessment itself. A study done by Corral, et al, showed that students do not often engage in online practice tools to prepare for assessment. This study, through the use of surveys, showed that 88% of students who participated in the study did not use online practice tools and did worse than their students who did do it (Corral et al, 2020). Students engagement is an ongoing skill that every teacher is constantly getting better at, however, social distance learning put a new strain on that skill. Some strategies I suggest is integrating those online practice tools into your lessons. Make sure to make those practice tools different from you assessments because students always have access to them (Conrad, Donald 2012). Have the students interact with one another through the use of technology such as google docs is important in a time of separation. Seeing students interact in real time is important.

Academic Dishonestly

Unfortunately this is a factor that needs thought put into when teaching online. Students are very smart with technology and as much as that is a good thing it can also lead to a headache to deal with. Something to look out for is to not assume everyone will cheat, that can punish honest students (Bose 2020). Going back to my interviewee and their grade level, they found that giving hard copies of assignments to their students and seeing their handwriting solved this problem. If you are teaching 4th grade consider this option as it can rule out parent interference. However, If you are a teacher in the 6th through 12th grade level this option probably will not help you. Even though it is a small percentage of students, putting forth the extra effort required of a higher grade teacher can pay off in the end. Making multiple versions of a multiple choice test is a good way to prevent dishonestly. The different versions of a test is a tradition strategy that still has value. Another idea is to submit a short answer test in google docs as it logs all the changes made to the document. If you want to be more involved in this process, technology can also be your friend. Asking students to record themselves taking a test is, I'll admit, a more invasive way to prevent cheating, but pair with existing technology of locking the browser can equal a finishing blow to any prospect of dishonestly.

Questions

Name some strategies that you will consider to use in your own classroom.

How do you see yourself applying these strategies in your classroom? Modifications, changes, or differentiation?

References

Bose, C. (2020, November 26). Zoom university: How academic dishonesty is incentivized. Retrieved March 23, 2021, from https://medium.com/age-of-awareness/zoom- university-how-academic-dishonesty-is-incentivized-177e4ad36517

Conrad, R., & Donaldson, J. (2012). Continuing to Engage the Online Learner [e-book].

Jimenez, L. (n.d.). Student assessment during covid-19. Retrieved March 23, 2021, from https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/education-k- 12/reports/2020/09/10/490209/student-assessment-covid-19/

Corral, Daniel, Carpenter, Shana K, Perkins, Kyle, & Gentile, Douglas A. (2020). Assessing students' use of optional online lecture reviews. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 34(2), 318-329.