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The key to success is to appreciate how people learn, understand the thought process that goes into instructional design, what works well, and a range of different ways of achieving goals.” - Tim Buff
What does assessment look like in distance learning?
What does assessment look like in distance learning?
One of the challenges in transitioning to online learning is how to authentically assess student learning. Assessments that are focused on recall of information may not truly capture student understanding in an online setting. However, where there are challenges, there is also opportunity for students to engage in authentic performance assessments where they must apply their knowledge to new settings.
One of the advantages of online learning is that doors are opened for students to collaborate with their peers and experts around the world, demonstrate their knowledge and understanding using digital tools, and create content relevant to authentic issues. Teachers can design learning experiences where students are fully utilizing their 21st Century Skills to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of content.
Essential Question: How can I create authentic opportunities for students to demonstrate their learning in an online setting?
How can we assess in equitable and efficient ways in distance learning?
How can we assess in equitable and efficient ways in distance learning?
In a physical classroom space, teachers may be more accustomed to creating demonstration tasks that they are able to observe in real-time. Teachers can provide guidance at a point-of-need basis, and provide feedback to students on what they have achieved and where they need to improve. The same can be done in an online learning environment when the proper tools are used.
Much as in the physical classroom, here are some elements to consider when designing for assessment:
Do I provide students with choice and alternative ways of demonstrating knowledge?
Can I encourage students to create a product to meet learning goals?
Are there opportunities for students to reflect, receive feedback, and revise?
Click on the drop down arrow to expand each learning goal
Click on the drop down arrow to expand each learning goal
Learning Goal 1: Designing Authentic Performance-Based Assessments
Learning Goal 1: Designing Authentic Performance-Based Assessments
As in the classroom, assessments online work best when students must use higher order thinking skills to demonstrate their knowledge. When students are asked to analyze, apply, argue, compare and contrast, create, hypothesize, or reflect, they are utilizing relational and abstract thinking skills which require a thorough understanding of content.
Use these 3 questions to help guide the design of assessments:
How can my students apply their knowledge?
How can my students create something as a way to demonstrate their understanding?
How can I create opportunities for students to justify a stand or decision?
Resources
Resources
Summative Assessment in Distance Learning: This Edutopia article provides helpful ideas to consider when designing summative assessments.
Designing Summative Assessments Online (3:39): Director of Learning and Design at GOA, Eric Hudson, covers key points about designing summative assessments that offer students the opportunity to show what they’ve learned in a way that feels authentic and important.
Action: Three Tips to Get Started
Action: Three Tips to Get Started
Make work public. Create spaces for students to share work in synchronous or whole-class discussions rather than just hitting "Turn In" on Google Classroom. This is especially effective when assessments are individualized or personal. When students have an audience that extends beyond the teacher, their experience becomes more authentic. One option is to create a page or space where families, experts, and others can be invited to view student work and leave feedback.
Use video meetings to show student learning. If students are doing projects or creating content that is personal and relevant to them, invite them to present and defend that work to others on a synchronous call using Google Meet. Structure the call as you would an Exhibition of Learning. See this website from Harvard's Project Zero Making Learning Visible Exhibitions of Learning for tips.
Collaborate on process, not product. Collaboration is most effective online when students work together to plan, provide feedback, and offer support rather than produce a single product together. Provide students with opportunities to share work, ideas, and participate in feedback sessions while allowing students to pursue their individual interests.
Learning Goal 2: Use Formative Assessments Frequently
Learning Goal 2: Use Formative Assessments Frequently
Aim to embed frequent formative assessments that are quick and hyper-focused on learning goals. Your formative assessments should allow you to give feedback quickly, allow students to get feedback faster, and provide an easy way to monitor student progress. Quick feedback checks will help students build momentum and stay focused on their learning goals.
Tip: Choose only 1 or 2 tech tools to gather evidence of student understanding so that it is easy for you to manage, and students will be familiar with how to receive feedback .
Resources
Resources
Designing Formative Assessments Online (3:24): In this video Director of Learning and Design, Eric Hudson covers key points to help leverage online learning environments in designing formative assessments and shares examples as well.
How to Use the Grading Tool in Google Classroom (2:49): Eric Lawson, the Director of Technology and Libraries for York School Department, shows you how to use the grading and feedback features in Google Classroom in this video.
EDPuzzle: video questions for formative assessment: This article and embedded slideshow from the UWCSEA Digital Literacy Blog provides tips and steps on using Edpuzzle to turn videos into assessments for students.
Formative Assessments in Distance Learning: Edutopia provides tips and facets to consider when formatively assessing in distance learning
Check out this list for formative tools supported by the South Portland School Department.
Action: Three Ways to Get Started
Action: Three Ways to Get Started
Use tools that give immediate feedback to students. Tools like Quizlet , Google Forms, and EdPuzzle can be used to provide students with immediate feedback automatically, and allow you to review answers to monitor student progress. These tools can be easily linked or embedded into Google Sites and Classroom for ease of access.
Monitor students' process. Encourage and provide space for students to share their process of learning, and communicate that this is a way for students to document how they are spending their time and explain what they are thinking as they work towards completion of a larger project or product. Students can submit photos, screenshots, or screencasts. Tools like Flipgrid allow students to provide quick video check-ins directed by the teacher. Peardeck is a great way to guide students through self-paced or synchronous content and monitor their responses individually.
Encourage students to reflect on their learning. With coaching, students can look at feedback and their assessments and reflect on how it impacts them, their learning, and their progress towards learning targets. Students can gather formative artifacts in a portfolio, or use reflective thinking prompts like the 40 listed here from Edutopia via digital forms or during synchronous calls.
Learning Goal 3: Feedback as a Communication Tool
Learning Goal 3: Feedback as a Communication Tool
Design lessons with feedback in mind and consider appropriate points where you can offer feedback to students. Consider the following prompts as you design for feedback opportunities:
Less is more. What are the 1-2 actionable pieces of feedback I can provide my students on each formative assessment?
How will I leverage peer feedback to support student engagement and relieve my own feedback load?
How will I create opportunities for student self-reflection?
Resources
Resources
The single point rubric is an online teacher's, and student's, best friend. The single-point rubric from Cult of Pedagogy is a great starting point because it is accessible and easy to use.
Project Zero's Thinking Routines make student thinking visible and provide invaluable protocols for talking about student thinking and learning. These can be used to structure both student self-reflection and formative assessments.
Example Video Review: A quick 3 minute demonstration of a teacher providing feedback using video and a checklist.
John Hattie's Top Ten Visible Learning Takeaways - Number 10: Feedback This brief article provides tips on how to provide feedback to students that will carry the most impact. Skip to the bulleted list for the most bang for your buck here.
Action: Three Ways to Get Started
Action: Three Ways to Get Started
Use audio and/or video. Using audio and video allows for connection building between you and your students in the online space. Screencasting tools like Loom, Quicktime, or Explain Everything can be used to provide visual and auditory feedback to students.
Use multiple modes of feedback. Consider using discussion boards, video, and course announcements to give feedback to the whole class. Empower students and creating learning opportunities where students can give feedback to each other. Lighten your own load by opening methods of feedback, and don't forget to ask students to provide you with feedback, too!
Pre-teach feedback protocols to students. Tools like these feedback protocols from the School Reform Initiative help teachers design learning experiences that teach students how to give and get feedback. These could be used in both synchronous and asynchronous spaces.
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