Assessments in the Pandemic…And Its Results?

When students and teachers moved to online learning during the COVID-19 March 2020 lockdown, we were catapulted into grabbing technology tools to aid in teaching and learning. From our online experiences, we can agree that the transition from face-to-face to online was challenging. Not to mention the possible inequities that may have occurred during this time. For instance, internet issues, child care, sibling rivalry, hybrid schedules, space for learning, illness, unfamiliar technology tools, and a myriad of other responsibilities in and out of the home. All these interruptions in a child’s learning may be impactful to the learning process resulting in gaps. 

An integral part to determining how students learn can occur through formal and informal assessments. These assessments are conducted through various types such as formative and summative and they provide information that allows teachers to make judgements about students' achievements. These approaches can be used individually, in small groups, formally, or informally. 
 

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Various Types of Assessments are Conducted such as Formative and Summative

 

Assessment for Learning

Formative assessments occur during the learning process whereby teachers are assessing for learning and garnering evidence of students’ understanding, knowledge, and skills.  

Assessment of Learning

Summative assessments occur at the end of a unit, term, semester, and could be used to grade a student. Evidence garnered from the assessment of student learning is connected to the students’ achievements against outcomes and standards. Examples of summative assessments occur in our International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IBPYP) and Middle Years Programme (IBMYP).

Assessment as Learning

Assessments as learning is similar to for learning. The former occurs when students make their own judgement about what and how they are learning. Students are continuously thinking about their learning, monitoring, asking questions, getting advice, using feedback, and being reflective about their learning. Students make sense of their own learning whereby they internalize their learning and share their learning. We encourage students’ agency so that they are developing autonomy with their learning. According to Susan Powers (2018), she outlines agency in the IBPYP.

What should we consider as we assess students online learning during the pandemic? This new normal of online learning encourages us to reimagine why, what, and how we should assess students’ learning.

WHY: Parents, students, teachers, principals, and Boards (stakeholders) all want to know how students are measuring up to age groups, public, private, and international schools related to learning outcomes (benchmarks and standards). Are students achieving the learning we say they should attain? 

WHAT: Teachers knowledge, skills, and attitude are all critical to the teaching and learning process. When teachers identify and prioritize learning outcomes, then the content becomes meaningful to the students’ understanding leveraging higher-order skills. Having prioritized clear learning outcomes allow for assessments to be targeted based on what has been taught and mastery of learning outcomes. 

HOW: The transition from the brick and mortar to the two-dimensional (remote) learning space that we have been using for more than a year has no doubt been a challenge. We have been listening to our teachers, students, and parents share their experiences of how difficult learning online has been. Not to mention that teachers are imagining ways to connect with their students through assessments online. And one wonders how valid these assessments are during this period. The new terms that have evolved are the Pandemic Slide or COVID-19 Slide with testing. As a school, we have had to make adjustments to HOW we assess online. The reality of rethinking online assessments propelled us to consider the correct prompt for writing, groups, schedule, technology, reassigning teachers for extra eyes and problems, hotline number for problems, parent expectations during testing and much more. It is the how that required not the usual staff members during a testing period, but the whole village to be involved which has leveraged everyone to be part of reimaging online testing notwithstanding its challenges.

So, what should be considered to achieve the best results for online assessments:

• Create choice and interest based on what was taught
• Design assessments that are open book with peers or group work
• Employ performance tasks that are open-ended that range from simple to complex
• Use HOTS for creative thinking and extending knowledge
• Provide real-world situations to analyze and debate
• Encourage unfamiliar data or scenarios that students can transfer their previous     experiences
• Annotated digital portfolios
• Technology learning tools (Jamboard, Padlet, Quizlet, Nearpod, Kahoot,Peardeck etc.) Technology tools
• Mock testing experiences
• Knowing what works best for the students (extra time, small groups, explanations)
• Social-emotional check-ins
• Scheduled breaks
• Reflective pieces that allow students to acknowledge their learning with key examples that connect to the content/topic 

Testing is not easy in regular physical schooling, and online learning creates even more difficulties for many students. As educators, we want the best experience for students, whether you are assessing For, Of, and As learning, the student is key to achieving the learning outcomes. Reimaging online assessment has clearly brought integrated disciplines together to collaborate, design, and figure out what is best for our students, and more than ever we have found ways to make a difference in providing online assessments during the pandemic.

 

Dr. Suzette Julien
Elementary School Principal
sjulien@isps.edu.tt