Students have more choice and control over their assessments. They can choose the weight given to different assessments, conduct self and peer assessments, and select the format and content of assessments. This flexible assessment approach gives students agency in their learning and evaluation. It also provides opportunities for formative feedback to improve learning outcomes.
2. Student Choices
Students choose weight of assessments
Students self-assess
Students peer assess
Students choose how to assess
Students choose what to assess
!
3. Student Choices
Students choose weight of assessments – ‘Plussage’
Plussage’ is a novel system of combining formative and summative assessment.
For example, students complete two assessments (mid- and end-semester
exams). Both assessments are considered to be summative, but the student gets
to choose whether the first assessment counts in the final grade. If it does, it
counts for 25% of the final grade while the second assessment counts for 75%.
If the student chooses to discount the first grade, then the second assessment
is counted for 100% of the grade. This allows the first assessment item to be
either a low summative or a formative assessment. There is real incentive to
study for and achieve well in such a first assessment. Plussage allows early
indication of poor understanding with potentially no final grade consequence
for a student. In addition, the high stakes anxiety can be removed from the
final grade if the student performs well in the first assessment.
Plussage also provides a useful tool for tutors, moderators and students to assess
the effectiveness of this early assessment and subsequent feedback on learning.
- Special thanks to Craig Hilton, M.D., for bringing this work on plussage to our attention
5. Student Choices
Students peer assess
Student learn their own strengths
and weaknesses by grading each
other, enhancing their own learning
Peer assessment improves subsequent
work and enhances student understanding
Students learn how to assess and how to test better
6. Student Choices
Students choose how to assess
Assessment Oral report?
Written
One report?
Assessment Presentation? Video?
Two
Assessment Multiple
Essay?
Three Choice?
7. Student Choices
Students choose what to assess
Formative 2
Item 3
Item 1 Item 6
Summative
Portfolio
Formative 1 Formative 3
8. Flexible
Assessment
Flexible Flexible
Learning teachers
Superior
Graduates
Notes de l'éditeur
Flexible assessment is about students participating in their own learning. It’s about learners making informed choices on the manner and form of their performance that demonstrates how well they have learned, and how well they can apply that learning in a variety of contexts. Flexible assessment is about giving students the assessment options that they believe will demonstrate their learning in the best light possible.
[N]: Flexible assessment gives learners choices in how their performance will be evaluated. Whether they participate in determining how much a particular assessment will be weighted in their overall course grade, whether they assess themselves or their peers, or whether they get to choose how to be assessed or what specific work will count as assessment material, learners begin to take responsibility for their learning and development.
See the text of the slide.
In self-assessment, students engage with the curriculum through study, through discussion, through action, and all throughout they reflect on what they are learning and how they are learning. At the end of their study they present an overview of their learning experiences by performing Reflection-on-Action. [click on the lightning bolt under ‘Reflection-on-Action’ above to activate an online video] on reflection.]
See the text of the slide
When students choose how to assess, they have the opportunity, within the parameters of the learning outcomes, to perform in a way that suits their learning style. Students from a predominantly oral culture, for example, may prefer to give an oral report for assessment, while those who are more comfortable with the written word will chose to write their assessment. Those who are comfortable in front of an audience may prefer to present, while others may prefer the safety of a pre-recorded video presentation. In all this, if the form of the assessment allows students to meet the learning outcomes, then students are satisfying the requirements of the curriculum.Oral or written reportsLive action or video reportsVariety on the job
When students choose what to assess, they can choose the work that best represents the skill and knowledge sets that they have developed from their study. For example, from a series of formative assessments, students can choose which one will become the summative assessment for their grade. Another option is a portfolio of work to be graded, where students can choose from amongst a body of work those items which best represents their learning.
We are tasked with helping students become life-long learning, self-managing professionals. Flexibility in our facilitation, in our assessments, and in ourselves, all leading students to prepare, participate and perform to the high standards of our curriculum, is a sure way to help our students become the professionals they want to be.