May 2008 — News
Print this articleClick here to receive your FREE subscription to T.H.E. Journal
21st Century Teaching and Learning: Assessing New Knowledge
Currently, with the integration of new technology in every aspect of students' lives, process must be part of the assessment rubric as process is precisely what new technology demonstrates more clearly than ever before. The use of new technology provides students with ways to change things, create new things, apply learning in new ways and beyond the confines of a pre-set course. Therefore in method and delivery, the focus is on process throughout. That is not to say that the end result is not important. Indeed in many disciplines the end result is vital. It does mean, however, that students have more opportunity to make new paths in their learning and find new ways of achieving the end result and that the level of process innovation is something that should be valued in the assessment.
There will always be those students who do not demonstrate innovation--those are students who desire pre-set formulas and templates for success. Teachers struggle to find ways to move these students beyond the formulas and encourage critical thinking and application. The problem is, when the thinking occurs, we (educators) still usually reward only the end result and not the process by which students arrived at the end result. Now with new technology, those processes are not only essential for effective technology use but can also be digitally captured and used as a demonstration of the process and ultimately the learning that has taken place. That is, when students take advantage of the tools given to them to enter into a different level of engagement, those students' efforts should be recognized, and the skills needed to perform to that level should be valued.
The following is a diagram illustrating the method by which this kind of assessment can take place. Aspect A illustrates a fairly regular approach to assessment design in learning. Aspect B illustrates what may be incorporated should teachers choose to value new levels of innovation, design, and application in student learning.
Assessing Learning: Aspect A
Assessing Learning: Aspect B
Therefore, while the initial "required" results are still included, they are now part of a larger whole that is driven by process. The ways in which things are done are also valued; the new ideas and methods are valued along the way; and, ultimately, the end result is continued learning rather than a pre-set product. Not only can new technology assist in the process, new digital tools such as wikis and blogs can capture the connections within the process to help with assessment. Additionally collaboration now can be digitally traced so that isolation does not happen.
