Alternative Assessment
in the Digital Classroom
Alternative assessment is defined as any assessment method that is an alternative to traditional paper-and-pencil tests. This type of assessment is designed to show students' critical-thinking and evaluation skills by asking more open-ended tasks as opposed to multiple-choice or true-false tests. Fact-based knowledge remains a component of the students' learning, but its measurement is not the only purpose of the assessment.Some of the Web 2.0 tools available to educators today can serve as alternative assessment tools for student learning. They can engage students as they reflect, share and demonstrate what they have learned or are learning. Alternative assessment can be used for initial and formative assessment to aid and inform the teacher, as well as students, during the learning process. It can also be used for summative assessment to measure or describe student achievements.
In the Classroom
Here are some examples of how some popular Web 2.0 tools can be used for assessment.At the end of a unit or semester have students use
Glogster
or
Webdoc
to reflect on what they learned. Their digital poster can include key points of learning, a list of vocabulary they learned illustrated with images, a favorite learning activity, what part of the unit of study was the most difficult for them, etc.
Vialogues
can be used for formative assessment of students' comprehension on any topic. As an example, a science teacher could post a video showing different forms of erosion. Adding introductory comments or questions to the video would guide students responses demonstrating their level of understanding of the topic. Following a lesson, show students a teacher-created
Wordle
word cloud of key words from the lesson. Students take turns selecting a word from the cloud and telling what they learned. This assessment could be used after students read a book or other assigned text. The word cloud can include characters' names and words related to the story.
E-portfolios have long been used on the university level for assessment. Now they are seen in the K-12 environment. An assessment e-portfolio includes examples of a student's work showing that he or she has met specific learning goals. E-portfolios can demonstrate students' progress in learning and a reflection on their learning.
E-Portfolios as Alternative Assessment -
"E-Portfolios Evolve Thanks to Web 2.0 Tools"
Web 2.0 Tools
Consider ways to use these other Web 2.0 tools to assess student learning and engage them in the learning process.
Answer Garden - Growing Answers
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