Culminating Views on Assessment

Assessment Definition and Lesson Objectives

As an educator, assessment has become one of the most powerful tools I use to guide learning and improve student outcomes. To me, assessment is the ongoing process of gathering information about what students know, understand, and can do, in order to inform teaching and support student growth (Black & Wiliam, 1998). Determining lesson objectives is the crucial first step, as these objectives define what knowledge or skills I want my students to achieve. It paints a CLEAR picture for them, by telling them exactly what they are going to be learning. I usually start with curriculum standards, then narrow down to specific, measurable goals that align with real-world skills and student needs (Marzano, 2007). This focus helps create meaningful assessments that truly reflect learning targets.

Best Type of Assessment

When it comes to types of assessment, it is usually not a one size-fits-all thing, so a combination works best. If I had to choose one, performance assessments allow students to apply knowledge in authentic ways. Some examples are through projects, presentations, or experiments. These allow students to show a deeper understanding and critical thinking beyond what multiple-choice or selected-response questions can show (Wiggins, 1998). Open-ended assessments are also valuable for encouraging creativity and explanation, while selected-response questions can efficiently check basic comprehension. Blending these types creates a richer picture of student learning.

Effort Grades

Effort grades, grades based on how hard students try rather than what they know, are a topic of debate. Personally, I think effort should be recognized but not mixed with academic achievement grades. Effort is important and deserves acknowledgment through participation points or separate feedback, but emerging it with mastery risks sending mixed messages about learning goals (Guskey, 2007). In the early stages of Bloom's Taxonomy or learning cycle, I offer such points to promote a positive learning environment as the content becomes more rigorous.

Self-Assessment

Additionally, I am a strong advocate for student self-assessment. When students reflect on their own work and progress, they develop ownership over their learning journey (Andrade & Valtcheva, 2009). Self-assessment should be structured with clear criteria and guided questions, helping students honestly evaluate strengths and areas for growth.

Portfolios

Student growth portfolios are collections of work over time that showcase learning progress and achievements. The benefits of portfolios include promoting reflection, providing a comprehensive view of student learning, and encouraging goal setting (Barrett, 2007). However, portfolios can be time-consuming to maintain and assess consistently, which is a practical challenge for teachers. Despite this, I see their value as a formative tool that complements more traditional assessments. If students have an ability to assist with the formation of portfolios, this could make the process more obtainable for educators.

Visual Aids/Figures

Visual tools like figures, tables, and graphs play an essential role in assessment by making data clear and actionable. For example, a graph tracking student performance over time can highlight trends and pinpoint when interventions are needed. My class did this during the 2024-2025 school year with iReady minutes accomplished per week, number of lessons passed as the year progressed, and Diagnostic Test Results (shown below). These all helped the students visualize their progress, while I got to use the outcomes to adjust my instruction accordingly.

	Diagnostic 1 (BOY)	Diagnostic 2 (MOY)	Diagnostic 3 (EOY)
625
600
575
550
525
500
475
450
425
400
0

Final Viewpoints

Finally, when considering other viewpoints on assessment, I believe it’s important to balance standardized testing with more personalized forms of evaluation. While standardized tests offer broad data for comparison, they often fail to capture individual student strengths and challenges (Au, 2016). Parent-teacher conferences and behavior assessments add valuable qualitative insight, supporting a holistic understanding of each learner. All in all, assessments should be tools for improving instruction and fostering growth, not just measures of performance.

Conclusion

In conclusion, a balanced assessment system that combines learning objectives, performance assessments, open-ended assessments, effort grades, student reflections, portfolios, visual tools, standardized tests, parent-teacher conference data, and behavior assessments can support meaningful learning and empowers both educators and students. Assessment is not just about grades, but guiding the journey of education.

References:

Andrade, H., & Valtcheva, A. (2009). Promoting learning and achievement through self-assessment. Theory Into Practice, 48(1), 12–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/00405840802577544

Au, W. (2016). Unequal by design: High-stakes testing and the standardization of inequality. Routledge.

Barrett, H. C. (2007). Researching electronic portfolios and learner engagement: The REFLECT initiative. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 50(6), 436-449.

Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (1998). Assessment and classroom learning. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 5(1), 7-74.

Guskey, T. R. (2007). Closing achievement gaps: Revisiting Benjamin S. Bloom’s “Learning for Mastery”. Journal of Advanced Academics, 19(1), 8-31.

Marzano, R. J. (2007). The art and science of teaching: A comprehensive framework for effective instruction. ASCD.

Panadero, E. (2017). A review of self-regulated learning: Six models and four directions for research. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 422.

Wiggins, G. (1998). Educative assessment: Designing assessments to inform and improve student performance. Jossey-Bass.

-------------------------------------------------

Author Information:

Jaclyn Haught

CI 6123: Assessment Strategies

Dr. Kristine Malik

Due: June 15th, 2025