This article from NPR Ed made for an interesting read. I've long believed that assessment is the tail wagging the dog. I've been envious of my brother, a joiner, who transforms spaces and creates tangible objects. He knows what he has done and he can see where he has been. The impact of his job is far more measurable.
In teaching, how do I know I have made a difference? How do I measure it? Is the difference I've made even measurable? It's easy to cling to assessments that give us a standardised score and we can use these as a guide but it's exciting to read of other ways in which student progressions are being measured. How we assess is an extension of what we assess. What do we place value on? What do we give students feedback about? What skills can students develop across a range of curriculum areas that will determine their success in the world, no matter which path they choose to follow.
Schwartz's theory of assessment focuses on choice. He argues that the ultimate goal of education is to create independent thinkers who make good decisions. And so we need assessments that test how students think, not what they happen to know at a given moment.
Design thinking includes using empathy and fact-finding to understand people's needs, generate prototype solutions to problems and test them out.
We don't know the journey our students will take, however we have a pretty good insight into the skills and attributes they'll need to get there. These are outlined as the Key Competencies in the NZ Curriculum.
This article from the Global Digital Citizen Foundation expands on this thinking to suggest that the 21st Century skills we need to foster in our education system are:
Are we creating a learning framework in our classrooms that facilitates these skills and facilitates design thinking? Have we broken the skills down so that students can see progress across learning areas and within the skill base? Our role as educators is to question whether we create these opportunities in our classroom? How much of what we do is about pre-determined outcomes and how much is about genuine open-ended problem-based learning? What evidence do we have to show the skills our students have? Is it only a shift in test scores or is it a portfolio of student-driven reflection based on thinking about the above skills. Is the feedback our students receive only about their progress (or lack of) in reading, writing and maths? What about the kid whose only formal feedback is that (s)he is 'below' in the national standards areas and yet (s)he built a motorbike in his/her back shed or developed an app in his/her bedroom at home. Where do those students get to shine?
How much are we incorporating design thinking into the classroom? Are we creating a learning environment that draws on their talents and passions in order to make links to areas that need development. Every kid should feel excited about going to school...and so should every teacher.
So...the tail should stop wagging the dog. The dog needs to have a play, get dirty, do what it's good at without feeling that its success as a dog will be measured by being given a multi-choice line-up of 4 cats and having to pick the right one to chase.
In teaching, how do I know I have made a difference? How do I measure it? Is the difference I've made even measurable? It's easy to cling to assessments that give us a standardised score and we can use these as a guide but it's exciting to read of other ways in which student progressions are being measured. How we assess is an extension of what we assess. What do we place value on? What do we give students feedback about? What skills can students develop across a range of curriculum areas that will determine their success in the world, no matter which path they choose to follow.
Schwartz's theory of assessment focuses on choice. He argues that the ultimate goal of education is to create independent thinkers who make good decisions. And so we need assessments that test how students think, not what they happen to know at a given moment.
Design thinking includes using empathy and fact-finding to understand people's needs, generate prototype solutions to problems and test them out.
We don't know the journey our students will take, however we have a pretty good insight into the skills and attributes they'll need to get there. These are outlined as the Key Competencies in the NZ Curriculum.
- thinking
- using language, symbols & texts
- managing self
- relating to others
- participating & contributing
This article from the Global Digital Citizen Foundation expands on this thinking to suggest that the 21st Century skills we need to foster in our education system are:
- Problem solving
- Creativity
- Analytic thinking
- Collaboration
- Communication
- Ethics, action, and accountability
Are we creating a learning framework in our classrooms that facilitates these skills and facilitates design thinking? Have we broken the skills down so that students can see progress across learning areas and within the skill base? Our role as educators is to question whether we create these opportunities in our classroom? How much of what we do is about pre-determined outcomes and how much is about genuine open-ended problem-based learning? What evidence do we have to show the skills our students have? Is it only a shift in test scores or is it a portfolio of student-driven reflection based on thinking about the above skills. Is the feedback our students receive only about their progress (or lack of) in reading, writing and maths? What about the kid whose only formal feedback is that (s)he is 'below' in the national standards areas and yet (s)he built a motorbike in his/her back shed or developed an app in his/her bedroom at home. Where do those students get to shine?
How much are we incorporating design thinking into the classroom? Are we creating a learning environment that draws on their talents and passions in order to make links to areas that need development. Every kid should feel excited about going to school...and so should every teacher.
So...the tail should stop wagging the dog. The dog needs to have a play, get dirty, do what it's good at without feeling that its success as a dog will be measured by being given a multi-choice line-up of 4 cats and having to pick the right one to chase.