How The Brain Works

Learning about Cognitive Theory was somewhat overwhelming yet very enticing. Understanding how our memory works was not an easy task. It’s such a complex process, and learning about what it is, how it works and why it sometimes fails was difficult. But I also realized that it is very useful for people in the education sector, especially teachers, to understand it so we could understand how learning works. This helped me realize how important having an exciting and meaningful lesson plan is. With a good lesson plan, teachers attract and sustain students’ attention and it helps them process information and store it in memory which they could then use in the future.

But what really caught my attention was the topic about cognitive load. Our working memory is limited to how much it can process at a given time. We must try not to overload it with too much information or too many tasks to do at once or we may not be able to do it all properly. It made me think about people who multitask. Can people really multitask effectively? We need focus and concentration in order to finish a task efficiently. If we try to do more than one at a time, how do we ensure the quality of our work is high? I thought that it was just me who couldn’t do it. That maybe I was not as intelligent as others who could do two things at the same time. But after reading about how the brain can get exhausted and overloaded I realized that maybe it’s not about being able to multitask but it’s actually about being able to prioritize. I find that working on something that I deem more important with full concentration lets me finish it quickly with a guarantee that I have done it properly. Only then do I move on to the next task.  I believe in giving my brain a break and not overwork it too much. And now I have scientific reasons that help explain why I do. Jeff Davidson, author of the book The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Getting Things Done, said that “When your brain is always engaged, when your neurons are always firing, when you find yourself in a continual mode of reacting and responding, instead of steering and directing, the best and brightest solutions that you are capable of producing rarely see the light of day.”

What is ZPD and Scaffolding

Vygotsky defines the Zone of Proximal Development or ZPD as “the distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance, or in collaboration with more capable peers” (Vygotsky, 1978, p. 86). It basically means that ZPD is the gap between not having the ability or not knowing something without help and gaining that ability to perform a task independently. Understanding the learner’s ZPD is crucial in determining the right support that fits his needs and utilizing specific teaching strategies that will guarantee success. Many teachers in the past did not take into consideration the students’ current abilities and were not able to provide enough opportunities for them to nourish what they already know as well as learning something new. It reminds me of when I was in primary or elementary. Teachers back then were not aware of how important the ZPD was and did not know how to address it properly. They had their lesson plans ready, they went and taught their classes the way they always did without realizing that it was insufficient to ensure that learning did happen. Without acknowledging what it is the learners could already do, what it is they still need to know and what it is that they are not ready yet, then teachers are just teaching without appropriate aims and objectives that address the actual needs of the studets. Identifying your students’ needs is the basic step in teaching. We won’t know how to help them appropriately without knowing what kind of help is needed.

Vygotsky also emphasized that roles of the more knowledgeable others or MKOs in teaching and learning. The MKOs need to be aware of the learners’ ZPD so they could give them the suitable environment for learning and provide them with the right opportunities for mastery of skills. According to Vygotsky, MKOs are not always teachers. They could be parents, friends, peers or anyone who is competent or expert in the specific area that learners need to learn. And since the constructivist believe in allowing the learners to construct their own knowledge rather than it being handed to them, it is important that the MKOs provide the right activities or instruction that will stimulate the learners’ thinking and problem solving skills so they could create their own conclusions or understanding of specific information or of situations that they are exposed to. Scaffolding is one of the most important factors in ensuring that students achieve their learning goals. Both students and teachers, or the experts, must understand that they have a common goal that they need to achieve so they could work together, effectively collaborate with each other in achieving that goal. Teachers’ scaffolding would serve as a guide for the learners and should never influence their thinking with their own personal opinions or values to ensure that students are able to utilize and develop their own mental processes towards accomplishing the desired goals. So how does scaffolding work? Sadhana Puntambekar listed four key elements of scaffolded instruction in her article on scaffolding;

1. Common goal refers to the combined ownership of the task between the adult and the child, and setting a shared understanding of a common goal.
2. Ongoing diagnosis and adaptive support means that the adult is constantly evaluating the child’s progress and providing support that is appropriate for “thistutee, in this taskat this point in task mastering” (Wood et al., 1976, p. 97). This results in interactions that are different in “content and form from individual to individual” (Hogan & Tudge, 1999), and for the same individual at different times. As Wood and colleagues (1976) described, scaffolded interactions comprise of a theory of the task and a theory of the tutee. The adult needs to have a thorough knowledge of the task and its components, the sub-goals that need to be accomplished, as well as knowledge of the child’s capabilities as they change throughout the instruction.
3. Dialogues and interactions. A critical factor in the ongoing diagnosis and calibrated support is the dialogic nature of scaffolding interactions, so that the learner is an active participant and a partner in deciding the direction of the interaction, and not a passive recipient. The dialogic nature of scaffolding is best illustrated in the reciprocal teaching studies of reading (Brown & Palincsar, 1985; Palincsar & Brown, 1984), in which students took turns leading the group discussion, engaging in comprehension monitoring strategies.
4. Fading and transfer of responsibility. The final feature of scaffolding is reducing the support provided to learners so that they are in control and take responsibility for their learning. The best scaffolding will eventually lead learners to internalize the processes they are being helped to accomplish (Rogoff, 1990). In the original description by Wood and colleagues (1976), the important aspect of the transfer of responsibility is that the child has not only learned how to complete a specific task, but has also abstracted the process of completing the particular task.

On a more personal level, I believe that ZPD and scaffolding both play major roles in the learners’ learning processes. Mutual respect and understanding is required for the teachers, or the experts, and the learners to build a supportive relationship and effectively work together for a successful learning experience.

 

Reference:

Lev Vygotsky – by Saul McLeod

http://www.simplypsychology.org/vygotsky.html

Scaffolding – by Sadhana Puntambekar

http://www.education.com/reference/article/scaffolding/

 

Success in Distance Learning

Students in a distance learning setting are required to take a more active role in their learning than traditional students in a face-to-face classroom environment. We are responsible for what we are learning; how much we actually learn as well as how to use what we are learning now as building blocks for what we will learn in future topics or subjects. We have to rely on our own initiative to study the course materials posted online as well as being proactive in searching for other helpful resources not identified on the course sites. We also have to rely on other means of communication like written messages or posts from our professors or faculty members and from other students. As we all know, students in distance learning are mostly practicing professionals in a given field and are not always in the same country, messages or replies are not read on the same day that it was written. It is one of the biggest challenges of distance learning. We haven’t got the privilege of being able to approach our professors about matters that we need clarifications on right after the class. And for some people, they find it hard to express themselves in writing.

To ensure that we accomplish our goals in distance education, one must be fully committed to it. Being committed to our decision to embark on this journey is the most important attribute that we must have that can guarantee success.  We mustn’t procrastinate or allow ourselves to lose focus. We are doing these courses for a genuine desire to become more skilled in our chosen field, but we still find ourselves getting distracted at times. We benefit from the flexibility of distance learning so if we don’t make strategic decisions in how to manage our time and organize our priorities appropriately, then we are very likely to struggle or find this experience unsatisfying. It probably doesn’t matter as much to some people, but for most of us who are mindful of our financial and time investments in doing the course, we intend to make it all worthwhile.

In my experience so far, I find that reading and understanding the course guide is very useful. It contains all the necessary information about my teacher, schedule of activities, assignment schedules, grading requirements as well as information or instructions on how to access forums and course materials. It helped me organize, plan and prioritize which enabled me to complete activities on time. Learning how to navigate the course site as soon as possible was also of great advantage. I didn’t have to waste time having to do it when I was already supposed to focus on studying. Another important thing that I find very helpful is reading the posts or answers of my classmates. Admittedly, I am not as active as I should be in contributing to discussions but I always make sure that I read what the others have to say and they usually have some profound ideas and insights on things which inspire and influence my own thinking on the topic. Lastly, as I have already mentioned above, I try to start on my work on time, if not well ahead of time. I find that this helps me focus as I don’t get distracted by worrying about finishing tasks on time. This also allows me to review my work thoroughly and send them to grammar and plagiarism checkers online and still have enough time to make any necessary changes before I have to turn it in.

So how can I use what I have learned from studying the social learning theory to encourage my fellow students in distance learning to be committed to their courses? I think that posting my answers ahead of time is a kind of modelling. Other students would see it and hopefully inspires them to do the same. Although I understand that some students could also see it as being too eager, I probably am in a certain degree, but I am hoping for a positive response. Also, I will try to nourish a positive atmosphere with my classmates that will help us figure out the best ways to be supportive of each other through written texts and indirect communications. After all, the social cognitive learning theory is more about learning from having discussions with others. We all need each other in creating an online learning environment that is respectful of others’ ideas and at the same time encouraging one another to improve by making constructive comments or feedback on our posts. I am hoping that by practicing these things I get to encourage others to display commitment to their respective learning goals and help them realize that active engagement will pay off in the end.

Models and Mentors

 A. My Models and Mentors

           

Role Models and Mentors	Their Contributions
1. My mum.	My mum is one of the kindest people I know. She is humble and very open to sharing what she has to anyone who needs it. She taught us/me humility and the ability to find gratitude and satisfaction with what I have no matter how little it is. She is also a great team player. She supports others’ decisions yet is willing to express her own ideas if she believes that it will have a positive contribution to the situation.
2. My grade 6 teacher in primary.	She displayed great love for her profession and was a very caring and supportive teacher. She was able to provide us with a safe and encouraging learning environment, as well as making learning lighthearted and exciting. I wanted to become a teacher because of her.
3. Helen Keller	She is the epitome of hope. She is, for me, a constant reminder that no matter how difficult everything seems to be you can always surpass it with perseverance and a positive outlook. She is a great example that everyone and anyone can learn, and she reminds me to never give up.

 

 B. The Type of Role Model I Want to Be for My Students

      Characteristics and behaviours I believe are most important that I model to my students:

1. I would like to model to my students the love for learning and discovery.
2. I would like to be viewed as someone sensitive of my students’ personal views of learning yet able to motivate them to keep trying and help them develop self-confidence or self-efficacy.
3. I would like to be someone they see as able to convey my own viewpoints without imposing it on them, open to others’ opinions and ideas, and someone who is respectful of people’s feelings, personal values, cultures and backgrounds.
4. I would like to model good interpersonal skills to my students. I want them to see me as someone who values professionalism and having a healthy social relationship with colleagues and students alike.
5. I would like to model quality of my work as to encourage them to always do their best. To motivate them to always seek opportunities to facilitate personal development.
6. I would like to model being a good member of the society, with the willingness to contribute to the well-being of my community in any ways I can.

 

C. How Will I Incorporate Models and Mentors in My Classroom

 I will introduce the concept of models and mentors to my students by reading a story or stories about someone who embodies the ideal values and characteristics that I would like to promote which have also been identified by the school. I will then try to model these values by following them in the classroom or in the school to reinforce what we have talked about in class as well as attempting to nurture these chosen values in the students. I would then encourage them to find people within their family circle who have some of these values, which should further reinforce what we have discussed in class and provide them with examples that they can talk about in the classroom. I could then use these examples to encourage students to reflect on their own behaviour and choices inside and outside the classroom. 

 

D. Who Will Be My Education Mentor? What Would My Ideal Education Mentor Be Like?

 I have met so many wonderful teachers and professionals in this field, and though I credit them for doing an amazing job in their respective fields I haven’t really got anyone specific whom I have developed a strong relationship with. But if I were to have an education mentor, I would like him to be someone empathetic of us new teachers. I would like him to be accepting and willing to understand the concerns that I may have as a new teacher, and acknowledge me as a developing professional. A good mentor is someone who is committed to providing all the necessary support that I may need as I learn to improve my skills and develop into an effective teacher. My ideal mentor is someone who is able to transcend challenges of mentoring an inexperienced teacher and with the ability to establish hope and optimism in me. Someone who encourages me to believe that I can accomplish great things in the future. I would like someone who is eager to share the things they have learned from their experiences with me and I would like him to be open to learning with me rather than portray himself as having the right answers or the best advice   all the time. And I would like my mentor to be someone who is willing to help me discover the joys and satisfactions in my chosen career.

I Am Me

Much has been said about good parenting. You can find many different strategies in books, videos, seminars, each with their own unique twist on best practice. As I’m not yet a parent I have not paid much attention to these strategies, but seeing how my friends, family members, even colleagues struggle with it does make me wonder, how difficult is it? Evidently, parenting is one of the biggest and most challenging responsibilities in one’s life and it should not be taken lightly. Unfortunately, some parents choose to use a physical approach when they discipline their children, which doesn’t always have the desired results.

I grew up in a small community where everybody knew everyone, families were closely-knitted and very traditional. Everybody would go to church together and when one was missing, the other families, or someone at church would definitely ask why he/she wasn’t there. The only acceptable excuse was either being sick or being away from home, other than that, people were going to talk. People value the wisdom of their elders, what’s good for their families, what’s good for the community, and try to instill it in their own little families. Now, how does it play in my story? Well, the elders believed that threatening or physically hitting your children was the best way of disciplining them. If you want to modify bad behaviour, then you need to use physical consequence for that behaviour. From spanking on the hands, to twisting the ears, to hitting them with a stick or a broom. You beat bad behaviour by beating!

You must think that we probably hated our parents for doing it right? Maybe others do, but not us, not me. My siblings and I did have to endure some burning marks on our legs one too many occasions but as we matured, we understood why we did. First, our parents didn’t know any better. That was how they were brought up by their parents, that was what they could see other parents did, that was what they knew. Second, they really only wanted to help us grow to be what they thought good children would be. Lack of education was the primary problem with how parents disciplined their children in the past. They thought they were doing the right thing without realizing the crucial effects it could have on their children. Fortunately for me, I didn’t grow up to be a confrontational or physical type of person, I learned that was one of the unpleasant effects of being physically hit as a child. And let’s be fair, they weren’t too harsh on us. Also, they didn’t really hit us all the time. I understand that physically hitting children is widely criticized nowadays, I personally do, but this method did make us avoid misbehaving so as not to get an unpleasant punishment. Funny enough, the rest of the world, today, believe in it too. We call it karma, not physical punishment.

Learning about the behaviourist theory made me recognize that though my parents were unaware of it, operant conditioning was at play with how they tried to mold or modify our behaviours. Apart from using physical punishment as consequence for bad behaviour, they also exercised reinforcement on us. They taught us that we had to earn privileges, instead of getting stuff as reward. If we wanted to be allowed to watch TV, we had to finish our homework first. If we wanted to be the one to accompany our mum to the city, we had to do household chores first. This turned out to be the best strategy that they could have thought of because that was how we were trained to want to be good without consciously thinking about receiving a reward for it. I believe that’s the ultimate goal of the behaviourist. To successfully instill (good) behaviour in a person, to make them behave in a manner without expecting anything in return. It just becomes who you are.

How People Learn

Learning starts almost immediately after birth. Babies learn to cry when they’re upset or hungry or as their way of communicating their needs. This kind of learning is what we call innate and no one has to teach them to do it, it just comes naturally. But there are other things we call acquired learning where we actually have to be taught in order to know them or we need experience to teach us how to deal with them correctly. Now, learning must be simple yes? Parents and teachers have really good advice on how to learn well, and they have done it before so they must know what they’re talking about. But no, learning is a complex process and no single piece of advice or strategy is going to work for everybody or for everything every time!

Our own experiences have shown us that learning can be tricky. We think that we’ve done our best and still we don’t feel satisfied with how much we have learned. Or better yet, our test scores don’t reflect the efforts we’ve done to prepare for them. It’s hard work really. Now as adults, we understand what students are going through. So how can we assist them in their learning? Understanding how learners learn best is central especially to an aspiring teacher like me because it can help us give them suitable learning opportunities to ensure that they become successful in their learning journey.

I find this module, particularly about the learning styles, fascinating. I already knew about the different types of learning styles even before I started the module and I even know what type I fall into, but interestingly, it is not after I have read the articles that I came to wonder how important it is to learn about them. A bigger part of me still think it is helpful and I get that as a teacher, you’re expected to know your students well so you can teach them well. The most effective teachers are those who know and understand how their students learn effectively and support them appropriately. But does it really matter whether or not we know what type of learner our students are? Wouldn’t it just influence us to put labels on them and unconsciously treat them according to the type of learner we presume they are? This is why I like Dunn and Dunn’s learning styles theory. It doesn’t say outright that students are one type of learners, rather, it is more of an information on the different factors affecting how students learn. Dunn and Dunn’s theory lists stimuli that influence learners’ behaviour when they are learning such as environment, emotional, sociological, physiological, and psychological elements. It gives me a clearer picture of what really helps students learn best. Learning about all these factors will help me differentiate and innovate in my teaching methods and plan classroom settings purposely. And because I now have a wider understanding of why students behave or perform in certain ways during learning, I can plan lessons that will cater to their needs. Teachers don’t necessarily have to use multiple types of teaching methods in one session, 2-3 maximum, but because lessons run over 2 to 3 sessions then we have the opportunity to make sure that we provide our students with a number of different ways to deal with and process new information and keep them motivated and be actively engaged in their learning.

This module is also helpful for me as a learner since I still find myself struggling to understand things when I am studying. I just think it’s because I’m tired from work, or because I’m distracted by whatever is in my environment as I’m learning. Yes of course these are factors as well but just knowing that there are other important things affecting the way I feel when I’m learning is helpful so I can try and find ways to lessen them or cope with them strategically so I can get on with my studies. I can practice differentiating with myself as a learner first so I can really be effective as a teacher to a number of different students. You can’t teach or employ what you don’t know yourself, they say.

Let’s talk Learning!

People may have a varying definition of learning but it all comes down to the simple things we learn from our everyday experiences. No matter how big or small that experience is, we always take something out of it. May it be something new, an addition to what we already know, or a realization. Learning takes place even when we don’t realize it, or even when we don’t intend to. Everybody learns! Some may not have a proper education and are not privileged enough to get wider access to other learning sources, but we all learn one way or another.

Regrettably, not much can be recalled from my school days. As many of you can probably relate to this, passing exams and getting good grades were my focus during those times. What year did World War I start? In 1914. What were its implications to the world? Uh, lots of lives lost and struggling world economy?! That’s how much I can tell you about it because back then, all I did was memorize facts without fully understanding its relevance. And as we all know, memory fades. What I did was called surface learning, as I would learn more than a decade later! Surface learning is characterized by the learner acquiring or storing information that can be used when necessary. Some things did, however, stick and made an impact on what I would become as a person as I grew up. I imagine, those things that captured my interest and those subjects with fun and effective teachers! J

After watching the videos and reading the articles in module 1, and from previous studies, I identify myself as a visual and kinesthetic learner. Although I agree that a person does not just identify as a single type of learner, I learn most effectively when I am presented with models or other representations, pictures, tangible objects, and when I am allowed to explore by doing experiments or manipulate objects. I can’t say I learn better than others or others better than I do because people learn differently, and our success in learning is greatly affected by our learning environment and how we are supported in our learning process. Genetics or physical capabilities may also play a part in one’s learning.

There have been a lot of theories and research that aim to uncover the realities of how people learn and explain the conditions or stages of learning. One of the original theories of learning is from Jean Piaget who said that students create knowledge rather than receive knowledge from the teacher. This statement alone can give a teacher an insight on what a classroom environment should be like and how teaching and learning should be treated. What I learned after this module is that, the learning theories are not concrete maps or plans that teachers must follow page by page, instead, they are to be seen as an outline. As somebody aspiring to become a qualified teacher, these theories serve as a layout that I could use as a guide in understanding my future learners and to effectively provide the best opportunities for them to be successful in their learning journey. Understanding all the different approaches to learning can help the teacher prepare a better suited lesson or employ a teaching strategy that will work best with students with particular ways of learning.

So how do we know if a person has successfully learned? Based from all the readings in the module, I deduced that learning is the endless acquisition of knowledge from experience that would create a change in a person’s behavior or way of thinking and produce a skill that will be useful in that person’s life. If these characteristics of learning are seen in a person after being exposed to certain situations, then learning has definitely taken place.

 

Resources:

Atherton J S (2013) Learning and Teaching; Deep and Surface learning

             http://www.learningandteaching.info/learning/deepsurf.htm

HOW PEOPLE LEARN: INTRODUCTION TO LEARNING THEORIES- Developed by Linda                                                                                                                                            Darling Hammond, Kim                                                                                                                                  Austin, Suzanne                                                                                                                                                  Orcutt, and Jim Rosso

http://web.stanford.edu/class/ed269/hplintrochapter.pdf

Insights on Stimulating Reforms Pamphlet

EDS 113 has helped me see the benefits of effective assessment and the effects it has on the learners that go beyond the four walls of the classroom. Teachers’ assessments and the feedback they give have a long lasting impact on the learners’ lives as students and adults. Therefore, it is fundamental that teachers are implementing the right methods of assessments that would help the students meet their best potential and would pave the way for a better future.

Unfortunately, there are teachers who are still unaware of the impacts of assessments to the learners and are practicing assessment methods that could potentially compromise students’ success. Some of the commonly practiced methods of assessments do not provide a supportive environment to students. The pamphlet is all about exposing ineffective assessment methods that are used nowadays and propose better alternatives for them to help students perform at their best. The ideas were there, theories and principles that back them up were there, but the challenge for me was looking for the right people to help me endorse the reforms that would maximize my chances of success.  Considering that this was the first time that I would be doing something like this, gaining the support of those who would be as passionate as I was to make the reforms happen was very essential. After giving it much thought, I came to realize that the reforms would benefit the students immensely so they would be the ones who were more likely to stand up for the reforms and voice out our ideas to rouse the attention of those who are in power to make them see the benefits of change in the ways assessment is done on learners and the education sector. Another realization was that the pamphlet was the basic step in stimulating reforms in assessments since it would create awareness of the shortcomings of the current ways of doing assessments and the effects they have on learners and facilitate discussions that would lead to the implementation of the reforms.

The last few months had been so busy but very enjoyable for me. The course was very educational and very helpful for us who are looking at becoming qualified teachers in the future. Assessment indeed is a huge part of the teaching and learning process, and having learned how to do it best through the course has helped me see how teachers make a difference in their students’ lives.

EDS 113 The Power of Assessment

‘Nothing we do to, or for our students is more important than our assessment of their work and the feedback we give them on it. The results of our assessment influence students for the rest of their lives and careers’.

Race, P., Brown, S. and Smith, B. (2005) 500 Tips on assessment: 2nd edition, London: Routledge.,.

 

We all have experience with assessment, especially as the receiving end of it. Many of us also have misconceptions about assessment which may have been brought about by our own experiences.  When I started the course, I paid insufficient attention to assessment. It was, for me, a mere requirement in order to give grades to students. I also did not have adequate knowledge in implementing the best assessment that suited my students. But as I go through the modules, the value of assessment became more evident to me. I have come to understand that assessment is a critical part of the learning process, not just at the end, and that teachers’ assessment of their students will help mold them into what they would become in the future.

It is a fact that students are subject to assessment one way or another, and teachers’ responsibilities include assessment related work. This means that assessment is inescapable and it is a part of the learning journey. The importance of assessment and feedback cannot be more emphasized. There are a lot of papers written and research conducted about assessment proving that assessment plays an important role in student learning. This course has hastened my understanding of assessment and the different methods that offer students a lot of opportunities to develop mastery of skills. Assessment should aim to support and encourage active learning, which is clearly the formative type of assessment, rather than the end result of learning. This will help ensure that the process becomes an integral part of the students’ education. Equally important, good assessments benefit teachers as well.  It gives teachers insights on how much learning is taking place in the classroom as it measures students’ progress, as well as engaging students in their learning. It helps teachers develop an understanding of each of the students and enable us to act upon it to facilitate students’ learning effectively. Getting good results starts with ensuring that both teachers and students clearly understand the learning outcomes required for a successful learning and that the best methods of measuring the achievement of these outcomes are chosen and implemented. Furthermore, the feedback that we give our students after assessment is very crucial. Feedback is designed to inform students about the quality and correctness of their performance. Naturally, teachers have to be very careful and mindful of what they say and how they say their feedback because it will either motivate the students to improve their performance or demoralize them and discourage them to try again. In conclusion, assessment and feedback will determine the success of our students.

All in all, this course has delivered me from being somebody incapable of planning and implementing good assessment to somebody fully aware that assessment is used to measure learning with the aim of improving learning. It has given me new insights into my role as a teacher and teachers’ responsibility to make assessment support learning. Personally, I would implement the use of formative and authentic assessments more. I would highlight the use of assessment types that offer different kinds of response options and incorporate more complex prompts in my test making. Because teachers must provide students all the necessary opportunities to demonstrate their mastery of a skill or knowledge, I envision myself using performance assessments more in the future. This type of assessment is more likely to generate honest results that reflect the current level of students’ knowledge with regards to the learning outcomes and is also particularly relevant when evaluating learning outcomes that are not easily measured by traditional assessments. Lastly, this course provided me with directions on when and how to assess the learning outcomes. Learning all the different types of assessments made it clear that assessments must be done any time during the learning process as much as needed, although I should be wary not to overdo it as well.

This course has definitely helped me a lot and made me confident that I could really become an effective teacher in the future. This is only the first subject I have taken in my PTC course but I already feel like I have learned so much. I really enjoyed my time with my classmates though we don’t really know each other and this experience has enriched me with knowledge that I could use in the future. Happy learning indeed!

Insights on Artifact-Sampling and Analysis

For assignment number 2, we were given the option of working with a partner or working on our own. My first thought was to look for someone to do it with but in the end the best option was to do it on my own because of my limited time to work on the assignment. Working alone was hard but proved to be beneficial. Although working in a group is not really a problem for me, doing the assignment on my own made me feel independent. It also encouraged me to work harder knowing that no one was going to help me when I encountered problems or when I found that I was not getting much done. Working alone has given me a chance to discover my own ways of solving problems and gave me the personal experience of appraising the different kinds of assessment methods and learn from them. However, I also acknowledge the benefits of working in a group. Having others to comment on what I have done is very helpful. They can help me see things in a different perspective and other’s ideas always help me understand everything better.

This assignment was quite interesting and doing it was enjoyable but most importantly, it was very educational. Having studied the theories of the different types of assessments and how they are done, it was a more hands on experience having to evaluate samples of each type. The process of looking for good examples for each of the assessment types was quite challenging. The assessment examples must highlight the distinct characteristic/s of the assessment types that they represent and at the same time, emphasize the difference between two pairs of assessment types that were being compared. This being said, we had to evaluate each example and identify their purpose and the type of information that can be gained from doing them before we could refer to them as examples of one type of assessment. This process helped me realize how closely similar some types of assessments are in structure and it is the purpose that identifies them as one type. It became more evident to me that formative and authentic assessments go deeper beyond students achieving a certain score or grade. Formative and Authentic assessments determine what it is that students still need to know which is very crucial since this is when teachers can really help them achieve the learning outcomes and establish deeper learning. Aside from learning to scrutinize existing assessment samples, this assignment was a practical way of giving us the opportunity to discover good and not so good ways of doing assessments. It supports the theories we have learned in the modules that assessments must provide students with adequate opportunities and alternatives to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding without sacrificing its validity and reliability. It also highlights the importance of planning for assessments that would be useful and effective in giving teachers the necessary information that will make an impact on students learning and their teaching strategies. If assessments are not properly planned or written, it could jeopardize students’ performance and achievement and their results would not reflect what students really know and can do with what they have learned.

Having experienced identifying good and bad assessments, I know now what to do and not to do when I am making tests or preparing assessments. A simple error in a test content could have an effect on students’ performance in the test, much more if the test is not written in the best way possible to generate a genuine representation of students’ competence. As a teacher, it would be my responsibility to bring the best out of my students and this could only be done when they are provided with all the learning opportunities, including but not limited to assessments, and supported in all aspects of their learning journey.