RE: Assessment

2012-02-11T16:36:04Z

I found this nice site for learning theories and didactics in mathematics and science form some one in India,
http://aausmed.wordpress.com/

It contains many useful presentations, for instance one on formative assessment.
It outlines the reasons for having formative assessment:

"- Research revealed that it is the most significant single factor in raising the academic achievement.
- Teachers need to use information about where students are in relation to learning goals in Science inquiry teaching and learning in order to determine subsequent tasks and levels.
- Considerations of equity (gender, language, and culture, “preferred intelligences”), since formative assessment is not dependent on tests, which introduce bias into measures of achievement
- Decreasing the gap in performance among students.
- Improving the communication of goals to students and parents increases students’ productive work.
- Ensuring that decisions are based on carefully interpreted evidence by providing a more formal structure for making judgments about how well students are doing.
- The gap between the students and the teacher reduces and students will take responsibility and commitment to their learning"

Do you think the previous list is complete? For instance, the need of formative assessment in particular in STEM subjects?

RE: Assessment

2012-02-08T09:50:37Z

Hi Elisabeth

You also find Good Practices in Spice Moodle
http://spice.eun.org/web/spice/moodle.scientix.eu

RE: Assessment

2012-02-08T08:28:15Z

Hello Elizabeth,
Thank you for your comments.
If you are physics teacher, you can look at my blog:
http://ceca-scientix.blogspot.com/
I was posted some interesting peojects from Scientix.
Tsetsa

RE: Assessment

2012-02-07T21:43:30Z

Tsetsa Tsolova Hristova:

I use moodle system in my school, but mainly for self-tests, periodically change issues. In our country not yet adopted online exam in high school ... We are in the process of organizing e-learning for secondary school. I have noticed a great interest of the good students to additional online training. Students interested in modeling processes used by Inspire teachers project and Phet, and other materials posted on Scientix platform. I have several of their presentations on astronomy software SalsaJ. I consider that the new methods to retain the interest of students to study science. Of course, the motivation must also be adequately resourced, but unfortunately this is still no political will.

Hi Tsetsa

I find your detailed information VERY interesting. We are starting to use the Moodle platform in our school and find it fascinating. I shall attempt to use some of the applications that you mention!!

RE: Assessment

2012-02-06T08:49:16Z

Tsetsa Tsolova Hristova:

We also use Moodle in our Center in the way you describe, and also in order to offer our teaching materials to the community. One just creates an open course with all materials structured by topics.

RE: Assessment

2012-02-02T09:20:47Z

Hello

Here is a paper about how graphing calculators alter testing and other forms of assessment:

http://www-users.math.umd.edu/~dac/650old/tosipaper.html

Valeria

RE: Assessment

2012-01-16T08:03:51Z

RE: Assessment

2012-01-15T21:12:22Z

You are right. In Portugal, at secondary school, students can use Graphic calculators on national final exames in math and physics&chemistry.

Of course that questions are made in such a way that the use of the calculator memory is not a problem for the assessment. The main focus of the assessment are the skills rather than knowledge.

RE: Assessment

2012-01-15T20:50:55Z

Ivan De Winne:

what about the use of (graphic) calculators during exams?

I think in Portugal they introduced in National tests questions using Graphics calculators and that way they achieved that in high school teachers started using these calculators. I wonder whether that is still true nowadays? Does it also happen in other countries?

RE: Assessment

2012-01-09T14:15:53Z

What do you think about identical pre and post questionnaires to measure changes in learning?

I have read that some international tests are developed that way, and the tests are passed first day in the course and later on at the middle of the semester. Is there any such test for the secondary-school community???

RE: Assessment

2012-01-08T17:15:46Z

Hi, I am new here and have read your posts in this thread. I agree with you all.
In addition., I'd say that in order to assess the development of some skills or knowledge, one should have a time line of data, with an initial questionnaire (zero-point data) and then regular questionnaires.

RE: Assessment

2011-11-12T14:32:57Z

In POrtugal more and more teachers are using IBL methodologies to teach and evaluate. But that depends interely on the teachers interest and knoledge on this methodology...

RE: Assessment

2011-11-12T14:31:02Z

Carlos Cunha:

For grade reasons yes. The University should than interview the students in order to determine if they have the right skilss and motivation.

It is important to have also a different and innovqtive kind of assessment during the school year after the implementation of IBSME lessons

RE: Assessment

2011-11-12T14:31:00Z

Thats exactely wath I am sayng.

Other wise we should have students with very high grades that goes to medecine but without the human skills to became a good doctor.

RE: Assessment

2011-11-12T14:30:48Z

I change my questions every year

Questions are more related to context problems , less calculations...

RE: Assessment

2011-11-12T14:28:45Z

Carlos Cunha:

For grade reasons yes. The University should than interview the students in order to determine if they have the right skilss and motivation.

Ah, you mean there should be a double system to go to University:

- standard exams which test content-knowledge

- University should carry out interviews with the students to see the skills

it sounds like the American system if I remember correctly (from films :-) )

RE: Assessment

2011-11-12T14:29:10Z

what about the use of (graphic) calculators during exams?

RE: Assessment

2011-11-12T14:30:18Z

Ivan De Winne:

in Flanders (dutch speaking part of Belgium) we don't have national exams
So it depends on the teacher)
New skils need new assasments !

Ivan, you are maths teacher, right? Have you changed your tests in any way since you started to teach using new methodologies?

RE: Assessment

2011-11-12T14:29:28Z

For grade reasons yes. The University should than interview the students in order to determine if they have the right skilss and motivation.

RE: Assessment

2011-11-12T14:27:49Z

Carlos, do you mean the university entry exams should only test the content-knowledge?