Direct instruction is the most common teaching approach in the United States (Holmes, 2017). Teachers often use assessments to gather information on student's performance. Moreover, the account analysis allows the teachers to plan even more on the area that requires much attention. Heading to the lesson comes with a lot of inputs and efforts. Teachers do plan for the best and most effective delivery that would engage all learners. It is the joy of the teacher if all learners respond to the objectives instigated. There will always be one or two cases of students that require special attention. Without noticing such exceptional circumstances, a teacher would not have put the needs and interest of students before preparation. Assessments enable students to engage in more profound thoughts about their performance. Formative and summative assessments instituted to promote the development of student's potential. As Sousa asserts, learning and assessment are two-way processes and require the other parties' attention (2015). Contrariwise, it is imperative to point out that some systems instead have materialized the learning process in schools, for instance, in Wisconsin. The state has had favouritism in test scores, mainly with significant finances and growing enrollments in school. Privatization in the education sector has enabled the system to adapt negatively to learning and teaching, as Sousa asserts (2015). It is a fact that grades have helped schools in marketing. More interestingly is that today schools teach to test and not for concept grasping and applications.
When students are engaged in learning, there have to be objectives to the stakeholders. No student enrols to fail; instead, no school amasses students so they could make their life miserable in the future. Education instead is means of transformation to the individual and the society at large. In my teaching career, curriculum teaching has always been at the forefront. My best practices in education resulted due to benchmarks and best practices shared by other teachers. A teacher is always an innovator in the interim, thereby addressing students' interest in handy as students do not learn the same way. Arousing students to love your area of expertise has comparatively shifted the education curriculum administration. Nonetheless, classroom assessment relies primarily on formative evaluation. The evaluation measures how well students learn. One tool that best measures learners' progress is through continuous assessment tests (CATs). They help in analyzing the level of know-how of students in a specific area. Learning is a constant process. Therefore, many students lie in average learners who may require much reading to remember. Such a category requires frequent testing; for instance, after two to three lessons, a test is given. At the end of the period, a summative assessment is provided to evaluate the overall progress. Learning in most cases is assessed through performance. Assessment is a buildup process. I have always employed a technique that follows administration assignments, CATs, Random Tests and finally, a summative test. This methodology has enabled my students to love the learning process since the procedure triggers remembrance. The creation of cultures in learning and assessment necessitates. Hence, students fully acknowledge that an assignment is given after two lessons that add to the final grade.
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Additionally, by the time random tests (RATs) are conducted, CATS would have covered a wide area of learning. Even revision and remembrance would require students to go through their trials to review their methodology in communicating the results. Testing frequently provides feedback that both learners and students can explore and improve further or instead create other mechanisms in achieving the best. Therefore assessments have to follow a regular pattern. The use of Bloom's taxonomy in testing necessitates when testing for every after two lessons, CATs after five days of teaching, random tests after a week and a half. This pattern reduces feelings of isolations and increases understanding and ability to think and apply concepts .
Utilization of Assessment
Teachers spend all their time gathering valuable information on students, which influences teaching mechanisms and reviews whether to readjust or reteach. Formative assessments have played a significant part in determining the levels of students and advise them on the best concepts they can in bettering their understanding. On the other hand, summative assessments (Examination) measure the growth of students (Day et al., 2018). Suppose students do not do well in the summative evaluation. In that case, it is upon the institution to reevaluate its teaching and learning process.
Based on the assessment cycle, the use of the assessment results to give affirmation to changes in a program is a challenging step. Setting up a hypothesis testing and immediate feedback of the assessment to students boosts their morale to want to know why they did well or failed. Having a culture that relies on results to students with the presence of the stakeholders is the best way to boost improvements in learning and teaching. Once students are instilled in the culture of keeping records of performance, they will better respond to improvement. Analyzing results to students on areas that need attention necessitates the best curriculum to foster positive results, as Day et al. assert (2018). Once the students have the know-how on-site to get marks easily, they would begin engaging in challenging areas. Therefore assessments play a considerable part in improvements in students' abilities. Meanwhile, when an analysis with students gets completed, setting goals necessitates for students in the presence of the student stakeholders. Many students see the process as similar to being imprisoned but positively tracking progress in assessments is vital to attaining better final performance.
While some educators do not believe in retesting, I believe it is a valuable tool to foster a culture of understanding by the learner and not just assess learning. While the assessment of knowledge inform the educational stakeholders( students, teachers and parents) on how far the learning and teaching have been conducted(Bowers, 2019), I believe the opportunity to retest is just as beneficial to clarifying misconceptions in the material for the student. Revising of previously done assessments necessitates so that students can gauge their level of communication. When tests are conducted and lack immediate feedback or revisions, the next test tends to have poor performance. On the contrary, celebrating student performance and success can help uphold improvement. During analysis with students, teachers understand students by advising them on the best practices of learning.
Furthermore, assessments provide feedback as it communicates the effectiveness of the teaching instruction, according to Sousa (2015). Through my learning plan, a process instilled in my district, evaluation of teachers occurs for teachers every after two years. Most emphasis goes to the administration of the assessments. After the two years, teachers can then reevaluate their instruction summative in the third year; they are legible for promotions if the graphs would have positive gradients. In the first two years, teachers, just like students, fine-tune their methodology in teaching. However, it is domineering that these summative assessments have enabled the school to improve in the district due to collaboration between the students and the key stakeholders (Menendez, 2019). Teacher growth, meanwhile, depends much on student's performance; therefore, teachers do not give up on struggling students but rather develop different techniques in the instructions that would help eliminate the struggle in studies. Parents further can have the urge to support the implementation of the curriculum. If their students positively emulate good performance, establishing a rewarding system from parents would follow suit. If parents reward their students for better understanding, so will the others improve to get the same support? Therefore assessments and keeping records of performance befits both the students, the teacher, parents and the school at large.
Ethical Practices
Addressing guidelines on ethical assessment procedures and practices obliges especially in educational institutions. For instance, when a teacher in Midwest US assigned students failing grade because they had cheated, it raised many concerns (Franck, 2017, pp.51-60). The teacher had to resign. Assessment occupies a third of the professional time for teachers and affects students' motivation and the teaching process. Therefore considering ethics in classroom assessment necessitates. Classroom assessments have no professional agreement in general; it is instead a decisive action required by the teacher upon the ethicality of the evaluation. For instance, grading can vary from one teacher to another.
Similarly, the allocation of marks can vary among teachers. One teacher would strictly monitor the presence of every student in the class. At the same time, another would only administer the teaching and assessment without acknowledging the environment. Therefore ethics in reviews is an area of concern that obliges consideration. Meanwhile, according to The Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation, student's assessments should uphold an appropriate, feasible, ethical and valuable paradigm (Franck, 2017). The code does not define the fairness involved. It is, however, vital that teachers have a broad understanding of classroom assessment ethics. One area that teacher's practices ethics is in multiple assessments. Varying different modes of reviews accommodate all learners' preferences and interests. A student may possess efficient research skills while another well-davy in prompt questions; therefore, varied assessment tools creates fairness and validity. Additionally, it demonstrates the varied knowledgeability of the teacher. It is the reason why teachers employ both summative and formative assessments practices. The area primarily concerned with ethics in the assessment includes confidentiality, test administration, grading practices, and fairness, communication on grading, and assessments and test standardization. According to Franck, alteration of the systems has vastly affected the education system, only showcases how events unfairness is emulated (2017, pp.13-15). Teachers argue that the subject area influences ethical practice. Student's ability can never be equal. Therefore top student's grade cannot be lowered by low performers, but the reverse is true. Thus, teachers tend not to offer more support to top achiever; instead, they help the low achievers get better grades and bring business that becomes unethical.
Consequently, the only way to generalize and adhere to the same ethical consideration in the classroom is through collaboration and general course administered to teachers on assessment ethics. If mathematics uses a different grade compared to Science, it must be similar for district institutions. The practices should be uniform to avoid biases and for fairness for every students' grade.
Meanwhile, grade standardization does not favor all students. At the national level, an average student might get a low grade due to standardized grades; standardization only favors the top performers; therefore, doing away with standardization would help school paint their actual picture. Moreover, informing students on the grading guidelines is also essential so that learners are not left in the dark after realizing they had C when they were expecting a Furthermore, it is ethical for curriculum supported to address the issue of ethics in assessments effectively. The current guidelines prevent biasness neither does it prevent favoritism. Ethics is a broad field in assessments that requires consideration as articulated.
Special Needs
Psychology and education are entwined chastisements that support each other (Kvande et al., 2018, p.412). Every education investor, especially teachers, must possess enormous familiarity with educational psychology. Psychology continues to define the purpose of education by giving it a new meaning, especially when it comes to classroom learning. Traditionally, schooling was only for brainy individuals. With time this dogma has also changed to accommodate children with different mental abilities. Many scholars continue to research the aims, goals, and purposes of educational psychology. Students with special needs must also take part in district-wide assessments. How then can achievement be measured if not through evaluations?
Learning is a process, as highlighted in the paper, and the process consequently has applications. However, the application part of learning is what teachers observe through the administrations of assessments. Since these students are unique, they cannot have the same setting as those in traditional schools, for instance, students with hearing impairment or those with complete eyesight loss. According to the No Child Left behind Act of 2001, assessments necessitates and participation in the assessment with reforms is required (Kvande et al., 2018).In the process of evaluating the school's progress after some period's assessments. Students need to have equal opportunities to take tests. One part that needs attention in instruction in the examinations for students with special needs is for the test to remain the same. However, modifying it so that a student with special needs can read it and respond necessitates. The modifications ensure a balance in equal access to the test. Even though the practice is upheld nationally but locally, the district lacks the equipment necessary for implementing the same curriculum to students with special needs. For instance, students with no ability to detect visuals require tactile for information presentations.
On the contrary, students with hearing impairment also require different gadgets to convey the same information to the assessments tests. What is more of a concern is the practicality of the students with special needs; they also need to practice, take quizzes and evaluations in preparations for the summative test. It is also challenged by the shortage of human resources to offer support to these children. Students with low vision can wear special glasses or use a hand magnifier, or access extensive print assessments or braille. However, the effectiveness of the modifications employed to learning and teaching special needs students rely on the students' familiarity and practice either in the classroom or at home (Goepel et al., 2020). Furthermore, increasing students' access to the assessments requires that the instructors reinvent test-taking strategies, design tests, and motivate them to give in all their effort in response to the tests. Students' inclusions are a critical component that needs devotion in ensuring society benefits in the education paradigm. Qualified teachers should only provide instruction; however, the special needs students should be well vast using the specialized instruction for better grades.
Given that the state laws require all students with special needs to undertake assessments, schools also are held accountable for their academic performances. Nevertheless, this move ensures that all educational stakeholders take part in ensuring fairness is observed. Therefore engaging in the planning process to ensure effective modification to the curriculum system and testing methodologies for similarity and fairness in all institutions obliges. Meanwhile, what is provided during state examinations should also have been instituted in the classroom. Otherwise, it would have been unfair if the instruction differs especially when the students have special needs.
Assessments Results for Schools Accountability
The education system monitors students learning through assessments. However, assessments have changed over the years. The primary purpose is to generate information depending on the stakeholders or what it is intended. On the other hand, accountability uses the data generated from assessments to generate incentives (Day et al., 2018). It motivates learners and the teachers at large. Reviews help set levels of performance acceptance for all students. Meanwhile, it provides benchmarks against which students and teachers can ascertain their accomplishments. It motivates teachers to change instructional processes, and districts generate a plan for administering assessments as the vision is persuaded. How else do reforms arise in the education system? Using student's reviews and performance has initiated a system where schools convey accountability. Accountability, however, measures efficient use of resources, adaption and incentives based on the evaluations (Goepel et al., 2020, p.23). Assessment based accountability has adverse effects and varies depending on the type of program initiated.
Conversely, standardized tests offer benefits to administrators and policymakers. More important is that the test items give feedback to schools in assessing the quality of learning and the teaching process. Additionally, it also fosters the allocation of resources at the school. Head of institutions faces difficulties when their institutions have been in the spotlight for not getting good results. When results are unsatisfactory, so is the wastage of students. Suppose schools foster educational policies that do not bear fruits as input. In that case, the administration has to evaluate the process of learning and teaching (Holmes, 2017). When resources are pumped into the instructional process, and the results do not reflect the input, the question goes back to the teachers and students. It is the reason why standardization has taken a fantastic path in addressing misconceptions in the education setting. Administrators have been promoted after their programs have posted positive results. The competition, meanwhile, makes it hard for many education institutions to stay at the top performance-wise.
On the other hand, the competition has used ethics integration in assessments. State assessments should indulge in similar assessments tests. If schools do not uphold similar standards in assessments policies, then results in turnout would prove unfairness. A classroom is an important place for the development of the child apart from home. Therefore recognition of the manners that influence the environment should integrate adequacy. The main objectives of schools are to amass communities. Supporting togetherness, however, is further instilled through the student's high-performance engagements. When students perform well incentives for the state, the ministry would be channeled to the school for development purposes (Franck, 2017, pp.115-126). However, it holds teachers also accountable for their subject's performance. In this sense, every employee in any educational instilled will have the object to impart knowledge to students through a methodology that allows for practical sessions for application.
References
Bowers, A. J. (2019). Report card grades and educational outcomes. In S. Brookhart & T. Guskey (Eds.) what we know about grading ASCD.
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Franck, O. (2017). Assessments in Ethics Education . Springer International.
Goepel, J., Scruton, J., & Wheatley, C. (2020). A Guide to the SEND Code of Practice 2015 . Critical Publishing.
Holmes, N. (2017). Engaging with assessment: Active Learning in Higher Education , 19 (1), 23-34. https://doi.org/10.1177/1469787417723230
Kvande, M., Bjørklund, O., Lydersen, S., Belsky, J., & Wichstrøm, L. (2018). Effects of special education on task motivation and academic achievement: European Journal of Special Needs Education , 34 (4), 409-423. https://doi.org/10.1080/08856257.2018.1533095
Menéndez, I., Napa, M., Moreira, M., & Zambrano, G. (2019). The importance of formative assessment in the learning-teaching process. Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences , 3 (2), 238-249. https://doi.org/10.29332/ijssh.v3n2.322
Sousa, D. (2015). Brain-friendly assessments . West Palm Beach, FL: Learning Sciences International. 9781941112212
