This week’s reading brings up this argument as it emphasizes the learning-based approach versus the traditional performance-based approach. In the reading excerpt from What the Best College Teachers Do, learning based assessment is highlighted. Great teachers want to ensure that what they’re teaching is being learned and understood. These teachers go to great lengths to analyze how their teaching is being conceptualized by their students. These teachers realize that ‘Indians’, also referred to as ‘goats’ in the reading (p. 152 P2), may have problems learning due to the effectiveness of their teaching.

Learning based assessment asks the teacher to identify what they want their students to intellectually and personally develop from the course. Teachers who use this approach expect a deeper synthesis rather than traditional performance based memorization. This style of assessment encourages grading based on learning rather than testing and adding points for extra credit, participation, etc.

I know I can incorporate this into my teaching, but how is the question. Science is typically cut and dry facts, isn’t it? That is often true, but do those who memorize facts have any idea how to put these facts into words? I know I want my students to be able to tell me what they’ve learned rather than just pick the best possible multiple choice answer.

I currently have a professor who does all of his exams orally. The idea really scared me at first, but it’s forced me to change my study habits in a positive way. I talk through the concepts and hear myself saying them. This helps me understand and remember the material in a way that enables me to discuss it outside of class if I need to. With that in mind, I want to incorporate the idea of actually discussing learned material in class. One way I could do this is by facilitating small group discussions that I will give a grade for. I could present a question to small groups of students and have them participate take turns answering different components of the question. I feel by doing this I would be able to gauge their level of comprehension on the subject. I think this idea would help get all students involved and show me areas that may be unclear to the students. I also like the idea because the students would be able to hear their classmates answer questions which might clarify things in their mind.

Something else I liked from What the Best College Teachers Do, is the mention of comprehension exams. Students may feel relieved to know they can memorize something and forget about it after the exam, but many do not learn by doing this. The idea of a comprehensive exam tells the student that the material from the beginning of the semester is still important to know at the end of the semester. Something beneficial about a comprehensive exam is that the exams that follow the first can ask deeper questions about the same material and challenge the student to really know the material.

I like the idea of giving comprehensive exams. Science methods and concepts build on themselves and only get more challenging as a student continues their learning. I think a benefit to giving comprehensive exams is that students will need to continue to review early material, which may help clarify new material. It also encourages learning through repetition. Going over things constantly is part of how I have been successful as a student. I have a feeling that many students benefit through repetition as well.

I liked the information from chapter nine in Teachings Tips on helping students learn from a test. Professors often use tests as a way of assigning a grade to a student. Tests should actually be a learning tool. Corrective feedback on the test from the teacher can be very helpful. These comments can provide students with a different way of looking at the problem itself. Positive comments are also beneficial to students to show them that they testing successfully in some areas. These comments can serve motivational purposes.

This idea of using the test as a tool for students makes sense. I do see where it may take extra time for the professor. However, if the ultimate goal is to know your students learned something, wouldn’t it be worth it? I always loved seeing feedback on my tests offering more than just a red mark with subtracted points. In my teaching, I am going to make a real effort to provide feedback to students where they may have been misled or misunderstood a question. I will do this in hopes that they will rethink their answer and see where they went wrong. This would be a good way for them to realize what the best answer would have been. I will also make an effort to give encouragement as well by commenting on a test where the student nailed the concept right on the head.

Useful links….

A bit extra information on the usefulness of various types of test questions

A little more about the chief and Indian idea.