This course, CEP 813, has been incredibly instrumental in challenging my thinking on assessment and how to teach my class. I had always thought that I was assessing my students and looking over their work but I had never realized how many things I was missing that were not only affecting their learning, but also my teaching.
In module 1 I was introduced to the idea that there are three areas of assessment. Assessment for learning, assessment of learning and assessment as learning. These three things are what really opened me up to change my thinking from this class. It seems simple but these three things with the rest of the modules built on them have already gotten me looking to change my classroom and the way I teach (I am currently redesigning most of my class to fit these three assessment ideas). This was something I thought was important because it helps identify what type of assessment you plan on giving in certain situations. Module 2 helped me identify this even more. It helped me think about how each assessment is different and has a different purpose. Giving an assignment in class shouldn’t be done just because “I have to have an assignment today” it needs to be done with thought and purpose. By helping me think of the three types of assessments there are I can ask myself for all the assignments I give, what type of assessment is this? Why are the students doing it? What will this help me learn/understand about their learning? You can’t really see it in any of my work as evidence but the closest thing I have to show my purpose is my FAD 2.0 information. This was an assignment I have done in class for years but I have had mixed results. On this FAD 2.0 design (even though it was done incorrectly) I decided to make the assignments each have a purpose for what I was teaching. Module 4 also helped me greatly in this design. This new creation I have set forth a plan to where each assignment I gave and each part of the unit had a reason and a purpose to help me learn about what the students know and understand. This was a reference to the Universal Design for Learning, which helped me think about what I wanted to students to be able to accomplish by the end of the unit and then worked my way backwards trying to incorporate all the possibilities for learners to struggle. Then make sure that those students would have a chance to relearn the material without having to go backwards. You can also see this in my FAD 3.0 where I added a link to the Bill of Rights that has a text-to-speech function for when students may struggle at home in the reading of the slightly more complex text.
Module 3 and the feedback section was one section I think affected me more than the rest. Feedback was the one thing I think I was missing the most in my classroom and assessments. I talk to the students and I try to give them information but I never really gave thought to the idea of feedback from self, peers, or teacher with a chance to make changes or direction. This section really helped when I was making my Rubric 4.0 and my FAD 3.0. I wanted to make sure that I was able to give multiple looks into the assignment while the students were working on it. This would be there to help me better understand what they had actually learned from me without just giving them a summative grade. I have a lot of issues in the classroom with students either passing with almost full credit or receiving almost zero credit on their assignments. The readings and information in this section really made me think about how I was taking the data from their assessments and using it to inform instruction. In my Rubric 4.0 I tried to mention multiple criteria that helped me and the student keep track of what they needed to be doing and if they were reaching the concept of understanding on the topic. I have high hopes that this will help me bridge the gap I have been missing with some of the students.
Module 5 and the Content management systems was helpful but I will say that I am currently taking CEP 820 teaching students online. This module combined with CEP 820 helped put into perspective the amount of work that comes along with an online managed class. I was not aware of the amount of time and effort that has to be put in at the beginning of a class before things even start to make an online class function smoothly. Small things like, having a well designed syllabus and communication policy, really made me dive into what exactly I wanted an online classroom to be and do. My CMS 2.0 helps show that I have really tried to detail all the information necessary into the online forum to help students completely clear up and misconceptions about what they need to be doing.
Module 6 helped me think about how assessments can come in all possible formats. I feel though this was something that has been present throughout the entire MAET process. Since the very beginning of my master’s journey I have been encouraged to look at different ways to assess students and to bring the learning to life. Minecraft was definitely something fun and different to do but my biggest takeaway was thinking outside the normal worksheet at how we can assess students to help understand their learning. I feel my Minecraft 2.0 explanation does a good job showing how I can assess outside the box while still keeping the content at the forefront.
I was trying my best answer this exactly about what I learned and the evidence. I am aware that there are not any sources cited or one for each module but I think that the sources were not the material we were being taught. The sources were there to help me solidify my thinking by giving evidence to why I should look into this idea or concept that was being taught. So in the end I didn’t include any sources because those did not specifically teach me anything beyond helping guide my learning.