In this module, I have learned about the Traditional and Non-traditional Assessments, now, let me briefly define them:
For simplification, we shall use traditional assessments to refer to “typical ” objective assessments comprised of items like True/False, mulgtiple-choice, enumeration, fill-in-the-blanks; we shall use the term non-traditional assessments to include a broad range of innovative forms of assessment, variably labelled in literature as alternative, authentic, performance, or constructivist assessments, to name a few.
Traditional assessments are mostly standardized tests only focuses on lower-order thinking skills of the learner. Most commonly used test format are memorization and recollection which are lower level of cognition skills. As per Bailey (1998), “traditional assessments are indirect and inauthentic. She also adds that traditional assessment is standardized and for that reason, they are one-shot, speed-based, and norm-referenced. Law and Eckes (1995) underline the same issue and state that traditional assessments are single-occasion tests. That is, they measure what learners can do at a particular time. However, test scores cannot tell about the progression of child.”
On the other hand, non-traditional assessments motivate students to perform well by keeping the students engaged on the learning process. They are able to demonstrate their learning, and it focus on the growth and the performance of the student. These type of assessments focuses on assessing higher-order thinking skills, that if a learner failed to perform a given task at a particular time he can still have another opportunity to demonstrate his learning on a different time.
Furthermore, traditional assessments do not provide options for students to choose what they want to learn and/or how are they going to learn a particular subject matter. Knowledge is transmitted to them by the teacher, students passively receives the information. Tests are used to monitor their learning with emphasis on getting the right answers. This kind of approach foster a culture of competition and individualism putting premium on getting high grades.
In non-traditional assessments, students are actively involved they construct knowledge through gathering and synthesizing information integrating it with the general skills of inquiry, critical thinking, problem solving, with emphasis on the application of learning to real life experiences. Learning is assessed directly through performance-base activities, portfolios, projects and the like. It develops culture of collaboration, cooperation, team work and students are motivated to go to school for learning and not for getting high grades. It has been said that non-traditional assessments were based on a constructivist theory due to current issues about the need for education to be more meaningful and effective.
Constructivism was defined as, “a theory that is based on observation and scientific study about how people learn. It says that people construct their own understanding and their knowledge about the world, through experiencing things and reflecting on those experiences. When we encounter something new, we have to reconcile it with our previous ideas and experience, maybe changing what we believe, or maybe discarding the new information as irrelevant. In any case, we are active creators of our own knowledge. To do this, we must ask questions, explore, and assess what we know.”
In a nutshell, it is how we make meaning using your interaction between your experiences and ideas, it’s experiential in approach, applying learning to real life situations. Constructivism transforms the student from a passive recipient of information to an active participant in the learning process. Guided by the teacher, students construct their knowledge actively rather than just mechanically ingesting knowledge from the teacher or the textbook. In a constructivist classroom, the focus tends to shift from the teacher to the students, it is a learner-centered approach.
“All learners come to a learning tasks with some relevant knowledge, feelings and skills. Meaningful learning occurs when the learners seeks to relate new concepts and propositions to relevant existing concept and propositions in her/his cognitive structure.”
(Mintzes, Novak, Wandersee, 2000).
Teacher-centered vs. Learner-centered paradigms
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Comparison of Teacher-centered and Learner-centered paradigms (Learner-Centered Assessment on College Campuses by Huba and Freed 2000) |
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Teacher-Centered Paradigm |
Learner-Centered Paradigm |
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Knowledge is transmitted from professor to students |
Students construct knowledge through gathering and synthesizing information and integrating it with the general skills of inquiry, communication, critical thinking, problem solving and so on |
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Students passively receive information |
Students are actively involved |
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Emphasis is on acquisition of knowledge outside the context in which it will be used |
Emphasis is on using and communicating knowledge effectively to address enduring and emerging issues and problems in real-life contexts |
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Professor’s role is to be primary information giver and primary evaluator |
Professor’s role is to coach and facilitate Professor and students evaluate learning together |
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Teaching and assessing are separate |
Teaching and assessing are intertwined |
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Assessment is used to monitor learning |
Assessment is used to promote and diagnose learning |
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Emphasis is on right answers |
Emphasis is on generating better questions and learning from errors |
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Desired learning is assessed indirectly through the use of objectively scored tests |
Desired learning is assessed directly through papers, projects, performances, portfolios, and the like |
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Focus is on a single discipline |
Approach is compatible with interdisciplinary investigation |
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Culture is competitive and individualistic |
Culture is cooperative, collaborative, and supportive |
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Only students are viewed as learners |
Professor and students learn together |
All learners come to a learning tasks with some relevant knowledge, feelings and skills. Meaningful learning occurs when the learners seeks to relate new concepts and propositions to relevant existing concept and propositions in her/his cognitive structure (Mintzes, Novak, Wandersee, 2000).
With everything that has been said, I therefore conclude that there is no “better than the other” between the two. A balanced approach between traditional and alternative assessment is critical, there are pros and cons of both types of assessments. While deciding what assessment strategy to use, teachers need to consider the issues such as content, context, audience. Having clearly defined the objectives, appropriate assessment tools need to be utilized. Depending on the nature of the instruction, a combination of both assessment techniques might be useful.
References:
A Constructivist Approach in Assessment. Retrieved from: http://www.iqst.upol.cz/e-learning/m1/e-learning-m1-u2.php
Assessment at a distance: Traditional vs. Alternative Assessments. Retrieved from: http://www.tojet.net/articles/v2i3/232.pdf
Conscious eLearner 