Assessment tool: Observation
Type: formative (developing)
Grouping: individual, small groups, whole class
Purpose: This tool provides immediate assessment of understanding and participation usually of performance activities. It relies on the teacher's observing the student as they perform the task. It is important for this tool to have a way to record such findings as there may be more than one student observations made.
Rationale: In a classroom setting it will be important for the teacher to gauge whether or not a student is understanding ideas or concepts. Sometimes it will only be by observation that a teacher can recognize if a student understands or is struggling due to other reasons. It is an effective assessment tool if you know your students but requires careful organization of facts and observations. Observations are usually coupled with other assessment tools such as report cards or conferencing to help students address issues and encourage effective learning.
21CLD connection: While observation itself may not be entirely a 21st Century creation, it loans itself to this age. Often in the 21CLD classroom students are just writing but are now performing skills and tasks. They are getting out of the chairs and showing their knowledge and exchanging ideas. They are collaborating in groups to build their collective knowledge and extended by using technology of today to do it. While all of these results can be measured in other ways, observation (triangulation) is key to seeing the learning during the process of acquisition.
Example:
This is a way to keep observations organized for multiple students and subjects.
Grouping: individual, small groups, whole class
Purpose: This tool provides immediate assessment of understanding and participation usually of performance activities. It relies on the teacher's observing the student as they perform the task. It is important for this tool to have a way to record such findings as there may be more than one student observations made.
Rationale: In a classroom setting it will be important for the teacher to gauge whether or not a student is understanding ideas or concepts. Sometimes it will only be by observation that a teacher can recognize if a student understands or is struggling due to other reasons. It is an effective assessment tool if you know your students but requires careful organization of facts and observations. Observations are usually coupled with other assessment tools such as report cards or conferencing to help students address issues and encourage effective learning.
21CLD connection: While observation itself may not be entirely a 21st Century creation, it loans itself to this age. Often in the 21CLD classroom students are just writing but are now performing skills and tasks. They are getting out of the chairs and showing their knowledge and exchanging ideas. They are collaborating in groups to build their collective knowledge and extended by using technology of today to do it. While all of these results can be measured in other ways, observation (triangulation) is key to seeing the learning during the process of acquisition.
Example:
This is a way to keep observations organized for multiple students and subjects.
Click on document for source page and more information on observation methods for the classroom.
Source: Retrieved from: http://wvde.state.wv.us/teach21/Observations.html