Introducing Assessment and Evaluation

Assessment and evaluations have been connected to education since the implementation of schools, though how we assess and evaluate changes, the basic core remains.  Assessments are also apart of schools that students loath the most, but why is this?

If we reflect on our own experiences as a student, I'm sure we can think of a number of times when we've been entirely anxiety filled over a test.  For myself, this is most apparent when reflecting back on my four year undergrad at York University.  From class to class, we would have exams worth up to 60% at times and compiled from information and resources over the course of 8 months.  Students would pile up inside the Rexall Center, which holds thousands, and in rows you would have 2 hours to complete an examination.  The stress level of these situations is enough to even increase suicide levels (which is why universities were granted an extra reading week).  So, why do we still test like this?

Moving from a university atmosphere towards the current college atmosphere, I'm sure we can all agree that the two are vastly different.  One major difference being no tests!  But, what I've found to be even more interesting is that within these two months, I've learned more long term information about teaching practices that I have retained more not through testing, but rather through active engagement and collaboration from class to class.  This form of ongoing evaluation is a more effective form of assessment in my opinion.  This is not to all evaluations should be done in this manner, however, differentiation of assessment I think is imperative for effective results.

In my elementary days, I remember the anxiety filled task of public speeches.  Public speeches were a core component of students oral communication assessments.  I however, had a very difficult time with any and all oral presentations. For me, I was always a hard worker, I loved school and would work tirelessly on my speech.  However, when the day would come to present my entire body would fill up with anxiety.  In all five years I would stand in front of the classroom and just stare blankly.  My teachers would all get very frustrated and just repeat themselves to simply “read what I had written.”  In my head I would be thinking “I know that, but the words are just not coming out.”

Instead, what I view now as an alternative/improvement would be to gain those oral communication marks in other ways.  Maybe if I had a partner or a group up in front of the class presenting it wouldn't be so scary.  Or maybe if the class was divided into groups and each student presented in front of only 5 students opposed to 30, this may have been easier for myself and other students who struggled with public speaking.  Similar to throwing a child into the deep end of a pool and seeing if they will sink or swim- yes some might have a natural ability, but most are probably going to sink.  These baby steps to get comfortable with public speaking I think would be more effective than fully immersing shy students into it and potentially creating a lasting fear, instead, those teachers probably made my fear of oral communication prolonged.