EDUC 380: Instructional Design and Assessment or Classroom Assessment was a course geared towards the importance of the alignment between assessments and instruction in the classroom. Similar to EDUC 310, I was able to apply the information from class lectures to the field. Assessment has lost its original purpose in classrooms which is unfortunate considering it is crucial for the ongoing learning process because it identifies the strengths and weaknesses of students and allows the teachers to intervene immediately. Assessment occupies 1/3 of the professional time of teachers and has a great impact on students’ learning and motivation.  Purposes of assessment have to be carefully considered in order to improve student learning and increase performance. The greatest learning takes place when the purpose is clear, prior knowledge is activated, growth is monitored, students are engaged and supported, feedback is provided, and multiple assessments are used. Learning is a natural process, but schools hinder this by being “answer-centered” (one right answer, very shallow). Assessment must include coherence with intentional learning outcomes, varied methods, participation of students, focus on growth, reciprocity between teacher and student, formative process, and responsiveness to evidence of learning. 

One assignment that was beneficial to my professional development was creating a lesson plan followed by assessments. Not only was I able to gain more experience creating lessons and teaching in front of a student population, but I also gained experience creating assessments. As mentioned before, assessments should align with the lesson plan. Through a reflection and analysis after completing a lesson in the classroom, I found that my assessments were not. I was able to work through why this was the case and plan for future adjustments in instruction. All of the skills used in this assignment are now skills I have for future teaching! Below is a copy of the analysis and reflection post-lesson. 

(Spring 2022)

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gtqPwr48GWn1-faa1C3nUNFmNCpASzviRBq6egCuHH4/edit?usp=sharing

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