Module 4 Activity 8 - Planning an assessment strategy

A carefully planned and executed assessment strategy is important to the teaching learning process.  As teachers plan the assessment strategy it needs to be remembered that this ought to be aligned to the learning outcomes.  Assessment strategies provide students with a wide range of learning experiences which integrate ICT and which allow students to function outside of the mundane classrooms of chalk and talk and exercise books.  These strategies as well, allow for the integration of other subject areas thereby improving on students competencies across the board.
As teachers employ assessment strategies they open avenues for students to acquire additional skills which they would not have received in regular lessons.  These include cooperative and group dynamic skills, critical thinking skills and improved active listening skills.
I have found this activity to be challenging but rewarding as here on our island, assessment strategies are not written in this great detail.  Further, assessment tools are not usually those which feature rubrics and checklists and this would be a welcomed addition into the curriculum at my school.

Module 4 Activity 7 - Giving feedback

In any learning environment , feedback plays an important role as it describes the areas for improvement, strengths and weaknesses and avenues to take to advance future learning.  As feedback is given, it ought to be done constructively and in a spirit of co-operation and support.  The inividual providing the feedback ought not to be swayed to providing all negative comments but should marry negative comments with the positive comments as well.
When receiving comments, individuals are called to listen without interrupting and to keep an open mind since the information given seeks to improve learning and behaviour.
This might be a bit challenging for some as when persons are confronted with areas that they need to improve on become rather defensive and turned off from the issues which try to improve and not hurt.

Module 4 activity 6A Using reference resources

Using reference resources in lessons require much planning if one expects the lessons to go well. Also, writing a rubric for a formative assessment of the lesson can be a challenge if teachers are unaccustomed to preparing such documents.  One has to be very careful in the amount of resources the students are expected to go through in search of answers. Hence, the age of students, reading ability, ICT literacy skills and time required to complete task need to be taken into account.

Module 1 Activity 12 Problem-solving skills

Students, no matter how young, are able to solve problems once they are provided with the necessary guidance.  When students are confronted with problems/issues which they have created for themselves, they are most times, willing to provide solutions to correct the negative behaviour and would also ensure that others do not repeat this behaviour.

Some teachers believe that the age of students restrict problem solving skills but if these skills are not developed from an early age, then students will be deficient in this area and that of analysis and critical thinking skiils when they are older.

Teachers too need to be aware of problems which may develop within the problem-solving activity and be efficient and effective in defusing the situation.  Hence, problem-solving activities demand careful planning before execution. 

Module 1 Activity 11 Encouraging learners to ask questions

It becomes common place for teachers to ask questions and get responses from the students but seldom do teachers encourage students to ask questions.  Teachers limit the involvement of students in this area as they (the teachers) do not want to be caught off guard not knowing the answers to the questions asked.  Encouraging students to ask questions will provide them with information and a deeper understanding of the issues.  The answers given encourage them to think critically and analytically.  It even helps if the teachers allow students to ask questions among themselves.

Module 1 - Activity 10 - Promoting discussion

The way questions are structured will create meaningful discussion between teacher and students.  Questions stimulate thought and in order to have students responding, it becomes necessary to have the students feel comfortable with expressing their ideas. 
In the think-ink-pair-share strategy, students were encouraged to work in pairs, thereby making it easier for discussion and sharing to take place.  I particularly liked this strategy, as the questions posed steered the discussion and became the platform for total participation of the students.  In a whole class setting, some students would be left out of the discussion as they would feel uncomfortable if they provided off-base responses. Creating a comfortable learning environment for our students and providing them with questions that would cause them to respond positively becomes most important.

Module 1 Activity 9: What questions do I ask and why?

Questions are used to determine what students know or do not know.  It is critical that a variety and levels of questioning are utilized not anly to tap knowledge but to stimulate thought and to develop critical thinking.  It requires teachers to become knowledgeable and comfortable asking these types of questions so that they can direct the discussions in their classes.  To often, teachers stick to the recall questions because of their knowledge base.  The world has become a village and if our students are to compete then there has to be a shift from mere recall to higher order thinking.  I have begun to do this in my practice.