Alternative Assessments

Summary

This video explores the benefits and considerations of using alternative assessments instead of traditional multiple-choice exams. It explains that alternative assessments, which include authentic and performance-based tasks, allow students to demonstrate higher-level skills such as applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating, aligning with Bloom’s taxonomy. The video highlights their advantages, including real-world relevance, increased motivation, and opportunities for deeper learning, while also addressing challenges such as time-intensive grading and the need for fewer high-stakes assessments. Clear rubrics are recommended to ensure fair evaluation, making these assessments a powerful tool for measuring true mastery of course content.

Takeaways

• 😀 Alternative assessments provide an option beyond traditional multiple-choice exams for evaluating student knowledge and comprehension.
• 😀 These assessments fall into two main categories: authentic assessments and performance-based assessments.
• 😀 Alternative assessments are effective at measuring students’ ability to demonstrate skills and apply knowledge.
• 😀 They encourage higher-order thinking according to Bloom's taxonomy, often requiring students to apply, analyze, evaluate, or create.
• 😀 Traditional exams mainly test recall, while alternative assessments focus on application of knowledge.
• 😀 Benefits include no need for a proctor and alignment with real-world tasks that students may encounter in work or daily life.
• 😀 Alternative assessments can provide a more motivating and positive learning experience for students.
• 😀 These assessments allow students to truly demonstrate mastery of course content.
• 😀 Drawbacks include the need to limit high-stakes assessments, as they require more time and effort to complete and grade.
• 😀 Grading alternative assessments requires individualized attention and is facilitated by using a clearly written rubric.

Q & A

What are alternative assessments?

Alternative assessments are evaluation methods that allow students to demonstrate skills and apply knowledge, rather than just recalling information as in traditional exams. They include authentic assessments and performance-based assessments.

How do alternative assessments differ from traditional multiple-choice exams?

Traditional exams mainly measure recall and understanding, which are lower levels of Bloom's Taxonomy, while alternative assessments measure higher-order skills such as applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating.

What are the two main categories of alternative assessments?

The two main categories are authentic assessments, which mirror real-world tasks, and performance-based assessments, which require students to actively demonstrate skills.

Why are alternative assessments considered to operate at higher levels of Bloom's Taxonomy?

Because they require students to apply, analyze, evaluate, or create knowledge rather than just remember or understand, engaging them in more complex cognitive tasks.

What are some benefits of using alternative assessments?

Benefits include not requiring a proctor, providing real-world relevance, creating a positive and motivating learning experience, and allowing students to demonstrate true mastery of course content.

What are the drawbacks of alternative assessments?

Drawbacks include longer grading time since each submission is unique, and the need to include fewer high-stakes assessments in a course.

How can instructors manage the increased grading time for alternative assessments?

Instructors can use a clearly written rubric to streamline grading and ensure consistency when evaluating unique student work.

Why might a course include fewer alternative assessments than traditional exams?

Because alternative assessments require students to work at higher cognitive levels, making them more time-intensive, it is practical to have fewer high-stakes assessments to avoid overburdening students and instructors.

How do alternative assessments mirror real-world experiences?

They often involve tasks that students are likely to encounter in their jobs or daily life, providing practical application of their knowledge and skills.

In what ways do alternative assessments enhance student learning?

They encourage deeper engagement with the material, promote critical thinking, foster creativity, and allow students to demonstrate mastery beyond simple recall of facts.

What is the role of a rubric in alternative assessments?

A rubric provides clear criteria for evaluation, making grading more consistent, transparent, and manageable despite the uniqueness of each student's performance.