Week Four: Assessment FOR Learning

This week when I was searching for a journal article to reflect upon, I focused on the Assessment For Learning tenent that states that the AFL should focus on how students learn. I chose this one because it seems like one of the most important things educators need to keep in mind when deciding what to teach and how to teach it. I also feel that this tenent might be one that I tended to overlook when I was in the classroom. I was not good at incorporating technology into my lessons when I taught school prior to becoming a stay-at-home-mom. I have never been very comfortable with technology beyond that of basic computer skills--typing Word documents, checking email, updating Facebook (I'm still learning), playing Solitaire etc.--and most of the newly acquired skills I have learned have been introduced to me through my TAMU-C online courses. I am a "digital immigrant"--that's for sure--but in order for me to truly connect with my students when I return to the classroom someday, I am going to have to step out of my technology comfort zone and look for ways to bring the technology that my students will be familiar with (and maybe some technology that is less familiar) into our classroom and the lessons I teach. If I just stick to standing at the front of the room talking about what's found in the textbook, I am going to have a group of students who are learning very little (aside from perfecting their skills in looking like they're paying attention or sleeping with their eyes open☺)

As far as the potential I see in portfolio assessments, I think the potential is there. I like the idea of allowing the students the freedom of selecting the items to be included in their portfolios. I remember when I graduated high school, I was surprised to be given my Language Arts portfolio that followed me from 6th to 12th grade. I vaguely remember writing my name across the front of that green pocket folder with brads in the sixth grade, but I had no idea it was going to follow me to high school. I was surprised to see some of the writing samples that my past teachers had decided to include in it (and a bit embarrassed by some of my earlier writing attempts). It would have been nice if I had been given the opportunity to select my own pieces for inclusion in MY portfolio. Again, as a "digital immigrant", the online portfolio that we are creating for this class is throwing me for a loop because I feel like I know so little about using this "new fangled" technology, but I'll get there one way or another.