Assessing Projects : Formative Assessment
Making a Wiki
In the final stage of the project, learner groups create Wikis in which they answer the Focus Question, Do people say what they mean? and share their allegories. Since this is a group project, Ms. Barnes assesses collaboration skills along with content skills and knowledge. Learners also receive a rubric describing the levels of quality by which they will be graded to guide their work. They create their own project plans from scratch and share their plans with other groups for feedback. Ms. Barnes meets with groups to offer suggestions and support for the development of their plans.
While learners plan their websites, Ms. Barnes uses an observational checklist. Following is an example of one group’s collaboration processes:
| Date: January 28 | Danny | Jill ("gifted") | Ivan (mild learning disabilities) | Kim |
| Paraphrases what others said in our group to clarify understanding | Not observed | Good | Not observed | Tries |
| Asks probing questions | Good | Good | No | Tries |
| Encourages and values the ideas and opinions of our group members | Not observed | Good | Only with some learners | Excellent |
| Expresses opinions and positions without hurting the feelings of others in our group | Dismissive at times | A bit shy | Sometimes mocks others | Excellent |
| Seeks out diverse opinions and tries to come to common understanding | Not observed | Good | No | Tries |
When Ms. Barnes examines all her observational data, she concludes that nearly all the learners could benefit from some further guidance in paraphrasing others’ comments. She also notes that Ivan is not working respectfully with his group. She shares her observations in a private conference with him, discusses the benefits of effective collaboration, and asks him to revise his goals to include one to address working successfully in teams.
At the conclusion of the project, learners use a collaboration rubric to assess their own group participation and reflect on their learning about the content knowledge and skills. They also think about the development of 21st Century skills, such as the use of ICT, collaboration, and creativity. These reflections are used to assess progress on goals and determine new ones.
Throughout this project, Ms. Barnes uses a variety of formal and informal assessments to help her learners meet assessment standards and reach their full potential. Learners assess themselves to become more independent in managing their learning. Learners also assess each other to practice providing constructive feedback to their classmates. This integration of assessment and instruction with a focus on processes and content ensures that learners with different abilities can be successful.
