Original research was also conducted to inform this paper, being in the form of student and teacher surveys. The student survey touched on personal interests, school interests, preferred learning styles, preferred learning environments and suggested units for future engagement. The teacher survey took in the topics covered by the cohort thus far, their thoughts on the role of authenticity in assessment, the implementation of units with cross-curricula themes and the role of backward design. The student survey questions were designed specifically to inform the LM of the students’ personal likes, dislikes, hobbies and interests. The information gleaned from these surveys was planned to be used in the backward design of a unit of authentic assessment for the cohort into which various Essential Learnings (ELs) from a range of Key Learning Areas (KLAs) would be embedded. The teacher survey had a twofold purpose – to ascertain the views of the class teacher in regard to the concepts of authentic assessment and backward design and to uncover the topics and units that had already been studied with the cohort. The results of the students’ surveys clearly demonstrated the various likes and dislikes of the students in both academic and personal pursuits. They also indicated a preference for authentic assessment processes and an across the board indifference to the more traditional forms. The ‘fun’ factor carried significant weight with the learners, with an emphasis on creativity and autonomy in their own learning journey. Further to this, the opinions and views of the students indirectly supported the concept of 'backward design', as they each demonstrated a clear preference for assessment that began with a clear picture of the end goal. Similarly, the teacher survey indicated the importance of authentic assessment, tempered with the need for an equitable balance with the more traditional assessment techniques. Also evident was the fact that the authentic assessment process often brought with it many complications that the traditional methods did not, thus making it less desirable to implement. However, the concept of 'backward design' was recognised as having a significant influence over the success or otherwise of students. The results of these surveys indicate that authentic assessment is the preference of both the teacher and the students and that the concept of 'backward design' plays a significant part in its success. They also indicate that the invention of a new teacher tool to facilitate 'backward design' would indeed be advantageous if authentic assessment were to flourish in the classroom.
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Original research was also conducted to inform this paper, being in the form of student and teacher surveys. The student survey touched on personal interests, school interests, preferred learning styles, preferred learning environments and suggested units for future engagement. The teacher survey took in the topics covered by the cohort thus far, their thoughts on the role of authenticity in assessment, the implementation of units with cross-curricula themes and the role of backward design.
The student survey questions were designed specifically to inform the LM of the students’ personal likes, dislikes, hobbies and interests. The information gleaned from these surveys was planned to be used in the backward design of a unit of authentic assessment for the cohort into which various Essential Learnings (ELs) from a range of Key Learning Areas (KLAs) would be embedded.
The teacher survey had a twofold purpose – to ascertain the views of the class teacher in regard to the concepts of authentic assessment and backward design and to uncover the topics and units that had already been studied with the cohort.
The results of the students’ surveys clearly demonstrated the various likes and dislikes of the students in both academic and personal pursuits. They also indicated a preference for authentic assessment processes and an across the board indifference to the more traditional forms. The ‘fun’ factor carried significant weight with the learners, with an emphasis on creativity and autonomy in their own learning journey. Further to this, the opinions and views of the students indirectly supported the concept of 'backward design', as they each demonstrated a clear preference for assessment that began with a clear picture of the end goal.
Similarly, the teacher survey indicated the importance of authentic assessment, tempered with the need for an equitable balance with the more traditional assessment techniques. Also evident was the fact that the authentic assessment process often brought with it many complications that the traditional methods did not, thus making it less desirable to implement.
However, the concept of 'backward design' was recognised as having a significant influence over the success or otherwise of students.
The results of these surveys indicate that authentic assessment is the preference of both the teacher and the students and that the concept of 'backward design' plays a significant part in its success. They also indicate that the invention of a new teacher tool to facilitate 'backward design' would indeed be advantageous if authentic assessment were to flourish in the classroom.
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