Assessment of Project Based Learning

Assessment is an identifier that supports learning and provides information to both teachers and learners to enable the latter be placed accurately in the curriculum continuum. It is just more than a test at the end of instruction to gauge learning but should occur before, during, and after instruction since it is an integral part of the learning process. In this lesson I have found that assessment is a holistic part of instruction that guides teachers to enhance learning by continually gathering information through questions, interviews, writing tasks, and other means. Hence it shouldn’t be considered as a tool to hinder learning rather to stimulate growth and high expectations in the learners. While assessing the progress of learners, ensure to plan well for the assessment (e.g for what purpose does it serve?), gather evidence (e.g how are tasks and activities selected), interpret the evidence (e.g how is the quality of the evidence determined?), and use the results appropriately (e.g how will the results be reported?).

To me, a viable assessment program utilizes different techniques to demonstrate growth and performance, and ought to be firmly correlated to ones’ goals. Projects in which learners use interactive media presentations, Web pages; artwork may be assessed uniquely other than the traditional written, typed, or even word-processed papers. Assessments strategies in this case may include performance tasks, teacher observations, personal communications etc.

Ciao!