Use open-ended reflection questions as self-assessment in place of end-of-unit tests¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

The paper recommends reflection as a powerful self-assessment tool usable for formal summative purposes. "Instead of having students take a test at the end of a unit, a teacher could have the students spend time on open-ended reflection questions that provide the teacher insight on both the conceptual and procedural objectives of the project." Reflections should always include questions about thought process and group interaction, and students should explain how they used the engineering design process.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Reflections should include questions about thought process and group interaction, and ask students to explain how they used the engineering design process

Constraints¶

• In weeks when no final product emerges, weekly reflections shared with teachers and parents keep communication about progress going

Target Learners¶

• K-12 students in maker education programs

Target Learning Goals¶

• Conceptual and procedural project objectives, learning from mistakes and previous failures

Related Strategies¶

• Assess youth learning through journals, observation, discussion, and applied reflection products
• One Minute Papers
• Formative Evaluation
• Balanced Assessment System
• Use a three-part process-understanding-product rubric for formative and summative maker assessment
• Ten recommendations for teachers on effectively using formative assessment in the classroom

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Lundberg, M., & Rasmussen, J. (2018). Foundational Principles and Practices to Consider in Assessing Maker Education. i-manager's Journal of Educational Technology, Vol. 14 No. 4, January - March 2018. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1179517