Assessment in remote learning
Assessment is another area of instruction you need to modify when creating your remote learning experience. Because your content coverage is simplified, your assessment will also be simplified. Furthermore, unless your school has a system for locking down devices when a student takes an online test or quiz, traditional objective assessments may not be feasible during your remote learning time. Distinguishing between formative and summative assessment helps educators examine where and how they need to change assessments during their remote learning time.
Formative assessments occur throughout a unit, and they help both students and educators understand which concepts students need more practice with to reach mastery. The goal of formative assessment is to gauge student progress throughout a unit. Because it's an effort to monitor understanding during a unit, formative assessment doesn't have to be graded for accuracy. Students can complete practice problems, complete a Forms quiz, summarize their understanding of a video lesson, complete a graphic organizer, or answer questions related to a concept. When students understand that these assessments aren't graded for accuracy, but given to evaluate their understanding and determine what the educator needs to focus on in the next lesson, they're free to try and "fail" until they reach a true understanding of the material. Students rely on feedback from educators based on the results of their formative assessment performance. Formative assessments encourage growth mindset and develop practice skills that students are able to continue once your school reopens and face-to-face instruction is available.
Summative assessments are typically given at the end of the unit to measure students’ mastery over content. While formative assessment isn't graded for accuracy and relies on educator feedback, summative assessment is graded and final. Traditionally, summative assessments are done with objective tests and essays. In a remote learning environment, educators will likely feel more comfortable using more reflective types of questioning where students can demonstrate their understanding in a variety of ways. Essays will still be an option for summative assessments. Another possible assessment is asking students to use Sway, PowerPoint, or Video Editor to teach a concept. Additionally, students could use Flip or the Screen Recorder feature in PowerPoint to record themselves teaching a concept, explaining a process, or walking through the steps of how to solve a math problem.