Comment on Anderson (1998)

Why Talk About Different Ways to Grade? 

The Shift from Traditional Assessment to Alternative Assessment

by Rebecca S. Anderson

TUTORIAL TASK (Week 1 & 2):

Having read Anderson's article, what's your take on her argument 'from traditional assessment to alternative assessment in HE'. Give your reasons for the stand taken. 

After having read Anderson’s (1998) article, I found the arguments very true as this is the real situation that is happening out there right now. First and foremost, I agreed with Anderson’s point that it is high time for a shift from traditional assessment to alternative assessment. There are three points that I would like to briefly comment on here, i.e. (1) the considerations of each learner’s needs, (2) how ready would alternative assessment equip learners to face the real world demands and challenges and, (3) the role of the teacher.

Based on Anderson (1998), I found out that alternative assessment takes a more thorough consideration of the needs of every individual, especially on the part of the learners, in terms of their learning, improving, interests and goals. As compared to traditional assessment, learners are given more opportunity and empowerment in deciding what they are interested to learn, how they wish to learn a subject, and how they hope to be evaluated. This time round, they are not only providing suggestions but instead have their suggestion heard and be carried out, if not in full, to a certain degree. This allows students to generate a more self-regulatory learning and to approach the topic from their respective styles of learning and multiple intelligence.

In other words, alternative assessment promises a better approach in terms of equipping learners to face the real world challenges, needs and demands, perhaps even immediately, upon graduation from school- something which traditional assessment has never seen to be able to do in full up the this moment in time. The reasons as to why the former fulfills this role is that it takes into consideration of both the product and the process while only the product is emphasize in the latter. Thus, the how’s and why’s of learners’ efforts in achieving and producing the product is being valued and assessment, allowing them to score in the process as well as the product. Hence, they will also feel that their credentials and hard work are acknowledged.

Furthermore, learning is also viewed as an active collaborative process when it comes to alternative assessment. Therefore, learners are ‘forced’ to learn about teamwork, team management, organization, task delegation and decision-making. These are all the ‘on-the-look-out’ points of major companies today.

It reads 150cm.

As for the teacher, her role here is only as a facilitator to learning instead of being a dictator to learning. In other words, more empowerment would be given to learners and the teacher should not have full say in everything (activities, syllabi, assessments) done in class anymore. Thus, a teacher is also now a learner, learning from the ideas and development of their students.

** To read on Anderson (1998), please click here **