About AssessmentsThe matter as to how a student is assessed over information and material can have a substantial effect of the student’s ability to learn the information. If a student is only assessed in the short term, then the student could only be required to memorize and not really learn the information. This can be seen in the traditional forms of assessment, with things like quizzes and tests that only require students to know or memorize information for a specific day in order to pass. This is a problem because if the students are only memorizing the material for a specific day to pass the test, then they are not really learning from past history and can not help to prevent tragic events from repeating themselves.
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Three Dimensional Learning |
Three dimensional learning is "first, students who complete alternative assessment activities demonstrate their knowledge of historical facts, themes and ideas. Second, students who complete alternative assessment activities demonstrate their ability to reason; that is, to analyze, evaluate and synthesize historical evidence. And third, students who complete alternative assessment activities demonstrate their ability to communicate their historical knowledge and reasoning to others" (Drake, 2001, p. 32). By breaking down the learning process into these three dimensions, it allows for students to first understand the material, then evaluate and analyze it, and then lastly explain the knowledge to other students. This allows students to learn the material in a deeper meaning as well as teach other students the material from a student’s point of view instead of the teacher’s, which could allow for a better understanding of the material.
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Comic Strips |
Another method that many teachers are starting to use as an alternative form of assessment is comic strips. For example, instead of a test the teachers would ask the students to create a comic strip that tells the historical details of the information and events that the students were taught (Ravelo, 2013). The students would create comic strips with all of the information that they knew about the event including facts and details, then they would present their comic strips to the class and teacher for the final part of the grade. This form of assessment is good because it allows for the students to tell the story of the event from their point of view while also allowing for the students to teach each other in the presentation stage of the assignment, which promotes a deeper understanding of the material (Ravelo, 2013).
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