Alternative Assessments

I am looking for anyone who has done an alternative assessment instead of a formal paper test. It can be a project in any subject that was successful. We have used movie-making successfully in history class to research and present an important current event. I am looking for others suggestions in other subject areas

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Permalink Reply by Tom Daccord on November 20, 2008 at 10:00am

Absolutely. I do a presentation entitled "Not Another Paper! Alternative Assessments Using Technology," and you're welcome to use my examples: . I incorporate oral interviews/histories, web site creation, group audio blogging, and more.

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Permalink Reply by Nancy Bosch on November 20, 2008 at 4:41pm

Go to edorigami to find rurics that take a new look at project assessment. Maybe looking at the rubrics you can see what kinds of projects you could do---seems like cart before horse but might jar some ideas.

We have used reflection essays to assess understanding--still written and harder to assess.

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Permalink Reply by Mary Hricko on November 21, 2008 at 12:50am

I have students develop project-based portfolios on our technology assignments and they put together what they feel best represents their understanding of specific skills areas that relate to the teaching standards for using technology.

We then use rubrics and peer assessment for the grading.

I have the students create the grading criteria and then apply it to the portfolios. I make all of them grade each other's portfolio. It takes time, but I want them to understand how to use assessment.

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Permalink Reply by Durff on November 21, 2008 at 4:33am

All I use in Study Skills, except my fake test (the one where you are supposed to read it first and the last thing it says is don't mark on this test - middle schoolers wear out a lot of erasers=great fun for me!). I use online surveys to test kids sometimes, but usually look at content creation, like a blog post, wiki collaboration, movie, game they created, etc. I don't assign hw (except bring your science book to class or something like that OR daily scribe) or give paper tests. Kids say my classes are more difficult than their other classes (which is good).

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Permalink Reply by Robin Martin on November 21, 2008 at 7:22am

We have used Google Earth tours to demonstrate learning about biomes in science and in 8th grade learnig about the 5 themes of geography. Video projects to illustrate mastery of certain tools, podcasts, VoiceThreads, slide shows and presentations.