Assessment in the 21st Century: Why We Can No Longer Rely on Traditional Forms of Assessment.

When reading through the text by Dochy & McDowell (1997), I noticed many similarities to an article that I read in ECS 310. Both articles discussed how teachers roles are changing very quickly and as needed. One of the most constant changes/improvements that is being made in the educational world, is that of technology. Both teachers and students are learning new ways that technology can be used in the classroom, as well as how beneficial this use of technology can be. In the Dochy & McDowell article, it is also mentioned that as educators we are trying to shift from giving instruction in a way that essentially meant students were required to remember everything, into a new way of educating in a way that allows students to engage themselves fully and to truly learn.

I believe that this “new” way of educating our students will provide them with the skills needed to thrive outside of a school setting. In the Saskatchewan curriculum, one of the goals is to create lifelong learners. As educators, how can we build lifelong learners, if the basis of our program is for our students to remember what they are told, rather than letting them engage and truly learn the skills needed? This is something that I know I struggled with in schooling. Without being able to work with the material and truly figure it out, there was no way that I would remember it. With that in mind, it is easy to see how assessment practices also need to be adapted to every teaching method. We are moving away from the idea of administering exams and handing our worksheets. Therefore, assessment can not be done in the same way as it has been previously. We are to assess student learning rather than if they got the multiple choice questions on their exam right.

Roswell & Walsh (2011) discuss the characteristics of new literacies and what it is that drives these changes. One topic that is mentioned is that of reading and writing on screen, which is related to the point I made previously about technology in the classroom. Although I do understand the benefits, I also have a problem with students doing their reading and writing online or with technology. Although it may make assessment easier, in ways, I do not believe it is necessary. Young students still need to learn how to spell and write properly, along with learning how to form proper sentences, and this is something that technology can correct for them, rather than them truly learning. As a physical education major and health minor, my mind also takes me to the extremely high levels of screen time that young children and youth are already experiencing and how that impacts their health.