Introduction
Assessments use empirical data on knowledge, aptitude, and skills to improve student learning. The primary purpose of assessments is to evaluate a student’s performance to determine progression and obstacles encountered. The evaluation works as a roadmap for teachers to ascertain if the objectives of a lesson have been met and to gauge student performance, learning and understanding. This paper will evaluate the purpose of assessments and their effectiveness before, after, and during a lesson while arguing the negative and positive impacts of the evaluation.
Discussion
Assessments carried out before a lesson are essential in creating a way for teachers to gather information on students’ capabilities and knowledge before instructions are given. The purpose of pre-assessments is to determine students’ interests and learning styles (Black & Wiliam, 2018). Reflecting on student learning, difficulties, and misconceptions from previous experiences creates a foundation for planning practical lessons. Since different students have different strengths and personalities, conducting discussions and asking students to fill out graphic organizers or journals can help teachers get a sense of students understanding and their attitude towards a topic or subject. Collecting information before a lesson effectively gauges students’ needs and helps plan learning approaches that increase a student’s motivation to learn and succeed.
Assessments encourage self-direction and collaboration during a lesson, monitor progress, and promote metacognition. Collecting information on students’ skill development and progression of thinking and understanding helps a teacher decide whether to review a concept before continuing a scheduled activity or revising activities that interest a student. Knowledge acquired through evaluating students can help teachers focus on individual students’ needs and strengths and plan activities and projects in the classroom. Assessments contribute to self-developed, independent, and thoughtful learners who set goals and track their progress.
At the end of a lesson, assessments are done to observe students’ understanding and skills obtained from what they have learned. Performance tasks such as reports, essays, and presentations elicit a student’s experience level, provide opportunities to demonstrate learning skills, and show how knowledge can be applied in authentic situations (Black & Wiliam, 2018). Long-term assessments such as portfolios and ongoing conferences create opportunities for students and teachers to level specific subject areas, make connections in the units of study, and monitor individual goals. Assessments after a lesson help students realize their capabilities and shortcomings and teachers determine whether the lesson was successful or needs to be modified.
Assessments also contribute to student craftsmanship, personal establishment, and pride. Students integrate complex skills that allow them to work over an extended period to incorporate revisions. A learner can identify the benefits of project work and the unanticipated consequences. Teachers can access learners’ reflections, attitudes, thinking processes, and understanding and beliefs of a topic or subject. Students can also assess their learning skills while teachers gather information efficiently to formulate a long-term learning plan.
Although assessments are an effective way of facilitating learning, they may negatively affect low-performing students’ motivation. Grading discourages students with low grades and leads to low self-confidence (Black & Wiliam, 2018). Students develop negative mindsets, and they put less effort into their studies. Rote studying is also another negative effect attributed to assessments. Increased pressure for students to do more causes anxiety, leading to rode studying techniques. Students memorize their notes rather than internalizing what they have been taught in the classroom. When students memorize information rather than understanding it, they don’t apply the knowledge acquired, making it easier for them to forget. As a result, students concentrate more on passing exams than developing knowledge and skills.
Apart from rote studying, assessments can also lead to demoralization and unfair evaluation of teachers. Evaluating teachers based on their students’ performance leads to unfair treatment, cheating and exam-leaking, and in some cases, resignation and termination when teachers do not meet expectations. This approach considers one aspect of education and disregards other ways teachers contribute to student learning. In addition to teacher demoralization, assessments can mislead student achievement since it is measured at a specific time. Although the evaluation identifies a student’s weaknesses, it cannot provide information on the instructional change. Assessments do not give a comprehensive picture of a student’s range of knowledge and skills since it is administered periodically.
Conclusion
Although assessments are an effective way of generating knowledge and skills in students, various adverse effects are associated with the evaluation. Assessments done before a lesson help teachers gather information on the interests and learning approaches effective for learners; thus, preparing a learning plan becomes more effortless. Evaluating students during a lesson leads to self-development, independent thinking, and collaboration. Assessments after a class help students identify their achievements and limitations, and teachers also determine whether the study was compelling or should be reviewed. Student craftsmanship, knowledge, and pride are also established through evaluations. Despite the positive impacts of assessments, various negative effects are seen, such as a lack of motivation for low-performing students and teacher demoralization. Other negative effects include misleading student scores due to routine administration of assessments and rote studying, leading to students memorizing information rather than internalizing it.
References
Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (2018). Classroom assessment and pedagogy. Assessment in education: Principles, policy & practice, 25(6), 551-575. Web.