Possible Assessments

            The three possible assessment used with a balanced approach to assessment includes formative, student portfolios, and performance assessments. An assessment is the strategy used within changing the product. Within assessing the product, educators must use various types to hold student accountable for showing how they learned. Educators within the PLC must provide different strategies for assessing how students learn and through those assessment students depict their knowledge of the subject. Fogarty and Pete (2011) discuss how it is important when teachers differentiate learning by changing the accountability factor, which does not mean students are not responsible for their learning. Educators in the PLC teams provide different ways for students to be accountable for learning (p.109).  Holding students accountable for their learning begins with three possible assessments.

1.      A method used to balance approach to assessment is the use of formative assessments. This approach has different variables for educators to use that measure how well students learning within the learning process. This process informs teachers and students of where the learning took place and where to adjust the learning. Levi (2008) discuss how the use of formative assessments done in so many ways and gives the teacher directions for further instructions.

2.      Student Portfolio Assessments provide a balanced approach to assessments by providing students’ work within a specific folder. The method used depends upon the educator and the students but the portfolio assessments offer an opportunity for educators to assess how well students learned through progression. Fogarty and Pete (2011) discuss how portfolios provide real or virtual artifacts of learning that demonstrate growth and development (p.112).  This method of assessment provides a balanced approach because of its uses in learning. Educators can use this assessment with PLC teams to illustrate how students and teachers communicate, use as peer-to-peer reviews, and parent to student conference.

3.      Performance Assessments provide a balanced approach to assessment by the use of how students perform on certain tasks. This assessment demonstrates what students know and have the ability to do. Educator usually has rubrics that accompany this assessment where students understand the requirements needed that depicts how well they learned or performance specific steps. Fogarty and Pete (2011) state how the performance is the proof that students really understand and can apply the learning.