ASSESSMENT TOOLS IN THE 21ST CENTURY

A knowledge based society, or "21st century society", is one in which its members,
through Lifelong learning, share innovations and expertise within a community of
experts and non-experts, in the spirit of apprenticeship. This results in a network of
knowledge which is created, shared, used and protected by the network itself.
Knowledge is used to inform and improve ourselves and others both culturally and
materially, with the goal of building a sustainable society.
21st Century Learning skills are skills necessary in a knowledge-based society, such
as

information and communication skills (including information processing and

research tools),
thinking and problem solving skills (including using technological tools such
as spreadsheets to solve problems and think creatively) and
interpersonal and self-directional skills (such as e-learning and collaboration).

Educational assessment, is the "process of gathering evidence of what a student

knows, understands, is able to do and is working towards." In a knowledge-based
society, with its network of both technology and people, current assessment tools
require upgrading to ensure that learners are prepared for a rapidly changing and
ever-connected community, society and world. It is important to understand the
culturally significant values that are currently driving the need for knowledge and to
consider the direction of the greater society before generating tools to measure the
progress of learners in that society.
Needs of a knowledge-based society

Numeracy skills: how to apply mathematical concepts to problem solving

and everyday life.

Literacy skills: functional literacy: able to learn from what they read

Critical thinking skills: search skills to access information, critical thinking

skills to analyze and evaluate info and problem solving skills to utilize
information.

Creativity and Innovation: able to generate ideas, see things in a different

way from others, to approach new learning from different direction

Technological literacy: able to use technology to enhance learning and

increase productivity.

Communications Literacy: being able to relate ideas to others in person,

on paper, or with technology.

Media Literacy: using media to access, assess and analyze information and
use new media forms to communicate.

Collaboration and teamwork: knowledge based societies are interactive

and require multiple people working in diverse ways to be innovative.

Personal organization: personal possessions, organizational materials,

time management

Motivation, Self-Regulation and Adaptability: Being able to set and

accomplish goals, when and how to apply effort, making decisions,
prioritizing choices, making responsible decisions to enable independence
and skill transfer to many occupations.

Ethics, Civic Responsibility, Cross-cultural awareness: treating others,

our environment and our society respectfully and obeying laws are essential
to a fully functioning society.

Current assessment tools

In schools, teachers generate criteria based on learning outcomes for the subject
and grade and on expected levels of performance. In the early years, performance
scales and written reports outline progress in relation to expected development of
students in similar age ranges. In grades 4-12, letter grades indicate performance in
relation to learning outcomes. Teachers may use performance standards which
describe expected levels of achievement in reading, writing, numeracy and social
responsibility. Assessment methods and tools recommended up until the present
have included observation, student self-assessments, daily practice assignments,
quizzes, samples of student work, pencil-and-paper tests, holistic rating scales,
projects, oral and written reports, reviews of performance and portfolios. Evaluation
is based on criteria which is based on learning outcomes. Norm-referenced
evaluation (basic skills tests, diagnostic tests) is also permitted to be used for largescale system assessments.
Goals of 21st century assessments
Today's students need to collaborate with educators and make use of technology to
get immediate feedback in order to improve outcomes. Technology allows educators
to assess a students progress far more regularly than is possible with traditional
classroom assessments and to identify and address each students challenges as
they arise. This is in contrast to a system where assessment through tests and
exams measures what a student learned at the end of an instructional unit, by
which time it is often too late to address shortcomings.

Measurement and assessment must not only be a tool to help the student learn but
also to measure achievement for those outside the system. However, what gets
measured will impact upon both teaching and learning. The climate of assessment
moves from exams and toward smaller more regular assessments. Data accessible
to learners informs progress, with standards acting as anchors to learning. Rather
than focusing on product based evaluations, performance and self-knowledge are
refined over time. Students are assessed before and during learning so that
feedback may be provided that can be used to improve work and deepen
understanding. In addition to quizzes, tests and worksheets, conferences, notes,
self-reflection, journals and rubrics and checklists are used. Students are
encouraged to assess themselves and their peers to enhance engagement and
awareness of their own learning. Assessment is part of the learning process so that
teachers and students are working together to monitor progress.
Assessment for, as, and of learning
There are three distinct but inter-related purposes for classroom assessment:
assessment for learning, assessment as learning, and assessment of learning.
Assessment for Learning
In assessment for learning, teachers use assessment as a research tool to find out
as much as they can about what their students know and are able to do, as well
what presumptions and misunderstandings they may have. Teachers also use
assessment for learning to boost student's motivation and commitment to learning.
Examples of 21st century assessment for learning tools, which include both
diagnostic tests and formative assessments, are e-portfolios, teacher observations,
class discussions, and works in progress with comments, think-pair-share, journals,
observation checklists, concept maps, and rubrics.
Assessment as Learning
Assessment as learning focusses on students and emphasizes assessment as a
process of metacognition. Assessment as learning comes from the constructivist
idea that learning is an active process that occurs when students interact with new
ideas. It is based on research about how learning occurs and is characterized by
students reflecting on their own learning and making adaptations, adjustments, and
changes to their thinking. Examples of 21st Century assessment as learning tools
include self-assessments, peer assessments, student-teacher conferences, teacher
observations with feedback and interim product analysis.
Assessment of Learning
Assessment of learning refers to strategies intended to corroborate what students
know, show whether or not they have met curriculum outcomes or the goals of their
individualized programs, or to confirm ability and make decisions about student's

future programs or placements. It is intended to show evidence of achievement to

other educators, parents, students themselves, and sometimes outside groups (e.g.,
educational institutions). Examples of 21st Century Assessment of Learning tools
are e-portfolios, with "best piece" samples to show progress, open-ended response
questions, descriptions of observations in Science experiments, historical roleplaying arguments about the impact of decisions on current life, the writing process
applied to poetry, long-term projects and problem-based reports.
Current or traditional assessment practices are teacher focused, done with tests,
quizzes and worksheets, completed outside of the learning and teaching activities
and are done at the end of the learning activity for grading purposes. Most of these
tools would be considered as Assessment "of" learning. 21st Century assessment
tools will emphasize assessment "as" and assessment "for" learning tools.

Assessment Strategies

Method

Tools and Techniques

Observations

Teacher protocols, anecdotal records,

checklists, rating forms, audio and video
recordings

Performance Tasks

Checklists, rating forms, audio and video

recordings, scoring rubrics, self-reports

Projects and Demonstrations

Checklists, rating forms, scoring rubrics,

reflective protocols, self-reports, video
recordings

Portfolios, Process-folios,
Work-sampling methods

Checklists, rating forms and scoring rubrics,

self-reports

Displays and Exhibitions

Checklists, rating forms and scoring rubrics

Work sampling

Checklists, rating forms, scoring rubrics,

audio and video recordings

Tests

Written tests, oral tests, manual tests,

alternative tests, audio and video recordings

Interviews, conferences, class
discussions and surveys

Questionnaires and interview sheets

Self-assessment, journals

Diaries, reflective protocols, self-rating forms

Peer-appraisal and
assessment

Checklists, rating forms and scoring rubrics

Expert-assessment, outsider
assessment, parentassessment

Checklists, rating forms and scoring rubrics

RUBRICS
A rubric is an explicit set of criteria used for assessing a particular type of work or
performance and provides more details than a single grade or mark. Rubrics will
help to grade more objectively. It answers the students question, Why did you
grade me that way? As a grading tool, rubrics can address various issues related to
assessment:

they reduce grading time;

they increase objectivity and reduce subjectivity;
they convey timely feedback to students and
they improve students ability to include required elements of an assignment
they provide the students with the elements of standard to be maintained to
reach a particular grade.

Rubrics are both a tool to measure students knowledge and ability as well as an
assessment strategy. A rubric allows teachers to measure certain skills and abilities
not measurable by standardized testing systems that assess discrete knowledge at
a fixed moment in time. Unlike a standard checklist used to assess performance, a
rubric is a set of criteria that articulates expectations and describes degrees of
quality along a continuum. They encourage self-monitoring and self-assessment and
give structure for a final grade on an end product.

Elements of a Rubric

Typically designed as a grid-type structure, a grading rubric includes criteria, levels

of performance, scores and descriptors which become unique assessment tools for
any
given assignment.
1. Criteria identify the trait, feature or dimension which is to be measuredand
include a definition and example to clarify the meaning of each trait being assessed.
Each assignment or performance will determine the number of criteria to be scored.
2. Levels of performance are often labelled as adjectives which describe the
performance levels. Levels of performance determine the degree of performance
which has been met and will provide for consistent and objective assessment and
better feedback to students. These levels tell students what they are expected to
do. Levels of performance can be used without descriptors but descriptors help in
achieving objectivity. Words used for levels of performance could influence a
students interpretation of performance level (such as superior, moderate, poor or
above or below average).
3.Scores make up the system of numbers or values used to rate each criterion and
often are combined with levels of performance. Begin by asking how many points
are needed to adequately describe the range of performance you expect to see in
students work. Consider the range of possible performance level.
Score example: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 2, 4, 6, 8
4.Descriptors are explicit descriptions of the performance and show how the score
is derived and what is expected of the students. Descriptors spell out each level
(gradation) of performance for each criterion and describe what performance at a
particular level looks like. Descriptors describe how well students work is
distinguished from the work of their peers and will help to distinguish between each
students work. Finally, the Levels of performance determine the degree of
performance which has been met and will provide for consistent and objective
assessment and better feedback to students.
Descriptors describe how good students work is distinguished from the work of
their peers. Same descriptors can be used for different criteria within one rubric. For
example, the three level of performance: Excellent, Good, Fair and Poor can be used
for the separate criteria of Accuracy, Organization, Punctuation & Grammar and
Spelling. Descriptors should be detailed enough to differentiate between the
different level and increase the objectivity of the ratter.

Developing a Grading Rubric

Select a performance/assignment to be assessed. Begin with a performance

or assignment which may be difficult to grade and where you want to reduce
subjectivity. Is the performance/assignment an authentic task related to learning
goals and/or objectives? Are students replicating meaningful tasks found in the real
world? Are you encouraging students to problem solve and apply knowledge?
Answer these questions as you begin to develop the criteria for your rubric.
List criteria. Begin by brainstorming a list of all criteria, traits or dimensions
associated task. Reduce the list by chunking similar criteria and eliminating others
until you produce a range of appropriate criteria. A rubric designed for formative
and diagnostic assessments might have more criteria than those rubrics rating
summative performances.
Write criteria descriptions. Keep criteria descriptions brief, understandable, and
in a logical order for students to follow as they work on the task.
Determine level of performance adjectives. Select words or phrases that will
explain what performance looks like at each level, making sure they are discrete
enough to show real differences. Levels of performance should match the related
criterion.
Develop scores. The scores will determine the ranges of performance in numerical
value. Make sure the values make sense in terms of the total points possible: What
is the difference between getting 10 points versus 100 points versus 1,000 points?
The best and worst performance scores are placed at the ends of the continuum
and the other scores are placed appropriately in between. It is suggested to start
with fewer levels and to distinguish between work that does not meet the criteria.
Also, it is difficult to make fine distinctions using qualitative levels such as never,
sometimes, usually or limited acceptance, proficient or NA, poor, fair, good, very
good, excellent. How will you make the distinctions?
Write the descriptors. As a student is judged to move up the performance
continuum, previous level descriptions are considered achieved in subsequent
description levels. Therefore, it is not necessary to include beginning level
descriptors in the same box where new skills are introduced.
Evaluate the rubric. As with any instructional tool, evaluate the rubric each time
it is used to ensure it matches instructional goals and objectives. Be sure students
understand each criterion and how they can use the rubric to their advantage.
Consider providing more details about each of the rubrics areas to further clarify
these sections to students. Pilot test new rubrics if possible, review the rubric with a
colleague, and solicit students feedback for further refinements.

Types of Rubrics
Determining which type of rubric to use depends on what and how you plan to
evaluate. There are several types of rubrics including holistic, analytical, general,
and task-specific. Each of these will be described below.
Holisticall criteria are assessed as a single score. Holistic rubrics are good for
evaluating overall performance on a task. Because only one score is given, holistic
rubrics tend to be easier to score. However, holistic rubrics do not provide detailed
information on student performance for each criterion; the levels of performance
are treated as a whole.
Analyticaleach criterion is assessed separately, using different descriptive
ratings. Each criterion receives a separate score. Analytical rubrics take more time
to score but provide more detailed feedback.
Genericcontains criteria that are general across tasks and can be used for similar
tasks or performances. Criteria are assessed separately, as in an analytical rubric.
Task-specificassesses a specific task. Unique criteria are assessed separately.
However, it may not be possible to account for each and every criterion involved in
a particular task which could overlook a students unique solution.

One of the major strengths of the rubric as an assessment method is that it

functions as a teaching as well as an evaluative tool. The development of high
quality evaluation criteria is essential to the effectiveness of a rubric as both an
instructional and assessment tool suggests that in fact, the evaluative criteria
should be the most instructionally relevant component of the rubric. They should
guide the teacher in designing lessons because it is the students mastery of the
evaluative criteria that ultimately will lead to skill mastery

Collaborative rubric development can promote cooperation between teachers and

students as they work together to build and utilize the tool. As a result, students are
more comfortable because they feel some ownership in the process, recognize that
their opinion is valued and are more successful because they know what is expected
of them. Inviting students to participate in the generation of rubric criteria not only
pushes students to think more deeply about their learning it helps foster a sense of
responsibility for their own learning process and develop critical thinking skills that
can be transferred to other learning situations.

Having a rubric doesnt necessarily mean that the evaluation task is simple or clearcut. The best rubrics allow evaluators and teachers to draw on their professional
knowledge and to use that professional knowledge in ways that the rating process
doesnt fall victim to personality variations or limitations of human information
processing.
A serious concern with rubrics, however, is how long it takes to create them,
especially writing the descriptions of performances at each level. With that in mind,
rubrics should be developed for only the most important and complex assignments.
Another challenge with rubrics is that if poorly designed they can actually diminish
the learning process. Rubrics can act as a straitjacket, preventing creations other
than those envisioned by the rubric-maker from unfolding.

LEARNING LOGS
A learning log is a vehicle that is used to assess learning from experience. Learning
logs are a record-keeping tool for students to monitor and reflect on their own
learning. Typically, students keep these logs in a notebook, binder, or folder so the
recording is ongoing and fluid. Some teachers find that using a printed template is
beneficial, while others teach students a record-keeping system that is based on
responses to specific categories. This teaches students how to organize ideas, as
they record entries into their learning logs during or at the end of a class session.
Learning Logs are used for students' reflections on the material they are learning.
This type of journal is in common use among scientists and engineers. In the log,
students record the process they go through in learning something new, and any
questions they may need to have clarified. This allows students to make
connections to what they have learned, set goals, and reflect upon their learning
process. The act of writing about thinking helps students become deeper thinkers
and better writers. Teachers and students can use Learning Logs during the
formative assessment process, as students record what they are learning and the
questions they still have, and teachers monitor student progress toward mastery of
the learning targets in their log entries and adjust instruction to meet student
needs. By reading student logs and delivering descriptive feedback on what the
student is doing well and suggestions for improvement, the teacher can make the
Learning Log a powerful tool for learning.
Response Logs are a good way to examine student thinking. They are most often
connected with response to literature, but they may be used in any content area.
They offer students a place to respond personally, to ask questions, to predict, to
reflect, to collect vocabulary and to compose their thoughts about text. Teachers
may use Response Logs as formative assessment during the learning process.

Why use learning logs? These frequent bursts of writing, focused on the lesson
that just occurred, are highly effective in supporting ongoing understanding. The
logs are excellent when used in assessing literacy learning because students are
creating their own record of ideas and insights. Whats more, these logs are
excellent vehicles for discussing the use of literacy strategies with students,
parents, and teachers. Learning logs also prepare young students to take notesa
study habit that will come in very handy later on.

Implementation options The goal is for learning logs to be a concise and factual
record of learning as well as an honest reflection of a students understanding.
Although this goal can be met in a variety of ways, there are some proven
implementation methods for learning logs that support the teaching of literacy
strategies very nicely.
A teacher must first decide the format for the learning logs (binders, notebooks,
folders). Also, teachers must evaluate their instructional plans to identify the best
times for students to record in the log.
At first, a teacher may want to provide focused question(s) for students to answer in
the learning logs. Such as:

What did you learn in class today?

What strategy did you practice during your independent reading?

What did you find interesting in the book you are reading?

What questions do you have about what you learned?

When students are comfortable with the process of recording in their learning logs,
the expectations can be expanded to include a variety of content areas.
n effective way to begin using learning logs for assessment and evaluation purposes
is to integrate them into a student conference. Together, the teacher and student
can review the learning log to identify areas of new understanding, discuss
authentic applications, and challenge the student to extend their new knowledge.

PEER-ASSESSMENT
Peer Assessment is an assessment which allows students to assess each other's
performance. Students individually assess each other's contribution using a
predetermined list of criteria.
Grading is based on a predetermined process, but most commonly it is an average
of the marks awarded by members of the group. It can be extremely valuable in

helping students to learn from each other by listening, analysing and problem
solving. It gives students the opportunity to encounter diversity in different ways,
critique and judge and ultimately, students learn how to be responsible for their
own learning. Peer assessment allows instructors to share the evaluation of
assignments with their students. It is grounded in theories of active learning, adult
learning and social constructionism.
Peer assessment can:

Empower students to take responsibility for, and manage, their own learning.

Enable students to learn to assess and to develop life-long assessment skills.

Enhance students' learning through knowledge diffusion and exchange of

ideas.

Motivate students to engage with course material more deeply.

Strategies of peer-assessment

Identify assignments or activities for which students might benefit from peer
feedback.

Consider breaking a larger assignment into smaller pieces and incorporating

peer assessment opportunities at each stage. For example, assignment
outline, first draft, second draft, etc.

Design guidelines or rubrics with clearly defined tasks for the reviewer.

Introduce rubrics through learning exercises to ensure students have the

ability to apply the rubric effectively.

Determine whether peer review activities will be conducted as in-class or outof-class assignments.

Help students learn to carry out peer assessment by modelling appropriate,

constructive criticism and descriptive feedback through your own comments
on student work and well-constructed rubrics.

Incorporate small feedback groups where written comments on assignments

can be explained and discussed with the receiver.

Advantages:

Agreed marking criteria means there can be little confusion about assignment
outcomes and expectations.

Encourages student involvement and responsibility.

Encourages students to reflect on their role and contribution to the process of
the group work.
Focuses on the development of students judgment skills.
Students are involved in the process and are encouraged to take part
ownership of this process.
Provides more relevant feedback to students as it is generated by their peers.
It is considered fair by some students, because each student is judged on
their own
contribution.
When operating successfully can reduce a lecturer's marking load.
Can help reduce the free rider problem as students are aware that their
contribution will be graded by their peers.

Disadvantages:

Additional briefing time can increase a lecturers workload.

The process has a degree of risk with respect to reliability of grades as peer
pressure to apply elevated grades or friendships may influence the
assessment, though this can be reduced if students can submit their
assessments independent of the group.
Students will have a tendency to award everyone the same mark.
Students feel ill equipped to undertake the assessment.
Students may be reluctant to make judgements regarding their peers.
At the other extreme students may be discriminated against if students gang
up against one group member.

LEARNING CONTRACTS
The Learning Contract is a guide to monitor and direct the students learning and
the instructors teaching. It is a joint process and negotiated agreement between
the student and
the faculty. It identifies the process and content of student learning.
Learning contracts are considered to be the most important tool for successful and

positive independent study experiences for both students and advising faculty
members. Learning contracts should be constructed by the student and reviewed by
the advising faculty member for constructive feedback and suggestions for
modification. A final version of the learning contract should be signed by both
student and advising faculty member. The contract then serves as an outline for the
independent study units and a tool to aid evaluation. Modification of the learning
contract may become necessary as the learning experience progresses. Modified
contracts should be approved and signed by both student and advising faculty
member.

Benefits:

Requires students to be intimately involved in the process of developing their

unit of study
Requires students to explore their readiness to learn and their self-directed
learning skills
Maximizes students motivation to learn because they have chosen the
agenda
Helps to keep less independent learners on course because of it is specific
and concrete
May include a schedule of regular meetings with the advising faculty member
Encourages independence of students less demands made on advising
faculty members time
Provides a formal way to structure learning goals and activities as well as
evaluation of learning goals helps to minimize misunderstandings and
poorly communicated expectations
Provides continual feedback about progress made
Enables advising faculty member to encourage use of a wide variety of
resources (e.g., peers, library, community, experiences)

Limitations:

May be challenging to create for students who are used to lecture/exam types
of courses
Not suitable for content with which student is totally unfamiliar some initial
guidance may be required
May require modification as unit progresses careful thought is needed for
how much modification is acceptable and this could be defined at the outset
of each unit
Requires that faculty members redefine their traditional roles and make the
transition from teacher to advisor

Format of learning contract

Learner: ________________________
Learning Experience: ______________________________
What are you going to learn? How are you going to learn it?
(Objectives)
(Resources and Strategies)

Target date for completion

What do you have to do in order

meet each of the objectives
defined?

When do you plan to complete

each task?

How are you going to know

that you learned it?
(Evidence)

How are you going to prove

that you learned it?
(Verification)

Advising faculty member

feedback (Evaluation)

What is the specific task that you

are to complete to demonstrate
learning?

Who will receive the product of

your learning and how will they
evaluate it?

How well was the task

completed? Provide an
assessment decision.

Itemize what you want to be able

to do or know when completed.

I have reviewed and find acceptable the above learning contract.

Date: _____
Student:____________________
Advising faculty member:________________________

JOURNALS
A learning journal is a very effective assessment tool of student learning and is
helpful to the teacher in establishing the pace of instruction. More than being mere
collections of required tasks and assignments, they can be used to empower
learners to take charge of their own learning process by reflecting upon it on a
regular basis and by assessing their own progress over time. Learners can also use
them to write reflections on their own learning process; they can note their
strengths and weaknesses and how they can improve in their weak areas.
They are also the tools that teachers can use to focus their observations of discreet
aspects of learners performance and to provide feedback and suggestions that can

guide learners throughout the process as well as to identify aspects that learners
may still have difficulty incorporating in their speech. Consequently, the comments
learners make in their journals can help to focus teachers observations of learners
performance and influence teachers perspectives of the effectiveness of their
methodologies when dealing with various aspects of language in their classes,
which can result in teachers reflections that will lead to the improvement of their
teaching practices in the classroom.

The learning journals promise to be good diagnosing tools for assessing what
the learners are internalising during their problem-solving process.
Journals provide information about areas of difficulty, helping teachers
identify students who are having similar problems in order to adjust their
plans according to student needs.
Teachers can periodically request specific prompts be addressed in journals,
which is another good tool for formative assessment.
A learning journal also helps students to see how far they've come over the
course of the project and helps them self-assess their learning, allowing
students to reflect and evaluate their progress.
It not only helps students organize and verbalize their thoughts, it helps them
to think about their thinking, using a visual representation of their thinking.
Students should be encouraged to write thoughtfully to demonstrate their
understanding of the activities and concepts. The students should also raise
questions, identify problems or concerns, and propose solutions.

Effective Implementation

Explain to learners from the very beginning what a learning journal is, what
kinds of tasks they will develop, and the key role it will play for them.
Define what tasks students will develop and to let them know how they are
expected to work each of them gradually. Also, teachers need to provide the
guidelines learners will follow for reflection and self-assessment.
Allot time for learners to reflect on and self-assess their performance, if
possible right after a task has been completed, so their comments will better
describe their actual performance along with their strengths and
weaknesses.
Provide examples for each of the items in the guidelines. Otherwise, they
may just end up saying, but not demonstrating, that they manage all the
aspects of language and learning the task dealt with.
Learners should also be given some time to share their reflections with their
classmates in order to enrich the process of reflection and self-assessment.
Through sharing their comments with their peers, they can develop a sense
of solidarity for learning.
The teacher ought to provide feedback based both on his students
reflections and on his own observations of their performance in their learning
journals. This will make learners feel that he is well aware of how they are
doing in the course.

OBSERVATIONS
The teacher carefully observes and records student behaviour in everyday school
settings, for example during oral reading, discussions, seminars, field-trips,
seatwork, independent studies, projects or groupwork. The recordings are preferably
made during instruction or as soon after as possible.
The following guidelines have been suggested:

The teacher takes care to observe all students.

Observations are made often and regularly.
Observations are recorded in writing.
The teacher takes care to observe and record both typical as well as atypical
behaviour.
In order to enhance reliability multiple observations are collected.
Care is taken to include observations from a variety of contexts.

A variety of tools and techniques have been developed that are recommended for
managing the collection and documentation of observations.

Teacher Protocols
Anecdotal Records
Checklists
Rating Forms.

A teacher protocol is a diary or a logbook in which the teacher assembles

observations. Care is taken to record regularly and to collect notes on all students.

An anecdotal record is an accurate description of meaningful, actual classroom

events and incidents, written down shortly after the event has occurred. In the light
of everyday constraints this approach is best used for observation in areas that are
difficult to assess by other means, and that teachers can limit their observations to
a few types of behaviour and restrict the use of extensive observations to students
considered in the greatest need of help.
The key areas to be considered while preparing anecdotal records:

How does the student approach a problem?

How persistent in carrying out a task?
How willing to listen to the ideas of others?
What contributions are made to a class activity?

The student's verbal comments and actions in various natural situations reveal
clues to attitudes, interests, appreciation, habits and adjustment patterns that
cannot be discovered by other means.

Checklists are forms used to make observations more systematic and easier to
manage. A checklist is a form used to mark the presence or absence of a particular
behaviour or the qualities of products. Use of checklists are the convenient method
for recording evidence in the area of personal and social development.

Checklist for observing work habits (mark yes

or no)
1
Follows directions
2
Seeks help when needed
3
Works cooperatively with others
4
Waits turn in using materials
5
Shares materials with others
6
Tries new activities
7
Completes stated tasks
8
Returns equipment to proper place
9
Cleans work space

Rating forms are similar to checklists but demand observer evaluation. Rating
forms can be used to rate procedures and products, but are most commonly used to
assess personal and social development, such as commitment, interest, conduct
and cooperation.

A rating form of the analysis and assessment of class discussions