How to Engage Online Learners in Authentic Assessment Dianne Conrad, PhD Research Associate Contact North | Contact Nord August 20, 2020 1
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Rudimentary o online l learning q questions usually i include: • What’s all the fuss? • How do I start? • When should I do this? • What’s different from F2F teaching and learning? • Is it more work? • How to design? Thank you, Tony Bates • What about technology? 3
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Content: W Where d does i it c come fr from? • Assigned readings • Discussion (topic driven, instructor-led) • External content (discovery and import by learners) • Co-created content (learners) AND, importantly, YOU (video, podcast, pdf, lecturette (live or written, e.g. synchronous or asynchronous) 6
What i is a a F Flipped C Classroom? Learners work OFFLINE with teacher-driven resources to prepare for ONLINE engagement and interaction with teacher and peers § Pre-work vs homework § Content from readings, videos, podcasts § Learners work together or individually or as directed 7
What is assessment? What is evaluation? Formative vs summative Where do grades fit in? 8
Framing A Assessment 9
What i is A Authentic A Assessment? Overview C ritical thinking C ommunication C ollaboration C onstructivism C reativity 10
Authentic A Assessment 1 1 • Is grounded in real-world relevance • Is engaging because of “real-ness” • Features ill-defined problems that allow for latitude and diverse perspectives • Therefore, encourages and supports higher level thinking and critical thinking 11
Authentic A Assessment 2 2 • Encourages learners to play a more active role in their learning (unlike rote) • Is social, interactive and collaborative • Develops cognitive skills, shared understanding, task negotiation • In other words: en engagem emen ent 12
Authentic A Assessment 3 3 • Is based on social constructivist theory • Learners create meaning from experience, shared experience • Promotes reflection • Metaphor: a f fjord n not a a s skating r rink 13
Authentic assessment: NOT THIS WAY ! 14
Assessment S Strategies a and T Tools Pu Purpose To e engage s stu tudents ts i in l learning To c conduct a t an e evaluati tion o of l learning Ho How Creati tively Collaborati tively Fa Fairly 15
In Individual A Assessment T Tools Activi vities t to c o cre reate e engagement: • Self-quiz • Journal • Reflection • Forum posts in forum discussions • Essay/paper • Project/presentation • Learner-led seminar • Case studies 16
Gr Group A Assignments • Essay/paper • Group project • Group presentation • Group response to presentation • Peer-to peer, dyads, triads, groups • Case studies 17
STEM c considera rations: W What’s d differe rent? “if t teachers a apply e enough c creative intellectual e effort, a , any l learning o outcome that c could b be a achieved i in a a c classroom should b be a achievable o outside a also…” ( We Wedemeyer, d , decades a ago) 18
The I Issue o of L Labs a and E Experi riments In Initially p perceived a as a a c challenge Solved, y , years a ago, b , by O OU a and o others But t the p prejudice s still e exists https://www.aupress.ca/app/uploads/120162_99Z_Kennepohl_Shaw_2 010-Accessible_Elements.pdf 19
But t the C Challenge i is D Deeper… r… Online l learning r requires a a p paradigm s shift The “ “lone r ranger” a approach ( (Moore) d does n not s suffice Strong d disciplinary k knowledge d does n not e equal p pedagogical kn knowledge New r roles: c : cognitive, s , social, m , managerial a and t technical But t that’s ’s a another s story, a , another p presentation. (except f for t the c circus m metaphor) 20
Example o of a a S Science-based A Assignment Problem It is the 2020 spring melt and Acme Mining Company (AMC) wants to discharge treated water from their new mine. First, they must confirm that the water from their conventional treatment plant meets the government criteria for total phosphorus, a concentration of 0.5mg/L. Phosphorus is a regulated contaminant because it is a nutrient that causes algae blooms in surface waters that can lead to fish kills. AMC samples their treated water and finds that the phosphorus concentration is 0.75mg/L, so they cannot discharge it. This is a serious matter, as snow is melting and their pond is filling up; they need to begin discharge as soon as possible. AMC investigates sources of phosphorus in their influent. They find that phosphorus is present in two forms. 1) about 5% of the phosphorus is present as a simple phosphate molecule from domestic sewage; and 2) the rest of the phosphorus is present as a complex, biodegradable molecule used in the mining process where the phosphate is bound up in a sulfur compound. Next, Acme bench tests the ability of their conventional treatment plant to remove phosphorus from these two sources individually. They find that they are able to remove 100% of the simple phosphate molecule with their conventional treatment plant. They find that they are not able to remove any of the biodegradable phosphate-sulfur compound. 21
Example o of a a S Science-based A Assignment 2 2 What are the Available Solutions? Option 1 : Deploy a reverse osmosis unit to act like a "molecular sieve" to remove "everything" in the water, including the problematic contaminants. The waste product from this process is a comparatively small stream of concentrated contaminants, or "brine," that is rejected from the reverse osmosis unit and this has to be managed carefully so as to not create a second problem in the pond. Option 2: Wait for natural degradation of the phosphate-sulfur compound. This could be problematic because the pond where the snowmelt drains is small and the timeframe for natural degradation is not certain. Option 3: modify the conventional treatment plant to include an oxidation pre-treatment that will quickly degrade and break down the phosphate-sulfur molecule, which will liberate the simple phosphate so it can then be removed by their downstream conventional treatment plant process. To achieve the oxidation, common processes are intense aeration, ozone, hydrogen peroxide, potassium permanganate or ultraviolet light. With the peroxide and permanganate solutions, they will have to carefully consider any residual products that may be imparted into the treated water. Group Discussion OR ….. 22
Weighting A Assessment You h have u ultimate c control i in d determining w where y your l learners w will “end u up,” ,” v via w weighting Ask y yourself: f: • Where do these skills place on Bloom’s Taxonomy (high, low?) • How much effort/time is required by learners? • What is the relative importance of the outcomes reflected in this assignment/activity? • Bad i idea : Lots of small tasks with 5 or 10% weightings 23
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Forming Gr Groups Wh Why? They are a sound management and pedagogical tool. § Recognize the importance of group dynamics § Group size….is it manageable? Big or small? § Random or purposeful choice of members? § One-off or permanent? § Purpose: what will the group do? § Rules/rubric 25
Assessing Gr Group P Product Groups p present m many c challenges: • Learner antipathy • Lack of group skills, different personalities • “free riders” • Inequality of learners’ abilities • Withdrawal of learners from course 26
Pre Prese sent ntations ns • Work very well • Require lots of pre-planning by you, when, who, etc. • Set up a presentation schedule early • Allow learners to pick their topic (topics aligned with units/outcomes) • Work individually, or in pairs, triads, groups • Build in online discussion time post-presentation - asynchronous 27
Su Submitting A Assignments Process i is v very d different o t online: • Clear instructions must be given, i.e. word count, font, pagination, titling • Individually written essays/papers are simple to receive but the handling of uploaded assignments in Moodle, while not difficult, can be tedious • Group projects can be uploaded into a forum space where discussion can occur following, OR…. • Moodle provides several ways to handle feedback • Moodle records and manages the grades 28
Go Good H Hint! • Create an “Assignment Shoppe” forum to encourage assignment-related questions to be posted there • Then everyone can see the concern and the response • Otherwise, you are inundated with one-on-one questions • Be sure to specify no grade complaints are handled here 29
Peer A Assessment…a g good i idea bu but…. • Jury is still out on how and when • Plan this well, not just to cut your workload • Instructions must be clear • Students can learn while assessing • Peer assessment can create engagement • Students can learn from others’ mistakes • Constructive outcomes must be pre-planned and organized “Don’t ’t r relegate y yourself t to b becoming a a g gatekeeper!” ( (Brookfield, 1 , 1990) 30
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