Creativity assessment may allow students to be assessed based on their actual cognitive ability rather than their ability to adapt to the
culture of the majority, especially when the assessment
minimises verbal components.
(Jel- len & Urban, 1989; Torrance, 1977)(Kim & Zabelina, 2015)
culture of the majority, especially when the assessment
minimises verbal components.
(Jel- len & Urban, 1989; Torrance, 1977)(Kim & Zabelina, 2015)
A wider range of assessment approaches can provide a more comprehensive account of learning. Just as learners with high needs benefit from a range of different teaching approaches, so too can diverse assessment approaches better inform and summarise their learning. As illustrated in the assessment framework, in Figure 1, assessment approaches are useful for a range of purposes that influence, and will be influenced by, the dynamics within multiple contexts. (Bourke & Mentis, 2014)
Differentiated instruction allows us to make curricular content accessible for our students. However, differentiated assessments allow us to better define what form of inclusive goals our students are working towards - such as social, academic or physical inclusion. The assessment framework supports the teacher by seeing where such assessment information could be obtained in order to strengthen a learner’s identity, self-regulation and self-determination. (Bourke & Mentis, 2014)
Differentiated instruction allows us to make curricular content accessible for our students. However, differentiated assessments allow us to better define what form of inclusive goals our students are working towards - such as social, academic or physical inclusion. The assessment framework supports the teacher by seeing where such assessment information could be obtained in order to strengthen a learner’s identity, self-regulation and self-determination. (Bourke & Mentis, 2014)
Figure 1: An Assessment Framework - Integrating approach, purpose, and function of the assessment
Strategies & Considerations
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- Assess whether assessments are culturally bias towards your students - check use of vocabulary
- Be mindful when there is acculturation to the culture of a particular school. This could have negative affects on academic achievements. (Kim & Zabelina, 2015) Take into consideration the language and visual content used to present materials and assessments. Keep an intersectional lens to avoid cultural bias.
- Bring in assessments where students can demonstrate their creativity.
- For normative assessments, have a check the normative standards when assessing a child's performance - the norm may not be the norm of your students
- Variety, variety and variety - explore assessment approaches which would a fair assessment of a child to demonstrate their learning.
- Implement recommended and mandated accommodations - this is the child's educational right!
- Provide plenty of opportunities to assess a child's abilities. For example try to use technology to help support variable assessments such as the the use of technology and how it can be related to the aspects of Blooms Taxonomy - as shown in Figure 2 and 3.
Figure 2: Examples of using different aspects of Blooms Taxonomy and the form of technology to use. (Sneed et. al., 2017 )
Figure 3: A wide variety of apps that can be used to teachers and students that support Blooms Taxonomy.