In chapter 13 of the Innovator's Mindset, George Couros writes about the limitations of assessment in education, and challenges us to re-imagine. What student outcomes do we value? How do we define success? How shall we identify and track evidence of learning in our schools?
Bill Ferriter (@plugusin) sums up the paradox of assessment brilliantly. Outcomes that are meaningful are not easily measurable; measurable outcomes are rarely meaningful. The prevailing mindset in assessment in education is to define data only in quantitative terms. What if we acknowledged that the most important, most meaningful outcomes are qualitative?
The long-standing practice in education has been to let the tail wag the dog and define outcomes within the quantitative assessment bubble, thereby entirely excluding meaningful qualitative outcomes.
What if we elevated qualitative research methods to equal stature in our conversations and practices in assessment?
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The long-standing practice in education has been to let the tail wag the dog and define outcomes within the quantitative assessment bubble, thereby entirely excluding meaningful qualitative outcomes.
What if we elevated qualitative research methods to equal stature in our conversations and practices in assessment?
- Students would document, track, showcase, and reflect on their growth over time through digital and/or "analogue" portfolios.
- Students would demonstrate problem finding, problem solving, and innovation through interest-driven projects that engage and/or improve the world outside of the classroom.
- Students would mindfully cultivate their digital footprint, their personal learning network, and their community relationships, as a "living" portfolio of evidence of their connected learning.
Most importantly, all of the above would "count." This qualitative data would be held in high esteem – equal with or greater than quantitative measures. Wouldn't that be cool?
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