EXAMINING CURRENT ASSESSMENT PRACTICE Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

EXAMINING CURRENT ASSESSMENT PRACTICE - Thesis Example signed contests that highlight understanding of concepts taken up, completion of projects related to the concept to apply the knowledge derived from it, and written tests or examinations demonstrating student retention of the concept and application of the skills learned. Most teachers put a lot of effort and thinking in designing their tests. Since its goal is to evaluate how much the students have learned from their lessons, teachers may come up with various strategies in their tests. Math tests are usually perceived to be easy to create because it entails some problems to answer and there is just one accurate answer expected, however, math teachers know that the process is equally important as the product. They have to ensure that students are correct in the process they go through to come up with the answers. What makes it more complex is the fact that Mathematics is a hierarchical discipline where concepts build on previous concepts and more often than not, need full understanding before proceeding to the next, more complicated concept. (Ruthven, 1987). In learning writing, what is referred to is handwriting or expression of thoughts in print. The more basic handwriting skills assess a student’s fine motor competencies. Writing as an expression of thoughts is a higher level of skill. â€Å"Children construct their understanding of written language in a developmental sequence that is observable and very similar in all children† (Brewer, 2001, p. 276). Assessment for writing skills is different for handwriting and expression of thought. Vygotsky came up with the concept of the zone of proximal development (ZPD). He defined the ZPD as the distance between a child’s independent problem-solving level and that obtained under adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers (Wertsch, 1985). Wells (1997) cautioned us, however, that a ZPD is formed not just within an individual learner, but in the interaction between the learner,