Jialun, Azlan, Aravin (Tg01)

What is Alternative Assessment?

Alternative assessment is also known as authentic assessment, portfolio assessment, self- assessment, etc... Hence, alternative assessment in layman terms is known/sought as “not pen and paper” or things that does not involve “tests and examinations”. However, according to Kelvin Tan (2007), this definition only provides an explanation of what it is not and not defines what it is. Alternative assessment should be a kind of practice that allows students to learn from their peers as well as to connect and merge different learning outcomes progressively.

Following Hancock’s (1994) definition, he defines alternative assessment as a constant process which involves both the students and the teacher into making decision or judgement about each individual student progress using non-conventional methods.

Below are some forms of alternative assessment that you may use in a classroom:

-Portfolios

-Rubrics and checklist

-Anecdotal records

-Oral Performance

-Projects

-Performance Tasks

(Attached here is a table taken from P. Y. Lee (Ed.) (2006): Teaching Secondary School Mathematics: A Resource Book (pp.343-354). Singapore: McGraw Hill.)

It shows the traditional concept as well as the new concept of the assessment task we give nowadays.

How to use AA in classroom?

One way of using AA in classess that our group thought of is getting pupils to each own a copy of the math’s journal book. Whenever the teacher poses a problem for problem-solving in class, pupils makes use of their journal book to jot down their ideas to solve the problem.

Pupils can write down items such as:

1) Feelings about being able to solve the problem

2) Solution processes

3) Discussions of their problem-solving strategies

4) Discussions of the validity of the solution

5) Alternative solution processes (if appropriate)

6) Reflections to this problem.

This helps and encourages pupils to view problem solving more than just achieving the correct answer. The journal will also help pupils as well as teachers to review their “records” to assess their own development through problem-solving.

More Information/ways to useAA.

Below, we have included a link to a video a group of American students made for their Geometry project. Using a video is a variation of the alternative assessment method of oral presentations and it is a novel and fun way to present their findings. In this video, the students managed to compose a rap song of their own to explain the concepts of polyhedrons. The catchy lyrics might actually help them remember the properties of the polyhedrons better.

References:

- http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2sql/content_storage_01/0000019b/80/13/6f/18.pdf

- Kelvin Tan, (2007). Alternative assessment in schools, A Qualitative Approach. Pearson prentice hall, Singapore.

- P. Y. Lee (Ed.) (2006): Teaching Secondary School Mathematics: A Resource Book (pp.343-354). Singapore: McGraw Hill

- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnJWzctYOU8&feature=related