Jahmunah, Elfeeza ( TG 01)

Based on our research, we have learnt that alternative assessment involves activities or tasks that tap on students’ strengths rather than their weaknesses. It involves inquiry-based authentic learning, which serves the purpose of improving teaching and learning.Alternative assessment focuses more on performance and is designed differently from the traditional tests. It is a way in which teachers are able to connect assessment together with learning strategies for students.

Alternative assessment methods are more successful in learner-centered environments, where students are able to evaluate their own learning, and learn from the evaluation process. It can be conducted within or outside classrooms, and depending on the tasks the duration could range form days to weeks to even months or years.Some features that alternative assessment includes are: Assessment is based on authentic tasks that demonstrate students’ ability to attain goals, students get an opportunity to assess themselves and their peers, students are being assessed over a period of time.

Alternative assessment techniques for Maths include portfolios of childrens’ work from the time of introduction of a concept to the time of its ending, journals writings on Problem solving to evaluate students’ ability to communicate Mathematically, which also helps students to develop skills and strategies for solving new and difficult problem sums, Self-assessment where students use materials to model 3-D plane figures, Checklists to record leaning tools and strategies, reflections on students’ learning, using manipulatives like place value blocks and a place value mats, Maths trails, Interviews and many more. One disadvantage of this mode of assessment may be time factor, where there may be insufficient time to carry out assessment as planned, or there may be lack of resources to carry out the tasks.

Bearing the aim of alternative assessment and the time factor for assessment in mind, our group had decided to have the Maths Webquest as our alternative assessment. This will be used for the upper primary to teach graphs. The questions in the webquest will be designed and posted by the teacher every week, to test on the subtopics that they have learnt for that particular week. This will continue every week until the whole chapter has been taught.Students will have to do the online questions at the end of each week.

The questions designed by the teacher will be based on the current issues like the number of foreign talent in Singapore or the number of retrench cases in banks and so on. This taps on NE and also incporates English and Maths. Students' interest level will be maintained and they will be more aware on the current issues too. On top of that, teh webquest was chosen becasue students will be more engaged and interested due tothe use of IT. The assessment will be over a few weeks. Since there may be insufficient time to test students on the entire chapter,bearing in mind to touch on all objectives, this may be a better mode of assessment. Students will be assessed progressively over a few weeks, and each week at most 2 objectives will be tested. This will be easier for the teacher to assess and also keep track on students' understanding, before proceeding to the next level of teaching of the topic.

We have discussed that the teacher will prepare a rubric for the assessment. The same rubric will be used each week to keep track on the performance. For example if 10 questions are posted,and if students obatin 1-2 marks, they will be classified under the "beginner's" stage, if they obtain 3-5 marks, they will be classified under the "deveoping" stage, and if they obtain 6-8 marks thay will be under the "accomplished" stage and finally if they score 9-10 marks they will be under the "exemplary" stage. This rubric helps the teacher to gauge students' performance easily, and enblaes the teacher to alter the next lesson acccording to students' level of understanding.