The Fourth PETA Reflection about Assessment

Nurul Noviana

2011120025

            Last meeting when I was in the guest lecturer session, I have learned about assessment with discussing in a group, doing gallery walk, and sharing ideas even opinions. That day was different from another day, because the guest lecturer who came from another school gave the materials in a big class of some group discussion which is 2012 and 2011 English Language Teaching class. The guest lecturer also divided us into a group of four and determined whether the leader, reporter, writer and logistic. Those parts have already mentioned in the jobdesc. Fortunately, I became the leader of 7^th group.

At that time, there was a lot of something new that I have learned. I got explanation about what is effective assessment, the criteria of effective assessment, the types of assessment, strategies and tools of assessment. Also, I got a lot of new knowledge about assessment, because I have never learned before.

            The part that I have understood clearly is about assessment itself. Based on my understanding in previous when I was in the school, assessment was just for the real result of learning. There was no measurement or even reaction of giving feedback, but I am totally wrong. In the principle of effective assessment, there is process documentations for gathering information students learning, integrating teaching learning in unit of formal and non-formal (it refers to learning situation in the class or others) to provide feedback and identify students understanding. Besides that, the word “effective” in the assessment principle has a big meaning. It means that assessment has to do along way (it means that it is doing continuously) and match with achievement evidence.

In addition, I have just known also, about the types of assessment. Although I have already understood about summative and formative assessment in surface, but I think it is just a little and not all the content I have understood. I understand about the definition, the different, and the relation between those types and the purpose of assessment. Then, there were strategies and tools of assessment, such as in assessment strategies there are observations, performance assessment, process-focused assessment, selected responses, and open-ended tasks.  In assessment tools, there are rubrics, exemplars, checklists, anecdotal records, and continuums. From those topics I have planned to improve my understanding to find out more information, because I feel surely that it will be useful for teaching learning.

            From I have learned that time, I think I still do not understand clearly about every topic that guest lecturer explained. I am confused especially with topic about the criteria of effective assessment, the example from types of assessment, the differences between each of strategies and tools of assessment. The reason is because I did not read carefully and completely the materials before starting the lesson. So, there are many confusing and questions in my head. Fortunately, sometimes I could come to the guest lecturer to ask some parts. However, I have mentioned before that I have understood some materials in surface area. It means that I have to search many other resources to support my understanding. I can send email also to the guest lecturer for building my understanding. In the other hand, I have already created a little of FGD (forum group discussion) with different class which is Mathematics and English Language Teaching class after that session, although it is just for sharing session in a relax time, but it is really helpful.

            Topic of assessment in that day was very exciting, because after that session I have a lot of ideas to think twice about how to asses something or someone. It was not only that, I become spirit to know more about how to asses students and what I am going to do after assessing students later on. So, that day session was meaningful for me. Especially as a teacher candidate I have to prepare many things, include assessment. The most important thing is how to asses students objectively and give a good feedback to increase students motivation. The theory and explanation from that day will make my basic or foundation of information about assessment. All it once, that day meeting has already deleted my views about simple assessment which is just for measuring and comparing students. More than that, I have known new paradigm about assessing teachers and students which is not only based on final result paper, examination, or quiz. It is more about meaningful value behind assessment.   

Actually in previous session I was little bit disappointed, because I did not realize that there would be a lot of audience in the room. I could not focus on the guest lecturer explanation. Although I tried to listen the materials carefully, but I still could not understand too. However, I was happy in that session, because I have learned something new with different situation, lecturer, and member of class. Nevertheless, I am more comfortable with my lecturer who is Ms. Ine’s explanation. My expectation about assessment has already enough fulfilled. I hope later on in other meeting, I will find many others example and explanation about principle English teaching and assessment, especially the real of example and other case study in this world.