Assessment as Inquiry:
Assessment as inquiry is the process that begins with framing the questions which leads to designing a plan of action. Next, leads to designing a plan of action. Next ,comes collecting and analyzing data, followed by interpreting, or making sense of, the findings. Finally, action is taken on the results reporting and making decisions. The process is more a collection of activities then a sequence of stages.
An example I really like, is if you picture a rollercoaster than an elevator, and thus the arrows in the figure are bidirectional.
An example of inquiry is the first notion of assessment is that it is easy to build a test that fails a student. I like this because this shows how many teachers will just assess a student based upon a test. When really what assessment should be, is developing the sensitivity for you as a teacher to act as a researcher, and create situations that support success and provide a starting point for instruction.
As a teacher it is important for you to be able to utilize all steps while assessing. First, by framing a problem or questions, next make a plan of action, followed by collecting evidence then analyzing your data/evidence then having your students be able to interpret the information and then finally being able to report it. When you as a teacher are able to get students to complete all of these steps they then begin to become better problem solvers and use more skills to interpret their own work and can process more information. Being a teacher who can add on to these steps you can see where some students may struggle and where other students may exceed expectations. This is a better way to grade based upon assessment rather then a test which only shows you what they know on paper then actual skills of processing data and using it.
An example I really like, is if you picture a rollercoaster than an elevator, and thus the arrows in the figure are bidirectional.
An example of inquiry is the first notion of assessment is that it is easy to build a test that fails a student. I like this because this shows how many teachers will just assess a student based upon a test. When really what assessment should be, is developing the sensitivity for you as a teacher to act as a researcher, and create situations that support success and provide a starting point for instruction.
As a teacher it is important for you to be able to utilize all steps while assessing. First, by framing a problem or questions, next make a plan of action, followed by collecting evidence then analyzing your data/evidence then having your students be able to interpret the information and then finally being able to report it. When you as a teacher are able to get students to complete all of these steps they then begin to become better problem solvers and use more skills to interpret their own work and can process more information. Being a teacher who can add on to these steps you can see where some students may struggle and where other students may exceed expectations. This is a better way to grade based upon assessment rather then a test which only shows you what they know on paper then actual skills of processing data and using it.