Assessing Students, my opinion and how Finland does it
When considering a commitment to viewing young children holistically, I believe that children should be assessed holistically. To me, this means children would be evaluated based on meeting developmental and cognitive milestones in a project-type assessment. For example, children would complete a project assignment that would assess their cognitive abilities, physical abilities, language, social, and emotional abilities. It would determine how well children have grasped the concepts they have been taught within the classroom.
I believe that being assessed in this way we would be able to ensure that students are learning what we are teaching. We test students throughout the year to ensure that they are remembering and comprehending what we are teaching, but are we testing to ensure that they can utilize the information in practical application? I tend to believe we fall short on this part of the assessing. In that way, we are not preparing our children for real-life applications and the use of the knowledge we present them. This would also create a better way to assess that teachers are teaching the curriculum and not just teaching to a test.
In Finland, children are assessed; however, there is not an emphasis on the scores like there is in the United States. Students are taught to use the tests to reflect on their studying and learning and make improvements to better their education. “The assessment system of Finland is based on improving instruction, and the majority of the assessment is formative, or used to improve instruction and learning. Student assessment in Finland takes place in three arenas: within classroom practices, as the final comprehensive assessment of student progress at the culmination of basic education, and during the matriculation examination to serve as a criterion for college admission.” (Henderickson, K.A. 2012)
I believe that because there is less emphasis on scoring and more focus on improving self, the assessment of education is more effective in Finland. Culture is different in Finland, and therefore this form of assessment works well for them. Maybe if we placed less emphasis on being at the top of the class and more attention on bettering self, the assessments in the United States would be reflective of what students are learning and what they are capable of.
Hendrickson, K. A. (2012). Assessment in Findland: A Scholarly Reflection on One Country’s Use of Formative, Summative, and Evaluative Practices. Mid-Western Educational Researcher, 25(1/2), 33-43. Retrieved from https://eds-a-ebscohost-com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/eds/detail/detail?vid=6&sid=8ecf2343-cd8b-4514-8a4f-569041525322%40sessionmgr4008&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#AN=94769318&db=eue
I believe that being assessed in this way we would be able to ensure that students are learning what we are teaching. We test students throughout the year to ensure that they are remembering and comprehending what we are teaching, but are we testing to ensure that they can utilize the information in practical application? I tend to believe we fall short on this part of the assessing. In that way, we are not preparing our children for real-life applications and the use of the knowledge we present them. This would also create a better way to assess that teachers are teaching the curriculum and not just teaching to a test.
In Finland, children are assessed; however, there is not an emphasis on the scores like there is in the United States. Students are taught to use the tests to reflect on their studying and learning and make improvements to better their education. “The assessment system of Finland is based on improving instruction, and the majority of the assessment is formative, or used to improve instruction and learning. Student assessment in Finland takes place in three arenas: within classroom practices, as the final comprehensive assessment of student progress at the culmination of basic education, and during the matriculation examination to serve as a criterion for college admission.” (Henderickson, K.A. 2012)
I believe that because there is less emphasis on scoring and more focus on improving self, the assessment of education is more effective in Finland. Culture is different in Finland, and therefore this form of assessment works well for them. Maybe if we placed less emphasis on being at the top of the class and more attention on bettering self, the assessments in the United States would be reflective of what students are learning and what they are capable of.
Hendrickson, K. A. (2012). Assessment in Findland: A Scholarly Reflection on One Country’s Use of Formative, Summative, and Evaluative Practices. Mid-Western Educational Researcher, 25(1/2), 33-43. Retrieved from https://eds-a-ebscohost-com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/eds/detail/detail?vid=6&sid=8ecf2343-cd8b-4514-8a4f-569041525322%40sessionmgr4008&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#AN=94769318&db=eue
Hi Rebecca,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your post Learning about Finlands system and how they assess Children. It was very eye opening in context to the United States. In my opinion Finland's system works because they are regarded as one of the best in the world.
Hi Rebecca,
ReplyDeleteI thought your information was on assessing children was great! When assessing school-age children, l believe we should assess the child as a whole. There are many ways we can assess and measure a child’s intelligence. Every child learns and retain information in different ways. Children learn kinesthetically, musically, visually, and linguistically.