Task D: Assessment and Critique

Objective: the student will be introduced to assessment and critique and when each should be used.

Completion Standards: the student will be able to explain what an assessment is and what are some techniques to a good assessment. The student will also be able to explain what a critique is and what is the best method in different scenarios

Overview:

1. Assessment:

   1. Purpose of assessment.

   2. General characteristics of effective assessment.

   3. Traditional assessment.

   4. Authentic assessment.

   5. Oral assessment.

   6. Characteristics of effective questions.

   7. Types of questions to avoid.

2. Critique:

   1. Instructors/student critique.

   2. Student-lead critique.

   3. Small group critique.

   4. Individual student critique by another student.

   5. Self-critique.

   6. Written critique.

Assessment:

1. Purpose of assessment.

   1. Provides critical information to both the instructor and the learner

   2. Reach the same step in a weight-and-balance problem

      1. The instructor should recognize the need for a more detailed explanation,

      2. Another demonstration of the step, or 

      3. Special emphasis in the assessment of subsequent performance

   3. Real-time Assessment for instructor and learner

2. General characteristics of effective assessment.

   1. Objective

      1. The assessment should be focused on student performance

      2. It should not reflect the personal opinions, likes, dislikes, or biases of the instructor

   2. Flexible

      1. The assessment should evaluate the entire performance in the context in which it was accomplished

      2. Adjust to variables not all student are the same

   3. Acceptable

      1. Assessments presented fairly, with authority, conviction, sincerity, and competence. 

      2. Nobody likes being criticized, use compassion and tact

         1. Learners like to be confident

   4. Comprehensive

      1. Cover strengths as well as weaknesses

      2. Covers all areas of the learners performance

   5. Constructive

      1. Is pointless unless the learner benefits from it

      2. Give positive guidance for correction. 

         1. Praise for its own sake or negative comments that do not point toward improvement or a higher level of performance should be omitted from an assessment altogether

   6. Organized

      1. Any pattern is acceptable as long as it is logical and makes sense to the learner.

      2. Breaking the whole into parts, or building the parts into a whole, is another possible organizational approach

   7. Thoughtful

      1. An effective assessment reflects the instructor’s thoughtfulness toward the student’s need for self-esteem, recognition, and approval

      2. Ridicule, anger, or fun at the expense of the learner has no place in assessment

   8. Specific 

      1. At the conclusion of an assessment, students should have no doubt about what they did well and what they did poorly

      2. May offer insight how to fix an issue

3. Traditional assessment.

   1. Refers to written testing, such as multiple choice, matching, true/false, fill in the blank

   2. Normally used to judge or evaluate the student’s progress at the rote and understanding levels of learning

   3. Characteristics of good tests

      1. Reliability

         1. Consistent measurement

      2. Validity

         1. Extent to what it measures

      3. Usability

         1. User experience

         2. Functionality 

      4. Objectively

         1. Singleness

         2. Essay questions

      5. Comprehension

         1. Measure’s overall objective

      6. Discrimination

         1. Distinguishes the difference between learners

4. Authentic assessment.

   1. Asks the learner to perform real-world tasks and demonstrate a meaningful application of skills and competencies

   2. Learners must generate responses from skills and concepts they have learned

   3. Learner-Centered assessment

      1. Replay

         1. Verbally replay the flight or procedure

      2. Reconstruct

         1. Encourages learning by identifying the key things that the learner would have, could have, or should have done differently during the flight or procedure

      3. Reflect

         1. Insights come from investing perceptions and experiences with meaning, requiring reflection on the events

            1. What was the most important thing you learned today?

            2. What part of the session was easiest for you? What part was hardest?

            3. Did anything make you uncomfortable? If so, when did it occur?

            4. How would you assess your performance and your decisions?

            5. How did your performance compare to the standards in the ACS?

      4. Redirect

         1. to help the learner relate lessons learned in this session to other experiences

   4. Maneuver or procedure

      1. Describe

         1. The learner is able to describe the physical characteristics and cognitive elements of the scenario

         2. Need assistance to execute maneuver

      2. Explain

         1. Able to describe the scenario activity and understand the underlying concepts, principles, and procedures

         2. Needs assistance from instructor 

      3. Practice

         1. Able to plan and execute the scenario

         2. Coaching, instruction, and/or assistance will correct deviations and errors identified by the instructor

      4. Perform

         1. Is able to perform the activity without instructor assistance

         2. Learner will identify and correct errors and deviations in an expeditious manner

      5. Not observed

         1. ACS Standard’s 

5. Oral assessment.

   1. Most common means of assessment

      1. Is based on memory or recall.

   2. Comprised of direct or indirect questioning of the learner

      1. HOTS questions

6. Characteristics of effective questions.

   1. Apply to the subject of instruction.

   2. Be brief and concise, but also clear and definite.

   3. Be adapted to the ability, experience, and stage of training of the learners.

   4. Center on only one idea (limited to who, what, when, where, how, or why, not a combination).

   5. Present a challenge to the learners

7. Types of questions to avoid

   1. Yes//No 

      1. questions have no place in effective quizzing

   2. Puzzle

      1. Questions with many subparts

   3. Oversize

      1. Questions that are too general, covering a wide subject area

   4. Toss-up

      1. Questions for which there is more than one correct answer

   5. Bewilderment

      1. Questions with unclear content

   6. Trick Questions

      1. Questions that cause students to think they are in a battle of wits with the instructor

   7. Irrelevant Questions

      1. Questions that are unrelated to what is being discussed.

1. Critique:

   1. Instructors/student critique.

      1. Instructor leads a group discussion in an instructor/learner critique in which members of the class are invited to offer criticism of a performance

      2. Should be controlled carefully and directed with a clear purpose. 

      3. It should be organized, and not allowed to degenerate into a random free-for-all

   2. Student-lead critique.

      1. The instructor asks a learner to lead the assessment in a learner-led critique

      2. Instructor can specify the pattern of organization and the techniques or can leave it to the discretion of the chosen leader

   3. Small group critique.

      1. The class is divided into small groups, each assigned a specific area to analyze.

      2. Combined reports from the groups can result in a comprehensive assessment

   4. Individual student critique by another student.

      1. The instructor may require another learner to present the entire assessment

      2. The instructor to ask a number of learners questions about the manner and quality of performance

      3. Incorporating learner participation

   5. Self-critique.

      1. A learner critiques personal performance in a self-critique. 

      2. A self-critique receives control and supervision from the instructor

   6. Written critique.

      1. 3 advantages

         1. Instructor can devote more time and thought to it

         2. Learners can keep written assessments and refer to them whenever they wish

         3. The learner has a record of suggestions, recommendations, and opinions of all other learners

      2. Disadvantage

         1. Others don’t benefit