Assessing learners and learning

Assessing learners and learning



Everybody is questioning the effectiveness and fairness of the traditional way of evaluation. Especially methods like multiple choice where the line between real knowledge learned by students and the ability to answer these kinds of test is really thin. The discussion about the fairness is quite obvious if we think that a province like Alberta has provincial exams for all students without considering special learners or particular focuses and interests of students. However we have to agree that evaluation has its own values and the knowledge of them will enrich the discussion about the establishment of new forms of evaluation based on fairness and effectiveness.

The motivational significance of evaluation is mostly related with the way its address basic psychological needs like motivation that constitutes an inseparable part of the educational situation.

For the purpose of this discussion we will categorize the values at work in learning si...