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Student
Products
Individual products
for assessment may include the following:
Concept
Maps
A good way for a student to organize information is to construct
a "concept map." The process of constructing a concept
map forces students to pull together what they already know with
new information they have learned in the module. Concept maps made
at the completion of a module can reveal how well students retained
concepts from the module and how they organized what they retained.
Audio-tapes
(songs / raps / self-interviews)
Most students have access to audio-tape recorders. Their recorded
answers to a list of interview questions can be used for assessment.
Questions might include:
- Did you
get any new ideas from this activity?
- Did you
change your mind about something because of this activity?
What did you conclude was the best solution to the problem presented
in this activity?
- Did the
activity suggest steps you might take when you face a similar
problem at some other time in your life?
Knowledge
Charts (Murphy, 1994)
Knowledge charts combine what the students already knew about a
topic, with what they learned from an activity, with what they still
need to know. Key questions would include:
- What do
I already know?
- What have
I learned so far?
- What do
I still want to find out?
Response
Worksheets (Murphy, 1994)
Response Worksheets can guide students through group activities
as individuals rather than as group members. A student can use the
worksheets to record their individual thoughts and results. Some
worksheet items would include:
- In your
own words, write a brief description of the module problem.
- List at
least two resources you personally have found useful about the
topic.
- List a least
five observations you have made during this module.
- List measurements
you have made, if any.
- Display
any data (evidence / graphs / tables).
- State your
conclusions, supported by the evidence.
Individual
Portfolios (Murphy, 1994)
An individual portfolio is a purposeful collection of student work
that exhibits the student's efforts and conveys his or her learning
within a given module. The portfolio should include the rationale
for a particular selection. Key questions students should ask themselves
include:
- Why did
I select this item for my portfolio?
- What have
I learned from my work on this item?
- If I could
go on working on this item, what would I do?
- What particular
area of interest would I like to try out in the future that stems
from my work on this item?
- What problems
did I encounter while creating this item, and how did I solve
them?
Special
Writing Assignments
Below are some variations on the traditional essay.
Assuming a
Persona
A student might assume the identity of a well-known scientist
and write an essay on an assigned topic.
Authoring a
Newspaper Article
A student could write an article for a newspaper the class is
compiling.
Keeping a Journal
Scientists and professionals use journals to record their thoughts,
feelings, reactions, and opinions. Individual students might enjoy
doing the same.
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