Irini-Renika Papakammenou writes about her session “Ways of involving learners in assessment using images” at the Image Conference in Athens.
Assessment is an integral part of instruction and classroom based assessment can enhance and empower students’ learning and improve teachers’ instructional programs. Alternative forms of assessment or authentic assessment that go beyond tests and quizzes can assess students’ proficiency in performing tasks that are associated with learning outcomes. However, assessment always creates feelings of stress and anxiety to students since they feel that they cannot control it or participate in the process.
Images and mental imagery can promote alternative assessment techniques and involve learners in the assessment process. Images can create authentic contexts and thus allow students to demonstrate learning by performing meaningful tasks. Using their own images from their everyday life in assessment can make them feel that they actually take an active part in assessment. This way they can understand the procedure, feel comfortable with assessment, have fun and therefore develop self-assessment skills which is the ultimate goal of assessment.
The aim of the workshop is to show how images can be used in formative assessment and create more genuine ways to document student’s progress especially in today’s restrictive testing requirements and refugee crisis reducing vulnerability and promoting integration.
This workshop walks participants through all stages of using images and mental images in assessment from choosing topics and collecting images to mixing alternative assessment techniques.
Through practical examples it will show how to:
● Incorporate alternative assessment in the classroom
● Collect images and use them in assessment
● Choose the suitable assessment technique
● Mix alternative assessment techniques (checklists, peer assessment, open-ended questions)
● Involve students
I will present some examples of students who have used their own images in assessment procedures. Also, students will express their views on such techniques. Finally, I will discuss the importance of including students in the assessment technique, making assessment creative and fun and collaborating and interacting with students.
