Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/assessment-tools-in-the-21st-century/5014662/
Is it time to assess our assessments? The success of learners is highly influenced by the kinds of environmental supports and learning opportunities provided in their home, preschool, and community settings. It is vital that decision-making regarding children's learning and development be based on accurate and current information about the child's abilities, interests, and needs. While there is general agreement that rapid access to accurate, objective, and continuous information on children's learning is essential for effective decision-making, choosing the right assessment system requires careful consideration of what is needed to appropriately inform all those invested in the promotion of learning (parents, teachers, administrators, and policy makers).Assessment systems for the 21st century are being called upon to do many things, including:
- track children's progress over extended periods of time,
- analyze and report learning for a variety of audiences, and
- create linkages between assessments and planning.
As a result of recent technological breakthroughs, dynamic assessment systems for managing learning place these goals within reach of preschool programs. The new systems are transforming the ways in which we gather and use information on children's development to promote learning. As always, the effectiveness of any method depends on objective and appropriate use. The observation skills of the teacher are ...