Running

head: KNOWLEDGE BUILD 1

Building Knowledge on Assessment

Kaitlyn Meador

EDPY 303 – W18

Caitlin Fox

February 26, 2018

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Building Knowledge on Assessment

Within the field of education, assessment is arguably one of the most important tools

used to progress student learning and understanding inside the classroom. Every educator’s goal

and purpose is for students to advance their level of comprehension and knowledge of the

intended material, and assessment is a valuable method that gauges the degree to which this is

occurring. This evaluation of student learning provides teachers with a direction and offers both

students and teachers information on what is required to reach the final destination of learning

outcomes. Although assessment is an essential instrument in education, there are many methods

in which it is facilitated in the classroom. One 20-year veteran classroom teacher that is

particularly progressive with his methods of assessment is Mark Barnes. As an educator, Barnes

believes in a student-centered classroom that rejects all traditional methods of teaching and

facilitates a learning environment that is only focused on knowledge outcomes instead of formal

grades (ASCD Author, 2018). Within this essay, I will critically evaluate the methods of

assessment that Mark Barnes suggests will solve the many problems of assessment we see in the

classroom (Barnes, 2014).

Summary of TED Talk

In his TED talk, Changing Assessment: Four Simple Words, Mark Barnes suggests that

assessment is the biggest problem in education. As he explains, this is because the focus of

student learning revolves around percentages, letters and numbers instead of level of

understanding and outcomes (Barnes, 2014). Moreover, a visible disconnect exists between

intended learning and methods of assessment. This is facilitated by the realization that instructors

attempt to measure the assignment, task or project before attempting to measure student learning

(Barnes, 2014). The solution to this problem, as Mark Barnes advocates, is to facilitate
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assessment as a conversation between student and teacher. More specifically, this conversation

should center on the four simple words: summarize, explain, redirect, and resubmit (SE2R)

(Barnes, 2014). Within this conversational method of assessment, the teacher is responsible for

summarizing the student’s submitted work, explaining the elements that need improvement or a

deeper level of student understanding, redirecting the student’s focus on the specific components

of the learning task requiring progression and encouraging the student to resubmit the

assignment (Barnes, 2014). As Barnes suggests, SE2R allows students the opportunity to be

apart of the discussion around assessment and provides students with a voice that traditional

assessment methods do not afford them. Finally, Mark Barnes completes the TED talk by

proposing an educational system free of traditional assessment where student learning is

evaluated based on numbers, but instead a no grades classroom that facilitates continuous student

learning through the SE2R assessment method.

Connections to the TED Talk

By conversing with students about their current understandings of the specific learning

outcome, where they need to progress to with their learning, and providing detailed steps they

can take to reach that end goal, the SE2R method could be effectively used as a formative

assessment tool in the classroom. Assessment for learning is valuable for both student and

teacher. It provides students with information about where they are and how they can progress

their learning, while informing teachers about where they need to make adjustments in their

instruction (Bennett & Mulgrew, 2015). Furthermore, the conversational basis of this formative

assessment may effectively reduce student confusion on what is needed to achieve success, as

feedback is personalized and direct (Bennett & Mulgrew, 2010). Dialogue between student and

teacher “provides the opportunity for the teacher to respond to and reorient a pupil’s thinking”
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(Black &, Wiliam, p. 7, 1998) and reminds the student to engage in thoughtful reflection. SE2R

is an individualized formative assessment tool that allows for beneficial and meaningful

communication between teacher and student, situating it as a valuable tool for everyone in the

classroom.

In relation, SE2R is established as an effective formative assessment tool as it provides

only feedback to the student in the absence of a formal grade or mark. This is an important factor

as it has been shown that student achievement only benefits from feedback in the form of

comments alone. When student feedback includes comments and a formal mark, or a grade

exclusively, there is no gain or progression in learning as a result of that teacher response

(Butler, 1988). This situates SE2R as an effective formative assessment tool with the potential to

progress student achievement as students receive feedback only in the form of individualized

comments. In addition, a study conducted by Hattie and Timperley (2007) found that feedback is

a formative assessment tool with an incredible amount of influence on student achievement and

progression of learning in comparison to other methods of assessment for learning. This

relationship however, can be positive or negative depending on how the teacher executives this

assessment method within the classroom. Feedback is most effective when it addresses the

specific learning goals, the progress being made toward the goals and steps needed to be taken to

achieve the final desired outcomes (Hattie & Timperley, 2007). Furthermore, feedback is most

successful when it is individualized to each student and the teachers effective scaffolds to meet

individual academic level of conception, when it focuses on qualities of student work, and when

it lacks comparison to other pupils (Bennett & Mulgrew, 2010; Black & Wiliam, 1998; Hattie &

Timperley, 2007). As a result, the teacher holds a great amount of power in relation to the
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effectiveness of feedback. SE2R could be used as an efficient formative assessment tool in the

classroom as long as the teacher utilizes it in accordance with these essential components.

Although the SE2R method facilitates formative assessment from teacher to student, it is

not effective in developing students’ peer-assessment and self-assessment skills. Self-assessment

as a formative assessment tool involves students’ ability to critique their own work to determine

their strengths and weakness it terms of what they need to do more of and less of to improve the

final product (Weimer, 2014). This is an important skill to develop because accuracy and ability

to self-assess correspond with an increase in student commitment and learner efficacy (Black &

Wiliam, 1998). Students need multiple opportunities to train themselves in self-assessment and

practice the skills required to become more accurate in judging the quality of their work (Black

& Wiliam, 1998). The SE2R method does not afford students this opportunity as the evaluation

of student work comes directly from the teacher. In addition, peer-assessment is an essential skill

students are not able to develop within this formative assessment method. The ability to critique

a peers work based on a set of specific criteria, and the capacity to accept criticisms on ones own

piece of work are essential skills for students to build that translate beyond the classroom

environment (Weimer, 2015). As Mark Barnes described, SE2R is utilized as a formative

assessment tool between teacher and student, however with small adjustments it could be used as

a peer-assessment or self-assessment for learning. Students can assess themselves and their peers

as long as they are provided clear and specific criteria that target the intended learning outcome

and provide a framework for what students must explicitly do to achieve the end goal (Black &

Wiliam, 1998). Therefore, teachers must have meaningful learning activities that correspond

with the curriculum and learning outcomes, and are broken down into specific and clear criteria

that communicate to students what exactly is expected of them (Bennett & Mulgrew, 2015).
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To Focusing Questions

1. Will this method of assessment contribute to the lack of accountability we see in students

today, or will it teach students that there is always room for self-improvement and

continued learning?

2. If the purpose of SE2R as a conversational method of assessment is for teachers to

evaluate student understanding and redirect focus towards intended learning, does this

process facilitate the development of students’ self-assessment skills? How can it be

altered to ensure that students are fostering these skills?

Rationale for Focusing Questions

Understanding Mark Barnes’ suggestion of SE2R and facilitating conversations with

students as a method of formative assessment sparked my questioning about student

accountability because of the experiences I had teaching in my third year practicum. I found it

difficult to motivate all students to be engaged in any lesson or learning activity I was facilitating

in the classroom, regardless of instructional strategy. In addition, many students were reluctant to

put any effort into learning activities that were not being taken in for grading purposes. When the

students knew a learning task was going to be used as a summative assessment, they wanted

confirmation that they were correct and accurate on each step of the assignment at hand. Students

did not take initiative in the classroom and had no responsibility over their own learning. My fear

about the SE2R method of formative assessment is that students will not put in the effort and

take responsibility for their own learning when they know the teacher will assess their work,

provide them with specific steps to meet the criteria of the learning task and allow them the

opportunity to make those revisions and resubmit for grading. Although I see the value in

conversing with students to identify areas in which their works needs improvement and the
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means in which they can address those shortcomings, I also believe it is important to facilitate

student accountability and responsibility in the part they play in their own learning.

The second focusing question previously suggested about the lack of opportunities for

students to develop self-assessment skills as a result of the SE2R method stems from my

experiences as both a student and a pre-service teacher. As a student, I see the value in

developing the skills to critique ones own work and determine what is needed to enhance that

work to further progress learning. This ability to self-assess and self-reflect has been essential

during my experience as a university student due to the lack of formative assessment from

professors. University traditionally focuses on summative assessment in the form of projects,

essays and exams, not allowing for student feedback along the way. As a result, students need to

have the skills to self-assess their own learning and determine the required adjustments needed to

be successful when it comes time for summative assessment. Since this ability is important in all

levels of education, including university, I believe it is imperative to provide students the

opportunity to develop self-assessment skills along the way. The SE2R methods as it stands,

involves the teacher providing specific formative assessment to the student, which may not be

effective in fostering these critical self-assessment skills. Not only do I find this valuable as a

student, but also as a pre-service teacher it does not seem feasible to use the SE2R method to

formatively assess every student on each learning task. Developing self-assessment skills is

valuable for students, and also for teachers as it allows more time for them to devote to other

important classroom duties.

Final Thoughts

Teaching is more than just regurgitating facts and information that the students are

required to know. It is about developing a relationship with each student, understanding each
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students needs and getting them excited and engaged in the intended learning. The SE2R method

of formative assessment helps facilitate this deeper level of understanding and connection

between teacher and student through the use of conversation. However, this method alone may

not foster the development of self-assessment and peer-assessment skills that are essential for

students to have. If this method could be used at the individual level, and peer level to grow

students’ ability to critique themselves and others, it could support a well-balanced classroom.
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References

ASCD Author. (2018). Mark Barnes. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/Publications/ascd-

authors/mark-barnes.aspx

Barnes, M. (2014, December 08). How four simple words can solve education’s biggest problem

[Video file]. Retrieved from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=JShsO5PvTG4

Bennett, S., & Mulgrew, A. (2010). Scaffolding for student success. Edmonton, AB: Alberta

Assessment Consortium.

Bennett, S., & Mulgrew, A. (2015). Creating credible criteria. Edmonton, AB: Alberta

Assessment Consortium.

Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (1998). Assessment and classroom learning. Assessment in Education:

principles, policy & practice, 5(1), 7-74.

Butler, R. (1988). Enhancing and undermining intrinsic motivation: The effects of task-involving

and ego-involving evaluation on interest and performance. British Journal of Educational

Psychology, 58(1). 1-14.

Hattie, J., & Timperley, H. (2007). The power of feedback. Review of Educational

Research, 77(1), 81-112.

Weimer, M. (2014, December 10). Developing students’ self-assessment skills [Web log post].

Retrieved from https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-professor-

blog/developing-students-self-assessment-skills/

Weimer, M. (2015, October 29). Peer assessment that improves performance in groups [Web log

post]. Retrieved from https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/course-design-ideas/peer-

assessment-that-improves-performance-in-groups/