Unit I Reflection: Concept of Classroom Assessment

When I heard the word "assessment" before this module, I only thought about exams and marks and that's it. But after going through Unit I, I realized I had a pretty narrow idea of what assessment actually is.

One thing that really got me thinking was the activity where we shared our own experiences of being assessed by teachers back in school. It was interesting to hear everyone's stories. Some of my classmates remembered assessment as something scary, just about scores and comparison. Others remembered teachers who used it more as guidance. That small discussion made me think about what kind of teacher I want to be someday, especially when it comes to how I assess my own future students.

The part that cleared up a lot of confusion for me was the difference between measurement, assessment, and evaluation. I always used these three words like they meant the same thing. I now understand that measurement is just the number, like a score. Assessment is more about understanding what a student knows and where they're struggling. Evaluation is when we actually make a judgment, like deciding if someone passes or not. Once I saw it broken down like that, it made a lot more sense.

I also liked learning about the different types of assessment like diagnostic, formative, summative, and assessment as learning. Before this, I thought assessment only happened at the end, like a final test. Now I understand it can happen before, during, and even continuously throughout learning. The idea of "assessment as learning" stuck with me the most, where students reflect and basically assess themselves as they grow. I think I want to try that more in my own studying.

One thing I'm still not fully clear on is how a single assessment task can simultaneously fulfil multiple purposes, such as determining learning outcomes, informing instruction, providing feedback, and motivating students. I hope to develop a clearer understanding of this interconnection as the module progresses.

Overall, this unit changed how I look at assessment. It's not just about giving marks anymore, it feels more like an ongoing process between teacher and student. I look forward to examining the characteristics of good assessment in the next unit, as I anticipate it will further inform how I design assessments that genuinely support learning rather than merely measure it.