What have I learned from this course? Today, I am endowed with new learning.

:)

Assessment is not all about grades.

Assessment definitely helps improve teaching and learning!

Assessment is the process of getting information about what and how the students learn, and using this
information to guide instruction and boost learning.

Assessment gives feedback to teachers and students that help them both adjust their teaching and
learning strategies to achieve learning goals.

Assessment should be aligned with goals/objectives, curriculum/instruction, and outcomes, so learning

can be maximized.

Assessment helps us to PLAN (what do I want my students to learn?); to DO (How do I help them learn
effectively?); to CHECK (Have we achieved goals and outcomes?), and to ACT (How do I use the
information I gathered? What adjustments and refinements should I do?). This is the assessment cycle
that helps continuously improve the teaching-learning process; this is the assessment cycle that makes
assessment useful for its intended purposes: the assessment FOR learning, the assessment AS learning,
and the assessment OF learning.

The three main purposes of assessment:

Assessment FOR learning is an ongoing process that gauges and monitors student learning in order to
inform instruction, as well as help students monitor and manage their own learning. It guides both
teachers and students on what wise steps to take next. Formative assessments serve the purpose of
assessment FOR learning.

Assessment AS learning is also an ongoing process that helps the students self-reflect on their learning,
know their weaknesses and strengths, adjust their learning strategies, correct past errors, plan next best
steps, and become independent, self-directed, metacognitive, and successful learners. Formative
assessments, like self and peer assessments, serve the purpose of assessment AS learning.

Assessment OF learning measures the students’ competency; certifies learning; and provides evidence if
program goals and objectives have been met and outcomes have been achieved. Summative
assessments serve the purpose of assessment OF learning.

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There are different types of assessment:

Formal assessment is the systematic, well planned data-based assessment that evaluates student
learning. Formal assessment determines the students’ proficiency or mastery of the content, and can be
used for comparisons relative to certain standards, or relative to other students’ performances.

Informal assessment is the casual/spontaneous content-based and performance-based form of

assessment that measures the students’ performance and learning progress. Informal assessment is
incorporated in the day-to-day classroom activities.

Formative assessment gives continuous feedback about students’ learning that informs instruction and
helps students successfully manage their own learning; it guides both teachers and students about their
next wise steps. Formative assessment occurs all throughout instruction.

Summative assessment certifies learning; it measures what the students have learned. Summative
assessment data can be used to gauge students’ competency; assign grades; rank the students; and
compare students’ performances vs. certain standards or vs. other students’ performances. Summative
assessment is given after instruction.

Traditional assessment refers to customary method of measuring the students’ knowledge and skills,
usually through standardized pen and paper tests.

Authentic assessment is the process of gauging the students’ learning by asking them to perform real-life
tasks and meaningfully apply what they have learned.

Peer and self-assessments involve students taking responsibility of assessing their peer’s work and their
own against a set of standards/criteria/rubric. They help students become reflective of their own
learning and empower them to be more responsible in successfully directing and managing their own
learning.

Differentiated assessment is the method by which teachers adjust and match assessment with the varied
profiles, needs, and preferences of diverse students in order to bridge individual learning gaps, and meet
the students’ individual learning needs.

Each type of assessment has its strengths and weaknesses, but each type can definitely contribute to the
main goal of assessment, that is, to improve teaching and learning. It is best to employ a balance of each
type of assessment in our classrooms.

No single assessment can fully measure the students’ learning progress and achievements. Wisely
combining multiple types of assessment, and using the information gathered from all these assessments
appropriately can help achieve all three purposes of assessment: the assessment OF, FOR and AS
learning.
Giving feedback is valuable. Feedback should be timely, prompt, efficient, constructive, focused,
consequential, and always supportive of learning.

Providing clear, well-defined rubrics (scoring criteria) helps the students to plan, strategize, and
maneuver their work towards successfully meeting the prescribed criteria, and come up with excellent
work or performance.

Teachers must be keen in constructing good and effective assessment items. The Table of Specifications
is one of the tools that can guide them in carefully and systematically designing a test.

How can I effectively assess my students in the future?

I will be a reflective teacher, and always think of how I can help my students learn best; I will consider my
students’ welfare before my own.

I will align my assessment with my learning goals, outcomes and instruction.

I will use assessment not only to assign grades, but to learn whether my students have successfully
learned the targeted learning outcomes; if my teaching is effective; if misconceptions have been
corrected, learning gaps have been bridged, and learning needs have been met; if programs are
successful; and if my students are enjoying learning.

I will match my assessment with my students’ readiness, profile, needs, and preferences; I will adjust my
teaching accordingly.

I will Plan, Do, Check and Act!

I will use a mix or a balance of each type of assessment in my classroom. I’ll take advantage of the
assessment’s strengths and apply interventions to balance or neutralize the weaknesses.

I will integrate my assessments with many rich learning opportunities. I will employ a few formal
traditional assessments, and complement it with plenty of fun yet effective informal authentic
assessments. I will ensure that these informal authentic assessments are valid, reliable and properly
guided by rubrics and standards. I will make sure that traditional assessments are carefully crafted to tap
my students’ higher level of thinking skills.

I will use assessments to tap my students’ low and high level cognitive skills: knowledge, comprehension,
synthesis, application, and evaluation.

I will differentiate my instruction and assessments according to my students’ individual needs, bridge the
learning gaps, and make proper interventions and accommodations.

I will empower my students to self-reflect, think critically, manage their own learning, and become the
self-directed, metacognitive, independent and successful learners that they ought to be.
I will provide parents timely feedback about their children’s performances and partner with them in
helping their children excel.

I will partner with my students and help them achieve their learning goals. We shall join forces to
produce powerful learning outcomes!

I will share lessons-learned and best practices with my colleagues and help each other in improving our
craft.

I will use assessment data to really improve teaching and learning, and to help refine educational
programs.

I will always reflect about my teaching styles, instructional strategies, and assessment methods, and
continuously ask myself…

Daisy, how else can you help in improving teaching and learning?

(Thanks, Teacher Malou, for another rich learning experience. � Admitedly, finishing the course was a
great challenge, but then again, it was all worthwhile!

Cheers to all my classmates, too! �

…Daisy, here, more empowered to teach because of EDS 103 and 113! (hmm, I hope, haha) �

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AuthordaizeabdaoCategoriesReflections, Insights, and RealizationsPosted onJULY 21, 20152 Comments

How Meaningful Have Grades Been?

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I am not a fan of grades. I hate it when people judge students because of their grades. I was, somehow,
forced as a student to be an achiever (‘though I don’t have any regrets on that). Everyone in the family
was an achiever, and so I felt I had to be one, too. It’s awesome to get good grades and receive
recognition, but later in life, I realized that there are many things in life that mater more.

The joy of learning, despite grades, is one of them.

Giving your best, not because of grades, but because you want to give back only the best to the One who
blessed you with the talent – is another one.

Grades pressure students to perform well; it reduces the fun of learning.

Does it really motivate one to learn? Does it really push one to give his/her best? Well, maybe. But then,
sometimes it defeats the purpose of learning; it confines the student to become grade-conscious and
limits the fun of learning. It just burdens one to perform well in order not to fail (not to fail in meeting
the grade requirement; not to fail in being promoted to the next year level; not to fail to please parents;
not to fail to meet expectations of others, not to fail…).

Learning should not be like this. Learning should be fun. Students must be intrinsically motivated to
learn. Learning should make us joyfully wise. Learning should make us climb mountains and help us
achieve our life goals. Learning should help us soar high. We should make our students and our children
realize that the purpose of learning is not merely to get good grades.

Grades give so much pressure on students. My big question is: Can we do away with grades? If we do,
how can we properly assess our students? Can we just give detailed descriptive feedback to each student
instead of the alpha-numeric grades? I know, it may be too taxing for teachers, difficult to standardize,
and difficult to interpret. Alpha-numeric grades are easier to assign, easier to interpret, and easier to
compare. I’m sure the educational authorities have good reasons for keeping grades as a big part of the
assessment process.

What’s the meaning of grades? It’s good that some modern teachers do explain how they come up with
grades. They send you the bases of their grading system, though I guess, there are only a few of them.
Based on my personal experience, grades give me a chance to know my children’s academic standing, to
know if they are doing well in their academics. Knowing how they really perform in school,
understanding their strengths and weaknesses, and knowing their true learning progress are not actually
reflected on the report card; those information are provided by getting feedback from my children and
their teachers, and by doing my own assignment as a parent, that is, by partnering with teachers in
monitoring my kids’ learning. Grades are just not enough, it needs to be complemented by other forms
of assessment.

AuthordaizeabdaoCategoriesReflections, Insights, and RealizationsPosted onJULY 21, 2015Leave a

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Feedback

images (6)

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q=tbn:ANd9GcQ5kte3bRjdFztmqhqG2RLy2Vl629NONGHPt79epi68FDdqYWh6PQ

I don’t like teachers who don’t give feedback, then give low grades. I find it so unfair that teachers give
poor evaluation marks when they did not do their job of giving feedback or did not give students the
chance to improve their performance. That is why Giving Feedback, for me, is one of the most important
aspects in effectively communicating students’ progress.

I send my children to school so they can learn best. I believe, as a parent, I am entitled to know what
happens in the classroom and how I can help my children to excel. Without the teacher’s feedback, I’m
lost. As a parent and as a student, I value feedback. As a future teacher, giving feedback is one of the top
things in assessment that I will focus on.

GIVING FEEDBACK APPROPRIATELY

To help students achieve their goals and maximize their learning potentials, teachers should provide
feedback that is:

Constructive. It should always be encouraging, never judgmental or discouraging. It should build up the
student’s confidence that he/she is capable of correcting mistakes and improving performance. The
teachers must be able to show the problem-areas where the students must improve, and suggest
specific ways on how the students can do this. Apply the sandwich principle: Give positive- negative-
positive comments.

Timely. How can it be useful when the correct timing has lapsed? Feedback should always be timely,
when students still have the time to act on it; mend what needs to be mended and boost performance
level to the max.

Prompt: Feedback should be given during the time that students’ interest is still high, when post activity
questions, feelings and concerns are still at their peak. Usually, after an exam or a performance test, the
students are eager to know how they fared in the assessment, what their mistakes are, what their
excellent points are, what their scores are, etc. If feedback is given right away or the soonest possible
time, the effect is maximized. The students are still on it, and they will remember and act on the
feedback in order to perform beter next time. On the other hand, if feedback is given too late, students
may already lose interest as they may be busy already with current things, and the feedback becomes
useless.

Supportive to Learning. Teachers must clarify to students where they really are in their learning, and help
them bridge any learning gaps.

Focused. It must be clear that the focus of assessment is the achievement of the student, not the
student.

Consequential. Students must be encouraged to act on feedback, and use it to self-reflect and
accordingly plan their learning strategies to address concerns indicated in the feedback.

Fostering Independence. Feedback must be able to help the students become more self-directed,
independent learners.
Efficient. Feedback and assessment strategies need to be feasible/doable/realistic. Simple yet effective
strategies may be employed (consultations between students and teachers; returning of exams and
reviewing of answers; returning of assessment products with specific comments, etc.) Considering all
factors (resources, time, student and teacher factors), feedback should be done in a manner most
beneficial to all.

Reference:

University of Exeter. (n.d.). Marking and giving feedback. Retrieved from

htp://as.exeter.ac.uk/support/staffdevelopment/aspectsofacademicpractice/assessmentandfeedback/m
arkingandgivingfeedback/generalprinciples/

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Differentiated Assessment

why we differentiated pic 1

htp://learni.st/users/nicole.natale.146/boards/40689-strategies-for-differentiation-for-struggling-
learners

Differentiated assessment is the way by which teachers modify and match assessment with the varied
characteristics/profiles of students in order to meet the students’ individual needs, thereby enhancing
their learning and boosting their ability to show what they have learned. Students differ in their previous
learning experiences, readiness, learning styles, preferences, academic standing, abilities, strengths and
weaknesses, culture, race, and backgrounds.

Teachers use differentiated assessment to match and respond to the varying learning needs of diverse
students in a classroom.

By differentiating assessments, teachers help diverse students to successfully demonstrate their

competencies in particular ways that are fitting and effective for them. By providing various assessment
methods/activities appropriate for particular types of students, the teachers are able to meet the
students’ individual needs, thereby helping them to be successful in their learning.

Designing various assessments apt for specific groups of learners provides more opportunities for
students to effectively demonstrate what they have learned.

Differentiated assessments also guide teachers on how they can differentiate, modify and improve
instruction.

Differentiated assessments can be done by designing and providing various assessment methods and
activities that are appropriate for each type of students such that they can effectively learn and
demonstrate what they have learned. Differentiated assessments can be done by providing them various
options and opportunities to show their learning and proficiency. From a list of Zach Burrus, Dave
Messer and Judith Dodge, here are some ways of differentiating assessments:

Designing tiered activities

Scaffolding struggling learners

Challenging advanced learners with more mid-stimulating activities

Adjusting questions

Compacting

Flexible grouping

Flexible assignments and tasks based on students’ learning styles

Learning contracts

Asking students to do:

Role playing

Unit collage

Individual projects

Visual presentations
Oral presentations

Writen presentations

Summaries and reflections

Lists, charts and graphic organizers

Group/collaborative activities

Comic books

Raps/songs/dances/other performances

References:

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BOSTES. (n.d.). Diffrentiated assessment. Retrieved from htp://syllabus.bos.nsw.edu.au/support-

materials/differentiated-assessment/

Burrus, Z. & Messer, D. (n.d.). Differentiation and assessment. Retrieved from

htps://sites.google.com/site/aceeducatorresources/Home/assessment-resources/differentiation-and-
assessment

Dodge, J. (2009). 25 Quick formative assessments for a differentiated classroom. Retrieved from
htp://store.scholastic.com/content/stores/media/products/samples/21/9780545087421.pdf

Kinzie, C.L. & Markovchick, K (n.d.). Comparing traditional and differentiated classrooms. Retrieved from
htp://www.mainesupportnetwork.org/pdfs/sing07/Singapore%20-%20Handout%20-%20DI%20-
%20Comparing%20Traditional%20and%20Diff.pdf

Teaching as Leadership. (n.d.) P-4: Differentiate your plans to fit your students. Retrieved from
htp://teachingasleadership.org/sites/default/files/How_To/PP/P-4/P4_Trad_v_Diff_Classroom.pdf
More examples of differentiated strategies, taken from the list of Chapman, Gregory and King:

Using/providing assessment tools before instruction like:

Ponder and Pass

Signal and Action Response

Take a Stand

Knowledge Base Corners or Squaring Off

Content Boxes

Content Surveys

Personal Surveys and Inventories

Brainstorming

Color Clusters

Gallimaufry Gathering

ELO (Evening Learning Opportunities)

Pretests

Standardized Testing Data

Boxing

Yes / No Cards

Graffiti Facts

Four-Corner Pre-Assessment

Using/providing assessment tools during instruction like:

Observation
Anecdotal Assessment

Clipboard Stickies

Card Cruising

Know it! Show it!

Response Cards

High Five

A Bump in the Road

Color-Coding

Sketches From the Mind

Analyzing Student Notes

Checkpoint Tests

Daily Grades

Thumb It

Face the Fact

Reaching for the Top

Speedometer Reading

Using/providing assessment tools after instruction like:

Effective Questioning: open-ended and reflection questions

Post-Sharing Celebrations: wrap-around, carousel gala and rhythmic fan-fare

Likert Scales to Assess Learning, Attitude, and Progress

Rubrics

Checklists

Design Delights

Assessing With Journals

Jazzy Journal Assessment

Graphic Organizers

Prompts for Assessment

Assessing With a Blank Page

Performance Assessment

Teacher-Made Tests (true-false, multiple choice, fill in the blank, open-ended questions, performance
tests, skills tests, problem based)

Portfolios

Conversation Circles

Donut

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Using/providing summative assessment tools like:

Assessment Cubing

Choice Boards

Stations, Centers, and Learning Zones: Exploratory Stations and Structured Stations

Reference:

Wikihome (n.d.). Differentiated instructional strategies. Retrieved from

htp://differentiatedstrategies.wikispaces.com/Differentiated+Strategies+for+Assessment

AuthordaizeabdaoCategoriesReflections, Insights, and RealizationsPosted onJULY 18, 2015Leave a

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Traditional vs. Differentiated Assessment

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%252C_&usg=__J0eHJJKwpjJoqo1K0bK0gZua-0w%3D

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Traditional vs. Differentiated Assessment

Students are diverse and learn differently. Giving students choices and tailoring assessments according to
their needs and preferences are more effective in enhancing their learning and in measuring their
knowledge and abilities. Compared to traditional assessment, I believe that differentiated assessment is
a beter mode in helping students learn best and demonstrate best what they have learned. However, it
is still best to combine different types of assessment (e.g., traditional and differentiated) to achieve the
best results.

Traditional Assessment (TA) Differentiated Assessment (DA)

TA is most commonly used at the end of instruction; summative; serves as assessment of learning, to
check who understood the lesson and who did not. DA continuously occurs before, during and after
instruction; formative; serves as assessment for learning, to adjust instruction according to the profiles
and needs of the diverse students.

Few assessment options, tools, and activities are provided. Several assessment options, tools, and
activities are provided.

TA focuses on a single form of intelligence. DA focuses on multiple forms of intelligence.

Student differences and varied needs are not considered in designing assessment. Student
differences and varied needs are analyzed and considered in designing assessment.

Students’ interests and learning preferences are immaterial or rarely tapped. Students’ interests and
learning preferences are tapped.

Curriculum guides instruction. Students’ characteristics/profiles and learning needs guide instruction.

Time is definite, not flexible. Time is flexible.

Single material is provided. Various materials are provided.

There is a single interpretation of answers and ideas; one correct answer. There are various
interpretations of answers and ideas; varied perspectives, many possible correct answers or many ways
to arrive at the correct answer.

The teacher defines criteria for grading and ascribes grades to students. The students participate in self
and peer assessments and contribute in crafting assessment criteria.

Students are oftentimes assessed using a single assessment. Students are assessed using multiple
assessments, in varied ways.

The teacher directs. The teacher facilitates.

TA tests and enriches the students’ knowledge and comprehension (based on Bloom’s Taxonomy).
DA tests and enriches the students’ knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis
and evaluation (based on Bloom’s Taxonomy).

References:

BOSTES. (n.d.). Diffrentiated assessment. Retrieved from htp://syllabus.bos.nsw.edu.au/support-

materials/differentiated-assessment/

Burrus, Z. & Messer, D. (n.d.). Differentiation and assessment. Retrieved from

htps://sites.google.com/site/aceeducatorresources/Home/assessment-resources/differentiation-and-
assessment
Dodge, J. (2009). 25 Quick formative assessments for a differentiated classroom. Retrieved from
htp://store.scholastic.com/content/stores/media/products/samples/21/9780545087421.pdf

Kinzie, C.L. & Markovchick, K (n.d.). Comparing traditional and differentiated classrooms. Retrieved from
htp://www.mainesupportnetwork.org/pdfs/sing07/Singapore%20-%20Handout%20-%20DI%20-
%20Comparing%20Traditional%20and%20Diff.pdf

Teaching as Leadership. (n.d.) P-4: Differentiate your plans to fit your students. Retrieved from
htp://teachingasleadership.org/sites/default/files/How_To/PP/P-4/P4_Trad_v_Diff_Classroom.pdf

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Peer and Self-Assessments

Girls Conferencing

htp://www.sri.com/work/projects/technology-learning

Peer and self-assessments involve students taking responsibility of assessing their peer’s work and their
own against a set of standards/criteria/rubric.

Self-assessmentPeer Assessment

Why use self- and peer assessment?

To encourage students to self-reflect and manage their own learning

To help students become more responsible, self-directed and metacognitive learners

To help students become intellectually independent; to help them understand the purpose of their
learning and understand what they need to do to achieve their goals

To help students identify their strengths and weaknesses and plan for improvement; to help students
objectively accept and correct their mistakes

To instill honesty and integrity

To help teachers understand their students more, and provide feedback consequently

To help teachers see how the students perceive their own learning, and help teachers adjust instruction
accordingly

To help teachers identify learning gaps, and bridge the gaps immediately

To encourage deep-learning; to engage students; to motivate students to meet set standards

To encourage students to understand and take ownership of the assessment criteria

To teach students life-long assessment skills

To help students become reflective of their own learning

To empower students to be more responsible in directing and managing their own learning

To promote fair judgment and critical thinking when evaluating work of co-learners

To motivate students to learn with others, and from others

To encourage deep-learning; to motivate students to be more engaged

To develop collaboration, trust and inter-personal skills

To teach students sound assessment skills ; to develop in them the “eyes” for true quality work

To be able to give and receive feedback on each other’s quality of work

To encourage students to understand and take ownership of the assessment criteria

To deepen the students’ understanding of the assessment criteria, and make them realize how they can
improve next time

When is it good to use these kinds of assessment? in formative assessments (formal, informal,
traditional, authentic), but can also be used for summative assessments

performance based assessments

oral presentations (debates, reports)

writen presentations (essays, papers)

in formative assessments (formal, informal, traditional, authentic), but can also be used for summative
assessments

group works

pair works

class projects

What are the major advantages, disadvantages, and challenges in the design and administration of self-
and peer assessment assessments?

Self-assessmentPeer Assessment

Advantages

engages students more in the learning process

makes students more reflective; helps them develop critical thinking and metacognitive skills; empowers
students to manage their own learning

helps students identify their strengths and weaknesses and targets problem areas for improvement;
encourages students to correct themselves

provides opportunity for students to improve their performance by understanding themselves more

aids the teachers in their own assessment by understanding their students more

engages students more in the learning process

empowers the students to evaluate the work of their peers and reflect on their own work

develops critical thinking and reflective skills as well as interpersonal skills

deepens the students’ understanding of the assessment criteria and makes them realize how they can
improve next time

fosters accountability and fairness

discourages “free rides”

promotes collaboration and good teamwork

Disadvantages
Subjective. Students may give inaccurate self-judgments. There’s a risk that students may either be self-
righteous or self-defeatist. Either they overestimate or underestimate their performances.

Time consuming; additional task for students

Prone to biases. Personal factors like friendships may unfairly affect assessment.

Peer pact. Classmates may just agree to give high marks to all, regardless of quality of work.

Time consuming; additional task for students; can be stressful for others

Challenges

It can be hard to instill open-mindedness among students, to be honest with self-critique, to graciously
accept, learn and correct own mistakes that will lead to a much improved output.

There may be inaccuracies and inconsistencies between results of self- assessment and teachers’
assessment; self-assessment and peer assessment.

Students may find it unimportant if it will not, after all, affect their grades.

It is a challenge to translate negative feedback or criticisms to positive actions that will lead to improved
output. Negative criticisms may create tensions or may trigger ill feelings among classmates.

It can be difficult for students to give fair, objective, and sound judgment and assessment independent of
friendships/affiliations or any personal factors, devoid of any biases.

(Personal thought: Partly because of our culture, we sometimes have the tendency to be overly
considerate and give good marks to undeserving classmates. On the other hand, because of “crab
mentality,” or sometimes, “competition,” there are a few who give bad marks to supposedly deserving
classmates. Objective sound assessment is sacrificed.)

Self-and-peer-assessment-prompt-sheets

References:
NCLRC. (2014). Peer and self-assessment. Retrieved from
htp://www.nclrc.org/essentials/assessing/peereval.htm

UNSW. (2015). Student peer assessment. Retrieved from htps://teaching.unsw.edu.au/peer-assessment

UNSW. (2015). Student self-assessment. Retrieved from htps://teaching.unsw.edu.au/peer-assessment

AuthordaizeabdaoCategoriesReflections, Insights, and RealizationsPosted onJULY 18, 2015Leave a

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What Makes a Good Assessment?

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To ensure that formal, summative and traditional assessments as well as informal-formative and
alternative assessments are good and effective assessments, they need to:
be well-aligned with learning objectives and outcomes

be valid (accurate; should measure what it’s supposed to measure)

be reliable (consistent)

be fair; free from any biases and distortions

be guided by clearly defined rubrics/criteria/standards

enable students and teachers to provide and use feedback effectively, reflect and improve their teaching
and learning

enable students to successfully demonstrate what they have learned

effectively measure whether or not the students have learned the content

Formal summative and traditional assessments can be made more effective when questions are crafted
carefully in a way that will tap not only the low level cognitive skills, but the higher level ones too.
Carefully design tests that will help students to think more deeply, reason, solve problems, analyze,
synthesize, apply and evaluate knowledge.

Alternative assessments can be made more reliable, valid and objective by setting clear and well-defined
criteria and rubrics when planning and designing alternative assessment strategies. There is also a need
to standardize these alternative assessments.

Alternative and traditional assessments both have their advantages and disadvantages. Since no single
assessment can fully measure the students’ learning progress and proficiency, I believe it is beter to
have a balance between traditional and alternative forms of assessment, that is, to complement each
other and achieve best results. If I have a say, I’ll make traditional assessments more fun and flexible,
and make alternative assessments more reliable, valid, and truly guided by standards and criteria.