Alternative Assessment and Technology

(1993). Alternative Assessment and Technology. ERIC Digest, : ED365312 , Retrieved 05/21/09, from http://www.ericdigests.org/1994/technology.htm

This article is about Alternative assessment and technology. The writer drew our attention to “the reform of testing in this country” (1993.Eric Digest) in order to develop methods for assessing complex knowledge and performance. Assessment is connected to the learners’ goals, and since goals are always subject to changes, many educators believe that there is great need to find new approaches to keep up with these changes. The writer suggested two approaches that are promising in term of changing the “measurement of cognitive abilities”. These two approaches are “performance-based assessment and portfolio assessment” (1993.Eric Digest). The writer sees technology as powerful tool to deliver these two approaches, because it has “unique capabilities that can make crucial contributions to the creation of workable and meaningful forms of alternative assessment” (1993.Eric Digest) and many educators believe so. Technology can be used in performance assessment, for example in my school we use iPod and oral presentation to assess students’ speaking skill. The writer also mentioned others way of using technology in assessment such as using videotape to conduct a progress interviews and teachers can come up with rubric in order to evaluate students’ performance. I think technology can be used effectively to move educators from using assessment as means to serve purposes like gaining control of others and selecting and sorting students to new purposes such as recognizes growth in students’ performance.