Accessing learners Formative assessment is essential to assist the students in their learning; giving constructive feedback to students allows improvement to be made. 'The most important single factor influencing learning is what the learner already knows. Ascertain this and teach him accordingly' (Race, 2022).
Assessing Learners
It is fundamental to determine students' knowledge and skills level at the beginning of the lesson, knowing what they are capable of so I can lead them from there. Their development helped to decide how to plan the next lesson. Q&A is an effective way to check their performance and if they need further guidance.
In a practical learning session, I can check how students can manage their learning and understanding. The work produced at the end of each lesson was used as a self-assessment and evaluation of my lesson planning, delivering and assessing. For practical sessions, students worked and progressed at varying paces, and I realised that some students required more help than others. Assessing students' performance is essential for me to determine the students' understanding to prepare for the next learning activity, 'using assessment of and for learning to support learner progress' (Welsh Government, 2017, p.10)
Feedback
Feedback provides insight for the students in preparing for their assignments and making improvements; it is through constructive feedback that students can gradually understand the standards they have to achieve (Race, 2020).
I tried using web-based technology to encourage first-year students to engage in the activities; Padlet is an interactive way to assess students' learning and provide immediate feedback. The activities did go well; however, the students did not upload the images as planned. They clicked on the link that I posted on Microsoft Team for them to access the site; the response was slow. It was similar for the second-year students; very few students participated. Students who worked and submitted their work were getting feedback. Their participation allowed them to take responsibility for their learning; therefore, they were making progress. The final works submitted were of a high standard.
Although using web-based activities as formative assessment helps to provide ongoing support and feedback to students, however, their participation was poor. Research on using web-based technology to engage students in learning activities found that students were motivated to participate if they were to be graded; if the task is voluntary, only a fifth of the class participated (Schindler, 2017) .
Observation and record of each lesson helped to monitor students' progressions. I found that most students participated in group activities; some students interacted in the Q&A sessions. Some students spent their time participating in extra-curricular activities. The observations generated information that is useful in planning learning activities and resources. As each student responded to tasks differently with their preferences, it might be helpful to provide a variety of activities to engage with diverse participants (Welsh Government, 2017).
Reference
Race, P. (2020) The Lecturer’s Toolkit: A Practical Guide to Assessment, Learning and Teaching. Vol Fifth edition. Routledge. Available online; https://search-ebscohost-com.ezproxy.uwtsd.ac.uk/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=2269436&site=ehost-live 2020. (Accessed April 27, 2023)
Schindler, L.A. (2017) Computer-based Technology and Student Engagement: A Critical Review of the Literature. Available at: https://educationaltechnologyjournal.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s41239-017-0063-0 (Accessed 15 April 2023)
Welsh Government (2017) Professional standards for further education teachers and work-based learning practitioners in Wales. [Online] Available at: professional-standards-further-education-teachers-work-based-learning-practitioners-wales.pdf (Accessed 6 May 2023)
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