Assessment of Students in Schools

Assessment of Students in Schools Introduction Assessment of students is a vital exercise aimed at evaluating their knowledge, talents, thoughts, or beliefs (Harlen, 2007). It involves testing a part of the content taught in class to ascertain the students’ learning progress. Assessment should put into consideration students’ class work and outside class work. For younger kids, the teacher should focus on language development.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Assessment of Students in Schools specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This will enhance the kids’ confidence when expressing their ideas whenever asked. As in organizations, checks on the performance of students’ progress should be undertaken regularly. Notably, organizations have a high probability of investing in futility because they lack opportunity for correction. However, in schools there are more chances of correcting mistakes. Similarly, teachers and parents shoul d have a basis of nurturing and correcting the students. This is only possible through assessment of students at certain intervals during their learning progress. Equally, parents or teachers can use tests as they teach as a means of offering quick solutions to challenges experienced by students while learning. All trainers should work together with their students with the aim of achieving some goals. To evaluate if the goals are met, trainers use various assessment methods depending on the profession. This is exactly true when it comes to assessment in schools. Assessment should focus on the student learning progress. It should be employed from the kindergarten to the highest levels of learning institutions such as the university. The most essential fact about assessment is that it has to be specific. This implies that each test should try to evaluate if a student is able to demonstrate the understanding of certain concepts taught in class. Contrary to what most examiners believe, assessment should never be used as a means of ranking students. I this case the key aims of assessment will be lost. Ranking is not bad, but to some extent it might create a negative impression and demoralize the students who are not ranked at top in class. They feel that they are foolish, which is not the case. In general, assessment should be used for evaluation of results and thus creating and formulation of strategies for improving the students’ learning and performance. Importance of assessment in school Assessment forms an important part of learning that determines whether the objectives of education have been attained or not (Salvia, 2001). For important decision making concerning the student’s performance, assessment is inevitable. It is very crucial since it determines what course or career can the student partake depending on class performance.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This is not possible without an exam assessment. It engages instructors with a number of questions, which include whether they are teaching the students what they are supposed to be taught or not, and whether their teaching approach is suitable for students. Students should be subjected to assessment beyond class work, because the world is changing and they are supposed to adapt to dynamics they encounter in their everyday lives. Assessment is important for parents, students, and teachers. Teachers should be able to identify the students’ level of knowledge and their special needs. They should be able to identify skills, design lesson plans, and come up with the goals of learning. Similarly, instructors should be able to create new learning arrangements and select appropriate learning materials to meet individual student’s needs. Teachers have to inform parents about the student’s progress in class. This is only possible with the assess ment of the students through either exam or group assessment. The assessment will make teachers improve learning mechanisms to meet the needs and abilities of all students. It provides teachers with a way of informing the public about the student’s progress in school. Whenever parents are informed about the results of their children, they have to contribute to decision making concerning the student’s education needs (Harlen, 2007). Parents are able to select and pay for the relevant curriculum for their students. They can hire personal tutors or pay tuition to promote the learning of the student. Students should be able to evaluate their performance and learning in school with the use of assessment results. It forms the basis of self-motivation as through it students are able to put extra efforts in order improve their exam performance. Without results, a student might be tempted to assume that he or she has mastered everything taught in class. Methods of assessment Va rious mechanisms can be used to assess the students in school. These include both group assessment and various examinations issued during the learning session. The exam could be done on a weekly, monthly, or terminal basis. Through this, a student is required to submit a written paper or oral presentation. Assignments are normally given with a fixed date of submission.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Assessment of Students in Schools specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The teacher determines the amount of time required depending on the complexity of the assignment. It can take a day, a week, or even a month and this ensures that the student does not only rely on class work. It promotes research work and instills the self-driven virtue to the student. In addition, short time exam gives a quick feedback to the teacher about the student performance. Exam methods of assessment Before looking at the various methods of exam assessment, it is important to understand the major role that the assessment plays in the learning of the student. Carrying out an assessment at regular intervals allows the teachers to know how their students are progressing over time with respect to their previous assessments (Harlen, 2007). Actually, testing of students helps in their learning and creates motivation to learn more and improve their performance in the future examination. It also guides the teacher on ways of passing on the knowledge to the students. There are three purposes of assessment and these include assessment for learning, assessment to learning, and assessment of learning. All these help the teacher in planning of his lessons and means of getting feedback from students. Moreover, these three factors of learning join the efforts of parents, student, and teachers in the process of learning. There are several repercussions realized when parents do not monitor closely the performance of their kids. Education ex perts assert that parents who fail to monitor their children’s learning progress are like farmers who sow seeds during planting season and wait to reap during the harvesting season yet they did nothing about it. The success of the student is easily achieved when there is harmony among the parents, teachers, and the students. Methods of assessment can be categorized into three steps: baseline, formative and summative (Stefanakis, 2010). The baseline is considered as the basic and marks the beginning of learning. The summative one carries the bigger weight than the formative in the overall performance of the student. It carries more marks and it is usually done at the end of the teaching period in the term paper. The aim is to check for the overall understanding of the unit or topic by the student. As the formative assessment is a continuous process during the learning session in the classroom, the instructor should use the general feedback and observations while teaching. It c an provide an immediate solution to the teacher because the area that troubles the student is easily identified and the teacher takes appropriate action.Advertising Looking for essay on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Teachers should never ignore the formative or wait for the summative at the end of the learning term. Even if the teacher discovers weakness of the student, it might be less useful since there will be no room for improvement. Actually, it is more of a reactive measure rather than proactive summative assessment. Various mechanisms can be used to realize the formative assessment. These include surveys, which involve collecting of students’ opinions, attitudes, and behaviors during class (Nitko, 2001). They help the instructor to interact with the student more closely, creating a supportive learning environment for the student. The teacher is able to clear any existing misconception from the students due to prior knowledge. It can also involve reflections of the student. Here, the student is required to take some time and reflect on what was taught. It necessitates the student to ask several questions regarding what was taught, for instance, questions about the hottest topic, ne w concepts, or questions left unanswered. It also involves the teacher asking questions during a teaching session. This makes the teacher to point out the areas the students have not understood. By doing so, the teacher is able to focus and put more effort on some topics as compared to others. The teacher can also decide to issue homework or assignments to students. This gives students an opportunity to build confidence on the knowledge acquired during class work (Stefanakis, 2010). Most importantly, the teacher could include the objectives and expectations of each lesson and this can be in form of questions. These questions create awareness and curiosity of students about the topic. For the above methods of assessment, various formats have been adopted. First is the baseline assessment, which aims at examining individual’s experience as well as the prior knowledge. There are pencil and paper easement method, which is a written test. It can be a short essay or multiple choice questions. It checks for the student’s understanding of certain concepts. The third is the embedded assessment. It deals with testing the students in contextual learning and it is done in the formative stage. The fourth involves oral reports that aim at capturing the student’s communication and scientific skills. They are carried out in the formative stage. Interviews evaluate the group and individual performance during the formative stage. There is also a performance task, which requires the student to work on an action related to the problem while explaining a scientific idea. Usually, it is assessed both in the summative and formative stages. All these formats ensure the objective of the assessment is achieved (Harlen, 2007). The above exam method promotes learning and acquiring of knowledge among the students. Group methods of assessment Assessment is a flexible activity as what is done to an individual during assessment can also be done in a group and still achie ve the objectives of the assessment. Group work aims to ensure that students work together. The method is not as smooth as that of an individual’s assessment since awarding of grades is a bit tricky and not straightforward. The instructors will not know which student has contributed a lot in the group work, unless the same grade is given to group members to create fairness in the process of assessment (Paquette, 2010). It is advisable to consider both the process and finished product when assessing group work. By just looking at the final work of the group, no one can tell who did what and did not. Individual contributions are implicit in the final project. The teacher should employ some other measures to be able to distribute grades fairly. The solutions of assessing group include consideration of the process and the final work. The instructor should assess the process involved in the development of the final work. The aspect of the project includes punctuality, cooperation and contribution of the individual student to the group work (Stefanakis, 2010). The participation of each student and teamwork should be assessed. Fair grading requires looking at the achievement of the objectives of the project. In addition, the instructors can let the students assess and evaluate themselves through group participation. This enhances group teamwork and yields a fair distribution of grades. This is realized because the members of the group know how to research and present written analysis of their work. Self-assessment aims at realizing respect, promptness, and listening to minority views within the group. Another effective way of ensuring that group work becomes successful is by holding group members accountable. This actually curbs the issue of joy riding among the group members. Individuals are allocated with a certain portion of the entire job. This involves asking members to demonstrate what they have learned and how they have contributed into the group. In ad dition, the products and processes are assessed. Another interesting scenario is realized when the instructor gives students the opportunity to evaluate the work of other team members. The gauging of individuals involves the investigating of various aspects of the projects. These include communication skills, efforts, cooperation, and participation of individual members. It is facilitated by the use of forms, which are completed by the students. Group work aims at improving both accountability of individuals and vital information due to dynamics experienced in the group. To some extent, an instructor can involve the external feedbacks. These feedbacks are finally incorporated into the final score of the student’s group grade. There are various mechanisms for assessing and grading the group. First, there is shared grading. Through this, the submitted work of the group is assessed and same grade to all members is awarded without considering the individual’s contribution. Secondly, there is averaging of the group grade. Through this, each member is required to submit the portion allocated. After assessing the individual’s work, an average of all the members is evaluated and this grade is awarded to group members. This average group grade promotes members to focus on group and individual work. There is also individual grading, where the student’s allocated work is assessed and grades given to individuals. This enhances efforts during working with all the members. In fact, this method is the fairest way of grading group work. There is also an individual report grading in which each member is required to write individual report. After submitting, assessment is done and a grade is given to the student. Finally, there is an individual examination grading where questions are examined based on the project. This encourages students to participate fully during the project. It is hard to answer the questions if you have not participated in the g roup work. How assessment prepares students for higher education/ workforce/ student character It is a fact that in any institution exam is an inevitable criterion of assessing students. Whichever the system adopted by the governments of various countries worldwide, exam is an important event as teachers are able to allow those students who perform well to progress in their learning (Stefanakis, 2010). Those who have not met the minimum grading will require extra tuition before they are promoted. This will involve the initiatives of parents to hire tutors for the student. Exam assessment prepares the student for higher levels of learning, because the higher institutions of learning have exam assessment too. Therefore, it is important for the students to get used to exam as well as research, which will boost the student understanding during lectures in the university or in college. Similarly, at the end of a university degree course the students are required to carry out a project ei ther as individual or group work. The knowledge and experience of teamwork gained during the lower study levels will play a great role in successful completion of tasks in the university. Another important factor of assessment is that it helps a student to develop his or her character from childhood to adulthood. For the first time a student joins the school the test should be initiated. From small things the student is asked by the teacher or by other colleagues, he or she learns how to associate with other students especially during the group work tasks. The student learns and embraces teamwork, cooperation, and accountability. These virtues are a foundation for character. In addition, the student acquires communication skills especially during the presentation of project work or during class sessions. These small facts about life accumulate and contribute to life outside the school. The student is able to work in any environment. The exam credentials are vital requirements in the job market. All firms base their employment qualification on exams. More often, employers choose best workers based on their exam papers. This approach has been vital since employers might not have time to assess ability to demonstrate their skills (Stefanakis, 2010). Therefore, the underlying basis is both exam and group assessment. Group assessment helps to build teamwork, which is a vital virtue in the workplace. Most projects in an organization are done in groups. Hence, teamwork aspects are very crucial during implementation. The student utilizes the knowledge and experience of group work during school. The working environment is not so much different from socialization in school. In any organization, the success of a company is determined by the teamwork and unity of the workers. These vital virtues are learnt and developed in school and are enhanced by assessment. References Harlen, W. (2007). Assessment of learning. Los Angeles, CA: SAGE Publications. Nitko, A. J. (2001). E ducational assessment of students (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River,N.J.: Merrill. Paquette, K. R. (2010). Striving for the perfect classroom instructional and assessment strategies to meet the needs of todays diverse learners. New York: Nova Science Publishers. Salvia, J. (2001). Assessment (8th ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Stefanakis, E. H. (2010). Differentiated assessment how to assess the learning potential of every student. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

How to Write a Perfect Sales Associate Resume (Examples Included)

How to Write a Perfect Sales Associate Resume (Examples Included) always. be. selling. that’s a common motto for anyone in a sales or retail position, but don’t forget a very important point of the job hunt: it applies to you as well. when you’re putting together your resume, never forget that if you want to prove how well you can sell, make sure you’re marketing yourself as well as you possibly can. let’s look at three different kinds of sales professionals: one newbie, one seeking seasonal retail employment, and an experienced sales associate looking to become a manager. first up: laura, who’s seeking her first job in retail sales.download this resume in ms wordlike many job hunters with more enthusiasm than experience (so far), laura wants a resume format that showcases what she already has. this means changing things up a little from the traditional experience + skills + education format, and putting her most relevant skills first.laura has some traditional work experience as a food server, but she want s to showcase her dog walking business, which has skills that could be very transferrable to a sales role. she starts by using the word â€Å"entrepreneur†/†entrepreneurial† up front, to emphasize her business skills. it’s important that she uses her bullet points to back that up, and she doess)How to Write a Perfect Occupational Therapist ResumeHow to Write a Perfect Physician Assistant Resume (Examples Included)How to Write a Perfect Receptionist Resume (Examples Included)How to Create a Perfect Retail ResumeHow to Write a Perfect Sales Associate Resume (Examples Included)How to Write a Perfect Social Worker Resume (Examples Included)How to Write a Perfect Truck Driver Resume (With Examples)

Salary Negotiation Tactics for College Students

Salary Negotiation Tactics for College Students Your education was a valuable investment. You need to walk the walk in order to leverage it and get the salary you deserve. If you have never had a career before, it can be intimidating to negotiate your pay with potential employers. Do your homework, then go for the gold with these negotiation tactics that are sure to help you establish a pay rate you are comfortable with. Research Salaries Within the Company If it is at all possible to find out how much other people within the organization are making, do so. Find out as much as you can about any positions similar to yours and the experience, if you can, of the workers doing the job. Sometimes this part can be tricky since financial information can be considered a personal confidential matter. Sometimes you can find tax information about the organization and nothing more. If this is the case, just use it as food for thought as you find out more about what you’re worth. You can potentially compare this to other similar companies and make educated guesses about what’s reasonable. Look Up Salary Averages in Your Local and Regional Area Within your job description, you should be able to find salary averages, both in your city and in your region. This is where comparing company profits might come in handy. For example, if you are applying for a position at a company that is on the lower end of the profit scale, you shouldn’t ask for the same salary as the highest average in your area. In that case, you should ask for less. Make Sure You’ve Come Across as an Exceptional Candidate If you’re at this point in the game, you already know this company likes you, but have you completely wowed them? Do something that will set the stage for your negotiation, making you stand out from all other candidates, and show your employer that they do not want you slipping through their fingers. This is the key to leverage showing up as your best self and making sure that has been recognized. You don’t achieve this by being arrogant, but you don’t get it by being mousy either. Try to find a problem the organization is facing, knows they are facing, and solve it for them. Service is the best way to add value to any situation. Expand the Proposal Beyond Monetary Compensation Do not forget to consider benefits such as a healthcare package, vacation time, window office, new phone, work from home days, expense accounts for travel, etc. You can’t be too creative with this, but do stay reasonable. For whatever you are asking, you should include reasons, in your proposal, why the items would help you do your job. Use Facts in Your Negotiation Once you have all the facts, write them down in a way that is clear, conceptual, and never demanding. Employers will want to see exactly how you came up with your proposed rate, especially since you have no prior experience. Answer any questions they might have before they ask, especially why you might want the amount you’re asking for. Then, continue revising your proposal as many times as you need to feel great about it. Once you’ve got the right proposal, the one you feel good about (Don’t spend weeks on this, since you want it done in time to start working asap.), present it to the company in a way that you think they will feel good about. Send it to the appropriate person for review in a format that is appropriate for the company’s size and how busy the hiring staff seems. The best case scenario is to ask how they would prefer you present your proposal, whether this be in person or via email, etc. The bottom line is that you shouldn’t let the idea of negotiation intimidate you to the point of missing out on what you deserve. By doing thorough research and planning, you should find the confidence to find the salary you want and need without much stress.

The World in which You Live Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The World in which You Live - Essay Example When Orwell called for international control over nuclear activities back in 1945 and how this had been addressed since then, nothing much had ever really changed. This is why I am admittedly among those who have a pessimistic view of the future. We are as dumbfounded today as we are before of the reality that nuclear warfare may bring. Of course, gone are the days of the Cold War with Russia and the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics or USSR had been torn to pieces. The world is still divided according to economic prowess coupled by military sophistication between the rich and the poor. Day by day this divide is only growing and growing but the growth of China will bring forth a very exciting development. This is something that had been unwittingly mentioned by Orwell, â€Å"The haggling as to where the frontiers are to be drawn is still going on, and will continue for some years, and the third of the three super-states--East Asia, dominated by China--is still potential rat her than actual† (par. 7). Aside from aspects within the control of man, there is also the natural that proves to be a more pressing problem. Preparation is the key as there are various threats that proliferate in man’s everyday existence. The incessant disasters that have struck recently are only the beginning of what is in store in the coming years.

Deception Detection in the Courtroom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Deception Detection in the Courtroom - Essay Example For instance, the use of the polygraph can give misleading information about a person. The simple principle applied by polygraphs is that it is stressful to lie, and stress brings up certain changes to normal functions of the body. The deviations from the norm can be measured, and the levels of stress determined to give conclusions. Another technology that is applied is fMRI. This is a type of technology that gives the direct behavior of the brain. Studies have been conducted to ascertain the effectiveness of this technology through experiments. There are differences in the brain’s activities when a person is engaging in lies and when the person is telling the truth. This simple principle is applied in the use of fMRI. There are debates that revolve around the application of this technology in getting justice in court rooms, but they have not been agreed upon. In this technology, there are procedures applied to detect deception. First there is the Control Question Test (CQT), this uses simple yes/no answers to get the culprits’ data captured and the second is Guilt Knowledge Test (GKT). The test is used to unveil any hidden information from the person being tested. Another technique that can be used is brain fingerprinting, this technology applies the use of electroencephalography. This technique is used to detect any hidden information in the brain through measurement of electric brain waves. This technique is also being tested for the determination of whether individuals are engaging in lies or not.

Organizing Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Organizing Paper - Essay Example Human resources An organisation’s success is greatly dependent on the human resources employed in that particular organisation. The talent and professional abilities inherent in the human resource is demonstrated by tact in duty performance. Starbucks has invested in ensuring that it has the right talent and ability in place perfected by professionalism. The company also banks on the motivation of employees to realize its profitability. It has greatly relied on its baristas and other frontline staff to getting the best customer. The recruitment process at Starbucks outlines the need for hiring the right people to the organisation, where right people are placed in the selection and training of new employees (Dess, Lumpkin, & Eisner 20). According to Barney (18), the diversity of the management team and the organisational commitment to training of its staff makes the company to be a market leader in innovation in market differentiation. The company competitively remunerates its employees to maintain them and avoid staff turnover. The company has continuously strived to give an unrivalled work environment by means of offering strong management and benefit packages that are above the industry set standards (Dess, Lumpkin, & Eisner 16). ... the employees get time to meet and exchange their experiences they are able to learn between themselves new skills and tact on ways of meddling through the daily business activities. Knowledge The company’s knowledge about what strategy to put in action is instrumental to the success of the company. The various strategies to be applied at particular times are a key antidote to the progress of the company. Horizontal integration used by the company to gain market dominance and presence, this has been achieved through acquisitions of Seattle’s best, Torrefazione Italia and Coffee People all these have been major coffee shops. The knowledge of the significance of acquiring these shops was important in making the decision. Market penetration is crucial to a company presence; the company has established this through differentiation and product placement. Outside the retail stores is also a unique strategy not adapted by other shops. The company’s knowledge of consumer s shopping and consumption habits is important in designing and packaging its products in a manner that consumers find appealing. The company has greatly utilised this information in ensuring that it concentrically diversifies its bottled drinks, ice creams and liqueur (Barney 22). A market has to be developed continuously in order to ensure continued growth of the company. This has been facilitated by the knowledge of the firm to diversify its market by educating its consumers of the value of its products and the speciality of the coffee the company sells to its consumers (Dess, Lumpkin & Eisner 27). The shops are also well versed with the various tastes of consumers as pertaining to music and movies such that the company stands a good ground in offering these to its consumers as they visit their shops,

Haiti Earthquake Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Haiti Earthquake - Research Paper Example Except, this latest earthquake has brought to surface the fragility of the Haitian government and institutions because of their inability to provide survivors basic care and necessary safety nets (Amnesty International, 2011). There has been a considerable amount of evidence and proof that shows the poor functioning of the government in bringing the life back to normal in the earthquake hit zones. Haitian citizens are left homeless, displaced, living in makeshift tents, and now are fighting daily against Cholera which has been introduced into environment by United Nations. In this paper, let us analyze the outcome of the quake which has paved way for the development of internal conflicts and the steps that needs to be taken to prevent the internal conflict. Haiti will have to learn from other such earthquake prone zones as to how to face the consequences. Variable Natural Disaster Internal Conflict (Direct Variable) (Independent Variable) Owing to the imbalance and proper organizatio n of powers there tend to be a lot of problem in a country in case of a natural disaster like that of an earthquake. There are several conflicts that will arise out of a situation like earthquake that will drain out human resource, economy and also life balance in a region. Many political, economic, and social conflicts bound to happen. Hypothesis There is definite relationship between the 2010 Haitian earthquake and internal conflict. Theory The 2010 Haitian earthquake will stimulate internal conflict if the vulnerabilities of the people aren’t handled quickly and efficiently. Currently, earthquake survivors are going hungry, dying from the lack of sanitation, and women are being sexually abuse. These are some of the many vulnerabilities being exacerbated by the earthquake. Haitians were poor and lacked resources before the earthquake but the atrocities left behind have intensified those vulnerabilities. The country will be on the brink of an internal conflict you must defin e/operationalize internal conflict! if proper precautions aren’t taken now. There are various studies that demonstrate that an earthquake and a natural disaster can bring a population closer. Just as there many studies showing that sudden disasters, change on the environment can bring pressure to states with the inability to properly handle a natural disaster. This paper deals with the natural disaster and the potential consequences that may arise out of such tough situation. The output will be compared with that of the Haitian situation in order to get the derivative. Yes, there is obvious unrest, lack of housing, and scarcity of other resources. However, in this research paper I would like to examine how natural disasters that occur in underdeveloped countries can lead to internal conflict by looking at other underdeveloped countries which has experienced natural disasters. Literature Review Natural disasters occur suddenly and thus the reason that these create the most ana rchy within a region. The people are the worst sufferers because their homes have been dismantled and the property that remained within their fore is affected nonetheless (Topkaya, 2011). The United Nations defines natural disaster as â€Å"the consequences of events triggered by natural hazards that overwhelm local response capacity and seriously affect the social and economic development of a region.†