Assessing Distance Learning

Matt Thomas and I just got off a Zoom conversation with some outstanding school leaders from across the U.S. We were discussing challenges and opportunities for assessment in these unprecedented times. Here are some of the best ideas and resources that came out of our conversation:

1) This is an opportunity to strip away what does not matter and use assessment to focus on learning. We need to bring more clarity to learning through assessment.
2) Stop calculating GPAs for class rank this year and three years and one semester.
3) Get clear on rubrics for what is expected of student work - helps teachers, students, and parents - possibly try a single point rubric
​4) Make finals metacognitive reflections on the the year.
5) Record Zoom sessions - particularly anything that is one-on-one between teachers and students.
6) Use Flipgrid to collect good evidence of learning - make students synthesize and summarize
7) Focus on deeper, more meaningful learning through more extended work/projects
8) The Online Learning Consortium has been helpful for some leaders thinking about blended learning and assessment.