Reflection as a means of assessment

Reflection as a means of assessment is a solid way to allow the student to demonstrate learning. There are many ways to allow a student to reflect but the use of technology gives the students more options in the way they can reflect. Podcasts and Blogs are reflection activities that can be incorporated into the lesson planning. These along with short Animoto clips or eBooks made by the students to summarize learning will not only solidify for them what they have learned, but can help them make connections as to why they are learning. The teacher can also very quickly see where the student disconnects are and correct them before formal evaluation of student accumulation of knowledge. These, then, also make great assessment tools. Instead of having students just go through the motions of the labs they can be given questions to consider and answer while involved in the activities and again at the end. This also ties in to KWHL Chart to help wrap up what they are supposed to be learning, how they will accomplish that learning, and what they actually learned. Some other types of Tech-Savvy reflective tools may include the Flat Classroom Project, Project Exchange, Voice Thread, or Classroom Displays as described by Suzie Boss (2009) on Edutopia.


The key advantage of this type of learning is students being able to use what the are comfortable with so the teacher can have a more authentic assessment. The student choices gives them the safety in the classroom needed to explore the learning and express that learning in a manner they can demonstrate what they are wanting to communicate most effectively.

Boss, S., (2009). High tech reflection strategies make learning stick. Edutopia. Retrieved March 25, 2012, from http://www.edutopia.org/student-reflection.