Helen Hu 2008/05/25

I enjoyed the atmosphere that Dr. Edmond Ko created and learned a lot from his unique presentation skills with energetic voice, natural gesture, positive attitude as well as humorous ways of delivering the serious topic” Dispelling the Myths: Assessment of Teaching Competencies and Affective Outcomes” 

In the beginning of the presentation, he outlined the three expectations which were describing two myths that often act as a hindrance to good learning and teaching practices, arguing why they are myths and providing a common framework for dealing with them positively and productively to attract audience’s attention.

The two Myths are

1.     It is impossible to evaluate teaching effectiveness accurately and credibly.

2.     It is impossible to teach affective outcomes to students. After all, such outcomes cannot be assessed.

However, those two myths are damaging in different ways. For examples, they are used as  excuses not to reward teachers, not to take teaching accomplishments seriously, meanwhile, not to focus on the whole person development of the students.

Dr. Ko also provided us the hard evidences from the research literature to further explain effective teaching can be evaluated and affective outcomes can be assessed. Later on, he gave us a common framework of assessment with four steps as followed,

1.     Start with a clear set of competencies

2.     Collect data from multiple sources including self assessment, peer assessment

3.     Use a portfolio approach

4.     Provide evidence of commitment to continuous improvement

Dr. Ko also provided us a model of CARE to simplify the framework of assessment which impressed me a lot.

C—Competency clearly defined (the ability to consistently apply a set of knowledge, skills and attitude to meet specified performance standards in the workplace.)

A—Assessment with multiple sources of data

R—Review of evidence

E—Enhancement of the process and outcomes (including knowledge outcomes: what you know, skill outcome: what you can do, and attitudinal or affective outcome: a desire to do what needs to be done) 

I was pretty excited about his seven principles for good practice in higher education, however, I believe those principles are not specific for higher education; they can also work for primary education.

Here are the seven principles for good practice:

1.     Encourage contacts between students and faculty

2.     Develops reciprocity and cooperation among students

3.     Uses active learning techniques

4.     Gives prompt feedback

5.     Emphasizes time on task

6.     Communicates high expectations

7.     Respects diverse talents and ways of teaching

I agreed with those principles for good practices, especially, mutual communications and interactions among students and teachers with prompt feedback, understandable expectations, as well as respectful attitude toward diverse talents are essential.

Dr. Ko’s ten effective evidence-informed pedagogic principles helped me examine my own teaching and encouraged me to reflect my own previous experiences.

1.     Equips learners for life in its broadest sense

2.     Engages with valued forms of knowledge

3.     Recognizes the importance of prior experience and learning

4.     Requires learning to be scaffolded

5.     Needs assessment to be congruent with learning

6.     Promotes the active engagement of learners

7.     Fosters both individual and social processes and outcomes

8.     Recognizes the importance of informal learning

9.     Depends on the learning of all those who support the learning of others

10. Demands consistence policy framework with support for learning as their primary focus

So far, I think I am active in engaging with valued forms of knowledge and linking students’ prior experiences with learning. Besides, I also believe helpful and meaningful interactions can be viewed as “Scaffold” and facilitate students’ learning. Therefore, as a well-prepared teacher, I should have clear goals, adequate preparation, appropriate teaching and assessment methods, effective presentation as well as reflective critique before teaching, during teaching and post teaching.

Furthermore, Dr. Ko introduced the concepts of using teaching portfolios in order to have the most comprehensive information for measuring many outcomes, offer continuous performance appraisals and behavioral observation and provide the evaluation of professional skills. Moreover, the contents of a teaching portfolio which  include self assessment ( philosophy statement, reflective practices), peer assessment ( peer review of teaching and instructional materials), course evaluation results, instructional materials, and other supportive materials also gave me a clear idea of the teaching portfolio. However, it wouldn’t be easy to build up the habit of collecting those materials and data. In addition, Dr. Ko further provided us a quality loop followed by the circulation of four stages: plan, do, review, and act. The concept inspired me to focus more on learners-orientated assessment. Besides, teaching as well as learning should be viewed as a commitment to continuous improvement. As a teacher or even a learner, we have to learn from our own mistakes. Due to the reason that everyone should be given chances to learn better. Students should be actively engaged in the assessment process. The sufficient and appropriate feedback for students’ performance, their learning and actions both from teachers or peers should be provided in details and in time. After all, we care our students and we wish them to become intrinsically motivated and acquire the habits to be reflective, self-regulated learners.

Dr. Ko concluded his presentation with clear summaries which are as followed.

1.     Myths exist in learning and teaching because we often rely on our own experiences instead of published research results. (Therefore, I shouldn’t rely too much on my previous experiences, whereas I should consult with hard evidences and correct my traditional concepts of teaching and learning.)

2.     As reflective practitioners, we need to collect hard evidence to turn scholarly teaching to the scholarship of teaching. ( I will follow the quality loop to examine my own teaching and students’ learning and let teaching as well as learning become a commitment to continuous improvement)

3.     After all, we care about the learning and development of our students. ( I do care about my students’ continuous development, therefore, the learners-centered assessment with portfolios and sufficient feedback is essential.