Li hoje este artigo: “Assessment and Online Teaching” um dos “Australian Flexible Learning Quick Guide Series” da “Australian Flexible Learning Framework”. Data de 5 de Julho de 2004 e apresenta ideias tão importantes que não resisti a transcrevê-las aqui. Mantenho a língua original e os destacados são meus.





“Assessment plays an important part in the learning process – both summative and formative assessments inform progress and guide learning; it is essential to the accreditation process; and, results are used in all sorts of ways to measure outcomes and success of the student, teacher, course, or institute. Self assessment encourages student independence, and helps students develop the necessary skills for autonomous (and lifelong) learning. Assessment, especially when embedded within an ‘authentic’ learning tasks or exercises, can also be an essential part of the learning experience.

Principal reasons why online assessment is of fundamental importance:

– Student learning and behaviour is affected by and often led by assessment requirements

(Ramsden in McLoughlin & Luca 2001).

– When designing learning programs, the assessment criteria and assessment constraints are

usually key determinants of the teaching and learning strategies chosen. (…)

– Effective flexible learning regimes require assessment to be appropriately designed to match the

new learning environments and diverse clientele (ANTA1 in Clayton & Booth 2000; Booth,

Hartcher & Hyde 2002).

There is a new wave of pedagogy advocating ‘alternative assessment’ in which assessment is

integrated with learning processes and real-life performance as opposed to display of ‘inert

knowledge’. Known as ‘authentic assessment’ it is very much based on the constructivist

approach that enables students to demonstrate knowledge by working on authentic tasks,

putting students in control of their own learning (McLoughlin & Luca 2001, p. 421).

(…)

– Developing expertise and capabilities in online assessment can provide market opportunities.” p.3

O artigo tem ainda outro aspecto positivo que é o de apresentar projectos de investigação recentes ou ainda em curso pretendendo colmatar o vazio de informação sobre Avaliação online (vd. p. 4).

Das várias características a ter em conta neste tipo de aprendizagem e avaliação destacamos a flexibilidade que pode, segundo o texto, significar o seguinte:

” . providing assessment choices negotiating assessment tasks to account for student’s circumstances and needs

. providing flexibility in timelines or providing contingency options to cater for unreliability or

differences in technology connections

. providing choice in location of assessment as students do assessment tasks in their place of study which can be home, work or wherever they choose, providing supervision is not required.” (p. 5)

Destaco ainda a lista de desafios apresentados por este tipo de avaliação referidos na página 6. Deixo, também, uma pequena listagem que o documento apresenta de “Online Assessment Options“:

“· Written assignments

· Participation in online discussions

· Essays

· Publication of student work /presentations

· Online quizzes and questions

· Experiential activities, such as role-play

· Collaborative assignment work

· Debates

· Portfolios

· Reviews

· Online Exams (open-book; structured; timed)

· Journals and reflection

· Practicals.” (p.6)

Para terminar… “Assessment strategies and tasks should be aligned to the learning objectives and learning process, and the connection should be made explicit to students so that they can see the relevance of the assessment to the learning task.” (p.8)