Several weeks ago we were discussing testing and evaluation (me, Marco Polo 1, 2, and Aaron at Teacher in Development). Basically the discussion revolved around whether it was evaluation itself or poorly-implemented evalution that smothers learning, and I think that, after much writing and explaining, we all realized that basically we all agreed (kind of).

Anyway the post Learning, assessment, outcomes, ecologies by George Siemens makes some great points about this issue:

Evaluation is part of the teaching and learning process. A good grade is certainly desirable, but if our teaching/learning processes have been well thought out, learners who are competent should know they will do well. By the time a learner is finished a “courses”, she should know where she is in terms of grades. As an instructor, I should provide continual feedback against which a learner can sharpen and measure his/her own thinking. The evaluation outcome should not be a surprise to the learner. Unfortunately, we make the grades the focus (instead of the learning), and our learners think that the reason they are taking our courses is to get a certain grade. In reality, the focus of evaluation is to ensure that a learner has a framework upon which she/he can build and function within a field or within society as a whole. The grade, while mandated, is really one of the least valuable parts of the entire learning process.

I like how throughout the post Siemens navigates (carefully) between the need for feedback and where its limits lie, and the opportunities for learner-defined paths and measuring pre-established outcomes. I think this is exactly the tightrope we have to find our balance on (although maybe “the” answer isn’t found on a dualistic tightrope but rather in a third way). How to actually implement this is the key of course. I would love to see some action research or case studies that exemplify the concepts that are relatively easy to blog about but really tough to put into practice, especially in institutions. If anyone can steer me towards some linkage it’d be great.