Assessment for learning involves a type of assessment that is formative in nature in contrast to assessment of learning which is predominantly summative in nature. The results of such assessment provide information about the strengths and weaknesses of a learner related to a particular task, topic or subject area and this feedback then helps in planning required teaching-learning work in a classroom situation.
Here a teacher switches over his role from a dominating position to a well wisher, facilitator and helper always standing by his students for arranging what is needed by them in their task of learning and development. The students themselves have to learn and make efforts from their side. No direct instruction or demonstration is available from the teacher's side. However, as a facilitator, a teacher has to help students in setting their learning goals, arranging better teaching learning situations, selecting appropriate learning styles, using appropriate devices and aids in tune with their capacities and potential for learning and striving. He is there to guide their path and assist them in their learning.
Here cognitivism and constructivism emerge on the teaching-learning scene in place of the traditional behaviouristic perspective. The responsibility of learning is to be owned by the learner himself. However, in doing so he may need timely assistance, guidance and help from the teacher.
The role of the facilitator played by the teacher thus may result in guided discovery as proposed by Jerome Bruner in his guided discovery approach and scaffolding as suggested by Lev Vygotsky in his social constructionist learning.
Now, a teacher can help the students in carrying out the task of assessment for learning by playing the role of a facilitator so that they may get timely feedback in relation to their further learning in the following ways-
Self-Assessment in its word meaning stands for a type of assessment of the self that is made by student or learner quite independently at his own.
A teacher while playing the role of a facilitator should try to encourage and smoothen the task of self-assessment in the following ways-
While giving training to the students, some useful skills and tricks in playing a game may be encouraged from time to time during practice and rehearsal exercises. In this way, during a real sports event, students may themselves realize, experience or judge the impact of training on their performance.
Students while learning to solve problems of a particular topic of a subject (like Economics, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics and Statistics etc.) may be encouraged to undergo self-assessment by assigning them similar problems from textbooks. They may then score their performances with the help of answers available in the textbook.
Students may be provided the facilities of looking at the model performances of the activities they are working on. They may then easily self-evaluate their work, product and learning outcome by comparing their efforts with the models available to them.
The students may be encouraged to have audio-video recording of their performances and to have assessment of their performances by comparing it with their own previous performances as well as model performances required on their part.
In school, the classmates are found quite close to each other. They understand each other's potential and way of expression and thus are a good source for assessing each other's potential or learning.
A teacher while playing the role of a facilitator should try to encourage and smoothen this useful mode of assessment in the following ways-
More knowledgeable and bright students of the class may be asked to supervise and guide the work of less knowledgeable and the students who are lagging behind in a subject or skill area and assist them to come out with encouraging results.
A questionnaire containing items helpful in the assessment of the learning, performance and behavioural outcomes of the peers may be given to the students of the class by the class teacher. They may also be asked by the teacher to rate the performance or learning of their peers.
Assessment task of the peers can be carried out with the help of sociograms and social distance scales to assess the social nature, qualities, interaction and behaviour of the students of a group or class. Students try to judge, rate and provide their opinion about each other.
While working in a group, the group members should take a collective responsibility of assessing the progress of the group work under the able leadership of their group leader.
The teacher should provide all the needed guidance and assistance to the students as a part of his role as facilitator for carrying out the assessment for learning of the group and individual performance of the students.