Arlene D. Manginsay: What do we need to do to increase the quality of assessment FOR learning?

As we all know, the purpose of assessment for learning is promote further improvement of student learning during the learning process and to involve students in the ongoing assessment of their own achievement. Its results are used primarily by the good of the students, educators, and parents by helping them see and hit the target/s and identify and respond to student needs.

The role of teacher in Assessment for Learning is to inform students of targets, build assessments, adjust instruction, involve students in assessment, and create and maintain a balanced assessment system that includes high quality assessments of and for student learning.

These are good motives but sad to note only a few knew all these things. It’s really a reality that our present educational system lacks further considerations on the common learners particularly the less privilege. If we reflect on these situations, this is a challenge to all of us who are part of the Philippine Educational System.

So to increase the quality of assessment for learning, we the molders of the learners must exceed the latter’s expectations. We must exercise discretion, demonstrate the exception, not the rule. We should also exhaust all avenues to help the learners by providing them exact information; exhibit a positive outlook, expand our ideas and go the extra mile. And we should extract as much information as needed by the learners by giving more examples and offer excellent service.

The above intentions will be realized if we believe in the Potential of All Children to Excel Intellectually and that each and every child can excel academically. What we can do is to take the personal responsibility for ensuring high academic achievement for every child and demonstrate the personal drive and commitment to eliminate the disparity of educational quality that exists. Furthermore, we must have the commitment to assess the Ongoing Learning of our learners.

And lastly, we can achieve quality assessment for learning if in Learning we will follow the acronym found in the word LEARN: L-isten with Love to the insights shared to us; E-njoy ,let the learners feel that they are part of the learning process; A-ppreciate all the knowledge and feedbacks imparted to us; R-eflect on experiences to grow and develop humility and willingness to continually improve ; and N-urture the learners by possessing written and verbal skills to communicate with clarity, conciseness, and appropriateness to multiple stakeholders and understand where they are coming from, what they need, and how to meet their needs.