Week ? Readings

The end of the semester is in sight and I can tell from how frazzled my brain has become. I read the readings for yesterday but completely forgot to blog about them. Chapter 23 in the H.D.B. book covered assessment and how to define a good assessment AND test. One would think that these two definitions are one in the same but HDB began the chapter with clearly defining the differences in each. An assessment is something that can be an ongoing process such as a formative assessment and it can also be something such as a final letter grade which would be called a summative. HDB gives principles in which a good assessment or test should exemplify:

• Practicality
• Reliability
• Validity
• Authenticity
• Washback

I was not familiar with the term Washback but I find that I have encountered its benefits in the classroom before. Washback can be defined as simply feedback that a teacher gives to her students after an assignment or test is graded. I like what HDB said about the importance of washback and how trivial a letter or score grade can seem when compared to the profound benefits of washback.

Overall I am glad that this Chapter was one of our last as I see the advantages of knowing this material in my future endeavors as a student and as a teacher.