I think that how assessment of digital writing changes most markedly from the assessment of writing in general is considering the choices students made in conveying their ideas. Let's face it, in English class there are a limited number of options in how students will write essays or short stories, for example, and a few more choices in how they might create poems. Compare that with giving digital choices, as we were today in class, and those opportunities for individuality are innumerable. So, did students consider all of the usual factors in writing - audience, content, voice, organization, use of evidence, word choice, language conventions, etc. - and choose mediums that best illustrate their ideas in a coherent manner? If so, they are probably on track.
In some educational circles it is controversial to discuss the assessment of effort and creativity, but digital mediums lend themselves well to both. Did students challenge themselves to try new programs or use multiple modalities to meet the expectations set for the assignment and the needs of their audience? Did they make connections that are fresh and interesting? As we talk about these new literacies, we keep coming back to ideas of innovation, problem solving, connections, and using multi-media. As we encourage our students to expand their thinking and to reach wider audiences than we ever could in our lives as K-12 students, effort and creativity are increasingly part of the equation.
As part of the assessment of any writing, but even more so with digital writing, is the need for the inclusion of self-assessment. With so many possibilities, students need time to reflect on their processes, medium choices, effective communication of the message to the audience, etc. With more consideration on the process and those pitfalls and possibilities that we have been discussing, students will challenge themselves and each other to bigger and better end results.
No comments:
Post a Comment