Questioning and Assessment Techniques

It is important to assess, evaluate, and document student learning in the classroom in

order to take students to the next level of their education. This can take shape in different kinds
of methods from formative to summative assessments. However, it is important to continuously
include formative assessments throughout the lesson. Not only does this serve as a gage for the
teacher as to what the student has learned, but it also allows the teacher to know where to modify
the lesson if the delivery is causing students difficulty to understand.
As a student in the UTeach program, I was able to implement a lesson in which various
forms of formative assessment were utilized. During direct teacher instruction, I incorporated
different group and individual activities that tested student knowledge. While students worked in
groups, I was able to able to facilitate discussions and follow-up with inquiry-based questions.
As a form of a summative assessment, the class had to investigate a crime-scene and report their
findings to the class. I was able to assess their process of thinking and how they used the content
terminology.
In the analysis of my teaching, critiques of my student questioning are made and student
answers are analyzed. It is important to do this in order to improve subsequent questioning and
assessments.
Additionally, I was also able to implement a 3-day PBI lesson about expression of
proteins for a high school biology classroom. The first and second days were filled with
workshops and group activities. This gave my teaching partner and me an opportunity to monitor
student learning by going to each group to listen to their discussions and ask follow-up questions.
At the end of the second day, we administered a quiz in order to see individual progress. The
results showed that there were several misconceptions. The next morning, we spend 15 minutes
in an interactive activity in order to address the misconceptions. From student response, we were
able to tell that the topics were clearer to them. When students turned in their projects we were
able to see how these concepts were applied.