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Knowledge Build Essay
Knowledge Build Essay
Knowledge Build Essay
Kaitlyn Meador
Caitlin Fox
Within the field of education, assessment is arguably one of the most important tools
used to progress student learning and understanding inside the classroom. Every educator’s goal
and purpose is for students to advance their level of comprehension and knowledge of the
intended material, and assessment is a valuable method that gauges the degree to which this is
occurring. This evaluation of student learning provides teachers with a direction and offers both
students and teachers information on what is required to reach the final destination of learning
outcomes. Although assessment is an essential instrument in education, there are many methods
in which it is facilitated in the classroom. One 20-year veteran classroom teacher that is
particularly progressive with his methods of assessment is Mark Barnes. As an educator, Barnes
believes in a student-centered classroom that rejects all traditional methods of teaching and
facilitates a learning environment that is only focused on knowledge outcomes instead of formal
grades (ASCD Author, 2018). Within this essay, I will critically evaluate the methods of
assessment that Mark Barnes suggests will solve the many problems of assessment we see in the
In his TED talk, Changing Assessment: Four Simple Words, Mark Barnes suggests that
assessment is the biggest problem in education. As he explains, this is because the focus of
student learning revolves around percentages, letters and numbers instead of level of
understanding and outcomes (Barnes, 2014). Moreover, a visible disconnect exists between
intended learning and methods of assessment. This is facilitated by the realization that instructors
attempt to measure the assignment, task or project before attempting to measure student learning
(Barnes, 2014). The solution to this problem, as Mark Barnes advocates, is to facilitate
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assessment as a conversation between student and teacher. More specifically, this conversation
should center on the four simple words: summarize, explain, redirect, and resubmit (SE2R)
(Barnes, 2014). Within this conversational method of assessment, the teacher is responsible for
summarizing the student’s submitted work, explaining the elements that need improvement or a
deeper level of student understanding, redirecting the student’s focus on the specific components
of the learning task requiring progression and encouraging the student to resubmit the
assignment (Barnes, 2014). As Barnes suggests, SE2R allows students the opportunity to be
apart of the discussion around assessment and provides students with a voice that traditional
assessment methods do not afford them. Finally, Mark Barnes completes the TED talk by
evaluated based on numbers, but instead a no grades classroom that facilitates continuous student
By conversing with students about their current understandings of the specific learning
outcome, where they need to progress to with their learning, and providing detailed steps they
can take to reach that end goal, the SE2R method could be effectively used as a formative
assessment tool in the classroom. Assessment for learning is valuable for both student and
teacher. It provides students with information about where they are and how they can progress
their learning, while informing teachers about where they need to make adjustments in their
instruction (Bennett & Mulgrew, 2015). Furthermore, the conversational basis of this formative
assessment may effectively reduce student confusion on what is needed to achieve success, as
feedback is personalized and direct (Bennett & Mulgrew, 2010). Dialogue between student and
teacher “provides the opportunity for the teacher to respond to and reorient a pupil’s thinking”
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(Black &, Wiliam, p. 7, 1998) and reminds the student to engage in thoughtful reflection. SE2R
is an individualized formative assessment tool that allows for beneficial and meaningful
communication between teacher and student, situating it as a valuable tool for everyone in the
classroom.
only feedback to the student in the absence of a formal grade or mark. This is an important factor
as it has been shown that student achievement only benefits from feedback in the form of
comments alone. When student feedback includes comments and a formal mark, or a grade
(Butler, 1988). This situates SE2R as an effective formative assessment tool with the potential to
progress student achievement as students receive feedback only in the form of individualized
comments. In addition, a study conducted by Hattie and Timperley (2007) found that feedback is
a formative assessment tool with an incredible amount of influence on student achievement and
relationship however, can be positive or negative depending on how the teacher executives this
assessment method within the classroom. Feedback is most effective when it addresses the
specific learning goals, the progress being made toward the goals and steps needed to be taken to
achieve the final desired outcomes (Hattie & Timperley, 2007). Furthermore, feedback is most
successful when it is individualized to each student and the teachers effective scaffolds to meet
individual academic level of conception, when it focuses on qualities of student work, and when
it lacks comparison to other pupils (Bennett & Mulgrew, 2010; Black & Wiliam, 1998; Hattie &
Timperley, 2007). As a result, the teacher holds a great amount of power in relation to the
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effectiveness of feedback. SE2R could be used as an efficient formative assessment tool in the
classroom as long as the teacher utilizes it in accordance with these essential components.
Although the SE2R method facilitates formative assessment from teacher to student, it is
as a formative assessment tool involves students’ ability to critique their own work to determine
their strengths and weakness it terms of what they need to do more of and less of to improve the
final product (Weimer, 2014). This is an important skill to develop because accuracy and ability
to self-assess correspond with an increase in student commitment and learner efficacy (Black &
Wiliam, 1998). Students need multiple opportunities to train themselves in self-assessment and
practice the skills required to become more accurate in judging the quality of their work (Black
& Wiliam, 1998). The SE2R method does not afford students this opportunity as the evaluation
of student work comes directly from the teacher. In addition, peer-assessment is an essential skill
students are not able to develop within this formative assessment method. The ability to critique
a peers work based on a set of specific criteria, and the capacity to accept criticisms on ones own
piece of work are essential skills for students to build that translate beyond the classroom
assessment tool between teacher and student, however with small adjustments it could be used as
a peer-assessment or self-assessment for learning. Students can assess themselves and their peers
as long as they are provided clear and specific criteria that target the intended learning outcome
and provide a framework for what students must explicitly do to achieve the end goal (Black &
Wiliam, 1998). Therefore, teachers must have meaningful learning activities that correspond
with the curriculum and learning outcomes, and are broken down into specific and clear criteria
that communicate to students what exactly is expected of them (Bennett & Mulgrew, 2015).
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To Focusing Questions
1. Will this method of assessment contribute to the lack of accountability we see in students
today, or will it teach students that there is always room for self-improvement and
continued learning?
evaluate student understanding and redirect focus towards intended learning, does this
accountability because of the experiences I had teaching in my third year practicum. I found it
difficult to motivate all students to be engaged in any lesson or learning activity I was facilitating
in the classroom, regardless of instructional strategy. In addition, many students were reluctant to
put any effort into learning activities that were not being taken in for grading purposes. When the
students knew a learning task was going to be used as a summative assessment, they wanted
confirmation that they were correct and accurate on each step of the assignment at hand. Students
did not take initiative in the classroom and had no responsibility over their own learning. My fear
about the SE2R method of formative assessment is that students will not put in the effort and
take responsibility for their own learning when they know the teacher will assess their work,
provide them with specific steps to meet the criteria of the learning task and allow them the
opportunity to make those revisions and resubmit for grading. Although I see the value in
conversing with students to identify areas in which their works needs improvement and the
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means in which they can address those shortcomings, I also believe it is important to facilitate
student accountability and responsibility in the part they play in their own learning.
The second focusing question previously suggested about the lack of opportunities for
students to develop self-assessment skills as a result of the SE2R method stems from my
experiences as both a student and a pre-service teacher. As a student, I see the value in
developing the skills to critique ones own work and determine what is needed to enhance that
work to further progress learning. This ability to self-assess and self-reflect has been essential
during my experience as a university student due to the lack of formative assessment from
essays and exams, not allowing for student feedback along the way. As a result, students need to
have the skills to self-assess their own learning and determine the required adjustments needed to
be successful when it comes time for summative assessment. Since this ability is important in all
opportunity to develop self-assessment skills along the way. The SE2R methods as it stands,
involves the teacher providing specific formative assessment to the student, which may not be
effective in fostering these critical self-assessment skills. Not only do I find this valuable as a
student, but also as a pre-service teacher it does not seem feasible to use the SE2R method to
formatively assess every student on each learning task. Developing self-assessment skills is
valuable for students, and also for teachers as it allows more time for them to devote to other
Final Thoughts
Teaching is more than just regurgitating facts and information that the students are
required to know. It is about developing a relationship with each student, understanding each
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students needs and getting them excited and engaged in the intended learning. The SE2R method
of formative assessment helps facilitate this deeper level of understanding and connection
between teacher and student through the use of conversation. However, this method alone may
not foster the development of self-assessment and peer-assessment skills that are essential for
students to have. If this method could be used at the individual level, and peer level to grow
students’ ability to critique themselves and others, it could support a well-balanced classroom.
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References
authors/mark-barnes.aspx
Barnes, M. (2014, December 08). How four simple words can solve education’s biggest problem
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=JShsO5PvTG4
Bennett, S., & Mulgrew, A. (2010). Scaffolding for student success. Edmonton, AB: Alberta
Assessment Consortium.
Bennett, S., & Mulgrew, A. (2015). Creating credible criteria. Edmonton, AB: Alberta
Assessment Consortium.
Black, P., & Wiliam, D. (1998). Assessment and classroom learning. Assessment in Education:
Butler, R. (1988). Enhancing and undermining intrinsic motivation: The effects of task-involving
Hattie, J., & Timperley, H. (2007). The power of feedback. Review of Educational
Weimer, M. (2014, December 10). Developing students’ self-assessment skills [Web log post].
blog/developing-students-self-assessment-skills/
Weimer, M. (2015, October 29). Peer assessment that improves performance in groups [Web log
assessment-that-improves-performance-in-groups/