To be assessed or not to be? To grade or not to grade?
What is the Learning outcome?
Who I am in this space? Am I just ticking boxes or fostering , enabling values and imaginations in Arts?
Is my postionality and ethical activities in Education and in my everyday life making a change in my space as a teacher in Arts Education?
Processing Course design
methodology- Teacher/Student Interaction.
Values:
- to respect individual learners and diverse learning communities and ethical values.
- Promoting participation in Higher Education and equality of opportunity for learners.
- Bridging or closing the gap on knowing that, and knowing-how, which Higher Education Initiatives have so far pushed for greater attention to process knowledge, experimenting knowledge and ‘know-how’. Orr and Shreeve(2018), argue that Arts and Design pedagogy has contributed to that.
Learning not teaching is the central concern of a teacher. In Arts, course aims should be a balance and relationship between theories and practices. The key knowledge skills and attributes (knowing, doing and being) that are developed through the course , the key teaching, learning and assessment approaches that reflect ones collective values.
Toolkit:
-Bringing in my sense of identity and belonging.
-Compassionate pedagogy- feeling like I am part of the institution by encouraging the students to bring their identity and experience into the classroom.
Looking at different ways of marking and assessing pass/fail or grading system, some student hate it because, it does not reduce the anxiety of knowing where they pass or fail.
There is limitation in creating a curriculum and learning outcome to fit all students, who from different learning backgrounds, routes, experiences and privileges.Some students are more equipped with time, finances, abled than others. This is not taken into account with the grades marking. Assessment criteria does not take into account barriers in communication like English as a second language. Culture is another barrier factor in interpreting creativity. I often come across students who their course leaders asked to change their designs because it did not align with or it is too cultural and cannot be understood. If the student refuses to change the design , he/she is marked down.
A regimental assessment system does not compensate for creativity especially where the marker does not understand the culture and the positionality of the student’s work.
However, Assessment gives structure, allows teachers to plan and tailor teaching content around specific needs. It also enable student to certain contractual commitments. Students could make claims of learning Outcomes not met.