Unit 4: Assessment

What should you consider when creating assessments for cultural responsiveness?

When thinking about assessments for Cultural Responsiveness, it is important to consider the fact that this skill is something that is developed both cognitively and social-emotionally. Therefore, it's important to assess both of these areas for a teacher to gain a genuine insight as to whether a student has mastered Cultural Responsiveness. Even more important is how a teacher assesses herself on her/his practice and consistency of promoting a culturally responsive atmosphere in the classroom. When self-assessing teaching practices and analyzing assessment results, a teacher should also take into account how his/her lessons play a key role in developing students into good citizens. In doing so, a teacher can see the transfer of skills from the classroom to real world settings. In addition, according to Formative Assessment That Truly Informs Instruction, “...Successful teacher assessors view assessment through an inquiry lens, using varying assessments to learn from and with their students in order to adjust classroom practices accordingly” (2013). Therefore, the assessment should not only prove that a student is knowledgeable about cultures around the world, but should also serve as a means of clarifying any content that students had misconceptions with or driving instruction further.

Formal Assessment:

As we discussed in the late unit, project based learning is an excellent method to consider to formally assess cultural responsiveness. As Krajcik and Blumenfeld discuss in chapter 19, “project-based learning allows students to learn by doing and applying ideas” (n.d., p.317). In this particular form of project based learning, a student would be responsible for creating and presenting a virtual passport to develop a stronger sense of cultural responsiveness.

Informal Assessment:

Teachers can also have informal observations, where they examine a students cultural awareness, sympathy, and responsiveness towards their own culture and other cultures. This can be done during any time of the day, especially during periods of time where learners are working more independently (i.e. during group work, classroom discussions, lineup, or lunch). Here, a teacher can casually listen in to conversations to informally assess whether or not they are being respectful to the children around them, especially when it comes to any part of that child's identity. Additionally, a teacher could and should include regular classroom discussions or journal reflections that discuss and reflect on cultural responsiveness each day to routinely promote respect for all. A teacher could even develop a reward system for when a student promotes their own culture or others cultures in a positive manner. This would not only reward a student for showing social-emotional growth, but it would also serve to motivate other students to show cultural responsiveness in their own lives as well.

Appropriate Questioning:

Lastly, a category to consider, whether you are assessing the development of culturally responsive skills or simply giving a student any other assessment, it is essential to ensure that the questions of your assessment are culturally responsive. You want students to feel like they can identify and connect with course material and assessments for the best outcomes.

The following checklist was created by Dr. Kimberly Bilica to compare group work and assessment in a traditional classroom setting verses the group work and assessment that should take place in a culturally responsive classroom:

Exit Ticket:

✎ What are some cultural aspects to consider when creating an assessment?

✎ How might stereotypes play a negative role in creating culturally responsive questions for assessment?

DO: Please take the following SurveyMonkey Final Quiz upon completing this mini-course!

Culturally Responsive Final Quiz

Wrap-Up:

The last activity that I would like you to do for this mini-course is to watch the following video that perfectly sums up what culturally responsiveness is, why it is such an important feature in the classroom, and how we can achieve this pedagogy in our classrooms all over the world!

Culturally Responsive Teaching - Listen to the Silence

References:

Bilica, K. (n.d). Culturally Responsive Classroom Management & Motivation Handbook. https://sites.google.com/site/crmmprojectsite/Home/introduction

Krajcik, J. Blumenfeld, P. (n.d.). The Cambridge Handbook of the Learning Sciences. Chapter 19: Project-Based Learning. Retrieved on April 9, 2018 from https://blackboard.albany.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-3028233-dt-content-rid-15211429_1/courses/2183-ETAP-623-6476/2183-ETAP-623-6476_ImportedContent_20180117032651/Readings/krajcik2006.pdf