Can you share some more information with us about the goals of the EVST minor ? What is your vison on the assessment or the EVST minor?
The Environmental Values & Sustainable Transformation (EVST) minor aims to foster a learning community that tackles some of the most critical challenges of our time through the lenses of environmental philosophy and critical social sciences. Throughout the program, students delve into the complex interplay between human values and the environment, equipping themselves with the academic knowledge and practical skills necessary to drive meaningful change. They engage with a wide array of perspectives, collaborate with like-minded peers, and receive guidance from dedicated faculty who are experts in their respective fields.
Margoth joined the EVST team as a Learning Experience Designer and proposed a diverse range of assessment methods that extend beyond traditional essays. This innovative approach encourages students to explore various skills, step out of their comfort zones, and ultimately produce different forms of media as evidence of their learning journey. Margoth believes that education should prepare students to tackle the complex, global issues we face. In an era of declining student enrollments and growing skepticism about the relevance of degrees, such innovative assessments could be pivotal in engaging students and showcasing the true value of their education.
Can you provide specific examples of alternative assessments you implement in the Wellbeing minor?
The EVST minor utilizes a variety of innovative assessment methods that transcend conventional formats like exams and essays, thereby tapping into students' creativity, critical thinking, and personal motivations. These methods include:
- Structured Philosophical Dialogues: Students engage in deep, meaningful discussions to demonstrate their understanding of concepts within the learning community. This method encourages critical analysis and reflective thinking.
- DIY Zines for Science Communication: Students are encouraged to create tangible, self-published magazines that convey scientific ideas in an accessible and creative manner. This approach fosters creativity and enables students to practice science communication effectively.
- Immersive Experiences: Through hands-on, interactive experiences at the DesignLab, students explore value transformations related to sustainability. This immersive approach helps students connect theoretical knowledge with practical applications.
- Serious Games and Role-Playing: Role-playing games are employed to delve into complex topics such as climate change. This method allows students to understand various perspectives and enhances their problem-solving and empathy skills.
- Field Trips: Experiential learning is facilitated through visits to relevant sites, providing students with opportunities to contextualize classroom learning in real-world settings. These trips deepen their understanding and appreciation of environmental issues.
- Media Projects (e.g., Video Creation): For final assessments, students create media projects, such as videos, to communicate scientific information to a broader audience. This approach teaches students how to use storytelling effectively to convey complex ideas, enhancing their communication skills and creativity.
How do alternative assessments align with your course goals and objectives? Do they reinforce student learning better than traditional methods?
Margoth advocates for alternative assessments to be closely aligned with the educational goals and learning objectives of the course/program to ensure a comprehensive and impactful learning experience. She believes that traditional assessments, such as exams and essays, often emphasize memorization and the ability to recall information and, furthermore, this approach is increasingly problematic with the rise of generative AI, which heightens the risk of unethical academic conduct in essay and paper submissions. In contrast, alternative assessments promote critical thinking, creativity, and the practical application of knowledge in real-world contexts, offering a more robust and meaningful evaluation of student learning.
Margoth emphasizes the importance of incorporating a balanced mix of traditional and alternative assessments. She insists that core learning should not be compromised for the sake of novelty or entertainment. For this reason, she believes that innovative assessments should enhance the learning experience rather than replace essential content. By integrating fundamental concepts with creative exploration, educators can foster a meaningful and engaging environment where students are motivated to learn deeply and reflect on their experiences.
What are the challenges of implementing alternative forms of assessment and are these challenges the reason why we still consider it alternative ?
One major challenge is ensuring that all students engage deeply and see these assessments as meaningful learning opportunities rather than just requirements to pass. Another challenge is designing assessments that balance creativity with core academic content, avoiding the risk of focusing on novelty at the expense of essential learning.
She also mentions the difficulty of achieving alignment among interdisciplinary teams, as different disciplines may have varying priorities and perspectives on what constitutes effective assessment. These challenges require careful planning, open communication, and sometimes mediation among educators. Margoth suggests that alternative assessments remain "alternative" because they require careful balancing with traditional methods, more effort to design, and face resistance from educators accustomed to traditional assessments.
What tools, resources, and technologies do you use to design, facilitate, and manage your alternative assessments? What sort of rubrics or criteria do you use ?
We utilized a diverse array of tools and resources to design and manage alternative assessments that foster creativity and deep engagement:
- Portflow: This tool enables the creation of interactive student portfolios that visually showcase learning. These portfolios can be shared externally, providing valuable opportunities for job applications and internships.
- Canvas: While this learning management system offers limited flexibility for innovative assessments, efforts were made to enhance its engagement. As our central platform for course management, we focused on making the user experience more intuitive by incorporating various navigational elements and reducing text overload.
- Buddy Check: A valuable tool for conducting peer evaluations on collaborative work, Buddy Check promotes self-reflection and helps students assess their own performance.
- Quizzes: Quizzes serve to reinforce learning and provide immediate feedback on students' understanding, making them an essential component of the assessment strategy.
I prefer single-point rubrics focused on constructive feedback rather than numerical grades. For assessing student deliverables, we provide feedback on "glows" (strengths) – green light and "grows" (areas for improvement) – yellow light. Inspired by my experience in the UCT/ATLAS program, these rubrics emphasize continuous growth and self-directed learning. Students are encouraged to reflect critically on feedback to improve and take ownership of their learning. This approach fosters a more formative, developmental process instead of just grading performance.
What advice would you give to educators who are considering transitioning to alternative assessment methods?
Based on my experience, I advise educators to:
- Stay curious and learn from diverse fields like art, activism, and politics to create more engaging and relevant education.
- Prioritize collaboration in interdisciplinary teams, valuing diverse contributions and fostering open dialogue to bridge gaps in understanding.
- Embrace creativity in teaching and assessment to make education transformative. Design assessments that challenge students and connect learning to real-world issues.
- Create safe, inclusive environments where students feel empowered to explore, take risks, and express themselves, promoting deeper and more meaningful learning.