Friday, 24 May 2013

Using the FOUR categories


Teachers have been using these four categories (Knowledge and Understanding, Thinking, Application, and Communication) to grade students for the past 10 years. I believe that the four categories are necessary to assess students in their learning development in any subject area.  The categories help teachers to really diagnose where the students strengths and weakness lie.  Teachers can then take those assessments and make the appropriate modifications and/or accommodations for the students, as well as communicate to parents more specifically areas their son or daughter need to improve on.  The problem is using the four categories effectively, and I feel teachers have trouble figuring out what question belongs to which of the four categories (Knowledge and Understanding, Application, Thinking, and Communication). That being said, teachers need to be given more resources and workshops to understand how to use the four categories properly in order for them to be an effective tool in the classroom.

I am still trying to learn and understand how the four categories are used properly in assessing students.  I feel that the four categories are necessary to assess cognitive skills needed to be successful.  They are also a great tool to help teachers focus not only on students’ understanding of knowledge, but also on the development of skills such as thinking, communication and application.  

As an educator, I am willing to learn how the four categories can be used more effectively!

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