Module 5 Reflection

Module 5 “The Taxonomy of Assessment” urged us to include ever increasing levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy learning objectives in our instruction. I couldn’t help but notice the relationship between Module 5 and Module 2. Module 2 began the thought process of designing a learning environment that is more student-centered than teacher-centered. As Professor Datta Kaur stated in Module 2-Background “Assessment choices are important considerations in creating powerful online learning environments that embrace diversity, authentic learning contexts and meaningful communication, reflection, and presentation of knowledge, creativity, discovery and wisdom.”

If we effectively progress students upwards in Bloom’s Taxonomy in this new collaborative online learning environment then we should also match our assessment tools to this type of learning environment. We gained some practical hands-on experience with these assessment tools during our group mid-terms and are in the process of defining how best to use these tools effectively.

For me, the biggest difference between face-to-face learning vs. the online learning environment is that the student-centered online environment is all about communication. It takes place continually and on many levels. It is always in motion - not just the static one-way form of assessment where teacher presents, student studies (usually by themselves), and then regurgitates the knowledge by taking an exam.

Our use of these new assessment tools speaks to the way technology has been integrated into all areas of students’ lives, not just in the learning environment. Teachers can use these new assessment tools to assess the effectiveness of course objectives and track student movement through the Taxonomy levels.