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Its main feature is that it operates self-monitoring, self-evaluation, and evaluation of each other’s work in addition to teacher evaluation. “External” persons (parents, professionals from partner companies) also often take part in the evaluation, e.g. when presenting the product.
Project-based learning requires a number of assessment methods, complex assessment.
We need to evaluate the realization of curriculum goals, the competencies we want to develop, and the development of high-quality thinking. For performance evaluation, we need to define a variety of indicators or criteria to enable students with different abilities and values to succeed.
We also need to create a plan for the evaluation, and we need to develop tools for that. Balanced project evaluation consists of a developer evaluation, a performance or demonstration evaluation, and a qualifying evaluation.
We must also give students the opportunity to demonstrate and present their acquired knowledge, for example in the form of a film, a lecture, a product or an exhibition. The evaluation of this is the performance or presentation evaluation.
When planning a project, a detailed work plan should be prepared, stating which of the members of the group is responsible for which sub-process and when to complete the task assigned to it. After all this, a project diary and a portfolio are kept during the work, so it is transparent to the external observer, evaluator, ie the teacher, who is responsible for what and why.
When evaluating, we can use a weighted evaluation table (headings), in which we introduce at the time of planning how much the contribution of the undertaken tasks to the project and to the group is considered in relation to the quality of their performance. This will make it easier for students to take on the task, as they know in advance what they will undertake and how much it will “bring” them to the assessment.
At the end of the project, we should also take the time to discuss the learning process with the students, analyzing what and how they learned; talk to them about the main issue, usually the learning process and outcome, and the project product. In this case, we have the opportunity to formulate the lessons learned at the individual and group level, both by the students and the teachers, which we can use in the next project. (reflection).
Authentic evaluation is also very common, meaning that practice confirms the success of the task, for example by reducing the school’s energy consumption or using the selective waste bin set up during the project.
- The application of the project method can also have a developmental effect on the Hungarian pedagogical practice, because it is an excellent field for trying out and practicing the modern ideas and methods of pedagogical evaluation.
- Project pedagogy provides excellent opportunities for each student to assess the adaptability of their own knowledge in part based on the manifestations of the small group to which they belong.
- During the project, intensive, complex activities take place in the small group, which means that the knowledge, ideas, abilities and skills of each member are tested at almost every moment.
- Projects may be purpose related to some very specific curriculum content and requirements. In such cases, one of the aims of pedagogical assessment is to determine the extent to which students meet these curriculum requirements as a result of the learning process. Such assessment requires the methods that can be used to measure the effectiveness related to the content of a specific curriculum and the development of abilities and skills.
- However, the work done on the projects should be evaluated from other perspectives as well. The projects, like all other educational processes, also serve more comprehensive educational and development purposes; progress in these should also be assessed.
Difficulties of the method:
- It cannot be evaluated with a traditional classification, it can be difficult to learn the new evaluation way of thinking and tools
- Continuous feedback and communication is more important than the product itself. The feedback method helps the project move in the right direction. The control of the sub-processes and partial results (both by the students and the teacher) is a particularly big job in order to make the implementation of the project successful in terms of quality and schedule.
- In the case of group-based teaching methods, the most problematic is the joint assessment of the group and the individual assessment of those working in it. The question is who and how can evaluate the individual contribution of team members to working together.
- The combined result of the group is seen in the common product, and the individual contributions are best appreciated by the members of the group. (this is also the strength of project pedagogy if it is done according to the project method)
- It is a mistake to consider only the results of good cooperation or only joint reports, as the joint performance of the group can be good or bad, but only the new knowledge and development of their skills gained through working together can be considered a successful activity of each student.
The qualitative evaluation of the results of the project can be grouped as follows:
- The competencies whose development we articulated during the design of the project
- The work should also be evaluated in terms of learning. The learning processes that took place in the project implementation should be taken into account.
- The quality of the cooperation, the organization in the groups, the development of the ability to cooperate. The work must therefore also be evaluated in terms of the development of social relations.
- Work should also be evaluated from the perspective of the individual. How he was able to work with the group, whether he had conflicts, and how they were resolved, how much and how he learned during the project work, how useful he felt it was.
- Creativity during the implementation of the project
- The development of self-employment, how well the students were able to do this, what problems arose
- Evaluation of the aesthetic and professional quality of the final products
- It is essential to evaluate the planning of the project and the implementation of the plan.
DIGITAL TOOLS CAN BE USED FOR EVERY EVALUATION!
How is the project evaluated?
"For both groups, there are seven main students and one accompanying teacher. If they don't do anything at all, that's a bad mark. One aspect of evaluation is what the product itself is. You may have criteria to be professionally okay, formally okay, linguistically okay. These are very similar to the aspects already known to students in simple homework. I also ask for the plan, so I like to see and consult with the students from time to time to see how the collaboration between them works, and there are times when it looks like there are four kids together, and that’s actually three plus one. I also like to appreciate or discuss collaboration, but ticketing is a different topic." (TEACHER)
Project subjects can come from some different subjects (e.g. drawing and visual culture, travel and tourism). What does that mean?
"Verbal exams can be triggered by a project, such as a portfolio of travel and tourism. It can be an area with a domestic or international tourist attraction. Make a well-illustrated recommendation, promotional material that presents the values of the area, enticing and eye-catching. It is necessary to put together a one-week or multi-day program, to provide travel, accommodation, meals. Information about prices, insurance, special needs - e.g. the possibility of travelling with a dog, etc. The entire process of preparation should be documented in constant consultation with the graduation teacher. He/she includes in the evaluation the planning of the portfolio creation, the schedule of the implementation, the authenticity of the content, the quality of the presentation." (TEACHER).