Flippin' Assessment

Inevitably, when a new teaching method is brought into the fold, the concept of assessment is questioned alongside it.  It is no different with the flipped classroom method.  I had those same questions.  If I was to flip my classroom, would that mean that my assessment methods would need to change as well.  The short answer is yes as suggested by Lovvorn and Timmerman (2019).  In their research paper “The Flipped Assessment: Aligning Evaluation of Student Success With the Flipped Classroom”, the pair claim that “the changing goals (increasing student engagement and self-responsibility for class preparation) and styles of instruction require a change in the nature of assessment because different qualities are being evaluated.”

If the goal of flipped classrooms is to increase inclass time for more interactive learning and application of knowledge and acquiring the strengths within a discipline/culture, then we need to make sure that those are the concepts that we are assessing.  The authors make the case that if we are going to be teaching differently and expecting higher level thinking, then that is the way they should be tested/assessed.  If we don’t do this, the authors parrot that it “will lead to dissonance and likely result in students’ dissatisfaction” (Rotellar and Cain 2016).  Instead we don’t want to always be testing for the proof of knowing/regurgitating the knowledge, but instead for the application/usability of the information.  If we want students to “conduct insightful analysis, make prudent choices and solve problems effectively,” we have to teach them how to do that and then assess them in those skills.

The pair go on to suggest a method for moving away from traditional assessments to those more conducive to the FC environment.  I don’t find that what they speak of is actually revolutionary or anything new to most of us.  They say that FC calls for backward design...this is not new.  The cycle proposed constitutes these steps:

• Establish Instructional Objectives  *What can the student DO, not what should they KNOW or REMEMBER?
• Determine Evidence of Attainment  *How will students show use of their knowledge, not mere knowers of it?
• Generate Pre-Activity (Summative) Gate-Checks  *Used to determine a base level of preparedness needed to engage with others later effectively
• Collaboratively Compose Assessment Rubric  *Joint teacher/student effort; should be designed to assess “real world” tasks (report writing, presentation, designing research, making decisions) 
• Select/Construct Formative Activities  *These are low stakes assessments that help students get to the end results/application of material
• Collaboratively Assess Results  *Evaluate the work using the rubric...suggested to be done with the students’ involvement
• Debrief and Incorporate Improvements

What I have continued to struggle with throughout this investigation of FC is thinking about how to incorporate and coordinate the time I would have gained in the classroom with students.  If I’m not lecturing and discussing, what am I doing?  This article suggests the following ideas that are supposed to be “peer-assisted collaborative examples” situating students in authentic experiences.  These are the types of activities that should be assessed.

• Discussion board forums -- While I can see the use of these, I wonder about the amount of “training” that would be needed in order to get students (I teach 6th grade) to do this well...and ideally NOT need too much monitoring for appropriateness.  I also wonder about time constraints regarding posts...in a truly flipped situation, students have up until class to get the work done.  How does that impact the usefulness/seriousness of the assignment?  How do other students who post early affected?
• Case analysis -- though I’ve never used these, I am tempted to.  The trouble going into 2020-21 is the virtualness of this assignment.  The way they are described in the article merits students working together to finalize a defense.  Though I know it CAN be done virtually, I wonder if that is the best use of time and tools?
• Pro and Con Grid -- I really liked this idea of students developing their own individual pro/con list to a situation or issue and then working together in class to develop a finalized list post discussion.  Whole class discussion can follow as well.
• Critical Debates -- I really like this idea.  The past 2 years I have held a very informal debate about Christopher Columbus being a hero or villain.  Students read essays that past students wrote, identify the use of logos, ethos, and pathos, then take a stand and debate in class.  Of all the activities I do throughout the year, this is the one that gets cited as the most exciting and one they’d like to do more of.  
• Dyadic Essays -- This was a new activity for me (I don’t even know the word dyadic).  Students are supposed to develop their own essay question, answer it themselves outside of class.  Then upon returning to class, an exchange happens with classmates who write their own answer to the question.  A discussion follows where students compare their answers, ideally leading to the defense of their thinking/position.  An opportunity to change their position can also occur. 
• Simulation-Based Instruction -- I used to do a simulation on the American Revolution, but it was just too time consuming...too many things to copy, cut out, and steps to follow.  Maybe there are some new ones out there that would be more manageable.  Also, digital simulations could be an option.  I’m thinking of icivics.org.  These are relatively short, self-paced simulations that can be some individually or collaboratively.  

Overall, I glean that assessment in a FC needs to reflect the type of work that is expected of the students.  If application of knowledge is what is being practiced and honed, then assessing that application needs to happen as well, not simply the knowledge gained.

Article Used:

Lovvorn, Al S, and John E Timmerman. “The Flipped Assessment: Aligning Evaluation of Student Success With the Flipped Classroom.” Journal of Excellence in College Teaching, vol. 30, no. 2, 2019, pp. 109–131. ERIC, celt.muohio.edu.mutex.gmu.edu/ject/issue.php?v=30&n=2.