Skip to main content

Week 5: Project-based Learning and Rubrics

 


In this module, our class learned three more concepts: Project-based Learning, Alternative Assessment, and Rubrics, all of which will be reflected in this writing.

With regard to Project-based Learning (PBL), it is defined as “a teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an authentic, engaging, and complex question, problem, or challenge” (PBLWorks, n.d.). Simply put, PBL emphasizes the active role of students in constructing their own knowledge by finding solutions to a specific, usually real-world, problem. This not only helps students to develop critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and problem-solving skills, but also makes their learning experience more fulfilling and meaningful. Though PBL proves to be an effective approach to language teaching, I do not think it is really practical for my class due to the varying proficiency levels of students and the limited instructional time available. 

The second concept covered in the module is Alternative Assessment. Unlike traditional assessments that focus primarily on testing students’ rote memorization and surface-level understanding, alternative forms of assessment allow students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in more personal and creative ways. Some common types of alternative assessments are presentations, portfolios, projects, debates, and peer assessments. Personally, I think presentations and portfolios are the most useful tools for assessing writing and speaking skills, and I will try to implement these two assessment methods in my class next semester.

Last but not least, we discussed the effectiveness of using rubrics in assessment. I totally agree with the opinions of my peers, Tu and Hoan, that rubrics help reduce guesswork among students by providing them with clear criteria for evaluating their assignments. This allows students to self-assess their work and then make necessary adjustments to achieve the highest score. Besides, we learnt how to create a rubric using RubiStar, a free tool for rubric writing suggested by my lecturer. Despite not having a user-friendly interface, RubiStar allows language teachers to create rubrics of different topics, such as oral projects, reading, and writing. 


References

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Week 3: Skill-building Websites for Oral/Aural Skills and Saving Bookmarks

This week, our class continued to learn about different websites for developing speaking and listening skills, as well as how to use social bookmarking sites effectively. According to Chinnery (2005), the use of computer technology in language learning, also known as Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL), has increased rapidly over the past few decades. With significant technological advances, ESL/ EFL teachers and students now have access to a multitude of speaking and listening activities, which, I believe, can positively influence second language acquisition. There are a wide range of useful websites for building oral/ aural skills mentioned in our online discussion, of which I am most familiar with Flipgrid and Elsa . Regarding the former, I first experienced this tool as a sophomore. Specifically, one of my lecturers at ULIS established a class on Flipgrid and invited us to join. Weekly, she posted a topic with one or two discussion questions for us to practice our speaking ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Week 7: Action Project and Course Wrap-up

  In this module, I teamed up with my two friends, Ngoc Mai and Hue Dung, to carry out an action project aimed at addressing the need for better tracking of student progress in Ngoc Mai’s private English class.  Regarding the background of the class, it consists of two first graders, both of whom are at a beginner level of English. Previously, Zalo had been used for exchanging class-related information (such as schedule changes, and homework assignments) and receiving students’ speaking videos. Nevertheless, the limitations of Zalo in organizing and tracking progress prompted us to explore new technological solutions. After considering various options, we opted for Padlet, an online collaborative platform which functions like a digital bulletin board.  After conducting this project, I realized that Padlet was a really effective tool for tracking student progress. One reason is that it allowed for the organization of videos coupled with additional information such as lesso...
Post a Comment
Read more