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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. 


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