Leslie Walbert

FRIT 7236
December 3, 2014

Final Reflection
As I reflect on the tech assessment and data analysis course, I realize how much I
have learned about assessments and how much more I want to learn about them. The
topic of assessments is a controversial topic in education because so many people have
such a strong opinion about how we assess and how it affects our students. I was very
nervous by this course because the idea of data and analysis sounds a bit advance and
intimidating. However, I really surprised myself at how much I got out of learning more
about these and the application of them in my career.
It was especially interesting to look at the data from my students assessments and
then use Excel to create graphs and analyze the data. This presented information that I
already knew about my students but it is nice to have a visualization of graphs to present
the data. I look forward to using this as a tool again for future assessments.
Beginning with chapter 1 of the textbook, I was enlightened with the idea that
assessments, measurements, tests, and evaluations all are defined differently. I was also
reminded of the idea that assessments are not just used to give information about
individual students, but are also used to get results of a schools overall achievement
(Nitko, 2014). I am often conflicted with the idea of assessments because I know how
important it is to have the feedback from students and to see what they know. Once you
see what they know, you can reflect on that and decide how to plan your instruction.

The weaknesses of assessments include pressures and anxiety on students and the
pressure for teachers to have good data from their assessments. The strengths outweigh
the positives when it comes to assessments, in my opinion. We need the feedback from
students so that we can make necessary improvements in our instruction. Educational
assessment seeks to determine how well students are learning and is an integral part of
the quest for improved education. It provides feedback to students, educators, parents,
policy makers, and the public about the effectiveness of educational services
(Pellegrino, 2001). Assessments and tests are important for understanding what our
students know. As long as assessments are done in a meaningful and effective way, I am
supportive of them.

References:
1. Pellegrino, J., Chudowsky, N., & Glaser, R. (2001). Knowing what students know: The
science and design of educational assessment (p. 382). Washington, DC: National
Academy Press.
2. Nitko, A. J & Brookhart, S. M. (2014). Educational Assessment of Students (7th ed.).
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.