Alternative assessment in primary years of international baccalaureate education

• Main Author: Wikström, Nermina
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: Stockholms universitet, Pedagogiska institutionen 2008
• Subjects: alternative assessment; authentic assessment; International Baccalau¬reate Organisation; IBO programme; international education; International School in Nacka; ISN; performance assessment; primary school students; primary school teachers; portfolio; Primary Years Programme; PYP; self-assessment; traditional testing; Pedgogical work; Pedagogiskt arbete
• Online Access: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:su:diva-8012

The purpose of this study is to determine what alternative forms of assessments are being practiced in a public school with an international programme and to explore the teachers` attitudes towards the use of alternative assessment procedures. Various assessment models and strategies have been investigated and discussed, as pre¬senting a part of the educational practice in the primary classrooms that engage the International Baccalaureate/ Primary Years Programme at the elementary school level (age range 6-11) in the years 0-5. While defining my research problem, I have started from hypothesis that practicing of alternative assessment has an important positive role in the international schools supporting, promoting and improving student learning. International schools are facing both challenging and complexity of assessment pro¬cess while striving to apply both national and international programs` recom¬menda¬tions concerning the testing. Alternative forms of assessments are being used in conjunction with other forms of assessment, such as standardised tests, in order to assess both student perfor¬mance and the intentions of the International Baccalaureate/ Primary Years Pro¬gramme. This paper investigates what alternative assessment practices (portfolio, perfor¬mance assessment, Exhibition, self-assessment) are being applied and used in the same school where the standardised tests are also being applied and used (text book tests, teacher-made tests, local and national test). The hypothesis was supported and the study findings suggest that various types of assessments are needed to be utilized in order to fairly evaluate students` needs as well as that alternative assessment has an important positive role meeting individual student’s needs supporting a process of learning.