What is a ‘non-threatening’ assessment?
As the title suggests, a ‘non-threatening assessment’ is one that provides assessment data for the teachers to measure mastery and revise planned instruction (the purpose of assessment) without intimidating students.
There are some general characteristics of this assessment format.
Disguised: It may feel like a quiz or test, but it may be ungraded or verbal or otherwise less daunting to students.
Less visible/invisible: At times, students may not even be aware there is an assessment. An exit slip with a relevant and concise question would be one example.
Quicker/briefer: These can also be briefer assessments–as simple as a ‘thumbs up/thumbs down.’
What are the benefits of simple, non-threatening assessments?
As Terrell Heick said in Inconvenient Truths About Assessment, “Assessments of learning can sometimes obscure more than they reveal. If the assessment is precisely aligned to a given standard, and that standard isn’t properly understood by both the teacher and assessment designer, and there isn’t a common language between students, teacher, assessment designer, and curriculum developers about content and its implications, there is significant ‘noise’ in data that can mislead those wishing to use the data, and disrupt any effort towards data-based instruction.”
There are additional benefits to ‘tests’ that don’t feel like tests.
Accurate assessment
The presence of test anxiety can greatly impede a student’s performance and skew the outcome. When students are overwhelmed by anxiety, their cognitive abilities and ability to recall information can be adversely impacted, resulting in subpar results. By alleviating test anxiety, educators can obtain a more precise reflection of a student’s genuine capabilities, knowledge, and aptitude.
Fairness and equity
‘Intimidating assessments’ can disproportionately affect certain students, creating inequitable learning environments. Students with test anxiety may be equally capable but may perform poorly due to their anxiety levels. By minimizing test anxiety, educators can create a more equitable assessment system, ensuring that all students have an equal opportunity to demonstrate their true abilities.
Promoting positive learning environments
High-stakes tests and excessive test anxiety can create a stressful and fear-driven learning environment. This can hinder students’ motivation, engagement, and overall enjoyment of learning. By minimizing test anxiety, educators can create a more positive and supportive learning environment, fostering a love for learning and encouraging students to reach their full potential.
Encouraging growth mindset
Test anxiety often stems from a fixed mindset, where students believe that their abilities are fixed and cannot be improved. By using non-threatening assessment strategies, educators can help foster a growth mindset, emphasizing that abilities can be developed through effort, practice, and learning from mistakes. This can lead to increased resilience, motivation, and a willingness to take on challenges.
See also 25 Sentence Stems To Help Students Develop A Growth Mindset
Enhancing well-being
Excessive test anxiety can have negative consequences on students’ mental and emotional well-being. It can lead to increased stress, low self-esteem, and even physical symptoms like headaches and sleep disturbances. With a different approach, educators contribute to the overall well-being of students, promoting a healthy and supportive learning environment.
See also Tips For Teaching Mindfulness
To assess students without causing test anxiety, educators can employ various strategies such as providing clear instructions, offering practice opportunities, diversifying assessment methods, providing a supportive classroom climate, and emphasizing the learning process rather than just the final outcome. By adopting these approaches, educators can create a more inclusive, supportive, and effective assessment environment for all students.
You can find the list, compiled by K Lambert, OCPS Curriculum Services, of non-threatening assessment strategies here.
Attribution K Lambert, OCPS Curriculum Services