Reflection 5



In today's ESL classrooms, there has been a shift towards project-based learning and alternative assessment. These methods have changed the traditional teacher-centred classroom into a student-centred one. With project-based learning, students have a chance to do hands-on projects, developing their creativity and collaboration. Alternative assessment, likewise, offers several ways to evaluate students, from presentations and portfolios to peer evaluations. This essay aims to give a reflection on Module 5, whose focus is on the two aforementioned concepts.

Apparently, adopting project-based learning and alternative assessment in the classroom poses several challenges. It requires a lot of time and resources to design meaningful projects and set fair assessment criteria. However, with the help of the module and my lecturer, it has been made a lot simpler. Module 5 has offered valuable insights into how to make a rubric for scoring students' work, which I have applied into the oral presentation sections in a subject I am teaching. Throughout the course, students are required to give 20-minute presentations on a range of topics. Their performances are assessed based on such criteria as organization, content, delivery and language. In order to create an efficient rubric, I used Rubistar, a website suggested by my lecturer. The tool has been of great help in tailoring marking criteria to the level of my students and the format of the assignment. I believe Rubistar is particularly helpful for busy teachers who want to write rubrics in a short time.

Apart from the aforementioned course, I am also adopting project-based learning and alternative assessment in other courses I teach. For example, I am currently in charge of an IELTS-oriented class called "Speaking 2". Having figured that students see IELTS speaking as dull, I usually assign my students with tasks such as video-making, presentation and debating, all of which require effort and creativity. However, I have not written any detailed rubrics for those activities. With Rubistar, I believe I can create customized rubrics for each activity, providing clear guidelines for assessment and ensuring fairness and consistency.

Reflecting on Module 5, which focuses on project-based learning and alternative assessment, it is evident that implementing these methods presents challenges, especially in creating marking rubrics. However, by utilizing tools such as Rubistar, I have been able to efficiently tailor marking criteria to meet my students' needs and make their learning experiences more captivating.

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  1. Cao Thành Cônglúc 09:37 27 tháng 3, 2024

    Thanks for sharing. I agree that project-based learning and alternative assessments can help students learn even the dullest topics, such as IELTS. I love that you mentioned some alternative ways to get students engaged, such as video-making, presentations, and debating. These help students apply the knowledge in real-life situations, providing meaningful activities outside of traditional testing preparation.

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