Not all evidence is created equal: assessment artifacts in maker education. Issue 3 (15th May 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rosenheck, Louisa; Lin, Grace C.; Nigam, Rashi; Nori, Prasanth; Kim, Yoon Jeon
• Is Part Of: Information and learning sciences. Volume 122:Issue 3/4(2021)
• Page Start: 171
• Page End: 198
• Publication Date: 2021-05-15
• Subjects: Maker-centered learning -- Embedded assessment -- Formative assessment -- Reflective practice -- Interpretive analysis; Information science -- Periodicals; Library science -- Periodicals; Information theory in education -- Periodicals; Libraries and education -- Periodicals; 020
• DOI: 10.1108/ILS-08-2020-0205
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2398-5348

Abstract

Abstract : Purpose: When using embedded, student-centered assessment tools for maker education, understanding the characteristics of a body of evidence can help teachers guide the assessment process. This study aims to examine assessment artifacts from a makerspace program and present a set of qualities that emerged, which researchers and maker educators can use to evaluate the quality of evidence before interpreting it and making claims about student learning. Design/methodology/approach: This study used the interpretive analysis approach to identify salient qualities in a body of evidence of maker learning. Data sources included student assessment artifacts, researchers' analytic memos, notes on the coding and analysis process, background stories and field observations. Findings: The study found that the assessment artifacts generated by students aligned with the maker-related target skills. A set of qualities was produced that can be used to describe the strength of a body of evidence and help determine whether it is appropriate to be used in the meaning making phase. Practical implications: The qualities identified in this study can be directly incorporated into the embedded assessment toolkit to provide feedback on the strength of evidence for learning in makerspaces. Originality/value: Assessment methods for maker education are nascent, and ways to describe the quality of a student-generated body of evidence have not yet been established. This study applies existing knowledge of embedded assessment and reflective practice toward the creation of a new way of assessing skills that are difficult to measure.