TESL 140: Unit 2, Activity 2

 Activity 2 asks us to: "Reflect on the differences between traditional tests and alternatives in assessments [from Brown and Lee, 2015]. What are the benefits and challenges in using both of them?"

Traditional Tests/Assessments

• Benefits
• Easy for the teacher to use and score.
• Less time commitment for the teacher.
• Standardized.
• Summative.
• Challenges
• Often stressful on students.
• A one-shot chance.
• One right answer.
• Summative.

Alternatives in Assessments

• Benefits
• Less stressful on students.
• It is a continuous process.
• Multiple and/or creative answers.
• Interactive.
• Challenges
• More challenging for the teacher to use and score.
• Large time commitment for the teacher.
• Difficult to assess fairly.
• Continuous process of assessing is labor intensive.

There we have some benefits and challenges to Traditional Tests and Alternatives in Assessments.