51 Allowing choice as a demonstration of learning
Definition
Providing students with options on activities to demonstrate what they know.
In action
Instead of assessing understanding traditionally (e.g., through a written quiz or test), present a diverse array of relevant assessment activities and allow students to select their preferred form.
Support Strategies
- Ensure that you have clear goals/ objectives to be measured by the assessment articulated
- Use the goals to distinguish which assessment activities are central to the identified goal (e.g., content knowledge, addition skills)
- Design a basic assessment rubric around the central assessment goals/ objectives
- Identify other means to address measurement needs on the identified goals/ objectives with different periphery skills (e.g., writing, drawing, speaking, designing)
- Add any measurement-specific elements required to the rubric
- Describe each of the options to the student, highlighting the central and periphery assessment activities and provide models of completed assessment when possible
- Allow students to make an informed choice of assessment activity
Case Study
Student: Grade 5 student in science class.
Content: Students are wrapping up a series of lessons on the digestive system.
Problem: The teacher wants to quickly assess student learning before moving on to the nervous system but knows that the student struggles with written assessments.
Solution: The teacher provides students with a choice board so students can choose their preferred method of assessment. The student is excited about the prospect of creating a poster instead of writing a quiz and is able to demonstrate their learning accordingly
Additional Resources
- Article on how to differentiate by offering choice from Edutopia
- Tips for building in choice for students with ASD from Reading Rockets
- Resource on creating choice boards for students with ASD from the Geneva Centre for Autism
- Guidelines and tips to optimize choice and autonomy from CAST (UDL-focus)
- Top 10 UDL Tips for Assessment from CAST
- Learning module on flexible assessment from the IRIS Center
