Foregrounding the prototype design of a generic differentiated assessment tool for mixed-ability classroom

Abstract

Acknowledging that students vary in terms of their learning abilities – culture, socioeconomic status, gender, motivation, and needs per se, has increased instructors’ awareness on mixed-ability classroom. Realizing the need for a personalized learning, many instructors have started to embark on differentiated learning and instruction to capitalize students’ ability. However, few research studies have been carried out on differentiated assessments. Differentiated assessments allow teachers to provide opportunities to students with diverse characteristics and backgrounds to prove that they have learned, but at their own pace and ability, though (NSW Education Standards Authority, n.d., Tomlinson, 2001). However, there is no generic, systematic and dedicated tool available yet for instructors to achieve and employ the differentiated assessment. In the context of Universiti Putra Malaysia, current evaluation practices do not provide a precise insight into the true level of CO (Course Outcome) achievement for each student as a standard test/examination is given to students despite their mixed learning ability. Identifying students’ learning ability, at the first place, is also a challenging task and the process can take a long time. Therefore, it is timely to create a dedicated tool for differentiated assessment that can address these issues and challenges. Against this background, this research will develop a prototype of a generic, systematic and intelligent tool that has two-fold objectives: (i) the system allows instructors to employ differentiated assessment across courses or programmes, and (ii) it provides opportunities for students to execute tasks or complete an assessment by choice based on their actual ability. This effort is in line with UPM’s agenda to expand alternative assessment across courses and programmes.