How to measure unmeasurable processes?

By Paola Segnini

As it recites a conventionally renown quote allegedly attributed to

Albert Einstein: Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability
to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid. Now,
to make a judgement about a learners learning process, teachers usually
use evaluation. Evaluation is a measurement tool founded as a social
practice in education. It aims to prove that some knowledge has been
acquired during the course development. Even though evaluation could
achieve to describe a part of the learning process, it will never entirely
reflect what the learner has learnt. Evaluation should not be the most
relevant aspect among a learning context. On the first hand, it is
impossible to counterpoise the value of knowledge versus learning; on
the other hand, the mental processes that the learner goes through are
not adequately measured only by watching a tangible product.

First, as Kizlik (2012) writes, it exists a direct link between evaluation and
value, he adds that when we evaluate, we are saying that the process
will yield information regarding the worthiness, appropriateness,
goodness (). So, I strongly believe that correctness is less relevant than
the learning itself. A good grade does not automatically imply a truthful
learning. Getting a 5/5 in a quiz could simply demonstrate the students
capacity to memorize, rather than proving a deep understanding of the
information. Following the traditional evaluation practices will continue to
approve and promote superficial learning. In my opinion, learning itself is
the best reward a learner can receive. This is why students all around the
globe should be encouraged to develop metacognitive learning strategies
to become more conscious and aware of their characteristics as learners.

Second, cognitive processes that take place during a second language

learning experience are often not measured when evaluation is done.
There are different language learning theories that try to describe how
this process is. According to the cognitive theory of learning, this process
is conscious and it involves the use of learning strategies. This strategy
opposes to the behaviorist conception of language learning, which sees it
as a mechanical process based on imitation and stimuli-response. Either
way, whatever the point of view of the evaluator is, there are always going
to be left-out characteristics because mental activity is not visible. For
example, when a teacher wants to evaluate the two active language skills
that exist (speaking and writing), they usually do it bearing in mind only
the final products, which normally are essays, opinions, introductions,
answering questions, role plays, etc. It is impossible to map what happens
on the students brain when they work to order their ideas correctly.

The purpose of education should be achieving knowledge instead of

aiming to get good, or appropriate, grades from students. It cannot be
stated that evaluation does not deliver a positive feedback to learners, or
that it does not help to systematize information about the learning
progresses in order to build a record of achievements. But apart from the
advantages of education, this practice could bring several negative
consequences on students development. Evaluation will, most of the
time, generate negative washback and promote competitiveness among
schoolers. To sum up, teachers need to make students realize that a
quantitative appreciation about their learning process will never define if
they possess knowledge or not.

References

Kizlik, B. (2012). Measurement, Assessment, and Evaluation in Education.

Taken from http://www.adprima.com/measurement.htm

British Council. (2005). Teaching English: Cognitive Theory. Taken from

https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/cognitive-theory