21st Century Assessment

Introduction:
Students in the 21st century are now more advanced, especially now that technology has
merged to be of great help and make their learning easier. In this regard, learning should be assessed in
a way that considers the current era of the students, including their new environment, to make it
relevant and valid. For us to meaningfully assess the learning of 21st century learners, we have to
know and learn the characteristics of 21st century assessment. Accordingly, 21st-century assessment
has eight characteristics.

RESPONSIVE:
We should ensure that the students did learn from the discussion or lesson by doing a formative
assessment right after so that we will know if our students grasp the knowledge or are having a hard
time coping with the lesson. Recaps and giving insights are some of the ways to know what the
students learned.

FLEXIBLE:
In order to do this, we teachers should be sensitive enough about our ways of delivering
instructions and assessing our students since not all learners have the same way of learning and
capabilities to exercise and express what they have learned. We can do various activities rather than
just sticking to one traditional way, like grouping the students based on their multiple intelligences and
giving them a task that they can truly manage since their intelligence belongs to the group. Other than
that, we must adapt to the students' settings in crafting the assessment and be resourceful enough since
it is very impossible to imply a certain assessment that is not applicable to the students' settings. (using
the internet in faraway areas)

INTEGRATED:
Assessments are not just given at the end of a certain period. Take note that there are formative
assessments that can also be incorporated from time to time in the class to give feedback as soon as
possible. We can also assess students' strengths and weaknesses, just like doing a check-up quiz in
class.

INFORMATIVE:
In order to imply this characteristic, we should inform our students of the goals and objectives
that we need to achieve. In this way, students can understand what they are about to learn, and even we
teachers will be guided about the scope of our lesson.

MULTIPLE METHOD:
In teaching and assessing the learners, it is important to note that they are unique individuals, as
are their ways of learning and assessing themselves. We teachers should be inclusive and assure that
no learner should be left behind. In order to do this, multiple methods and strategies can be used.

COMMUNICATED:
The results of the students' tasks, activities, and grades must be returned and given to them right
after evaluating and rating them for them to assess and track their own progress too. In this way, they
can be proud of their achievements, and even their parents can be well informed about their progress.
They can also further reflect on what areas they should work harder on. We teachers could also benefit
in this way because we can reflect on the efficiency of our instructions and further adapt them to the
students' needs.
TECHNICALLY SOUND:
Assessments must be reliable, valid, and inclusive for all since students are not the same and
may vary in intelligence, beliefs, and abilities. It must be fair to everyone and never biased toward a
certain group of students.

SYSTEMIC:
School is part of society and an institution that is also molded and shaped by the changes
happening around us. As part of a comprehensive and well-aligned system, assessments that are
crafted must ensure that they go along with and match the demands of the community for learners to
be responsible and active citizens and globally competitive individuals.

CLOSING:
These characteristics of assessment are all important and necessary. With the changes that have
been happening even in educational context in these present days of ours, we must ensure high-quality
instruction and education for our learners. Our ways of crafting assessments should also be upgraded
with the right characteristics. We cannot just make and craft assessments just for formalities' sake.
These assessments hold a vital role for both students and teachers, as they serve as feedback on the
efficiency of the instruction delivered to the learners. It is also vital to know the strengths, weaknesses,
and difficulties encountered by the learners so we can finally improve the instructions and assessment
that are aligned to their needs. Crafting assessments is not something easy to do, and these
characteristics that were aforementioned will be our guidance and framework to do the best we can to
ensure these assessments are all valid, reliable, and fair to all types of learners.