Assessment Literacy
Assessment literacy is a term used to describe the knowledge and abilities one needs to create, carry out, and analyze assessments properly. It is of utmost importance for the teachers to assure that the assessments are not only valid and reliable but also administered equitably, and thus empower them to make correct decisions regarding the learning of students and the teaching methods to apply.
Among the necessary components to be assessment literate are grasping evaluation formats, implying evaluation outcomes, removing bias in evaluation, and decision-making concerning teaching based on assessment data. A typical illustration is that the instructor should be aware of the fact that by developing rubrics with a clearly listed performance criterion, the report card they are providing will be easier for the students to read and followthrough in order to reach the designated learning targets.
Assessment literacy hinders the gain of learners as it is the only way for the teachers to make tests that are directly related to the students' knowledge and skills. Besides, when assessments are up to the mark, they serve as good feedback that can influence these two ways: the conduct and the learning of the students. For example, quizzes that are a type of formative assessment can help the teacher to locate the topics that act as a barrier for the students and thus attend to them with no delay.
In order to boost assessment literacy, teachers can get involved in attending professional development workshops that emphasize on assessment practices, join hands with fellow teachers to exchange best practices and develop reflective practices through the analysis of assessment results. For instance, the teachers might evaluate their students' performance data together and by means of that adaptation of their teaching skills, they will be able to contribute to a wider selection of learning resources and thus, they will improve the overall learning experience.
The influence of technology on assessment literacy is considerable as it offers the tools needed to produce, give, and evaluate assessments better and faster. Digitized platforms can use online quizzes, immediate feedbacks, and storage of data to present formative assessments, so instructors can efficiently see learning trends. That is, by means of learning management systems, for example, they can procure and evaluate students' performance data to adapt lessons.