Assessment is central to learning, yet often in awkward tension with constructivist pedagogy. It is a source of frequently negative emotions, which actively inhibit the reflection needed to make it an effective part of the learning process. By casting assessment as a fictitious place - 'Assessment Island' - populated by a range of characters, objects, and landmarks that illustrate the many influences on the process, this 3D game-like environment can reveal sources of insight into assessment, both through telling stories with other learners, and through dialogue with representations of other aspects of the process.

URL:

http://www.editlib.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Reader.ViewAbstract&paper_id=25906

Keywords:

assessment, assessment island

Abstract:

This paper describes an interactive and exploratory environment, designed to enable learners to reflect on their experience of assessment. The environment, cast as a fictitious place ? ?Assessment Island? ? is populated by a range of characters, objects, and landmarks, which illustrate the many influences on the assessment process. This is underpinned by a blog-like narrative ? travellers tell and share stories of their experiences as they navigate the Island. Although still in the early stages of development, by revealing and grounding the abstract assessment process through a well-developed series of metaphorical narratives, Assessment Island will help to provide a more inclusive and participatory approach to assessment in education.