Tips on Maximizing Students' Performance on Assessments by Samarah

Tips on Maximizing Students' Performance on Assessments by Samarah - June 2015 Scholarship Essay

Is it possible to maximize students’ potential to perform well on tests? An ideal form of assessment would require students to create a project of their choice applicable to a real world setting. Providing this flexibility should allow students to retain what they have learned and have a chance to score high on the exam.

Allowing students to create a project gives them flexibility on how they chose to present information. If students could choose if they prefer to use a verbal, visual, or a mixed presentation, it will maximize students’ potential to communicate their knowledge more effectively. For example, students who have strong verbal skills, may be more successful at presenting a powerpoint or speech as an assessment, rather than taking a multiple choice test. Another example is a student who is more of a visual learner. If this student could choose their assessment style, they may choose to create an infographic for a computer science class, a museum exhibit for an art history class, or even 3D models for a biology class.

Requiring students to create projects based on a real world setting will promote the student’s creativity. It also allows them to use what they have learned in way that helps them to retain the content indefinitely.This is because their knowledge would be converted into a real-world situation that they are familiar with.

Although most instructors feel the need to provide rigid guidelines for assessment, it may be more beneficial to have students create projects with little structure. It maximizes their potential to master the content in real life settings. It also promotes their sense of creativity by allowing them to use their strengths.