What is alternate???

Alternative assessment has become something of a buzzword within educational circles ranging from elementary through tertiary school systems. There is a real need to connect the educational system to the world of work where traditional school assessment is of little value. What educational theorists are referring to as alternate assessment is actually much closer to the elements of job evaluation present in a majority of real world settings. Employers have specific points they look for in performing an evaluation and the product they examine varies depending on the job. This is increasingly true in America where our economy is transforming from industrial to service based. The resulting emphasis on team work and collaboration over strictly individual performance has great impact on our schools today. Measuring the delivery of a service cannot be gauged with pencil and paper and objective questions.For me as a learner the survey provided an area of comfort and familiarity. It gave me the opportunity to control just how much information I would divulge in relation to a concept or experience. As an instructor I prefer the wiki because it allows me to examine the work in progress of all my students rather than just those who might dominate in a class discussion. It also provides an opportunity for me to intervene if I see problems developing befor any more formal assessment.