Teacher Tea
From Seat Time to Skills: Rethinking Student Assessment
Does a transcript accurately reflect student learning, or merely the hours spent in class?
The Mastery Transcript Consortium (MTC) is a groundbreaking initiative that seeks to revolutionize how student learning is assessed and recognized. You can read more about it in “The Move to Mastery Transcripts,” by Michael Flanagan and Susan Bell for School Administrator Magazine. Recognizing the limitations of traditional transcripts, which primarily focus on grades and credit hours, MTC advocates for a more holistic approach. By shifting the emphasis to student mastery of essential skills, like critical thinking and collaboration, MTC empowers schools to personalize learning and better prepare students for success in college and careers. This involves creating digital learning records that showcase student competencies, incubating innovative learning environments that emphasize real-world projects, and collaborating with higher education institutions to ensure the acceptance of these new credentials. While significant challenges and a gradual implementation process are necessary, the MTC's work promises a path towards a more effective education system that truly prepares students for the demands of the 21st century.
Ideally, assessment of student learning is tied directly to not only what is taught, but how it is taught. Effective assessment provides feedback for everyone–students have a better sense of what they can do (and where they could use improvement), and teachers have a clearer picture of what their efforts have produced so that they can make adjustments as learning continues. Although any type of assessment can seem daunting for students, if they’re done well, they can be powerful motivators. The more comprehensive an assessment, the better the data, and the better the data, the clearer the path forward.