|
Drawing
Chris
Joyce (2006)
Students
answer a question by drawing their responses. There
are a number of variations.
Students
may:
-
draw a picture
-
draw and label a picture
-
draw and annotate a picture
-
add to a picture
When
to use
Drawings
can be a useful strategy to use:
- when
writing is likely to be a barrier to students showing
what they know;
-
to assess student understanding of concepts;
-
when there is a need to check students’ familiarity
with the selected context;
-
to assess observation skills;
-
to assess students’ ability to communicate pictorially;
-
before, during, and after teaching;
-
to show progress. Students either do another drawing
or add to their first;
-
at all age levels.
The
theory
Drawing
provides an open form of assessment, allowing students
to respond in a variety of ways. They may enable students
to show evidence of understanding that other assessment
strategies mask.
Reference: White, R. and Gunstone, R. (1992). Probing
understanding. London: Falmer Press.
How
the strategy works
Drawing
a picture or diagram provides an alternative to writing.
Sometimes it is more efficient to show ideas in a picture
than in writing a lengthy explanation.
Some
students are more motivated to demonstrate their knowledge
or understanding through drawing than writing.
Students
can decide on the balance between drawing and writing
according to their strengths and preferences.
Comparing
before and after drawings or adding to previous drawings
assists students to evaluate progress they have made
in their learning.
What
to do
Give
a clear instruction that focuses on what you want to
find out, for example, Draw
a heron showing the features that enable it to catch
its food in shallow water. Instructions can be
oral or written, or both.
State
if you want the drawing labelled or annotated.
Ensure
that there is enough room on the paper to complete the
task neatly.
Have
a list of features you expect to see in the drawing,
for example, Draws
appropriate beak and feet. Sometimes it is appropriate
to share this with students:
-
before they draw, to provide guidelines on components
of their drawing;
-
after they have completed their drawing, to encourage
self-assessment or to identify areas of uncertainty.
Limitations
Students'
drawing skills may not allow them to show what they
know.
The
teacher may misinterpret aspects of the drawing. It
can be difficult to analyse inferences students may
have made in their drawings. The teacher may read more
into a response than the student intended, or the teacher
may miss relevant knowledge the student has, but cannot
express well in drawing.
Students
may add irrelevant detail because they enjoy the task
of drawing, i.e., they lose the focus of the assessment.
Adapting
the strategy
The
strategy is enhanced if students have the opportunity
to talk about their drawing.
The
teacher can add annotations dictated by students with
limited writing skills.
Examples
of ARB resources that use drawing
There
are many examples of assessment resources that include
an element of drawing. Below are examples of a range
of types of drawing tasks, assessment purposes, and
levels.
Science
Science
resources that involve drawing to represent a response.
Maths
Maths
resources that involve drawing to represent a response.
English
English
resources that involve drawing to represent a response.
Assessment
strategies | ARB
Home
|
New Zealand Council for Educational Research. All rights reserved 
