Global Education Student Assessment Tools Inventory
The following information and links are to some of the best assessment tools for global education.
Inventories provide the teacher and student with important pre/post information. One such inventory is the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI). Ironically, this inventory was developed for corporations and organizations, but can certainly be adapted and utilized in education. The IDI profile provides valuable information about an individual’s orientations towards cultural difference and commonality. The profile is an assessment of intercultural competence.
Another similar inventory is the Global Perspective Inventory (GPI) developed by the Global Perspective Institute. The goal of the Global Perspective Institute is to promote civic learning and democratic engagement. The GPI focuses on three central questions: How do I know? Who am I? How do I relate to others?
NAFSA produced another interesting way to assess cultural awareness. My Cultural Awareness Profile takes the participant through four "dimensions" by asking multiple choice and open-ended to questions to assess knowledge of global context, understanding of culture and other cultural groups, reflection of own cultural identity, and ability to communicate across cultural differences.
Finally, there is the Global Education Checklist by the American Forum for Global Education. This lengthy checklist was created as an assessment tool for teachers, schools, school systems, and state education agencies. While thorough in assessing global issues, culture, and connection, it is quite lengthy.
Learning Targets are one of the best forms for assessing global competence. Develop clear learning targets (which check for global competence), distribute before any unit, review, and have students self-assess knowledge. Repeat midway through the unit and discuss growth. At the end of the unit, students will again assess their own knowledge using the last column on the learning targets. By submitting their learning targets form, the teacher can compare the student’s self-assessment with his unit exam. The teacher then must honestly assess herself to see if she did not thoroughly teach one of the targets sufficiently and plan how to improve her practice. Global competence learning targets are actually very simple to develop. It is incredibly beneficial to see the students’ pre, during, and post assessment with these particular targets. The student assessment should then drive revision and possible collaboration if the learning targets are not met. Below are learning targets for a revised core unit which now incorporates some key global competence targets. Note that there are investigative targets, perspective recognition targets, communication targets, and action targets.
Another similar inventory is the Global Perspective Inventory (GPI) developed by the Global Perspective Institute. The goal of the Global Perspective Institute is to promote civic learning and democratic engagement. The GPI focuses on three central questions: How do I know? Who am I? How do I relate to others?
NAFSA produced another interesting way to assess cultural awareness. My Cultural Awareness Profile takes the participant through four "dimensions" by asking multiple choice and open-ended to questions to assess knowledge of global context, understanding of culture and other cultural groups, reflection of own cultural identity, and ability to communicate across cultural differences.
Finally, there is the Global Education Checklist by the American Forum for Global Education. This lengthy checklist was created as an assessment tool for teachers, schools, school systems, and state education agencies. While thorough in assessing global issues, culture, and connection, it is quite lengthy.
Learning Targets are one of the best forms for assessing global competence. Develop clear learning targets (which check for global competence), distribute before any unit, review, and have students self-assess knowledge. Repeat midway through the unit and discuss growth. At the end of the unit, students will again assess their own knowledge using the last column on the learning targets. By submitting their learning targets form, the teacher can compare the student’s self-assessment with his unit exam. The teacher then must honestly assess herself to see if she did not thoroughly teach one of the targets sufficiently and plan how to improve her practice. Global competence learning targets are actually very simple to develop. It is incredibly beneficial to see the students’ pre, during, and post assessment with these particular targets. The student assessment should then drive revision and possible collaboration if the learning targets are not met. Below are learning targets for a revised core unit which now incorporates some key global competence targets. Note that there are investigative targets, perspective recognition targets, communication targets, and action targets.
globalized_learning_targets_example.pdf | |
File Size: | 332 kb |
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Rubrics or Matrices are another method to assess global competence. Some learning targets (such as those mentioned earlier) would transfer nicely as part of a project-based rubric. If global competence standards were routinely assessed (on learning targets, exams, and project-based opportunities), global education would become a true cornerstone to the overall curriculum. EdSteps, a project developed with the Asia Society Partnership for Global Learning, provides Global Competence Matrices, a fantastic set of subject-specific matrices for overall global competence and global competence for the Arts, English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and World Languages. Each matrix focuses on investigating the world, recognizing perspectives, communicating ideas, and taking action. The standards are easily adaptable (as done to some degree in the above learning targets). The matrices provide a starting point for teachers new to global education.
Another interesting rubric is from the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AACU). This rubric, the Intercultural Knowledge and Competence Value Rubric, is far broader than the EdSteps Global Competence Matrices. However, the assessment areas are relevant and adaptable: Cultural self-awareness (knowledge), Knowledge of cultural worldview frameworks (knowledge), Empathy (skills), Verbal and nonverbal communication (skills), Curiosity (attitudes), and Openness (attitudes). The descriptors in each assessment area could be modified to fit within a rubric for any discipline.
Another interesting rubric is from the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AACU). This rubric, the Intercultural Knowledge and Competence Value Rubric, is far broader than the EdSteps Global Competence Matrices. However, the assessment areas are relevant and adaptable: Cultural self-awareness (knowledge), Knowledge of cultural worldview frameworks (knowledge), Empathy (skills), Verbal and nonverbal communication (skills), Curiosity (attitudes), and Openness (attitudes). The descriptors in each assessment area could be modified to fit within a rubric for any discipline.