Assessment Strategies and Tools: Conversations

Learning conversations are particularly effective in helping students make connections. There are a number of ways to keep track of learning conversations. For example:

• Record the learning conversations by using a digital recording device. Either the teacher or students can download the recording and use audio editing software to identify the most salient parts of the conversation and add them to their portfolios.

• Record the learning conversations by video. Either the teacher or students can create the video recording and use video editing software to identify the most salient parts of the conversation and add them to their portfolios.

• Record their emerging understandings, working theories, solutions and reflections through a classroom Web site; e.g., chatroom, blogs, wiki. Students can then continue their conversations outside of school, build on each other's ideas, and have a rich record of how their knowledge was built and how deep understanding emerged through open conversation.