On Thursday, September 7th, 2023, Pallavan Learning Systems, in association with Ritinjali and the Centre for Escalation of Peace, conducted a webinar on the theme Assessment - Valuing What Matters. The webinar was a part of the series ‘On a Quest to Learn: A series on the evolving nature of one’s learning journey’. The webinar sought to look at the evolving nature of assessment and gauge its effectiveness in helping people develop into persons of substance.
More than 50 participants attended the webinar. The audience had a diverse range of occupations, such as students, teachers, principals, parents, educators, researchers, founders, counselors, professors, doctors, entrepreneurs, special educators, and curriculum developers.
We would like to thank those who have attended the webinar and those who missed it, we hope that you will join us next time. We are delighted to share with you the webinar report and the video. We look forward to hearing your comments and views.
Let’s keep this learning community vibrant through active participation.
Summary of the Webinar
ASSESSMENT: Valuing What Matters
On the 7th of September 2023, Pallavan Learning Systems, in collaboration with the Centre for Escalation of Peace and Ritinjali organized their 11th webinar on the topic ‘Assessment: Valuing What Matters’. The webinar was a part of the series ‘On a Quest to Learn: A series on the evolving nature of one’s learning journey’. The webinar sought to look at the evolving nature of assessment and gauge its effectiveness in helping people develop into persons of substance. More than 50 participants joined the webinar.
Poojan Sahil, from Pallavan Learning Systems, gave the opening remarks. Tshering Nidup, who works at Druk Gyalpo's Institute as the Programme Lead for Transitioning Programme of the Bhutan Baccalaureate, was the moderator for the webinar. The esteemed panellists were Poonam Batra, Professor of Education, formerly with the Central Institute of Education, University of Delhi, India; Jigme Tenzin Nidup, student at St. Stephen’s College, University of Delhi; and Sanjukta Mukherjee, Deputy Head, Senior Years, Shiv Nadar School, Noida.
During the discussion, various important talking points emerged, all centered around the overarching goal of enabling learners to become the best version of themselves through assessment. Assessments, when thoughtfully designed and executed, serve as powerful tools for gauging progress and understanding. Furthermore, assessments can play a pivotal role in helping learners understand themselves better, identifying strengths and areas for improvement, thereby facilitating personalized growth.
The conversation delved into the tension between individualized learning and the growing trend of standardizing or centralizing testing. Panelists recognized the importance of tailoring education to individual needs, especially in a world where standardized testing may not fully capture a learner's potential. This dilemma has become even more pertinent in the wake of the pandemic, as online learning has, in some cases, reduced the personalization of teacher-learner engagement, making the need for individualized assessment methods even more crucial.
Another intriguing point of discussion revolved around the implications of the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) for assessments. Panelists explored the various ways AI could be harnessed to enhance the assessment process and, by extension, the learning journey. This included using AI-driven tools for more adaptive, real-time assessments, personalized feedback, and the ability to identify patterns in learning that can inform instructional strategies. In essence, the dialogue underscored the need for a dynamic and learner-centric approach to assessment in the ever-evolving landscape of education.
The discussion expanded to include the crucial role of parents in the educational process, the importance of transparent and constructive reporting systems that facilitate effective communication between teachers and parents, and the preparedness of teachers in our ever-evolving world.
Then, there was a Q&A session with the panellists, followed by a consolidation of the main takeaways of the webinar by the moderator. The webinar concluded with a Thank You note by Poojan Sahil.