Assessments

Assessment purposes

According to the Centre for Teaching and Learning, University of Saskatchewan, the following “three questions can help guide the process of making space for Inuit, Métis, and First Nation learners in assessments:

•  What is the purpose of the assessment I have created?
•  Will this assessment be impacted by Indigenous life experiences that differ from those of non-Indigenous students?
•  Is this assessment best administered as formative or summative?

Assessment strategies

Some recommended general strategies include:

• Use formative assessment: The practice of learning is connected to Indigenous pedagogy. Small formative assessments can provide learners with the opportunity to practice and take more responsibility for their own learning.
• Engage learners in their own assessment through shared relationships: Relationships are foundational for Indigenous knowledge systems. Conversations and self-assessments can provide learners the opportunity to further establish relationships between learners and between educator and learners, and this, in turn, can foster learning.

In addition, the Centre for Learning & Program Excellence (CLPE) at Red River College Polytechnic has compiled the following list of specific assessment formats:

•  Oral presentations: Traditional method of passing on knowledge.
•  Group projects: Promoting collaboration and community.
•  Portfolios: Holistic approach by showing interconnectedness of learning.
•  Storytelling: Share stories, experiences and reflections on learning.
•  Self-reflection: Reflect on learning, challenges and successes.
•  Performance assessment: Demonstrate learning through art, music, or dance.