Running Head: LITERATURE REVIEW

Literature Review: Domain B

Jennifer Perlini
TED 690 Capstone
Professor White
July 25, 2016

Running Head: LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract
This paper will include a review of the article, In the Middle-Whose Learning is it
Anyway? Increasing Students Engagement Through Assessments as Learning
Techniques by Mirela Ciobanu. Through this paper, I will discuss the eight steps that
Mirela Ciobanu presents as ways to engage students through assessments. Lastly, this
paper will examine why it is important that students are aware of their learning and their
assessments.

Running Head: LITERATURE REVIEW

The article, In the Middle-Whose Learning is it Anyway? Increasing Students

Engagement Through Assessments as Learning Techniques by Mirela Ciobanu, explains
eight steps for creating an assessment based learning environment. These assessments are
no tests and exams, they are tools for learning. These specific types of assessments are
considered to be formative assessments, as they add to the learning process. It is
important that students are aware and part of their learning. By integrating assessment
everyday, students become aware of the concepts they understand completely, need more
help in, or need a re-teach.
The first step in the process is creating the right mindset. Students need to know
that it is okay to make a mistake; in fact mistakes will help them learn more. They also
need to be challenged. Ciobanu explains that the classroom, is supposed to be an
environment where mistakes must happen, as they are crucial to new learning (2014).
By creating the right mindset, students are able to track, monitor, and reflect on their
learning. This in itself is a formative assessment. Lastly during this step, students need to
know that they belong to a community. When a community environment is built, students
feel comfortable to engage, make mistakes, and try again.
Steps two, three, and four involve learning targets and logs. It is imperative that
teachers use different tools when giving assessments. After giving an assessment,
teachers also need to be able to communicate the results of the assessment. Ciobanu uses
the term target instead of weakness, to show where students need to grow as well as
that it is a goal that they are reaching (2014). Once students have their targets and
strengths, they create a learning log. As they master different their target goals, they move
them to the New Strengths Gained column (Ciobanu, 2014). Finally, in step four,

Running Head: LITERATURE REVIEW

students are encouraged to set a learning goal at the beginning of the lesson. This will
help them reach their targets in order to gain new strengths.
Steps five and six include focusing on different aspects of problem solving. Step
five is the focus on the challenge. Through this step, students are able to identify what the
biggest challenge is for them when solving a problem. This is known as the muddiest
point or the, biggest difficulty concerning the solving of that task (Ciobanu, 2014).
When students are able to identify this point in the task and find a way to overcome the
challenge, they show motivation for achievement and success. Step six is the focus on the
skills involved in problem solving. Students are to take note of the way they solve
problems, as well as learn from their peers. They should also acknowledge their strengths
and target areas of problem solving skills.
The last two steps are reflection and Parent-Teacher-Student conference. Step
seven is a reflection of their learning at the end of the unit. After they take their
summative assessment, they reflect on their learning through the unit. They will also
assess what they believe to be their strengths and targets at the end of the unit. Lastly,
step eight is a Parent-Teacher-Student conference. At this conference, students take
control of their learning and explain their strengths and targets to their parents. Ciobanu
explains, the continuous focus on learning targets makes parents realize that their
childrens learning process does not have to end just because a unit has ended, and that
they are engaged students, who truly show self-regulation in learning (2014). Through
this whole process, students are taking control of their learning through assessments
It is important to remember that assessments do not have to be exams;
assessments are also reflections, projects, journals, or conferences. Using these types of

Running Head: LITERATURE REVIEW

assessments, keep students engaged and aware of the learning process. This will help
them prepare for the summative assessment, which is the exam or test at the end of the
unit. With formative assessments throughout the unit, students are able to acknowledge
their strengths and target goals in order to succeed on the summative assessment.

Running Head: LITERATURE REVIEW

Reference
Ciobanu, M. (2014). IN THE MIDDLE - WHOSE LEARNING IS IT ANYWAY?
INCREASING STUDENTS' ENGAGEMENT THROUGH ASSESSMENT AS
LEARNING TECHNIQUES. Gazette - Ontario Association for Mathematics,
53(2), 16-21. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.nu.edu/login?
url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1645391895?accountid=25320