The diverse group included teachers, educators, graduate students, and media professionals. But the seminar was also useful to educators looking for practical ideas for the classroom. The highlight of the day was Chris' presentation of issues surrounding assessment in media education. More recently, he has used this expertise to address the issue of assessing students' media work and to develop practical assessment tools and resources for teachers to use. This can help everyone involved better understand and agree on what is expected from students - a process which sets high standards and leads to fewer misunderstandings between teachers, students, and their parents.
Students can also use a good assessment rubric as a guide as they plan and execute their work.
The traits of the rubric set clear targets for students to strive for, and students are often able to use this knowledge to achieve at a much higher level of performance. With clear criteria for assessing media work, many of these fears can be put to rest and teachers can be more confident about what qualities they are looking for in student work. Chris emphasized that to really achieve these kinds of benefits, however, you need tools that actually assess the same things the curriculum is trying to emphasize and that support good classroom practice. As a featured part of the seminar, Chris shared some of the detailed rubrics and other tools which he has developed. The piece demonstrates a confident command and integration of all elements.