Addressing Affective Domain

http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/affective/index.html

The affective domain of learning involves a student’s attitudes, interests, and values (Hall, 2011). Without a positive affective domain, a student will likely do poorly in a class, even if he or she has the capability and skills to do well. Similar to the growth and fixed mindset that we learned about, a certain affect could hold students back. Hall (2011) demonstrates this with an example: a student that have the ability to write and comprehend reading may do poorly just because they have a negative affect.

Even though having a positive affect towards learning would really help a student learn, teachers often neglect affective assessments (Hall, 2011). From my experience, most teachers focus on improving students’ cognition, but very few address students’ affect. While trying to improve assignments and the structure of homework assignments will certainly help a teacher become a more effective instructor, it does not address how open the students will be to learn.

I plan to use affective assessments in my classroom to help both my students and me improve. I will use self-reflective essays and assignments to help students help themselves. For example, I can ask my students to write an essay about why they don’t want to learn about biology. Through answering this question, students may learn about what’s holding them back from learning. Self-reflective rubrics are also a valuable self-improvement tool; students compare their assignments and projects to the rubrics to determine how they can improve their work (Andrade, 2007/2008). Through this action, students will develop independence towards creating better work.

Unlike self-reflective essays and rubrics, the questionnaire and survey type of assessments will help me improve more than my students. Questionnaires will allow me to quickly see how my class as a whole feels towards learning certain subjects (Popham, 2009); I could then use this data to adjust my lesson plans. Surveys, similar to questionnaires, will help me understand how my students feel. Unlike questionnaires, surveys will be more in depth and less anonymous (Gibson & Chase, 2002). I could use the data from surveys to help me address each student personally.

References

Andrade, H. (2007/2008, December/January). Self-assessment through rubrcs. Educational Leadership, 65(4), 60-62.

Hall, R.A. (2011). Affective assessment: The missing piece of the educational reform puzzle. Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin: International Journal for Professional Educators, 77(2), 7.

Gibson, H.L., & Chase, C. (2002). Longitudinal impact of inquiry-based science program on middle school students’ attitudes towards science. Science Education, 86(5), 693-705.

Popham, W.J. (2009). Assessing Student Affect. Educational Leadership, 66(8), 85-86.