Students' perspectives on Alternative Assessment

• Students will think more critically and be able to conclude complicated problems by involving themselves in the alternative assessments (Herman,Klein, & Wakai, 1997).  

• According to Burksaitiene and Tereseviciene (2008):

         The integrated approach to learning English

         for Law was very well accepted by the students due to the following benefits it presented:

           (i) this approach is effective and useful in promoting students’ productive and receptive 

             language skills

           (ii) it enhances students’ satisfaction with their results 

           (iii) it fosters one’s motivation  to learn a foreign language

           (iv) it promotes students’ development as independent learners.     

                                                                                                                                   (p.155)

• According to Herman, Klein and Wakai (1997):                                                             One claim is that students will find these assessments more meaningful and more motivating than traditional tests. These claims stem from the realistic and complex nature of the problems: All students should be encouraged by these types of tasks to show what they know and can do, rather than just those students who are motivated by the external rewards afforded them in high standardized test scores. Another claim is that these assessments truly stimulate students to engage in complex thinking and thus reflect higher standards of excellence than old-style standardized tests. Their ability to target higher level thinking and problem-solving skills makes these assessments suitable targets for instruction. (p.3)