Where does assessment fit with conversational theories?

Toohey (1999 p 47) queries what assessment tell us about what is valued in education?

HE assessment seems to value....
· Isolated rather than integrated knowledge
· Individual rather than cooperative achievement

This seems to run counter to society and business needs as it stands with its need for networks, inclusivity, multidisciplinary and team working or collaboration. With the recent report on Childhood identifying a potential problem for society with the rise of greedy individualism which needs to be addressed not only by parental guidance but education and with the recent demise of the banking sector due to individualistic tendencies an imbalance not only in society but also in education perhaps needs readdressing? Within the current product driven curriculum followed in many HE establishments could conversation and discourse be one way to re-address the balance?

Keesing-Styles (2003) notes that assessment must be based on dialogic interactions – eg reflection on action, authentic dialogue (teacher and student) and self assessment and peer review.

Refences

Keesing-Styles, L. (2003). The relationship between critical pedagogy and assessment in teacher education. Radical Pedagogy 5(1). Retrieved: 28 October 2008. http://radicalpedagogy.icaap.org/content/issue5_1/03_keesing-styles.html

Toohey, S. (1999). Beliefs, values and ideologies in course design. In Designing courses for higher education. Toohey, S. (Buckingham, SRHE and OUP): pp. 44-69