Learning is a process that enable a change in a person's knowledge that helps them have a new understand about themselves and the world around them.   Assessment is any feedback that enables a learner to know when there has been a change in their understanding.  Learning and assessment occurs daily.  Assessment is a part of learning, whether it is in the classroom setting, at home, or even at work.  

 

We want our students to be lifelong learners, which mean they have to have skills to know they are "learning to learn" all students need to have an awareness of how and why they are acquiring knowledge.  if not we are teaching students in the dark, and they will never be able to be effective citizens in they do not develop the skills needed to be a self-regulator of their own personal knowledge.

 

New technologyies are changing learning and assessment like never before.  Our learners in our classrooms are use to have a say about everything and their audience is the world through online social media.  They share and collaborate virtual.  They create and share their knowledge through blogs, wikis and even recieve feedback.  They even problem solve collectively online.   This in why we have to change from a traditional assessment and feedback of the 1960's and embrace new non traditional tools that will encourage our students to be the life long learners, we desire them to be.