Assessing Against the Grain: A Conceptual Framework for Alternative Assessments

Genishi, C. (1997). Assessing Against the Grain: A Conceptual Framework for Alternative Assessments. In A. L. Goodwin (Ed.) Assessment for Equity and Inclusion: Embracing All Our Children (pp. 35-50). New York, NY: Routledge.

Genishi attempts to create a definition of "assessment" that aligns with the goal/purpose of the current "post modern" educational system.  Using this definition, she pushes for a movement from traditional assessments to "intersubjective" assessment.  Genishi argues that traditional assessment have long been supported for being purely objective measures of an individuals understanding.  If this were the case, an assessor  need not know who is taking part in the assessment, they need only know what was written on the test.  The intersubjective approach requires the assessor to view the assessment through the eyes of the student being assessed to better inform our understanding of what they know.  Genishi continues to explain the struggle to use this approach in classrooms that have such diverse learners, and uses several real world examples to illustrate some difficulties as well as successes.