Natural Assessment

A new instructional design approach known as “Natural Assessment” – innovated by Toolwire – represents one of the most exciting new developments in the field of assessment technology.

“Natural Assessments” move beyond current methodologies to embody what might best be described as enhanced, authentic assessments. This instructional design approach incorporates a higher-order prescriptive structure that keeps learners focused on essential course objectives. It is currently in use within two types of learning solutions: Toolwire Learnscapes and Scenarios.

The “Natural Assessments” within these immersive environments keep students in the moment while completing assessment elements mirroring the various tasks encountered in the everyday workplace. These assessments can take many forms such as developing a marketing plan for a gaming company, writing an executive brief for a CEO, or delivering the final arguments to a Magistrate during sentencing.

“Toolwire’s Learnscapes are an outstanding exemplar of immersive, experiential learning, and the instructional design principles that Michael Watkins used to develop the learnscapes are both rigorous and effective. They include an excellent cycle of learn, discuss, experience, and feedback; in addition, the Toolwire Assignment Map is a very strong approach to scoping and design.

The natural assessment approach is both innovative and exemplar; the pre-assessment/remediation approach is sound and instructor scoring adds an additional dimension – especially in the academic world. The rich media approach that Michael adopted was not compromised by issues of bandwidth or delivery point capability, and Learnscapes adapt well to the different levels of learner.”

– Institute of IT Training