Objective assessment: Is it testing only?

Tests are one way to objectively assess a student’s knowledge or growth, but I have always believed that many alternative methods can have the same value or more than a test. Many students do not test well, and assessing their knowledge by only a test would not be a fair assessment of that student's learning/knowledge. 

Following is a list of alternative methods for assessing knowledge or skill from a student. 

  

Electronic  Portfolios

A student portfolio is a collection of the student's work or creations--these are known as artifacts. When collected over time, the portfolio shows student growth, achievement, and learning. Portfolios in an electronic format are easier to share with other teachers or prospective employers.

Electronic Student Response Systems

By posing questions to student who respond with clickers or student response systems instructors may perform formative assessments in real time. Students are more likely to answer because they have the feeling of anonymity. The data is stored, so teachers can determine the concepts that are causing difficulty. 

A summative assessment may be given via student response systems; and though technically it is a test, the format is different from common tests.

Having students create projects--graded by rubrics.

When a project is graded by a rubric the subjectivity is reduced and the assessment becomes more objective. Students can compare their work before and after submission to the rubric.

     Videotaping student presentation or performances:        

Music or dance performances may be best assessed with video. Other  projects and presentations may be assessed with video and the video becomes a permanent record of the presentation or performance. Medical professionals are often assessed in simulations with video--the professional can see how he / she performed.

A Technology Infused Classroom

How would a technology infused classroom look?

Technology can provide a vehicle for student-centered learning. By using technology, students can participate in scaffolded learning on their own or in small groups.

In addition to providing laptop and desktop computers, a classroom infused with technology would have enough portable devices such as tablets for each student. The classroom would have a smart board for interacting with larger groups. Students would use the tablet devices to collaborate with each other and to teach each other.

Students would use a variety of technologies to learn, but the technology would merely be the tool--not the primary focus. In other words the technology would be in the background.

My plan for a technology infused classroom.

I would take the following steps to infuse technology into my classroom.

1. Check out and use the iPads available for one-to-one use with apps that are pre-loaded.
2. Lobby for our PTA to help fund the  purchase of one or two Smartboards.
3. Use the document camera in my classroom with most lessons.
4. Have the students use online encyclopedias for research.
5. Create a wiki page for an online book club.
6. Use Edmodo to communicate with students and parents

Visual Learning and the Internet

Frederick R. Barnard is believed to have coined the phrase “A picture is worth a thousand words.”  Visual literacy is the ability to read pictures, charts, graphs, or other images and make sense of them.  The internet makes visual learning more available because of the access we have to images.  Images invoke powerful emotions as demonstrated by a photo from 1970 at Kent State University and another from victory in World War II.

 

 

                        Visual thinking strategy

 My school uses the Envoy program which is a system of non-verbal cues to for class behavior. By using symbols teachers use influence rather than power to manage their classrooms.

              

One strategy I would  like to see in my school is the VTS Visual Thinking System--it aligns with Common Core.

                      The Role of Internet in my library

Even though I only see each student for only 30 minutes per week,I feel I could have more contact by setting up a Wikispace for my library. I would like to create an online wiki where the students can give their reviews and opinions of a books they choose to read. This would help the students practice their writing and help other students get recommends from student on varies books.
In setting up the  wiki I would make accesse by invitation only through the student Edmodo accounts. Because I control the wiki I can monitor content. I would establish rules for the wiki—the students sign an internet access agreement anyway. 

Variety in Instructional Strategy

I was impressed with a question in my TEC 538 class. "Reflect on this statement: "Lectures are not a good strategy for integrating technology because students need hands-on work for learning with and about technology to really learn. Justify your position with readings from the course or additional research.”

The question appeared to indicate that lectures are not a good way to teach technology, and maybe they are not. However my reading of the 4^th chapter of Instructional Technology and Media for Learning showed that there is a place for instructor-centered instruction (Smaldino, Lowther, & Russell 2012). Varying the way the instructor presents material and using multimedia seems to be the key to good instruction.

My classmates gave several ideas for using student-centered instruction, and many of their suggestions are ideas that I use in my own classroom. I like the use of simulation for student-centered instruction because a well-made simulation can give students confidence. 

Technology is making simulation easier to use in the classroom.

Students come to us as individuals—they are not created with a cookie cutter. Consequently they learn in varying ways, so teaching with several strategies is important.

Smaldino, S., Lowther, D., & Russell, J. (2012). Instructional technology and media for learning, tenth edition. (10th ed., p.74). Allyn & Bacon.

New Beginnings

I am looking forward to sharing my reflections as I learn about teaching in the digital age of the 21st century!