Are Tests the Only Real Objective Assessment?

There are many different forms of assessment that can be used to determine whether or not students are making academic progress. If we, as teachers, only relied on standardized tests or midterm and final exams, some of our students would never pass to the next grade level. The problem with tests is that they are designed around the premise of equality versus the reality of fairness. These tests are supposed to be the same across the board in order to create equality, but the reality is that our students are not. A way to design assessments that create a level (or fair) playing field is to use a variety of assessment in order to develop a complete picture of a student’s skills and progress.

 

I believe it is safe to say that if our students require diversity in instruction. Since that is the case, then they need diversity when it comes to assessing their academic progress too. Students can be assessed using various methods. For example: group projects which focus on working with others to complete a task, teacher observation which allows the teacher to see and monitor what their student is doing in the everyday classroom setting, portfolios which allow a teacher and the student to see the academic progress they have made over a period of time, and self-evaluations which allow students to assess their own progress and give them the ability to determine the areas they need to improve. There are many other forms of student assessments and teachers need only search the internet or other sources to find them.

Tests are not inherently bad, nor are they useless in the classroom. Tests have their time and place in assessment just like all other assessments, but they need to be used in conjunction with some other forms of student assessment. We already know that we don’t all learn in the same manner; because of this, there should be some flexibility when it comes to assessing student progress. Tests are not and should not be the only objective or reliable source when it comes to assessing a student’s academic progress.

 

 

The Technology Infused Classroom

Technology in The Classroom - Infuse Learning EdModo from Daniel Ledezma on Vimeo.

Daniel isn't the only one who is working to infuse technology into his classroom. All across the world teachers are learning new technology in order to incorporate this new wave of useful tools into their daily classroom instruction. Sometimes the intensity of trying to keep up with the ever widening market of instructional technology and teachers must learn to keep this topic in focus. Measuring the effectiveness of incorporating ever-changing technology into the classroom against the cost in time, money, and confusion (not to mention the Hawthorne Effect of something new working just because it's new!). My vision of a technology infused classroom doesn't necessarily have all the latest, but it certainly has the greatest and the most relevant technology in order to make sure that the investment is returned in learning gains, engagement, and useful real-world skills.

Exploring new technologies can be fun and engaging for learners, but not every new program, gadget, or device is worth the investment. Sometimes less is more.

Keeping in mind that the tools we teach our students to use in school should be the ones that will provide the most effective skills for their future. When a teacher is working through a selection of programs, games, and devices for use in their classroom, they should always keep this goal in mind.

Sticking to the basics of word processing, some main online sites with which you have confidence in use and effectiveness, a well maintained set of class computers with internet access and a projection program can be enough to provide full  technology skills to students if they are used effectively. This isn't to say that becoming familiar with new technologies and trends in instructional technology isn't beneficial for a classroom, but it is not always necessary to bring everything into your classroom. It is worth saying twice that when it comes to technology in the classroom, sometimes less is more.

Visual Literacy: Educating through Images

How can visual literacy and the use of the Internet impact the teaching and learning process in the classroom?

Merriam-Webster defines visual literacy as the ability to recognize and understand ideas conveyed through visible actions or images. As 21st century learners work to grasp concepts, draw connections, retain information and use critical thinking skills, images can help them to solidify their knowledge and supplement (and sometimes replace) regular lessons in the classroom.  When students are given the opportunity to use higher order thinking skills by evaluating, analyzing and creating conceptual visual representations, they often experience a more deep and lasting knowledge of the concepts being introduced. In addition to helping students make meaning from information and stimulating higher order thinking skills, the use of images in the classroom can keep even the most distracted learners engaged in lessons that might otherwise have been lost through the use of traditional lessons.

What are some visual-thinking strategies you would like to use in your classroom?

Using videos in the classroom is one way to encourage visual thinking. This video could be used to supplement or replace a traditional lesson on erosion in a science class. Visual-Thinking Strategies encourage students to be active participants and can help build self confidence in students who may be struggling. The use of visual-thinking strategies often takes a teacher-centered classroom and shifts it into a student-centered environment, thus allowing students to have more access to useful strategies for learning. Some of the visual-thinking strategies that I use in my classroom include:

·         Creating mnemonic visuals and cartoons for vocabulary words

·         Having students create entirely visual presentations

·         Virtual Field Trips

·         Laboratory Simulations    

·         Using graphic organizers

 

What role do you want the Internet play in your classroom?

In my classroom, the Internet is a resource that provides a broader perspective on the world and allows students to explore ideas.  Although there are times when students can use the internet for entertainment, in my classroom the internet is mainly used for research, exploration, and communication. Using programs like GoToMeeting in order to provide a larger classroom for a group of students who live in a very isolated and homogeneous part of the United States is probably the number one advantage of having Internet access in my classroom.

Reflection Module 2

Using a variety of instructional technology in the classroom today is absolutely essential to creating learners who are prepared to move forward in any industry. Even in McDonald's and Walmart, computers and other technological devices are mandatory parts of the daily routine. For students to excel in fields that will bring them financial security, understanding, manipulating, and keeping up with today's technology goes hand in hand with the content knowledge that used to be the staples of such careers as law, medicine, and banking. In the following video, Chandra Turpen explains some of the results from studies that the University of Colorado has done in regards to the effects of using clicker technology in the classroom.

 

In the Learning Pyramid graphic, the retention rates for each of the listed teaching strategies show that students must be more engaged if teachers are to expect them to retain any of the information that they are being taught. This pyramid is simply a version of Bloom's Taxonomy which gives the teaching elements that apply to each level of the learning structure (if you are not familiar with Bloom's Taxonomy, click here to see some useful information). Within each of these strategies, there is ample room for technology to be integrated with the lessons.

 



In order to adjust to teaching as technology moves forward, teachers must move forward as well. For my classroom, this means being willing to try new things and learn from my students. In the 21st century, a teacher who is not willing to learn from his or her students will be lost as technology advances faster and faster and taking courses or learning at home becomes less and less feasible.

 

Reference:

Chasteen, S. (2009). Clickers in the classroom: The research. do clickers help students learn?. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxKHXyVtVIA on July 10, 2013

 

Have you checked out this website?

The 4teachers group of websites has so much to offer for teachers. From a way to create tailored rubrics to a safe place for students to compete with other students from around the world in games of skill, 4teachers has tools you should explore!

4teachers

Integrating Technology in Social Studies

Links for the social studies classroom:

Public Agenda

50 States

Information about the 50 States and D.C. from the Internet Public Library

News from Pew about State Issues

POTUS

The White House

Presidents of the USA

Countries of the World


Feel free to share your own to this list! I am sure that the net is filled with resources that most of us have never seen!

The Beginning of My Journey

I created this blog in order to chronicle my journey through my Master's in Curriculum and Instruction in Technology. Check back frequently for updates and tech savvy teaching ideas.