Student Assessments..........Are Tests the Only Way?

     

     When considering objective assessments I think of tests that may include multiple choice, true/false or constructed response questions. These types of assessment were once the norm for assessing student learning in education. Objective assessments may still be used but they shouldn’t be the only method for assessing student learning. Students learn in a variety ways and their learning should be assessed in various ways.

     I can recall taking the ACT in high school and achieving higher scores than many of friends. We were all good students with good grades. The fact that I scored higher didn’t make me feel as if I was smarter than my peers. When I became a teacher I realized what I thought as a student was true, not all students are good test takers especially when it comes to standardized tests. I witnessed students that understand the material throughout the week, but for whatever reason perform poorly on the test. This is one reason that I do not believe that tests are the only way to assess student learning. Students should be able to showcase their learning and understanding using methods beyond the traditional test.

     During this week’s assignment each group was tasked to identify 25 different types of assessments. Not all of these assessments would be considered to be objective. There are various ways the students can be assessed. For example, teachers can formally assess student learning on a daily basis through exit tickets or by using an application such as Plickers.  The use of these methods will provide teachers with valuable information on student understanding throughout the unit. Teachers no longer have to wait until the completion of a unit to find out whether or not the material is understood. Also, creating digital portfolios that will show student learning over a period of time can be used as a method to assess students. Therefore, I believe that the test is no longer the only objective assessment that can be used to assess the students.

Image References:

Assessment Tools [Online image]. Retrieved June 10, 2015 from http://www.informationliteracy.org/users_data/1711/Tools.jpg

Our Education System [Online image]. Retrieved June 10, 2015 from http://36.media.tumblr.com/c6a40c9e3695de6cc78c407055df395c/tumblr_mxbbv1q9PI1s7drjmo1_1280.jpg

The Technology-Infused Classroom

     If you were asked to describe a typical classroom about 20 years ago, how would it be described? The classroom would include a chalkboard and student desks aligned in rows. The teacher may have stood in the front of the room at a podium or the chalkboard to give a lecture on the day’s lesson. Fast forward a few years and the classrooms gradually evolved. The chalkboards were replaced with whiteboards and the teacher may have used an overhead projector to aid the lecture. The student desks may have been arranged in groups instead of rows. The lesson was still delivered through lecture.

     

     As technology has advanced through the years it has led to an increase in technology usage in the classroom. Teachers began to have at least one computer in the classroom for their own use and then maybe one or two computers available for student use. Computer labs were added to school campuses where teachers could take an entire class to complete computer related assignments. Technology is no longer limited to or thought to be a desktop computer.

     The current classrooms now may include an interactive whiteboard, such as a Promethean Board or SMART Board. Teachers use projectors for lesson presentations using programs such as PowerPoint, Keynote or Prezi. Video clips found on the Internet can be shown to engage students and enhance the lessons being taught. Students have access to tablet PCs, laptops or other mobile devices in the classroom. Teachers use applications such as Edmodo, Moodle, or Blackboard to communicate information to students. Teachers can quickly assess students by using a mobile device with an application like Plickers.

     In my own classroom I have a SMART Board, projector and laptop. Most of the students have school issued laptops. I create and use interactive SMART Notebooks and PowerPoint presentations to present lessons. I embed video clips found on the Internet into my presentations that will engage my students and enhance the lesson. I would like to use Edmodo next school year with my students for assignments and communication. As I learn more about technology through my courses, I plan to continue the infusion of technology into my classroom.

Image References:

Teacher [Online image]. Retrieved May 27, 2015 from http://www.amazing-animations.com/animations/school10.gif

Futuresource Tracks All Digital Classroom Products [Online image]. Retrieved May 27, 2015 from http://marsdengrant.com/UsedImages/FullScreen_full-spectrum-of-classroom-technology.jpg

Lecture [Online image]. Retrieved May 25, 2015 from http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IdE7EJRW7oY/UMhevLTk-jI/AAAAAAAADPA/uvC_e_HZAJM/s1600/001.jpg

Visual Literacy & Internet in the Classroom

     The focus of this week’s discussion was visual literacy and the impact of Internet in teaching and student learning. Both provide benefits to enhance student learning and help keep them engaged in their learning. Students need more than traditional lectures for learning. The use of visuals and the Internet are an important part of 21^st Century Learning.

     Prior to this week I had not realized that I have consistently implemented visual literacy in my lessons. One strategy I often use is showing my students video clips I find through websites such as Discovery Learning or PBS Learning Media. It can be a brief video clip that helps capture a students’ attention or provides an additional explanation of the concepts that are being taught. My students love the animated videos found on BrainPop and enjoy completing the quizzes as an entire class. Visual strategies greatly benefit a student that is a visual learner and impacts all learners. Teachers can use technology tools such as interactive boards, projectors and document cameras to present information to students. As a Math teacher visuals are used daily in my classroom. I use my SMARTBoard, ELMO and projector daily in my classroom.

     The Internet can also play a beneficial role in classrooms. Teachers must be sure that parameters are set for Internet usage and most importantly that students understand digital citizenship. Websites such as Edmodo can provide teachers with a platform to communicate with students via the Internet and provide an alternative method for delivering information to students. Currently, the Internet does not play a large role in my classroom. In the future I would like to create Edmodo classes for my students or have my students create an online journal to share any misunderstandings that may have about the concepts being taught. An online journal can provide my students that are hesitant to ask for help another way share their concerns. I would like the Internet to become a tool that my students can use effectively to enhance their learning experience.

Teaching 21st Century Learners

     The students of the 21^st century are different from the students that were in classrooms ten years ago. I can only imagine if I had all the currently available resources and technology in my classrooms as a student during the 1990’s. There are teacher- and –student-centered strategies that can be used in instruction. Students no longer have to simply listen to the teacher lecture, but can now take ownership in their own learning. Teachers can now be facilitators in the classroom and allow students to lead the discussion. The old familiar way of teaching students through lecture doesn’t benefit all students. Learning strategies are so important because classrooms consist of students that learn in a variety of ways. A students’ learning style may be kinesthetic, visual, or auditory just to name a few. It is because of the different learning styles that teachers should use various learning strategies in order to engage all students.

     

     Technology plays an important role to assist teachers in addressing the various learning styles of their students. Learning strategies such a presentation, demonstration, problem solving and cooperative learning can all have technology integrated to engage students. Additionally, technology can allow students to learn outside the confines of the traditional classroom setting. Students can learn through distance learning, blended instruction, independent study, and informal study. Each provides a way to engage students in achieving their learning outcomes. (Smaldino, Lowther, Mims & Russell, 2015).

     As a result of the readings this week I realize the necessity of teachers to have knowledge of their students' learning styles. Without understanding the students in your classroom it impossible to address the needs of all students. You may have a classroom that consists of mainly visual learners with exception of a few. In order for all students to benefit all must be considered when planning a lesson. My goal is to be knowledgeable of the technology and strategies that will benefit all my students.

References

Smaldino, S. E., Lowther, D. L., Mims, C., & Russell, J. D.(2015). Instructional Technology and Media for Learning (11th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc

Learning Styles Chart [Online image]. Retrieved April 29, 2015 from http://www.loving2learn.com/Goals/Charts/LearningStyles.aspx