Integrating+Technology+Into+Assessment+Practices

= 1. Integrating Technology Into Assessment Practices: An Introduction =

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. toc Involve me and I learn.” ...Benjamin Franklin



In todays classrooms we tend to find more and more technology being integrated. There are many ways that technology can be best utilized for a smarter and more efficient way of assessment. Being able to connect with students in a positive way with technology is the only step forward.

This is a short video looking at how technology is rapidly changing: =media type="youtube" key="6ILQrUrEWe8" height="315" width="560"=

= 2. What Does The Research Say? =

2.1 Teacher Education
A study by Swain (2006) found that pre-service teachers were becoming more comfortable with computer use and were developing their use for more complex tasks however most students did not appear to be ready to apply educational technologies to different contexts. The study relates this hesitation to the steep learning curve pre-service teachers experience when learning to use and integrate educational technologies. One solution suggested by Swain (2006) was the integration of a educational technology course which focused on exposing students to how they would apply the technologies in a classroom rather than just highlighting various technologies.

2.2 Students Response
A study by Kay and Knaack (2009) examined the use of audience response systems (ARS) in a secondary school science class and found that the technology benefited students by increasing engagement and participation and also helped improve attention paid in the class. The preferred role of ARS technology was for formative assessment as the study cited student frustration and anxiety if it was used in a summative role. The study also found that a small proportion of students felt uncomfortable using the technology, and many felt rushed by the response time. The authors suggest that a tutorial session be used to introduce students to the technology before implementing it for assessment purposes. Students also benefited from an explanation of why the technology was being incorporated and how it could benefit them.

= 3. Examples of Technology in Assessment =

i) The Technology
Students learn most effectively when information is presented with a combination of presentation methods, for example combining corresponding visual and auditory messages compared to simply one or the other. Voice over technology allows this to happen any time and caters to a variety of applications. Brainshark is an example of voice over technology which allows you to upload a powerpoint presentation and then add voice over slide-by-slide.

ii) Pros
-This technology is simple to use. -It is flexible. -It is accessible anywhere and looks professional.

iii) Cons
= = -No editing feature, it’s all or nothing for each take. -There were a few issues, the most problematic being that it occasionally didn't save your sound file. -You have to do your voice over going slide-by-slide, which can pose problems if you have an information-dense slide. = =

iv) Application
Rather than have a students write an essay or create a presentation with written text, auditory learners or those who are weak writers can create a simple presentation and add a voice-over. This allows these learners to demonstrate their knowledge of the subject matter in subjects such as the sciences and social studies without being hindered by their writing skills. From a teachers perspective, having these presentations in digital format allows for marking outside of class time, the same as any other conventional submission method. This is a great example of differentiation of assessment. = =

i) The Technology
The internet is full of information that students can access at any point in time but most of this information is not relevant and it can be hard for students to sort through all of this information. A good way to allow students to find information online or for teacher and students to share information with each other are these file and information sharing technologies. Cloud technologies allow students to submit assignments online and give teachers and other students direct access to this information. Wiki’s can also be used to submit work to a teacher online, this technology allows students to work together on group projects or alone and add their portion or edit the project online. Examples of this technology are Google Drive which includes a cloud for files as well as the ability to collaborate on documents and work simultaneously; Dropbox is another example of a cloud where files can be stored as well as shared.

ii) Pros
-This allows students to work together online and also helps students understand and create their own digital projects. -Wiki’s allows teachers to check on students work at all times throughout a project and given feedback throughout. -Cloud allows students to submit projects from outside of school to a place that teachers can easily access.

iii) Cons
-With the projects not being given directly to the teacher it is possible that students are having someone else complete their work or can be using someone else's project or information but this can be an issue even without the use of these technologies. = = -Concerns over security and privacy of your intellectual property.

iv) Application
These technologies would be great in any distance learning classrooms and could also be used to share information for do peer assessment with another class somewhere else in the world. This could also be good to allow students who are sick or away from school to submit assignments while they are away.

Check out this inspiring video about Google Drive!

media type="youtube" key="2Y0Gm02XGis" height="315" width="560"

i) The Technology
Blogs are a great resource for students to share their thoughts and ideas with others. The ability to make them public allows a greater degree of collaboration among students and helps foster knowledge. Parents, teachers, and other students can easily view the work of others. A great blogging resource for teachers is Kidblog. This easy-to-use platform restricts access to only those who are approved by an administrator and also allows for commenting.

ii) Pros
-Safe for younger students. -The teacher controls who views the page. -Easy to set-up and for students to use. -Can set up multiple class blogs. -Students can view and comment on each other's work.

iii) Cons
-Not easily accessible for collaboration between classes without bloating a single class list. -Students comments are unfiltered so it may present issues with cyberbullying.

iv) Application
Class blogs can be created for students to post thoughts, ideas and reflections. This is a great platform for metacognition and is advantageous because students can read and reflect on each others work. It also provides a benefit in that students who are struggling with the assignment can view other students work to get ideas for their own.

i) The Technology [[image:classroom-assessment-theory-into-practice/students_computer.jpg align="right"]]
Exam banks can be a valuable tool for both educators and students. Students can go online and try their hand at comparable questions and immedi ately see how they are doing, how others are doing, what they need to work on, and what their strengths are. Teachers can also use them for the same purposes; they can see how their students are doing with the government regulated tests and address any gaps in their students’ learning. In this way, it can be both a formative and summative assessment, as well as a valuable tool for review. Alberta Education posts previous diploma exams online and ExamBank is a paid service which has online practice questions for grades K-12 in a variety of subject areas.

ii) Pros
-Students are able to get feedback q uickly. -Exams are usually smaller and can be completed within the length of a regular class. -Students can work at their own pace. -Teachers are able to see how their students are doing. -Exams are ready-made, giving teachers a chance to focus their energies elsewhere.

iii) Cons
-Students may rely on online exams as a primary form of studying, instead of an assessment tool. -Could create a false sense of security. -Does not prepare students for the stresses of an examination environment. -There may be inconsistencies between the material covered in class and generic government questions.

iv) Application
These resources are great for students because they can mimic the contexts of an exam which may provide an opportunity for students to work on study s kills or begin to overcome test anxiety. = = = =

3.5 Audience Response Systems
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i) The Technology [[image:classroom-assessment-theory-into-practice/survey-says-2.jpg width="375" height="250" align="left"]]
Audience response systems (ARS) are a remote control technology that allows teachers to get instant feedback from their students. These remotes can be assigned to a particular student or can be used for general feedback from the students. Questions can be in true/false or multiple choice questions and once answers are recorded they can be stored or used immediately to make charts and graphs instantly. Some adaptable free examples of ARS' include Poll Everywhere and WallWisher and there are many paid products available.

ii) Pros
-Great tool for formative assessment because it allowed the teacher to immediately see what material the students did not understand. -Helps the teacher build on these concepts and help students where they need it the most. -This technology also actively engages in the classroom and promotes participation and can help students keep focused.

iii) Cons
-Students may be stressed because of limited response time. -Technological malfunction in a remote or with the software. -Many are battery-powered, and battery death could be untimely.

iv) Application
ARS can be used in most classes at any level where that student’s are able to use the technology. It is most effective in secondary school because students are often in their seats or desks during lessons and this is a good way to involve students within the classroom. Similar technologies also exist that use cell phones and text messages to allow students to give input simultaneously directly to the class or the teacher during the lesson.

Remind 101
-"A safe way for teachers to text message students and keep in touch with parents" -Allows parents to get informed and involved in their child's learning and progress. -Teachers can send out mass texts to students and their parents regarding homework, assignements, upcoming tests, lessons, and events.

CD-Roms
-CD-Roms are not as popular as they use to be, however, they can still be used as a great tool for formative assessments. The student can bring it anywhere and use it on a computer with a cd drive. The students can review and test them selves as many times as they like.



Skype
-Can be used to connect classrooms around the world. -Students can connect with other students, and teachers can also video-conference with other teachers to gain support and resources for their own classrooms

[[file:HSscienceclicker.pdf]]
Paper on digital assessment

Paper on Blogging

@http://www.iclicker.com/community/research/

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@https://www.remind101.com/

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