I am trying to work so much smarter this year. With the new Reading Streets program, a grade emphasis on skill based learning, I have been really looking at what assignments/assessments are meaningful. I don't have time for lots of busy work to grade. I need to really know what it is I expect students to know and how to go about knowing when they have reached it. With that said, I loved reading this article. I have 5 (counting my teacher iPad) iPads in my classroom. I have been thinking about how to use them for practicing skills, researching for projects...after this article, I am now thinking about how to use them for assessment! I am thinking about how students can demonstrate their skills/learning via photos, videos, oral reflections, commenting on other students' work. There are lots of possibilities. By tying in assessment, I can incorporate more technology in my classroom. This is a big worry for me with the new implementation of the reading program. One of the tools I want to reevaluate using more is Google forms. I enjoyed reading about how teachers are incorporating this tool. Since this is an area I want to use more, I have added this blog to my Google Reader. This way I can revisit this as she posts. (Look at me...I am expanding my learning community!)
Though I really enjoy using Clickers, in many instances, my students are still taking a traditional type test. The big difference is they enter their answer and I get really organized data to help guide my instruction. (Good news, kids love using Clickers, so they are much more motivated when taking a "traditional" test.) The problem with traditional tests is the lack of room for creativity. Students need to be engaged! Students need to communicate! Students need to collaborate! Therefore allowing them opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge creatively is a must! Using Voice Thread is a possible way for students to do this and a way to respond to one another. I want to check out some of the apps mentioned in the article ( Explain Everything, ScreenChomp, ReplayNote, or Educreations). How lucky are we to be teaching in a world where assessment opportunities go well beyond the traditional tests! (If only the value of these assessments could be better appreciated than the standardized tests!)
Though I really enjoy using Clickers, in many instances, my students are still taking a traditional type test. The big difference is they enter their answer and I get really organized data to help guide my instruction. (Good news, kids love using Clickers, so they are much more motivated when taking a "traditional" test.) The problem with traditional tests is the lack of room for creativity. Students need to be engaged! Students need to communicate! Students need to collaborate! Therefore allowing them opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge creatively is a must! Using Voice Thread is a possible way for students to do this and a way to respond to one another. I want to check out some of the apps mentioned in the article ( Explain Everything, ScreenChomp, ReplayNote, or Educreations). How lucky are we to be teaching in a world where assessment opportunities go well beyond the traditional tests! (If only the value of these assessments could be better appreciated than the standardized tests!)