Tech assessment tools are becoming more and more commonplace in education and teachers need training on how to use them effectively. I have used all of the assessment tools in the module and feel they all have their advantages and disadvantages. Although, it would be nice to have training from an expert on each tool to show what it can potentially do and how to best use that specific tool in the classroom. As educators, we don't always have the time to fully educate ourselves on new tech tools that come down the line. Therefore, we use the ones that are easily adapted. With that being said, my favorites are Quizziz and Kahoot for ease of use and engagement factor for students. My favorite for assessing is Edpuzzle, I like Edpuzzle because it can target specific skills the student needs, but this tool requires teachers to choose the content video and then plug in questions to target the skill. More work for the teacher, but beneficial for the student. In the article by Joe Hirsch, "100 Videos and Counting: Lessons from a Flipped Classroom," Hirsch mentioned a similar tech tool Educanon which is a learning platform where you can deliver material to students and track their progress. This is another great assessment tool for teachers and seems very easy to use. It also contains premade videos by other teachers, which makes it easily adaptable.
Tech tools can be used effectively in the classroom in many ways, one way is to use these tools as a pre-assessment to see what students already know. You can also use them as a quick formative assessment to see where students are at and what they are still struggling with as a daily "ticket out the door." Then use these "tickets out the door, " to create groups for the next day. They could also be used as the students' final assessment in a unit. Tech tools can also be used as a type of remediation if a student is just not getting the concept and needs more practice. My favorite way to use these tools is for extending learning. Since these tools are free, students can create their own account and then create their own tool for assessing and show what they know. We use what they created in the classroom, so the students really try to make the questions at a high level to challenge their peers. Since students are creating these, they must know the material well. After these assessments, make sure students are reflecting and asking themselves what are my next steps? Tips for this are mentioned in the Common Sense article, "Make Formative Assessment More Student Centered." All of these options are great if you have one to one devices, but what if you don't? Here is a great article about choices of tech tools and how to use them from Edutopia. SCREENCASTING I used Screen-O-Matic and felt it was easy to use but not user-friendly unless you have the premium version. I had to redo mine several times as it would not let me go back to a specific part and start from that point. But overall, it was easily adapted without much of a learning curve. I currently let my students use Screen-O-Matic in class as an extension to their learning by having them create a video screencast showing their knowledge of the content. They also create videos with questions to share with peers to test their peers' knowledge as well. You could use this as a blended learning approach by creating the videos ahead of time for students to preview material, or preview it in class while the teacher is working with individuals or small group to help struggling students. References: Hirsch, Joe (2015, October 19). 100 Videos and Counting : Lessons from a Flipped Classroom. Retrieved from: https://www.edutopia.org/blog/100-videos-lessons-flipped-classroom-joe-hirsch Edutopia (2007, November, 5). How to Integrate Technology. Retrieved from: https://www.edutopia.org/technology-integration-guide-implementation CommonSense. Make Student Assessment More Student-Centered. Retrieved from: https://d1e2bohyu2u2w9.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/tlr-asset/document-twt-cheat-sheet-checks-for-understanding-081916.pdf
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Alan November couldn't be more correct. Who does own the learning? With technology in abundance and overly confident students using it, educators need to re-balance control of the learning and create a culture where students have assignments that are engaging and worth while. Not just ones they can google the answer to. Educators need to redesign assignments from previous years and let students design their own questions and guide them in their journey. Many Web 2.0 tools can help educators create assignments for students that are engaging, and I am very interested in learning more about podcasting and tools that support collaboration. I am familiar with podcasts, but not quite sure how to utilize them in the classroom. I would love to learn about different ways students can collaborate. I love it when my students collaborate to create a product, they are actively talking and thinking about the topic at hand and in the end, engaged. What ways do you have your students collaborate? Please share your colossal collaborations. Web 2.0 tools have changed educators professional practice by giving way to different means of presentation of material and how the students actively participate in their learning. Many of these tools can be used to pre-assess, assess or just introduce students to a new topic. The 4 C's for 21st Century Learning are a good guide to follow when thinking of the "process" of learning, making sure the learning is creative, collaborative, the students are using critical thinking skills and communicating. What is your favorite tool to use in the classroom? I feel Web 2.0 tools create a learning curve not only for the students but also for the teachers as well. Both groups need to differentiate between the entertainment factor and actual learning and determine which tools deserve to be present in the classroom. UDL Guidelines are a good start to evaluating Web 2.0 tools. Although, the right Web 2.0 tools can be beneficial with those to diverse learning needs in several ways. There are currently speech tools, assistive technology, and many learning adaptive software that can support students with diverse learning needs. References: youtu.be/Yerxm-BUwnI udlguidelines.cast.org |
Shelly WoodsLearn-a-holic, lover of books, dogs and travel. :) Welcome to my blog. Archives
April 2019
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