Ah Ha Moment

I just had an ah ha moment. I was was looking for one thing and found another. I found that I have created many online publications since starting this journey to my Masters degree. I currently have 5 online publications and one in the works. I am quite proud of myself. I did not realize that I even had this many items on the world wide web for others to view. Many of them do not have other viewers, but for me its the idea that it is out there and available for the world to see. This journey is teaching me more than I expected. And I still have much to learn. I also have come to another realization. I too can do even more and learn more during this journey. I have done well, I have a 3.9 GPA and and have made high A's in all but one class. I have learn a lot and meet to some intelligent classmates and instructors. At the same time, I admit that in some instances I should have gone above and beyond and I did not, more a plethora of reasons. Which none of the reasons matter much now, in hindsight. I now will strive to do more, learn more and be gain more from this journey. AMEN!!

Instructional Design Principles for Distance Education

Tests... The only objective assessment?

Reflect on the idea that tests are the only objective assessments of student learning.

Tests are without a doubt not the only objective assessment of students learning.  Tests definitely have a role in the education of all, yet they are not the only way to assess one.  Students are all unique and so is their ability to learn and show what they have learned.  Therefore students should be assessed in different ways.  Tests are simply one way to see what students know.

Test are only as objective as the person making the test, the multiple choice answers and the grader in determining what is circled or bubbled in as an answer.  If the making, grading of a test is flawed then so is the test.

Tests can be overrated and scores can be inflated.  Currently school districts have to give assessments to students to see what they know.  Sometimes students are taught how to pass a test and test taking strategies or teachers “teach the test”.  This does not allow anyone involved the best result. 

 Students are very different and must be allowed to show their intelligences through different means.  Comprehensive Assessment

Assessments

Here Pamela Grady and I have compiled a list of assessments that can be used in a classroom.  The list includes their strengths, weaknesses and how technology is or can be used with the assessment. 

Standardized Assessments

Strength-Test that measures students’ performance against standards or norms and can serve as potentially powerful tools for instruction and it is the most objective and scientific measure available for assessing students’ abilities. The most common form of answering a standardized assessment is in the form of selected response, which would give students choices to select the correct answer.

Weakness- Students may not test well in this type of assessment due to the design of the test. This assessment such as the CRCT ( Criterion Referenced Competency Test) test a compilation of content that the student was taught over an extended period of time such as the length of a school year. Another flaw with standardized testing such as the CRCT is the possibility that it may not be properly aligned with standards for the states which could result in students being tested over content that was not introduced yet.

Technology- no technology used for this type of assessment as they are primarily pencil and paper tests.

Alternate assessments

Strengths- Alternate assessments may be given in a format that the students will be measured against the standards, but not the same assessment that would typically be used for this measure. Some states such as Georgia use an alternate assessment to measure students with disabilities and how they are being taught the content standards. “Alternate achievement standards must be aligned to state academic content standards, although they may reflect prerequisite or entry-level skills” (GADOE, 2012)

Weakness- Alternate assessments could become a measure of how well the teacher adapts the curriculum to meet the students’ needs rather than how well a student has learned the content. Given that these assessments are generally designed for students with cognitive disabilities it is difficult to determine if it is a fair measure of how much a student has learned.

Technology- often these assessments are given using the computer in the classroom, or with other assistive technology that may be written into the students Individual Education Plan. Data gathered during the assessment collection periods is formulated into a digital portfolio.

Authentic Assessments

Strengths- This type of assessment could be viewed as the test that is designed for the student who is not a good test taker. In other words, authentic assessments are basically a method for teachers to collect feedback to determine if the student actually uses what they learned or if they just learned stuff for a test.

Weakness- Some students lack the creativity to understand learning is more than simply repeating what was taught in class. Students with disabilities who often do not fare well on pencil and paper tests may have difficulty designing a method to display their learning; they will have difficulty in transferring knowledge.

Technology- Authentic assessments could be measured in the form of an electronic portfolio to exhibit learning and data gathered from what was learned.

End of course test

Strengths- The end of course test is designed to be given at the end of selected courses often which are taught in high school. The tests are given in a selected response format and are often graded off site from the school. The end of course measures if a student learned the content from the standards based instruction over the course of one semester.

Weakness- The information gathered from the assessment arrives back with the teachers after the course has been taught so there is no way for this assessment to guide instruction in the classroom. Students could feel overwhelmed in preparing for an end of course test as this test measures an entire semester of learning.

Technology- not implemented with this test as it is a pencil and paper selected response test

Standards based project based learning assessments/projects

Strengths- Students are designing their own assessment as they develop a project based upon the standards that was used for the teaching portion of the class. Project based learning is a student centered learning environment in which students are in charge of their learning.

Weakness- Students may have difficulty understanding how to transfer the knowledge they have gained into a viable project that exhibits a base of understanding. When a student is taught on a project based learning curriculum it may cause them to not understand that assessment is still a measure of what they have learned.

Technology- Project based learning provides students with many outlets for using technology as a classroom tool.

21st Century Assessments

Strengths- These are non-traditional assessments, but are designed to prepare students for the 21st century. Knowledge based assessments that assess students’ abilities to recall, analyze, compare, infer and evaluate along with teamwork, collaboration and moral character. These higher order skills are the tools that students will need in order to be successful in the 21st century.

Weakness- May not measure student learning against a specific standard which was taught. Not all students will have higher order thinking that is at the same level at the same time, but this type of assessment could become a highly individualized assessment.

Technology- With schools becoming more technological in the 21st century these assessments could be implemented with a variety of technology including student designed technology uses.

Graduation Test-

Strengths- Allows teachers to know which students are prepared academically to graduate from high school and are often mandated by the individual states as an exit assessment from high school. Students are often given this assessment prior to their senior year in high school and are given multiple opportunities to take it and pass it.

Weakness- This selected response test may be difficult for students due to the high level of content that is included within the assessment.

Technology- Selected response assessment with no use of technology

Teacher Created Test

Strengths- Teachers may design these assessments based upon the most recent content that was taught to the students. This type of assessment is often used as a measure of how well a lesson was taught and the results are often used to help guide instruction. Teacher created tests may vary from simple selected response to brief oral response answers and are often used for a determination of immediate learning.

Weakness- Students become familiar with the concept of a weekly test such as a spelling test and base their learning more on passing the test than on learning.

Technology- Teachers could design these assessments to be given using the classroom computer, interactive board or tablets in the classroom.

Writing assessments

Strengths- Writing assessments will measure how well a student not only writes but also how well they understand the mechanics of writing and usage of the English language. Students will be given many opportunities to practice writing using a prompt, but may not be given the prompt prior to the actual tested writing assessment.

Weakness- Students may not understand the concept of writing as an assessment. This is one type of assessment in which the student may not prepare using a study guide or other method of test preparation.

Technology- Students may practice writing using a word processor, but on the actual assessment they will not be allowed to write using technology.

 

Anecdotal Record

An informal record of an event or behavior observed in the classroom.  Anecdotal notes are used to record specific observations of individual student behaviors, skills and attitudes as they relate to the outcomes in the program of studies.   

Advantages- Students cumulative information on student learning and direction for further instruction nor does it requires no special setting or time frame. 

Weakness – The  recorded observation is based on the observer’s interest, a complete picture may not be provided. Records may not always be accurate. If the observer decides to write down the incident at the end of the day and is poor at recalling details, important information may be missed.

Technology is not necessary for this assessment, however it can be used as a way to record notes.  A handheld tablet may be a way to use technology to record the data, or type it using a word processing software after handwriting it.

Attitude surveys

Strengths-When completed in a systematic manner students' self reflections regarding group and individual performance and affective characteristics such as effort, values, and interest. Providing an oral survey allows students to share their ideas, learn from others, and deepen the way they think about the topics being discussed.  It can be reliable in illustrating strengths and weaknesses in the curriculum. This helps the teacher in choosing the teaching techniques that are successful and replacing the ones which are not.          

Weakness - Students may think that even though they don't write their name on their survey, the teacher may still know it was theirs by the handwriting of their name or their survey's position in the pile of other surveys. In this event, some of the students will write what they think the teacher wants them to write. This will invalidate the test.

Technology – none is needed here but using a website to create a survey and have students to complete would be a way to incorporate technology. One such site is http://freeonlinesurveys.com/

Checklist

Strength -An assessment guideline listing skills, behaviors, or characteristics to help guide and record teacher observations of students as they perform certain tasks. There are also student checklists that can be used by students for self-assessment purposes.          This "provides insight into student learning and growth”. The teacher finds out under what conditions success is most likely, what individual students do when they encounter difficulty, how interaction with others affects their learning and concentration, and what students need to learn next; to gather information and to make judgments about what students know and can do in relation to the outcomes. They offer systematic ways of collecting data about specific behaviors, knowledge and skills.  There are no time constraints in collecting the data. The information can be quickly recorded anytime during program hours. In addition, checklists are easy to use, efficient, and can be used in many situations.   Data from checklists can be easily analyzed."         

Weakness -"The quality of information acquired through the use of checklists, rating scales and rubrics is highly dependent on the quality of the descriptors chosen for assessment. Their benefit is also dependent on students’ direct involvement in the assessment and understanding of the feedback provided.  The lack of detailed information is a weakness .  Checklists lack the richness of a more descriptive narrative. Because of the format, only particular behaviors are noted.  Important aspects of behaviors may be missed, such as how a behavior is performed and for how long. Only the presence or absence of a behavior is noted.

Observation

Strength -An informal assessment technique of watching students to identify strengths and weaknesses, patterns of behavior, and cognitive strategies.  Observations help determine which students need additional support and how to adjust instruction to encourage more and better learning.  They provide insight into student learning and growth. The teacher finds out under what conditions success is most likely, what individual students do when they encounter difficulty, how interaction with others affects their learning and concentration, and what students need to learn next concept.   

Weakness – If observing a student can answer specific questions.  Observing students is time consuming process and seeing a specific behavior or absence of may not happen.  It takes time to observe and note what is seen.

Portfolio Assessment

Strength - A form of authentic assessment in which students collect samples of their work in a portfolio to document their progress over time. Different types of portfolios include: showcase, which celebrates students’ best work; descriptive, which demonstrates what students can do; evaluative, which assesses students’ work against a standard; and progress, which documents students’ work over time.          Portfolios are powerful tools that allow students to see their academic progress from grade to grade. Work samples from all curricular areas can be selected and placed in a portfolio. These can include stories, tests and reflections about work samples. Portfolios can be organized according to chronology, subject area, and style or goal area.

Weakness -They can be extremely labor- and time-intensive, both to compile and to review. They can be cumbersome to store, too, and quickly become unmanageable, particularly if guidelines are hazy and excessive numbers of documents are included. In order for the portfolio to work as an assessment device and not merely as a student scrapbook, criteria for learning outcomes need to be carefully defined and then applied to the review of student work. For the review to succeed, reviewers must be carefully trained in the use of criteria and rubrics, and acceptable inter-rater reliability must be established.

Technology - Electronic portfolio can be created.  The software can be costly, and both faculty and students require technical support and training.

 

Rubric

An rubric is an evaluation tool that lists the important features that should be present in students’ performance or products. Rubrics clearly identify what will be graded.        They are used to gather information and to make judgments about what students know and can do in relation to the outcomes. They offer systematic ways of collecting data about specific behaviors, knowledge and skills.       Grading according to an explicit and descriptive set of criteria that is designed to reflect the weighted importance of the objectives of the assignment helps ensure that the instructor’s grading standards don’t change over time.  Rubrics can reduce the time spent grading and help instructors get a clearer picture of the strengths and weaknesses.  A rubric can help instructors communicate to students the specific requirements and acceptable performance standards of an assignment. When rubrics are given to students with the assignment description, they can help students monitor and assess their progress as they work toward clearly indicated goals. When assignments are scored and returned with the rubric, students can more easily recognize the strengths and weaknesses of their work and direct their efforts accordingly.

Weakness -The quality of information acquired through the use of rubrics is highly dependent on the quality of the descriptors chosen for assessment. Their benefit is also dependent on students’ direct involvement in the assessment and understanding of the feedback provided.

Technology- can be used to create rubrics.  There are websites that hacve them already created, some allow for adjustments and changes.  A simple word processing program can also create a rubric.

References

GADOE, 2012 The Georgia Alternate Assessment. Retrieved from  http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/curriculum-instruction-and-Assessment/Assessment/pages/GAA.aspx

Carnegie Mellon University. (2012). Grading and Performance Rubrics. Retrieved from http://www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/teach/rubrics.html

 Wright, B.D. (2004). Strengths and Weaknesses: Tests, Portfolios, Interviews, Surveys, and Inventories Retrieved from   http://www.acenet.edu/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Search%A7ion=PDF3&template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentFileID=170

Scholastic Professional Development Modules. (2000)Assessment Tool Types. Retrieved from http://www.scholastic.com/dodea/Module_3/resources/red_tr_c03s03_assesstool.pdf

Alberta Education (2008). Assessment in Mathematics. Retrieved from http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/mewa/html/assessment/index.html

Technology Infused Classroom 

A technology infused classroom is place where the teacher and students have immediate access to lots of different types of current technology.  Students are actively using different forms of technology daily and teachers are guiding students in their learning.  Students are working collaboratively with the technology and they are using their creativity to show what they know and continue to learn. 

There might be an interactive white board in use where students or teachers are modeling or explaining, it could even be used for a small group lesson or center rotation.  Digital cameras and printers could be used to take images of concepts in real life, such as a pencil, a cylinder for math; grass outside, a producer for science; or even a picture of a child eating to write a descriptive paragraph for writing.  The technology infused classroom would have computers that students would use word processing applications to publish their work, practice skills using website of software programs.  The Flip camera or camcorder could capture presentations, experiments or even students teaching others.  Students would have assigned iPads for daily use to practice, explain, view concepts, and produce work. The use of other technologies used by children would be the center of a technology infused classroom.  Students actively using different technology daily to learn and show what they have learned, this is the vision I have for my technology infused classroom. 

Connecting Technology with Learning

 

This week’s topic focused on connecting technology with learning.  I was given the following questions to answer:

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

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

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

Below you can read my response.   

Visual literacy can impact teaching by allowing students to verbalize what they think about an artwork without being right or wrong.  This will cause students to verbalize what they are thinking and help them to generate ideas.  Teachers will be able to hear students tell them just what they are thinking.  Students will be more willing to verbalize their thoughts because they will know there is not right or wrong answer.  So the fear they feel of saying something incorrect will be eliminated.   When the fear is removed they will have greater self confidence and allow others to see their thinking and discuss their ideas and other students’ ideas. 

Studies have shown that using VTS students increase many other skills.  Carlemuseum.org (the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art) , states that “VTS measurably increases observation skills, evidential reasoning, speculative abilities, and the ability to find multiple solutions to complex problems across the curriculum.”  The article can be found at http://www.carlemuseum.org/downloads/VTS%20Final.pdf

I found an interesting article about the  VTS program.  The article can be found at

http://www.edutopia.org/visual-thinking-strategies-art-curriculum

I have also attached a brochure about the VTS program.

In this use of this program teachers and students go through a minimal amount of lessons, ten, and learn to think using visuals.

Go to http://www.healthybehaviorsconference.org/PDF/Outside-the-Lens.pdf  it

gives a description, overview, background, explanation of how the program works and other useful information.  This information will help you to understand more about VTS developed by Abigail Housen and Philip Yenawine. It is founded on the principals of Rudolf Arnheim, Jerome Bruner and Lev Vygotsky.

The use of the internet will allow teacher sot locate images to use in the classroom to generate thought and self confidence.  The thought comes from seeing the image and relating it to the content.  There are excessive amounts of images on the internet and having students to view related images and justify what they see and think based on the image there is not a wrong answer.  Students then will be more confident in their answers and learning ability.  This in turn can increase their willingness and comprehension of the material.

Instructional Technology for Media and Learning  by Sharon E. Smaldino, Deborah L. Lowther, and James D. Russell state the following

Today we use the term visual literacy to refer to the learned ability to

interpret visual messages accurately and to create such messages. Visual literacy can be developed through two major approaches:

• Input strategies. Helping learners to decode, or read,” visuals proficiently by practicing visual analysis skills (e.g., through picture analysis and discussion of multimedia and video programs).

• Output strategies. Helping learners to encode, or write,” visuals to express themselves and communicate with others (e.g., through planning and producing visual presentations).

One teaching strategy would be to use visual thinking strategy would be in a writing lesson.  Provide each student with an attention-grabbing image.  Have them to write sentences, questions and words about the image to garner thoughts.    Then have students to use those thoughts to begin to write about the image.  They can create the answers to the questions, use the details they wrote and then use the sentences to describe what is happening.  This will allow them to describe in detail what they see in the picture to you using their own words. Gemma De Vita, a teacher from Fulton County Schools in Atlanta, Georgia says  This allows the students to have a picture book with their own notes to remind them of what they are learning and thinking.”This idea is one that I would like to adapt for my students use.  The link for this idea can be found at http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/13279/.  There are also other ideas and links for VTS that can be of use at this link.

Using visualization in math to teach shapes is another visual thinking strategy I would enjoy using.  A sample Lesson using visualization to teach math lesson on shapes can be found at  http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/teaching-shapes-using-read-797.html?tab=1#tabs.  In this lesson students are challenged, encouraged,  and taught to use a visualization strategy to synthesize information. Students then use illustrations to interpret texts visually

For more information about  visualizing in different subject matter use the following link http://www.readingrockets.org/strategies/visual_imagery/.

What role do I want the internet to play in my classroom?  The answer to that question can be summed up in one word.  TOOL.  I want the Internet to be used as a tool for individualizing and differientiating instruction.  Students can move at their own pace to further their learning on topics of interest.  I can give them assignments or partners that can aid them in understanding the basics of a concept.  They can use the Internet to get immediate answers to questions, and even learn skills.  They will be able to learn the difference between fact and opinion, real and imaginary, bias and unbiased, reliable and unreliable. These ideas can be taught to students where they each can use the internet to discover, understand, and practice for long term learning.  I read --- and hope that one day I can make the same comments about my class.  The article talked about the difference adding internet made in classrooms where students actively used the internet for their learning, not the teacher modeling, at least once a week.  Click the link below  to see the article.

http://lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/students/jwbates/Internetonteacher.htm

Topic: Using a variety of instructional strategies, incorporating technology, the value and impact it has on teaching

The use of multiple instructional strategies is an invaluable practice to prepare students for the 21^st century.  Students learn in different ways not to mention the different types of learners in one classroom vary greatly.  Teachers must select a strategy to use for a lesson based on several factors .   Instructional Technology and Media for Learning, reminds us that when selecting a strategy we must consider what the learning outcome, the age, and the teacher’s comfort of using a specific strategy.  According to the article “21st Century Skills: The Challenges Ahead” written by Andrew J. Rotherham and Daniel Willingham “Advocates of 21st century skills favor student-centered methods—for example, problem-based learning and project-based learning—that allow students to collaborate, work on authentic problems, and engage with the community. These approaches are widely acclaimed and can be found in any pedagogical methods textbook; teachers know about them and believe they're effective.”

 These strategies are effective because they allow teachers to facilitate the learning, students to be creative, problem solvers who work with other students in a collaborative effort.  The strategies do not allow students to sit and listen to a lecture.  They require students to be involved in the lesson using different intelligences and reaching diverse learning styles.  Technology also allows the use of strategies that would not be possible otherwise.  A PowerPoint can include multiple types of media to reach all types of learners.  Using the computer can require students to create and alter sound, video, pictures and other forms of technology.  Students can even participate in lessons and learning with students in different geographical areas of the world or see distant lands in the world.  This provides an experience that students will remember and learn from better than a description or picture.  Technology opens more learning and the facilitation of lessons in a different way than before when incorporated with instructional strategies. 

Musing various instructional strategies with technology will impact teaching by requiring teachers to stay informed and educated and pass the knowledge on to students.  Students to become and stay engrossed in the lesson, intrigued by what they saw and curious about how it was done.  Students will be reached where it is appropriate for individuals.  Students will be better prepared for the future.   Time stands still for no one, and neither does technology.  Technology continues to change and be revolutionized.  In preparation of these changes students must be taught how to properly use technology.  The ISTE-NETS has designed standards for students and teachers as to prepare both for the 21^st century in education with technology.  These standards are to aid in teachers’ and students’ preparation for the future.  These are combined with the effort to reach all pupils.  To do so teachers must use a variety of instructional strategies that integrate technology.