Blog Post 4: Reflect on the idea that tests are the only objective assessments of student learning.

 Blog Post 4:  Reflect on the idea that tests

 are the only objective assessments of student learning.

The suggestion that test are the only objective assessments, laughable, if one considers that most human endeavors are at their hart subjective.  Any assessment that is created will have a person or persons’ imprint on it.  Consider new state or district assessments, They are created by groups of people who are influenced by the world around them. One could argue that they are reactionary in nature.  If one is a resolute pessimist, it might be suggested that they are governed by the political winds of change.  But all kidding or seriousness aside, assessments are made in order to find out how ones instruction is working.  The questions are subjective based on what the instructor thinks they need to check on.  When tests are made, they carry with them the choices made by a person.  At the university level tests can reflect the type of student the institution wants to accept.  State test design are influenced by what leaders in industry and government deem as important at the time.  According to Dr. Olenka Bilash, University of Alberta, one way to overcome the subjective view of assessment is what she calls triangulation. Triangulation looks at three different sources to which ensures, more accuracy of assessment data.  Three sources could include conversations, products, and observations. Conversation can come in the form of exit tickets or I can do statements.  Observations take place during class time and should be done by observing small numbers of students daily, not all during a single class.  Products refer to concrete items created by students. This can include projects, tests, and tasks.  Between all three a teacher can better discern a student’s progress.  All three areas are assessed and teachers can tell whether a student knows the information and is strong in all three areas or just one or two with the goal bringing the students levels up in all three areas.

Reference:

Bilash, O. (2014), Best of Bilash, Triangulation in Assessment, retrieved from: http://www.educ.ualberta.ca/

Blog 3: The Technology-Infused Classroom

In the future, technology infused classroom will have either desktops, laptops, tablets or Ipads.  Potentially even keyboards embedded in in the desk with screens that come out of desks.  Each room would have interactive whiteboards.  All information exchanged via text, audio, or video would be cloud based and accessible through the internet.  Instructors would act as guides through the educational process and provide individual tutoring as seen in some blended classrooms. Students would interact in the classroom through Forums, Blogs, Wikis, and live in teacher led Socratic style discussions.  Students would work in groups on joint projects and exchange and complete assignments through internet sources.  Instructors would arranged learning experiences that would include virtual filed trips and cross-world classroom exchanges from other countries.  Students would work together doing peer editing via applications like google docs. 

Currently my class is very similar to the vision above.  Most information exchange is done on the computers excluding teacher/student class discussions.  Annotation is done on computer using comment tools in MS Word. I plan to incorporate video of student speeches and have these become part of student portfolios.  Joint research projects will be put together using Wikispaces and students will keep blogs to record reflections of their educational progress. Augmented reality will help introduce new terminology.  I use the classroom smartboard to takes notes during discussions and lectures and post these notes to Schoology/Edmodo for students to access along with screencasts of application “how to’s”. Doing this much with technology helps students learn technology while completing assignments which helps them be better prepared for high education. One final activity I would like to put into place is group problem solving assignments done with teachers and students from other countries. I believe it would be a dynamic lesson for students to participation.