Module+5+Reflection

How has technology impacted or changed your classroom assessment and evaluation? Has your data collection methodology changed with technology? If technology has not impacted your assessment and evaluation, what would you like to change? Discuss technology and your own productivity and professional practice.
 * Prompt **

*I read two articles
 * Description **

Classroom Assessment

Assessment FOR Learning

*I read chapter 4 and 5 out of the ISTES Technology Facilitation and LeadershipStandards book

*I visited numerous wonderful websites that lay out specific productivity and assessment tools. I printed a lot of them out to reference at a later time as well. Great ideas here!

Technology hasn't really impacted or changed my classroom assessment and evaluation,because I don't have my own classroom full of students. Because I am a tutor, most of my assessments are, although well thought out, informal and on the spot. My data collection methodology hasn't changed either. Currently, the only technologies that I use to actually collect data for my students are the DIBELS and AIMSweb websites, and that's really more for recording and storing data.
 * Impact **

So, after reading about technology and assessment, what would I like to change? While reading about this topic, I came across something that I think would be very beneficial to me and teachers everywhere! That is, computer based testing for standardized assessments. I love the idea of computer based standardized testing (assuming that all children would have adequate knowledge of how to operate a computer and be technologically competent enoughto be able to take such significant assessments without the computers being more of a disruptive distraction than not). Williamson & Redish (2009) make a very good point. They state that computer based testing (CBT) would "address one of the most frequent criticisms of standardized assessment--the delay between administering high-stakes testing and receiving the results" (p. 79).

About halfway through the school year, I take time out of my ordinary K-2 reading teaching schedule to tutor small groups of 4th and 5th graders in preparation for the OAA math and reading assessments. I also teach 3rd and 4th grade reading during summer school. The students that attend summer school are one's that didn't perform well on the OAA assessments. It would be wonderful to be able to receive data about my students' performance on these tests much faster than I do now! I think taking computer based tests is a great way to get that information that all teachers want more quickly. I was surprised to read that only 9 states offer CBT to all students, and that over half (28) states still don't offer CBT options to their students at all (Bausell & Klemick, 2007). With the rise of technology, I assumed that number would've at least been in the double digits somewhere!

In general, I think that in a world where technology is quickly taking over our everyday lives, school districts should get on board with technology and quit skirting around it and just "experimenting" with it. Our students need to become more technologically skillful, just as they are in all other content areas. I do realize that the emphasis placed on making AYP and the demand of becoming proficient in all other content areas plays a huge role in technology taking a back seat. I understand that there are also major funding issues that serve as a road block to gaining technology in our schools. However, our students need this knowledge just as they need to learn math, reading, science and social studies. Aside from funding issues, I think that with proper training and modeling, teachers would be much more willing to put in the time and effort to make technology a priority, too.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">I can't control the fact that my school doesn't utilize computer based standardized testing. However, I can help to control the views that my peers have about integrating technology into the classroom/curriculum. As I said, I visited and printed material from many different websites associated with this module. I printed a lot of the material so that I'd have these great ideas for my records. Some of the neatest resources I came across were a few productivity and collaboration tools. What am I going to do with these new tools? First, I will study them and explore the resources made available through them. Then, I will share this information with my colleagues in hopes of enlightening them. I want them to see that technology isn't just a "burden" and can SAVE them time, not take time away from teaching!
 * <span style="color: #ff007f; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%;">Intent **