Evaluating Technology Tools for Formative Assessment

Kathy Dyer has researched and written many blog posts about formative assessment and using technology for formative assessment. In her blog post Evaluating Technology Tools for Formative Assessment Dyer discusses the importance of evaluating and assessing the effectiveness in using technology for assessment. Because technology is rapidly evolving and quickly becoming a part of our daily classroom routine, we need to take a critical approach to the effectiveness with which we use it. Is the technology helping us assess whether our students understand the objectives of the lessons? Does the technology help elicit evidence of student learning? Fellow education blogger Steve Peha discusses the importance of measuring the effectiveness of technology stating:

Of course, one thing technology can do is gather data on its own effectiveness. But to truly discover what works   and what doesn’t, we also have to know what’s up—that is, we need to know the “why” and the “how” of       technological advances in education, and we have to measure those advances against yardsticks other than those     provided by the creators of the technologies themselves (2013).

Teachers must search for the right technology to help enhance formative assessment.

Dyer’s blog post along with various other resources confirms that technology can indeed enhance formative assessment. Dyer states:

Research has shown that formative assessment can make a difference in the classroom and while technology tools will always need evaluating there are some good ones out there that can help make a difference. Think of technologies today as tools to enable student learning improvements, not tools to take over teaching, though who knows what the future holds (2013).

Research has proven that technology can have a strong role in formative assessment so long as teachers are willing to search for the right technology and the right use. While technology can enhance formative assessment it cannot replace a good teacher who has strong pedagogical practices in place. It would seem that teachers are the key to technology enhancing formative assessment.

Dyer, K. (2013, September 25). Evaluating Technology Tools for Formative Assessment. Retrieved from https://www.nwea.org/blog/2013/evaluating-technology-tools-for-formative-assessment/

Peha, S. (2013, September 16). What Works? What Doesn’t? What’s Up? Retrieved from http://gettingsmart.com/2013/09/works-doesnt-whats/

Technology-Enhanced Formative Assessment

Classroom response systems can be a useful way to engage students in formative assessment. Technology-Enhanced Formative Assessment: A Research-Based Pedagogy for Teaching Science with Classroom Response Technology discusses using technology-enhanced formative assessment for teaching science. Classroom response systems are often known as clickers and are typically used for multiple-choice questions. Clicker systems allow for student anonymity with only the teacher being able to see student answers.

Beatty and Gerace emphasize the importance of distinguishing between the pedagogy and technology of classroom response systems (2009). They explore the use of clickers as a part of the pedagogy of formative assessment.  The pedagogy that they pose is called Technology Enhanced Formative Assessment or TEFA and it focuses on using technology to enhance formative assessment. The TEFA pedagogy focuses on four key principles:

  1. Motivate and focus student learning with question driven instruction.
  2. Develop students’ understanding and scientific fluency with dialogical discourse.
  3. Inform and adjust teaching and learning decisions with formative assessment.
  4. Help students develop metacognitive skills and cooperate in the learning process with meta-level communication (Beatty and Gerace, 2009, p. 153).

These four principles tap into a deeper motivation for using technology for formative assessment: motivating students, developing fluency and understanding, adjusting teaching based on student learning, helping students develop metacognitive skills, and creating a cooperative learning environment Classroom response systems can help teachers and students make formative assessment meaningful. Clickers might seem like a simple way to conduct multiple-choice formative assessment; however, they can be integrated with a teacher’s assessment pedagogy to take on a deeper and more meaningful use.

Beatty, I. D., & Gerace W. J. (2009). Technology-Enhanced Formative Assessment: A Research-Based    Pedagogy for Teaching Science with Classroom Response Technology. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 18 (2), 146-162.

Learning Doesn’t Have to be Boring

This weekend I was struggling to create a Social Studies unit on the fur trade. I had too many ideas bouncing around in my head and was struggling to pull them together. I went to two of my brothers who are in high school to bounce some ideas off of them. I said to my brothers, “Basically I don’t want Social Studies to be boring or worksheets, but not being boring or using worksheets it hard!” My one brother responded by saying, “That sounds like a good teacher because that’s what Social Studies usually is.” Now I know that there is a time and a place for teachers to use worksheets because they can serve a purpose when they are meaningful. Learning on the other hand should never be boring! My brothers have had some awesome teachers and I know they have had meaningful learning experiences but we have all had boring experiences as well. I know as a teacher that my students will find lessons I teach boring, however, I want to fight against creating boring lessons and units. I also don’t want to get so caught up in trying to create fun, exciting learning experiences that my lessons lose a sense of purpose and direction. This is the struggle that I and many other new teachers are wrestling with.

Living Inquiry

This past week I had the opportunity to engage with other teacher candidates around the topic of assessment. This discussion centered around the importance of understanding assessment and having varied ways of assessment. The topic of assessment is a broad topic and it was discussed what formative assessment could look like in the classroom. Edmodo was discussed as a tool for assessment particularly as an alternative to Fresh Grade. We examined a teacher candidate’s child’s Fresh Grade page and discussed the various uses for Fresh Grade. We discussed how Fresh Grade can be as intensive or simple as the teacher makes it. Ultimately Fresh Grade is meant to be a reporting system, however, not all teachers are comfortable with it.  I encouraged those who were not using Fresh Grade to create their own teacher and student page to try Fresh Grade out. I have been exploring Fresh Grade as a classroom teacher and on my own. I have found that Fresh Grade can be useful place for students to self-reflect which is an important part of formative assessment. We discussed how Fresh Grade is changing the reporting system for teachers, students and parents. A CNN article discusses how Fresh Grade is changing the reporting system. One of the creators of Fresh Grade Lane Merrifield decided to launch Fresh Grade after a mistake was made on his son’s report card. He states the purpose of Fresh Grade saying, “This isn’t about posting random things but really documenting each student’s learning moments (2015).” We discussed at the living inquiry event the importance of meaningful assessment and Fresh Grade is one platform that can help make assessment meaningful by documenting the learning process.  If used properly Fresh Grade can help increase student success. In the CNN article superintendent Wanny Hersey states, “It’s an opportunity for parents to understand throughout the year how their kids are learning. We can capture and show them if their child is more confident, is developing leadership skills, or has overcome a specific challenge (2015).” As teachers assess students throughout their learning journey Fresh Grade can help to document more than just the academic learning. Fresh Grade allows teachers and students to show important learning opportunities such as working in a group, being a good friend, or doing hands on learning.

Kavilanz, P. (2015, September 24). Why teachers are ditching report cards. CNN Online. Retrieved from https://www.freshgrade.com/cnn-online-why-teachers-are-ditching-report-cards/

Using Video to Assess Young Children

Using technology for assessment can often seem like it is more practical for intermediate teachers, not primary. Instant Video Revisiting: The Video Camera as a “Tool of the Mind” for Young Children by George Forman gives some examples of how technology can be used for assessment with young children. This article addresses instant video revisiting used to record and reflect on young children’s learning. Several children were recorded engaging in various activities and the teacher noted how each child reacted to themselves on the playback. The video playback seemed to allow children to engage in higher level thinking about their actions. Forman states, “The video camera, as a “tool of the mind” allows Rubin to “download” the details of actions to the videotape. The video replays the physical detail. His mind is now free to think about what the actions mean (1999).” Forman reflects on the how the teacher subtly changed their strategy for video recording, choosing to look for, record, and focus on actions that the teacher could ask questions about or have the child engage in high-level thinking (1999). Forman also notes that the presence of the video camera seemed to affect the behavior of the children that they often wanted to show their best work to the teacher (1999). Overall this article seemed to conclude that there were drawbacks to using the instant video revisiting for young children because they are not as cognitively ready to reflect on their own learning and behavior. A kindergarten teacher might want to start to introduce video recording to help children become comfortable with the presence of a camera, however, it does not seem to be a reliable reflection tool at a young age.

Forman, G. (1999, February 27). Instant Video Revisiting: The Video Camera as a “Tool of the Mind” for Young Children. Early Childhood Research & Practice, 1 (2). Retrieved from http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v1n2/forman.html

I’m an Art Teacher!

On Thursday my students once again engaged in a visual art journal lesson. This lesson had two major changes: first, it was taught in the afternoon and second, it was 1 ½ hours rather than 45 minutes long.  I noticed a big difference in the energy in the room by doing this activity in the afternoon. The room was louder than when they have worked in the morning and the students were talking to one another much more. I had to decide whether this environment was productive or not. After walking around, listening to the conversations and watching the students work, I noted that most students were discussing their work and sharing different techniques they were trying for sketching. I also noted that students who were not talking about their work appeared to be on task.

An added component to this lesson was a brainstorming session about the techniques involved in sketching. I had created a few sketches as well as a video of myself sketching. I had the students watch the video and provide feedback for techniques they noticed me using in my sketching. They did an amazing job of brainstorming and came up with about 10-12 things they noticed. Once we had finished watching the video and brainstorming I decided to have the students choose 3 main things that they would focus on in their sketches that day. They replied that they wanted to choose 4! They chose to focus on smudging, not using an eraser, shading, and focusing on little bits at a time. This framework provided a great opportunity for me to do formative assessment based on a student created criteria. These criteria then allowed me to point students to specific criteria to try as I walked around and discussed their work with them.

After we had brainstormed about sketching, we brainstormed connections to the picture as we had done the previous week. One thing I noticed in both of these brainstorms is that almost every student raised their hand to share and make connections. Several students who I do not often see participating in group discussions were excited to participate and even put up their hand to share multiple times. I am unsure what led to this increased participation. It is possible that by the afternoon the students were more engaged in thinking. The increased energy and collaborative brainstorming might have also created a safe space for students to share. It is also possible that students connected better to this picture.

By creating the video and sketches myself I believe this helped to create the positive energy and sharing space. The students were surprised that I had created my own sketches (they also thought I was a really good artist which I’m not). I was open with the students that I had decided to try sketching without an eraser, something that I had asked them to do and they had struggled with. I think that they felt both challenged and more willing to persevere in not using an eraser when they saw that I was willing to try it and was able to create a good sketch without erasing. By watching the video, they also got some techniques for how to “fix” things they didn’t like without using an eraser. I believe that by being vulnerable by showing my own art and relating to the students by discussing my own challenges they felt safer about sharing their work with each other and me.

As I have done this lesson from week to week, I have noticed various students that I don’t always see engaged in work or who have difficulty getting started, deeply engaged in this activity. One boy who both struggles with getting started and finishing work on time has not only gotten to work immediately but this week he created five sketches compared to the first week when he created just one. Another boy who doesn’t always enjoy art was deeply engaged in the sketching this week. He was excited to show me his work and was covered in pencil lead from smudging. He excitedly said to me, “I created wind using smudging!” He also helped other students with the smudging techniques he had discovered. Several other students also played with smudging trying different techniques such as using a Kleenex.

Once again I have been struck by how this activity has helped me connect to the students. By consistently teaching this lesson each week this has become my activity. The students connect this activity to “Ms. Schoepp”. While I have had some good success with this lesson I don’t want it to become stagnant. Next week I hope to push the students to continue to work on sketching techniques. I also hope to bring in an artifact rather than a picture from a book. I noticed this week that after creating their first connection to the picture many students wanted to sketch what was in their head. I believe a number of the students would be capable of sketching without a stimulus. However, I have two reasons for continuing to have an inspiration.  The first reason is that some students would not be able to engage in this activity without something to connect to. The second, is that “I can make connections to a picture (or now artifact) has been one of my lesson objectives because making connections is an important part of the grade 3/4 curriculum.

Infusing Technology in the Classroom

Technology in the classroom-Infuse Learning and Edmodo shows a great, real life example of using technology based formative assessment tools successfully in the classroom. The teacher, Lileana Rios uses the example of Infuse Learning and Edmodo which is similar to other available tools such as Socrative. The teacher discusses how this technology has helped her to track her students’ progress and be provided with immediate feedback on their learning. She has discovered that this tool can be used at any grade level in various subjects.  She discusses how her students want to answer the questions using technology because they enjoy using the technology. She discusses the importance of having various answering formats available beyond multiple choice and true/false. Through the tools students can draw pictures to explain their thinking.

She has found that the use of technology increases student engagement and allows them to respond more quickly which in turn gives her a quicker understanding of where her students are at in their knowledge. Not only has technology provided her with quicker feedback she has discovered that students who would not normally be engaged in their learning are sharing ideas, videos and thoughts related to the topic. This student is learning as well as helping to teach other students. She addresses the challenges of using technology for assessment at home using Edmodo. She has counteracted this challenge by allowing students who don’t have access to technology a one-week window to turn in assignment thereby providing them the opportunity to access technology through school or the public library on their own time. Using technology in this way has caused her students to take greater ownership of their learning.

The teacher makes the important point that the technology must be used meaningfully. Rios states, “Technology should not hinder the lesson, it is pointless if it is hindering the process of learning”. By teaching herself and her students how to use the technology it helps her and her students to be calm while using the technology and to therefore have a more meaningful learning experience. Above all it is important to not let the technology take over the classroom. Rios states, “Content is more important than technology.”  Once again this video emphasizes a theme that I have discovered throughout my inquiry process, that technology is useless without good practice. This video raises important points about using technology for formative assessment. It addresses potential concerns and problems with using technology for assessment. This video provides insight into the importance of considering all aspects of using technology for assessment as well as the rewards of using technology for formative assessment.

Ledezma, Daniel. (2013, February 9). Technology in the classroom-Infuse Learning and Edmodo. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lz0hNJjFy-M