Monthly Archives: July 2015

Here is digital story I constructed for my content module. The video serves as an introduction to the Middle Ages unit that I teach in Grade 8 Social Studies.

https://youtu.be/ZtqXbbEZJRM

Upon reading the Boris case study this week, I was left reflecting on assessment in my own classroom. Boris (according to the case study) teaches Chemistry 11, and is having difficulties covering all the material in class, in addition to preparing his kids for exams. He devises a solution, in which he creates an online assessment tool which would quiz his kids on the Periodic Table, and then give them feedback instantly – this way he won’t have to cover the material in class, and the kids still learn what they need to in order to prepare for their tests.

I think Boris’ solution makes sense – there are a number of tools online which allow students to quiz one another or themselves, and immediate feedback is given. One such tool my students use is Quizlet. Quizlet allows students to make online cue-cards, and then to share their virtual card decks with classmates who are reviewing the same material. Since this platform allows for sharing, students could also access publicly created quizzes from students in other schools and in other countries. If Boris were to utilize this type of technology, he would also save himself the time from making the materials himself, since the materials are standard across the curriculum.

An issue I think this case study also raises is the importance that teachers place on standardize testing. I recently attended the ISTE 2015 conference in Philadelphia and the issue of standardize testing in the United States seems to a hot topic amongst teachers there. I’m not an expert on the education system in the U.S. by any means, but from my conversations with a few practicing teachers, they say that the move to Common Core (curriculum that spans the entire country), has resulted in a renewed emphasis on standardize testing. Amongst the many dangers of standardized testing in the United States, is that funding rests on performance, and the result could be vast inequalities as a result of demographics.

For this assignment I chose to assessment my students both formatively and summatively. Research has shown that providing feedback throughout the learning process, in particular when the feedback comes shortly after the performed assessment task allows students to better develop mental constructs (Shepard, 2000). The formative assessment I chose for my own class was a Know Wonder Learn Chart, as this form of assessment allow students to draw on preexisting knowledge, develop metacognition skills, and construct knowledge through giving one another feedback. Peer feedback enables students to become active participants in the learning process and helps to create a sense of community online. The cultivation of online communities help to create a sense of trust between members, and this then leads to more meaningful participation within that community (Wilson, 1997).

Summative assessments through Blackboard will be conducted two fold. The first method of assessment would be through the use of the online test function. According to Prensky (2001), machine conducted evaluations, such as online multiple-choice test questions can be effective, and efficient ways of assessing student knowledge, as selected response assessments (such as multiple choice, or matching) can assess isolated elements of knowledge. In addition to multiple choice and matching questions, the test will also include some short answer questions, as well as an essay question. According to Chappius (2012), written response questions are more proficient at evaluating not just what students know, but also how students know the content and therefore allow teachers to gain a deeper understanding of the levels of student knowledge and conceptual understanding.

The second method I chose to employ for summative assessment was the use of a ePortfolios. ePortfolios allow students to create, reflect and demonstrate their understanding of the course material through interactive means. As Gibbs (2005) highlights, “the most reliable, rigorous and cheat-proof systems are often accompanied by dull and lifeless learning”, and so it avoid this, ePortfolios in which students can blog or vlog their learning will allow for engagement and authentic demonstrations of their knowledge acquisition.

References:

Chappius, J., Stiggins, R., Chappuis, S., & Arter, J. (2012). Classroom assessment for student learning: Doing it right — doing it well. (2nd ed.). Boston: Pearson. 94-96.

Gibbs, G. & Simpson, C. (2005). Conditions under which assessment supports students’ learning. Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, 1, 3-15.

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital game-based learning. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Shepard, L. A. (2000). The role of assessment in a learning culture. Educational Researcher, 29(7), 4-14.

Wilson, B. (1997). Thoughts on theory in educational technology. Educational Technology, 37(1), 22-26.

For this online course I had the students create a video introduction of themselves. The purpose of this activity is to serve as an “icebreaker” which will allow students to get to know one another better, as students will share about their personal backgrounds and history. According to Johnson (2012), classroom icebreakers take advantage of the human tendency to relate memory and emotion by creating positive emotions through enjoyable activities, which better help foster a learning community.  Furthermore, Anderson (2008), reiterates that it is of great importance that teachers allow for time at the beginning of the course to “provide incentive and opportunities for students to share their understanding, their culture, and the unique aspects of themselves”, which help foster transparency and trust between participants in the course.

Additionally, I created my own “about me” page in which I briefly introduce myself. My personal bio highlights my personal interests as well as my academic credentials which speak to my qualifications as an instructor for this course. Garrison, Anderson and Archer (2000), developed a model of online learning that is referred to as a “community of inquiry” model, which consists of three online presences – cognitive, social and teaching. By creating introductory activities such as student and teacher introductions, the goal is to cultivate a social presence online.

Some of the challenges I faced during this activity was organizing the structure and workflow of the course. As a classroom teacher, located in a traditional brick-and-mortar classroom, I felt a heightened sensitivity to giving detailed instructions. In traditional classroom settings, if instructions are not understood, there are ample opportunities to correct the mistakes, as well as both verbal and nonverbal cues that let teachers know if students are confused; in online learning, those cues require different forms of interpretation, one that I am not yet accustomed to.

Additionally I found creating assignments that foster online community a task that was not without its challenges. Creating trust and a sense of community is difficult enough in a traditional class setting, but that difficulty increases when synchronous communication may not be an option. Furthermore, consideration to the methods of assessment was necessary, as projects and other assessments (both formative and summative) that I would normally have given my students were not the most effective means of assessing in an online context.

Citations 

Anderson, T. (2008). The theory and practice of online learning (2nd; 2; 2. ed.). Edmonton, AB: AU Press.

Garrison, R., Anderson, T., & Archer, W. (2000), Critical inquiry in text based environment: Computer conferencing in higher education. The Internet and Higher Education, 2(2-3), 87-105.

Johnson, L., & Ebrary Academic Complete (Canada) Subscription Collection. (2012). Kick-start your class: Academic icebreakers to engage students (1st; 1 ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.