Walk Day 2......

            There are numerous technology tools that can be used in the classroom.  When using various sources of technology we have to keep in mind how effective that technology will be when it comes to student learning.  Several questions come to my mind when I think of how I can use technology in my classroom.  What sources of technology will I use?  Will students be able to properly use the technology?  How will students answer questions?  What will the rubric for the assignment be?  Those are all questions that I ask myself when thinking of how I can use technology in my class. 

            There are several ways that students can demonstrate their learning when using technology in the classroom.  One of those ways is open ended response formats.  Open ended response formats are short answer or essay questions that require students to formulate a written answer.  Before using these types of questions it is important to think about how your students will respond.  These types of questions do not take a lot of time to answer however, grading them can be a little difficult because there can be more than one correct answer.  A second way that students can use technology in the classroom is performance based assessments.  These assessments require students to demonstrate what they have learned.  This can be done by having student’s record interviews, recoding small group discussions, and for the teacher to evaluate his or her teaching.  A third way is to use project-based assessments.  These types of assessments can be used in summative and formative settings.  The formats and assessments listed above are used to facilitate learning through the use of technology in the classroom.  Some of the technologies that can be used to support performance and project based assessment include: concept maps- a graphic technique used for representing student understand, simulations- can provide access to learning activities that may be difficult to create in the classroom, and portfolios and work samples- examples of work that can be compared to competencies or standards.

            When teaching it is important to communicate goals, objectives, expectations, and the grading rubric to students at the beginning of each lesson that is being presented to them.  One way to grade student work is by using a scoring key.  A scoring key is generally used when grading multiple choice and true/ false assessments.  There are set answers and student work is graded according to those answers.  Rubrics/ checklists are used to grade open-ended questions, essays, problem-based learning projects and portfolios.  When using rubrics and checklist, the evaluator is looking for specific tasks the student completed.  Students are usually given the rubric or checklist prior to completing the assignment so that they know what is expected of them from the evaluator.  The results from students work and assessments should be used to drive instruction.  If students are scoring well on assignments then they are learning the material.  If not, the teacher can look at specific areas that may need to be re-taught.  This will also allow teachers to see what students need to be pulled back for small group instruction.  All the information in this chapter was very informative and once again made me think about how I can apply this in my classroom.  I am learning amazing information that can really get my students active in their learning!