Assessment Portfolio
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On this page, I will demonstrate how I use technology to plan
and implement effective assessment and evaluation strategies,
addressing these standards, which can also be found on the right side of this page.
Assessment is a crucial piece to teaching and learning. Both formative and summative assessments help students and educators understand the effectiveness of the teaching and the learning that occurred. Without feedback, students won't know whether or not they truly understand the material. Similarly, teachers also would not know if their students learned what was taught to them. While assessment is important, it doesn't have to be a traditional pen and paper test. There are many more, and potentially more effective, means to assess learning, such as: projects, recording videos, building websites, using student response systems and problem-based learning to name a few. While I've used the term "student," I could have easily used "teacher" instead. Coaching is another part of assessment, which can be an effective way to help improve professional performance. As with any aspect of teaching, it is important to reflect on what is working well and what can be improved upon.
In EDMT 628, we learned about learning management systems, or LMS. A popular LMS that many school districts use is called Moodle. For this project, I created a Moodle course on solving systems of linear equations. I had "students" take the course and then offer me feedback. This was a great way to learn many of the features of Moodle that I hadn't used before. It also made me think about how to adequately assess my "students" in a variety ways. Students showed me their understanding of the material by participating in discussions, using online tools to answer questions, recording a video of them teaching the concepts, taking an online quiz and finally, completing a group project using Google Slides. I then reflected on my experience in a paper that I submitted (ISTE-NETS-C.2.b, ISTE-NETS-C.2.g, ISTE-NETS-C.2.h). An evaluation study that I completed with a group, in EDMT 653, helped me determine the effectiveness of an undergraduate project, involving pre-service teachers learning how to use Moodle. We analyzed the situation, designed the instrument we used to collect the data, then administered the survey to our participants. With our results, we were able to evaluate the program and offer possible suggestions on how to make it even better, maximizing it effectiveness (ISTE-NETS-C.2.h, ISTE-NETS-C.4.c). Lastly, in EDMT 603, I completed three more assignments which helped be coach and assess learning. The first project was one of my favorite projects that I completed. I worked on a professional development project with a group of three teachers. Throughout the project, I assessed the optimals for my three teachers, developed an individualized plan for each of them and coached them to help improved their SMART Board performance. I used pre- and post- test data, as well as a student survey, to show that my professional development helped the teachers provide more effective instruction with their SMART Boards (ISTE-NETS-C.2.b, ISTE-NETS-C.4.c). Another assignment that I completed was a self-reflection of my progress on the ISTE standards. This was a great opportunity to assess areas where I am strong and areas where I have opportunity to improve (ISTE-NETS-C.2.b, ISTE-NETS-C.4.c). Finally, I completed an action research project with a group of struggling students. I researched methods of intervention using technology and used them to re-teach students distribution. I used pre- and post- test data to show that my methods increase student achievement. I was able to reflect on my project to help improve my own teaching effectiveness (ISTE-NETS-C.4.c). In education, it is always important to assess, reflect and improve. We expect this of our students, but we as teachers must practice what we preach. The EDMT program has given me numerous opportunities to both improve my own teaching craft, as well as that of my colleagues. Coaching is an effective model of working with fellow teachers and helping them increase their comfort with technology. The re-occuring process of assessment can be enhanced using technology. |
StandardsNETS-C (Coaching)
ISTE-NETS-C.2 Teaching, Learning, & Assessments: Technology Coaches assist teachers in using technology effectively for assessing student learning, differentiating instruction, and providing rigorous, relevant, and engaging learning experiences for all students. ISTE-NETS-C.2.b Coach teachers in and model design and implementation of technology-enhanced learning experiences using a variety of research-based, learner-centered instructional strategies and assessment tools to address the diverse needs and interests of all students. ISTE-NETS-C.2.g Coach teachers in and model effective use of technology tools and resources to continuously assess student learning and technology literacy by applying a rich variety of formative and summative assessments aligned with content and student technology standards. ISTE-NETS-C.2.h Coach teachers in and model effective use of technology tools and resources to systematically collect and analyze student achievement data, interpret results, and communicate findings to improve instructional practice and maximize student learning. ISTE-NETS-C.4.c Evaluate results of professional learning programs to determine the effectiveness on deepening teacher content knowledge, improving teacher pedagogical skills and/or increasing student learning. |