Journal 12: Assessing Meaningful Learning with Technology

Chapter 10 discusses the many ways that students can be accessed through the technological projects that they have been working on. Moreover, the chapter talks a lot about electronic portfolios and journals. In our class, the major means of assessment have been both a in standard-based portfolio, which is the online blog that we have been completing a long side the course, as well as an external evaluation portfolio, which can be seen in the way the class has completed all the in-class assignments and other mini-tools that have helped students learn and interact through the course. I feel that both methods of evaluation are clear, concise and retain challenging frameworks. It is important to have many methods of assessment, especially in a class such as this because with such a broad range of students, the class as a whole has many different strengths and weaknesses.

The chapter briefly mentions rubrics as a part of the online assessment that help make the learning meaningful. I would have to say that the rubrics and examples throughout the course and on the website were quite measurable and precise for the learning and assignments that were taking place within the course. Finally, the most interesting part about chapter 10 was surely the implementation and use of the ‘clicker’ technology in and throughout the classroom. I like the idea that instead of raising your hand for what sometimes feels forever, everyone can participate equally through the clicks they make. The fact that student responses are transmitted to a larger screen from a computer at the head of the classroom makes the learning more efficient and probably releases a lot of pressure off of the teacher. I’m sure Professor Bruzesse could have used this technology during the more strenuous times in the class – like during the website class, as I’m sure this technology would have made the class more organized from all angles. Thus, technology like the clicker and other means of assessment are helping to make the classroom and other places of learning a more efficient place.

Answers to Questions

1. Assessment and learning surely go hand in hand, as nothing can be assessed if nothing has been learned. Thus, assessment like the chapter exclaims, is a necessity in and throughout the classroom, otherwise there is no incentive to learn new knowledge. There are many ways to assess what students know using different applications of technology, and sometimes this assessment and learning does become acquired together, for example; after instructions are given out, it is possible to assess how well such individuals follow instructions by what outcomes appear within the program students are using. Therefore, assessment and learning seem to be inextricably tied together.

2. One type of assessment activity that can generate feedback and improve learning performance is to have the class and therefore student-peers assessing final projects. If there was some type of online survey or assessment that students could briefly fill out after each group presentation, this could help both the professor and their students gage an appropriate assessment, as well as have access to many different opinions. Thus, it is easy to see how technology can help in the assessment areas.

3. I think that the idea expressed in my answer to question 2 is just one of the ways you can make assessment activities less threatening to learners. I think that by allowing more participation within the assessment experience, you automatically begin to make the assessment period more group oriented which ultimately makes it less threatening and encouragingly more positive.