Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Utilizing New Techniques for Assessment

Why do you use assessment activities? How do you assessment activities as a way to generate feedback that can improve learner performances?
Assessments are used to check for understanding and growth.  Basically, assessments provide students an opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned over the course of a lesson, unit, semester, or year.  Teachers can use the data gained through assessment to evaluate and analyze the strengths and weaknesses in a specific unit, from both the perspective of an educator and of a student.  Assessment data can highlight areas where the class as a whole just did not “get it.”  The teacher could then use this information to reformat the lesson in order to reach students.  In the same way, assessments highlight the successes as well.
What is e-portfolio? How does it help teachers and students? What are computer-based tests? Does the use of computer-based tests impact validity and reliability?
An e-portfolio is “a collection of digitized artifacts that could include video clips, graphics, sounds, or documents,” that can demonstrate and reflect on what an individual has learned over a specific period of time.  E-portfolios provide a different means of assessment.  Much like notebooks and projects that students hand in to their teacher, e-portfolios allow students to think and work outside the box in ways that allow students to apply their learning instead of simply parroting memorized facts.  Computer-based tests are exactly what they sound like.  They are tests completed on or scored by a computer.  As long as computer-based tests match up with the curriculum presented to students in a unit of learning, I do not think computer-based tests impact validity and reliability too much.  However, if students are not used to taking tests on the computer, time management could be an issue.  This can be especially true on tests that require a composed response or problems that require scratch paper. 

Conclusion:
I really appreciated this chapter because it is important for teachers to think outside the box when it comes to assessment.  As we all know, standardized testing is not always the best way to gauge student performance and understanding.  High stakes testing has led to a rash of test anxiety and pressure for all tests.  By utilizing such methods as discussed in the chapter, I am now better equipped to gain a more accurate view of my students’ learning through assessment.  Tools such as e-portfolios allow student to apply and synthesize the knowledge they have gained throughout a unit.  Any opportunity to apply higher order thinking skills should be capitalized on in the classroom.  


Citation:   
Jonassen, David, Howland, Jane, Marra, Rose, and Crismond, David. (2008). Meaningful Learning with Technology. 217-39. New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Copyright and Fair Use Laws

Why do we have to respect copy rights and fair use rules?  Why is that so important?  How will you teach your students about this?

Copyright and fair use laws protect the intellectual property of individuals, groups, and corporations.  In essence, copyright laws protect creativity and prevent the stealing of ideas and concepts without gaining permission and crediting the source.  Fair use laws provide for a little more access and use.  This is especially helpful for teachers.  Both of these types of laws help protect individual and promote integrity in research.  It is especially important for teachers to keep their students informed on this subject.  While we want our students to be inquisitive in their research, there is a certain way to accomplish that.  Students need to be taught this concept through good examples set by their teacher.  It is important that we strive to follow the same guidelines we expect our students to adhere to.  After all, it isn't a choice, it's the law. I found Copyright Bay extremely helpful, and I would definitely encourage my students to use it as a resource in order to get them actively involved in the subject.

What is online safety and is it different from cyberbullying?  How can we protect our students and ourselves from potential online predators?

Online safety and cyber bullying go hand in hand, but they are different entities. Online safety is important in order to protect individuals from online predators, inappropriate sites, identity theft, and other dangers that come with surfing the web.  Cyber bullying is one of these dangers.  Cyber bullying often comes from acquaintances and peers.  Awareness of this phenomenon is especially important with the growing field of social media.  Students should be able to come to an adult and alert them of any problems.

What do you think about this week activities?  Did you learn anything new?  

I definitely enjoyed this week's activities.  The topics were ones that I knew a little something about so that made it more interesting to learn even more in depth details.  The copyright quiz was a fun way to figure out what I did and didn't know about the topic.  I think that activity would make for a great pre/post test for a mini unit on copyright laws, especially before beginning a research paper or project.  


Fryer, Wesley. Copyright 101 for Educators. 2003. Retrieved September 27, 2010. http://www.wtvi.com/TEKS/02_03_articles/copyright.html

Carnell, John. Bullying UK. Retrieved September 27, 2010. http://www.bullying.co.uk/

CopyRight Quiz. Retrieved September 27, 2010. http://www.csus.edu/indiv/p/peachj/edte230/copyright/quiz.htm

Joilet, Francis. A Visit to Copyright Bay. 2002. Retrieved September 27, 2010. http://www.stfrancis.edu/cid/copyrightbay/index.htm

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and Boys & Girls Clubs of America. NetSmartz. 2010. Retrieved September 27, 2010. http://www.netsmartz.org/

U.S. Copyright Office. Copyright. 2010. Retrieved September 27, 2010. http://www.copyright.gov/