Technology based rubrics can be useful ways to assess student learning. Rubric banks already have several rubrics that are ready to use to evaluate different tasks. You simply find the one that you want and use it. The downside to rubric banks is that it may be hard to find one that specifically meets your intended learning outcomes. In other words you shouldn’t find the first rubric and use it because it may not align with the purpose that you had for the assignment. The positive side of using rubric banks is that it saves teachers lots of time. Rubric generators help the teacher to create their own rubrics. They can be very helpful tools because, they walk you through a series of steps that helps you to create the best possible rubric, one that includes all elements that you want to assess. Using a good rubric to assess a project is very important. I think that a teacher should take advantage of the rubric tools that are out there but should be willing to create their own if it is necessary to get the best results. I can use rubric banks and generators in my class when I am grading shop projects or when I give them a paper to write over an agricultural issue.
I think that using clickers in the classroom is a good way to assess what students are learning. Students answer a question by clicking a button on a remote and the teacher gets a summary of all of the student’s responses immediately. It helps the teacher to know what they may need to modify in their teaching because they will see if the students are learning. It gets the students actively engaged in the class and, therefore, allows students to retain the information. I can use clickers in my classroom when I need to know if my teaching methods are working. I can ask them questions about what we have learned in class and see if students are learning from the class. I can imagine how frustrating it would be to get to the end of a section and find out that nobody gets it. That should make the teacher ask themselves if they need to change something. I believe that using clickers can help with that.
Inspiration and Kidspiration are both visual aides that help students to comprehend and learn by organizing their thoughts. I could have my ag class to do a semester long project that involves them researching a topic, have them to put their findings in an outline format, and then present it to the class by using Inspiration. I think that it would be a very beneficial learning experience for those that create the presentation, but it will give others an opportunity to learn from it as well.
Reference:
Meaningful Learning With Technology—Jonassen, D., Howland, J., Marra, R.M. & Crismond, D. (2008). Pearson, Merrill/Prentice Hall, 3rd edition.
Inspiration/Kidspiration: Inspiration Software, Inc Retrieved November 24, 2010 from http://www.inspiration.com/
:
I have never been in a classroom where clickers are being used. I would think there is a place for them in some classes. Since the technology allows teachers to see how the class is processing and using information presented, teachers can adapt their teaching to the class. I would think this would allow the class to learn more over time and to have a better chance to be able to use the information in a meaningful way.
ReplyDeleteI think, in an Art History class this would be a way to see how well students on the whole are learning about art works and artists. It might be harder to use clickers in a studio art class. If the school where I teach has access to the technology, I would certainly try to use it when ever possible.
I have never used clickers either. I do however feel like they would be extremely useful in most classrooms. Time is very valuable and a great deal of time is wasted reteaching areas that students already grasp. The feedback from this technology would prevent this type of over-teaching and allow teachers to move on to more needed areas.
ReplyDeleteHi Mike,
ReplyDeleteI really liked your idea for using Inspiration with your ag students! And I would like to take it a step further with Webspiration Classroom service.
If your students worked in Webspiration Classroom, they could access their homework while at home, in class or really anywhere and anytime they have access to a computer and internet connection.
What's more, the students could work on the semester-long project in groups with collaborative peer reviewing activities and more. To learn more, go to http://www.inspiration.com/WebspirationClassroom.
To try Webspiration Classroom service for free, go to http://www.inspiration.com/Freetrial.
I'd love to hear what you think of the program! Feel free to email me at connect(at)inspiration.com. You may also find me on our blog, Facebook or Twitter.
Thank you!
Sarah Cargill, Inspiration Software
inspiration.com/blog
facebook.com/InspirationSoftware
twitter.com/InspirationSW