The Infused Classroom Blog

Rethinking Digital Assessment

Jun 15, 2020 | Blended Learning Ideas, Google/Chromebooks, Microsoft

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___TVE_SHORTCODE_RAW__ As teachers, we need to be able to understand the process of learning that each student goes through to solve complex problems or accomplish unique learning goals. We also need to understand who they are, what each student might be thinking about the curriculum and gather information to help them be more successful and to provide opportunities to share their own voice and views.   We can do this through a process purposefully labeled: Press Record.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://www.hollyclark.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Press-Record_v2-05-2-1024x640.png" alt="" class="wp-image-5457"/><figcaption>artist: Monica Martinez @mmg1225</figcaption></figure>   It is called Press Record because technology provides an easy way to enable students to record or narrate the learning as it happens. This makes their thinking and understanding visible. Students explain their thinking process, expound as needed on that process, and share their work by simply pressing record. This exercise is appropriate for all the steps of the learning journey. We do this so we as educators can know more about our students as individual learners.    When we allow time for this, we really step up our digital pedagogy game. This change in how we gather student data is important for both the teacher and the student. It allows learners to see growth over time—and to begin to discover individual strengths and weaknesses. And it gives teachers the ability to see students as individuals with different growth trajectories, different learning needs, and different perspectives. Armed with this understanding, we can better help guide students toward their full potential.    We can do this for:   <ul> <li>Checks for Understanding</li> <li>Demonstrations of Learning</li> <li>Transfer of Knowledge—applying the learning to a new and novel situation</li> <li>Reflections</li> </ul>   Technology tools are varied,  providing teachers and students alike with great options to choose from in order to suit their needs.    Tools that are great for making thinking visible include:   <ul> <li>Seesaw</li> <li>Flipgrid</li> <li>Book Creator</li> <li>Screencastify</li> <li>Slides and PowerPoint</li> <li>Adobe Spark</li> <li>OneNote</li> </ul>   <hr class="wp-block-separator"/>   Language Arts   Before technology, English teachers had few options other than the one-dimensional routine of an essay, stapled, and turned in. More often than not, they made comments that students did not read, assigned a letter grade, and moved on to the next essay without much understanding of what students did and did not learn. But now, technology provides better channels to demonstrate learning. Let’s say a student turning in an essay needs to illuminate the process that led to the final product. They can bring that paper on the screen and use Screencastify to talk about what they wrote, highlighting parts they are most proud of and underlining word choice for a section they took a lot of time to craft. They might also discuss the process they went through to write the paper. They submit that final screencast and its illuminating details along with the paper. The teacher, watching the screencast, gains a better understanding of the student’s process and what to address for improvement. They can also give kudos in a specific way for problem-solving, great choices, clear understanding, and so much more. This feedback goes much further than a letter grade in fostering deep learning.  And the student feels more comfortable with accountability and the need for critically analyzing their work as they go.    Math   In math, students can go into the real world and find examples of where a math concept is used in real life. They can tackle higher-level thinking mathematical questions and real-world applications to explore, both as individuals and collaboratively. Using a tool like Seesaw or Flipgrid, they can consider a problem, make connections, talk through more than one process, and attempt a solution. They can use Seesaw or Flipgrid to record and explain how they came to understand the problem and its connections and arrive at a solution. Once they submit their explanations and thinking process, a teacher can evaluate the process and give students better insight into their own abilities to problem-solve. They can also point out student success and insight, building confidence—and maybe even inspiring students to tackle other problems on their own.   Technology provides multidimensional learning approaches that allow students to make connections, explain different perspectives, and better understand themselves as learners. Giving students the tools to explain their learning process empowers them to better understand themselves. This is where true transformational teaching and learning begin to happen.   __TVE_SHORTCODE_RAW___

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