Twyla ,
You are right. You don't want the students to have so much anxiety over the technology that it taints the assessment (and that happens). When a student isn't comfortable with ANY TYPE of technology the anxiety level regarding assessment can explode! I give my students practice tests to take online so they get used to the technology as well as study for the content.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Kimberly,
You have a complicated situation. You want to be supportive and understanding but students know they have to have technology to complete the course. It is a difficult balance. I become frustrated when the I am the blame because the student did complete a course successfully because they only had internet for one week. In a f2f course I would never tolerate that type of action.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
The first thing to consider is whether the student(s) can use the technology. The instructor needs to make sure that whatever technology is chosen, it won't complicate the student's ability to receive and understand the message. This can be achieved with student feedback throughout the course, and at the end of a course. If there's an issue, it would certainly skew any results gained from the use of the technology.
The second consideration is whether the technology
is "student friendly." Again, feedback is essential in making a determination whether whatever the student is being asked to use, is easily accessible, and understandable.
The third, and perhaps this should be the first, is that the instructor understand the use of the technology. Or, whether another type might be adapted for his/her use online.
Robert,
Great post! Yes, you want to make sure that your students can work the software as you want to measure what they learn not how well they learn to use the software. I agree, you want to make sure that you can extract the data and provide feedback that both you and your students need.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
First I would ensure the student has the proper device, laptop to interact with the technology assessment tool. Next, consider what type of technology tool is most ideal for the student based on the subject matter. Finally making certain that the instructor fully understands the use of the technology tool on his/her end for the benefit of student success.
Steve,
Great points! It does concern me that students think they can take an online course with out appropriate devices. You want students to be familiar with the technology as you want the assessment to assess their learning not how well they use the technology.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
The three most important things to consider when assessing the use of technology assessment tools is the ease of understanding and implementation by both the student and the instructor and if it supports the objective of the overall course.
I believe that the assessment needs to be clear and concise, so the objective of the assessment is understood by all types of students. Also, grading and feedback by the instructor should be done in a timely manner so that the student knows and understands exactly what the objective was/is for the assessment. Third, the assessment should be different assessment to assessment to have a variety of learning experiences.
It is important to assess that the technology is current and working well and that users are willing and able to use the technology.
Sharon
Heather,
Great post. You are right. The technology MUST support the objectives of the course. Sometimes we lose sight of that because the technology is "shiny".
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Aaron,
I agree with you so how do you use the technology to make this happen?
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Sharon,
That is true, you don't want the assessment to measure how well they use the technology, you want it to measure learning. That can be a problem.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
First is the type of assessment I am trying to achieve. Matching the right tool for the way I want to assess the student is important. Next is the quality of the assessment. There are poor and great materials such as simulations. Using a poor one does not achieve my objectives and certainly doesn't help the student. Finally, the features of the assessment tool will make a big difference. Some of the tools simply do no have the features I need to adequately perform the desired assessment.
Kurt
Kurt,
You make a great point. The tool has to match the assessment which should match your objectives.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I believe the most important thing is, does the student have full access to this technology AND if so, are they familiar with it's use? If the student doesn't have access, it will be quite difficult to use it.
The second thing about technology is to consider if it will work for the different intelligence for learning exhibited by your students. I understand it would be impossible to get to every student, however, I do feel the technology should work for as many students as possible.
The third thing I feel that should be considered, and perhaps this a small thing, but I feel it is a big thing, the instructor should be familiar with this technology and able to troubleshoot basic challenges.
I realize that maybe these aren't the top of everyone's list, but they are important to me. Is there a better list for others?
Alice,
You are right on point with your post. I agree with you, you don't want them to be surprised with the technology. You also want to make sure you can get the information you need to assess student learning abilities.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
When evaluating technology tools for use in online courses, there are three key factors to keep in mind:
1) Accessibility: Are the students able to easily access whatever the tool is? For example, if you require that tests or quizzes be taken online, does your program provide either internet capable devices for the students, or school facilities the students can use to access the tech?
2) Lay-Out: Is the tool laid out in a logical, user friendly way? Are buttons or tabs easy to find? Is it clear when an action is selected or submitted?
3) Timely feedback: This may be the most crucial requirement. If a student takes an online quiz and fails, or there are signs that the material is not well understood, how soon will they, and more importantly the instructor know, so that the situation can be addressed, and the student can get assistance if needed? The faster the feedback, the better!
Eric ,
That is a great post. You make a great point about layout of the interface. It is amazing to me that we give tests online to students who never have taken a test online, students do need to be familiar with it.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
When selecting specific technologies to create quizzes, tests, or performance assessments, it is necessary to ensure the technology can function accordingly. The instructor must understand the function of the tool before creating an assessment. This is essential to ensure students can access the assessment and receive proper feedback in a timely fashion.
Marie
Hi Jackie,
I agree with you, this can be extremely frustrated for student when equipment is not working properly. I have used Medisoft in the past .The IT department had to download and upgrade the software on a regular basis; which was not beneficial. The school administrator finally made the decision to get rid of it due to errors.
Marie
