Like many of you, I feel the most important considerations in the use of technology assessment tools include the students' ability to use the technology tools and allow the students multiple attempts to complete the first online assessment so that the students become comfortable and less fearful of the assessment.
Stacy,
Yes, and don't you think that we as educators get "sucked in" to the idea that these students are very technology society? I caution all educators to watch for the students that have selective technology skills
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
It is important to realize the very different set of skills each student will bring into the class. As a tech savvy person, it's easy for me to assume my students (especially those deemed "digital natives") are as proficient as I am. However, this is often not the case.
Randall,
You are SOOOO true. Just because these digital natives can text facebook doesn't mean they are productive!
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Dr. Kelly,
I would rank the top three important things to take into consideration when choosing an assessment tool to include:
1) Student access to technology
2) Student knowledge on technology
3) Effectiveness of assessment to meet learning objectives.
In the campus that I teach at, we currently only have one computer lab. This poses problems when trying to facilitate something computer based for students. Our online courses, in contrast, provide excellent means to leverage new technology tools to enhance the student experience. Currently our online courses only provide auto-graded assessments and some YouTube videos. Enhancing to include more interactive project/performance based tools could greatly improve the student experience and retention of information.
Hi Jenny,
I like your third with properly addressing student concerns and giving consideration to their voice. Many times students do provide good feedback, but that feedback is not channeled to faculty or administration to bring change. I would be curious how much feedback is solicited for some of the course designs and rubric creation. Gaining feedback from current and prior students would be very valuable.
Well from the regular non-online classes I have taught, I had learned the following:
Designing the course structure that requires student to speak up and participate in class,is definitely constructive start. Why?
Because it offers students the concept that you are just as important as the highly participating A+ student in class. It lends itself for students to take ownership during class which in turn will allow them give feedback more easily and speak up.
Hmmm, I suppose we first need to assess the assessment eh? I would first ask does the mode of assessment match the subject being taught? It should be something that allows clear understanding of the material to be measured (a T/F quiz for instance may not be the best choice to measure understanding of a studio art methodology). Second, does the mode of assessment allow for constructive feedback appropriate to the subject? And finally, does this assessment tool allow both instructor and student to measure progression through the material? Very rarely do we find that projects exist in a vacuum.
I agree Tamara, I make sure to show students the major components of the classroom including what they can expect in terms of the varied assessments on the first day as well.
Andrew,
Great comments. You have made some very important points. I like your positive view on using different technologies for good assessment.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Andrew,
Yes, that is a great point. Sometimes we are quick to dismiss student comments when they do have relevance.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Jenny,
True! Studies have shown that online discussion empowers those students that typically don't speak up in class.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Christopher,
Wow, great points! Don't you think that sometimes we don't take the time to assess the assessment only to find that it really isn't assessment after all; just busywork!
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Christopher,
Great technique! Also, it is important to vary the assessments particularly in this day of high stakes testing.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Richard, I had the same experience with a 10-week course in Critical Thinking and Problem Solving. It wasn't a new text, though, but a new edition. With all the differences, it was like a new text, though. It was a nightmare teaching that course and trying to make adjustments as we went, especially online. I asked to be given course time to bring the course up to where it should have been, but was denied. However, after seeing what happened and with a lot of unhappy students, campus finally agreed that it had to be fixed. I wrote all new lectures, new quizzes, and new threaded discussions. No changes had to be made in the delivery methods with the computer. For the students, there were no problems technically.
Patti, one of the problems I see with online courses, at my college anyway, is that all the grades for the course are established within a range. By that, I mean that the quizzes all count the same number of points and the written papers all have the same value. It's impossible to take into consideration improvement. If the student gets off to a bad start, even if he/she improves, the grade will not come far enough up to give the student a grade that truly shows the capabililty of the student. The student often will receive a 'B' as a final grade when actually he/she is doing 'A' work. I try to make a difference by how much I count off for certain errors; the deductions are lighter in the early part of the term and grow progressively higher, but it's not always successful. I believe the students need to have a way of achieving what they deserve (even in this era of inflated grades, which I strive to work against).
Edwin, your #2 is a continuing problem in my field (English) in what is in essence a technical college. So many students resent the fact that in order to get the B.S. or B.A. degree, they must satisfy general ed requirements. In so many cases, they find out the value of being able to write effectively in the professional world after they have graduated. Then they come back, wanting to learn.
When I was in the classroom, I had methods of dealing with this, but now that I'm semi-retired and living 200 miles from campus, it's more difficult to make the students realize what's important. I can't pick up anything from body language or tone of voice, and regardless of what I write to them, they resist the knowledge and skill that they need.
Do you have any suggestions for this?
We haven't exactly started our online version of the course yet so I haven't had to address this kind of problem. However I have had thoughts on how I should deal with it.
I have learned in the classroom not to assume that the students have the necessary written or verbal communication skills. Even though they are given a written guideline on how to format an essay or report they may not know what the end result should look like. If a student has questions I provide examples for them to look at. Most just don't know where to start which increases their anxiety and reluctance.
Try having the students respond to a forum question on the importance of written and verbal communication in the workplace and how it can benefit their position. Knowing how they think can be the same as body language.
Most employers will ask during a job interview. "Where do you see yourself in five years or one year." Pose this question to your students.
Edwin, thanks for your suggestion! I'll try that out in our threaded discussions (our forums). Their periodic self-evaluations are often minimal at best, and usually consist of where they feel comfortable and where they don't. I haven't approached the discussions with anything about what they believe the importance is of written communication. That may help! Also, asking them where they will be in five years might help. The problem is getting them over the belief that English is just a hurdle they have to get over, not something that will help them in their future careers!
Kelly, I'm wondering now if I am apprpoaching this question correctly I've been looking at it as simply how to go about my evaluatiion of students, doing it through the computer with discussions and exams, both objective and subjective. We have a system of exams set up, which can be essay, short-answer, multiple choice, T/F, etc. And the "tool" that is used is the computer.
My concern has not been technological, but how to stimulate work and then evaluate, when I never see them. A few students might send a photo of themselves, but that doesn't tell me much except what they look like. I don't see their faces, body language, or tone of voice so I can evaluate what they're having trouble with or whether or not they are becoming interested or even excited.
I've been teachinig on the college level for more than 40 years, and now teaching online with my students 200 miles away or further when including
students in Asia or Europe, I feel like 80% of my ability to evaluate has been lost.
The bottom line for me is how do I stimulate and evaluate students I never see? The only assessment "tools" I have are the quizzes, the tests, the weekly papers, and the threaded discussions.
