Section 5: Technology to Support Assessment

Nicole Watson

EDU 225

February 18, 2018

Byron Punch

Upon researching assessment tools, I chose Flubaroo to write about. During the week, I

read “Morris Goes to School” by B. Wiseman to my 1st grade students. Then I used a formative

type of assessment to test students’ sequencing knowledge by creating an online quiz including

at least 10 questions pertaining to the book, with the students earning 10 points for each. The

students completed the quiz via iPad. My objective was to identify their strengths and

weaknesses in retaining information from memory. It also informed me of how well they are

able to pay attention in class. Here is the link to my created assessment:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/19O1h79MZ9rnjlRm4pm2vLumMUl2ZnVP7gZ8SgHeKIS8/vi

ewform?fbzx=8605101266123345019. After my students complete the quiz, I will then review

their answers and conclude how well they were paying attention. If a student does well on the

quiz, that tells me they were paying attention and are likely able retain vital information from a

piece of text. If the student did not do well, then some type of intervention may need to take

place. At that point, I would send home a practice quiz and paper copy of the book for

homework, to determine if it is a focusing issue or memory issue. Sometimes children are just

not interested in something and perform better in different areas besides reading. It will take

many observations and many assessments to determine if the student is indeed struggling

academically.

“Just as students are required to review their work before turning it into the instructor for

final grading, teachers are required to practice classroom assessment techniques that align with

that of state and school district methods” (Watson, 2015). Research has shown that when

“compared to achievement-based factors, student personal characteristics, such as ability, effort,

motivation, interest, and neatness of work, are difficult to measure in an objective way and, for

this reason it has been suggested that these characteristics should not be incorporated into

grading” (Alkharusi, 2014). Rather than being judged by their academic performance, “students

should be given continuous formative assessment feedback and given suggestions how to

improve their weak academic areas” (Watson, 2015) This paper will examine the 2 types of

assessments and how technology helps assess student learning.

“Changes in technology have rapidly transformed life in America and continue to impact

schools, businesses, and communities today. Technologies like Alma, Questbase, and iRubric

provide new methods for engaging students in learning and assess their understanding of content.

Each of these technologies is free and can be used in one-computer classrooms or computer labs”

(Watson, 2015). “These technologies can enhance the learning experience by

engaging students in critical thinking and collaboration, allowing real-world applications of the

content, and profiling various perspectives while utilizing digital tools that captivate students'

interests” (Alkharusi, 2014).

“With classroom, curriculum, and lesson planning tools to boost productivity and

improve student outcomes. Because of advances in technology, educators now have all the

information they need right at their fingertips, and parents have more visibility in their child’s

learning, all because of these online tools” (Watson, 2015). For instance, with Questbase,

teachers are able to organize quiz questions, manage their tests, assign them quickly and receive

feedback within minutes. This method is most suitable for formative assessment, which can be

conducted during the lesson or at the end of the class day. Another online software tool called

iRubric, is perfect for adding a scoring system to an assignment, and it also gives the teacher’s

tips on how to score, what should be on the rubric, and even gives vocabulary that could be used.

This tool would be most suitable for summative assessment, or a way of measuring knowledge at

the end of a unit or time period.

Using technology to facilitate student learning has both pros and cons. First lets discuss

the pros. Technology can be used to facilitate assessments which may improve student

engagement and promotes deeper learning, allowing more frequent formative assessment to take

place. Studies show that “Assessments delivered via digital platforms can be scheduled and

automatically released at set intervals, then enabling the assessment load to be spread throughout

the term, which can reduce the sense of assessment overload for teachers and students”

(University of Reading, Pros and Cons of Using Technology Enhanced Assessment).

Technology also allows teachers to determine students’ strengths and weaknesses, and can
improve validity and authenticity with learning outcomes. It also makes it easier to create and

grade tests.

Now the cons. First issue is cost. Copyright laws may “prevent users from downloading

software, or charge a large fee. It is not only costly currency wise, but time wise as well.

Teachers spend a lot of their time getting assessments they create to come out just right.

Accessibility issues. Not everyone (staff and students) may have access to the higher end

educational tools needed to assign and complete tests/quizzes. Teachers should consider allowing

students to submit an audio/video assignment via written form. The last pro I have found is the

sense of isolation. Sometimes students may feel isolated from other students because online

assessments reduce face-to-face interaction” (Watson, 2015).

In conclusion, “while technology has certainly made some advances in America, teachers

shouldn’t judge students based on their academic skills, but continuously give them formative

assessment feedback and suggestions how to improve their weaker areas. There are many

software programs that allow teachers to create online assessments, but it doesn’t mean we

should always use them. Sometimes it is best to refer to older, more common methods of

assessing” (Watson, 2015).

References
Alkharusi, Hussain. Classroom Assessment: Teacher Practices, Student Perceptions, and

Academic Self-Efficacy Beliefs. Social Behavior and Personality: an international journal,

2014. Vol 42 Issue 5 p835

University of Reading, Pros and Cons of Using Technology Enhanced Assessment. Retrieved

from http://www.reading.ac.uk/engageinassessment/using-technology/eia-pros-and-cons-of-

using-technology.aspx

Questbased Solutions. Quiz Software. Retrieved from www.questbase.com

http://www.rcampus.com/indexrubric.cfm

http://www.getalma.com/