Section Two: Software to Support Assessment
Elena Johnson
EDU-225
June 15, 2014
Hallie Starr
Draft of Section Four: Software to Support Assessment
Utilizing software to support assessment in the classroom is important for all educators. Assessments are used to by educators to document student success. According to Yarnall, Shechtman, & Penuel (2006) assessments are used to gain insight on students’ prior knowledge, track a students’ progress, and help identify student misunderstandings. Yarnall et al. (2006) explains that educators are expected to show evidence of student growth and process over time and assessments can help with this process. Assessments allow educators to visually show their students where progress has been made and where they may need additional improvement. This essay will take a look at ways technology can assess student learning, the pros and cons of using technology to assess students, the difference between formative and summative assessment, and if technology should be the only use to assess student learning.
Electronic portfolios is one method of assessment that documents student learning. According to Wickersham and Chambers (2006) electronic portfolios is a collection of student work that provides response and feedback between teachers and students that is all web-based. Computers play a role in electronic portfolios since all work is saved and completed through the use of computers. Assessments that provide feedback is essential to helping students see where they need improvement. Wickersham and Chambers (2006) also explains how electronic portfolios allow students to be involved in their own assessment. Wickersham and Chambers (2006) says it provides students with ownership and responsibility over their learning. Rastgoo and Namvar (2010) explain that online assessments through technology such as electronic portfolios, online self-assessments, and peer assessments all provide a viable means for recording both performance and thinking process data.
There are pros and
EDU-225
June 15, 2014
Hallie Starr
Draft of Section Four: Software to Support Assessment
Utilizing software to support assessment in the classroom is important for all educators. Assessments are used to by educators to document student success. According to Yarnall, Shechtman, & Penuel (2006) assessments are used to gain insight on students’ prior knowledge, track a students’ progress, and help identify student misunderstandings. Yarnall et al. (2006) explains that educators are expected to show evidence of student growth and process over time and assessments can help with this process. Assessments allow educators to visually show their students where progress has been made and where they may need additional improvement. This essay will take a look at ways technology can assess student learning, the pros and cons of using technology to assess students, the difference between formative and summative assessment, and if technology should be the only use to assess student learning.
Electronic portfolios is one method of assessment that documents student learning. According to Wickersham and Chambers (2006) electronic portfolios is a collection of student work that provides response and feedback between teachers and students that is all web-based. Computers play a role in electronic portfolios since all work is saved and completed through the use of computers. Assessments that provide feedback is essential to helping students see where they need improvement. Wickersham and Chambers (2006) also explains how electronic portfolios allow students to be involved in their own assessment. Wickersham and Chambers (2006) says it provides students with ownership and responsibility over their learning. Rastgoo and Namvar (2010) explain that online assessments through technology such as electronic portfolios, online self-assessments, and peer assessments all provide a viable means for recording both performance and thinking process data.
There are pros and
References: Buhagiar, M. A., & Chetcuti, D. A. (2014). Assessing the field placement in initial teacher education: Fining a balance between formative and summative assessment. Problems of education in the 21st century, 5839-52. Newman-Thomas, C., Smith, C., Xinting, Z., Kethley, C. I., Rieth, H. J., Swanson, E. A., &pYusung, H. (2012). Techonogy-based practice to teach preservice teachers to assess oral reading fluency. Journal of Special Education Technology, 27(1), 15-32. Rastgoo, A., & Namvar, Y. (2010). Assessment approaches in virtual learning. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education (TOJDE), 11(1), 42-48. Wickersham, L. E., & Chambers, S. M. (2006). ePortfolios: Using technology to enhance and assess student learning. Journal of Education, 126(4), 738-746. Yarnall, L., Shechtman, N., & Penuel, W. (2006). Using handheld computers to support improved classroom assessment in science: Results from a field trial. Journal of Science Educaiton & Technology, 15(2), 142-158. doi: 10.1007/s10956-006-9008-4