One on One Game Plan

After reading the article "one-to-one computing programs only as effective as their teachers", I could not agree more with the statement that these programs are "only as effective as the teachers who apply them".  I think that technology is a great tool for education, but if we, as teachers, simply welcome and invite technology rather than thoroughly integrate it, I foresee an issue with one to one computer use.  Like the article states, it's so imperative to adapt and adjust our teaching style when technology is added.  We need to recognize the differences that it brings to a classroom and our job as teachers is to embrace the innovation of technology yet be certain that we are still the ones educating the students, not the technology.  I agree that one of the best ways to execute this is to be prepared and knowledgable about the technology that is used in class.   If teachers are given time to experiment with the technology and prepare how it will fit into their curriculum, I believe that we will be more apt to integrate and utilize the programs better.  The article also mentions the importance of planning for logistical issues of technology, which I think is very important.  We need to always be aware that programs and technology have glitches and problems, so with this in mind, we are able to brainstorm backup plans for lessons.  This, again, goes back to the importance of teachers being prepared and flexible.  It's vital that we step back and look at the whole process and examine different ways to get concepts across, even in the times in which our plans don't go as we imagined they would.  When using technology and computer programs like this, I think the most important thing is the student's feedback.  We should always strive to gauge how the lesson plans and technology are helping our students.  I think it's so important to discuss whether the technology being used in class is actually benefiting the students.  We might think that something is really useful or neat, but if our students aren't getting anything from it, we may need to rethink our plans.  Overall, with technology like this, COMMUNICATION with the students is key for successful integration.

Assessment of Learning

After taking TEAC classes in college, I have come to realize that the notion of "the assessment experience" is one of the most important issues in education today.  Throughout my educational career, especially in high school, success in school was solely based upon my letter-grade performance.  There was never an emphasis on what I was actually learning, but rather on how I could get an 'A' on a test.  When I didn't get the grade that I desired, there was no assessment to show me why I didn't perform the way that I had hoped.  It was just an understood principle that I just needed to study harder next time, even if the truth may have been that I was just having trouble learning this certain subject.  Therefore, in my education experience, there has always been an assessment for success (test grades, projects, etc.) yet not an assessment of learning. We have grown up in an assessment value system for success that sets some up for failure.  I absolutely loved the scenario for helping students turn failure into success.

"Gail discovers that four of her eight incorrect answers were caused by careless mistakes that she knows how to fix. But four were math problems she really doesn't understand how to solve....Because Gail's teacher has mapped out precisely what each item on the test measures, the teacher and students can work in partnership to group the students according to the math concepts they haven't yet mastered. The teacher then provides differentiated instruction to the groups focused on their conceptual misunderstandings. Together the class also plans strategies that everyone can use to avoid simple mistakes. When that work is complete, the teacher gives students a second form of the same math test. When Gail gets the test back with a grade of 100 percent, she jumps from her seat with arms held high. Her winning streak begins."

I think that is way of approaching the assessment process if completely brilliant.  It shows students their knowledge of the subject and the mistakes that can be conquered in a practical application process.  Technology could be used with this method of assessment by having the evaluation of their graded test be done electronically.  An excel spreadsheet could be used to record the columns of "Right and Wrong" and the different concepts that the test is over.  The student could keep a record of all the evaluations of their test on Excel to track their improvement on test taking.

Another way that technology could be used to assess learning would be through the use of clickers.  I think that it might be beneficial to have a post-quiz (non-graded) at the end of each class about the key concepts and ideas that were hopefully learned for the day.  The student would be assigned a number of clicker so the teacher would be able to see their answers but the quiz would be anonymous to the rest of the class.  This way the teacher can track what concepts each individual student seem to understand right away and which ones they are still in the process of learning.