After reading Google Documents for Teachers by Richard Byrne (taken from the CURR 316 blog) I began thinking more about how one can use Google Docs to their advantage. In my Assessment course we are learning about the importance of using assessments constantly, yet appropriately throughout the year to check for understanding. This allows teachers to pin point students struggles and immediately alter the next days lesson to address the misconceptions before moving on to new materials. This method of formative assessment can be beneficial if used correctly in any classroom. By this I mean not only do teachers have to create accurate, valid and reliable assessments, but after administering them and grading them, they need to analyze their data! We learned it's common for teachers to use assessments as a check for understanding, but that they also fail to use the results to alter and edit the lesson (based on students' misconceptions).
Here is where I made the connection- Google Docs Forms allows teachers to create easy to access assessments that can be administered weekly and taken from any computer (with internet access), but then also grades them for you. Using this feature on Google Docs will allow the time that used to be spent grading, to now be spent editing lessons according to students scores. This is only one way Google Docs Forms can be used to a teachers advantage.
Another interesting feature (I found out by creating a "test" using Google Docs Forms) is that when all the answers have been submitted, the teacher can view the "Summary" and it is shown using a line graph. This allows the teacher to judge how many students got which questions wrong. Teachers can then use this information to see if the wording was confusing or if the material needs to be re-covered in the next lesson.
Since I couldn't take the test I wonder what the student receives after completion? Do they get a summary feedback of which answers were wrong? This would be another great aspect where students could use the information to self assess.
Google Docs proves to be an innovative, effective source for all content teachers, but should not be relied on fully. Teachers need to administer more than online tests to check for deeper/higher understanding of materials (Bloom's Tier II and III). As a future teacher it is important to keep up-to-date on the evolving and developing tools for us to use in our classrooms and Google Docs is just the start!
Liana, this is one of the best blog posts I have read this semester. I have been bothered by the fact that the assessment course is only 1 credit when it is such an important aspect of education. I think particularly in art classes students are assessed much more casually and rarely given summative tests, which is an error if we want them to prove their knowledge in multiple ways. I was not aware that google docs offered online tests, and if they questions are written carefully, the summary will provide the teacher with feedback according to Bloom's levels. If you still have the test you created, share it with me and we'll see what the student receives after completion! This is exciting, I am anxious to check it out more when my final projects are completed, thanks so much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI agree the assessment course has been one of the most beneficial and I too can't believe it is only one credit. Every class I learn so much even though I am rushed! In art students are definitely assessed constantly (which I guess would be a formative assessment). I'm not sure though if teachers are aware of this and are using the collected data beneficially. I have attempted to send you a fake test..so let me know what it looks like to you. It is one of the Google features I find harder to figure out, yet I'm sure with effort I could master. Obviously Bloom's could be incorporated into the test as a diagnostic feature and these are simple and easy to access. I also read another interesting blog (I believe it was on Anita's page) about a quick formative assessment activity done in class with a Smartboard that takes the inputted answers (students participate electronically) and projects them into a pie chart instantly. This is so useful for instant feedback and instant adjustments. I think it'd be interesting to have an Art Assessment Inventory for when, where and how to use assessments at what appropriate times.
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