Digital Portfolio Reflection Badge

Although I am very open to having a blog, especially one about a topic I love dearly like education, it was important to me that my personal identity was somewhat private. Although many people in my life know my middle name is “Hoku Lani,” they are mostly close friends and relatives, so I figured this would be a safe username to use for the site. I was open about putting my picture up because I already have my picture on Facebook and a few other sites for random events that have taken place in my life. For now, I would like to keep my blog private. I could see myself making the blog public to others as I grow and develop in my teaching, but at this point in time I think I would like to keep my findings, wonderings, and discoveries to myself. Having said that, I would like to keep the blog going as a way of documenting my professional journey, similar to a digital portfolio might be for students. I think this would be helpful for me to refer back to, but also to potentially show an employer or peers as my researching and blogging skills evolve a bit.  I just find that searching through blog posts is easier than flipping through old notebooks, and if I were to use the “tagging” capability better it would be even more helpful.  Although I appreciate the usefulness of Blogger saving all of my work for me, which I can access on any computer, I also realize that 20 years from now I may not want individuals coming across this blog when they try to look me up for whatever reason.

From my own blog posts, I think I will use the resources I learned about for infographics (Shrock, 2015), and the questions I posed that were inspired by the Games for Learning (Shapiro, 2015) article the most in my teaching. The questions are as follows:

The idea of incorporating infographics into the classroom is so brilliant because it was requires students to consolidate what they learned, prioritize which parts are most important, think of how to graphically represent the data, and still require some creativity. I had never considered using them with students, but I will definitely be using these in the future! Also, the Games for Learning (Shapiro, 2015) article gave me a great set of questions to ask myself about incorporating games in the classroom, but I particularly like them because they can be adapted to any form of technology. I think as teachers it is important to immerse students in multiple literacies, including technology, but that it is important to remember that technology should be increasing the student experience, not taking away from the learning. I plan on providing this list of questions to future teachers as items to consider, and to ask myself them constantly throughout my own teaching.

Although I found many useful resources and thoughtful reflections from my peers throughout this course, I particularly enjoyed Josie Calamari’s post about multimodal composition and her explanation of Animoto, which looks easier to use than iMovie or Movie Maker, and Allee Burka’s post on online comprehension. Josie exposed me to Tory Hicks’ blog, which I found to be an exciting new resource that I will continue to explore after this course. I really want to work on incorporating digital storytelling with my students, but I teach younger grades so technology is sometimes seems like a challenge. However, I find a lot of the posts in this blog to be adaptable to many grade levels and I think doing more research on how to incorporate digital storytelling well will allow me to better introduce the concept to students.  Allee’s post gave me new insights into how to use clickers in the classroom. I had a class in college that required us to use a clicker, but we basically used them for taking attendance and quizzes. Her post showed me that clickers can have a place in younger classrooms, and can provide a much more interactive classroom environment.

7940e Standards

Students will explore and articulate the intersection between formative assessment and digitally-mediated assessment in literacy instruction

This class has really shown me the potential technology has in assessing students in ways I never conceived before. The ability to use an app to take Running Records, which records the child’s reading out loud and can go back to that part of the book with a click of a button is truly amazing and so helpful in documenting assessments. Additionally, digital portfolios have so many wonderful possibilities, imagine if creating portfolios became common practices in every classroom! Teachers would be able to see progress in much more significant ways that simply through test scores, and students would better be able to reflect on their growth as individuals. 

Students will assemble their own electronic portfolio, based on a badge-system approach

I really enjoyed creating my own portfolio for this course, and the use of blogs made me much more likely to include them in the classroom. I feel as though I am more of an expert on badges and how they can be useful, and I will certainly consider them a valid learning experience from here on out because I have gone through the process myself. 

ISTE Standards

Teacher exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society.

I feel more competent, and like a more “tech-savvy” individual after taking this course. I think by increased blogging skills, adding hyperlinks, and incorporating more multimodal components into my work shows this. I am beginning to think in situations about how technology could be used to remedy a problem in the classroom, or how learning could be improved through the use of digital tools such as portfolios, digital recordings, or badges.

Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments. 

I am more excited and feel as if I know more about reliable and useful resources, blogs, and tools than I did before this course. I feel as if I could help other’s think about using technology in their classrooms more, and see how learning can truly be enhanced through the use of digital tools.  I think the work I have done in this class has opened me up to consider assessments in much more holistic way, and that technology can provide so many more opportunities for assessment than we had previously.  I feel excited to tell others about the potential digital technology has in the classroom, and to share in how it take students to deeper levels of learning when used thoughtfully.

I would like to continue to do research in digital literacy, specifically in multimodal compositions and how these can be used to support social justice in the classroom. I plan on taking more courses in digital literacies here at UGA, but I also find myself much more drawn to technology-based education blogs such as KQED and Troy Hick’s blog. I am much more likely to incorporate digital portfolios in my classroom and in my own personal life, and I feel as if I would be much more likely to provide a professional development experience to co-workers interested in incorporating digital tools in their classroom. Finally, I learned that there are so many more resources out in cyber-space than I ever realized, and that I have a lot more research and reading to do about digital literacies!

Hicks, T. (2015). “Digital Writing Gallery.” The Digital Writing Workshop. Retrieved from: http://digitalwritingworkshop.wikispaces.com/Digital+Writing+Gallery

Schrock, K. (2010). Kathy Schrock’s guide to everything. [weblog] Retrieved from: http://www.schrockguide.net/infographics-as-an-assessment.html

Shapiro, J. (2014, September 5). Using Games for Learning: Practical Steps to Get Started. Retrieved from: http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/09/05/using-games-for-learning-practical-steps-to-get-started/

Elective Badge #4 Standards and Assessment

 When I begin to think about assessments on the computer, this cartoon came to mind.

Retrieved from: http://texasedequity.blogspot.com/2012/07/let-them-eat-tests.html

Although many states are choosing to not use the Common Core Standards, the Common Core is unique in that it requires students to take assessments using a computer, For students young and old, this presents unique opportunities. Flanagan (2014) plays around with the idea that though many students are digital citizens, they do not necessarily know how to use technology to help them with research or to communicate their thoughts. For example, in the same way that teaching a student to write does not mean they can communicate their thoughts in a paper, allowing students access to technology without teaching them to use the technology well means that the technology is not being used effectively. Similar to some of the foundation articles we read, Flanigan (2014) states,“One of the biggest things to realize is that it's not always about what the kids know about technology, but their comfort level with what they don't know, and then being able to figure it out using whatever devices are put in front of them” (p. 30).  We need to teach students to use their higher order thinking processes with technology, rather than simply expose students to technology so that they can take a test online. Similarly, the best assessments using technology will require students to complete higher-order tasks, rather than simply answer a few questions.

Gullen (2014) interviewed students and teachers about taking assessments online. Younger students discussed how it took them a long to determine how to scroll up and down, how to use the mouse, and what the “blink line” means in the text box. Older students complained about having to look at so much information on one scree, having to go back and forth between screens, or having unclear directions throughout the testing.  Teachers expressed concerns about students being able to show what they know and which skills they have developed, without being held back or distracted by the technology. Additionally, schools realized that their internet systems were not advanced enough to have 120 students taking a test at the same time. One thing I really liked about Gullen’s (2014) article was that she provided  ways to help students prepare for online assessments. She proposes that we:

           
              "Enhance digital skills

               Assign cross-curriculum tasks

               Promote self-sufficiency

               Provide practice and try out your technology

               Debrief"

                            Gullen (2014, pp.70-71)

By allowing our students to collaborate on multiple different kinds of projects using multiple forms of technology, we prepare them to handle whatever curve balls technology throws their way. Additionally, having students communicate what they have learned and what they still need to know can help teachers.

Classroom application: 

One practice that Flanigan (2014) discussed was having students collaborate on a project, but not allowing them to talk to one another. This forces students to use Google Docs, e-mail, Twitter, or Instant Messaging, but they have to communicate with technology. This helps students problem solve, share ideas, and make decisions all through the use of computers, similar to a situation they may find themselves in during a typical work day!  I also thought debriefing with students about the typical workday was a great tool to use in the classroom, sort of an assessment for helping students with assessments!

References

Flanigan, R. (2014, March). Taking the Pulse Of Digital Literacy. Education Week, 30–32.

Gullen, K. (2014). Are our kids ready for computerized tests? Educational Leadership, 71(6), 68–71.

Stanford, J. (2012, July 11). Let them eat tests. [Weblog]. Retrieved from: http://texasedequity.blogspot.com/2012/07/let-them-eat-tests.html

Elective Badge #3 Multimodal Composition

At this time, multimodal texts are this sort of mythical creature that I know could exist in the classroom, but that I would like to know more about.  I suppose digital storytelling is a multimodal project, but I feel as if I need to see several more multimodal projects for me to wrap my head around how I would use them in my classroom. Honestly, they seem very artistic, which I am not, so while I could see myself allowing students to take on multimodal projects, coming up with an example to show them from my own practice would be tricky. However, Neal (2010) made the purpose of multimodal projects to seem not quite as “scary” as they could be. He reminds us that no teacher can include all of the technology available in their classroom; there are simply too many options and not enough time to explore them all. Also, teachers shouldn’t worry about always using the technology that is the newest and “hippest.” As Neal (2010) puts it, if teachers are discovering the technology, the younger generations have probably already moved on to the next trend in technology.  Neal (2010) discusses in depth about how to determine if the way we assess multimodal projects are valid and reliable, but for me it seems as though the issues in assessing multimodal projects would be similar to the issues that arise anytime a teacher assesses writing, art, or other subjective projects by nature.

One issue that Neal (2010) also addresses is the need for technology to be purposeful in the classroom. Ideally, students would benefit from using technology to complete a project, technology should allow them to gain a deeper insight, make more significant connections, and explore new unknowns more than if they had completed the project without technology. He also reminds us that with technology comes obstacles, wether they be access, resistance from administration, or the inability to assess a project properly. Essentially, teachers must determine if the technology really enhances the overall lesson or project, or if it is simply “something new.”

Some of the work on multimodal literacies reminded me of a presentation I saw at the Jolle Conference this past year. Lalitha Vasudevan (2013) works with inner-city teens in creating multimodal projects as a form of expression in an after school program. The projects she showed were mostly short films which the kids had written, directed, and acted in.  In her talk, she described how interested the kids in her project were in creating the movies, as wells how they each assumed different roles in the process. She discussed how these short films allowed students to express their inner feelings, and how it gave a unique insight into their lives. I have had her book in my “Wishlist” cart on Amazon ever since I saw her present, her latest book is pictured below. After completing this week’s readings, I think I may need to order it and read it this summer.

Applications to the classroom:

In addition to creating short films and digital stories which I mentioned above as being multimodal texts, Kathy Schrock’s (2010) website on creating infographics is a great idea for a project to use for students. I have noticed that infographics seem to have gained popularity with the rise of visual social media such as Pinterest and Instagram, but I had never thought of including these in my curriculum. However, I could certainly see how students would need to do research, summarize and select the most pertinent information, think about how to best display the information, etc. to create a great product. I really like how students could create an infographic on any subject, as well as how much creativity and problem solving it would take to determine how to present the information. Finally, I like how assessing the infographics would not be too overwhelming and that there are plenty of mentor texts for the students.

References

DeJaynes, T., & Vasudevan, L. (Eds.). (2013). Arts, media, and justice: Multimodal explorations with youth. Lang, Peter New York.

Neal, M. (2010). Writing assessment and the revolution in digital texts and technologies. New York: Teachers College Press.

Schrock, K. (2010). Kathy Schrock’s guide to everything. [weblog] Retrieved from: http://www.schrockguide.net/infographics-as-an-assessment.html

Elective Badge #2: Digital Badges and Gamification of Assessment

The digital badges and gamification of assessment readings discuss the use of MOOCs, or Massive Open Online Courses, badges, and games as learning tools. Essentially, educators around the world are creating learning opportunities for those who may not be able to attend traditional schools, who need training in a particular area, or who are interested in a subject and want to learn more. “Badges” are essentially an online module or series of tasks and assessments which teach you something new. Prior to this class, I had heard of a particular project called the University of the People, which allows any individual with a high school diploma and an internet connection to take college courses online for free, although I believe exams cost money, but I had never heard of badges (Reshef, 2012). While I think they are a great resource for individuals around the world, especially those who may not be able to attend traditional schools due to whatever circumstances, O’Byrne, Schenke, Willis, and Hickey (2015) point out that there are a few issues that need to be addressed in using badges. 

The first issue with badges and other online courses is recognition, as many individuals may not be aware that badges exist or may not recognize them as authentic learning experiences. Although I would argue that online courses, especially those which are interactive and reflective, are powerful teaching tools, it seems as though many people believe in the “empty vessel” theory still in which teachers must impart their knowledge onto students. Employers may be less likely to consider degrees from online Universities as “real” degrees, or they may not realize how much work goes into earning a badge and therefore not recognize it as a legitimate achievement. Secondly, anyone can create their own badges, and the assessment tools for different badges are not standardized so not all badges are created equally. Additionally, like in a regular classroom some programs use multiple forms of summative and cumulative assessments as proof of progress, while others may have students only complete one exam at the end of the badge and consider the badge completed. While I personally do not want to see online courses or college programs standardized in the way the public school systems have attempted to standardize education, it is something to consider when asking students to complete a badge, or when considering the accolades of others who have completed badges.  Finally, when someone is being assessed in their learning, their motivation behind the learning process generally changes, which can change the intention earning the badge. While this is true of any assessments in education, it particularly relevant in the case of badges, which are generally self-regulated.

I really appreciated Gee’s (2014) interview about the gamification of education because he explained some of the larger theories that I wasn’t exactly clear on. Although Gee (20140) does think that video games are the future of education, he reminds listeners that games are essentially problem solving exercises, and that even violent games such as Grand Theft Auto involve organization, logic, and strategy. He says the key to selecting video games for students is to remember the question, “What kind of problem do [I] want [my students] to solve?” (Gee, 2014). He does mention of course that video games are only a tool to be used in education, alongside many other tools, but that they present a unique opportunity to accommodate and motivate many different kinds of students. In regard to the violence of some games, Gee (2014) reminds others that thousands of people have died around the world due to interpretations of different books, but less than 10 have been killed due to violence from video games. However, it is important to keep in mind the maturity level of our students and make sure they are engaging the deeper problem-solving skills of the technology, rather than reveling the in the content.

I wanted to try out some of the resources listed, so I enrolled myself in the Smithsonian digital badge program, Smithsonian Quests. Although I only explored a few badges, I liked that they incorporated many multimedia forms of assessment. For example, when studying the Civil Rights Movement badge earners are given several anthems which were sung by members of the movement to listen to as inspiration. The assessment is for the badge earner to write their own lyrics to a song and create their own anthem. I liked that you can share your progress in a social media-type platform as a way of sharing progress, which helps students stay motivated and share their progress. Overall, I found the resource to be very useful and could certainly see myself incorporating these badges into my classroom. 

As I was trying to think of ways I could incorporate more games into my classroom, I came across a blog post on my Facebook titled, Using Games for Learning (Shapiro, 2015) and found it to be very useful.  Mindshift in general is a wonderful resource, which often focus on the gamification of schools and how we can use new technologies in the classroom. My applications for the classroom for this badge involve me asking myself the questions below (which evolved from the blog post) to better incorporate games into my curriculum. 

1. What devices do I have available in my classroom and how will my students use them?

2. What are quality games for me to engage my students with? What lessons do I want my students to learn? Have I played these games enough to know they are sound resources?

3. Who can I observe or use for support when things go wrong? How are other teachers gamifying their classrooms? Am I providing my students the best learning experience possible in terms of the way technology is used in the classroom?

For more information on the University of People (Reshef, 2014) check out this Ted talk. Although not a direct correlation to the subject at hand, I think it shows another way in which technology is changing education in our world.

Gee, J. P. (2014, September 24). Videogames: New literacies for a complex world. Retrieved from: http://www.americanradioworks.org/video-games-new-literacy-for-a-complex-world/

O’Byrne, W. I., Schenke, K., Willis III, J. E., & Hickey, D. T. (2015). Digital badges: Recognizing, assessing, and motivating learners in and out of school contexts. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 58(6), 451–454.

Reshef, S. (2014, August 4). Shai Reshef: An ultra-low-cost college degree. [Video file]. Retrieved from: https://www.ted.com/talks/shai_reshef_a_tuition_free_college_degree?language=en#t-32281

Shapiro, J. (2014, September 5). Using Games for Learning: Practical Steps to Get Started. Retrieved from: http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/09/05/using-games-for-learning-practical-steps-to-get-started/

Elective Badge #1: Assessment of Elementary Literacy

For my first elective badge, I chose to focus on the Assessment of Elementary Literacy.  Javorsky and Trainin (2014) did a randomized search of iPad e-readers that were free on iTunes to take a closer look at which kinds of skills are needed to manipulate the books. One of the main findings was that each book is different, and that young children need to be very “tech-savvy” to be able to maneuver around within these apps. For example, some e-books have buttons which allow you to turn the page, some have pictures of multiple pages that you elect to turn the page, while others have you swipe across the book with your finger. Similar discrepancies are found in home pages, extra games, hot spots, narration, and even icons! One of the benefits of having digital stories are that children can listen, read, or manipulate them on their own, without the help of an adult. However, for young children who cannot read, how do they figure out how to turn on the narration, or find a corresponding hotspot? Additionally, technology is constantly being updated, icons are made to look newer, and features are being added as the e-readers evolve. 

So how do we teach children how to use these devices when each one is so different from the next? Javorsky and Trainin (2014) propose that we teach students how to be flexible and to expect changes in technology, rather than get frustrated by them.  By creating a classroom with multiple different kinds of technologies, modeling how to maneuver around specific apps, and discussing the fact that technology is constantly evolving, children can become more fluent and more purposeful digital readers (Javorsky & Training, 2014).

In the same way that we must teach students to be flexible and open when using technology, teachers must become open and flexible to using technology themselves! One way this can easily be achieved is by using the Running Record App developed by Clemson University found here: Running Record App. This app allows for teachers to code their own running records, but also records the voice of the child reading out loud so that you can go back and listen to any parts you may have missed the first time. Although I have not been able to use the app myself yet, I could certainly see how this would help me keep track of all of the running records I take of my students, and how useful it would be to have the corresponding recordings saved! Meeuwse (2013) wrote very highly of the app as well.  I particularly like how after the running record you could let the child hear parts they struggled with, or did well on, during a reading conference. This seems like a great tool to use! 

Although I have never used a lot of technology with my students, I think allowing students the opportunity to engage with technology and to manipulate apps, e-readers, and games on multiple devices makes a lot of sense. One of the resources Javorsky and Trainin (2014) recommend is a YouTube channel called TechEdge which discusses how to use iPads in the classroom. I found the video below helpful not only for parents, but also for teachers. 

Application to classroom:

- Provide students devices to use e-readers on such as: iPads, iPhones, SmartBoards, computers, Kindle, other tablets

- Provide parents with ideas for good apps/resources to use at home

- Explain to parents how to model/teach their children how to use the digital device, e-reader, apps, etc. they have access to at home

- Model using iPads for reading, researching, and accomplishing important tasks in the classroom

- Use iPads for assessment using the Running Record app, taking pictures of student work, video taping presentations, etc.

- Upload these assessments to digital portfolios

References

Javorsky, K., & Trainin, G. (2014). Teaching young readers to navigate a digital story when rules keep changing. The Reading Teacher, 67(8), 606–618.

Meeuwse, K. (2013, April 15). Running records on the iPad. Retrieved from: http://iteachwithipads.net/2013/04/15/running-records-on-the-ipad/

Tech EDGE (2012, August 12). iPads for Parents - Pilot Episode, Apps You Can Use With Your Kids. [Video file]. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5bRWOkHkFo

Foundations Badge #2

Key Definitions/Main Ideas

I immediately found myself drawn to the MichiganPortfolios.org website (Koch, Petterson, Hicks & Zellner, 2015) and the corresponding blog post from Aram Kabodian (2013) for this weeks readings. I was drawn to these particular websites because I wanted to experience what digital portfolios created by students look like, as well as what kinds of problems teachers encountered when they incorporated them in the classroom. The MichiganPortfolios.org website is a really helpful resource when it comes to needing rubrics for digital writing assignments, guidance in positive assessment practices, and resources for teaching in a more diverse way. I particularly liked the “Diversity Book List” which can be found here: http://www.michiganportfolios.org/links-and-resources/diversity-book-list/. But the part of the website I found myself reading and rereading were some of the blog posts which discuss best practices for teaching today.  On one blog, this quote is printed across the top: “Is what my students and I are doing at this moment in the classroom something a skilled adult would ever do?” —Laura Roop National Writing Project Michigan, 2010-2011 (as cited in Koch et al., 2015).  This got me thinking about a lot of the assessments we give students. How likely is it that someone will ask a student five questions about a book to see if they comprehended what they read? Or how likely is it that your boss will give you a written test with multiplication problems? Not very likely, although I did have to answer Grammar and Math questions on a test as a part of an interview for a subbing job once! Why is it that we are incapable of assessing students in a way that has real world application? I hear CEO’s complain often about the lack of a skilled workforce, and how employees don’t know how to collaborate, invent, or think outside of the box. Perhaps this is because we as educators have been asking them to fill in the box, rather than think outside of it.  Digital portfolios seem to be a real world assessment in that many different professions involve portfolios in the forms of websites, blogs, or social media. Many employers look on-line to view someone’s work or read their credentials before ever meeting them in person. By providing students the knowledge of how to create a digital portfolio, how to manipulate the portfolio to look the way they want, and what kinds of information to put in their portfolio we are providing them with the ability to get hired, to communicate their message to others, and to (hopefully) make an impact in the world. 

Kabodian’s (2013) article described his progress to integrate digital portfolios in the classroom, but it seems as though some of the issues he encountered did not have to do with the implementation of digital portfolios at all, but rather his students’ inability to understand the meaning of reflection. I personally remember as an Undergraduate being asked to reflect on my teaching, and not truly understanding what was expected of me. Unfortunately, reflections are not like persuasive essays or Haiku’s, which both have a structure to them. Every student’s reflection will be unique to them, and therefore more challenging to explain, describe, and ultimately assess. One of the benefits of having a digital portfolio seems to me to be that it can last forever, unless removed from the internet or we move onto other forms of technology, which doesn’t seem to be in our future anytime soon. I appreciated how Kabodian (2013) listed rubrics from other teachers that helped guide their students, and that he used the examples of other students in the class as good examples. But mostly, I really liked the four questions cited from a blog post by Jeremy Hyler (2013) titled Teaching Students to Reflect on Their Writing. 

These questions really allow students to interpret the comments given to them, and allow them to process them and make the necessary changes.  It also helps walk students through the process of deeper reflection and to tweak their craft.  Kabodian (2013) reminds us that even though we may be caught up in the technological aspects of digital portfolios, we still must focus majority of our teaching on what it means to be a good writer.

Connections

While I was looking up examples of e-portfolios, I came across this TED talk from Helen Barrett (2010) which although is a bit dated, I found interesting. I appreciate the ability digital portfolios have to provide flexibility in the assessments of students. In this talk, she discusses how e-portfolios and social media are similar in their motivations, the choices they provide, and a constantly evolving tool. I am choosing to share this video because I think it really emphasizes both the permanence, but also the malleability of portfolios, and how they can provide students the ability to view their progress over time. In the same way that we may search through our Facebook photos to be reminded of trips, people we love, and things we accomplished, digital portfolios can be a time capsule for students to continually add to throughout their academic lives.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckcSegrwjkA

Applications to your Classroom Assessment

This week really showed me the potential Digital Portfolios have in the classroom, for both younger students and older. I appreciated how the rubrics from the MichiganPortfolios.org (Koch et al., 2015) website began at the Kindergarten level. Below is a list of kinds of lessons I think would incorporate with digital portfolios using any and all areas of the curriculum.  I expect that I will continually add to this list, but the potential thus far is very exciting!

- Student created podcasts and recorded read alouds

- Links to sight words with the option to hear the word read out loud

- Digital stories created about any subject

- Blog posts/reflections can be used both as a journal and as a way to reflect on student progress

- Book reviews about recently read books

- Digital files of student writing (Includes books, essays, poems, etc.)

- Resource pages

- Pictures of artwork, sketches, graphs, etc.

- Class resource page (includes rubrics, resources by subject, useful websites, games)

- Ability for students to comment on each other’s work

References

Barrett, H. (2010, February, 25). Social Networks and Interactive Portfolios: Blurring the Boundaries. [Video File] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckcSegrwjkA

Hyler, J. (2013, February 15). Teaching Students to Reflect on Their Writing. Retrieved from: https://jeremyhyler40.wordpress.com/2013/02/15/teaching-students-to-reflect-on-their-writing/

Kabodian, A. (2013, May 1). Reflecting on the Move to Digital Writing Portfolios. Retrieved from: http://digitalis.nwp.org/resource/5015

Koch, R., Petterson J., Hicks, T., & Zellner, A. (2015). Michigan Portfolios. Retrieved from: http://www.michiganportfolios.org/

Foundation Badge 1

Key Definitions/Main Ideas

Alvermann, Gillis, and Phelps (2012) give a nice overview of different kinds of assessments for students and text books. I particularly appreciated that they provide all of the pros and cons to each of the different kinds of assessments. I think when many of us think of “assessments” we automatically think of tests, quizzes, or even rubrics for assignments. And while these are all addressed, Alvermann, Gillis, and Phelps (2012) caution readers that  assessments can be like photograph- some show more flattering angles than others.  Additionally, they expose a lot of biases that assessments can have and explain why some of these biases may be unfair to minority students.  In their chapter, the reader is reminded that the purpose of assessing students is to gain greater insights into their lives and the way they think. By learning from assessments, teachers can better shape their curriculum to meet the needs of their students and push them to the next level. I particularly liked the example used in the chapter which showed an assessment given to a students after they read a passage on magnets (pictured below), because it doesn’t ask “on the surface” questions, but rather challenges the students to connect their new knowledge of magnets with what they previously understood, to make their own inferences, and to define vocabulary in their own words. To me, these five questions are how we should be assessing students, rather than providing them 5 questions directly from the text. 

(Alvermann, Gillis, Phelps, 2012, p. 142)

On a similar, but different note, Schwartz and Arena (2013) discuss the potential technology has for creating choice-based assessments in the classroom. They discuss how well designed video games allow students to make choices about who their character is, what their character’s goals are, and how their character goes about achieving these goals throughout the game. These choices help eliminate some of the biases mentioned above, provide a richer experience for the student, and provide a unique insight into the preferences and thought processes of students. Additionally, cognitive tutor programs allow for students to be learning and getting assessed at the same time, which can streamline the assessment process, avoiding a lot of unnecessary stress and wasted time by both teachers and students alike. By using some of these “nonlinear” systems in the classroom, students are given the freedom to explore and provided choices their learning (Schwartz & Arena, 2013). 

Connections

I have to admit, I struggled to find personal connections to these texts. As a teacher of preschoolers, I was required to complete three formal assessments for each student throughout the year, though I tried to create my own informal assessments throughout the curriculum. But for the most part, I felt as though my student’s work showed their progress better than any set of questions I could have created. However, having worked in classrooms that were older, I recognize the need for multiple different kinds of assessments and the need for these assessments to provide multiple “snapshots” of a student.  The second article reminded me of a youtube video I had watched before from James Gee, listed below, which discusses the need for education to shift in a direction in which students teach themselves through games. While I find this theoretically to make a lot of sense, my experiences with technology in the classroom, and in researching the use of technology in the classroom are mixed. I have seen some uses where I found it be very effective, yet I have also seen situations in which I felt like technology was used as a babysitter or a time filler.

(Gee, 2011).

Applications to Classroom Assessment

Although I did not describe this above, I really liked how the Alvermann, Gillis, and Phelps (2012) article discussed in detail how to help students create a portfolio as a form of assessment. In my own classroom, the portfolios I had on students usually included pieces of work that I thought showed their progress, but I never included them in the process. In the future, I think I will incorporate the portfolio as a part of the curriculum and involve students in the process, rather than put it together after school by myself. Explaining to students the purpose of a portfolio, showing them examples of professionals who use portfolios for their jobs, and demonstrating how to put a portfolio together would be a useful skill for students, and would allow students to really take ownership of their work. I imagine that they would be more motivated to complete assignments well if they knew they might go in their portfolio, and I think providing students the option to choose which of their work samples show who they are as a learner allows for some deep contemplation and discussion.

I would also like to incorporate more of the resources Schwartz and Arena (2013) discussed in their article, such as the Choicelets (p. 17) which are short and engaging games for students that incorporates learning and assessment together, but I wish I had a better grasp of what these games are called, how expensive they are, and how they can be incorporated effectively in the classroom. I am hoping that through this class and my own research/observations that I will be able to see the potential for these in my classroom even more. 

References

Alvermann, D., Gillis, V., & Phelps, S. (2012). Content area reading and literacy: Succeeding in today’s diverse classroom (7th ed). Boston: Pearson.

Gee, J. P. [DMLResearchHub]. (2011, August 4). Games and Education Scholar James Paul Gee on Video Games, Learning, and Literacy. [Video File]. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNfPdaKYOPI

Schwartz, D. & Arena, D. (2013). Measuring what matters the most: Choice-based assessments for the digital age. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Retrieved from: http://mitpress.mit.edu/books/measuring-what-matters-most/