Assessments in Education

Are tests the only objective way to assess student learning? I think that student learning can be assessed in a variety of ways and the video above touches on them. It mentions that it is important for assessments to be relevant to what students have learned. They believe that it should represent something that would be done in the work force. I think these are very valid statements about assessment. I think that these are things that should be remembered when planning assessments. These assessments can come in forms other than tests though like the video suggests. They could be in the form of a presentation, activity or a group project and it would be just as easy to assess the students in those ways and it would make the assessment more authentic and meaningful for the students.
I think that tests are still a way for teachers to assess student learning, but with the creation of new technologies and teaching strategies it is important to make sure that our assessment methods change with the times as well. Making assessments out of projects, papers, presentations, models, and tests can create an environment where students are more engaged and feel like they are a part of the learning process. This creates an environment where students enjoy learning. I believe that there are many forms of assessment other that just tests that can help us, as teachers, objectively assess student learning.

Technology-Infused Classroom

What does the technology-infused classroom look like?
A classroom that is technology-infused is a student-centered classroom. The students are engaged in the learning process and enjoy it. They are a vital part of the experience. This classroom provides hands on experiences for the students and provides opportunities for students to explore topics on their own in order to learn more. This kind of classroom may have student lead presentations or discussions. It could have tablets for students to use. The classroom, itself, could look a number of ways, but the fact that the student is the center of the classroom remains the most important detail.
Technology-infused classrooms create an environment that students want to be in. It excites them and makes them enjoy the learning process. 
When teachers utilize the technologies available to them it could give them a chance to work with smaller groups of students. If you have a group of students working on a presentation, and a group of students reading blogs and playing review games teachers might be able to squeeze in a few minutes of work with a small group of students that may need some extra help. 
How would I create a technology-infused classroom...
As a Special Ed teacher, I would use an Interactive White Boards and Power Point Presentations to perk student interest. I would use tablet or Ipad apps or web-based computer games to give students a chance to review what they have learned. When teaching Special Ed sometimes you have students with behavioral disorders. I would work with the student to find a behavior tracking app or program that would be helpful for them and informative for their parents. I would create a class web page where I would update parents on what my students are working on, and I would make myself as available as possible for my students and give them as much support and positive encouragement as possible in order to create the best possible environment for my students to thrive in.

Internet in the Classroom

   
Use of the internet in the classroom can make a tremendous impact on the learning process. With the access of the internet and Google Docs students can work on presentations or reports in groups. Sometimes doing the research on your own makes the learning more meaningful for the students. I would also allow students to read blogs, and watch videos from the internet that have been pre-screened and allow them to discuss that they have read or watched. You could even use “Skype in the Classroom” to connect with other teachers and students in classrooms around the world. I teach Special Education, so I  am typically in reading and math classes. For math you could come up with problems and quiz each other and for reading you could use Skype in the Classroom to discuss something both classes have read.
    Internet can be a wonderful tool to assist students in learning, but teachers must remember to prescreen anything before showing it to students. Anything viewed on the internet could have ads or links to other pages that might not be appropriate for students. When the internet is used correctly in can be a wonderful learning too, but it is up to teachers to make sure what is used in the classroom is prescreened and that students are staying on task when given a chance to work independently on the internet.
 

Implementing Technology in the Classroom

Technology has changed our world in many ways and education is changed with the times as well. I think that as teachers we need to remember our experiences with out own education. We can all remember things we liked about instructional time and things we did not like so much. I think it is important to remember those things and relate to our students otherwise all our efforts are in vain. McManis and Gunnewig talk about the fact that children are exposed to so many different technologies at such an early age that it is only natural that we integrate those experiences into the classroom (McManis, Gunnewig 2012). They also mention some very important things that should be remembered when planning on using technology in the classroom. The first thing they mention is that you need to remember where the children are developmentally. The last thing you want is to use technology that the students cannot understand. They also suggest that technology be implemented into the daily workings of the classroom as well as the curriculum. McManis and Gunnewig suggest that integrating technology in the classroom can cause an increase in several things including abstract reasoning and planning behavior(McManis, Gunnewig 2012). Technology is best integrated when using student-centered instructional strategies such as cooperative learning, discussion, simulations, and problem solving. Students can easily work on Power Points to share with the class to help with instruction. They can actively discuss topics in class that will help them become even more familiar with the curriculum. In technical classes students can perform simulations to become more familiar with their work and make them more marketable in the job world. Problem solving can be integrated into daily routines to help students learn to think critically. I plan on using technology to help my students learn and have a better quality of life. I teach special education and I know that technology for some of these students can be life changing and help them well beyond the classroom. I hope to learn enough about technology to be able to help my students be their best in the classroom and in their life outside of my room. McManis, Lilla Dale; Gunnewig, Susan B. YC: Young Children. May 2012, Vol. 67 Issue 3, p14-24. 11p.

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