Engaging Students in Performance Assessment and Reflective Learning

Integrating Technology and Creating Change as Teacher Leaders

    Chapter 11, “Engaging Students in Performing Assessment and Reflective Learning,” examines how teachers and students use technology to evaluate and assess learning. Assessment of student learning can be done in a number of ways. Performance evaluation assesses work done rather than test scores. Performance evaluation activities include student writing, individual and group projects, homework assignments, individual presentations and performances, open book exams, student self-assessments, and teacher observations. A teacher’s digital portfolio is an individually prepared collection of work that communicates who a teacher is and what that teacher knows and is able to do in academic subjects and classroom teaching. Learning portfolios allow students to actively participate in the assessment process. Prior knowledge can be accessed through online surveys. This can assist teachers in decided what material should be taught in a lesson. Students can respond anonymously to teacher questions with student participation software such as clickers. Designing interesting discussion questions is essential in using participation systems with students.

    Chapter 12, “Integrating Technology and Creating Change as Teacher Leaders,” discusses technology integration, educational change, and professional learning networks as the ingredients teachers need to more successfully infuse technology into classroom instruction and professional work. Teachers should determine which learning experiences would benefit from technology integration. Not every curriculum activity requires students to use the computer. There are five technology integration stages: entry, adoption, adaptation, appropriation, and invention. Issues involving technology integration include teachers not wanting to alter their favorite lesson plans, reluctance to use technology with new lessons, and separating students by abilities using computers. Students who have less access to the latest technology is called digital inequality.  the participation gap is the gap of access between low and high-income students. Teachers must use any technological resources available to them.

Part B (20 Points) Select 5 words and/or phrases of your choice from each chapter pages 294 AND pg 322.

1. reflection: being a reflective practitioner by analyzing past experiences to promote professional growth
2. preassessments: a way for teachers to determine what students already know about a topic
3. student participation systems: handheld tools that allow students to input answers and receive instant feedback
4. question-centered instruction: students are asked critical thinking questions and respond using a student participation system; then students then compare and discuss the answers chosen
5. democratic schools and classrooms:  allow for students to contribute to classroom decisions including academic topics
6. educational change: when teachers create new ways to promote student learning
7. inclusion: technology is included in the curriculum but not an integral part of each school day
8. infusion: computers and information technology are an integral feature of teaching and learning
9. social infomatics:analysis of the impact of technological advances and possible lack of access across a diverse background
10. crowd funding: using the internet to raise funds for education