AssessmentToolbox.docx



Welcome to Our Technology ToolBoxThis assessment technology toolbox was created as part of the Assessments in E-learning class midterm project. The midterm project used a jigsaw approach where a team of students researched individual assessment technology tools and then collaboratively assembled their work into an assessment technology toolbox.The technology tools that will be discussed are TeacherEase, Eyejot and Wikis. TeacherEase is a course tracking tool, Eyejot is a peer to peer instructor to student collaboration tool that allows video mail, and Wikis are Web 2.0 assessment tools that enhance online collaboration. For each technology tool you will find a detailed introduction to the tool and its uses, benefits of utilizing this tool, weaknesses of the tool, applications and finally examples of learning objectives.Please continue to read our team’s research into these very interesting and useful technology tools. We hope that our work will spark your interest and you will try these technology tools out!Pictures Cited: Toolbox image courtesy of , Jigsaw image courtesy of TeacherEase (Carolyn Cox)IntroductionThe assessment tool I chose to research was, TeacherEase. This is a web-based tool that helps manage all aspects of k-12 classroom instruction. After researching the tool I found that it was easy to use. It even has a library of tutorial videos that will guide you through each function. TeacherEase is a learning management system (LMS) for technology-rich K-12 classrooms -- especially 1:1 computing, BYO programs (bring your own device), or frequent users of laptop carts. It helps teachers move through the technology adoption curve by integrating engaging digital resources into instruction and use every day. Once experienced, teachers transform education with redefining activities like collaboration, project-based learning, flipped classroom, peer review, online discussion, etc. It is similar to Blackboard I am told and from my standpoint it is like the tool we are using for this course through UW-Stout. TeacherEase is a paperless tool.UsesTeacherEase helps teachers implement mastery-based education and provides professional standards-based report cards. It can also easily track observations of student learning in the gradebook and analyze student growth. TeacherEase also communicates performance to parents through a portal, to help them understand their children’s progress, and standards-based grading in general. It can easily integrate standards into the planning process as well. Teachers are also able to construct lessons for the students to complete through the online portal.TeacherEase is designed to work well with typical school infrastructure. It works with PCs, Macs, iPads, tablet computers, smart phones, and anything else that runs a modern browser. It has software tools required to manage most small- to medium-sized districts and non-public schools including student demographics, basic scheduling, attendance, grade reporting (report cards/transcripts), and tuition/fees. BenefitsStudies have shown the following:Once parents access TeacherEase, average scores improve 8%.Once parents access TeacherEase, missed assignments drops by 41%.Once students access TeacherEase, average scores improved 5%.Once students access TeacherEase, missed homework dropped 40%.WeaknessI like all the features of the tool except for a couple of things. I don’t like the fact that it is only designed to manage most small- to medium-sized districts and non-public schools. Since it is not for large districts and publics schools I’m not sure it would be a fit for me. I am a public school teacher. In the future it is my goal to become an online teacher. I would love to teach Child Development or some type of Life skill class. I suppose I could use TeacherEase at some point. Even if I can’t use this LMS I could perhaps use one similar to this one. That way I won’t be restricted to a small environment. Even though my district is large it is possible it can be used in a single school. The following is a learning objective that could be incorporated into a class using TeacherEase or a similar LMS:Learning ObjectiveStudents will demonstrate their understanding of how caregivers provide learning opportunities for babies by completing the lesson in , “Helping Babies Learn” with at least 80% or proficient rating in accordance with the rubric provided.Work Cited:Common GoalSystem INC By Cheryl St. AmantIntroductionEyejot is a web-based program that was developed in 2007. Eyejot is, as their logo indicates, video mail! Eyejot allows you to send a video similar to how you would send a written email. It can be used from your computer whether you use an Apple, Mac or Windows based PC. Eyejot can use any web browser and you can use your mobile Apple devices such as iPhone, iPad or iTouch. All you need to use Eyejot is an internet connection, webcam and microphone capability on your computer or mobile device. Either sign up online through your computer or if using a mobile device you can download the app on your mobile device for added convenience. There are three versions of Eyejot available, Free, Pro and Pro Plus. The free version gives you unlimited messages, up to 5 minutes video recording and 50 recipients per message. If you upgrade to Pro, $ 29.95/year, gives you more features, 10 minutes recording, 500 recipients per message and the Pro+, $ 99.95/year, includes features that allow you to attached documents to the video, 15 minutes recording and 3,000 recipients per message. For educators or school systems there is the opportunity to use Pro+ for free. Also note that if you are using a mobile Apple device it will cost $ 4.99 to download the application (Eyejot website).Uses/BenefitsEyejot can be used by individuals, schools or businesses. Individuals can use video mail to keep in contact with friends and families. Teachers can use Eyejot as an online learning tool to communicate individually with students or with a classroom on assignments. Businesses can use Eyejot to personalize their communication with their customers and employees. There is even a video business card application instead of handing out paper business cards. Eyejot can also be used to embed a video into a blog or a website.Eyejot video mail is like email because you can send and receive mail at any time allowing freedom and convenience for the person sending and receiving the video to view and respond. There is no special software to download and the video mail does not take up your computer’s valuable memory. One of Eyejot’s many benefits is that the video mail can be private or be made public for sharing information. Lastly, video mail conveys the soft skills of a message such as the tone and emotion that may not be as easily conveyed, or could be misconstrued, in a written email.WeaknessesEyejot is a one-way communication tool and does not offer real-time live conversation that is a feature of other applications, such as Skype or Facetime. Also, at this time Eyejot can’t be used by Android mobile users, however the company indicates that they are developing an Android application (Eyejot website). Other equipment may need to be purchased such as a webcam if your computer does not already have one built into it.ApplicationThe Eyejot tool has great potential for online courses. Eyejot could be used for communication between the student and teacher for assignments, questions, feedback and clarifications. It is good for those who are audio and visual learners. Specifically, it could be used for introduction or icebreaker exercises. For courses that require public speaking, learning languages, or demonstration of movements, Eyejot would be ideal to enhance the online course.Learning ObjectivesCommunications Learning ObjectiveStudents will display their ability to communicate during a crisis by developing a video email to customers with at least 80% or proficient rating in accordance with the video rubrics.Language Learning ObjectiveStudents will display their ability to speak Spanish by telling a story using video email with a least 80% or proficient rating in accordance with the language rubrics.Movement Learning ObjectiveStudents will display their ability to wake up their energy by developing a teaching video of activities on energy techniques with at least 80% or proficient rating in accordance to the multimedia rubrics.Works CitedEyejot, Wikis in Educationby Heather TaftIntroduction The first wiki, WikiWikiWeb, was created by Howard “Ward” Cunningham in 1994 and put into use in 1995. When coining the term wiki Cunningham wrote, Wiki wiki is the first Hawai'ian term I learned on my first visit to the islands. The airport? counter agent directed me to take the wiki wiki bus between terminals. I said what? He? explained that wiki wiki meant quick. I was to find the quick bus (“Correspondence on the Etymology of Wiki”).“I chose wiki-wiki as an alliterative substitute for quick and thereby avoided naming this stuff quick-web” (“Wiki History”).Wikis are websites that are generally free to use and open to editing by anyone, allowing people to collaborate on projects as long as they have access to the internet. Wikis are good for sharing text, links, images, and videos. Multiple pages can be used on a single wiki for different topics. Discussion forums can be added to wikis to help organizational efforts, or to encourage further thinking about topics. Another great feature of wikis is that they can be created in just a few minutes. If you want a basic wiki just choose a host, such as Google’s Wikispaces, then provide your information, choose a name for the wiki, and choose a subdomain and you are ready to go. You don’t even have to worry about the background template, one is provided to get you going. You can change it later if you prefer something more stylish or colorful. Since the introduction of wikis they have become an integral part of collaboration on projects. There are large wikis that encourage world wide collaboration, such as the wiki for the i5k Insect and Other Arthropod Genome Sequencing Initiative, which aims to organize collaboration on sequencing the genomes of 5000 species. Individual private wikis are also possible for personal journals or record keeping. As wikis have increased in popularity, their incorporation into the classroom has greatly increased as well. has a post called “50 Ways to Use Wikis for a More Collaborative and Interactive Classroom.” Some of their uses for wikis include using a wiki as a fan site by posting images, quotes, links, and more. Become a fan of anything - George Washington, natural selection, matrix algebra, etc. Wikis can be used for creating presentations, online books, and study guides. Wikis can be used as a place to combine information on a topic. They can be used for peer editing and feedback on assignments. Wikis can also be used for debates online and collaborating on stories. Just about anything requiring collaboration could be done on a wiki. Weaknesses & challenges Wikis are editable web pages, so data can be lost if an editor deletes something that was supposed to remain on the wiki. There are wiki sites that save previous versions though, so you could restore content that may have been lost. It is important to check for the capability when choosing a wiki host.Another issue wikis face is reliability. Anyone can post anything there, with or without sources, and the reliability of the information as well as the sources may not be very good. It is important to instruct students on proper citation practices before starting a wiki. Limited access can also be set to control who can edit the wiki by requiring editors to login. This would be beneficial for class wikis if there is concern about inappropriate uses or content appearing on the wiki. Assessment and tracking changes during editing can also be problematic if you need to know who contributed what information or comments to the wiki. The Center for Teaching at Vanderbilt University recommends that clear guidelines be established prior to commencing a project, such as a rubric, so students know what is expected and how to present their information for assessment. Some wikis, such as those created in Blackboard or Moodle, can keep track of every person’s contribution making assessment easier. Another program such as Google Docs may be better if a feature such as track changes is needed. The document could then be copied to a wiki after editing.Using Wikis in the Online Classroom Any class could benefit from the enhanced ability to collaborate using a wiki. In biology classes there is a lot of dense text to read and absorb. Labs can provide a hands-on learning experience for some of the information, but it is really important to review the concepts with others to help solidify understanding of the material. Biology classes at Trinity College in Connecticut have been using wikis to allow students to collaborate on lab reports (O’Donnell 2014). This lets each student focus on writing a single section of the report, but every student then edits the work of other group members discussing issues with concepts, formatting, rubric requirements, etc. Students who may not have a clear understanding of the material get to discuss it with peers, and those same peers get to solidify the information in their minds by explaining it to help someone else understand. It’s a great way to use wikis for deeper thinking.As an online biology instructor myself, incorporating wikis into my class would be very useful. I could use a wiki as an area for students to give each other feedback on projects, have projects aimed at presenting material to people outside of our class, and discuss the details of concepts they may not fully grasp. Below are three learning objectives I created for a chapter on evolution aimed at using wikis to enhance learning. 1. Students will display their understanding of genetic variation by creating an image that depicts the evolution of a new organism from populations with differing levels of genetic variation and sharing it on our class wiki, with at least 80% accuracy according to the rubric provided. 2. Students will demonstrate their understanding of natural selection by explaining how natural selection drives evolution on our class wiki page for elementary school students with at least 80% accuracy according to the rubric provided.3. Students will display their understanding of the different modes of evolution by creating a mind map to post on our class wiki with at least 80% accuracy according to the rubric provided.Responses to the students’ work will allow them to re-evaluate their thinking and dig deeper into the topics. Hopefully it will also be enjoyable. Everyone appreciates it when something they created elicits a response from someone else. Works CitedCunningham, Howard. “Correspondence on the Etymology of Wiki.” Web. 2015 <, Howard. “Wiki History.” Web. 2015 <. Web. 2015 <’Donnell, Michael. “Science Writing, Wikis, and Collaborative Learning,” in Web Writing: Why and How for Liberal Arts Teaching and Learning, ed. Jack Dougherty and Tennyson O’Donnell University of Michigan Press/Trinity College ePress edition, 2014 <. “50 Ways to Use Wikis for a More Collaborative and Interactive Classroom.” Web. 2015 < University’s Center for Teaching. “Wikis.” Web. 2015 < an online toolbox was beneficial to discover the weaknesses and strengths of online assessment tools. We discovered that TeacherEase’s weakness is that it is designed to manage small to medium sized districts and non-public schools. Eyejot provides one way communication and doesn’t offer real-time/live conversation. Eyejot is not compatible with Android devices. Wikis are not always reliable due to the ability of many users to make edits. Information can be accidentally deleted and tracking users’ changes can be difficult.We also discovered some benefits. TeacherEase can easily track student learning and analyze growth, allowing parents to also track their child’s learning and progress. Eyejot provides teachers the ability to communicate individually or within a classroom on assignments through video. Wikis allow students and teachers to collaborate in an effort to solidify understanding of material.?The beauty of our toolbox is that both Eyejot and Wikis can be utilized inside the TeacherEase learning management system. ................
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