Assessment

The finish line is finally coming into view as the semester and this project come to an end. But before closing time, there is always a last call and this project’s last call focuses on the assessment of student learning for this collaborative unit plan experience. When I was brainstorming ideas for the final stage of the project, I knew that the assessment had to reflect the benchmarks and standards that the unit focuses on, including the 21^st century learner standards. I also wanted to make sure I had a way to evaluate students’ information literacy skills and development. Accomplishing all of this required developing an assessment that would force students to use their technology and information skill sets in combination with the content knowledge they gained from the unit. So, my theme for assessment was “always assessing,” which applies to the beginning of the unit through the middle and to the end while having an open dialogue with students and keeping records to evaluate their learning and track their progress.

Pre-Assessment: To pre-assess the students, I found the web 2.0 wall wisher activity. This starts the unit off with the notion that technology will be a large component in their learning. Students will use this program to hypothesize, question, and state knowledge they already know about Michigan geography. The classroom teacher can use these posts to establish a timeline for lessons and diagnose students’ prior knowledge base. This pre-assessment allows students to take a collaborative approach to learning, exploring the unit concept, and also to incorporate new technology.

On-going Assessment: Throughout the whole unit there will be many on-going assessments. Students will have learning logs where they can document their new knowledge on Michigan geography and also track websites and other resources that will help them complete their final project. The students can use these logs to track their own learning, and teachers can use them to informally assess students’ progress with topical information and resources. Another on-going assessment will be informal conferences between students and the classroom teacher and school librarian. This can be done through conversation, questioning, and learning through daily activities.

Post Assessment: The final assessment combines portfolio aspects with a culminating project. Students will create a Michigan magazine using Openzine, which will be a portfolio/project piece. Students will have required pieces of work that must be included in their magazine, which will also include assignments completed during the unit. That is the portfolio aspect of the magazine. Students will be able to use different web 2.0 programs to create this magazine, which will allow the classroom teacher and school librarian to assess the students’ work throughout the semester and their final conclusions all in a creative, fun way. The other part of the assessment will require students to make a short 30 second commercial on the topic “Why Michigan?” Students will use the knowledge and understandings they gained from the unit to develop a commercial that focuses on the geography of Michigan and combines marketing and advertising as well as technology to complete. Students can use a variety of movie making software such as iMovie and Animato to create the commercial. Students do not have to have any live action video and can do a slide show format instead. This project shows teachers that students can identify important information and sell their ideas in a persuasive way. In both of these projects, students will have rubrics to follow to make sure they have all the components needed to meet the classroom teacher and school librarian’s expectations. These two projects combine both the content and technology standards and will also engage students to create pieces that they are proud to display throughout the school.

The assessments for this unit combine a variety of different approaches to evaluate students. These types of assessment will help to ensure that a student’s knowledge and progress is well documented and that no one student will be left behind.

Andrea and I have made a great team and there have been kind words between us both. We were able to work together to create a unit that not only engages students but provides them with the necessary knowledge to become 21^st century learners.

Mid-Planning

As Kesha reminds us, "tik-tok on the clock, but the party don't stop," well I guess in this case the work "don't stop". Like everyone else in the class, midterms have taken up most of my time for the past week an a half, which did not lend itself well to working on the class wiki. However, this week I was able to assert my role as the LMS and pulled together some ideas and resources that Andrea (classroom teacher) can implement into lesson plans for the unit. Our chosen unit theme for this project (Michigan geography), provides a great starting point to incorporate many different types of technology into lesson plans, especially using web 2.0 resources. I spent the week researching different types of web 2.0 technologies that students and the classroom teacher could use in lessons, activities, and assessments (both formative and summative). Here is the list I have compiled so far, with some rough ideas of how it can be used with the unit:

-delicious: Students would be able to manage links they find about Michigan and geography.

-Mindmeister/Scribblar: Students would be able to collaboratively brainstorm ideas for a group project or for personal use.

-Rubistar: The classroom teacher can use this to efficiently create quality rubrics for authentic assessments.

-Poll Everywhere: This could be used for teachers to poll students while doing a lesson. Students can text or IM answers, helping the teacher receive instant feedback. It also is a creative way to use students phones in a productive way in the classroom.

-Wordle: Students can use this tool to create a poem of natural resources vocabulary and mix it with the names of the actual resource found in Michigan. This can be an individual example and also put into their final assessment piece.

-Wallwisher: This tool can be used to open the whole unit. I might use it as a pre-assessment piece. Students are able to post comments or questions they have about the upcoming unit. The teacher can then use these questions to develop lessons tailored to the students learning needs.

-Voicthread: Students can use this to collaborate on a project.

The next four web 2.0 tools will be part of the final assessment of students learning. I have been brainstorming ideas but do not have anything finalized yet. This is what I am thinking...

I will have students create a Michigan magazine. They will use the links below to create their magazine, develop a commercial "why come to Michigan?", and pull assignments they have already created and add new pieces for the final magazine. This magazine will serve as the students final portfolio assessment for the unit.

-Openzine: Students can use to create their online magazine.

-Magmypic: Students can gain ideas of what the cover of their magazine might look like.

-Animato: Students can use this tool to make their "why come to Michigan commercial?"

-Sumopaint: Students can use this to create art for their magazines.

I think this unit will showcase, how technology can be integrated into a unit of study to engage and facilitate vital learning skills to students. These resources can help those students from underrepresented groups engage in the lessons and activities in a way that they never have before. This collaboration has enabled my teaching partner and I, to find new and creative ways to reach the benchmarks and standards, as well as the 21st century learner objectives.