#70 Days Thinking Through Technology 2: Assessment Tools

Goal 1: Where possible modify and redefine our work using technology. 

I'm looking at three or four tools for assessments:

My number one go-to is Google Forms. There are a couple of things about forms I like.  One is that you can use them as generic forms.  I can still create the paper copy quizzes - project them, or put a class set of quizzes in sleeves.  Students can work out the problems on paper, and enter their answers in the forms.  I can get a quick grade using Flubaroo, sort the papers - reviewing the ones that scored poorly, spending a bit more time on those.

I created several Socrative quizzes last year so I have those handy for use this year.  It will be easy to tweak them, make them fit this year's  classes.  I used Socrative for short learning checks.  You can leave the "classroom" open over night as well - or open it for students who need to work on a quiz from home.  I know there are integrity issues that way, but I ask students to turn in work to support their answers on Socrative.

Kahoot and KnowledgeHook are great for informal assessments that don't affect grades.  I can quickly tell what questions are giving students difficulty, where we need some additional practice.  And they add a definite element of fun to the room!  I rarely create a Kahoot game from scratch.  Most often I search for one already made and make any adjustments needed.  One thing I'd like to do this year is to get students to create Kahoot games for personal review.  

I didn't use Edmodo last year, but I want to revisit again this year.  The "snapshot" feature intrigues me.  They've added the Texas TEKS for both Algebra 1 and 2.  I can see assigning the Algebra 1 snapshot questions to preview a unit, to determine what students retained from previous courses, to get a read on what they know.  Until I get the hang of them, I don't envision assigning a grade to the snapshots.  I'm curious about the questions and if they are worthwhile.  Has anyone used the Edmodo Snapshot feature??

Other informal assessment tools that I have used briefly are IXL and MangaHigh - both without subscriptions - no money for those.  I keep wanting to use Quia because I hear so many teachers suggesting it but writing the math in laTeX is challenging for me.  Does anyone else use Quia ... and if so, what's the key?

Are there other online quiz programs that are suitable for math?  Share in the comments!

Addendum ... just read an article on 10 formative assessment tools for 2015.  I need to check out Go Formative.

Learning new tricks! New Faves!

OK ... so if old dogs can learn new tricks, this older than most teachers can learn them too!  This week I've learned two new tricks that I already love!  

The first new trick is creating online quizzes using Google forms.  I know - we all use Google forms to collect information ... but did you know that Flubaroo, a script, will grade those quizzes for you?  It's so awesome!  Simply create your quiz (and yes you can embed pictures like graphs and tables).  Choose a new spreadsheet as your response destination.  Take your quiz yourself.  When you are ready to grade, open the spreadsheet, and select Tools ... Script Gallery.  Search for Flubaroo.  Install it.  (It installs in just that one spreadsheet).  You have to have more than 2 responses to your quiz to test it out.  Flubaroo will ask questions ... what key do you want to use (you'll choose your answers) and how many points to give each question.  When you hit your next button, you'll have graded quizzes!  It's really quite simple!

The second trick I learned this week is how to make my own instructional videos using my laptop and document camera.  I uploaded my first and only today to Youtube ... my own channel, woohoo!  This first video is very basic - just defining a function using the Frayer model.  In the coming days, I plan to work classwork and homework problems - typically just one per video.  That keeps the videos short, and to the point.  Near the end of a unit, I'll work a set of review problems.  Students will be able to hear my voice, see me working out problems and writing notes.  And it was soooo easy!  I used movie maker because it is installed on my school computer.  I used my document camera.  The only extra cord I needed was a USB cord that went from my laptop to the camera.  After making choosing only a couple of pertinent settings, I was ready to record.  I like that this method simply captures my hands and the paper on which I am working.

These are my new faves!