Fun Formative Assessments using Online Tools and Resources

Formative assessment are used to determine whether students are understanding what they are learning.  It can be done during and after instruction (even before to assess prior knowledge) and it should be used to drive instruction.  The Internet provides some exciting tools that teachers can use for formative assessment.  Here are a few of the tools:

1.       http://goformative.com Allows teachers to conduct formative assessment online in real time.  This not only allows teachers to create multiple choice assessments, they can also allow students to submit images or show their work.  Teachers can see student responses in real time and provide feedback and even grade student responses immediately.  This is a powerful tool which will enhance learning by allowing teachers to see immediately students’ understanding and then allowing them to provide immediate feedback.

2.       If you want to be able to conduct a formative assessment asynchronously you can use Google forms or Socrative at the following sites.  Teachers can create quizzes and see results in a chart.

a.       https://docs.google.com/forms/u/0/

b.      http://socrative.com

3.       http://en.linoit.com/  Collaborative tool which allows users to post “sticky-notes” or photos to a board called a "canvas".  Teachers can ask students to answer a specific question or respond to a prompt on a sticky note.  Students can respond using their computer, email, or smartphone.  The color of the sticky notes can be changed.  This could be used as an “exit-ticket” strategy.  It would also work well with categorizing items.  For example, students could type responses to a prompt and choose the color of the sticky based on the category their response fits into.  Boards could be created of images which represent what students know about a topic before studying it and then one with images that represent what they now after studying it.  This will enhance learning because it will allow teachers to assess the growth of their students and allows students assess their own learning. 

4.       http://www.wordle.net/create  This tool allows someone to type in a list of words and it will create a word cloud out of the words.  Teachers can use this to ask students to list words that represent their learning in a unit and then create a class word cloud or they can have each student create their own word clouds.  I would ask students to create their own word clouds and then trade with another student.  Then I would ask them to list word(s) in their partner’s cloud that they didn’t use and describe how or why the word(s) fit(s) into the cloud.  This will enhance learning because it will get students to analyze a concept more fully.  Teachers can see quickly whether students understanding is well developed or not by how large their word cloud is.  Students can also self-assess by comparing their clouds with others’ clouds.

5.       https://getkahoot.com/  Teachers can create quizzes, surveys, or discussions for students to participate in real time but it is presented in a game format.  This could be used as a check to see if your class has mastered the concepts presented in a lesson in order to determine if they are ready to move on.  This tool enhances learning because students will enjoy participating and they will be able to assess themselves because they will see their performance.  Also, it can motivate students to study harder or pay better attention during class because they will want to improve their scores or beat their classmates.  It makes learning fun!

Principles of Online Course Design for Elementary Students

Principles of online course design have been developed through research and study by individuals and organizations in the field of education as well as other fields.  One of the top resources in this area comes from the International Association for K12 Online Learning (iNACOL).  They have developed and published a list of standards for online course design which many online schools use to design and evaluate their courses.  Other resources include general information about designing curriculum and courses which can then be applied to designing online courses.  One of those general resources is the Backwards Design model for course development presented in the book Understanding by Design, by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe and previewed by the online Center for Teaching of Vanderbilt University.  This paper will discuss both the standards and the backwards design model as they apply to young learners in the K-8 environment.

The standards by iNACOL (2011) are very comprehensive and cover five areas:  content, instructional design, student assessment, technology, course evaluation and support.  Each of these areas includes specific standards that provide course developers with information that directs and informs their work.  Following these standards will significantly contribute to the development of well-developed courses.  The following lists some highlights from iNACOL (2011) standards which relate to young learners:

In the area of content, developers must be sure to use clear objectives and align the content to state standards as well as be sure the content is broad enough to meet those standards.  Communication skills should be weaved into the content and many different learning resources should be made available to students.  The content should be multi-cultural and universal (meet the needs of disabled students).  Answer keys and explanations should be included. 

In the area of instructional design, developers should ensure several items.  They should be sure that students are actively engaged.  Interaction and communication between all stakeholders must be available and present.  Content should include higher-order thinking skills.  Lessons and units should have an overview with a listing of objectives, assignments, assessments, and resources.  Readability levels should be appropriate for the grade being taught.  Finally, enrichment resources should be provided.

In the area of student assessment, evaluations should be aligned to course goals/objectives.  Feedback continues throughout the course and is varied.  Assessment informs instruction, apprises students of their progress, and are adaptable to students needs.  The grading policy should be easy to understand and rubrics should be provided to teachers and students.

In the area of technology, instructors should be able to add content to the online course.  Clear and consistent navigation must be present.  Ease of use must be employed for disabled students.  Technology requirements are specified. 

In the area of course evaluation and support, the course provider continuously assesses course and improves it based on findings, keeps it updated as needed to reflect current knowledge, and hires course instructors who are highly qualified.

According to Understanding by Design (n.d.), the backwards design model approaches course design through a process which is different from traditional design.  Instead of starting with what will be taught, one begins with what students will be able to do-or the outcomes.  The model involves three steps:  identify desired results, determine acceptable evidence, and plan learning experiences.  In the first step, the goals, outcomes, and objectives of the course are written.  Second, the assessments are crafted.  Third, the content is written and planned.  In this model, the idea is that if one knows what students should be able to do and how they will demonstrate that, they will be better informed and more prepared to structure the content of the lessons and course.  Hopefully, keeping the outcomes in mind while designing content will ensure content is aligned to the outcomes and that it is not too broad or too narrow.

The standards and design model presented here provide a valuable resource to online instructors and curriculum designers.  Certainly, those interested in providing content for an online school must search out more resources, information, and even certification.  However, understanding and implementing these ideas will contribute significantly to the creation of quality online content and courses. 

References

INACOL. (2011, October). INACOL National Standards for Quality Online Courses (v2). Retrieved July 23, 2016, from http://www.inacol.org/resource/inacol-national-standards-for-quality-online-courses-v2/

Understanding by Design. (n.d.). Retrieved July 23, 2016, from https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/understanding-by-design/#resources

Copyright in Education

Copyright protects anyone who creates/makes something (song, book, software, art, movie, play, pantomime, photograph, choreographed dances, digital works or creations, etc.)-even anonymous creators.  It is automatic upon creation and a work does not have to be registered or published for copyright to take effect.  Creation must be in a physical form (if it’s in your head, it’s not copyrighted).  U.S. copyright law is found in Title 17 of the United States Code.  Copyright was not created to make teacher’s lives harder.  Copyright exists because there is incentive for people to create things when they can be compensated for their work and have protections and rights regarding those creations.  Otherwise, why would anyone put in the effort?

Facts themselves are not copyrightable.  For example, you can’t copyright a standard calendar.  However, you can add photographs and create a calendar for sale and copyright that.  Usually, the more creative the work, the more copyrightable it is.  An idea does not become copyrighted until you put that idea into some form of physical medium.-it has to be able to be seen, read, or heard directly or by aid of a machine.  Works created by the federal government or its employees (such as publications or circulars from the US Dept. of Education) are not copyrightable.  You can’t copyright a name, slogan or a phase.  You would need a trademark for that.  You can’t copyright an invention or a discovery.  You will need a patent for that.  The US does have agreements with other, but not all countries. Copyright does expire.  Anything made before January 21, 1923 is in the public domain and can be used freely.  There are some other rules about the public domain.  Some works that were not originally protected may be in the public domain as well.  See this site for a chart created by Lolly Gasaway of the University of North Carolina which contains more specifics on the public domain:  http://www.unc.edu/~unclng/public-d.htm.  The U.S. government has agreements with some, but not all, countries.  Therefore, copyright laws can vary between countries.  Creators should be aware of this. 

Given copyright laws, one might assume an educator would never be able to use anything in the classroom without going to a lot of work to gain permissions.  Fortunately, fair use allows educators to make LIMITED and REASONABLE use of copyrighted works for educational purposes without getting permission from the author/creator.  Fair use are guidelines which are open to interpretation by judges, so be careful when employing them.  The guidelines involve dos and don’ts.  According to fair use, you may use a portion of a work without getting permission if you meet fair use guidelines.  The material you want to use must have been obtained legally.  The use must be for educational and non-profit purposes.  You must use it for factual and non-published purposes.  You must use only a LIMITED AND REASONABLE amount of the work-only the amount you need to meet your educational goal.  You should also use it for a limited time (not the whole year) and for a limited audience-only the students in your class, not the whole school.  The Columbia University Libraries puts out a helpful checklist for its faculty and staff.  You can find a link to it in the reference section of this presentations.  You can and should use a checklist such as this for each material you plan to use and keep a copy of it on file after the use.  Fair use also allows works to be used for criticism and commentary, parody, news reporting, art, scholarship and research.  Some of the don’ts of fair use include that the use must not be commercial and it must not prevent or take away any sales or profit from the creator or copyright holder.

Online educators must abide by copyright law, however, there are some differences in things online educators can do and face-to-face educators can do.  The TEACH act of 2002 covers these differences.  This act is very technical and has many restrictions.  It allows you to digitally transmit material under the following stringent conditions:

If you work for an accredited, non-profit, educational or governmental agency that has copyright policies in place and if you, the instructor, are controlling the transmission

If the work is a non-dramatic literary work (poem or short story) or a non-dramatic musical work (any music other than an opera or music video)

If you obtained the copy legally

If it is only during the class session and not longer

If it is part of an instructional activity or directly related to the content of the instruction

For more information, use the TEACH act of 2002 Checklist from the University of Texas at https://copyright.lib.utexas.edu/teachact.html#toolkit.

Some exciting resources for educators include open education resources and creative commons.  People who create something and want to make it available to others for free and with less restrictions than normal copyrighted materials have the ability to do so through these two formats.  Open education resources can be found in commons such as the oercommons.org.  They include materials that are made available to the public such as software, data, courseware, lesson plans, digital files, and more.  They are usually free, adaptable, and allowed to be redistributed once adapted.  They usually require attribution to original creator.  A Creative Commons license allow creators to provide their work to others under certain conditions.  There are four choices for creators:  Attribution, Share Alike, Noncommercial, No Derivative works.  For example, allowing others to copy, display, distribute, perform, and derive their own works from yours ONLY if they give you credit in a way you deem.  See CreativeCommons.org for more info on the types of licenses available.

Be aware of what rights you have when you are employed by an institution.  Ko and Rossen (2010) report that some have policies that will allow you to use your courses elsewhere and other do not.  They recommend several steps to protect your intellectual property:

using software such as Adobe Acrobat to protect your own work from theft

using and requiring passwords to access your website, or convert it to streaming media because streaming media is housed in an area on the user’s computer which isn’t readily or widely known

always use the copyright symbol to warn and ward off would-be copyright abusers

check for unauthorized use through online search engines

be professional and gracious when you notify the offender, they may not have done it on purpose.  If they refuse to take it down, you may need legal representation.

As a final warning, use these tips to help protect yourself.  Always get permission if you are not sure.  Simply citing or referencing the author or work will not protect you under copyright-you must have permission if it isn’t fair use.  Opt for the public domain whenever possible.  Protect yourself by using a checklist each time you use a copyrighted material.

References

Copyright Advisory Network American Library Association Office for Information Technology Policy. (n.d.). Retrieved July 09, 2016, from http://librarycopyright.net/resources/Copyright for teachers. (n.d.). Retrieved July 09, 2016, from https://www.auburn.edu/citizenship/copyright_for_teachers.html

Copyright in General (FAQ) | U.S. Copyright Office. (n.d.). Retrieved July 09, 2016, from http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-general.html

Crews, K. D. (2008, May 14). Fair Use Checklist [PDF]. New York: Columbia University Libraries.

Gasaway, L. (2003, November 4). WHEN WORKS PASS INTO THE PUBLIC DOMAIN. Retrieved July 09, 2016, from http://www.unc.edu/~unclng/public-d.htm

Harper, G. K. (n.d.). The TEACH Act. Retrieved July 09, 2016, from https://copyright.lib.utexas.edu/teachact.html#toolkit

Hawkins, A. (2016, January 06). The New York Public Library just uploaded nearly 200,000 images you can use for free. Retrieved July 09, 2016, from http://www.theverge.com/2016/1/6/10723680/nyc-library-public-domain-images-digital

Ko, S. S., & Rossen, S. (2010). Teaching online: A practical guide. New York: Routledge

Starr, L. (2010, May 25). The Educator's Guide to Copyright and Fair Use. Retrieved July 09, 2016, from http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr280.shtml

Teaching Copyright. (n.d.). Retrieved July 09, 2016, from https://www.teachingcopyright.org/handout/fair-use-faq

Multimedia Resources (Web 2.0 Tools) for Online Education

Teaching online allows a greater access to the use of multimedia resources that engage and educate students in twenty first century technology.  There are a plethora of resource available to students and teachers.  Of those, the following three are tools that I would used for third grade and above.

Voki:  https://www.voki.com

Voki allows someone to record their voice for up to 60 seconds and animate an avatar to present the message.  This is a great tool to use in the online school in several ways.  First, it would be a creative way to provide encouragement and feedback to students in a way that would attract their attention.  Often, online education involves students completing computer administered and scored assessments.  Although this provides immediate feedback, it doesn’t meet the need for student teacher interaction.  Using Voki in this way would meet this need.  Second, Voki could be used to send announcements.  Third, it could be used to create an introduction of oneself to the class (either or both the teacher and student) or post a short answer to a discussion question in a small group.  Of course, when students post their voki’s, all should be reviewed by the teacher before it is posted to the class.  This is a fun and unique tool because once students learn to use this, they will almost assuredly go on to use it in their personal lives.  This will allow them to continue to develop communication skills outside the classroom.  Here is a sample:  

http://www.voki.com/site/pickup?scid=12919053&width=575&height=323&chsm=0fd992c5abe8c1101de8fe0e9a66459b

Kidblog:  http://kidblog.org/home/

Kidblog is a blog for kids.  It allows students to publish their writing online as well as photos, videos, and more.  It is a great way to build a classroom community since students can read and post comments on fellow students posts as well as a global community.  There are several application for this tool:  an online portfolio of student work, posting responses to journal prompts, a creative writing journal, a problem solving journal, a notebook to record information on specific topics, and more.  I’d love to use this to have students introduce themselves at the beginning of a class, keep a portfolio of their work over the course of the year, and use it as a pen pal system.

ABC YA:  http://www.abcya.com/

This is a website for students from grades k-5 that has educational games and apps online in the subjects of english, math, social studies, and more.  This is an excellent resource for online students.  Often, students need just a bit more practice to cement a concept.  It can be difficult for teachers to meet this need for the large number of students in their classes with many varied needs.  This site offers that for students in a fun and engaging way.  It’s colorful and creative with lots of wonderful visuals such as cute characters and animations.  Students will enjoy this and it gives teachers an important resource at their fingertips.  They can allow students to pick their own practice activities or assign them based on student need.