Mandy,
You are correct! Students are always as tech savvy as they are portrayed in the media
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I believe the three most important things to consider would be if the students are comfortable with using technology/computer savvy. So you would need for the tool to be user friendly.I also feel that it is important for the tool to accurately measure the objectives of the assignments.Lastly I would look to if if the technology tool can supply detailed feedback for correct/incorrect responses after completing a assessment.
Cassie,
These are all key factors. Technology should enhance the environment and not hinder the learning. Thanks!
1-How easy is the tool to use?
2-Is the tool assessing what it is supose to asses?
3-What is student response to the tool?
The first thing I think is most important for an online learning environment is a user friendly portal that not only delivers media effectively but also makes student interaction and class participation easier, painless, and flawless.
Second, the ability of the instructor to use the system correctly in order to deliver class content to student.
And third, the ability for interaction between the student-piers-instructors.
when analyzing the technology assessment tools we need to study their pros and cons,the posibility of the students to have access to them and have proper feedback.
This is well said. I do understand the importance of all that's said, but is there a cost factor anywhere? Any comparison when evaluating the needed technology?
Some insights please.
thank you.
An online learning environment can be frightening for some students, therefore it is imperative that the technology meets certain criteria
> appropriate for the course eg undergrad vs grad
>does this tool evaluate students performance?
>is the tool easily accessible
>does this tool measure the students performance?
Instrutors need to consider the age group using the technology. Baby boomers are having a difficult time adjusting, therefore technology needs to be user friendly, whie considering all the above factors
When I am reviewing the use of technology assessment tools I am looking for several things. The first is whether the tool measures the objectives of the assignments. For example, if the assessment tool was an online quiz, I would review the questions to ensure they are covering the most important topics of the section. Second I would be sure that the students understand the use of the tool as a measure of assessment of their learning. Sometimes activities can be viewed as busy work by students. Last, I would make sure there weren't too many assessment tools. Having too much in an online class defeats the purpose of learning.
When evaluating the use of technology in the online environment there are several considerations.
First, will the technology provide an opportunity for the instructor to effectively evaluate the students' work and provide substantive feedback? Is there ample opportunity to communicate strengths of the work, and areas for additional development? This ties into evaluating whether the learning outcomes are being achieved via the use of this technology.
Also, does the technology add value or is it simply being used "for the sake of adding technology"? Is the technology truly furthering the process of learning?
A third consideration is whether students are comfortable with using the technology. If students do not have a grasp of how to utilize or access the technology this will hinder the learning process. For example, if track changes are used and students do not have a solid grasp of how to interpret the track changes, they will not benefit from the feedback.
There are many considerations when incorporating technology into the assessment process. This has been an excellent module for learning more about these considerations!
Three most important things to consider when choosing an online assessment tool are:
1. student ability and interest
2. access to technology and
3. ability of instructor and student to use technology correctly to obtain learning objectives
I believe that the three most important things for a technology based assessment tool are:
The student can easily use the assessment; otherwise, the student will be more focused on how to take the assessment compared to actually showcasing what they know. This is not to say that the assessment should not analyze holistically the material being assessed.
The technology assessment tool being used should be pertinent to the content that is being measured, but at the same time utilize all aspects of the technology to it's fullest potential and when possible be as interactive as possible.
The tool should provide adequate feedback and assistance both throughout the assessment as well as at the end of the assessment.
In choosing technology assessment tools for an online learning environment, the instructor should consider the whether the tool provides insight into a student's command of the course objectives, the ease of delivery and appropriateness of the tool for the level of students in the course.
The main purpose of any evaluation tool is to determine a student's mastery of the subject matter. Student's should be able to meet all of the course objectives upon completion. Therefore the evaluation tool should be able to help an instructor determine that mastery. This is especially important in an online envirnment where face-to-face interaction with students is limited or non-existent.
Instructors in an online course will encounter students with varying levels of command and accessibility to technology. Care should be taken to ensure that the assessment tool will be easy to access, understand and use. If the evaluation tool is difficult to access or technically difficult, students may give up in frustration, or may do poorly for reasons not associated with their knowledge of the subject matter being evaluated.
It is also important to ensure that the assessment tool is appropriate for the level of student in the course. For instance, when choosing a performance-based evaulation tool, an instructor in a vocational program may choose a virtual lab tool while an instructor in a graduate program may choose a research paper.
The most important consideration is that the instructor understand the evaulation tool so that he or she can clearly communicate the specifics to the students, and properly evaluate the results.
The three most important things when assessing the use of technology assessment tools in an online learning environment would be:
1-Feedback is important for students in the online environment, so the tool must make this convenient to do.
2-The functions of the tool is important. We need to examine the specific functions to see if it meets the needs of the teacher and the needs of the students.
3-Meeting the learning objectives of the class.
The three most important things to consider when assessing the use of technology assessment tools are 1. is it user friendly, 2. is it up to date software for the current career field such as medical billing and coding software, and 3. Does it meet the requirments of the course objectives. I believe if these three elements are'nt met then learning will be stifled.
What a thoughtful answer! I think an important point you made was in #3 . You do need assessment tools that provide multiple evidence of different levels of learning. Well done.
I agree that a variety of technologies should be used. I also think that we must do a good job in training the students on how to use the different technologies. When students get stuck because they do not understand the instructions, the level of frustration they feel can really interrupt the learning process. This frustration should be minimized by allowing students ample time to get use to using the assessment tools. Hopefully this can be completed in a good orientation course and if the first exposure is during the class itself, that should be taken into consideration.
I think the three most important things would be:
1) The assessment tool must be something the student has the ability to understand and complete. If I find that multiple students struggle to compete the assignment, what should I have done differently to make sure they were equipped with the necessary tools and understanding to be successful.
2) The instructor must be able to provide useful feedback to the student in a timely matter. I must be able to keep the course moving at an appropriate pace so in order to assess a student's progress in the course, it is imperative that I can give feedback in time for them to apply the feedback to the next assessment.
3) The instructor must be able to assess the level of learning and comprehension that took place as a result of the students’ participation in the assessment. In other words, in a given unit, will I have assessments that test various levels of learning? For example, there is no use in multiple assessments that only test the student's ability to recall. It is important that the assessments pull the student out of their comfort zone and test whether they can think critically about the topic presented and apply the theories they have learned.
Great answers, and sometimes the limit is a good thing :)
