Module+5+Reflection

** Reflection Prompt 5 : **

How has technology impacted or changed your classroom assessment and evaluation? Has your data collection methodology changed with technology? If technology has not impacted your assessment and evaluation, what would you like to change? Discuss technology and your own productivity and professional practice.

//Description://

In recent semesters, technology has changed my classroom assessments and evaluation. I remember that when I first started teaching Business Computer Applications that I spent hours upon hours at night and on weekends grading Excel spreadsheets, Word documents and Access databases. I would have to go into each student's document to see if they had formatted certain things correctly or if their formulas were correct. It was very time-consuming and sometimes I would get behind and the students would start asking about their grades. Finally, our department implemented a program that created the assessments, the students submitted them to that program and the program graded the assignment and told them what was done incorrectly. I am able to pull the grades off of the website and enter them into the grade book.

//Impact://

At first, I thought that the program was great.I didn't have any more late nights of going through excel spreadsheets submitted to me by 80+ students. I just went into class, delivered the content, gave the students the assignment and then moved onto the next unit. I have begun to realize that although the help with grading the assignments is nice, I am sometimes not realizing what the students are having troubles with. If I'm not grading and evaluating the work that is turned in, how can I know if students are actually learning what they are supposed to. I have start feeling that there is a disconnect between me and my students, that I don't really "know" them and what they are learning.

//Intent//:

My intent is that I will start having the students submit assignments to me again. I am still required by the department to use the program that was implemented but I can still have them submit at least some assignments to me directly. This way I will be able to see if students are grasping the content or if they are struggling with it. I need to be able to see who is getting it and who isn't. The use of this type of technology has not only impacted my students but also has impacted me as the teacher.