Technology Tools for Assessment and Evaluation

This article was interesting to read because alot of the information coneccted to ideas I've learned in other special education classes. For example, this artciel defines the difference between assessment, analysis, and evaluation. Assessment is the process of gathering infomation, analysis is the process of organizing that information, and evlauation is the judgement that is made about the student's performance. Even more confusing, these three stages are all part of the assessment-decision making process. Whew! This information directly connects to the content of assessment block. I have always thought of assessment and evaluation as the same thing. However, these two words represent completely different ideas. Another example of information in this article that directly connects to what I learned during assessment block is the difference between summative and formative evaluation. Formative evaluation is using student performance data to make on-going decisions to improve learning. Summative evaluation is used to make definate decisions about individuals. I wish I could have had this article to read while I was in assessment block. It's interesting how the article ties assessment to technology.

Carol Tell

I think the person being interviewed makes a really good point about constructivist applications. As assessment to see if our applications of technology are useful in the classroom or not, we should ask ourselfs whether or not the students are asking questions or answering them. I also really agree with the point that technology can't replace education from a great teacher and difficult curriculum. Technology is amazing, futuristic and exciting. It's easy for us to get sucked into and begin believing that it's the best thing that ever happened in education. However, technology is something that makes task easier. In my expirience, easier almost never leads to me learning more.

The Oregon Trail

I found this article to be very interesting. I'd never analyzed the game before because it's such a classic and so nastalgic for me. Also, I don't know a whole lot about what life was like for people who made this treck on the Oregon Trail. It's interesting to think about the different roles men and women had during their journey, and how that could be repersented in the game. Maybe if they come out with a third edition of the game there will be more women's roles. For example, you could boost moral by sewing a flag for the wagon or maybe one night you freeze to death because nobody went out and collected fire wood! :) The author uses the term "superficial multiculturalism" in the article. I really like this term because it's something that exsits. I feel as though sometimes people are trying so hard to not be predjiduce that they stop percieving things for what they really are. Racism and sexism exsit both today and in the past, if we don't at least acknowledge this, it will continue or get worse.

Digital Edge Project

The lesson I followed from the Digital Edge Project is called "Poetry Signs with Early Readers." The author is a kindergarten teacher who describes a lesson she created the incorperates technology, singing, literacy, listening, and other domains. Every accpect of the lesson is adaptable to an individual student. She groups her students based on ability which I think is pretty cool. Another part of her lesson that I really like was the introduction. Because the students are in kindergarten and some of them have never been in school before, she begins the lesson by having children go on a scavanger hunt with their families. Each students has a list of items that they must find outside, at home, or somewhere in the community. How fun would that be! It's also a great transition from home life to school life. One downside of this lesson is that I don't believe technollogy was very thoughrly integrated. The teacher only has students learning to copy and paste, and push ctrl S to save. I believe that kindergartners jare much more capable than this. They could certainlly work with the key board and at least type their names. Some of them anyway and she has them already grouped based on ability.

Mitchel Resnick Article

This article was well written. Everytime the author brought up a point I would think to myself, "I understand but I need an example for this to really sink in." Then the fallowing sentences would give a rich real life example.

The examples were really good for clarifying the meaning. The author compares tv, computers, and finger painting. This gave me a very clear mental picture and understanding of how the computer is a medium, just as we've been talking about in class.

The article also informed me about two technilogical advances that I had never heard of before. One was the computer clubhouses. I've heard of computer labs and internet cafes before, but never computer clubhouses. I think this idea is so cool! A place where youth can go and become creaters. I'd also never heard of LEGO MindStorms and that just sounds awsome!

I thought the author brought up a really important point. The author states, "Most of today's computers were designed primarily for use by adults in the workplace. We need to develop a new generation of computer technologies worthy of the next generation of children." Many children are not going to take interest in something that's created for adults. Young generations are the gateway to our future of technology. Targeting that demographic is the key to technological education and future advaces.

One point mentioned in the article I disagreed with. The author states that, "In the digital age, learning can and must become a daylong and lifelong expirience." This is true however, not solely in pertaining to digital technology. This statement is true for all of the ages and all types of education. Education needs to be a lifelong expirience.