Chapter 10: Assessment and Implications of Learning and Teaching with Technology:

Assessment has always been an area where I was apprehensive about when incorporating technology into the curriculum. Since some children are more advanced or experienced in certain areas with technology, I initially thought it would be difficult to give an appropriate assessment for their learning. After reading this chapter, it has become clear to me that this is not the case. Assessments must also be engaging and meaningful, much like the experiences children have with technology. The performance assessment referred to in the text reminds me of a typing class I took in elementary school. We all practiced typing skills on our keyboards and have different cards we would put in the keyboards. These cards would test out our performance of typing given words or sentences in a certain amount of time. The words would disappear quickly so if we missed the word then the program would reduce the percentage. The percentage would be given at the end of the sequence to see how accurate you were. How is this assessment different then what is being described in the text? This assessment does not reflect on what you know other then how many words you got right. I was very good at this because I was able to memorize the sequence of words quite well. This was not an effective assessment tool for the teacher because if you stuck me on a computer and asked me to type out a story and time me, it would take me a lot longer. This assessment tool was not effective because it was limited to only certain words in the same sequence, which was memorized. I have learned more about where all the words are on the keyboard by using msn.

The text devotes a large section of the chapter to E-portfolios. I did not really differentiate an E-portfolio from a typical portfolio, other then the fact that one was stored digitally and the other in a paper folder. Portfolios to me are extremely powerful assessment tools and should be used in every classroom. I still have my portfolio from elementary school. At the school I went to the portfolios were passed on each year to your new classroom and grade. A collection of personally and teacher selected items were put in them. Unfortunately, I don’t quite remember the assessment aspect of the portfolio. Portfolios are great, but they need to be used appropriately. The items need to be talked about and a written piece should be included as to why it was chosen to be in the portfolio. We cannot forget about why we are doing things sometimes. The meaning and value is lost when the purpose is lost as well. The text mentions using things in the digital portfolio for other projects, theatre backdrops, calendars or anything else that comes up. Portfolio building is an effective assessment tool, but it must be used for a purpose. I liked the rubric displayed on page 225 that shows what should be included. This demonstrates that the child recognizes why the item has gone in, what purpose it serves and the appropriate methods and procedures that the child has gone through.

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