Week 4

"It's a system of assessment, not a single instrument," says Urban's co−director Ann Cook. "It's a system based on a number of

components, it goes on all year long, and it culminates in certain kinds of tasks that demonstrate what students can do."
"Assessment as a way of life." Everyday in every class: Case study examples act as a summary of performance-based assessments highlights. Furger, R. Assessment for understanding. San Rafael, CA: George Lucas Foundation

The theme of this week is creating a system of assessment. This has to include formative and summative and in online learning we need to use the tools to ensure learning is occurring and that the feedback to the learner is authentic and real time.

The tools we investigated this week give the opportunity to have both authentic and responsive feedback.

If anyone were to tell me that audio feedback was a tool which could be or should be used in online learning, I would have told them it would be nice, but unnecessary. After taking this course, I see how it isn't just nice that I get feedback from my instructor in an audio form, but it makes me  more engaged. I feel connected and important to my teacher.. I want to make sure I do the same thing for my learners.

The tools we learned about this week including audio, surveys, and blogs has substantially increased my knowledge of what is out there and what I want to use in my online learning environment. I think that too many tools, can be just that.. too many tools. What I liked about Quia.com was the ability to put everything in one place and include the other tools (audio and blogging) within the tool. It also gave the opportunity to have responsive feedback. This way learners know what they don't know and don't keep going down the wrong path if they do not understand.

I also think I need to take a broad technology class.. I am getting better, but still fumble with some of the tools. I know there is more that each of the tools can do, but I don't even know to look for them because of my lack of knowledge.

The last thing which was very important to me this week was the difference in presentation in the jigsaw activity. I really like the word document, but think that it would be a resource in my classroom on top of the website design. I know for me, when I am confused about things I am reading online, it helps if I can print it out and use my old fashion technique of writing while I read.. remembering we have all types of learners coming to our classroom. This can be valuable.