June 17, 2014
I've been thinking about the upgrade of assessment types that Heidi Jacobs talks about in chapter 2 of Curriculum 21. I just wrote a multi-genre "paper" for the integrated unit of study I developed for the course Literacy Across the Curriculum. The "paper" was engaging and I could see where we could use replacement assessments in our curriculum. Creating something "new" provides opportunity for students to apply high level comprehension skills like synthesizing. Yet, I have a concern.....
When my own sons were in grades 4-12, a great deal of technology was being explored in the classroom. They had the opportunity to attend a small rural school that put an emphasis on the integration of technology in the classroom. They had 1:1 laptops by the time they were in grade 6. What I saw though was a great deal of low level "harvesting" from the Internet and the development of a keynote/powerpoint that were just reorganized facts from someone else. They didn't seem to achieve that synthesis of information in the creation of something "new". On top of that, they NEVER wrote papers, essays, paragraphs, letters, etc. Then when they had to organize information for a more formal product it was difficult. Both are in college now with the expectation of research papers, essays, summaries, etc. I don't disagree with Jacob's notion that colleges need to take a long hard look at what they are doing, but they aren't there yet. So......
Don't through the baby out with the bathwater, as my mother always said. All good things in moderation, another favorite phrase of hers. In other words, a blended approach to assessment is more comfortable for me. Have students choose from an essay, letter, summary, podcast, poem, tourbuilder, blog, keynote, etc. It might be necessary to have a list of more traditional pieces and ask them to complete a certain number per tri-mester. Something like that. And when the newer modes are being used the process of "writing" that mode needs to be explicitly taught. Mentor pieces need to be evaluated, rubrics made, and lessons taught with an eye on process and product assessment.
Very interesting about the outcome of the technology integration in your son's classrooms. It's not surprising either. It seems like it's an easy way out for teachers to just "use technology" sometimes just to grab students attention. But, as you said, are the students able to create something and grasp the concepts they will need to understand in higher education through the technology they are using? That's the important part.
ReplyDeleteAs technology continues to change, educators will need to familiarize themselves with what's out there and assess the best ways to use it and force students to think critically. There will still need to be a balance between traditional teaching methods though. It will be interesting to see where it all goes in the next few years and beyond.
It isn't the technology...it is how it is used. Same thing for other ways of engaging students...book reports and other low level assignments.
ReplyDelete