Description

1. Apply technology in assessing student learning of subject matter using a variety of assessment techniques.
   

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   Last year I had the privilege of attending several seminar-training sessions on the SIS program and the Mastery Manager program. Both technology tools are used in our school district to help teachers with assessment. Currently, I am a trainer for our district on both programs. The SIS (Student Information System) is more for student data, grade management, discipline records, etc. However the Mastery Manager is an online exam tool that helps teachers create exams that meet state standards, compare student data, score multiple-choice questions, and generate performance statistics.

   In addition to those programs, it is important to recognize individual levels of assessment such as rubric usage in the Online Corporation Project and the Procedural Knowledge project. Students were assessed in both cases on final product, content, participation, and evaluation beyond the basic rubric guidelines.

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2. Use technology resources to collect and analyze data, interpret results, and communicate findings to improve instructional practice and maximize student learning.
   

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   The Mastery Manager program that we use at our school is a great example of analyzing data and applying that information for future use. Teachers teaching the same courses are required to create common assessments. After common assessments are entered into the program, exams are taken, and data is produced, those same teachers meet to compare the results. Based on the information, bad test questions can be detected and re-teaching plans can be made.

   The Staff Development Plan also helped use data to continue improvement with instructional practice. The plan included emailed surveys, results graphed and analyzed using Excel, and findings presented with an electronic proposal. The plan was designed to see what the needs of the teachers in a district have in regards to improving instruction with technology. Based on those needs, a schedule of professional development was proposed.

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3. Apply multiple methods of evaluation to determine students' appropriate use of technology resources for learning,communication,and productivity.
   

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   Evaluating student work using multiple assessment tools is important, especially with diverse learners and various learning styles. In my keyboarding and computer classes I have been very careful to make sure to include multiple types of assessments. In my syllabus for my keyboarding class, I have specifically outlined for students the various methods of assessment. For example, I do not just give them a grade based on their timed writings. They have a margin of time to improve their timed writings for a final grade, but I also grade their participation, documents produced, and mastery of content learned through various quizzes and exams. Performance based exams are use in addition to question and answer exams. All of these methods combined provide overall assessment for multiple learner strategies.
   
   Again, the Online Corporation Project has multiple assessment tools built in, as students have to use PowerPoint to communicate their research, complete spreadsheets showing specific data, and completing a question and answer assessment online.