Guide for inexperienced teachers to start using HIVES #4

Here is an installment on my guide that addresses methods to assess HIVES and computer usage in general with students:

Assessment:

The most basic forms of assessing classroom time in the computer lab is through these basic tools:

1. Tests

2. Teacher observation/performance evaluation

3. Rubrics

4. Journals

5. Short essays

6. Portfolios/self evaluation

Tests:

Teachers can assess one day class trips to a computer lab or longer projects with teacher made tests. Tests can be on standards based content and on basic computer skills taught in the lab. Posting clear objectives and letting the students know in advance that the objectives will be quizzed or tested on will help create focus and some motivation. Tests can be short or long depending on the need of the situation, can be short answer, multiple choice or essay. Aldrich (2009) states that tests for students who were involved in virtual simulations and not just skills practice should be asked more open ended essay questions to demonstrate knowledge of usage and application (p. 107). Allowing students a chance to go back over mistakes made and earn credit lost can create learning opportunities.

Teacher observation/performance evaluation:

Teachers can make a list of skills they'd like to see students be proficient in and during a class work time, makes notes on students ability. Teachers might want to make a simple rubric for their grading of observations. A seating chart is always easier to use quickly while circulating the classroom recording observations than an alphabetical list of students. The seating chart allows a much faster visual reference.

Rubrics:

Sharing rubrics with students is one of the most simple and effective ways to raise the quality of students' work. Rubrics make clear the expectations of the teacher and the returns the students will get for their efforts. Rubrics can be simple and not complex, yet still be effective. Simple rubrics might not state enough detail but can be made quickly and are more likely to be used by students. Here's a sample rubric used for an 8^th grade presentation at the end of a project:

Grading Rubric

Generation Gap Power Point

Grade	A	B	C	D
Presentation Length and Clarity of Purpose	Presentation has a beginning, three points and an ending	Presentation makes simple points we can remember	Presentation stays on the subject.	Presentation is confusing.
Color, lettering and images	Presentation is pleasing to look at, and has not more than three colors. Lettering is large enough to read. Images relevant to presentation subject.	Presentation is pleasing to look at, and has not more than five colors. Lettering is mostly large enough to read. Images are mostly relevant to presentation subject.	Presentation is difficult to look at because the colors distract Lettering is large enough to read, on at least half the slides. Images relevant to presentation subject, on at least half the slides.	Presentation is difficult to look at because the colors distract. Lettering is not large enough to read, on many slides Images on more than half the slides have no connection to the subject.
Spelling and sentence sense	Presentation has no spelling or grammar errors.	Presentation has no more than 2 spelling or grammar errors.	Presentation has no more than 4 spelling or grammar errors.	Presentation has more than 6 spelling or grammar errors.

Journals:

Students can keep journals of time spent in computer lab. The journals can be short reflections on skills practiced or longer and more personal reflections if involved in a longer simulation or problem solving project. Journals can be graded and made to be the place students demonstrate what they've learned in their computer interactions.

Short Essays:

Teachers can assess a variety of skills learned with short essays. Essays can be informal or more formalized with standards expressed by colleges. A popular method of informal essay is the “one minute essay” where the students take a short time to reflect at the end of a class before exiting. Teachers usually ask students to reflect directly on what they've learned and what they do not understand. Students can be asked to explain processes or concepts learned in more formal essays. Simple rubrics on these assignments can help get students to create a better quality product.

Portfolios/self evaluation:

Students can keep folders digitally or in paper. Students can keep digital folders of files on web based email accounts. All the free popular web based email accounts available now have options to save letters with files attached in easy to access folder systems. Students can also print out projects and keep collections of them in folders in the class. Either one of these methods allows the students to self reflect and even grade themselves on projects and keep a running record of grades earned. This method allows students to take ownership of the grades they earn and their process behind a semester grade.