My Experience Giving Tests and Quizzes

I used to give paper tests, but seeing how I have an available computer lab I have used a variety of computer technology to administer my quizzes and tests. The first type of computer exam I used was a paper test, but the students entered their answers in to a spreadsheet using Microsoft Excel. It was a lot easier to grade seeing how all the answers were on one page, and were right next to each other, but I did have issues with some of the questions. I tried to make this test into a self grading test, but it didn't work too well. The second type of quiz I used with the help of a computer was just a Microsoft Office Document that included combo boxes where the students could select their answer. Each box would included around four answers students could choose from. There were only 15 questions on these quizzes and the students had to print them out when they were finished and hand them in. I would then grade them by hand or give them to an aide to grade them. Not quite as laborious as paper tests seeing how I didn't have to pre-print the entire tests and staple them together before I gave the test, but it still involved repetitive and time consuming work. Then I gave online quizzes using Google forms, and when their answers were uploaded to my Google spreadsheet I would past them in an excel document that I had prepared to automatically grade them. It work great, and was much faster then the other quizzes and tests, but didn't give the students any feedback about which answers they missed. I have finally found the program I like the most. Exam View it is an e-instructional program that my students can access at the school and take, retake, quizzes and tests depending on how you set them up. It automatically grades them and gives them feedback about their answers. It's been great.

Standards & Objectives

State and national standards shape our public education, but what we get isn’t always what we wanted, or what is best. No doubt there is a place for state and national standards and I feel like they give us valuable direction in education. Thomas J. Sergiovanni put it this way, “one cannot legislate or mandate superior teaching and learning or other aspects of quality education. These result from the efforts of competent and committed professionals” (Sergiovanni, Kelleher, McCarthy, & Fowler, 2009). I question how much influence legislation and mandates should have upon our classrooms, and upon our teachers. I have seen a few specific lessons created by our state that have been mandated lessons. One in particular is a mandated video they require to be shown in CTE Intro. It is part of a Cyber Careers lesson. The video was probably good when they first introduced the lesson, but it is outdated now, and still rather boring to many seventh graders. I disagree with the idea of having mandated curriculum, and instruction, and am glad things haven’t gone too much farther in that direction. I am satisfied with the standards that have been created for the classes I teach, but some classes have redundant standards. I don’t think that is entirely a bad thing; because students learn by repetition, and some concepts and skills need extra attention over time. It’s the standards that don’t require extra attention that concern me. One state or national standard does affect a lot of people. What do you think about Standards and Objectives?

Reference

Sergiovanni, T. J., Kelleher, P., McCarthy, M. M., & Fowler, F. C.(2009). Issues Shaping School Policy and Administration: Educational Governance and Administration, 50.

Instruction

I have wondered how I might improve the instruction in my classroom. I know that technology is fundamental to my classroom because I have a computer lab to work with, but what are some of the best ways we can present the core to the students? My students are in a very large room so I usually speak to them with a sound system. This cuts back on the exhaustion my voice sustains after speaking to my students without a sound system. I have also used a classroom projector to display instructive materials for my students on a large screen in front of the classroom, be even this at times can seem far away to the students in the back of my room. Last year our school purchased a site license for LAN-School. It has helped me give instruction because my students can see a presentation I may give on their own computer screen. This has done away with the students in the back not being able to see. I find that I show a lot of powerpoint presentations, and don't get me wrong I love powerpoint presentations, but I would like some more ideas to add more diversity to my instruction. I have also been successful at developing some good demonstrations which is interactive as I require the students to follow along on their own computers, save each demonstration, and I score their work at the end of the term. Anyway I know their are plenty of other ways to provide students instruction. What are some things that have worked well for you?

Starting an Educational Blog

Since this is a blog which may be accessed by anyone in all the world; I want to extend the invitation for participation. I really am enthusiastic about education, and realize that my ideas are not always the best ideas, so please help me understand how we can improve education in our schools.