Assessment and Technology

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According to Nancy Cecil assessment is a vital part of the classroom for two main reasons, as a means to base instruction and as a way to determine how well students are progressing with these goals (Cecil, 2015). When we use different forms of assessment our outcome should always be to enrich our learning based on the knowledge from the assessment. As a teacher, we need to consistently be reflecting on how we can best teach. One way we can accomplish this, is by measuring progress through assessments. Both formative and summative assessments should be used throughout the year.

Technology can allow a teacher to keep up with daily and long term progress by helping to reduce the cost of assessment. With online assessment you can give immediate feedback (Slutherland, 2013). In addition, you are granted increased ability to react to feedback (Slutherland, 2013) Coupling an assessment closely to feedback allows for it to become relative to a student. For students with ADHD, it is imperative that a response is accompanied closely to the stimulus. If you ask a student to take an assessment, they are going to be more successful if they know that the outcome will come directly with the assessment.

Another benefit of technology based assessment is the amount of time that is saved. This time can be better spent with continued instruction of material that has not been mastered gleaned from the assessment. Many assessments will be ongoing within the classroom. In the kindergarten classroom I am currently helping out in, the teacher is testing each student individually for understanding of letters and sounds and numbers and shapes. She complied the test results within a large binder with a separate tab for each student. These types of assessments require one-on-one time with a student. However, there are many tools available to help speed up this process. If a teacher can save a minute with each student for each test she will end up with a lot of extra instruction time. Using an iPad app is one way she could transfer her assessment over to an electronic base. If a student can take the test without an administrator then valuable time could be saved and spent on direct instruction instead. While this tool would still be considered as the second rung of the SAMR ladder, augmentation, the time saved is extremely important. The down side with using assessments that rely on technology is the margin for error within the user’s ability to use the technology. When you ask a kindergartner to take an assessment on an iPad you have opened up a new ability being tested in addition to the intended area. While the test might be aimed at measuring number recognition, it may be testing their ability to use an iPad. This would produce test scores that are not accurate, therefore, not helpful for creating instructional goals. These types of situations must be considered before assessment is given.

When used correctly technology can help aid assessment by allowing immediate feedback and by freeing up time for more direct instruction.

Cecil, N. (2015). Assessmentof Early Literacy Development. In Striking a balance: A comprehensive approach to early literacy (Fifth ed.). Scottsdale, Arizona: Holcombb Hathaway.

Sutherland, R. (2013). Assessment and the curriculum in a digital age. Education and Social Justice in a Digital Age, 93-108.