Computers had gone through a quite great change through the passing of time. IN the field of education, student assessment also has become dependent to some extent in this newer form of technology. Through this, things impossible to do before have become an emerging trend in student assessments. Computers had revolutionized the way people live, the way people interact with others and the way they educate themselves. Distance Learning Distance education is now on the play among some of the universities and colleges around the world.
This is very different from the usual room education where teachers and the learners have direct communication and interaction which are said to be the best way for an effective learning. Interaction through direct explanation about the subject matter and the evaluation if the learners understand the topic maybe derived through asking questions, recitations, quizzes, and giving examinations. Teachers in this kind of educating the learners usually are trained in the ‘hand-to-hand’ teaching wherein a direct engagement with the students is involved.
Distance learning has been put up many issues and is doubtful with regards to its effectiveness. Distance education at this time has been the fastest growing model of teaching in the world. The process of teaching is normally through media like telephones, CD-ROMs, online studio, computers and the like. The interaction between the teacher and the learners has been the most important tool for learning which this distance education lacks. However, there are ways to interact in this kind of education. Just like how technology introduced the distance education, technology itself also had to overcome such issues about the lack of interaction.
Through the use of some technology, the interaction can be enhanced and thus improving the effectiveness of learning. Video technologies like broadcast video, cablecast video, satellite video, videoconferencing, cassettes, video disks, CD-ROM and multimedia are examples that can enhance the communication and interaction between the teacher and the students. Audio technologies are also used. Some examples are through the use of telephones, audio conferencing, audio cassettes, video mail, radio, records, and compact disks (Lane, 2001).
Electronic mails, computer conferencing and bulletin boards can also be used for interacting and communicating. There are lots of ways to connect the instructor with their audience or the learners. The use of these technologies really can enhance the communication and interaction between the instructor and the learners and can improve the learning effectiveness. But some studies about distance education claims that in the distance learning, the teachers are the key to success (Doerfert1, 2001). Still the teacher plays the most roles in the learning involved.
A good teacher can overlap the importance of the technology that will be used. Also a good technology cannot overcome a poor teaching method. Spreadsheets The most popular use of spreadsheets is as a grade book but it can also have other uses. One is to use it as a record book for transactions that I have taken. It can be any transaction, from purchasing valuable items to daily experiences. It may sound odd but it will do. Another is to use spreadsheets as data base for data other than grades. This includes item listings, contacts, and others. I can use spreadsheet for these functions.
Spreadsheets can also be used as forms. Spreadsheets can also be used to enrich the learning of kids. While they have software that suits their age for their graphing and table needs, spreadsheets are more advanced since they have more control in the process. They can manipulate the equation to use in mapping the data unlike in the starter software. Allowing the kids to manipulate the equation enhance their learning on the behavior of their graph upon imposing changes in the equation they are going to use. Finally, spreadsheets can also be used with math content.
The best example for this would be the use of summation. All we need is to input the numerical data and highlight them and press the summation button and we can get the result. Of course we can use other equations and have the comfort and ease of drag and drop formatting in spreadsheets. Assessment through Singing/ Action Songs This can be done before starting to make an input or before the real teaching occur. The teacher should encourage the students to participate in this activity. Doing this would likely get the student’s attention so the input of information could follow.
This is to regain the energy of the students. They might be still sleepy or somewhat wanting to play. The teacher could choose a song together with the consideration of the student’s common interest, with which the students knew so they can participate. One can choose the alphabet song. For kindergartens, learning the alphabet is much harder than singing it. Through this, while singing, they are learning. In addition to this, there are other things that students can learn from singing, and that would be rhyme and new words.
Singing also reduces tension and a way to get happy. Emotions can be eased through singing. Student’s sometimes, especially kids, even with their simple thinking mind, would possess anger or loneliness. If you can find a song that uses actions (using hands, feet, body), then that would be better. Learning while singing and an additional, physical exercise. Assessment Purpose The purpose of the activity is to get the attention of the students making them ready for the input of information when the proper teaching comes.
The activity will serve as energizer and emotional balance making them possess positive character traits such as happiness. Students can learn additional things (e. g. rhyme and new words) through singing and also serves as physical exercise. Assessment through Acting This can be done during reading activities in order to measure the individual interpretation of students. Each and every character on the story must have different voices and every emotion must be emphasized. Acting like being in the story, having your students involved, made them more interested into the story and learning eventually occurs.
Acting is one great form of student assessment. Having students involve in the story will make their imaginations run wildly. Let them act as a character of the story or encourage them to act a character of their preference. One could choose to act like a princess, a hero, or whatever they like. As they go on to the world of their characters, they can be taught of positive traits like being happy, helpful, honest, kind and exclude them to negative traits through bad characters like monsters that they would not like. Intended Purpose
Citizenship (character preference), self-discipline and positive traits (such as kindness, honesty, respect, etc. ), responsibility (acting a certain character together with the responsibility of that character) are the main purpose why you have to do this activity. While the students are learning from listening to the story as you read it, they simultaneously enhance their memory as they memorize and imitate some of the famous lines of their chosen characters. Learning Games Games can be used as an evaluation for what the student’s have learned.
This is to put in their mind not to lose the information they have previously learned. Some examples of learning games are ‘Who said what? ’. You can also use customized games. Encourage the students to form in pair or in groups. By using learning aids as colored construction paper (red, yellow, blue, green, etc. ) and boards of different shapes (square, rectangle, circle, etc. ), the student’s will have to use their observation and classification skills based from what they learned and remembered from the past lessons.
Going to the basics in student assessment is a great way of forming analytic skills even in college students. Intended Purpose This activity will enhance the observation and classification skills of the students and made them remember what an object looks like thus enhancing memory. The preschoolers will work as a team and will persevere on what they were doing in their aim to win.
References:
Academy, L. P. (2006). Your Child is in Good Hands. Retrieved April 2008, from http://www. lapetite. com/public/100/curriculum. jsp Doerfert1, J. C.
K. D. L. (2001). INTERACTION IN THE DISTANCE EDUCATION SETTING. Retrieved April 2008, from http://www. ssu. missouri. edu/ssu/AgEd/NAERM/s-e-4. htm Lane, C. (2001). Model Program – Interaction Through A Mix of Media. Retrieved April 2008, from http://www. tecweb. org/eddevel/edtech/mediamix. html Spreadsheet – A Variety of Activities! Retrieved April 2008, from http://www. fi. edu/fellows/fellow4/may99/spreadsheet. html Teacher, H. (2006). Preschool Ideas. Retrieved April 2008, from http://www. homeroomteacher. com/infopreschoolideas. html