I started off the year with so much patience for my students. Everyone needed grace in this unprecedented time where overwhelming stress and anxiety were rampant due to a variety of circumstances. Despite the fact that this probably remained true for the entirety of the year, I did begin to expect students to eventually adapt to the new status quo and held them more responsible for completing their work and being a "good" student. Frustration seeped back into my response towards lack of attendance and work completion, especially for students who remained completely virtual. It felt like I had structured my classes to be fool proof and laid out all of the expectations clearly. When I took a breath and really thought about what the situation was like at home for my fully virtual students, however, I realized again that students were thrown into a situation that they were most definitely not prepared for mentally and emotionally. I created a little video of what I imagine attending classes from home is like for some of my 8th graders.

After creating this video, I realized I was holding my students to a standard of maturity that I most certainly did not have when I was in 8th grade. It pushed me to find different ways of encouraging my students and feeling less frustrated when inevitably, some students continued to struggle.

Technology has radically changed the world landscape from the way we communicate and interact with other people to how we learn. The changes are ongoing and happening at a frightening speed. We have been racing down a dark tunnel at 100 miles per hour, enjoying the thrill, but not fully knowing where we might end up and what damage is being done. Education is no exception. Once strictly brick and mortar schools that boasted the use of their overhead projectors are now filled to the brim with Smartboards, Chromebooks, and iPads, with teachers and students accessing, using, and creating all sorts of websites and apps. In theory, this abundance of technology should be exciting, as all sorts of opportunities that weren’t possible before are at the fingertips of even our most disadvantaged students, according to the companies that sell their products and services (Doxtdator, 2017). The issue lies in the fact that educators, and in turn, students, were not properly trained in the usage of this technology and that long term effects like student privacy (Blumenstyk, 2018), ecological impacts (Ahmed, 2016), and social-emotional well-being (Domingues-Montanari, 2017) were not fully considered before integrating all of this technology into our schools. Schools need to take a step back and remember their fundamental goal: preparing our students for their futures by teaching them to become independent, critical, and creative thinkers. Achieving this is no simple task, but it can start with increasing opportunities for real world application and collaboration as well as putting a sharper focus on developing digital literacy amongst students and staff.

There is no question that technology is here to stay, and that schools must be a part of engaging our students in developing their digital literacy skills. What needs to be done in conjunction with integrating technology is to take on a more critical lens when evaluating what tools are being used currently, how they got there, whether or not they actually enhance student learning, and if there are better ways to achieve the same goals, much like Chicago Public Schools did with Google (Singer, 2017). Instead of assuming technology must be incorporated, schools should question when it is appropriate and how teaching and implementation can be structured to model safe and critical practices. While there must be exposure to various programs and development of skills, like coding, that will benefit students in this digital age, there must also be an equal focus on making sure students are aware of their online footprints and that students are encouraged to develop principled online social etiquette, or "netiquette" to mitigate cyberbullying (Park et al., 2014).

An increased focus on technology does not mean schools should do away with in-person interactions. On the contrary, it is imperative that students are given ample opportunities to develop soft skills, like empathy and critical thinking, that cannot be achieved solely with technology (Marr, 2018). Project-based learning (PBL) is an ideal way of merging both technology and in-person interactions for an authentic learning experience focused on the whole student (Vogler et al., 2018). Not only does PBL expose students to real-world applications of concepts that have mostly been taught through a textbook and develop important skills like collaboration and communication, it can also increase intrinsic motivation and improve health and wellbeing (Allison et al, 2015).

The stakeholders of our education systems, namely our parents, teachers, administrators, and policy makers, must buy into the belief that in order for our students to be taught to successfully use technology in a responsible and healthy manner, our teachers must also learn to do so and require investment in the form of meaningful, ongoing training as well as funding. It will be an investment in a future where students become professional, kind, and effective digital citizens that are phenomenal team players as well as influential leaders.

References

Ahmed, S.F. (2016, September 29). The global cost of electronic waste. The Atlantic. Retrieved from https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2016/09/the-global-cost-of-electronic-waste/502019/

Allison, P., Gray, S., Sproule, J., Nash, C., Martindale, R., & Wang, J. (2015, August 27). Exploring contributions of project-based learning to health and wellbeing in secondary education. Improving Schools, 18(3), 207–220. https://doi.org/10.1177/1365480215599298

Blumenstyk, G. (2018, July 31). Big data is getting bigger. So are the privacy and ethical questions. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved from https://www.chronicle.com/article/Big-Data-Is-Getting-Bigger-So/244099

Bowles, N. (2018, October 26). The digital gap between rich and poor kids is not what we expected. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/26/style/digital-divide-screens-schools.html

Domingues-Montanari, S. (2017, February 6). Clinical and psychological effects of excessive screen time on children. Journal of Pediatrics and Child Health. 53(4), 333-338. https://doi-org.proxy1.cl.msu.edu/10.1111/jpc.13462

Doxtdator, B. (2017, December 16). The propaganda behind personalised learning [web log]. Retrieved from https://www.longviewoneducation.org/propaganda-behind-personalised-learning/

Marr, B. (2018, August 6). 7 job skills of the future (that AIs and robots can't do better than humans). Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2018/08/06/7-job-skills-of-the-future-that-ais-and-robots-cant-do-better-than- humans/#34216a8f6c2e

Park, S., Na, E., & Kim, E. (2014, July). The relationship between online activities, netiquette, and cyberbullying. Children and Youth Services Review. 42, 74-81. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2014.04.002

Singer, N. (2017, May 13). How Google took over the classroom. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/13/technology/google-education-chromebooks-schools.html

Vogler, J., Thompson, P., Davis, D., Mayfield, B., Finley, P., & Yasseri, D. (2018). The hard work of soft skills: augmenting the project-based learning experience with interdisciplinary teamwork. Instructional Science. 46(3), 457-488. DOI:10.1007/s11251-017-9438-9

Original Formative Assessment Design 2.0 Blog Post:

In an earlier blog post, I described using an exit ticket as a metacognitive tool for students. I described a two-part, daily exercise to be completed at the end of each class to help students identify their understandings as well as areas for improvement. I also voiced a couple concerns about this model; I was worried that this practice wouldn't be manageable due to time constraints, and that I would struggle to come up with a comprehensive checklist of skills I would want students to master each unit.

After giving this assignment more thought, I believe these changes to the design of this exit ticket can alleviate some of the issues, and make this a formative assessment I can regularly use in my classroom:

1) Use it once a week, instead of every class period. Students will have time to work on their goals and reflect on their growth. This alleviates time pressure for both students and teacher.

2) Make the checklist a living document. Instead of presenting the list of skills as set in stone, encourage students to evaluate what skills are listed and even add their own goals for the unit. This leaves room for changes during the unit and takes the pressure off of the teacher to have it perfect for students. It also individualizes it to each student's needs and empowers them to take ownership of their learning.

I also decided to change some of the language I used to help it come across as a more positive, growth-focused activity. For example, instead of calling it simply a reflection form, I also included "goal setting" in the title to focus on the students' active role in the learning process.

The main aspect I am struggling with this exit ticket idea is arguably the most important one. How am I, the teacher, going to act on the information I receive from the students? What kind of feedback can I give them to help them reach their goals? For now, I see myself identifying the common trouble-areas my students identify for themselves and addressing them in class somehow. I suppose the vague nature of what areas students feel they need to work on could make this difficult to do. Should I change the wording of the questions to limit it to conceptual difficulties? Should they only address the specific skills that are outlined in Part 1 of this activity (the checklist) as goals to work on in their reflection during Part 2 (the Google form)? This would simplify things, but then again, I also want to make sure students are meta-cognitively aware of classroom behavior, amongst other skills outside of just conceptual understanding.

Update to FAD 2.0 (Now FAD 2.5!):

This formative assessment is designed to give students a voice in their learning and push students to practice metacognitive thinking. I realized that students may need additional assistance in developing that voice, so I made the question where students are asked to list the specific things they did well mandatory. When they are required to justify their answers, students will be more likely to truly reflect on the week and provide honest feedback. If they struggle with coming up with their answer, that'll quickly signify to me that they need additional support in completing this self-assessment. I also would like to set aside a time to meet with students individually to review their reflections over time to identify areas of growth and areas that need improvement. In order for this to be effective, students will need a record of their responses, so I've also added in a reminder at the end of the form to make sure they check the box that will email them a copy of their response. Our school district uses Google classroom, so they will all have a designated folder for this activity.

To further understand what students are thinking, I've included a question that asks them to justify the steps they would like to take to improve upon their choice of behavior or skill. The purpose of this assessment is two-fold- not only does it give students voice, it provides me, the teacher, invaluable feedback that allows me to support my students in growing as independent, thoughtful learners. This justification will help me support them identify how exactly to approach their goals.

One last component I've added to this self-assessment is a classmate shoutout. I'd like to encourage my students to observe and take notice of what other students do well in the hopes that they can improve themselves through the examples of others. With time and consistency, it will also, hopefully, foster a more supportive and positive classroom culture.

The beauty of this formative assessment being a Google Form is that it will save me so much time by not forcing me to collect papers each week that I have to individually "grade" and sort. The responses are all in one place and easily sent to individual students by the check of one box.

At the close of my graduate course, CEP 813, where we focused on all things assessments, I've come to believe the following things about said subject:

1) The purpose of assessments, no matter how big or small, should be to help students improve and help teachers help students improve (Wiliam, 1998). It seems obvious, but it wasn't always the focus for me. Whether it be a traditional test or a fun game, students should be able to develop their literacy in the subject through the process of creating or taking the assessment (Gee, 2003).

2) Students must be involved in the assessment process, whether it be in the creation of the assessment itself or the analysis of the results (or both). Through the process of actively constructing an understanding of teacher feedback, students can work through misunderstandings and confusion, bettering their ability to monitor their learning (Nicol & Macfarlane-Dick, 2006). There has to be follow through once the assessment has been given.

3) Assessments must be thoughtfully planned out. Sounds simple, right? Not so much. The best feedback is timely, individualized, and diagnostic (Quellmalz, 2013), but to be all those things, teachers must take into careful consideration the length, quality, and tools used to create assessments. Assessment platforms, whether it be low-tech or high-tech, must be evaluated through the lens of universal design of learning; the affordances and constraints of each platform should be carefully considered to ensure accessibility to all students (Meyer & Gordon, 2014). Teachers must also continue to improve their cultural proficiency and remove harmful bias from assessments that have negative impacts on specific groups of students, especially people of color, as they were specifically targeted and negatively impacted in the foundations of our current education system (Mayfield, 2020).

My beliefs about assessment have definitely matured over the last few weeks. I began this course with a narrow view of what assessments are, focusing solely on high-stakes, standardized tests or unit quizzes and exams. In my initial blog post about assessment, I said that students had "some form of major assessment" every week which "doesn't...leave them much breathing room to really stop, think, and enjoy the process of learning". I viewed them as cumbersome and a necessary, but unpleasant task. As I stated in one of my reflections throughout the course, I quickly realized that "teachers can make a huge impact on their teaching and student learning by focusing on creating and embedding meaningful formative assessments daily". My focus on assessments shifted more towards constant formative assessments, rather than summative ones (and who's to say they aren't formative, too?). I never would have viewed game development as an assessment before, but this Twine project is a perfect example of embedding formative assessment into daily activities.

I also realized throughout this course the importance of creating meaningful, well-thought-out assessments. This seems so obvious, yet, I was frequently in the habit of using assessments that were made by other teachers or companies without giving it too much extra thought. I don't think teachers have to create every assessment and reinvent the wheel, but I will definitely be taking into consideration a variety of factors that I may not have before when analyzing the assessments I plan on using. The language, questions, and platform I chose in creating this formative assessment design took into consideration factors like the type of data I would get, whether or not it would be actionable, and what kind of message it sends to students. The assessment design checklist I've been developing over the past several weeks will come in handy during that process and was a huge contributor to the shift in my beliefs. I plan on continuing this careful construction and usage of assessments to improve not only my students' learning, but my teaching and learning as well!

References

Black, P. & Wiliam, D. (1998). Inside the black box: Raising standards through classroom assessments. The Phi Delta Kappan, 80(2), 139- 144, 146-148.

Gee, J. P. (2003). What video games have to teach us about learning and literacy. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan.

Mayfield, V. (2020). Cultural competence now. ASCD.

Meyer, A. Rose, D.H., & Gordon, D. (2014). Universal design for learning: Theory and practice. Wakefield, MA: CAST.

Nicol, D., & Macfarlane-Dick, D. (2006). Formative assessment and self-regulated learning: A model and seven principles of good feedback practice. Studies in Higher Education, 31(2), 199–218.

Quellmalz, E.S. (2013). Technology to support next-generation classroom formative assessment for learning. San Francisco, CA: WestEd.

I love competition. Whether it be board games, card games, video games, or physical activities, the fight to win always gets me revved up. I try and harness that same fiery competitiveness and focus it into engagement from my students through games in class. Even if there isn't a clear winner, just the fact that having fun is encouraged generally gets all of my students excited and involved. I incorporate concept practice and reviews through activities like scavenger hunts, quiz-quiz-trade, and trashketball, as well as online games like Kahoot and Quizizz. Depending on the game, prep takes a bit of time and effort, but is worth it in the end for all the smiles, collaboration, and learning that occurs.

Over the past few weeks in one of my grad courses, CEP 813, we have been dissecting and analyzing what makes good assessments. We started discussing the uses of game-based assessment (which I'm a total fan of, if you didn't pick that up), but it got me thinking about how beneficial it would be for the students to be the creators of the game. Through each student's creation of a game-based assessment for peers, I can assess their individual understanding and mastery of concepts through their choice of questions, wording, etc. In preparation for a potential virtual opening of school this year, I wanted to use an online platform for having students create this game, so I've decided to try out Twine.

One of the key features of all things Google that makes it so appealing to people all over the world in varying disciplines is the user-friendly, collaborative aspect of most G-Suite applications. Being able to work on a document or presentation at the same time as several other people radically changed what group work looked like when it was first introduced, and schools embraced that feature. It's no surprise, then, that Google Classroom came about. Overall, as a course management system (CMS), it is simple, but effective. Teachers can seamlessly incorporate resources from their Google Drive and outside platforms, and students can easily collaborate with both teachers and peers to assess learning. Feedback can be ongoing, using features like comments and revision history.

I created an assessment on Google classroom that demonstrates one way teachers can create an assessment that contains key components of quality assessment, like real-life context, probes for deep understanding, and collaboration, staying within the CMS. This is something I will continue working on as it becomes increasingly important to make effective assessments that are easy to access digitally. Whether or not schools will reopen in-person or virtually, maximizing the benefits of any CMS is beneficial to teachers and students.

During my time as a teacher, I've used several course management systems (CMS). Each had their pros and cons, and it definitely took time to get used to setting up my classroom the way I wanted for each platform. Last year, I was part of a pilot team to try out Canvas as our CMS at the middle school. I started off hesitant, but grew to really appreciate all of the bells and whistles that Canvas had to offer. I especially appreciated the different ways I could assess students on that particular platform. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, being suddenly thrown into distance learning, and not knowing what the upcoming school year will look like, the district has decided to continue using Google Classroom until further notice. It's been over a year since I've used Google Classroom (and I only used it briefly, and even then not extensively), so I've spent some time combing through the different tools it has to offer to better prepare myself for the upcoming year. I also analyzed the affordances and constraints of each key feature through the lens of assessment, a skill I will need to become more creative about with distance learning.

Continuous Stream

This is the landing page for each class. Students can see a stream of posts from the teacher. This is where teachers can add announcements (with our without attachments), similar to a Facebook page where the newest material goes on top. Teachers and students can comment on the announcements, although this feature can be disabled before posting.

Affordances: The comments feature could be used for class discussions and students asking questions (and other students answering them).

Constraints: Comments are visible to everyone, so it may hinder students who are not comfortable with risk. It would also be useful if teachers had the ability to split discussions into smaller groups. The comments are also a constant stream, which may not be helpful when trying to reply to a specific comment several comments above where the newest one is posted.

Classwork Page

This page is where teachers post assignments and students can access resources from the entire school year. There are quick links to Google Meet, Google Calendar, and the Class Drive Folder where teachers can organize further materials.

Affordances: Students are able to easily submit work directly on the assignment post. The assignments can be varied, depending on what G-Suite tool the teacher decides to use (Forms, Slides, Docs, etc.). Assignments can also be linked to outside platforms like Quizizz and Khan Academy. Google Forms, especially, is great for quick formative assessments, as it can be set up to auto-grade. When posting a Google Forms quiz, teachers also have the option of turning on "Locked Mode" for Chromebooks. This ensures students cannot open tabs while taking this quiz. There's also a "View your work" button that shows students all of their completed work, so that it makes it easy for them to identify what they've accomplished. The topics are organized on the left and are clickable for easy access. Last, but not least, teachers also have the ability to create a rubric easily when creating assignments, a tool that helps not only teachers when grading, but students when completing assignments. It's a quick and easy way for them to self-assess before submitting work.

Constraints: It would be nice if students were able to submit an assignment as a group. This would allow for quicker grading and feedback. It is definitely more difficult for students to submit written work. Certain file types also aren't accepted, so students will have to use specific applications to meet that need.

Grading Page

This page looks like a traditional teacher's gradebook, but with a major upgrade: each assignment is clickable, taking teacher and students straight to the submitted assignment. From there, students can comment privately to the teacher, and teachers can easily respond, which is a great feature for feedback.

Affordances: The comments teachers make on submitted assignments can be saved into a comment bank, a time-saving feature that allows teachers to provide feedback to each student quickly. A quick glance at the gradebook is also a great way for students to know what assignments they are missing and what assignments teachers still need to grade.

Constraints: Comments made directly on the document can be accidentally "resolved" and disappear before reading. They can still be viewed, but it won't be apparent on the document. Teachers are also unable to mark directly on the assignment to provide more in-depth feedback.

Privacy Policy

Although this may not be a direct feature on the classroom page, it is one that should be noted by schools before opting for one CMS or other. Google's privacy policy for G-Suite for Education assures me that information collected from laptops and usage of their tools will not be shared with outsiders other than to our districts administrators unless there is user consent or legal reasons. I feel confident my information and my students' information will not be abused when posting information to my students through Google Classroom.

In an earlier blog post, I described using an exit ticket as a metacognitive tool for students. I described a two-part, daily exercise to be completed at the end of each class to help students identify their understandings as well as areas for improvement. I also voiced a couple concerns about this model; I was worried that this practice wouldn't be manageable due to time constraints, and that I would struggle to come up with a comprehensive checklist of skills I would want students to master each unit.

After giving this assignment more thought, I believe these changes to the design of this exit ticket can alleviate some of the issues, and make this a formative assessment I can regularly use in my classroom:

1) Use it once a week, instead of every class period. Students will have time to work on their goals and reflect on their growth. This alleviates time pressure for both students and teacher.

2) Make the checklist a living document. Instead of presenting the list of skills as set in stone, encourage students to evaluate what skills are listed and even add their own goals for the unit. This leaves room for changes during the unit and takes the pressure off of the teacher to have it perfect for students. It also individualizes it to each student's needs and empowers them to take ownership of their learning.

I also decided to change some of the language I used to help it come across as a more positive, growth-focused activity. For example, instead of calling it simply a reflection form, I also included "goal setting" in the title to focus on the students' active role in the learning process.

The main aspect I am struggling with this exit ticket idea is arguably the most important one. How am I, the teacher, going to act on the information I receive from the students? What kind of feedback can I give them to help them reach their goals? For now, I see myself identifying the common trouble-areas my students identify for themselves and addressing them in class somehow. I suppose the vague nature of what areas students feel they need to work on could make this difficult to do. Should I change the wording of the questions to limit it to conceptual difficulties? Should they only address the specific skills that are outlined in Part 1 of this activity (the checklist) as goals to work on in their reflection during Part 2 (the Google form)? This would simplify things, but then again, I also want to make sure students are meta-cognitively aware of classroom behavior, amongst other skills outside of just conceptual understanding.

In math, it's common to see homework assigned each night, consisting of a set of problems that provide practice of a specific skill learned that day in class. There are mixed opinions from educators and students alike on "drill and kill" methods, but regardless, it's commonplace. Homework serves to reinforce ideas, but also to help students and teachers identify where students are still struggling so that teachers can reteach it the next day.

Our school district subscribed to IXL this year. It's a website with questions broken down by grade level for math, language arts, social studies, science, and Spanish. Many of our teachers have embraced using this tool to assign homework, to use during remediation, and for in-class practice in lieu of worksheets. I mostly use it to replace the typical worksheets and textbook problems I would normally have assigned for homework. What makes IXL different from other sites and worksheets is the immediate feedback it gives to students and teachers. If a student gets a question wrong, instead of just moving on after informing them that it is incorrect, they provide a thorough, step-by-step explanation of how to complete the problem. Teachers have access to analysis of student progress, and are provided with breakdowns of what types of questions students had the most trouble with, among other useful information.

To be completely honest, I haven't really used this tool to it's full potential. I've glanced at the analytics that are provided, but I generally only look at it to determine who completed homework. This is pretty much the same practice I followed with traditional paper and pencil homework checks. I glanced to make sure some effort was made to try out all problems, but didn't look for accuracy. Students were responsible for asking questions about problems they got incorrect when we checked the answers together. With IXL, I rely on the fact that, in order to get to a certain score, students have to have a certain level of understanding, and the students who need more repetition have to complete more problems. There are a lot of reasons why this isn't the most effective way of using this tool, including, but not limited to students using Photomath, having other people complete their work, and deciding not to get to the prescribed score (or are unable to do so). IXL has several features that make it a powerful assessment tool, but I know a lot of teachers are like me and don't take full advantage.

In my previous blog post, I discussed my creation of a 5 question assessment design checklist. When considering the design of IXL using my checklist (it only has two questions so far), it fails to "pass" one of the questions, but does exceed expectations for the other. Most, but not all, IXL math strands do not provide students with real world context, and it provides no opportunity to demonstrate their thought process (students fill in only their answer). What it does well, however, is provide both teachers and students actionable feedback. IXL has a diagnostic test that pinpoints the exact weaknesses and strengths of each student and recommends specific strands students can practice to improve their diagnosis. Students should be encouraged to work on the diagnosis regularly, since it quickly identifies skills taught in previous years teachers may have assumed their students would already have mastered. Even if teachers don't take advantage of that specific aspect of IXL and use it for homework like I do, I'd recommend that teachers utilize the ability to browse the specific problems students got incorrect. If there's a problem several students got incorrect, it'd be helpful to review it in class the next day. This ensures that even if there are students who are unwilling to make themselves vulnerable and ask questions in class, they benefit from the review.

I wonder, though, if we (teachers), could take this one step further. There's minimal incentive for students to slow down and really read the explanations that are given when they get a question wrong. Many of my students click to the next question, hoping to get a problem they recognize. It takes my weaker math students a frustratingly long time to complete one homework assignment, and many times, I don't blame them for quitting halfway. Instead of punishing them for struggling, perhaps we could rework the homework assignment to make it more reflective in nature. They could create a Google Doc or a discussion post where they add a screenshot of at least 5 problems they got incorrect and must explain in their own words why they got it wrong. If they're unable to explain, then they're responsible for identifying which part of the IXL explanation they don't understand. Is it the vocabulary? A general concept? If a student doesn't get any questions wrong, then it should be smooth sailing for them to get to the maximum score. This promotes metacognitive thinking and thoughtful reflection. The bellwork could be a Google Form that students fill out with their top 3 questions from their homework assignment, and the teacher could quickly glance over the feedback and address those questions. This gives voice to shy students who normally wouldn't feel comfortable asking questions, and the feedback meaningfully shapes teacher instruction.

What are the makings of a quality assessment?

How does it help move students and teachers forward in their learning and teaching?

These are the overarching questions that I have been tackling these past few weeks while reading insightful publications by various authors on the significance of formative and summative assessments. The main theme agreed upon by all of the authors was that assessments should be used to "support and enhance learning" (Shepard, 2000). You would think that all assessments would already be designed this way - why wouldn't they, right? The reality, however, is not that simple. Mandated accountability testing, educational policies, and teacher training are a few of the factors that have negatively impacted the culture of assessments and its role in the classroom.

So what can teachers do? Well, I learned that there are several key factors to consider when creating an assessment that serves a meaningful purpose. I have decided to create a checklist that summarizes those key ideas into questions that I (and anyone who would like to) can reference when designing assessments to make sure it is an effective one. I would like to keep it to five questions so that it remains a quick process (teachers are always running out of time) and so far, I've come up with two. It's a work in progress, but please feel free to check it out:

Assessment Design Checklist 1.0

One type of assessment I have not been consistent in using and would like to use moving forward are exit tickets. I want to combine exit tickets with student reflection, another activity I know I do not do nearly enough, despite knowing its benefits. I would like to set a classroom norm where students know to, with five minutes left in class, open up their Chromebooks and complete the exit ticket every day. I envision this having two parts:

Part 1) Students go to their unit reflection document and review a checklist of things they need to understand for the unit. If they feel they learned and understand something on this checklist, they can mark it as complete. I imagine myself using this checklist at the beginning of class as well, using it to review the objectives for the day ("Hey class, today, our focus will be on #1-3 on our unit checklist!"). They could add example problems and notes to each checkmark they put down, summarizing their understanding. This then transforms this document into something that not only allows students to quickly mark off what they do or do not understand, it becomes a handy set of notes they can reference when studying for a summative assessment.

Part 2) Students fill out a Google form where they reflect on what they did well that period, what they struggled with, and what steps they need to take to improve. My hope would be to develop ownership for their learning and a growth mindset in my students through this regular practice of self-reflection.

My main concerns with this idea are:

• My ability to consistently create a comprehensive checklist for every unit we cover

• Time constraints- 5 minutes each day may not be enough, and I have a bad habit of working to the bell (which is why I have not been consistent with exit tickets in the first place)

• Reading through the reflections adds more work for me each day that I just do not have the time for on top of everything else I need to do

I need to give this idea some more research and thought, but for now, I have created a Google form that could work for Part 2 of this idea.

Let's take a look at one of my pre-algebra quizzes. This was given to my students after several weeks of going through combining like terms, one-step equations, two-step equations, and distribution. They had mini quizzes for the topics that I listed, but this quiz combines them all and is meant to show me which students can demonstrate all of these skills together.

Through this week’s readings in one of my current graduate courses, CEP 800, I learned about the roots of modern theories of behaviorism and several technical terms that allow me to use precise language when discussing learning and human behaviors. I learned that habits can be broken down into a three part system (cue, routine, and reward), and that to change a habit for good, there needs to be belief in oneself and the process (Duhigg, 2012).

One idea that I would like to try and implement more in my life is The Golden Rule. The Golden Rule is to keep the cue and the reward the same, but to change the routine to increase chances for success in changing a habit (Duhigg, 2012). Reflecting on the various habits that I want to modify required me to think metacognitively and break down the reasons why I make certain decisions. It helped me to feel more in control of my actions and that it is possible to change certain habits I have had for the majority of my life.

The various anecdotes of people changing habits were especially inspirational. It also opened my eyes to how much of our “decisions” are actually manipulated by big companies, especially toothpaste (Duhigg, 2012)! Although I would like to think that I would brush my teeth regardless of that tingly sensation that is added to toothpaste for the sole purpose of getting people addicted to brushing their teeth, I do thoroughly enjoy that clean feeling and recognize it as a craving. I tried toothpaste without that minty sensation at my parents’ house, and I now always make sure to bring my own when I go over to their place. At least as long as people know they are being manipulated, they can choose what they allow and will not allow to manipulate them, or to put it bluntly, practice informed manipulation.

The idea that old habits remain dormant and ready to resurface definitely felt relevant to my current situation (Duhigg, 2012). I fell very quickly into old sleep patterns and bad habits when quarantine began. The usual cues for starting my day, like my alarm at 6:30 AM and students waiting for me to begin class at 8:00 AM, were taken away, which then led to a change in my routine (sleeping in), and gave me a different reward (watching t.v., snacking, browsing social media throughout the day). Consistency and structure, despite it seeming automatic throughout the year, definitely needs to be given serious thought when initially being planned out, before it becomes a habit.

I also realized this week that, despite not knowing the technical terminology, I utilize a lot of ideas of behaviorism in my professional life. As a teacher, I frequently use operant conditioning to modify student behaviors. I use positive reinforcements much more frequently than negative reinforcements, whether they be rewards or punishments. Common examples are verbal praise or reprimands for work completion, feedback on assessments, and prizes during review games. Parents seem to commonly use negative punishments, like taking away students’ access to technology, to modify poor student behavior. One way I train my dog also seems to align with connectionism. I praise or give treats when my dog does a positive behavior on her own. In the dog training community, this is called capturing, and it leads to my dog doing those behaviors even when I have not asked for her to do it. My dog connects the action she is doing to the treats she is being given and will offer up that behavior without prompting. The more frequently I capture her behaviors, her association, or as Thorndike might put it, her “bond” between her actions and the treats will become stronger (Resnick & Ford, 1981).

Assessment is something you can’t get away from in teaching. Whether you’re talking about quizzes, tests, quick formative games, or state assessments, they are present in every classroom. They’ve definitely got their uses. It helps students figure out what they do or don’t understand about the material we’re covering in class, and it helps me, the teacher, figure out where the misunderstandings lie. Despite how useful it can be, the way assessment is implemented in classrooms isn’t always the best. They are generally too high-stakes, causing students to stress about the grade and pulling away from what should be the focus (understanding the material). I also find that many of my students have some form of major assessment (by this, I mean one that has a significant impact on their grade) every week. This doesn’t seem to leave them much breathing room to really stop, think, and enjoy the process of learning.

Not only is there very minimal training for teachers on meaningful assessments in and outside of teacher college, but it seems that much of the policies involving assessments is politically driven (never a good sign when people who aren’t educators are making decisions about education). As it is now, assessment seems to, more often than not, act as a hindrance to learning than a great tool to enhance learning. That being said, I haven’t really figured out what better strategies to use in my classroom, which is why I’m hoping to learn a thing or two from my current graduate class, CEP 813.

I do believe, however, technology will be the key in streamlining the testing process and transforming what assessment looks like in the classroom. Already, things have changed for the better since the prehistoric days when Wi-Fi and Chromebooks weren’t common amenities in schools. Tools like Kahoot and Quizizz have significantly increased engagement in thousands of classrooms across the world while allowing teachers to quickly collect valuable data through fun assessments. I’m sure there are so many different ways to revamp assessment and how it’s done in the classroom. It’s just a matter of figuring out how!

Stores are closed, people are out of jobs, students aren’t allowed to go to school, and standardized testing has been cancelled. Of those four things that I just listed, which one doesn’t seem to matter?

I, for one, hope that standardized testing is cancelled forever. The majority of parents, students, and educators I have spoken with agree that over testing needs to stop. Yes, testing has some uses, but the way it’s set up now has detrimental impacts on education. Students are being taught to the test and growing up with the belief that the results of a skewed exam determine their intelligence and worth to society. This goes against almost everything I’ve learned about best practices for meaningful teaching.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shut down our ability to teach our students face-to-face, but teachers across the globe have pulled together to provide quality education in other forms. The lack of pressure about performance on state tests has given us more freedom to slow down, focus on what matters most, and come up with creative ways to deliver material.

This observation and thought process led me to my wicked problem: How do we shift from a culture of standardized testing to one of student-inquiry driven learning? There’re a lot of factors to consider and a lot of questions to ask, but who do I ask?

Enter: Student-Driven Learning Survey

Creating a survey made the most sense. A survey allows me to gather information and viewpoints from an unlimited number of people from vastly different backgrounds. Creating a survey that actually served my purpose, however, was difficult. Some of my original questions had to be taken out because they required too much specialized knowledge, and others were taken out because they were wicked problems themselves (e.g. how can we bridge the financial gap between schools?). In my current grad class, we’ve been learning about the importance of survey design. It pushed me to add variance in question types and to add detail as succinctly and clearly as possible. I learned to identify bias and rephrase questions so that people taking my survey would be comfortable sharing their honest opinion. Despite how simple the survey seems, it took a lot of iterations and feedback to get to that point.

This week, I continued reading A More Beautiful Question and used the inspiration that comes so naturally after reading Berger’s thoughtful words to add more questions to my quickfire Padlet. I then printed off those questions, cut them up individually, brainstormed different ways to organize them into categories, and then spent HOURS creating a sketch-note style video, one of the many challenging and creative MAET assignments.

I have never been very interested in video editing. It seemed tedious, and I assumed it required a lot of specialized knowledge about video editing programs. When I realized I had to make a sketch-note video, I semi-panicked. It turns out, that was pretty unnecessary. Yes, there was a learning curve, and I didn’t have any “proper” equipment, but I found that it was really easy to look up how to do specific functions on iMovie after a quick Google search, and a fun challenge figuring out how to video myself with items lying around the house. I ended up using old paint cans and pieces of IKEA furniture I had been saving for no real reason to create my "studio".

In my current graduate course, CEP 812, we are reading A More Beautiful Question by Warren Berger. In this book, Berger discusses the important role questioning has to play in sparking thoughtful and powerful change in all areas of life, including, but not limited to, business and education. While reading A More Beautiful Question, I first felt inspired, but then almost immediately overwhelmed. It felt like the descriptions of what teachers shouldn’t do fit exactly what I have been doing as an educator. I am guilty of using a “businesslike efficiency” to “impart as much information as possible to students, within a given time frame, leaving little or no time for student inquiry (Berger, 2014, p. 47).” I felt ashamed for being such a subpar teacher and frustrated because that was how I was taught growing up. Could I be much smarter (whatever that means) and a better teacher if I had been brought up differently? How much responsibility is in my hands versus the schools? Or even my parents? What part does culture have to play? No one can be blamed in my family. My family story is one of American immigrants where we started off with nothing and came to this country to build a life. A life like that doesn’t leave a lot of room for parents to invest a ton of focus on growing questioning skills. The same applies to many of my low-income and immigrant students. What can I as an educator do to help them not end up like me? Is being like me a bad thing? Do I not question enough? I feel like I’m questioning a lot right now.

After this initial onslaught of self-doubt and despair, I realized the answer to one of my questions. The responsibility of what kind of educator I am and can become is mine. Yes, outside factors will affect my actions, especially when my job depends on it, but that doesn’t mean I can’t “fail forward” and attempt new ideas that will push me to become a better educator (Berger, 2014, p. 37). Whether or not my attempts succeed or fail, I will have succeeded in generating new questions that would “generate whole new fields of inquiry (Berger, 2014, p. 16).” I’ve always been a huge proponent of self-reflection, and spending some time generating questions is a wonderful way to kickstart that process.

One of this week’s tasks for my graduate course was to set a timer for five minutes and jot down a constant stream of questions related to my practice (teaching math). There are so many questions to ask about education that I was initially unsure of which question to pick to start. Once I asked my first question, I began to pick up speed. One thought led to another naturally. At the end of five minutes, I had asked several big picture questions for a variety of different aspects of education that I normally wouldn’t even think about.