Share and discuss 2 digital assessment tools that can be used in traditional, hybrid, and full virtual learning environments. Discuss the PRO and CONS of the tools.

The first digital assessment tool I would like to highlight is Discovery Education, which is an online science, social studies, math, and STEM textbook. I chose this platform because it is widely used throughout our 4th and 5th grade classrooms to augment science instruction. Therefore I am well versed in how to utilize this platform and am familiar with its many features from a scientific standpoint. The content information is broken down by grade level (K-12) and then by topic, or ‘units of study’. The information is further categorized into the headings of Explore, Explain, Elaborate with STEM, and Evaluate. I like this platform because it is fairly easy to navigate and the information is dispensed in a format that is easy to understand for the student. Additionally, Discovery Ed provides several activities and short formative assessments throughout the text of each unit that are both interactive and engaging. These features also serve as a means for the teacher to determine if the student is comprehending the material. Another positive aspect of this platform is that it can be easily utilized in a traditional and/or hybrid classroom, as well as a total virtual format, which I personally experienced during the pandemic with my own students.

One of the drawbacks, or ‘cons’, of Discovery Education is that the text for each unit, although broken down into a user-friendly format, tends to be on the lengthy side. Furthermore, until the child learns how to navigate the ‘textbook’ and becomes acclimated with its layout and features, it could appear intimidating, especially considering the content material. These aspects could be a deterrent for the student when they are first introduced to it.

The second digital assessment tool I chose is Google Forms. As we learned in our Instructional Technology class this week, this multifaceted component of Google Workspace is very versatile and can be manipulated in a number of ways in assessing students. In addition, it can be tailored to any subject matter, and its format can be manipulated to be as simple or as complex as needed. We have utilized this tool extensively with our 4th and 5th graders as an assessment for their personal and ‘Book Club’ reading books. I particularly like Google Forms because it is user-friendly and provides the teacher with a vehicle to convey feedback in an expeditious manner.

The only ‘con’ or drawback of Google Forms that I have encountered with this tool is that when Google periodically implements updates, the settings on the forms that we have in place for our personal grading purposes are somehow changed. There have been instances in which a Google quiz will be ‘unsubmitted’ and returned to a student to make corrections and all of the students’ previous answers were entirely deleted. The process of figuring out which settings now have to be ‘on’ or ‘off’ can take some time and a lot of ‘trial and error’.