Assessment Tools
Technology-based assessment tools, particularly for formative assessment, are excellent ways to check in with how students are doing in your class and adjust instruction based on results. They can provide you with the need data to change or adapt your lesson plan. Using online assessment tools can allow for faster feedback and results for both you and your students.
Formative Assessments
Bell Ringers & Exit Tickets
Bell ringers are great activities to use when starting your class to check for understanding on a topic. These tools can help you gauge how the class overall feels about a topic, as well as see individual responses.
Exit tickets are very similar to Bell ringer activities, except they check for understanding at the end of a class period, or unit. Some of the same tools can be used for both Bell ringers and Exit tickets, it is how you use them that changes. Think of whether you want open ended questions or more closed, multiple-choice questions to drive what tools you use. Keep in mind that most of these tools are intended to be used synchronously (i.e. all students in a classroom respond at the same time).
Tools that support Bell Ringers & Exit Tickets:
Quizziz is a fun tool that takes quizzes and polling to the next level. Can be used with time limits or without. Students see answer choices on their screen and the assessments are self-paced. Students receive instant feedback on their answers and it provides your with spreadsheet of responses. You can also track the IP address students are using to hold them more accountable.
|
Plickers is the great solution for teachers that are in a one iPad/tablet classroom. You can create multiple choice quizzes/polls and then use their own personalized QR code to show their answer.
|
Google Form Quizzes allow self-grading, data collection and display to use formative results immediately in classes. At the "home page" for Google Forms, users can choose a template or start a quiz from scratch with a blank form by typing forms.new into the address bar
|
Actively Learn is an interactive eReader that allows teachers to embed formative or summative assessment questions in readings - teachers can upload an article or use ready-to-go readings. Free accounts limit how many articles can be uploaded per month.
|
Summative Assessments - Tests/Quizzes
Traditionally when we think about Summative Assessment, quizzes, tests, papers and projects come to mind. The advantage of using online quizzing or polling tools is that they allow for easier data collection and grading for the instructor. Some of these tools grade automatically, while some just provide you with answers for you to grade. However, all will give you data that you can compile to get an overall look at how the students in your class performed.
Canvas by Instructure is a learning management system like Moodle, Blackboard, etc. and you can create your own free account to add tests, practice with online rubrics, etc. North Carolina has adopted Canvas as its LMS for Virtual Public Schools and for many public systems.
Get a Canvas account by going to canvas.instructure.com and select "Click Here, It's Free!" Click on "Start a New Course" and name your practice course. Then go through the Setup Checklist to add students, assignments, etc. Click on Quizzes once you are in the course and then the +Quiz button to create your quiz. |
Socrative uses a “room” system, and students enter a teacher’s “room” to begin an assessment. Assessments can include traditional, open response or multiple choice quizzes, exit tickets, and even the fast paced Space Race group activity. Socrative is designed for synchronous usage (i.e. all students in a classroom respond at the same time). Check out this intro Socrative video and the entire Socrative YouTube Channel. |