Objective Assessments

Are tests the only objective assessments of student learning?

  Tests are always going to be part of a student’s school experience, but not all tests are created equal!  Objective assessments such as multiple choice, true/false, and short answer can be given via computer instead of paper.  If the students are interested in the delivery of the test, they may perform better in the long run.  What about students who have learning disabilities involving illegible hand writing?  Completing an online test might be an answer to their issue! They know their letters, and spelling is not the problem so why not use keyboarding or typing instead of handwriting.

   Are there other objective assessments available?       Yes! 

I use projects as an assessment.  This includes Internet Scavenger Hunts, Bio-Poems about famous Hispanic people or holidays, Travel agency reports on Spanish-speaking countries, and power point presentations on animals from the Latin American Rainforest.  As I learn how to integrate more technology into my classroom, I will expand my list of objective assessments!!

In conclusion, there are many types of assessments and manners of delivery available for teachers to use instead of “tests”.  I may be teaching the same content year after year, but that doesn’t mean I can’t use a different way to assess what my students learned!

Mod 6-Technology-infused classroom

I envision a chalk less room with gleaming white walls, white boards, a SMART Board with all necessary equipment, a class set of computers, with IPods or MP3 players, and a state of the art sound system.  Maybe I could include a “Holodeck” from Star Trek! 
This sounds extreme and maybe impossible to achieve, but a girl can dream!  My school is striving towards incorporating more technology into the classrooms, but I’m not sure if it’s feasible to do this in our current economic situation.
How can I obtain all this technology?  Honestly, I’m not sure.  Grants may be the answer.  Unfortunately finding the money to maintain the technology could be a problem. When my department chair asks for special requests, I will put in for whatever technology the school can afford.
Until then, I’ll continue to use the DLP projector, software, and my 1990’s movie screen to show power points, review for tests, and do interactive activities.  I’ll add other activities and presentations as I find time to make them or download them from the Internet!

Blog 2-Internet in the classroom

The Internet can provide real-world audio and visual experiences for students.  Teachers can use this as an enhancement for their lessons and teaching methods.  This may include locating audio/video clips pertaining to a unit, video conferencing with another class, using web graphic organizers to summarize a concept, and displaying a photo for a picture prompt activity.

I think of posters and photos when I hear about visual-thinking.  I use some of my travel pictures to have my students write about what is going on.  Sometimes I’ll use one of my travel posters from the Spanish Embassy to spark a discussion or story. I’m not sure how much I’ll use the Internet for visual-thinking.  I hope to include more in my plans and class activities in the next month or so.

Schools are impacted by the Internet in many different ways.  It connects the students to the world and gives them an opportunity to see places they may never visit and hear native words and music.  This is especially true in the World Language classroom.  I plan to use the Internet to take my students on Virtual journeys they’ll enjoy!  Budget cuts and a slow economy lower the chances for students and teachers to travel to distance lands.  The Internet can bring the world closer home. And you don’t need a passport! 

Blog 1-strategies and technology

I believe there are two main points for the importance of using a variety of instructional strategies in education. The first is variety limits the potential of a boring lesson or presentation. The second is by using the different strategies gives the teacher an opportunity to potentially reach more learners. There is more than one method of learning so it makes sense to have more than one method or strategy to teach.


In my experience, technology enhances instruction in different ways. Think about it. Shouldn’t the 21st Century learner be exposed to instruction using 21st Century technology? My students like to interact with the lesson. Technology can help the teacher make the lessons and activities interesting and therefore keeping the attention of the learners.

I plan to integrate more technology in my planning and classroom. I was surprised by the statistics available at the Nondestructive Testing (NDT) Resource Center. These statistics deal with different learning methods and the percentages show which methods have the highest retention rates for learners. For more information about the constructivist theory, please go to the following link.

http://www.ndt-ed.org/TeachingResources/ClassroomTips/Constructivist%20_Learning.htm .
Thanks for reading!!!
Carol