Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Learning About Using Web Tools for Alternative Assessments

Over the past year, I have blogged about a number of Web 2.0 tools that teachers can use to to increase student engagement and support learning. I've shared tools with teachers and helped them integrate Web 2.0 tools into classroom lessons.  As teachers become comfortable with using the tools, the next step in the learning continuum is to use Web 2.0 tools for assessment for and of learning.  I encourage teachers to try an alternative means of assessing student learning and I know teachers like examples so I am sharing a blog post and a slideshow on alternative assessments.

In his blog Teaching Science and Math, David Wertzel wrote 5 Alternative Assessment Techniques in Science and Math  He keeps it simple and provides excellent suggestions for assessing with and without technology.  If you are a math or science teachers, consider following Wertzel's blog.  

Here is another example, a Slideshare presentation, Using the Web 2.0 for Alternative Assessment in ELT by Cecilia Lemos.

Using the web 20 for alternative assessment
View more presentations from cecilialcoelho

I believe technology can help teachers provide quality formative and summative assessments and it does not need to be burdensome.  Check out these ideas and try something new this month.  Keep it simple by beginning with a Web 2.0 tool you and your students are comfortable using.  Think about how you can "reframe" a traditional assessment using an online tool.

As always, if you have ideas for using technology for alternative assessments, please share your idea in a comment.