Tag Archives: assessment

Numbers and iPad for Student Assessment

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In a previous post and during a few conference presentations, I discussed how I use Google forms and an iPad to assess my students on a daily basis. Shortly after the start of the school year, I realized that I had to change my plans on assessing my students. My school has added several new teachers this year and more students have devices that use WiFi which was slowing down my use of Google forms in the classroom. It was taking too long for the form to submit and I found myself wasting time waiting on the Internet.

I still wanted to assess students in the same method, but without using a Google form. I have started using Numbers for the iPad. While I did not set it up as a form, I did create a spreadsheet on my laptop that included all of the students names in one column and my grading tenets in each of the other columns. Using my iDisk account, I was able to transfer the documents for each class to my iPad. I enter the grades as I am walking around to each students work into the copy on my iPad. At the end of class, I copy the document back to my iDisk account and open the document on my laptop so I can copy and paste the grades into the gradebook.

The total process does involve a few more steps, but the biggest benefit right now for me is that I am not dependent on WiFi to grade the students work.

Show and Tell

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Yesterday’s post discussed my decision to do a demo for my presentation instead of a hands-on activity. The limited time of my sessions was the leading factor in my decision, but I think another surpassed it today. That factor was actual interest in using the iPad for student assessment.

The teachers on campus had to choose four separate topics from a selection of eight to attend. I presented three times and assisted another teacher during his presentation during the fourth. I think my best session was actually the best one. It was my fullest session, despite the request from administration, to limit each session to fifteen teachers. I know that I was over fifteen, but I don’t have the heart to turn anyone away. In this first session, I’m estimating that all but two or three teachers will actually use the iPad to assess students in their classes. The group was tech savvy and asked quality questions throughout the presentation.

My second session was small with five teachers. Most of these teachers will probably not use the iPad for assessment, but were there to be informed about what I am doing in the class. While the may not have been interested specifically in student assessment, they did ask great questions about other apps I use and whether or not they can be used on an iPod effectively. The last session I presented had about fifteen teachers, but only about four or five will seriously consider using the iPad to assess students.

These last two groups are why I am glad that I didn’t do a hands-on presentation. I don’t think there is anything more difficult than teaching hands-on technology to people that don’t want to use it. My time will be better served by giving an intro, provide a resource for teachers to do step-by-step, and make myself available for one-on-one help.

Demo vs. Presentation

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Tomorrow is the first official day back for teachers in Clark County. I say official because I (and several other teachers) have been back to work for the last couple of weeks. The first day back is typically filled with staff development and tomorrow is no exception. The teachers on our campus can choose four sessions attend from ten potential options. I am responsible for presenting during three of the four sessions and assisting another teacher in the fourth session.

I am presenting a variation of my NACTE presentation on using the iPad and Google Apps. The focus of my presentation is on creating forms in Google Docs and use the forms on an iPad for student assessment. I have created a Prezi presentation that shows the step-by-step process of setting up the forms and the iPad. My concern is that I will not have enough time, about 45 minutes, to have each teacher work through each step.

What I have decided is to do a live demonstration from beginning to end on the entire process. If there is time at the end of each session, teachers can start to create any forms. I am usually not a fan of doing live demos because since so much can go wrong when using Internet-based technologies, but at least I have the Prezi downloaded in case something goes wrong.