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Judy Jackson
EDU 225
December 5, 2015
Mr. M
Video Tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tTcCImSxBo

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Part 1: Assessment Technology

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Part 2: Blog Post (DELETE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE POSTING

ASSIGNMENT!)
Using Technology to Improve the Classroom
Alexander Graham Bell, one of the greatest inventors to live and the inventor of the
telephone stated these words. "The inventor looks upon the world and is not contented with
things as they are. He wants to improve whatever he sees, he wants to benefit the world; he is
haunted by an idea. The spirit of invention possesses him, seeking materialization." Technology
is fluid and continually changing. Many inventors are plagued with ideas of how to improve the
skills of man and to make life easier for those who can benefit from this expertise. Teachers have
tapped into the modern forms of technology looking for assistance to help teach and educate

their students. Teachers can find many legitimate sites on the internet, from the ease of their
classroom, for assistance in a child's education. These site are a necessity because of the many
diverse and different form of teaching, educators can use software such as SOTO (Student OnTask Observation, Special Education Edition: eCOVE Observation Software and Easy
Assessment - Rubric Creation & Assessment Tool for Teachers for student monitoring and
assessment.
"Technology to Facilitate Ongoing Efforts to Assess Student Learning
Teachers today are busy with meeting the districts standards for each classroom, drilling
students on upcoming tests and ensuring that each student is receiving an equal education. "Since
the computer almost surely will remain one of the major foci of todays technologically oriented
workforce, educators can feel secure teaching children basic computing knowledgemore
specifically data input, or keyboarding." Teachers can utilize technology to facilitate ongoing
efforts to assess student learning in the classroom by using the most up to date technology
possible for an easy transition from student inexperience to student comprehension. Using
software as a teaching assistant will help the classroom run smoother and help bring the child
into the 21st century. Teachers mentor students on how to use the simplest forms of technology
and help incorporate software into the daily training, removing the feeling, of students feeling
overwhelmed. Many of today's software programs have fun games to play, puzzles to complete
and exciting stories to read, the student thinks it is all fun and games but these software programs
are assisting in the students training. The traditional classroom where the teacher stands at the
front of the classroom and instructs is becoming outdated, Intuit.com, states, "With new
software, reference applications, and e-classroom learning techniques, has become an important
tool for teachers at all grade levels." (Parker, J., & Lazaros, E. J. 2014, pg. 24). Think of the e-

classroom as an important source for educating many who cannot sit in a standard classroom
seeking an education.
SOTO
SOTO (Student On-Task Observation), Student behavioral observation methods and
techniques are a simple and effective way to gather insightful data on students and SOTO App is
an excellent tool to help teachers. This software assists the teacher, school staff, and even the
administrators by observing the behaviors of the students. The results of using this program
summarizes observation data, creates graphs of observation results and there is no need for paper
or even the need to watch a clock while the student is actively involved in their work. "Learning
environments are most effective when learners are actively involved in constructing their own
meanings and doing so within authentic learning Situations" (Elorriaga, J., Arruarte, A., Calvo,
I., Larraaga, M., Rueda, U., & Herrn, E. 2013, pg. 1293). This program records on and off task
data, within structured within timed intervals. Describe how teachers could use this specific
software to assess student learning. Provide an example of how a teacher would use it in your
classroom.
e-COVE Observation Software
e-COVE Observation Software gathers objective data while observing teaching
practices and student behavior. This software gathers objective and subjective data in the form of
templates. This observation tool collects data from each districts assessment needs and creates
objective data, using a plus checklist and scale tools. Nine very easy to use timer, counter,
checklist, and scale tools included with more available. This system can be used on iPad, iPhone,
iTouch.Describe how teachers could use this specific software to assess student learning. Provide
an example of how a teacher would use it in your classroom. This software assists the teacher

with the classroom environment recording items related to the activities issued by the teacher. It
also helps with classroom instruction by recording the judgement of the observer in items related
to classroom instruction. Teachers use this program for class learning time, environment to track
the level of questions and many more classroom assisted tools.
Easy Assessment - Rubric Creation & Assessment Tool for Teachers
Easy Assessment - Rubric Creation & Assessment Tool for Teachers is a simple way to
capture and assess performance in any context or situation. Teachers can use this software to add
and manage small groups of students and easily develop a rubric in two simple steps-video
image Note Taking-Written Comments-Send Results-Record Keeping. Teachers can use videos
to record doing tasks and using these videos later instead of writing. The teacher can add a text to
the video and make comments on students during their assessments. Spreadsheet in the software
is on file to view the results of the student on an individual basis.
(Formative and Summative Assessments)
The difference between formative assessment and summative assessment is formative
assessment is to monitor student learning to provide ongoing feedback that can be used by
instructors to improve their teaching and by students to improve their learning. Summative
assessment is to evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional unit by comparing it
against some standard or benchmark. Formative assessment and summative assessment is used in
the form of a computer where the teacher helps the students identify their strengths and
weaknesses and target those areas that need work (formative). Computers can be used in a
midterm exam (summative). Because most textbooks are on line, students have the access of
viewing tests at the end of each chapter (formative), before taking a final test at the end of the
semester (summative). Teachers use cell phones to send information to students on a weekly

basis that contain test-imbedded videos explaining what is expected of them to complete the
exercise. Teachers can use the internet and flash cards to monitor students as the answer,
complete each set of flash cards (formative) and students then turn in a final paper (summative).
Formative assessment and summative assessment go hand in hand when you use formative
assessment to prepare the student and help the student recognize problems before using
summative assessment for a final answer to the knowledge learned in the classroom
Pros and Cons of using Technology to Facilitate Assessment
Using technology to simplify assessment in the classroom improves validity and
placement with learning effects and allows the teacher to assess a wide range of student's skills
and abilities beyond simply recall. Tasks become easier allowing a wider range of skills to be
tested in different ways. Student's commitment improves and promotes a deeper learning.
Technology can boost the students visits by enabling diverse assessment methods to be applied
and employed, supporting active learning, allowing students more formative assessment and by
extension promoting deeper learning and improvements in grades. Finances can become very
costly when applying technology along with an ample amount of time applied when installing
and keeping technology up to date. There is an additional cost for technicians who specialize in
computers and the latest software updates. When using computers the student can feel a sense of
isolations and the teacher can have problems confirming the identity of students completing
work outside the classroom. One of the biggest problems that occur is student, teacher, and staff
resistance to change. In today's world teachers, have a difficult job assessing students work with
so many diverse persons in the classroom today. Taking the time to assess the student by using
the formative testing will help the teacher to manage and assess the child when it is time for
summative assessments or high stakes tests. "Studies have indicated that if applied properly,

assessment can make a great contribution to learners learning." (Chao, K., Hung, I., & Chen, N.
2012, pg. 379). Teachers who properly assess the students receive feedback that helps them
strengthen the skills needed to face the world.
Conclusion
Those who look upon the world and are not content with the way things are, certainly
include teachers and their students. Teachers live to improve the world through their students and
students live to improve the world to live better when they become adults. Technology is there to
help in a world that is continually changing and in this diverse world with so many different
cultures, teachers have tapped into the modern forms of technology looking for assistance to help
teach and educate their students. Many sites are available to use to assist in the improvement of
student learning which is a necessity because of the many diverse and different form of teaching,
educators often use software such as SOTO (Student On-Task Observation, Special Education
Edition: eCOVE Observation Software and Easy Assessment - Rubric Creation & Assessment
Tool for Teachers for student monitoring and assessment.

References
Chao, K., Hung, I., & Chen, N. (2012). On the design of online synchronous assessments in a
synchronous cyber classroom. Journal Of Computer Assisted Learning, 28(4), 379-395.
doi:10.1111/j.1365-2729.2011.00463.x
Elorriaga, J., Arruarte, A., Calvo, I., Larraaga, M., Rueda, U., & Herrn, E. (2013).
Collaborative concept mapping activities in a classroom scenario. Behaviour &

Information Technology, 32(12), 1292-1304. doi:10.1080/0144929X.2011.632649

Parker, J., & Lazaros, E. J. (2014). teaching 21st century skills and STEM concepts in the
elementary classroom. Children's Technology & Engineering, 18(4), 24-27.

References

Use the GCU library to research a minimum of three to five peer-reviewed

articles that can be used in support of your content. You cannot
have references listed here without having in-text citations stating
where you used these references in the body of your paper. See the
instructor add-ons section of the classroom to view how to cite from
the GCU library. There is a built-in reference tool there.