Assignment 5

Chapter 16 of Podcasting for Teachers makes several good points about the benefits a podcast has in the classroom.  The Internet (and its related technologies) has created a world where information is freely accessible and easily shared with just about anyone. Information’s fluctuating nature is intensified, and hence shortens the shelf life of printed material. Grade school kids were born into this environment and can also manipulate, access, create and swap information with ease on multiple levels. To them, textbooks may seem irrelevant to their lives since their reality belongs to one where information moves so much faster.  On page 254, authors highlight the fact that podcasts are constantly being refreshed.  This means that teachers can use them to freshen their printed materials and enliven their content curriculum.  Moreover, teachers are validating the reality of the situation that students live in this way, and thus making learning more authentic and differentiating content to learners’ interest. 

Both readings refer to the use of technology as methods of assessment.  They both also agree that assessments are an essential component of authentic activities.  These assessments must include at least the following characteristics: clearly articulated criteria by which students are graded, and a section that encourages accountability for cooperative work.  It is also interesting to me that they both use rubrics as the key example.  They are great tools, but I did not understand what the authors were saying in Meaningful Learning with Technology (page 230-231) when they opposed the use of the ratings earned on rubric as a source for teachers to pulls grades or scores on the project.  How are we supposed to score the assignment?  And isn’t that what rubrics are for? To help teachers grade/assess an assignment?

This reading also prompted me to seek out technologies that help teachers with the recording of grades and allowing students to view their progress.  More specifically, I sought to find a program that went beyond being a grade book and would allow the uploading of rubrics, student portfolio pieces, comments and pictures on view for the teacher, student and parent(s).  This would essentially merge the attributes of an e-portfolio and a basic grader. 

Unfortunately, I have not been too successful.  There certainly is an abundance of grading programs available, but they are rarely more than glorified digital spreadsheets. Blackboard on the other hand comes very close to fulfilling my wishes in that its features allow learning and assessment to be housed on a centralized platform.  However, it would be even better if grades given could be linked to the rubric and/or finished assignment, whether it be a digital snapshot taken by the teacher or through student submission via Blackboard.  Beyond being a powerful archiving tool for teachers, I believe such a feature would help students develop metacognition on a more effective level and allow the e-Portfolio concepts become more feasible for teachers to mesh with their everyday teaching “habits.”