Chapter 10

     

     Assessment activities are used so that in assessing the results of the activities one can also assess the learner’s performance (Jonassen, Howland, Marra, Crismond 2008).  As teachers our responsibility is to assess our students then we gather and analyze the results to determine learning achievements.  Through this process we can tell if the student is on task or requires some form of intervention.  
     An e-portfolio is a way of collecting digital artifacts in a comprehensible way that will represent a student’s learning outcomes (Jonassen, Howland, Marra, Crismond 2008).  There are three types: 

1. Working portfolios – students have feedback and time to improve their portfolios.
2. In standards-based portfolios – teachers define the content based on curricular requirements. 
3. External evaluation – generally summative and created for an external audience.

For the teacher these portfolios offer flexibility because they can be created over time and it also demonstrates student growth.  For the student these can be used to show their ability to create, present, and complete an assignment demonstrating student growth in their content area.  They are also able to take pride in the portfolio because it is a product of their hard work.  Computer-based tests requires that it be completed on  the computer.  Its main value is that they can be used to collect feedback on students progress and these tests make it easy for the teacher to gather the data.  These tests can impact validity when teachers generate poorly constructed tests.  There are tools that make the creation process easy but it is up to the teacher to write a well-structured test to begin with (Jonasen, Howland, Marra, Crismond 2008).

     Chapter 10 on the e-portfolio was very interesting.  I personally look forward to using e-portfolios with my students.  The flexibility they offer is especially attractive as a teacher.  I will be able to assess them on a unit, grading period, or per subject.  The children of today are more technologically literate than we are so they will take to this quite easily.  I cannot wait to see the works my students will produce.

References

Jonassen, Howland, Marra, Crismond (2008).  Meaningful Learning with Technology.  Columbus, OH: Pearson Prentice Hall