1. Assessing Students
through Reflections and
Writing
Presented by Melissa Smith
@edutechsmith
Image from http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.aspx?qu=quill%20pens#ai:MC900312512|mt:1|

2. Back Channeling
It is where your audience has the opportunity to ask
questions, make comments, actively listen and
participate in order to make deeper connections and
demonstrate their understanding
Chatzy.com vs. Edmodo
Chatzy – True back channel – Room focused on topic
– Bad feature = clear room content
Edmodo – Must spend time setting up student
accounts. No posing as someone else. But
conversations can’t be embedded and aren’t just for
specific chat

3. Give students directions
on what to back channel
 “Ah ha” moments
 Take notes
 Ideas on how to integrate it
 Share your knowledge or experience
 Post / Ask questions

4. 10 important skills that every
student should obtain from
educators and school
stakeholders perspective.
1. Read 6. Be resourceful
2. Type 7. Be accountable
3. Write
8. Know how to learn
4. Communicate
9. Think critically
effectively, and with
respect
10. Be happy
5. Question
http://www.eschoolnews.com/2011/08/11/ten-skills-every-student-should-learn/?

5. Bloom’s
Then and Now
Images from http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/Bloom%27s+-+Introduction

6. Let’s look at each level more
closely and think: What activity
do you have your students do
or could do to facilitate
learning?

7. Remembering. . .
Describing
Bookmarking
Identifying
Bullet pointing

8. Understanding. . .
Commenting
Back Channeling
Searching
Journaling

9. Applying. . .
Organizing
Linking
Validating

10. Analyzing. . .
Sharing
Uploading
Using
Editing

11. Evaluating. . .
Blog commenting
Posting
Reviewing
Collaborating

12. Creating . . .
Blogging
Podcasting
Videocasting
Mixing

13. How can you tap into your
students in order to assess
them while they apply their
knowledge in an authentic
higher level way?

15. What is a Student Scriber?
A student who records what they are learning on a daily
basis
A student who reteaches and posts the newest concept
being explained in class
Students digitally scribing their learning
experiences, archiving it electronically to give access to
it later or continue the activity in a timeless way

16. Benefits of Student
Scribers allowing for
Shifts control from teacher to student
students to manage their own learning
Forces students to become more responsible
Causes students to take better notes
Improves social dynamics within the classroom
Gives every voice a chance to be heard
Extends the class day
Motivates students internally
Obtains the 21st Century life skill of digital
communication

17. Where to put the scribes?
Blogger (Google’s Blog) – remove the “next”
button
Posterous – easy to use
Word Press – only for the web savvy
KidBlog – excellent for the primary students
Wiki – Your own virtual 3 ring binder with as
many sections as you want!
VoiceThread – Thread per student?

18. What Posts Will Show You
Students in charge of posting will more likely
come to the teacher or peer expert to better
understand concept if he/she has questions
Authentic assessment and better form of
understanding what exactly students know and
don’t know (Allow student scribers to actually
scribe what they aren’t sure of themselves.
Other students will comment with help!)
Scribing and commenting students will post
external sites that correspond with the learning

19. Darren Kuropatwa’s
Students Scribing Set up
The Assignment: Summarize or demonstrate what you
learned well enough to have others be able to learn from
you.
• Teacher assigns who will scribe.
• Think about:
• Scribe per: concept? unit? chapter? class?
• Class blog? Student blog?
• Require everyone to comment at least xtime(s) a week?
• Give class time to look at post:
Morning message time?
Before starting same subject lesson?
• (I and I wish routine)

20. How to Write
Rich and Meaningful
Comments
Its purpose is to stimulate discussion
Gives an opinion with support
Application or mention of correct terminology or
information from studies
Writes a reflection connecting with self or real
world

21. Things to Address with
Students Before Starting
Digital Citizenship
(having respect and patience of others)
2 types of writing: Formal and Informal
(To text abbreviate or not, that is the question.)
Positive and purposeful online attitude
Looking for effort

22. Teacher Expectations
(Let it be known ahead of time and
incorporate it into your rubric!)
Participation (require they do their assignment +
comment/respond to others "x" number of times)
On time
Rich comments
Grammar/spelling
Uniqueness
Correlates with topic

23. Changes Purpose of Work
Flow of student work without technology
component.
Student does Teacher Students look at Learning
work comments and grade then throw for the
grades away work
Grade
Flow of student work with technology component.
Non
Student posts Teachers, Peers, Student reviews
work and Global comments and Artificial
Audience makes Form of
Comment improvements
Learning

24. Brainstorm Forms of
Scribing
• Scan • Cut & Paste • Garageband • Screencast
Audio
Video
Paper
• Photo
Electronic Paper • Save as • Audioboo • Jing
Image
• MP3 • Flip
• Upload
• Voki • Smartphone
• Embed
• VoiceThread
• Dabbleboard

25. Some Examples