Effectively Assessing Learning.

Meaningful feedback is at the core of learning. Without knowing how the student is coping with the massive amounts of data and information being hurled at them on a daily basis, how can we expect them to preform to a standardized metric? We assign lesson reviews and quizzes, which indeed are metrics for seeing where students lie in their comprehension of  material, but by the time these are handed out and graded the time allotted for instruction has passed. We are able to determine whether or not the individual student is grasping important information, but frequently are unable to help those who are in need of further instruction in the classroom.

"You didn't understand the lesson? 

Too bad, get ready for the next unit: 'The Great Depression'."

   

   If instructors had feedback that ran parallel to the lesson being taught, specific focus and clarification could be planned for as early as the later classes that day. We rely on students to speak up if they don't understand, or to ask more questions. I submit that if this was simply the case, we would have no-one failing any classes. So, how are we to be expected to get rapid feedback from student assessments if the only bits we get are from tests and other papers that cut into classroom time? There exists an option in resources such as QUIZDOM.

I think James T. Kirk attended here...

   We've discussed asynchronous learning here before, but what about face to face instruction; how can that be aided by some razzmatazz techno-babble? Quizdom is a solution that allows the lesson to be delivered by the instructor in class (as well as out) that allows teachers to assess the learning of their students with instant feedback on a student by student basis. We all know that students are going to smuggle their phones and laptops into the class, so we may as well put those puppies to work. Quizdom calls this approach a BYOD (Bring your own device) situation, which, let's face it, would chip a little at those precious budgets that are closely guarded by dragons (sources needed). The teacher has the ability to better structure the lesson plan to accommodate struggling students or close any gaps in the delivery. Students won't have to catch up, and instructors know the efficiency of their lessons. That is a win-win.