checking for understanding in the digital age

Checking for Understanding in the Digital Age

Using Analytics (Sort of)

Anita GarnsworthyeLearning CoordinatorMt Alvernia College

@Annitixgarna@mta.qld.edu.au

www.anitag.me

Technology

Improving Student Learning...

Pedagogy >

Technology

Improving Student Learning...

Relationship >

Pedagogy >

Technology

Improving Student Learning...

Wesley Fryer, I am here for the Learning Revolution, http://goo.gl/m8zbSQ, CC BY-SA 2.0

How can technology

inform my pedagogy

and improve my relationships with my students to improve their learning ?

How?

With Analytics

data to inform my understanding of exactly where my students are at

We’re not

so we can’t collect the types of data they can

but we can start in small ways

Example 1

Learning Goals Quiz

Based on learning goals

Uses student friendly language

Completed every week\few weeks

Students aware that it is just for my use to help me improve my teaching and so that I can feel confident that they are moving forward in their understanding\achievement of the learning goals

Key Features

I know how my students view their progress in their understanding of learning goals

I can feel confident my students are progressing in their understanding of learning goals

Students can see their own improvement when they move up a level in their answers which -

Builds confidence in the students

I know where I have to direct small group tutorials in class

I know if I have to reteach something

What is gained from this?

Example 2

Blogs and Comments

Students blog each week on what they have learned in class

Students comment on one another’s posts - 2 comments a week - if 2 people have already commented then they can comment but need to find someone else (ensures all students get 2 comments)

Key Features

I have evidence of students’ understanding of the subject matter

Students gain a clearer understanding of the topics learned when they have to synthesize it into a blog post

Students have an opportunity to build a positive digital footprint (something we value)

Students have the opportunity to learn how to offer constructive criticism in a polite way

Students have the opportunity to learn to take criticism

What is gained from this?

Example 3

Khan Academy

We probably all know Khan Academy has videos

But did you know...

It has a pretest to map out a basic starting point (that self adjusts during testing)

It suggests activities based on data collected

Teachers can tell how long students took working on a problem, their problem solving strategies (videos and hints)

Analytics in Khan Academy

Diagnostic gaps - identify gaps in understanding key concepts

Targeted intervention - more quickly identify students who are struggling with a specific concept

Diagnosis of student learning - see step by step how a student went about problem solving a question

Real time motivation - track the class’ activity level (works well to get students back on task)

Analytics in Khan Academy

Link to info on analyzing Khan's Data Reporthttp://s3.amazonaws.com/KA-share/Toolkit-photos/Data-reference.pdf

What is the teacher doing?

working with the student who needs them...

Example 4

Questions

students should haveto ask a question every day

Alan November

Works well with a flipped classroom model

After viewing some source material - video, reading...

Students are required to ask a question to clarify their understanding or to indicate how they would like to extend their knowledge

Questions are shared with the group

Key Features

Link to the HOT Questions Startershttp://personal.crocodoc.com/gAo1zr7

Students have to think of what they have learned in order to ask a question to extend their learning

Students learn to ask higher order thinking (HOT) questions which encourages students to think at this level on other occasions

Teacher gets insight into how students are thinking and what they want to know - leads to more effective lesson planning

Teacher gets a bank of inquiry questions

What is gained from this?

Thank You

Any Questions?

Anita GarnsworthyeLearning CoordinatorMt Alvernia College

garna@mta.qld.edu.au@Annitix

www.anitag.me