Technology and Assessment

Billings, K. (2004). Online Assessment: Perspectives of Developers. Media
       & Methods, 40(4), 26-27. Retrieved from Library, Information Science
       & Technology Abstracts database.

Hew, K., & Brush, T. (2007). Integrating Technology into K-12 Teaching
       and Learning: Current Knowledge Gaps and Recommendations for
       Future Research. Educational Technology Research and
       Development, 55(3), 223-252. Retrieved from ERIC database.

As I read the article for this week, I thought it was interesting that the authors shared that often schools focus on how they could use technology to administer an assessment, instead of using it to teach the skills that the students need to complete the assessment (Hew & Brush, 2007, p. 230). While using technology to give an assessment is utilizing technology in the classroom, I thought it was interesting that the authors did not recognize this as technology integration. They made this distinction because the term "technology integration" specifically relates to a teacher's instruction (Hew & Brush, 2007, p. 230). This part of the article jumped out at me because I have had to administer assessments using technology, and I question the value that this format has for students.

As a fifth grade classroom teacher, I am expected to prepare my students for state assessments in math, reading, and science. Math and reading are normal paper/pencil tests, but the science assessment is conducted on the computer. Each screen presents a different question, and students are able to pull up connected screens with text that they can refer to when writing a response. Students also are allowed to access extra features such as highlighters, red check marks to track progress, and an online calculator. My students usually struggle with this assessment more than they do the other state tests, and I think this is because the test is administered via the computer.

In our curriculum, technology is not deliberately integrated. If a teacher chooses to integrate technology into his/her instruction, that is considered to be a good thing, but there are no enforced requirements for technology integration. This causes problems for the students, particularly when they then have to complete the test online. Because the students are not exposed to technology on a frequent basis, they lack certain skills such as learning how to scroll down, adjust screen sizes, or even develop the basic typing skills they need to complete the written portion of the test. They also have difficulty keeping track of their progress, and if they skip a problem, they have trouble locating it again. Written responses are also an issue because the students are given a box to type in, and they are used to filling a box with their thoughts. However, they forget that type is smaller than print, and therefore many don't even finish the assessment because they spend so much time trying to "fill their box". I have even had students get nauseus from frantically scrolling around the screens, and I have had other students use the highlighter feature to draw smiley faces or to highlight every single word. This behavior shocks me because my students never do that on a regular test, and they almost seem to view the online test as a game. I think this is due in part to the fact that they rarely get to use technology in the classroom, and therefore they do not look at the computer as a scholastic tool. My students face many challenges when completing their online assessment, and I feel that these challenges affect their scores.

Online assessments can have advantages, including ease of grading and immediate feedback (Billings, 2004). Online assessments can also be easier for teachers to administer and for administrators to track (Billings, 2004). However, I question the value that these tests have, especially when working with students that have limited exposure to technology. As a classroom teacher, it is frustrating to have such a large amount of curriculum required to be taught in a specific amount of time, and to have no time given to focus on technology. I have taken steps to integrate technology into my own instruction, but I have to admit that it is sporadic. After reading the articles for this week, I would like to see time given to integrate technology, specifically so they will have the skills needed when completing an online assessment.