LaTanya Evans EDU 225 April 7, 2015 Cecilia Szymanski Technology to Support Assessment of the Comprehensive Classroom Technology Plan
Today being able to assess our students is a great deal. Assessing our students lets us know if our kids are progressing. Many teachers teach lessons all week and then get test on Fridays to see what the kids have learned. We are at a point where technology has completely taken over. There are so many innovations that can be used to assess kids other than by written tests. Students should be prepared for the future, and this is why they should be introduced to technology in the form of assessments. Assessments are more likely to be valid and productive measures of student development if they are underpinned by a model of learning that both explains and charts the trajectory of learner development from novice to expert in the discipline (Pellegrino, Chudowsky and Glaser, 2001). This particular way would allow kids to be independent, and they would enjoy test taking even more.
There are specifically two types of assessments that can be used with any type of learning. Formative assessment and Summative assessment are used quite frequently. Formative assessment would allow a teacher assess kids through a series of assignments and activities to make sure that the students are working towards mastering the information. Summative assessments can be given at any time. Many teachers let kids take online quizzes on books that they have read that previous week, before being able to move onto the next. Some Technology has driven testing tools are Web Quest, Google doc, presentation, and PowerPoint, these tools could be used to create test or quizzes and also lesson plans. These different applications allow the teacher or the student to be as creative and be able to present the material in many different ways. This would allow the teacher to engage all learning styles. Technology should be used to enhance lessons that are being taught, and especially effective when dealing with student centered learning. Technology has become the main focus in learning. Teachers rely on technology to prepare lessons, and to teach them. Teachers utilize the World Wide Web to research information that can be used in the classroom. According to Noeth and Volkov, In terms of utilization, technology has expanded from use primarily as an instructional delivery medium to an integral part of the learning environment (Noeth and Volkov,2004). It mainly comes in handy when assessing students. Technology has created classroom convenience for teachers, parents, as well as students. Teachers can plan, teach, assess, and do so much more. Parents can log onto the class website, send and receive text messages to check on their child's progress, and assignments. Students can log on the class website to follow up with lessons or may also go to different websites to enhance learning. There are so many ways to keep everyone informed of what is happening in the classroom. Lessons have become more kid friendly, and enjoyable for everyone. Technology keeps kids motivated and focused in the classroom.
“Over the years, there has been a shift in focus to a more collaborative learning environment, steering away from traditional lecturing to encourage active student-centered learning. To facilitate this style of learning, teachers must focus attention on what information and tools they can provide the student instead of what the instructor is going to cover in the course”. (Cook 1998). Many interactive sites such as loud cloud, Edomo, and blackboard allows teachers and students to interact with one another on discussion boards. This way of learning exposes students to new ways of learning, while also being independent.

References
Chudowsky, N., Glaser, R., and Pelligrino, J.W. (2001), The Assessment Triangle and Students with Significant Cognitive Disabilities: Models of Student Cognition Retrieved on April 2015 http://www.naacpartners.org/publications/whitePapers/18000.pdf Cook,J.S., & Cook, L. L. (1998). How technology enhances the quality of student-centered learning. Quality Progress, 31(7), 59. Retrieved on April 2015 http://certifiedsuccess.com/publications/Quality_Progress_1998.pdf
Noeth, R.J, & Volkov, B.B, (2004) Evaluating the Effectiveness of Technology in Our Schools
Retrieved on April 2015 http://www.act.org/research/policymakers/pdf/school_tech.pdf