Using Google Forms for Formative Assessment

Google forms is essentially a survey tool that teachers can pose questions and student’s answers can be analyzed. Knowledge skills can be assessed using these Google form question types: "Select Response", "Check Boxes", or "Choose from a list". Reasoning skills can be assessed using "Text", "Grid" or "Scale".

Examples:

A “Ticket out the Door” assessment that focuses on knowledge and skills would ask specific questions and answers designed by the teacher.

Describe/summarize a concept in 3 words and the 3 words they choose must demonstrate what they have learned about the concept.   

A “Flipped Classroom” entry interview to access how prepared students are for class using a short answers text response. The student’s answers would reflect if the students understood some of the deeper reasoning from the independent assignment.

Students can complete a self-assessment/reflection form for students to complete after they have completed a project.

Give students a chance to voice their opinions, concerns, and questions though the use of “Text Paragraph Style” question. This allows students a chance to communicate about their learning.

Drinking from the information fire hose.

In this blog I hope to provide instructional technology strategies, tools and practices. I will try to weed through the abundance of information to find the ones that have the potential to increase teaching and learning. 

jessiehart / Flickr

Remember when you were getting a drink from the water hose in the yard and just as you got your face down to the water, your brother turned it on full force? Today, that's how the information is flowing out of the Internet. You can quickly become drowning in too much information. 

I do most of the the technology training's in my district, I am repeatedly asked " Which tool should I use" or "Why should I use this tool instead of what I am doing Now?" My response always is, do what is best for you and your students. If what you are doing is working for you, than keep on doing it, dive into and use that tool to it's fullest. Personally, I am always experimenting with new tools. I have a Dropbox, Goggle, SkyDrive, and Box accounts. I am trying to decide between Evernote and OneNote. I have courses in both Moodle and Edmodo. I have moved from Delicious to Diigo to Livebinders to Pinterest and finally Symbaloo. All of that change does come at a cost, a cost of time, energy and the depth of knowledge.

I have found that teachers are used to the "sit and get" model of professional development. As much as they want their students to take ownership of their learning, I would like my students -- the teachers -- to do the same. I model self-directed learning, so they can model it for their students. Our students are connected and expect their teachers to also be connected. It is our job to show how to connect properly and safely.

I understand that not everyone has the same level of comfort but you can do something. Take the baby steps and try one small thing. Set aside some time every week for personal Research and Development, just 15 minutes a couple of times a week.  Teachers are not satisfied if their students do not improve every year, school districts should hold the teachers to the those same standards and not be satisfied if the teachers don't grow and improve every year.

Think about it --- What do you want to learn today? --- edtechlisa