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Introduction: A Toolbox of Technology - Authentic Assessment Apparatuses


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 * Wooden Toy Toolbox. Photography.Encyclopædia Britannica Image Quest.Web. 11 Jul 2012.http://quest.eb.com/images/118_851489 ||

Assessment. It’s the most prevalent buzzword in education. When most people hear the word “assessment,” they immediately think of grades, performance evaluations, and things that in some way define what they are doing and how well they do it. Assessment does include these things, but goes far beyond this simplistic definition. In fact, according to the Higher Learning Commission (as found on the University of Northern Iowa's Office of Assessment website), " 'assessment of student learning is a participatory, iterative process that [does the following]:


 * Provides data/information you need on your students’ learning
 * Engages you and others in analyzing and using this data/information to confirm and improve teaching and learning
 * Produces evidence that students are learning the outcomes you intended
 * Guides you in making educational and institutional improvements
 * Evaluates whether changes made improve/impact student learning, and documents the learning and your efforts.' ”

As we move away from the “traditional” forms of assessment— pop quizzes and standardized tests—to the more authentic, performance-based forms of assessment, we need new tools to fit our new objectives.

Because of the complicated nature of assessment, more than one tool is needed. These tools work better together; a carpenter cannot build a house with only a hammer, nor can a teacher assess a student with only a quiz. This toolbox has been designed to give educators instruments to encourage successful, meaningful assessments of themselves, their classes, and their students.

Each of the tools on the pages to follow is accompanied by sample learning objectives to demonstrate their practical applications to online educators; however, these tools can be easily adapted for the traditional classroom environment as well.

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Teaching Tools and their Assessment Analysts

Blackboard Collaborate - Diane Neary

Survey Monkey - Jenni Bartels

Weebly - Libby Hilsendager

// copyright © July 2012 Jenni Bartels, Libby Hilsendager, and Diane Neary for UW Stout's Assessment in E-Learning course //