Artifact 1 EEND-676

Artifact 1

Image result for rubric


The first artifact I chose was the rubric created to determine whether or not an online resource, application or tool is effective and worth using in the classroom. Before creating this rubric I approached all digital resources the same way; I just gave the resource the 'eye' test. You know the one where you look at it exceedingly quick and either immediately start incorporating it into a lesson or looking for another tool, because, well, who has the time right? After I created this rubric I realized that what I specifically find important in an online resource cannot be evaluated with the 'eye' test; rather, it needs to be given some serious consideration.

I had to think and rethink and then think some more about the aspects of an online resource that I found most important. I had a general idea of things I liked to see in a resource, but I never fully considered which components were most important. I finally narrowed my categories down to include:
  • Are the navigation and use of the resource intuitive? 
  • Does the resource allow for feedback? 
  • Is the resource able to be differentiated? 
  • Is the resource collaborative? 
  • Does the resource allow for higher-order thinking skills? 
  • Does the resource have accessible and helpful support?
After creating these categories and assigning point values I began to evaluate a few resources. I was surprised at how low a couple of my favorite resources scored on my rubric (Flipgrid and Google Sites). These tools didn't score in the range that I would not use them; however, they also did not score in the 'must use' range either. With this in mind, even when using a rubric, there is some subjectivity involved.

The creation of this rubric provided me the opportunity to not only think in more detail about the resources I use in the classroom but whether or not I can justify the resource. Now, when I use a new tool, I compare it to the rubric and let the rubric guide my decision as to whether or not the tool being assessed is worth my time and the students' time.

Comments

  1. Heidi MorganNovember 14, 2017 at 5:04 PM

    The time and energy you put into creating your rubric seems to be paying off as you use it to evaluate tools. It is important that the tools we use with students are of high quality and reflect the best of what is available. Your rubric will work well in helping you select high quality tools.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Reflection

Image
Reflection This course was beneficial to me as an educator in that I learned not only a few new technologies to incorporate into my teaching but also how to create a PBL, a UbD and develop a grant. In the past, I had considered all of these to be too time-consuming. The PBL is somewhat time-consuming, but if you have an idea and sources, the process goes rather quickly. The UbD took considerable time. There were many components to consider, but in the end, I had a unit that will last at least a month and provide students with a unique learning experience. I was most surprised about the ease of writing the grant. I know some grants require letters of references and lots of other data, but the NEF grant that I chose was pretty straightforward. It was a form and you basically just fill it out and get a few signatures. I also looked at several other grants and many of these were simply comprised of completing a form with three or four boxes - seems easy enough. Moving forward, I plan
Read more

EEND 677 Artifact 1

Image
Artifact 1 GOOGLE DRAW LINK I choose this artifact because I am happy with the final product. I didn't think it was possible to make such professional graphic designs using Google Draw. After spending a short time trying the various tools, Google Draw proved to be an easy resource to use. When first assigned this activity I was worried as I had not used Google Draw in quite some time and the last time I used it I did not like the resource. It seemed a bit disconnected and difficult to use. This time it was much better. It still took me a while to get comfortable with the tools and how to use them correctly, but once I became comfortable the creation of the graphic was simplistic, yet creative. I created a graphic that I plan to make a poster of and use in my classroom regarding the CUE strategy (context, use quotation, explain) for writing papers. There were no major problems when using this technology other than my biased opinion from when I had used the technology
Read more

EEND 678 Artifact 2

Image
Artifact 2 Student Device Agreement Form The second artifact I choose was the student device agreement form that I created. With technology becoming more and more present in all schools, it is important that the first thing students learn is digital citizenship and what it means to be responsible and accountable when using technology. Often in my classes, we discuss the importance of being cautious of an individual's digital footprint, but we tend to overlook the responsibility that comes with borrowing a device. My school is 1:1 Chromebook and most students do a great job of keeping their devices maintained; however, there are approximately 2-3 students in each class with Chromebooks that are on the verge of being unusable - shattered screens, missing keys, frame coming off of monitor, keyboard not attached properly and so on. When I speak to these students about the condition of their device, they do not seem to mind or even care. In my opinion, if a student cannot m
Read more