Software to Support Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Software to Support Assessment - Essay Example Donnelly, McGarr, & O’Reilly noted that in the quest to arrest the decline in the number of students taking science subjects in higher education the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment highlighted ‘the need to focus on investigative approaches, problem-solving, the assessment of practical work and the effective use of ICT.’ In light of this rapid injection of technology in the teaching and learning arena teachers need to be able to assess not only the software that is on the market for their use but the ability of the technology to effectively assess student learning. Consequently, there is a need to analyze the capacity of technology to facilitate assessment of students’ learning. Tomlinson emphasizes that there may be ‘assessment of learning, assessment for learning, and assessment as learning.’ Ultimately, Tomlinson suggests that assessment is most useful when it is seen as learning because it is then that it most informs the teac hing and learning process. She sees assessment as the ‘beginning of better instruction’. Assessment then is a vital part of the entire teaching learning process. This paper analyses how technology can facilitate both formative and summative assessment of student learning. ... Tomlinson observed that by the time she had given a final grade in a summative assessment the class would have been ‘moving on to a new topic’. She noted that this information could not be effectively utilized because the time for its effectiveness would have been gone. Thus, Tomlinson became ‘a devotee of formative assessment’ which would allow her to correct students’ faults in real time. Finally, Tomlinson views summative assessment as assessment of learning, and formative assessments as assessment for learning. It is difficult for the teacher to use technology for formative assessment since this process occurs almost spontaneously. Nonetheless, the use of the SMART board as highlighted by Debunker allows the teacher and the student to interact in real time. It is easier for summative assessment to be provided through technological means since these are standardized materials which may be given to all students at the end of the year. Using technolo gy to assess student learning is an emerging concepts as such there are a number of teething problems associated with its implementation. Hence, the use of technology to assess student learning brings with it several pros and cons. Technology allows teachers to analyze the scores of students at a faster rate. The use of assessment software allows for greater standardization across the districts. What is more, the students enjoy interacting with the technology. Thus, they will be more comfortable with the use of the technology than with traditional procedures. Two major concerns of the use of technology are the ‘quality’ and the cost of the materials. Williams, Boone, & Kingsley assert that teachers expect producers of educational material to be