Our team is gearing up today for another session at our Common Core Cafe. Today we are will learn
how to use cloud-based software which allows teachers to create assessments for
students, building easy-to-use rubrics that can be shared with students and
colleagues, collect web-based assignments, solicit feedback from parents or
students and comment and share ideas with class. Teachers will learn how to use
technology web based programs to facilitate formative and summative
assessments. They will also learn how to use web-based services to manage
class success, and improve student behavior and engagement by awarding and
recording real-time feedback. I will be discussing the behavior management tool, Classdojo. Erica Silvia will teach how to use Google forms and David Keys will be presenting how to use Plickers in the classroom. We are looking forward to collaborating and learning together today!
Here is the link for the online evaluation today https://goo.gl/forms/f8a2jzilKIhIap1c2
To access today’s slides, click HERE
What is it?
ClassDojo is a behavior
management tool for the classroom. Each student has a profile, complete with
their own avatar, to which teachers can assign positive and negative points
(or 'dojos') throughout the lesson. The program can be operated by a teacher
from their computer or tablet, and each time they award a point an (optional)
sound plays to alert the class.
This information is then
recorded on students' profiles so that it can be reviewed throughout the year.
Parents also have logins so that they can view their child's achievements from
home.
Where can I find it?
You can create an account on
the ClassDojo website. It
takes a few minutes to sign up as a teacher.
How much does it cost?
Free
HOW CAN TEACHERS USE IT?
Start out by using ClassDojo to
track class-wide progress toward behavioral goals. Use it like a high-tech
marble jar: Points can be added or taken away depending on how the class is
behaving. Help your class set goals and work toward rewards based on how many
points they've earned. However, be careful to ensure that individuals aren't
publicly singled out in negative ways. You can also use the system to monitor
students' individual progress and look for behavioral patterns. In this sense,
you could use ClassDojo as more of a high-tech behavior chart, with frequent
assessments for each student.
At the end of class, consider
how you'll display the behavior point totals for the day, either by
class or by individual student. Be sure to utilize the built-in tools to
communicate with parents, which can help bridge the gap between home and
school. ClassDojo can also be incredibly effective as a teacher tool. Teachers
who are concerned about privacy and don't want to make class behaviors public could
privately use the app to track student behavior. The behavior reports would be
very helpful for reporting!
Watch this video to see more
ways you can use ClassDojo:
The reason most teachers get behind innovative classroom technology is because, in some shape or form, the tool maximizes our output by minimizing our workload. Whether the tool saves us time, takes a step out of the process, or redefines the experience altogether, effective technology integration doesn’t just change our habits, it enhances the ones we already have.
The problem often lies in finding a tool that doesn’t fade with time, or take longer to learn than is a worthwhile investment. Google Forms is one of the rare web tools that can reach and benefit teachers regardless of curriculum, ability or need.
Google
Forms can be used to collect information from respondents. Maybe those
respondents are students in your classrooms, maybe they’re other teachers in
your building, maybe they’re parents of your students. Regardless of who
you want to collect information from, Google Forms is a simple and free tool
that’s great for the job.
Provided
you have a Google account, you can access Google Forms at docs.google.com/forms.
Aside
from self-grading quizzes, Google Forms is also an excellent tool for
collecting information of any kind. It's great for if you’re looking for
parent volunteers for your classroom, if you’re wanting feedback from your
colleagues on what to cover at the next professional development, or basically
any time you need to collect data that you’ll want to break down and analyze.
Overall,
I’m a huge fan of Google Forms. It was already a solid tool for education
and now that they’ve added in the self-grading quizzes, it’s raised itself to a
new level of usefulness. If you’re looking to collect and analyze data of
any kind, particularly if you’re wanting to send out formative and summative
assessments that can be automatically graded for you, I absolutely recommend
checking out Google Forms.
Additional Resources & Tutorials suggested by Ms. Erica Silva:
Click on these links for:
• Pre-Made Google Form Templates for you to use tomorrow!
What is it?
It is a website & app combo that lets teachers collect real-time formative assessment data without students needing to have a device.
Why it's Equitable and Awesome!
It gives ALL students the opportunity to respond because all they need is their card, no phone or other expensive device needed. It eliminates embarrassment for getting questions wrong while still letting the teacher know who's getting it and who's not. No waiting for students to log in or needing to set up; simply pull up the app, have students pull out their cards and go!
