These most recent tools, Inspiration, Rubric Gallery, and Quizdom are interesting. I think Quizdom is still more or less in a theoretical stage of development. I realize it is already in use, and there have been studies done on its efficacy. I can agree it would probably increase class attendance, interest and participation. However, since "examination performances did not provide the hoped for evidence of increased learning" (Dangel and Wang, 2008), I'm not convinced the expense of the system or time spent implementing it is worth it right now. Further, since time constraints are always an issue in classrooms, a multiple choice student response system (SRS) is likely the only viable type of SRS. Granted, if an instructor is willing and able to take the time to create a set of multiple choice questions that do more than force a student to recognize the right answer, an SRS might be an instructional bonus. For any other format of deep cognitive or analytical understanding, something more time consuming than multiple choice is required…. and time is precious. Rubric Gallery and Inspiration were both great resources though. Inspiration is basically an automated method of brainstorming, outlining, and creating a presentation all in one. If It had been available when I was in school I’d definitely have used it. Rubric Gallery will forever be bookmarked. One of the thoughts that I’ve had recently, is “How do my college math teachers determine exactly how much partial credit to give on an answer?” The question is important to me because as a new teacher to be, I’ll have to make that determination as well. The Rubric Gallery offers me the insight of teachers that have been doing this for a long time.
Generally this class has been very beneficial to me. As I stated on my ePortfolio website, I don’t necessarily believe the main point I took away from this class was how to incorporate technology in my classroom. I think what this class taught me was that there are a vast array of technological options available to me that I wasn’t aware of. I’ll use just the above paragraph as an example. I was required to write 100 words about the three tools above that I was introduced to, but it took me nearly 300. That was a brief overview as well. I could have written so much more, and that was only about the last three tools we learned about. I’ve been introduced to a variety of tools that I will find useful as both a student and a teacher. More than that though, I’ve been made aware that such things exist. Now I can actively look for more tools to apply to my classrooms in an attempt to ever increase my students’ learning.
Dangel, Harry L.
& Wang, Charles Xiaoxue (2008) Student Response Systems in Higher
Education: Moving Beyond Linear Teaching and Surface Learning, Journal of Educational Technology Development
and Exchange, 1 (1), 93.
