Assessment vs. Evaluation

Assessment is "the full range of information gathered and synthesized by teachers for the purpose of making decisions about their students." Teachers use assessments to determine what information the students have acquired and makes judgments as to how to proceed with the lesson. After teaching particular material, a teacher may check for understanding with a quiz or homework or by randomly asking students questions regarding the topic in order to decide if more information should be taught or the previous material should be reviewed again.

In assessing students' technology projects, teachers should find ways to judge the amount of understanding the students have about technology. Some students may find a technological project easy and lacking a challenge while other students, who have had less exposure to technology may struggle severely. Teachers can assess the skill level of the students and determine future instructional strategies to help each student feel challenged and successful.

Evaluation is "the process of making judgments, assigning value, or deciding worth." The grading portion of testing falls into the evaluation category. Teachers must put a value on how well students are able to do their work. Students may be placed in groups determined by their evaluations. Grades inform students and parents of how well the student acquired the information that was taught.

In evaluating student technology projects, the teacher may place certain students together according to their skill level so he/she may more accurately teach each group, or may place higher skilled students with lower skilled students in a group to teach one another. Technology projects for students may be difficult to grade and place value on the work that is accomplished. A basic grading rubric is helpful for students to follow and maintain focus on the project, while allowing the teacher ways to decide the quality or worth of the finished project.

Benefits of Technology in the Classroom

The classroom benefits of technology are great for both teacher and student. In a classroom where technology is utilized appropriately, students are better able to become active learners. The Barron article uses the example of students being able to listen to a speech by Martin Luther King Jr. or watch a march he lead instead of reading about him in a textbook. Students are empowered by the different ways they can research and learn about a topic due to the availability of the internet and easy access to computers.

Teachers also benefit from the ever-developing technology because they are able to reach out to more students. We know that students have many different learning styles and only a few of them are targeting in current teaching methods. With the use of technology in the classroom, teachers can prepare lessons that more of their students will relate to.

It is important to remember that technology is only beneficial when used properly and appropriately in the classroom. Teachers need to constantly try to improve their teaching methods and not use technology as a shortcut to teaching a topic. However, the benefits of correctly used technology in the classroom can improve students achievement as well as allow teachers more options in their teaching methods.