As a computer skills teacher, my main goal is to develop students who are confident with using technology, develop a sense of curiosity and a spirit of exploration when it comes to using technology. My goal, as is the goal set by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standard 1, "Empowered Learner" is that student are then able to channel these energies into effective self-directed learning strategies, that they are able to reflect on their learning, contribute to meaningful discussion about their learning, and ultimately, to be active, progressive, and innovative users and adapters of new technologies in order to produce creative, meaningful, informative products of their own.
Middle school is the perfect launchpad for developing this kind of attitude and ability, since students in this age group are, for the most part, either already very curious and interested in technology or they are timid and apprehensive about it. In both cases, a computer skills class that encourages the enthusiastic, and helps the more timid to feel confident about trying new things, is going to be most effective. But in order to properly know who these students are and what their skills sets are, it is vital to perform a per-assessment to identify their unique set of strengths and weaknesses.
For my sixth grade class, as for all of my middle school students, I have used a few pre-assessment tools to help me understand my students better.
Checklist
My first per-assessment tool is a complete skills checklist. It is provided in an interactive PDF format, and students are able to self-asses using the list, checking off each item that they are familiar with, in a systematic manner.
Quizlet
A second level of assessment involves students looking at a specific aspect of the overall grand checklist. In this example, my sixth graders are asked to identify parts of a computer. I use Quizlet which provides them the ability to do this using a game, as well as enabling them to study and learn the parts using flashcards and other learning tools. This enables me to get a quick fix on where they are on a specific aspect of their computer technology skills, while also enabling them to learn the skills.
Word Document Activity
A third measure of per-assessment enables me to measure their abilities for myself. I provide them a specific activity, such as "Letter to My Future Self" in which students are asked to write a letter to themselves, 10 years into the future. At that time they will have finished high school, will be in college, and figuring out what to do with their lives. In this activity, students are to use Microsoft Word to write the letter, and are given a specific set of formatting rules for crafting the letter. They will have to demonstrate that they know how to do each of the specific skills (indenting a paragraph, centering a title, changing fonts, inserting images, etc. ).
Middle school is the perfect launchpad for developing this kind of attitude and ability, since students in this age group are, for the most part, either already very curious and interested in technology or they are timid and apprehensive about it. In both cases, a computer skills class that encourages the enthusiastic, and helps the more timid to feel confident about trying new things, is going to be most effective. But in order to properly know who these students are and what their skills sets are, it is vital to perform a per-assessment to identify their unique set of strengths and weaknesses.
For my sixth grade class, as for all of my middle school students, I have used a few pre-assessment tools to help me understand my students better.
Checklist
My first per-assessment tool is a complete skills checklist. It is provided in an interactive PDF format, and students are able to self-asses using the list, checking off each item that they are familiar with, in a systematic manner.
Quizlet
A second level of assessment involves students looking at a specific aspect of the overall grand checklist. In this example, my sixth graders are asked to identify parts of a computer. I use Quizlet which provides them the ability to do this using a game, as well as enabling them to study and learn the parts using flashcards and other learning tools. This enables me to get a quick fix on where they are on a specific aspect of their computer technology skills, while also enabling them to learn the skills.
Word Document Activity
A third measure of per-assessment enables me to measure their abilities for myself. I provide them a specific activity, such as "Letter to My Future Self" in which students are asked to write a letter to themselves, 10 years into the future. At that time they will have finished high school, will be in college, and figuring out what to do with their lives. In this activity, students are to use Microsoft Word to write the letter, and are given a specific set of formatting rules for crafting the letter. They will have to demonstrate that they know how to do each of the specific skills (indenting a paragraph, centering a title, changing fonts, inserting images, etc. ).
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