Tech Options for Final Assessments

On Mondays I share a different ed tech quote on our Thompson Classroom social media pages for our staff to consider.

As we approach the final month of our school year that means that it is also time to discuss final/summative assessments. I am a strong believer that student choice is key when it comes to demonstrating understanding and that a learner should not be hindered by an assessment style if it is not a component of what is being assessed (ex: a student should not fail an exam because they cannot effectively write about their science understanding if they are able to explain it verbally or through other means).

I am biased towards ed tech, no surprise, but I do think that tech tools should be included as an option in your summative assessment repertoire. I actually had an opportunity to visit our local high school on Friday where I worked with a teacher and their Grade 11/12 class to review digital exam options including:

• podcasting
• video creation
• social media series

This was so fun and I look forward to seeing what options the student come up with to show their understanding of the class content!

Do you provide choice when it comes to your final assessments and, if so, does it include digital options?

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In November, I shared a variety of digital tools that could be used for student portfolios. At the time, this was presented from a fall perspective of preparing for parent-teacher conferences but it can easily be adapted for summative assessments.

One course I participated in previously was from the ISTE Summer Learning Academy in 2020: Assessing Learning in Online Learning Environments.

Additionally, Week 2 of the Blended Learning Practice (BLP) MOOC discussed how to design blended learning and accounts for various digital assessment options.