Authentic Assessment Seminar

I attended an Authentic Assessment seminar at KCTCS today along with Clovis Perry, Gil Wheeler, and Connie Rine. My notes from the seminar are attached below. I see a lot of benefit here for both face-to-face as well as online classes. The basic premise: let's think of ways of assessing student performance in our classes that allows them to create products that mirror real world scenarios. Subtext: let's think of alternatives to the multiple choice test.

http://db.tt/27gh4L2T


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

2012-2013 Distance Learning Advisory Committee

Ben Worth, Chair

Clovis Perry

Jim Matchuny

Mike Adkins

Cindy Baker

Don Halcomb

Lori Houghton

Steve Stone

Will Bradley

Kevin Dunn

Rebecca McCane

Peggy Rinehart

Dixie Hayes

Robin Davis

Maureen Cropper

Connie Rine

Veronica Miller

Wimba Voice Authoring Tool

You may noticed that the Wimba Voice Authoring Tool has disappeared from the Mashup tool menu.  It has been replaced with Blackboard Collaborate.  To turn on Bb Collaborate, go to Customization / Tool Availability:

Then turn on Bb Collaborate features. 

Don't know what this is?  Watch this short video on Voice Authoring Tools:
http://youtu.be/u1U-AuTmMjo

Note: If they only want the voice tools, that’s all they would need to turn on. If you also want to use Bb Collab (live session area) instead of Wimba, they will need to the Scheduling Manager.

IMPROVING RETURN RATES FOR STUDENT EVALUATIONS OF INSTRUCTION

Advising Evaluation Link:
https://legacy.bluegrass.kctcs.edu/forms/surveys/academic_advising/login.php

Instruction Evaluation Info:
https://ites.bluegrass.kctcs.edu/modules/student_evals/student_evals.php

Student Evaluations of Instruction are completed online; the link is posted on the college Web site when evaluations are active.  The strategies outlined below will help improve return rates. 

·        Announce evaluations of instruction to your class and share with students the evaluation link.  When you stress the importance of evaluations to students, students respond.

·        Share the evaluation links with students via email.  Either PeopleSoft or Blackboard can be used to send group email to your students.

·        Post the link in your Blackboard Course shells.  Placing the link inside Blackboard is easy—plus this gives students a place they can go to see the evaluation link. 

·        In Blackboard, track the students who have clicked the course evaluation link or, via adaptive release, make completion of a course assignments conditional upon clicking the link to the evaluation. While we cannot force students to complete the evaluation, Bb tracking features allow you to know which of your students have visited the evaluation.  

·        Set aside class time to complete evaluations via tablets, smart phone or laptops or send students to open computer labs to complete the evaluation.  Any Internet enabled device can access the student evaluation.  Open computer labs are provided for student use on every BCTC campus. 

You are not in this alone.  The administration will also take the following steps:

·

• Post prominent reminders on the college Web sit
• Email the evaluation link to students.
• Place the evaluation link in the BCTC Student Information Module in Blackboard.
• Send students a telephone reminder (automated message with location of link on College Web site)

HOW TO. . .

EMAIL STUDENTS USING BLACKBOARD

·        Open Blackboard from the college Web site.

·        Enter your course shell and click “tools” then “send email”.

·        Select “all student users”.

EMAIL STUDENTS USING PEOPLESOFT

·        Log into Student Self Service from the college homepage.

·        Scroll down to the Faculty Center and click the class roster icon : 

·        Click “select all” and then “notify all students”.

PLACE A LINK IN BLACKBOARD

·        In a Blackboard Content Area, click Build Content / Web Link.

·        Cut and paste the evaluation link into the link window.

·        Watch here: http://district.bluegrass.kctcs.edu/ben.worth/tutorials/bb_eval_link.swf

TRACK STUDENT ACCESS OF THE BB LINK

·        Hover over a link you have created and click the down arrow.

·        Select “Statistics Tracking (On/Off)”.

·        Choose “On” then click submit.

·        To view statistics, click Evaluation / Performance Dashboard.

·        Click the number under “Review Status” by each user.

·        Watch here: http://district.bluegrass.kctcs.edu/ben.worth/tutorials/bb_eval_tracking.swf

ADAPTIVE RELEASE

·        Hover over an assignment you wish to restrict and click the down arrow.

·        Choose “Adaptive Release”.

·        Under Item 4, “Review Status”, click Browse.

·        Select the link to the student evaluation.  Students must now click that link before they may submit the assignment, test, etc.

·        Watch here: http://district.bluegrass.kctcs.edu/ben.worth/tutorials/bb_eval_release.swf

Anti-cheating Tips

Great article couresy of Kevin Dunn:

http://www.educause.edu/ero/article/addressing-academic-dishonesty-age-ubiquitous-technology


KEY POINTS (taken from the article):

• Technology can help fight cheating that is itself based on technology, especially with tweaking of assignments and assessments in a way that makes it difficult to cheat.
• Students should be made aware of resources such as university writing centers and tools such as Endnote.
• Training about copyright, plagiarism, and time management can help students succeed without feeling that they have to cut corners.
• Relevant codes and policies should be clearly stated in communications such as orientation materials, student handbooks, and course syllabi to establish expectations and reduce confrontations between instructors and students.

Blackboard Mobile

A major upgrade to the Blackboard Mobile App (IOS, Android) is due out in mid-September.  I will post additional information about that app here.  Feel free to use the the comment feature to post your insights.

Information on Bb's Web site
https://www.blackboard.com/Platforms/Mobile/Products/Mobile-Learn/Features.aspx

Email from System Admin (9/4)
https://www.dropbox.com/s/1xlh4gveijhcx9o/Bb%20Mobile%20App.pdf?m


*UPDATE*
the app is now available in the iTunes Store 

A fee IS required for use.  Verdict on the app so far. . . it is doing a better job of letting students access Bb content.  It is not handling multimedia well and should not be used to take tests and/or quizzes.  There is much less functionality for instructors.