Introduction

Classroom assessment is an important part of the instructional process (BC Government, 2021). Informing students about their mistakes gives them the opportunity to learn and correct. Formative assessment should be meaningful, regular and substantial so the student can continually shape the direction of their learning (OECD, 2012). 

I ran into an assessment issue last year when my class was completing their inquiry research projects. I had dedicated one day to meet with each student and see how well they were meeting the project criteria. I quickly discovered I needed more time to give quality feedback. I didn’t meet with some students until they were near completion of their project. This was not helpful. My students needed formative feedback throughout the process of researching and creating their inquiry project. 

 

Statement of problem 

I hope to create an efficient and effective way of communicating with students throughout their online inquiry project, providing valuable feedback to help them create the best possible project. Too often I don’t have enough time to give students substantial feedback on their projects during class time. I want to use technology in a way that works best for my life and my students. I do the majority of my planning and marking after school and at home. I want to create a way to utilize technology to my advantage by allowing me to give authentic feedback to students digitally.

Before beginning our inquiry project I believe it would be beneficial for my students to do digital literacy lessons to teach them about online privacy and managing their information. I would use the games Privacy Pirates and Data Defenders (MediaSense, n.d.). 

The topic of my inquiry project is called Connection to Others. With this project I would cover the BC curriculum outcomes of: 

  • Grade 3 Social Studies: Learning about indigenous peoples nurtures multicultural awareness and respect for diversity. 
  • Grade 4 Social Studies: Interactions between First Peoples and Euopeans lead to conflict and cooperation, which continues to shape Canada’s identity.
  • Grade 4 Social Studies: British Columbians followed a unique path in becoming a part of Canada. 

There has been a shift in assessment practices in BC. Students are now being asked to critically evaluate their own learning, instead of it being solely directed by the teacher. Core competencies are an integral part of the curriculum (BC Curriculum, 2021). There are three core competencies of focus: communication, thinking, personal and social. Using technology for formative assessment gives many opportunities for students to develop critical thinking, awareness of self, and connection with others by sharing ideas and furthering their learning. These skills will carry them successfully into the workforce. 

My main goal is to discover an efficient way to give formative feedback to my students during their inquiry projects. A secondary goal would be for my students to recognize the benefit of reflection and revision through the use of technology to deepen learning. 

 

Summary

Teachers and administrators would greatly benefit from being informed on how technology can be used in the elementary grades for formative feedback. I believe a barrier to using new technology is the lack of knowledge or knowing how to source effective websites. Using the CSAM Framework and SECTIONS Model to critically evaluate web-based content I will find the most appropriate and accessible web pages.

Formative feedback is crucial for supporting students’ learning. Teachers must give timely and responsive feedback to students, showing them how to take charge of their learning. My goal is to find a more efficient way to support the learning of my students through the use of technology. By incorporating new technologies I will be able to give regular and authentic feedback, guiding my students towards becoming self-regulated learners who are actively engaged in their learning (OECD, 2012). 

 

References

 

BC Government (2021) Classroom Assessment & Reporting. Retrieved from https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education-training/k-12/administration/program-management/assessment/classroom 

 

BC’s Curriculum (2021) Core Competencies. Retrieved from https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/competencies 

 

MediaSmarts (n.d.) Privacy Pirates. Retrieved from https://mediasmarts.ca/game/privacy-pirates-interactive-unit-online-privacy-ages-7-9 

 

MediaSmarts (n.d.) Data Defenders. Retrieved from https://mediasmarts.ca/digital-media-literacy/educational-games/data-defenders-grades-4-6 

 

OECD (2012) The Nature of Learning: 7 Principles of Learning [Brochure]. Retrieved from https://www.oecd.org/education/ceri/50300814.pdf