saralowry

It is hard to move forward and implement change if you do not know where you are starting. Assessment is a critical part of defining the current status. Both teacher assessment and student assessment are necessary to create the first steps in the improvement process. In the article Savvy Educators Reveal Secrets of Reform, Stansbury explains that “Gordon emphasized that data are imperative for student achievement, saying: ‘We need data to know where we need to make changes … Students achievement has many variables, from attendance to learning style, from special needs to personal health, and we need data to vary teaching methods – methods that include the use of technology to help these students’” (2007, 17). Assessment not only gives us a starting point, but it allows for implementation to be monitored on a continual basis. This allows for restructuring and modifying the strategies necessary to reach the defined goals. It also serves as means for accountability. If our assessments don’t show improvement, then something is not working, and strategies must be reevaluated.
One issue that arises with the use of assessments is the availability of resources to conduct the assessment. Time also plays a factor. Most teachers and students value their time and find it time-consuming to complete the questionnaires and surveys used to monitor their technology skills. The accuracy of these methods also can be of concern. How many teachers fill out the assessments inaccurately because of the fact that they just don’t understand the questions or because they are unfamiliar with the resources?
Overall, I think the technology assessments used to gather information about teacher and student skills are extremely valuable. Even with the concerns that the assessments bring, they still provide vital information regarding progress that must be headed in the right direction.

Stansbury, M. (2007). Savvy educators reveal secrets of reform. eSchool News, 10(9), 17.