When looking at Content Management Systems (CMS) to host your assessments it’s important to look at a variety of different options that will be available to both you and your students. This week I’ve had the opportunity to look at three different CMS platforms and how they would best suit my student’s needs in regards to assessment. Being an ELA teacher I’m looking for a site that will allow for varying different formats (videos, blogs, and links), incorporates engagement factors for students via direct contact with myself or other students, and the ability to provide connectivity to a learning portfolio so students are able to revise work as needed while having it stored in one place for easy access. With these needs in mind, I looked at Edmodo, Google Classroom, and Weebly as possible CMS platforms to build my Formative Assessment 2.0.
After checking out all of the above platforms I went with Google Classroom to design my assessment. While a self-deemed “Google Girl” I love the fact that Google Classroom ties into Google Plus and Google Drive. The connectivity GC offers through these options makes assessments and feedback much easier for both teachers and students. Because each of these options work well with one another and allow for students to download materials into their drive, instructors can provide one-on-one feedback and students can see their grades the minute they are posted.
In addition to this, the options for assessment are unlimited. Through Google Drive instructors have the ability to create a variety of different assessments by using Google Forms, Docs, or even Slides. With the use of Google Forms teachers can create a quick poll or a lengthy assessment that has options such as short answer, multiple choice, or checklists. Google Docs offers teachers the ability to have students write out an essay or even peer edit a paper. Slides is a great assessment tool for those looking to create an assessment in the form of a presentation.
In addition these great options for assessment, Google Classroom affords the teacher the ability to see who’s taken a test, turned work in, and is compatible with many district gradebook platforms. (As well as offers its own gradebook function!) These are HUGE in way of providing feedback that’s timely.
In all, these options make Google Classroom a great choice for both students and schools. For a complete list of the pros and cons of all the sites research click on the link here.
Nicole D. Seymour: Thoughts on the Journey & Evolution of an Educator 