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I can’t say I’m surprised by any of the “Top 5 ways students use technolgy to cheat”

I have seen or heard of all the ways that students use technology to gain an advantage in the classroom.  Not only do students text their friends and talk about tests online from their houses, but I know of students who have posted notes from class on Facebook, skyped to talk about work, and spent hours on AIM in order to be prepared for an essay.

I guess I should be horrified, but the devil in me wonders if the skills they are using to get an advantage in our traditional classrooms, are more significant than the content that they were supposed to have learned in the first place.

We live in a world where there are more opportunities to connect with each other than ever before, and each of us are at risk of being left behind in the race to be connected.  Perhaps the students who use their portable electronic devices and internet applications to gain an advantage are better equipped than those who study independently with book, paper and pencil.

Don’t get me wrong.  I believe that we should be teaching students the necessity of having integrity.  My students are aware that there is no other characteristic more valuable or more easily lost.  However, if so many modern students (35% by this survey) are getting connected to get an advantage, then perhaps more of our assignments should reflect the need for collaboration.

So, lets pick our independent assessments carefully and create secure environments for their administration.  Hold students to a high standard here and teach integrity.

In all other circumstances let’s promote collaboration, and squeeze as much use out of the technology tools we have available to us.  I’m certainly going to ask my students to share their papers with 3 other people on googledocs before they submit the next set for a start. :-o

Picture from: www.flickr.com/photos/hoolalajewellery/

I have three resolutions for this school year.

1. To be as available as any student, colleague, or parent requires.
2. To attend an extra-curricular event for every student I teach.
3. To promote mastery as a priority in the learning environments I create.

The first two resolutions are the same as last year, and continue my committment to building community, and serving the individuals and groups I interact with.  The third is a new-ish priority.

As educators we assign activities, and assess the quality of product which is produced.  This assessment will ultimately become a qualification, or in the case of an administrator a positive performance evaluation.  Indeed, one of our primary functions is to be a gatekeeper, or even a bouncer, determining which of our charges will be granted entrance to the next stage of their educational, or career journey.

I feel that I have been repressing another purpose.  Education is also about helping others to perfect their understanding of a topic, or to complete their development of skills.  Educators as responsible for ensuring mastery of material.  This attitude subtly  changes the approach to any learning activities.

Formative assessment becomes the norm, even with regard to end of unit projects.  This year all of my summative assessments will be given with the option to repeat all or part of the activity if skills or knowledge have not been mastered.  My aim is to be more aware of student achievement and to reteach more often.

I know that there will be challenges.  Allowing students to redo essays will increase my workload, and there are only so many multiple choice questions available in question banks.

How do you promote mastery in your educational situations?

Gate image from: flickr.com/photos/wallyg/

Yoda image from flickr.com/photos/cirofono