Providing+Feedback

=__Providing Feedback __=  **Technology 1**: Student Response Systems ("Clickers")

 Student Response Systems (clickers) are software programs with individual wireless keypads that engage students in active learning in the classroom. Teachers can create quizzes and learning games using programs such as Power Point that can be projected onto a screen or an interactive whiteboard. Students answer questions using their keypad "clickers" and the results are processed, recorded, and displayed as spreadsheets, graphs, tables or other graphics. This provides instantaneous feedback to the teacher about student understanding of a topic. Teachers benefit by getting immediate feedback that will enable them to tailor their instruction to the students. Students benefit by being able to respond to teacher questions without worrying about other students' reactions. Because the data is recorded, the teacher can make immediate changes in the lesson for the entire class, or go back later and determine which students need extra attention. **Resources needed:**
 * Rationale**:
 * Student Response System such as Turning Point (subscription program, with cost depending on size of class/school/system using it)
 * Power Point (already installed in all classrooms)
 * Smartboard (already in all classrooms)

**Technology** **2** **:** Online grade management systems such as MyGradeBook []

Online grade management systems provide more than just a place to record grades. Most online grade management sytems also allow the teacher to include other information that will provide feedback to students and parents. One example is MyGradeBook. It allows teachers to record grades and attendance, create quizzes and seating charts, and communicate with students and parents. Teachers can email parents directly from the site, and can add comments about the students in a parent-only view screen. Links to class websites can also be added. Students and parents can log on to their personal page to view their grades, attendance, class calendar, assignment descriptions and due dates, and class announcements. This allows parents and students to get constant feedback on how the student is doing in class, so there will be no surprises at the end of the grading period or at the parent-teacher conference.
 * Rationale:**
 * Resources needed:** 
 * Classroom computer for teacher use (already in each classroom)
 * MyGradeBook (available at [] )--subscription is $49.95/year for one lincense, with discounts given for multiple licenses in a group

<span style="font-size: 140%; font-family: Georgia, serif;">**Technology 3:** Microsoft Word with Document Protection

<span style="font-size: 90%; font-family: Georgia, serif;"> Microsoft Word is not new to most students, but the Document Protection program is. To facilitate feedback, students can protect their documents, then send them to teachers or peers for feedback. The teacher or peers can then make either tracked changes or comments directly onto the document without actually changing it. Tracked changes are changes (deletions, additions, spelling changes, etc.) made directly onto the document. The changes show up in a different font color. The owner of the document can then choose to keep the changes or delete them. Comments can also be made directly onto the original document. They show up when the owner of the document moves the cursor over that section of the document. Tracked changes and comments will not become permanent parts of the document until the owner chooses to unprotect the document. This feature can be used by teachers when grading a paper: comments can be added in order to provide constructive feedback for future reference. It is also useful in a peer review situation either during or after writing a paper. This would be useful in a classroom because most students are already familiar with Microsoft Word, so very little additional instruction will be necessary to implement it. **Resources needed:** <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">
 * Rationale:**
 * <span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: Georgia, serif;">Computers with Microsoft Word loaded on them (there are already 8 classroom computers that students can share, or the laptop cart can be checked out of the School Library Media Center)

Involving parents in their children's learning is one of the easiest and best ways to help children succeed in school. Focus on Effectiveness said, "students do better academically when their families are involved in learning (Antunez, 2000)." Unfortunately, all too often parents are only involved at the beginning of the year ("Back to school night"), at parent-teacher conferences, and at grade card time. Using an online grade management system such as MyGradeBook is a way to let parents stay involved year-round. Parents and students can check on a daily basis for grade and attendance information, can keep up to date on when assignments are due, and can look for class announcements and project descriptions. By allowing parents to review their children's grades on a daily basis, there will be no surprises when grade cards come out. Parent-teacher conferences will be more productive because parents will arrive knowing what issues will be discussed, and time can be spent working on solutions.
 * Education Challenge:** School-Family Connections

= Introduction < = = Cues, Questions & Advance Organizers <  = = Generating & Testing Hypothesis <  = = Homework & Practice <  = = Identifying Similarities & Differences <  = = = =  Nonlinguistic Representation <  = =   = =   = =  Reinforcing Effort >  = = Simulations & Games >  = = Summarizing & Notetaking >  = = Summary >  = = Reflections >  =

Clipart from Microsoft Office Clip Art []