As a ninth grader at Lanier Junior High School for Boys, there were three things I feared in Mr. George Phillips' pre-calculus class: being called on to solve a problem on the chalk board, his ten question tests, and his ability to stop someone running down the hall by launching his prosthetic lower leg at the offending party with great accuracy. The first fear is something I never conquered, the second I conquered with better preparation, and the third...well, there are some traumatic events that I can now laugh about.
Several months ago, I did some reading on the fear of test taking...asking myself, is there not some way to reduce the trauma from hearing the words, "Please clear your desk, take out a single sheet of paper and pencil, and number alternate lines from 1 to 10...we're taking a test!". Now enter the vision of this classroom: Final answer? County students using remote controls instead of raising hands. Each student holds a remote control-type device while the teacher roams the room and poses a question from a tablet PC. The question is projected on a large screen at the front of the class. When the teacher asks. "Are your ready?" students select the correct answer from the menu choices (true/false or multiple choice) on their personal remotes. Answer choices are (anonymously) diplayed instantaneously on a screen in front of the class and simultaneously posted in the teacher's electronic grade book. The teacher identifies the correct answer and the class cheers...Wow!, Look what happened!!
I am not so naive to propose that we do away with the rigors of written test taking...that still seems to be the norm and necessary for essay-type responses, however, removing some of the fear and receiving prompt feedback (for student and teacher) are features that can make a difference in assessing what is learned and what is not.
As you might guess, I like this approach to technology in the classroom...particularly, the absense of Mr. Phillips' prosthetic artillery rounds!