Podcast77: Learning As Conversation and Messy Assessment

8th August 2006

Podcast77: Learning As Conversation and Messy Assessment

posted in assessment, literacy, podcasts, schoolreform |

This presentation was shared at the Mid-America Technology Institute in Winfield, Kansas on July 28, 2006. Truly educative experiences are often in short supply in schools today. Interactive experiences become engaging when they are meaningful for the learner. To help students authentically learn both the content and the process skills of the curriculum, educators should strive to engage students in meaningful conversations and activities. Technology tools can be invaluable aides in this process. Assessment should not be only multiple choice: To truly assess the understanding and present abilities of students, teachers need to embrace and utilize a variety of “messy assessment” strategies that can powerfully leverage technology for engagement and evaluation.

Program Length: 1 hr, 8 min, 12 sec
File size: 16.4 MB

(Click here to listen to this podcast)

Show notes for this podcast include:

Dictionary.com definitions of “assess”
Thesaurus.com’s synonyms for “assess”
Inspiration software
“The World Is Flat [Updated and Expanded]: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century” (Thomas L. Friedman)
“A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future” (Daniel Pink)
Partnership for 21st Century Skills
Failing Grade: An Obsolete Structure in a Digital Age (Oprah interview with Bill and Melinda Gates)
Edutopia from the George Lucas Educational Foundation
Schlechty Center for Leadership in School Reform
“Working on the Work: An Action Plan for Teachers, Principals, and Superintendents” (Phillip C. Schlechty)
Tim Wilson: The Savvy Technologist
“The Shame of the Nation: The Restoration of Apartheid Schooling in America” (Jonathan Kozol)
Bloom’s Taxonomy (I reject the left sidebar of this version, however: We must have K-12 students working and thinking in the upper levels too!)
Brian Crosby’s Learning Is Messy Blog
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost
MTI 2006 Conference Wiki
MTI 2006 (MACE) Moodle Site
Streaming video version of this presentation on Kan-Ed Live!
This podcast was created using Ubercaster (beta)

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On this day..

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 8th, 2006 at 10:23 pm and is filed under assessment, literacy, podcasts, schoolreform. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

1 On August 9th, 2006, Ewan McIntosh said:

I just blogged a very messy (formative) assessment that took place through blogs to improve creative writing. The summative results (which arrived for students yesterday) showed a massive improvement (whole *third* better than pre-blog use). Proof that it really does make a difference.

2 On August 9th, 2006, Wesley Fryer said:

That is great, Ewan! I’ll check out your post– Hopefully you’ll be able to to get your results published in a journal or magazine as well, so more folks can learn about your work and these findings!

3 On August 30th, 2006, Ideas and Thoughts from an EdTech » You’re not doing your job said: