Presentation for the Brisbane Teachmeet on 17 September 2013. This presentation details four strategies for gathering information on student learning using common and free web tools.

1. Checking for Understanding
in the Digital Age
Using Analytics (Sort of)
Anita Garnsworthy
eLearning Coordinator
Mt Alvernia College
@Annitix
garna@mta.qld.edu.au
www.anitag.me

2. Technology
Improving Student Learning...

3. Pedagogy >
Technology
Improving Student Learning...

4. Relationship >
Pedagogy >
Technology
Improving Student Learning...

5. Wesley Fryer, I am here for the Learning Revolution, http://goo.gl/m8zbSQ, CC BY-SA 2.0
How can
technology
inform my
pedagogy
and improve my
relationships
with my students
to improve their
learning ?

6. How?
With Analytics
data to inform my
understanding of exactly
where my students are at

7. We’re not
so we can’t collect the
types of data they can
but we can start in small
ways

8. Example 1
Learning Goals Quiz

9. Based on learning goals
Uses student friendly language
Completed every weekfew weeks
Students aware that it is just for my use to help
me improve my teaching and so that I can feel
confident that they are moving forward in their
understandingachievement of the learning goals
Key Features

12. I know how my students view their progress in
their understanding of learning goals
I can feel confident my students are progressing
in their understanding of learning goals
Students can see their own improvement when
they move up a level in their answers which -
Builds confidence in the students
I know where I have to direct small group
tutorials in class
I know if I have to reteach something
What is gained from this?

13. Example 2
Blogs and Comments

14. Students blog each week on what they have
learned in class
Students comment on one another’s posts - 2
comments a week - if 2 people have already
commented then they can comment but need to
find someone else (ensures all students get 2
comments)
Key Features

17. I have evidence of students’ understanding of
the subject matter
Students gain a clearer understanding of the
topics learned when they have to synthesize it
into a blog post
Students have an opportunity to build a positive
digital footprint (something we value)
Students have the opportunity to learn how to
offer constructive criticism in a polite way
Students have the opportunity to learn to take
criticism
What is gained from this?

18. Example 3
Khan Academy

19. We probably all know Khan Academy has videos
But did you know...
It has a pretest to map out a basic starting
point (that self adjusts during testing)
It suggests activities based on data collected
Teachers can tell how long students took
working on a problem, their problem solving
strategies (videos and hints)
Analytics in Khan Academy

22. Diagnostic gaps - identify gaps in understanding key
concepts
Targeted intervention - more quickly identify students
who are struggling with a specific concept
Diagnosis of student learning - see step by step how
a student went about problem solving a question
Real time motivation - track the class’ activity level
(works well to get students back on task)
Analytics in Khan Academy
Link to info on analyzing Khan's Data Report
http://s3.amazonaws.com/KA-share/Toolkit-photos/Data-reference.pdf

23. What is the teacher doing?
working with the student
who needs them...

24. Example 4
Questions

25. students should have
to ask a question every day
Alan November

26. Works well with a flipped classroom model
After viewing some source material - video,
reading...
Students are required to ask a question to
clarify their understanding or to indicate how
they would like to extend their knowledge
Questions are shared with the group
Key Features

28. Link to the HOT Questions Starters
http://personal.crocodoc.com/gAo1zr7

29. Students have to think of what they have learned in
order to ask a question to extend their learning
Students learn to ask higher order thinking (HOT)
questions which encourages students to think at this
level on other occasions
Teacher gets insight into how students are thinking and
what they want to know - leads to more effective
lesson planning
Teacher gets a bank of inquiry questions
What is gained from this?

30. Thank You
Any Questions?
Anita Garnsworthy
eLearning Coordinator
Mt Alvernia College
garna@mta.qld.edu.au
@Annitix
www.anitag.me