Kindergarten Digital Formative Assessment Tools

As the school year winds down I am assessing students in various parts of our curriculum and it’s a little overwhelming for both my students and myself.  Almost all of the “final” assessments for Reading, Writing, Math, Phonics, etc. are paper based in my school district.  We have students take the STAR Early Literacy test in the Fall, Winter and Spring on iPads as part of the K-6 testing schedule but otherwise most of my assessing is informal and I was happy to research some new formative assessment tools.  Since we only have 12 days left of school (but who is counting) I don’t have time to use new assessment tools with my students.   I’m looking forward to incorporating new formative assessments with my students for next year.

Kindergarten can be a tough age to give a lot of student directed tasks.  I always describe the beginning of year like herding cats, I’m trying to get the students used to being school and following routines and schedules and then on top of that I need to teach the curriculum.  September always seems to fly by I’m looking forward to using these tools in the upcoming school year.  That being said student directed learning is a key to educational change.  Because of that change I’m looking forward to seeing what formative assessments my IT&DML classmates will share.

Plickers is a quick and easy formative assessment tool that can be used with any age in various subject areas.   The description on iTunes says Plicker 'lets you poll your class for free without the need for individual student devices.'  First you need to register for free at Plickers.com, once you are registered you sign up your students and assign them a number. Once they are signed up you print their Plickers cards and give one to each student.  Then you ask students a question and students turn his or her card so that the correct answer choice (A, B, C, or D) is facing up.  The teacher then scans the class.  The Plickers application reads each card similar to a QR code.  The application then instantly turns the students answers into a graph or an individual student form, allowing the teacher to see which students are understanding a concept or which students might need more help.  It allows students who might be anxious about share their answers with their peer’s opportunity to show their understanding about a topic without the stigma of being right or wrong.

 

Students showing their Plicker cards

Plicker application showing students answers

Showbie is paperless way to collect student work making a virtual portfolio of some sort.  What is the great about this application besides being FREE is it is easy for Kindergartners to use!  Teachers create “assignments” as students complete the assignments they are filed into the student’s portfolio.  This helps teachers keep track of who has or hasn’t completed the assignment.  The teacher can then make notes to the assignment either as written or voice notes.  Showbie also allows the teacher to email parents assignments.  It’s great for providing students and parent’s updates on their student learning.  It also makes it much easier for report cards because all of the information is all in one place.  I am someone is always searching for new ways to best organize for my students and myself.  Showbie is a great tool to use a formative assessment because it can be both formal and informal and it involves feedback.  I also like how the students are the ones who are in charge of handing in their work, etc.  Teaching students responsibility is a life long skill.  Showbie is great tool to help them start to be responsible learners.

Easy registration process for teachers

Within the Showbie application students pick what assignment they need to complete

Book Creator is an application that allows the user to create a story and then publish and share with friends.  I have used Book Creator in the past to make class books and the kids love it.  Next year I would like to Book Creator as a math journal.  We began a new math curriculum last year and started using math journal this year as part of the roll out.  I have found a lot of success with math journals with my students and it allows the students to share their work easily with his or her teacher and his or her family.  Math journals are a quick and easy formative assessment that allows students to show their thinking with their work to help them with their learning.  Book Creator is a great application to try in conjunction with Math Journals.

An example of a math journal question using the Book Creator application

Formative assessments are important to teachers and students.  Using the applications such as Plicker, Showbie and Book Creator make it fun and less of an assessment.  Formative assessments help modify teaching and learning and these three applications certainly do that.   Using these digital FREE tools as part of formative assessments it helps everyone out including the school district.  Think of how much money could be saved with paper, copiers, ink, maintenance etc. if instead of hard copies of student work we had digital copies.  It would also allow students work to truly follow them as they continue to school.  I know my students are always surprised when they look back at their first day of school writing.  A lot of learning goes on in 180 days, making it a worthwhile learning experience is something that can continue on for years to come.