Quizzes

Hi everyone,

ClassMarker is a free site which allows for the creation of online tests. This provides the Learning Manager with the opportunity to create formative, summative or diagnostic tests. These tests can either be multiple choice, true/false or short response (ClassMarker, 2009).
Students can also use this site, not only to respond to the Learning Manager’s test, but to also create tests for other students.

Here is a task that I have created, but have not had the opportunity to implement within a classroom.

Students in Year Six have been investigating local, state and federal governments. They have visited Parliament House, as well researching these different government levels. The students have been asked, in groups, to create a test for their peers to complete on the knowledge that they have ascertained so far in their learning. Previously, students created their own mini questionnaire that they used to ask their tour guides when on the excursion.

Therefore, I will use the Dimensions of Learning Procedural Knowledge methodology to scaffold students’ creation of these tests (Marzano, et al., 1997).

Construct Models
- Provide or construct with students a written or graphic representation of the skill or process they are learning. Brainstorm with students all the knowledge and skills that they have gained so far in their studies. Identify areas which they believe would be useful to use to construct a quiz and what they may need to research further in order to gain answers for their quiz. Help students to use a graphic organiser which states the question and the relevant answer.

- Help students to see how the skill or process they are learning is similar to and different from other skills or processes. Students will analyse their construction of their mini questionnaires to identify the similarities between tasks.

Shape
- Point out common errors or pitfalls. Identify to students common errors when creating a test (spelling, grammar or content errors). Provide feedback to students when they are creating their test.

Internalise
- Help students understand the importance of internalising procedural knowledge. For example, discuss with students the importance of editing their text. As they are completing this stage of the task, inform students that they will need to practice revising their test to check that the questions and answers are written clearly and concisely for their peers.

The use of this framework also links to the ICT Learning Design Model (AusInfo, 2003) in the following way:

- Learning Tasks. Students are required to work collaboratively to create an assessment test for their peers. The content knowledge is centred on the people that govern in their city, state and country.

- Learning Resources. Students will need to gather information from their excursion and questionnaire to construct the test. They will also need to identify areas that they are lacking in information and search for this from reliable sources. Students will also need to outline, draft, edit and publish their questions and answers.

- Learning Supports. The Learning Manager will scaffold the students’ learning by assisting them to brainstorm information about their knowledge and understanding and to identify areas where further information will need to be sourced. The Learning Manager can conduct teacher-student conferences to assist them to create accurate quizzes for their peers.

Once the students have constructed their tests, they can upload them to the ClassMarker site. They can provide a link to their test for other students to complete.

I feel that this technology is useful as it gives the students ownership of their learning. However, this may not be appropriate in the Early Years, but it could definitely be used in the older grades.

Melissa.

References

AusInfo. (2003). The Learning Design Construct. Retrieved July 24, 2009, from Learning Design: http://www.learningdesigns.uow.edu.au/project/learn_design.htm

ClassMarker. (2009). Frequently Asked Questions. Retrieved August 1, 2009, from http://www.classmarker.com/faq.php

Marzano, R., Pickering, D., Arredondo, D., Blackburn, G., Brandt, R., Mofett, C., et al. (1997). Dimensions of Learning: Teacher's Manuel. Colorado, USA: Mid-Continent Regional Educational Laboratory.