With educational technology on a high school level, there are many resources available for assessment.  With most families owning at least one computer now, as well as many students having their own personal computer, it makes it easier to assign assessments that require technological resources and software. 

            For my classroom, the students are expected to have access to Microsoft Word for any formal writing assignment.  If students do not have personal access to the computer, than they are expected to find public access to a computer like the school library or the public library.  If it is a major research or writing assignment, then I bring the students to the library and the computer lab to complete some or all of the work during the class period where I am available to help them with any questions.  The students are required to use online databases like EBSCOHost and Newsbank instead of regular websites.  If the students are to use a website, they must get it approved by me before they can use it in their research to check for validity. For many projects, especially those with oral presentations, I like to use rubistar.4teachers.org to create rubrics, like the one I used for the Supreme Court PowerPoint presentations (Appendix F). 

            Students have used PowerPoint for projects as mentioned in Guided Question II, as well as using online sources like TrackStar to navigate their way through appropriate information online.  For the French Revolution Unit in World History, I had students use a track from trackstar.4teachers.org that I created and gather information on the important information during the Reign of Terror (Appendix O).   During the unit on the Political Process in Civics, I had students do web searches on the platforms of both major political parties for the 2006 midterm elections as well as research information about Norwich's local government's organization (Appendix P). 

           Starting this year, as part of their second draft submissions of their research papers, I am having the students submit a Wordle of their papers as a way for students to self-assess if they are focusing on the appropriate information.  It is a great tool that I learned about in my Capstone seminar and I think it will be interesting for the students to see their chosen words in that format.  It also give me a quick view to see if they are focusing on the correct information. 

            As mentioned in previous guided questions, I recently received a Promethean Board so I also have those resources that help to make assessments more successful (Appendix B).  For example, I always give a review before a unit test in Civics.  Before my Promethean board was installed, I would say the review question out loud for students to answer, and then I would confirm their answer or give them the correct answer verbally.  When I got my promethean board, I would create a flipchart of the review questions as well as the answers (which were revealed after the students gave their answers).  The students’ overall scores on the final tests, which had reviews using the flipcharts, were remarkable improved from the scores of previous tests in the year.  It was proof that technology really can help students achieve better scores on assessments.  The visual aide helped students remember the information more effectively.  The Review Game is always the most requested activity by the students, and its not just for the competition.