Technology in Computerized

Classrooms & Testing:

Friend or Foe?

Joann Segovia
Rhonda Ficek
 Agenda

Survey E-Friend / E-Foe

Objectives

Millennial Learners

Maintaining Integrity: Computerized Testing

Maintaining Integrity: Wireless Classrooms

 Survey:

Is technology highly integrated in 1= Yes 5= No

your course?
Do you frequently use electronic
communication with your students?
E-mail 1=Yes 5=No
Chat room 1=Yes 5=No
Discussion board 1=Yes 5=No
Postings on web page 1=Yes 5=No
 Survey: What types of technology
do you use?

Computerized testing during class 1= Yes 2=No

time
Computerized testing online 1= Yes 2=No
Personal response system 1= Yes 2=No
Website 1= Yes 2=No
Interactive website 1= Yes 2=No
Electronic texts 1= Yes 2=No
Electronic games 1= Yes 2=No
 Survey

Do you use software for computer

classroom management?
1= Yes
(i.e Silicon Chalk) 2=No
 Survey:

What type of Instructional Management

System do you use?

1) Blackboard
2) WebCT
3) D2l
4) Other system
5) None
 Survey:

Do you think your students use 1= Yes

publisher websites? 2=No

Do you think your students have used 1= Yes

technology inappropriately during an 2=No
exam?

Do you have an academic honor code 1= Yes

that students must sign? 2=No
 Survey:

What is your greatest challenge?

1 Time
2 Funding
3 Training
4 Technical support
5 Controlling “misuse”
6 Lack of recognition or rewards
7 Other
Agenda
 “E-Friend”

 Assists student learning

 Motivates student learning
 Dynamic, up-to-date instructional content
 Prompt feedback
 Increases efficiency
 Accommodates multiple learning styles
 Did you know?

What percentage of students are visual

learners?

– 0-25%
– 26-50%
– 51-75%
– 76-100%
 “E-Foe”

 Students misuse technology

 Email: Effects on IQ, Attention Span?

 Writing Skills? Acronyms?

 Digital Divide

 Poor performance on computerized tests?

 Did you know?

 Cell phones:
– publisher websites’ text material
– Text messaging (avg rate: 40 chars/min)
– Pictures of test screens
 Calculators:
– Text messaging
– Programmable calculators: loading notes /
 Test banks / Term papers for sale on the
Internet
Agenda
 Did you know?

“Workers distracted by phone calls, e-mails

and text messages suffer a greater loss
of IQ than a person smoking marijuana, a
British study shows.”

…the IQ of those who tried to juggle

messages and work fell by 10 points --
the equivalent to missing a whole night's
sleep and more than double the 4-point
fall seen after smoking marijuana.
 Objectives

 Explain key characteristics of millennial

learners and their “best” learning
strategies

 Provide best practices for maintaining

integrity
– computerized testing environments
– wireless classrooms

Agenda
Millennial Learners
Would You Repeat That Please???
You’re Going to Do What???
I’m not interested in textbooks – I’ll
keep up on topics MY way????
The Millennial Learner:
Characteristics
 The Millennial Learner:
Learning preferences

 Teamwork
 Experiential activities
 Structure
 Use of technology
 The Millennial Learner’s Activities

 Email and instant messaging

 Blogging, Podcasting
 High-technology gadgets
 “Multiprocessing” and multitasking
 Prefer teamwork, group projects, service
learning, community service
 Entertainment and excitement
 The Millennial:
Visions for Learning Environments
 Digital devices (Small, voice-activated)

 High speed Internet access

 Intelligent tutor/helper with homework

Source: Visions 2020 at http://www.netday.org/news_vision2020.htm
 The Millennial:
Visions for Learning Environments
Intensive use of technology
 games
 virtual world experiences
 online classes
 computer or online assignments
 digital teachers
 e-books, personalized learning

Source: Visions 2020 at http://www.netday.org/news_vision2020.htm

 Millennials’ Expectations:
Teachers, Learning Environments

 Expect academic staff to be comfortable

and use wide range of technologies

 Flexible learning environments /

creative activities

Agenda
 Best practices for computerized
testing environments

NCTA Professional Standards and Guidelines for

Post-Secondary Test Centers: Standards

 Policy
 Contractual agreements
 Staffing
 Institutional representation and coordination
 Physical environment
See: www.ncta-testing.org/resources/standards/standards.php
 Best practices for computerized
testing environments

NCTA Professional Standards and Guidelines for Post-

Secondary Test Centers: Guidelines

 Staffing and room environment

 Scheduling and admission processes
 Responsibilities of proctor
 Security issues
 Reviewing exams
See:
http://www.ncta-testing.org/resources/standards/standards.php
 Tips for Securing Computerized
Testing Environments
 Prohibit cell phones, PDAs in the room

 Randomize selection of questions on

tests

 Randomize order of choices in MC

questions

 Disable printing during testing

 Tips for Securing Computerized
Testing Environments
 Release only total score rather than questions /
student responses / correct answers

 Monitor from a point where screens are visible

 Rules in place beforehand – no windows open

except for test, leave room after test is
completed

 Don’t allow students to leave before they

submit test
 MSUM’s Proctored Testing
Experiment

 Pilot Spring 2005

 Additional Funding for 2005-2006

 Targets large classes

– Current labs have < 30 computers
– Randomized question sets
– Testing over a period of days
Students’ Innovative Ways to Use
Technology
 Use of electronic devices during class or
exam
– Cell phones, PDAs, laptops, programmable
calculators

 Specific examples of inappropriate uses

and any solutions to improve environment?

“Wired for Cheating”

(http://chronicle.com/weekly/v50/i45/45a02701.htm) Agenda
Managing Computerized Classrooms:
Formative Assessment

Use Chat to take attendance while

asking an opening question

Quick writes
(http://www.bertiekingore.com/Quick_Writes.pdf)
Managing Computerized Classrooms

 Monitors off at times

 Creating active learning through

technology: Horizon Wimba
Managing Computerized Classrooms:
Formative Assessment
Web-Based Self-Assessment Tools

 Study Mate Demo

http://www.respondus.com/products/studymat
e.shtml

 Quandary Demo
http://www.halfbakedsoftware.com/quandary_t
utorials_examples.php
Agenda
 Conclusion

New Learners

New technologies:

Best of both worlds?

 Contact Information

 Rhonda Ficek, Director of Instructional

Technology, MSU Moorhead
ficek@mnstate.edu

 Joann Segovia, Accounting Professor,

MSU Moorhead
segovia@mnstate.edu