Google Docs for Testing

Although many teachers are embracing available technology to transform the way teaching and learning happens in the classroom, we still run into a wall when it comes to exams. At that point, throw away the iPad, say goodbye to collaboration, it’s time to sit in silence and write with a pen for three hours.

I’ve recently trialled giving a SAC (a formal assessment task that needs to be done under test conditions and with a high level of accountability) online. This isn’t the same as letting all VCE students sit an exam online but I thought it was an experience that was worth sharing.

My Year 11 Media students had to complete a research report looking at the impact of the Internet on our society. This was done in place of a mid-year exam, so the stakes were high and accountability was a must. I was able to move this task into a digital space while still allowing for these needs.

First, the assignment itself was ‘open book’. The broad question that the students were answering required more than copy-pasting from other sources. This made for a better assignment and also removed the issue of students having Internet access. In fact, I wanted the students to have Internet access. We had set up a Diigo group to collate a class set of references for use in the essay. Part of their assessment was their contribution to this Diigo group prior to the essay but the real test of learning was how they were able to draw connections between, and conclusions from, this information.

The main way I ensured students were doing their own work, in the time provided, was by making use of some of the fantastic features of Google Docs. At the start of the period, I had my students share a Google Doc with me. I then opened each file (I only have seven students in my class) and as they worked, I could see the words pop up on my screen in real-time. Using this technique, I could quickly scan through the students’ essays and ensure they weren’t simply copying and pasting large chunks of text.

True, I couldn’t see every student at once, but they didn’t know who I was looking at at any given time. I suppose it created a sort of Panopticon (is anyone cringing that I’m suggesting a prison strategy as a positive teaching method?). Also, if I did get suspicious, I could go through the revision history and see how their ideas and paragraphs developed over the course of the period.

At the end of it all, I was able to put comments straight onto the students’ essays. They were able to read over these extensive comments and reply to them. The learning didn’t end with submission and a grade, rather the discussion continued as students reflected on their performance and my feedback.

I think this was a very effective method of conducting high-stakes testing using digital tools and I would certainly do it again. Would it work in your context? Have you done something similar using the same or different tools? How could a system like this be ‘scaled up’ to larger class sizes? Please leave comments below.

Posted by crjgatt on August 17, 2012

https://tradition2transformation.wordpress.com/2012/08/17/google-docs-for-testing/