Deiulis_asessment_tools

**Welcome to Nino Deiulis' Technology Presentation on Lightning Grader as an assessment tool!**
 * [[image:integratingtechnologyakron/20131113_163659.jpg width="160"]] || I am Nino Deiulis, I have been teaching high school science since 2005 in a wide variety of settings. From the inner city at a school that specializes in behavioral and learning disorders to teaching AP Physics in the suburban environment of Stow Ohio. Each year I incorporate more technology into my classroom while doing my best to make sure that all technology improves the teaching and learning experience. For the last few years I have been progressively increasing my use of online assessment tools such as Socrative, google forms now with Flubaroo and for the last year I have been using Lightning Grader. Lightning Grader is an online assessment tool that allows for paper tests to be given to students or tests to be given over the web. ||

The topic I chose for my presentation is the use of online assessment tools capable of item analysis. The main example of such a technology that I will focus on is Lightning Grader. I will also discuss Flubaroo as a comparison technology. Lightning grader is a small young Northeast Ohio company based in Youngstown Ohio, I have been using lightning grader for about one year since my administration approached the science department at my high school about evaluating the technology through the second half of the school year. It has been clear that Lightning Grader is a new company and is actively making updates and changes frequently. As expected I have found their customer service to be very responsive and helpful, but they have clear mistakes and glitches in their system that do not get resolved in appropriate time frames.

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 * Here is my presentation on Lightning Grader**

As a relative comparison I also have a video I made on how to use Flubaroo. Flubaroo has some capabilities for item analysis, but it is more basic. media type="youtube" key="yE4tqWA-05Y" width="560" height="315"

The iPad app is scheduled to be available in the summer of 2015. media type="youtube" key="0srdJv8G_vM" width="560" height="315" media type="youtube" key="9QKCADiASYk" width="560" height="315"
 * Other helpful videos on lightning grader.**
 * Quick overview.**

If you are using Chromebooks for online assessments you may want to put the device into kiosk mode, which will lock the device from opening any other programs. This way the online assessments are secure from students going to other sites and cheating. [|how to put a chromebook into kiosk mode] If your chromebooks are controlled at the administrative level this will have to be done by someone who has administrative rights to the chromebook controls.

I didn't find any articles on lightning grader specifically, but here are some articles about the usefulness of item analysis. The first is a project study on "action research" which is the self reflective inquiry a teacher can take. The article talks about the ability of item analysis to improve test creation to better determine competencies. The second article refers a bit more to what I feel is important which is identifying the concepts that need to be taught more thoroughly. Scholarly Article #1 Education.com item analysis
 * Resources that support the use of this technology **

This technology can be used by any teacher while teaching any content. The only limitations that would be content specific are those associated with answering mathematics questions on the web assessments where showing work is needed. In this case the teacher may want to administer the paper assessment instead or perhaps split the test up so the multiple choice questions are done using the web-assessment and the extended response math questions are done using the paper assessment.
 * Content uses of this technology.**

NETS-T 2. Design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessments incorporating contemporary tools and resources to maximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the Standards. a. Design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity b. Develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and become active participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress c. Customize and personalize learning activities to address students’ diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources d. Provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technology standards, and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching
 * Pedagogical Considerations for this technology.**

Lightning Grader can be purchased at lightninggrader.com for $96 per year. A 10 day trial is available before committing to a purchase. I have been put under the impression that a discount is given to a site with multiple accounts where assessments can be shared between teachers. I have been told by my administrator that this price is significantly less expensive than other comparable services. As a comparison, Gradecam is a similar product that uses your webcam to grade instead of a scanner which has a cost of $15/mo per teacher or $2.50/student per year for a district. As a cost free alternative you could use Google forms with the Flubaroo Add-on, but the item analysis is nice to have for a free account, but not as in depth. Flubaroo also does not have the capability to make answer sheets for existing tests.
 * Where to purchase or acquire.**