Social Learning Analytics in Higher Education. An experience at the Primary Education stage

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The main goal of this study, carried out in the Primary Education Degree of the University of Murcia, was to research, from the perspective of Social Learning Analytics, how students learn and collaborate in online environments, specifically through their use of social media. With the idea of improving and optimizing future teaching experiences, a pilot study was conducted using weblog, Twitter and Facebook to work with different topics on the subject. The method used in this research was a participant observation and the analysis performed was both quantitative, based mainly on the data gathered from the learning analytics, and qualitative (analyzing students’ content from comments).

Formative Assessment Using Jim Knight’s High Impact Instruction

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Teachers will complete this Softchalk Unit to define Formative Assessment and determine if their assessments are effective. Jim Knight’s, High Impact Instruction, text is used throughout the unit. Students (mentees) will read pages 69-73 from Knight’s High Impact Instruction. Knight discusses using assessments effectively. With their mentor, students will record a lesson that includes an assessment. Students will use the Checklist for Using Assessments Effectively to determine if the assessment is meeting the needs of their students. Students will share the checklist with their instructional coach. The coach will work with the student to improve the assessment.

A Guide to Data Visualization: Best Practices for Communicating Open Educational Data

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This applied webinar explores best practices for communicating open educational data with a wide audience. Topics include different methods for encoding data, the use of color and considerations for color blindness, visual perception, common pitfalls, and methods for minimizing cognitive load. Dr. Daniel Anderson, from the University of Oregon, guides the audience through these topics, while also briefly discussing mediums for communication, including data dashboards to reach a larger and more diverse audience.

Digital credentialing: implications for the recognition of learning across borders

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This report offers critical assessment of digital credentialing based on a review of the recent literature and a series of interviews with key actors. It argues for increased synergies between these developments and the quality assurance systems that have become closely associated with the implementation of a new generation of qualifications frameworks internationally. It offers an outline of the ecosystem of these digital credentials and shows the convergence and divergence with traditional qualifications frameworks. It proposes that world reference levels – now in development – are key to expediting recognition of skills and qualifications across borders.

Technology-Enhanced Teaching Self-Assessment Tool (TET-SAT)

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TET-SAT aims to trigger teachers’ self-reflection, identify learning needs and initiate actions develop competences. Online self-assessment can be used as part of an iterative and formative process in which learners set goals, test ideas, monitor progress and define new goals.

The tool was developed to meet the need identified by ministries of education in 13 European countries for a user friendly and reliable tool to monitor teacher competence, built on teacher self-reflection and empowerment, its evolution and professional development needs over time.

Technology-Enhanced Teaching Self-Assessment Tool (TET-SAT): Practical guide for teachers

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This guide may be for you if you are:

• interested in using ICT to support your students’ learning in a safe and effective way
•currently using ICT in your teaching and would like to extend your skills in this area
• interested in finding out how your own knowledge and skills compare with other teachers

Or, perhaps you are not sure why you should use ICT in the classroom and indeed whether
this is a good thing? Research has shown that the use of ICT can positively impact on
students learning especially where it is used for active, authentic and social learning.
That is where students take an exploratory and collaborative approach to learning and
where learning is related to real life situations

Assessment in a Digital Age: A research review

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This review examines the literature related to current and innovative assessment practices and systems that use technology – commonly known as ‘e-assessment’ or more recently technology enhanced assessment (TEA).

This paper examines the relatively short history and current scope of technology enhanced assessment; its use within formative and summative assessment; the potential affordances and challenges it brings; and barriers and enablers to its adoption. It offers a closer look into five focus areas where digital technologies are seen to offer particular potential benefits to changing assessment in response to a changing world and learning needs.

The areas of focus are:

1. The use of multiple forms of representation to enable learners to represent their learning in ways of their choice.

2. Developing new ways of assessing summative performance in different subjects

3. Developing ways to capture learning skills, competences and dispositions that are less amenable to traditional assessment methods

4. Developing ways of capturing peer interaction, group performance and collaboration

5. The role and use of learning analytics and education data mining
Please complete with the List of competences to be achieved

Assessing Learning Using Technology

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Assessing Learning addresses measuring student learning using technology, using both formative and summative approaches.

Integrating the formative and summative through technology enhanced assessment

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A discussion paper asking: Can technology enhanced assessment (TEA) offer opportunities for the integration of summative assessments with formative practices? How can students make better connections between assessment and learning?

This paper considers the following: Current thinking on formative and summative assessment, The benefits of integrating assessments, Systems for integrating assessments, Students as active participants, Risks and challenges

Student wellbeing in the learning zone

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An editorial paper on advantages and disadvantages of technology and its effects on student wellbeing in the learning zone