Assessing Blog/App Use

The question that is always on an educator's mind is: how do we hold students accountable for this?  Blog activities and comments, and device app use are areas that are particularly difficult to assess.  


First, you should always have a few activities on your blog or device that will NOT be assessed-- at least not in terms of a grade for students. In order for students to feel that the technology is their own, and a safe place to learn and explore, they should have places to go where they will not be judged.  This can be in the form of educational games that reinforce content, opinion sharing about a class topic, opportunities to post photos, etc. 


Ways to assess app use or blog use:


1) Reflection: Have students, depending on their ability level and the topic, reflect on what they did on the app/blog.  Require them to state a new piece of knowledge they attained!


     Example: On the CNN Student News video podcast you watched today, the 2010 BP oil spill was discussed. What are your thoughts on the progress that has been made in the Gulf clean-up process?  


2) Rubric: Make a short, brief rubric for your more important posts that you want students to comment on (this most likely would be useful for blogs only).  See example in the image. Hint** -Rubistar!


3) Score Share: on games or activities that give scores, require students to write down and/or show you (or a teacher helper) their score on the activity.


4) Partner Share: think-pair-share just as you would on a classroom activity.  If you want record of this, have students write it down, or comment on the post it applies to.  


Additional Links: Bloom's Digital Taxonomy