Fall 2024 Curriculum Corner

To keep students engaged and accountable during their peers' presentations, consider incorporating an interactive and purposeful task for students. Giving students something to do while they are in the audience will ensure active listening, promote reflection, and foster constructive feedback, helping students remain focused and invested in the presentations. Here are some strategies you can use NOW in the classroom!

• Provide students with a feedback form or checklist, where they can note positive aspects of each presentation and suggest one area for improvement.Collect the forms at the end of the presentations or have students share feedback aloud.

• Use the "Glows and Grows" method, where students note two strengths (glows) and one suggestion (grow) for each presenter. This can help the audience focus on both positive reinforcement and constructive criticism. Have students turn in their feedback notes or share them with the presenters directly.

• Provide students with a simple rubric aligned with the learning intentions/success criteria. Audience members can assess each presentation based on the criteria. Collect the rubrics at the end of class, or use them as a basis for a short discussion, asking students to highlight presentations that exemplified strong elements.

• Create a "Listening Bingo" card with the grading criteria you will use to assess students. Students can mark off squares as they observe these elements. Offer a small reward for students who complete their cards, or ask them to share one or two squares they marked off and discuss how they were used in the presentations.

Practical Ways to Use ZipGrade for Data Analysis

• Pre-Assessments for Benchmarking: Before launching a new topic, consider giving a pre-assessment via ZipGrade. This will give you a clear idea of your students' starting points and help you tailor instruction accordingly.
• Formative Assessments for Real-Time Feedback: Regular quizzes and exit tickets graded with ZipGrade allow for immediate feedback. You can quickly assess whether students grasp the material and adjust lessons on the fly.
• Targeted Reteaching Using Item Analysis: ZipGrade’s ability to break down performance by individual question makes it easy to identify which concepts need further review and which areas students have mastered.
• Immediate Feedback to Boost Engagement: Quick grading with ZipGrade enables same-day feedback, helping students stay informed about their progress while keeping instruction aligned with their current needs.
• Data Review for Reflection and Improvement: After each unit, reviewing ZipGrade’s comprehensive data reports will allow you to evaluate both student outcomes and instructional effectiveness. This reflective process leads to continuous improvements in your teaching approach.

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ZipGrade vs. Scantron: A Comparison

• Pinpointing Learning Gaps: ZipGrade provides detailed, real-time insights into student struggles, while Scantron generally requires additional software for similar analyses.
• Customization for Personalized Learning: ZipGrade enables immediate differentiation with its item-level data, whereas Scantron’s basic reporting is limited in scope without further analysis tools.

• Tracking Progress Over Time: ZipGrade allows seamless comparison of assessment data across time periods, providing a comprehensive view of student growth, while Scantron lacks automatic data storage features.

• Collaboration and Accessibility: ZipGrade’s reports are digital and easily shareable, promoting team-based decision-making, while Scantron typically requires manual steps for sharing and collaboration.

• Timely Instructional Adjustments: With ZipGrade’s instant feedback, teachers can make quick changes to their instruction, whereas Scantron’s slower turnaround hampers immediate intervention.

Now - How does it work?

• Print out free scantrons here- https://www.zipgrade.com/forms/
• Students fill out scantrons with their name and any other information you want (they do not have to fill in their Zip Id).
• Download the ZipGrade app on an Android or Apple device. (phone or computer)
• Sign in or sign up with a new account.
• Click new quiz.
• Title it, select "answer sheet" (number of questions), and create quiz.
• Click "edit key" where you type in key manually or scan in an answer sheet you have bubbled in already.
• Scan papers when ready (phone or copy machine scanner then save as PDF and upload to your computer)
• Review papers and check out the item analysis to see the summary of the quiz.

Email: kharmon@ctemc.org
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Twitter: @mskharmon