CCSS, Smarter Balanced, and Renewed need for Tech Skills

Yesterday I designed a lesson for the student I tutor using Frolyc and tried to align the activity with a Common Core 5th Grade standard.  Overall I'm not sure how I feel about the new standards, but if the flexibility is really there for teachers to interpret and teach the standards as they see fit then it wasn't as daunting an experience as I thought it might be. 

https://www.frolyc.com/acdetails/233/

One thing I noticed while facilitating the Smarter Balanced training test last week was a renewed need for basic tech skills such as typing.  When I first started teaching 16 years ago, classes rotated through the computer lab and one of the tasks they worked on was Type to Learn.  Eventually labs closed or usage was reduced due to budget cuts.  With the arrival of the CCSS and Smarter Balanced testing students will need tech skills, including keyboarding skills, in the short term to successfully complete the tests and in the long term to attain technology based jobs in the "real world."  I know typing was pretty much the most useful skill I acquired in high school and I think one of the main skills that is going to help students feel successful on the Smarter Balanced test is having a good grasp of keyboarding skills.  Many of the students voiced that the most difficult part of the test was having to type longer passages. 

Frolyc Recognition and "Testing the Test"

Sometimes life gets in the way, so it's been awhile since I've been able to post.  Since the last post there are two topics I feel compelled to write about! 

First, Frolyc, the iPad app that I use to create personalized lessons for a student I tutor has created some buzz lately by being nominated for an edtech digest award (http://edtechdigest.wordpress.com/) and featured in a education article for the Mercury News!  I still love using this app and the creator is constantly tweaking and updating features making it a dynamic and relevant tool for delivering content to students.

http://edtechdigest.wordpress.com/etd-awards/enter/

http://www.mercurynews.com/san-mateo-county-times/ci_25367875/margaret-lavin-frolyc-hot-new-app-parents-teachers

https://www.frolyc.com/

Next, the reality of computerized testing at the elementary level has arrived.  Last week 3rd through 5th grade classes rotated through the computer lab at our school, getting their first independent exposure to the Smarter Balanced Assessment Test (http://www.smarterbalanced.org/).  Students used a secure browser to take a short training test in ELA and Math to help them prepare for the official California state-wide field testing that begins today through June.  Within that time frame districts can determine when school sites will take the test.  http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-standardized-test-20140325,0,7010054.story#axzz2wzUuRz8i

As a Technology Resource Teacher I facilitated the 3rd - 5th grade SBAC training tests and was intrigued watching students take the test.  There seemed to be certain degree of excitement toward the new format and it was a better experience, from my perspective, than looking over rows of daunted students with their test booklets and bubble answer sheets.  Still, it was easy to see who was putting effort into the test and who was going through the motions.  Yesterday during our computer skills classes I used Google Forms to get feedback from the students on their feelings towards the new computerized test format.  Overall students seemed to prefer the new format, but some would prefer to go back to the old bubble test! 

Some initial student reactions are below.  We'll see if their feelings change after they take the longer field test and performance task!  http://www.smarterbalanced.org/