Are tests the only objective assessments?

      Objective assessments are very important since they help to standardize scores and really help the students understand what they know. Tests are the most common form of objective assessment, but they are not the only ones. With some creativity and thought, a teacher can create a different type of assessment and a rubric for it. Using a rubric, as long as it is well written, will help to make a project objective. For example, asking students to create a model of the Earth can be seen as a very subjective task. By including a rubric such as the following, the task has now been pulled into the more objective realm.

       Creating a rubric that makes a project objective can be a very difficult task, but it is well worth the time.  To create an objective rubric, the teacher must think about what knowledge and skills the student will need to present during the project.  Think about what would be assessed during a standard test.  Begin with the basics of what would make an average grade and place that into the rubric, then add details that you would expect to see for a little above average and really above average.  By allowing students to see the rubric and discussing it with them before they begin the project, they will know exactly what you are looking for and it will not be as subjective as it was before. 

What does a technology-infused classroom look like?

Technology is a very important aspect of a 21^st century classroom because the careers that our students will be heading into will be more technologically advanced than any careers in history.  A technology-infused classroom will simply be a classroom in which computers are a common way of life.  If computers are a common element to the students, they will be able to interact with them more smoothly.  A common set of computers will make this interaction easier to work with and allow students to create products on the computers that would normally be created by pencil and paper. 

The products that students can create in a technology-infused classroom are endless based on the programs and projects that the students are allowed to work with.  By giving the students the proper resources and reasons to use them, a teacher can create a more realistic classroom that the students will be interested in and find useful later on in their lives.  These projects can be stressful for a teacher to work with since the students and teacher may be working with tools that they are not familiar with, but with a little scaffolding about the program the teacher can prepare the students for future projects.