Summary: Canvas’ quiz feature allows you to create an assessment online. I like using this for summative assessments. You can include all features of a pencil/paper assessment: multiple choice, true/false, fill-in-the-blank, essay, etc. You can create an answer key and also scramble answer choices. The SpeedGrader feature is great for grading, too.
Pros/Cons: Creating the exam can be tedious. It takes a decent amount of time. But once it is there, it is SO nice to have Canvas grade anything that isn’t an essay, and grading essays on Canvas is quicker, anyway. If you have an error in your answer key and don’t catch it until students take the quiz/test, you have to manually correct each student’s assessment, which is also kind of annoying. Canvas spits out all kinds of data after the assessment is taken, such as how many students missed each question and so on.
Socrative.com
Summary: Socrative allows you to enter a set of questions (mutiple choice or open ended) for students to answer. Each teacher has a classroom code. Students go to the website, enter your code, and whatever questions you have live will pop up for them. I like to use Socrative as a formative assessment to start or end class. For example, I might have a question about a thematic idea we discussed the previous day. Students enter and submit their ideas as the bell rings. I can review all the answers and display them (with our without names) if I want.
Pros/Cons: This is a quick and easy way to check in with students. It’s really easy to create and make something live “on the fly”, which is great for formative assessment. It would be a little less ideal to use as a summative assessment, as it doesn’t connect to the grading system or anything. It is best used for short, quick check-ins.
FlipGrid.com
Summary: Students can record and post videos of themselves. This would be great for a formative assessment in a remote learning setting. Because it is a video, students have to think on their feet, so I think it would somewhat mimic that organic process of observing students in class to see what they’re understanding/struggling with.
Pros/Cons: Some students might feel “awkward” about recording a video of themselves, and might not participate solely for that reason. Perhaps there is a tiny bit of a learning curve, too. Otherwise, it is a great way to authentically check in with students.
