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“…we live in the Age of InfoWhelm.”
-(Ian Jukes)
“Beyond this, we live in the Age of InfoWhelm. The amount of information in
the world is growing at an exponential rate, which is reinforcing the decreasing
importance of memorization, while at the same time increasing the need for a
general conceptual awareness of the world.” (Jukes, 2007)
Making sense of the infinite
amount of the world’s
information proves to be the bulk
of the battle. Using alternative
assessments and test data can
help teachers narrow, identify
and correct areas of classroom
instruction where students are
not learning effectively. Actively
engaging and including students
in the assessment process will
increase their understanding,
and success, with testing.
Pedagogical and methodological
shifts must occur to prepare
today’s students with new skills
for the workforce of the future.
The availablilty of vast amounts
of data through advances in
technology allows the analysis
of student assessment to inform
classroom instruction in ways
never before available. One
can sort, classify, rearrange,
and redistribute any data at
the click of a button. However,
there is an information overload
problem: InfoWhelm (Jukes,
2007). Educators need to teach
students how to direct this
amazing amount of information
to their advantage. Teachers and
students working together can
explore and acquire new skills to
manage knowledge productively.
There are many ways educators
can utilize the latest technology
and access to data in order to
improve and enrich classroom
instruction and increase student
achievement.
Teachers have the ability to
analyze test data from data
collection software programs,
like Clark County School District’s
Instructional Data Management
System (IDMS) to
identify deficiencies in instruction
and assessment. Questions
the entire class missed are vital
to examine for a lack of content
instruction in that area or poor
construction of the test question
itself. Looking at specific student
scores will help teachers to
identify individual limitations.
Teachers who endorse multiple
learning styles will make opportunities
for success available to
students in a variety of ways.
Allowing students to create and
submit alternative assessments
addresses the multiple learning
styles of students, while illuminating
key areas of low
student achievement. Project
and scenario-based learning
combines content objectives
with the application of new and
varied skills. Blended learning
projects encompass the physical
and technological limitations of
the real-world learning environment
with what is possible using
technology. These types of
alternative assessments teach
students to use higher order
thinking skills (HOTS) and the
more advanced cognitive levels
of analysis, synthesis, evaluation,
and creation (Bloom’s
Taxonomy, 2001).
In addition to training teachers to
data mine and apply results effectively,
it is necessary to teach
students indispensable selfassessment
skills.
It is essential for students to be
active partners in the learning
process. Additionally, it is imperative
for educators to instruct
students to identify their own
learning strengths, weaknesses,
and learning styles.
“The ability to take data - to be
able to understand it, process it,
to extract value from it, to
communicate it-that’s going to
be a hugely important skill for
the next decades, not only at the
professional level but even at the
educational level for
elementary school kids, for high
school, for college kids.”
(Varian, 2009)
A key strategy is to teach
students to manipulate
statistics (act as statisticians)
to make sense of the data
and information. Teaching the
students how to effectively
sort through large amounts of
highly available and accessible
information, how to sift and
authenticate information,
and recognize copyright
infringement, brings the power of
assessment into the hands