An integrated approach to Junior Curriculum

Want to know more about innovative approaches to junior curriculum? Philip Jellyman during his sabbatical visited a number of schools trying to do things different and this report summarises his findings [clicking the link will download a .pdf file]. Some of the schools he visited were Alfriston College, Albany Senior High School, Hobsonville Point Secondary School, Kelston Girls College, Manurewa High School, Ormiston Senior College, Wellington East Girls College and Whangaporoa College.

Tips, Tricks and Traps

Google Sheets for recording marks 

Most of us probably use a spreadsheet for some aspect of recording student assessments. Google Sheets has some nifty, more advanced features that may be useful for you.

Sparklines: Makes mini graphs to give you a visual overview of student progress

Lookup: Allows you to enter a raw mark and have a grade automatically entered.

Conditional formatting: Allows you to automatically add pretty colours based on conditions. Can even do a colour scale for a range of numbers.

Here is an example of one I use for Maths – I found it really useful for automatically looking up the curriculum level and KAMAR score after I entered the Raw mark. Maths Teachers – let me know if you want me to set up one for you.

Student evaluation with Google Forms

At the end of the school year, you may to complete your student evaluations with Google Forms. Here’s a link to a how do guide. This includes a link to a template so you don’t even have to create your own – no point in re-inventing that wheel… Also check with other members of your department as there are a heap of you who have been doing these with your senior classes.

More tips and resources @ TBC PL Website

Things that make you go hmmmm….Digital Assessment

In the midst of junior exams and marking, you may want give some thought to online/digital assessment. I’m trialling a digital exam with my Y9 Inquiry class this year through the Stileapp.com website. Here are some articles both for and against:

From NZQA

Digital assessment is the use of technology for assessment purposes rather than the traditional pen and paper. The use of technology for teaching and learning programmes in New Zealand schools is on the increase and NZQA has developed a digital assessment programme as a response.

Concern at digital exams

Serious concerns have been raised about the New Zealand Qualifications Authority’s plans to scrap paper-based exams and replace them with digital exams that can be sat ”online, anytime”. NZQA announced earlier this month that it aimed to put all subject examinations – minus a few that are incompatible, such as art – online by 2020.