TestDrive is a feature of Innovation that allows teachers to provide content to anonymous users via passcodes. There are some limitations to using passcodes. Student data is not recorded or saved, teachers cannot edit tasks or monitor student access. We’d like to encourage teachers to become subscribers! As such, teachers can use the passcodes to import the task into their own account and then have full access to all Innovation features.
Innovation Assessments LLC provides access to teacher-generated content through unique passcodes. Each passcode allows students to access specific learning applications within the TestDrive platform. Teachers who purchase or are granted passcodes may share them solely with their students for completing designated online tasks in TestDrive. Passcodes do not require student registration or login.
By using a passcode as described above, you acknowledge and agree to the following:
Restricted Sharing: Passcodes are intended only for students in the teacher’s class or assigned group. Passcodes may not be shared outside this scope.
Third-Party Content: Embedded content, such as YouTube videos, may not be owned or controlled by Innovation Assessments LLC and could become inaccessible without notice.
Duration of Access: Passcodes will generally remain functional indefinitely, allowing access to activities as long as they are part of the active curriculum. However, Innovation Assessments LLC reserves the right to deactivate or discontinue passcodes in the event of significant business changes or content restructuring. Passcodes will remain active until such a time unless otherwise stated.
Content Revisions: Activities accessed through passcodes may be revised, edited, or updated at any time without notice to improve content quality, adapt to curriculum changes, or meet technical requirements.
One of my favorite lessons teaching any time period of social studies has always been working with extended length primary sources.
Students’ initial difficulty completing these tasks usually stemmed from habits I like to help them break. The first bad habit was to copy sections of the source text verbatim instead of paraphrasing. Another was the expectation that all the answers were in the source text. An important, if not vital, competency in studying primary sources is to be aware of the outside knowledge and possible biases that the reader them-self brings to the source. This task calls on students to bring prior knowledge to direct awareness.
My primary source analysis task is a short essay. The process is the same for every source no matter the time period or even the grade level. Students address the source type, purpose, and audience. They provide relevant historical context from their own knowledge. They summarize the source. They address reliability factors. For middle schoolers, these “essays” are really more like short compositions. My high schoolers came to compose more extended length essays. Here’s one you can have for nothing:
Up to my retirement, I was teaching in a small, rural K-12 school where I had students for three or even four years. This was a great benefit for so many reasons, one of which was they became “skilled at the skills”. I integrated a lot of writing and reading in my courses.
The Important is Not Always in the Text Itself
Most elementary level reading comprehension tasks call on students to locate an answer in the text to prove they understand. Working with primary sources means understanding what was going on in the historical period that produced the document. Getting students to grasp this takes patience and perseverance. This task asks students to deduce how the audience was expected to react to the source, who the intended audience was, what was going on historically at the time, and factors affecting reliability of the source. None of this is in the document explicitly itself.
A Great Way to Teach Critical Thinking and Deduction
I cannot recommend this assignment strongly enough for my fellow social studies teachers out there. I assigned this right after I completed the content delivery in a unit. It lent itself to long-term retention of the historical content because students needed to apply this newly acquired knowledge to the text. It promotes reading comprehension. It stimulates discussion in class. Often, a student would have a question about the source or how to answer questions of bias and audience and reliability. It would make a great opportunity to pause and have a discussion about these things. These extended length primary sources offer much more to the learning process that the short 200-word snippets we find in textbooks and on state tests (think document-based essays and constructed-response tasks).
The Essay Prompt Assignment may be a Hard Sell to Teachers
I have not been very successful in promoting this method to many others. Very few of the essay versions sell at our TeachersPayTeachers store. I think I understand why. It takes time and consistency to teach reliability factors to students. Grading a hundred short essays every unit of study is a daunting proposition in light of everything else we have to do. More than one transfer student remarked that my social studies courses had a lot of writing. None regretted it. More than one said they learned to write in my class.
But I get it! So, I am developing an automated multiple-choice version of these assignments. Mind you, reader, I feel that doing this as a composition is a better practice, but I can also see how doing a multiple-choice version of this task can be very instructive. I invite you to download this free resource to try it out.
First of all, if you want to have your students write the essay version of this assignment, each prompt includes the same organizer to guide their writing.
I have carefully documented where I got the source using an easy-to-understand source citation system that I borrowed from genealogists. This citation is presented first and should prompt the student to consider factors affecting reliability.
The multiple-choice version is auto-corrected. You get a passcode that students use to access the online task at the Innovation website. Learn more about our passcodes from this short video:
The questions are categorized under “Observations” whose categories are intended audience, historical context, source summary, and reliability factors. The resource includes a text version of the questions in case you don’t feel the online auto-corrected version is best.
If you’ve purchased one of our products on TeachersPayTeachers, you may have received passcodes for online activities. These passcodes allow your students to access and complete exercises on our website, where their scores will be displayed. But there’s more you can do with these passcodes, especially if you’re a subscriber to our Innovation platform. Here’s how you can maximize their potential.
Distribute to Students: Give the passcode to your students. They will enter it on the TestDrive page of the Innovation website to access the exercise. The system will display their scores upon completion.
Import into Your Dashboard:
Log into Your Dashboard: Navigate to the upper right-hand corner of the Innovation website.
Enter the Passcode: Paste the code into the provided field. Ensure you’ve copied it correctly.
Import the Activity: Click “Import,” select the class for the activity, and confirm. The system will notify you of a successful import.
Organize Your Activities: The new activity will appear at the top of your list. You can rearrange it by using the “Actions” > “Reorder” button and drag and drop it as needed.
Benefits of Importing Activities
Enhanced Monitoring: By importing activities into your Innovation account, you can track student progress more effectively. You’ll see who completed what, when, and how long they spent on each task.
Customization Options:
Edit Questions: Tailor the questions to better suit your teaching style or add cue points for enhanced engagement.
Add Resources: Upload PDFs, audio files, or other materials to create a richer learning experience.
Create New Questions: Use our question bank to generate new activities. The imported questions are saved in your database, categorized for easy access.
Creating Tests and Tutors
Instant Tests: Use the question bank to quickly assemble multiple-choice tests. Select the desired questions, and voilà – you have a ready-to-go test.
Tutoring Features: Set up practice sessions so students can rehearse before tackling the main exercise. This helps reinforce learning and builds confidence.
By subscribing to our Innovation platform, you gain these powerful tools to enhance your teaching experience. Import your activities, monitor student engagement, and customize content to meet your needs. We hope you’ll join us and unlock the full potential of your teaching resources.
Can Vocabulary Knowledge Predict Content Knowledge? Unveiling Insights from Classroom Practice
Encountering a scholarly paper delving into curriculum-based measures (CBM) for content area secondary courses like social studies ignited my curiosity. Eager to implement and extend their research, I embarked on a journey within my own classroom. As an educator committed to maximizing my students’ potential, I aimed to investigate whether vocabulary knowledge could serve as a predictor of content comprehension. Through practical application and careful observation, I sought to unearth valuable insights to refine my teaching methodologies. Here’s what unfolded during this intriguing exploration.
The intersection of vocabulary and content knowledge has long been a subject of interest in education. While vocabulary is recognized as a fundamental component of academic proficiency, its role in anticipating students’ understanding of intricate subject matter remains a matter of debate. The paper I encountered proposed that assessing students’ vocabulary knowledge through CBM could offer valuable insights into their grasp of content area material, particularly in disciplines like social studies characterized by specialized terminology and concepts.
To test this hypothesis, I integrated vocabulary-focused CBM into my social studies curriculum, meticulously tracking students’ progress across multiple units. I developed targeted vocabulary assessments, quizzes, and assignments tailored to evaluate students’ familiarity with key terms and concepts relevant to each unit of study. Additionally, I incorporated vocabulary-building exercises into classroom activities, discussions, and readings to reinforce students’ comprehension and retention of subject-specific terminology.
Through continuous assessment and analysis, intriguing patterns began to emerge in students’ performance. Those exhibiting proficiency in vocabulary consistently demonstrated a deeper comprehension of the content material. They showcased their understanding by articulating complex ideas, drawing connections between different topics, and applying their knowledge in diverse contexts. Conversely, students grappling with vocabulary challenges often struggled to grasp the underlying concepts and themes presented in the curriculum.
One significant revelation was the predictive capacity of certain high-utility terms in gauging students’ overall content mastery. Terms acting as linchpins or conceptual anchors within the curriculum correlated strongly with students’ performance on unit assessments and projects. By prioritizing the teaching and reinforcement of these critical vocabulary terms, I could scaffold students’ learning and facilitate deeper engagement with the subject matter.
Moreover, I observed that vocabulary instruction served as a gateway to content proficiency, enabling students to access and comprehend complex texts, primary sources, and multimedia resources more effectively. Equipping students with the linguistic tools to decode and interpret content area material empowered them to become more independent and self-directed learners.
However, it’s crucial to acknowledge the limitations of relying solely on vocabulary knowledge as a predictor of content understanding. While vocabulary forms a foundational aspect of academic literacy, it should be viewed as part of a broader assessment framework. Factors such as background knowledge, cognitive skills, and socio-cultural influences also significantly influence students’ learning experiences and outcomes.
In conclusion, my exploration into the relationship between vocabulary knowledge, CBM, and content understanding provided valuable insights into student learning dynamics within the social studies classroom. While vocabulary instruction can undoubtedly enhance students’ comprehension and retention of subject matter, it should complement a comprehensive approach to teaching and learning. By integrating targeted vocabulary CBM with engaging content-based activities and assessments, educators can create enriching learning experiences that foster deep understanding and critical thinking skills in students.
In the ever-evolving landscape of education, the integration of technology has become increasingly prevalent, promising to revolutionize teaching and learning experiences. One popular trend that has emerged is gamification – the use of game elements and principles in non-game contexts, such as education. While gamifying lessons can undoubtedly enhance engagement and motivation, it’s essential to recognize that it’s not synonymous with digital learning. In this blog post, we’ll explore the distinction between gamification and digital learning and delve into the implications for educators.
Understanding Gamification
Gamification involves incorporating elements of game design, such as points, badges, leaderboards, and rewards, into educational activities to motivate and engage students. By tapping into the intrinsic human desire for achievement, competition, and mastery, gamification seeks to make learning more enjoyable and immersive. From quiz-based review games to interactive simulations and role-playing activities, gamified lessons offer students a sense of agency and autonomy, fostering a deeper level of involvement and participation.
The Pitfalls of Digital Learning
On the other hand, digital learning encompasses a broader spectrum of educational technologies and practices, beyond just gamification. While gamified lessons leverage game mechanics to enhance engagement, digital learning encompasses a wide range of digital tools, resources, and methodologies aimed at facilitating learning outcomes. From online courses and virtual reality simulations to interactive multimedia presentations and collaborative platforms, digital learning encompasses a diverse array of approaches to instruction and assessment.
Moving Beyond Gamification
While gamifying lessons can be a valuable strategy for engaging students, it’s essential to recognize its limitations and explore the broader landscape of digital learning opportunities. Rather than relying solely on game elements, educators should strive to incorporate a variety of digital tools and resources that cater to different learning styles and preferences. From interactive tutorials and multimedia presentations to collaborative projects and real-world simulations, digital learning offers endless possibilities for enhancing student engagement and achievement.
Integrating Gamification into Digital Learning
That said, gamification can still play a valuable role within the context of digital learning. By integrating game elements strategically into digital lessons and activities, educators can create dynamic and interactive learning experiences that captivate students’ attention and foster intrinsic motivation. Whether through gamified quizzes, interactive storytelling, or collaborative challenges, gamification can complement and enhance existing digital learning initiatives, providing an additional layer of engagement and interactivity.
Conclusion: Balancing Engagement and Learning Outcomes
In conclusion, while gamifying lessons can be a powerful tool for increasing engagement and motivation, it’s essential to recognize that it’s just one aspect of digital learning. Educators must strive to strike a balance between engaging students and achieving meaningful learning outcomes. By leveraging a variety of digital tools and methodologies, educators can create dynamic and interactive learning experiences that cater to the diverse needs and preferences of today’s learners. So, let’s embrace the potential of gamification within the broader landscape of digital learning and empower students to thrive in an increasingly digital world.
In the fast-paced world of academia, where information is constantly flowing and concepts are rapidly evolving, one skill stands out as indispensable: note-taking. Often overlooked or taken for granted, effective note-taking is a foundational skill that can make or break a student’s academic success. From capturing key ideas during lectures to synthesizing complex information from textbooks, the ability to take clear, concise, and organized notes is essential for mastering course material and achieving academic excellence.
But what exactly makes note-taking such a crucial skill, and how can students harness its power to enhance their learning experience? Let’s delve into the importance of note-taking and explore strategies for maximizing its effectiveness in the classroom.
At its core, note-taking is more than just transcribing words on paper – it’s a cognitive process that engages students in active learning. By actively listening, summarizing, and synthesizing information, students not only reinforce their understanding of the material but also encode it into their long-term memory. Research has shown that the act of taking notes enhances comprehension and retention, leading to better academic performance and deeper learning outcomes.
Furthermore, note-taking serves as a valuable tool for organizing and structuring information. By creating visual representations of key concepts, relationships, and ideas, students can gain clarity and insight into complex topics. Whether through outlining, mind mapping, or bullet-pointing, effective note-taking enables students to connect disparate pieces of information and identify overarching themes and patterns.
While note-taking is undoubtedly a powerful skill, mastering it requires practice, patience, and the right strategies. Here are some tips for students looking to improve their note-taking prowess:
Stay Engaged: Actively listen to lectures and participate in class discussions. Engage with the material by asking questions, seeking clarification, and making connections to prior knowledge.
Use Abbreviations and Symbols: Develop a system of abbreviations and symbols to speed up the note-taking process. This can help you capture key points quickly and efficiently without getting bogged down in transcription.
Focus on Key Ideas: Instead of trying to write down every word, focus on capturing the main ideas, key concepts, and supporting details. Be selective and prioritize information that is essential for understanding the topic.
Organize Your Notes: Use headings, bullet points, and indentations to organize your notes in a logical and hierarchical manner. Create a clear structure that reflects the relationships between different pieces of information.
Review and Revise: Regularly review and revise your notes to reinforce learning and clarify any misunderstandings. Use your notes as a study tool to prepare for exams, quizzes, and assignments.
Experiment with Different Formats: Explore different note-taking formats, such as Cornell notes, outline method, or concept mapping, to find the one that works best for you. Experiment with digital tools and apps to enhance your note-taking experience.
Conclusion: Unlocking Academic Potential
In conclusion, note-taking is far more than just a mundane task – it’s a gateway to academic success and lifelong learning. By honing their note-taking skills, students can unlock their full academic potential and gain a deeper understanding of course material. From improving comprehension and retention to enhancing critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, effective note-taking is a foundational skill that empowers students to excel in their academic journey. So, grab your pen and paper (or digital device) and start mastering the art of note-taking today!
Are you ready to ignite a passion for robotics and coding in your classroom? Look no further than our collection of comprehensive course materials designed to engage and inspire students from grades 8-12.
Whether you’re teaching beginners or seasoned programmers, our range of resources has something for everyone. Let’s dive into what our courses have to offer:
1. Robotics 1/2 Year Course for EV3
Our Robotics Programming course is a dynamic exploration of programming principles using Lego EV3 robotics equipment. Focused on programming rather than building, this course emphasizes hands-on learning and problem-solving skills. Students will cycle through stations with pre-built robots, tackling challenges and reinforcing their programming skills along the way. With 18 engaging challenges included, students will have ample opportunity to apply their newfound skills in real-world scenarios.
Key Contents:
Student copies of cycle materials for motor control, touch sensor control, and color sensor control.
Teacher master copies of all stations, including instructions, grading rubrics, and sample challenges.
Templates for lab reports and course syllabi.
Multiple-choice question banks for online assessments.
On-task observation rubric to keep students accountable.
HTML files of the question bank for easy integration into teaching platforms.
2. VEX Coding and Robotics Full-Year Course
Our VEX Coding and Robotics course is a comprehensive exploration of computer programming and its applications in robotics. Designed as a full-year curriculum, this course covers C++ programming language and practical problem-solving with VEX robots. With a focus on writing quality code and developing critical thinking skills, students will embark on a journey of discovery and innovation.
Course Overview:
12 weeks of C programming language training.
21 weeks of problem-solving with VEX robots.
7 weeks for final projects.
Specialized course qualification for New York State students.
Materials Included:
Assessments, rubrics, and final project options.
HTML format multiple-choice tests with answer keys.
Programmer’s tests with solutions.
Robotics challenges and solutions.
Teacher presentation slideshows and sample syllabi.
3. Coding and Robotics Full-Year Course
Our Coding and Robotics course offers a comprehensive curriculum for teaching computer programming and robotics. With a focus on C programming language and practical problem-solving, students will develop essential skills for success in the digital age. Whether you’re teaching in-person or remotely, our course materials provide everything you need to deliver engaging and effective lessons.
Materials Included:
Assessments, rubrics, and final project options.
Vocabulary terms and programmer’s tests.
Robotics challenges and solutions.
Teacher presentation slideshows and sample syllabi.
Unlock the Power of Coding
Research shows that learning coding offers numerous benefits for students. From developing problem-solving and critical thinking skills to fostering creativity and innovation, coding education prepares students for success in an increasingly digital world. By incorporating coding and robotics into your curriculum, you’re not just teaching technical skills – you’re empowering students to become lifelong learners and active contributors to society.
Start Your Journey Today
Ready to transform your classroom into a hub of innovation and creativity? Explore our range of robotics and coding courses today and empower your students to become the problem-solvers and innovators of tomorrow. With comprehensive course materials and easy integration into existing teaching platforms, our resources are designed to streamline your teaching experience and maximize student learning outcomes. Unlock the potential of robotics and coding in your classroom – start your journey with us today!
Are you ready to take your teaching to the next level? Look no further than Innovation Assessments LLC – your one-stop destination for 21st-century learning space and resources designed specifically for secondary school teachers. With a suite of innovative tools and digital teaching materials, we’re here to empower educators and enhance student learning experiences like never before.
A Comprehensive Teaching Platform
At Innovation Assessments LLC, we understand the challenges that educators face in today’s ever-changing educational landscape. That’s why we’ve developed a robust online teaching platform that caters to the diverse needs of teachers and students alike. Whether you’re looking to streamline content creation, assess student learning, or facilitate remote teaching, our platform has you covered.
Our software-as-a-service (SaaS) online teaching platform offers a seamless experience for educators seeking to organize their online content and assess students’ learning. With utilities for teaching and assessing reading, writing, and content knowledge, Innovation is a versatile tool that caters to a wide range of instructional needs. Plus, integration with popular platforms like Google Classroom and Moodle makes it easy to incorporate Innovation into your existing teaching workflow.
Evolution in Action
But Innovation is more than just a testing service – it’s a dynamic platform that has evolved to meet the demands of real teachers and students in real classrooms. What started as a test generator for multiple-choice tests has grown into a comprehensive teaching platform that empowers educators to engage learners in new and exciting ways.
With features like Proctor AI and study apps, Innovation provides educators with valuable insights and tools to support student success. The platform’s collaborative approach, involving input from real teachers and students, ensures that it remains relevant and effective in today’s educational landscape.
Join the Innovation Revolution
Ready to revolutionize your teaching? Join the Innovation revolution today and discover the power of our comprehensive teaching platform. Whether you’re a seasoned educator or just starting out, Innovation Assessments LLC has the tools and resources you need to succeed in the modern classroom. Sign up now and unlock a world of possibilities for you and your students.
Upon retiring from full-time public school teaching in 2023, I took part-time working teaching French remotely. Teaching via video conferencing turns out to be a terrific method and a very satisfying work!
Being also a web developer for a platform designed for remote teaching and in-class 1:1 designs, I was inspired by this work to begin developing a set of applications specifically for teaching world languages remotely.
I always loved improv and when teaching social studies or French in my career, my students and I enjoyed role play as a learning tool that was fun and meaningful. My practice was to incorporate many exercises to develop conversational proficiency using improv or semi-improvised “scaffold” dialogues.
The improv app at Innovation is now well developed. This app is available to subscribers only right now from the Language Console of the dashboard.
The teacher shares the screen in a remote teaching situation (or in-person, displays the screen in class). The first thing is to select the proficiency level. I use the CEFR descriptors.
A notice appears in red in the center advising students not to use AI while participating. This was sometimes an issue for me with some remote students, who quickly consulted Google translate instead of improvising their own contributions to our conversation. Teachers can remove this notice by clicking in.
Once the difficulty level is chosen, the teacher can select from the available conversation themes. These correspond to typical topics taught in world language classes that employ thematic units as the method. The reader will notice in the graphic that a scorecard appears on the right. The scoring method is that used in speaking tasks on New York State world language assessments and instructions are available at the click of a button.
Once the teacher has selected the theme, a set of possible dialogues appears.
Upon selecting the prompt, the conversation can begin. As the dialogue proceeds, the teacher can track the attempts and utterances in the scorecard on the right. They can award 2 points for utterances which are comprehensible, appropriate, and make no surprising errors for level. the can award 1 point for utterances that are not quite right for that student’s expected proficiency. The app automatically calculates the grade.
Now what I like to do is to use the large textarea in the center to provide useful words or phrases that the student asked for or needed during the dialogue.
List the expressions with their meaning separated by an equal sign. Here’s why: the Innovation flashcards app has been integrated so that we can study the phrases! Scroll down just a wee bit and you will find a small button called “Cards”. This will extract those phrases and arrange them into flash cards for study!
My practice is then to give students a copy of that list via email or in their lesson notes. They can themselves use Innovation’s Quick Flashcards app to generate their own drills for later.
The development of the improv app at Innovation has been a particularly exciting work. By incorporating elements of improvisation and conversation scaffolding, I’ve aimed to make language learning both engaging and effective for students in remote teaching contexts as well as for in-person learning. The app’s integration with other features such as proficiency level selection, themed dialogues, and real-time scoring ensures a comprehensive learning experience.
After a long hiatus while teaching social studies, I began a return to teaching French in 2018. I am a bit of a digital pack rat and was glad to find most of the teaching resources for French that I had developed in the 1990s still on an old hard drive. One of these is a unit for teaching a graphic novel called Astérix chez les bretons.
I found in that trove of activities a reading comprehension task that I had forgotten about: the ordered list or chronology. After reading the text and doing the usual vocabulary and comprehension kinds of tasks, I presented students a set of sentences where the events were out of order. On the worksheet, they were to number them in correct order according to the text. This was a great way to reinforce not only the events in the story, but more importantly the vocabulary and reading skills I was working to support.
I am currently teaching French online and one of my classes has chosen this graphic novel for a unit of study. Since I am teaching remotely, I want digital 21st century learning spaces instead of PDF worksheets. And so out of necessity was born this new app at Innovation, the ordered list.
The ordered list is simple: students either drag and drop or use the buttons to arrange the text boxes in order. They can check their progress as they go and submit a score when done. I can see how this would have been very useful when I was teaching history!
This needed to be easy for the teacher to create. It’s a snap: the teacher merely pastes in the ordered list and clicks a button to generate the activity.
As added features, one can attach a PDF document, an audio file, and/or embed a video from YouTube or Vimeo. The student could be prompted to order the text boxes based on these sources.
The usual 21st century learning spaces features are integrated. Teachers will see in the audit when their students access the task and how long they spend on it. The proctor monitors access to the page and student attention. It’s easy to view the scores of grades are taken and to apply standardized scoring or any of the other Innovation features and functions.
Try it for yourself! Use this passcode to access a chronology task for the American Revolution at the Innovation TestDrive: 397Q-NMXL-A15625Z-9-JON
