Technology....a testing time?

Jonassen’s ‘Meaningful Learning with Technology’ had me cheering along the sidelines with his educated views on the usefulness of tests as an outlet for learning and retaining knowledge in the students of today. In my schooling days of yesteryear (the 80s), it appeared setting an examination was a favoured and malicious approach to assess the intelligence of the occasionally disruptive and inattentive children of the class ;-). The shear uttering of the word ‘test’ had us trembling in our finely polished Clarks shoes.

Jonassen asserts that: ‘tasks that require intentional, active, constructive, cooperative, and authentic learning processes will result in more meaningful learning’, this is consequently a more committed way of assessing a students’ knowledge, proven today with the introduction of technology as a tool in aiding meaningful learning and assist in assessment in the classroom.

When learners learn by doing; in groups; in a real-world context and where discussion and reflection is permissible to concrete their newly acquired knowledge, meaningful learning has occurred. ‘They think and learn more because they are fulfilling an intention’. I can’t emphasise enough to you how permission to work collaboratively in groups and talk in class (albeit content related) would have furthered my interest and knowledge in my education and therefore embellished my grades and desire to learn.

As an adult learner, this methodology rings true, as I find that by articulating new founded knowledge with my fellow peers, enhances not only my understanding of the topic but my overall knowledge of a subject.

So, put the pencils and paper down fellow student teachers! It’s time for a technology take over! Let’s assess meaningful learning in a meaningful manner.....

Wish me luck....

Figure1.1 Characteristics of Meaningful Learning

Reference: Jonassen, D., et al. 2008, Meaningful Learning with Technology, 3rd edn, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, pp.1-12.