It is my opinion that educator and student technology assessments have tremendous value. These tools measure and validate the use of technology by our teachers and students. There are some drawbacks to the use of these assessments. They may contain erroneous or misleading data.
Teacher assessment allows a district or campus to collect and analyzed data to identify what is being used and reach a better understanding of teachers’ technology needs, whether it is training or equipment. "Competent technology uses teachers as the doorkeepers to providing learning experiences for their students. An assessment of their skills is one way of measuring whether or not technology is used effectively in teaching or for professional productivity (Anderson, M. 2000)”.
Student assessment helps teachers know where their students are in their technology literacy acquisition and what they need to further it. Assessments allow for gauging progress and formulating an informed approach to continuing or developing a plan of action. This trend is world-wide, for example in England, “The English government has tackled head-on the need to cultivate one essential twenty-first-century skill: computer literacy. This year, schools began using the ICT Literacy Test for students ages 11-14 to gauge not only their mastery of technical skills but also their readiness to apply these skills effectively in everyday life and work (Rubenstein, G. 2008)”.
Analysis of collected data helps to fine tune or make conclusions and recommendations toward efficient use and to update teacher and student needs. In the case of a technology plan that is already in place, it monitors progress toward an established goal.
References
Anderson, Mary. (2000). Assessing Teacher Technology Skills. Multimedia Schools. Retrieved from http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-67263083.html (2011)
Rubenstein, Grace. (2008). Tech Literacy the British Way. Edutopia. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/assessment-technology-literacy#%7CTech (2011)
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