+
UW-Whitewater
Jodie Parys, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Spanish
August 6, 2014
Technology as an
Assessment Tool:
Wikis, Digital Stories, and
other Resources
+ Technology as an Assessment Tool: Wikis,
Digital Stories, and other Resources
OVERVIEW
 ACTFL
Position Statement
 Pedagogical
 Three
considerations
modes of assessment
 Examples
with evaluation methods and rubrics
 Discussion
and Practice
+ ACTFL Position Statement on the Role of
Technology in Language Learning

The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages
(ACTFL) acknowledges and encourages using the potential
of technology as a tool to support and enhance classroombased language instruction.

The use of technology should never be the goal in and of
itself, but rather one tool for helping language learners to
use the target language in culturally appropriate ways to
accomplish authentic tasks.

All language learning opportunities…should be standardsbased and help develop students' proficiency in the target
language through interactive, meaningful, and cognitively
engaging learning experiences, facilitated by a qualified
language teacher.
(http://www.actfl.org/news/position-statements/role-technology-language-learning)
+ Pedagogical Considerations
Technology use in the language classroom should:
 Support
and enhance classroom-based language
instruction
 Help
language learners to use the target language
in culturally appropriate ways to accomplish
authentic tasks
 Provide
interactive, meaningful, and cognitively
engaging learning experiences
(http://www.actfl.org/news/position-statements/role-technology-language-learning)
+
Discussion
Question
What are your favorite technology resources in the
language classroom?
+ Standards-Based Performance Assessment
Interactive graphic: http://wimedialab.org/worldlanguageassessment/clover.htm
+ Characteristics:
The 3 Modes of Communication

Interpretive Mode:
 listening, reading, viewing
 authentic, text-based (audio, written, video/film) materials
 monologic tasks (one-way communication)

Interpersonal Mode:
 spontaneous communication (oral or written)
 negotiation of meaning
 dialogic tasks (two-way communication)

Presentational Mode:
 speaking, writing
 monologic tasks (one-way communication)
 Rehearsed language usage
+
Technology use for Presentational
Mode: Speaking
 VoiceThread: http://voicethread.com
 Vocaroo:
 Wimba:
www.vocaroo.com
http://www.wimba.com/index.php
 Photostory
or Windows Movie Maker
http://wimedialab.org/worldlanguageassessment/
Video.htm 1:13 to 6:44
 Digital
Storytelling
+ Technology use for Presentational Assessments:
Speaking
Assessment Mode: Presentational (Digital Story)
Task Title: The Life of a Spanish-speaking Immigrant to the United
States
Theme: Immigration
Interpretive Mode Assessed: Speaking
Courses: Spanish 321/322: Advanced Language Study
National Standards: Communication Cultures Connections
Comparisons Communities
Description of Task: Student will create and share a digital story or
movie about the life of an immigrant from a Spanish speaking country to
the United States. This can be a famous person, a character from a piece
of literature or movie, or someone the student has interviewed (and who
has given their consent for their story to be shared with our class).
+ Technology use for Presentational Assessments:
Speaking
Steps to complete the task:

Identify the subject of your presentation. If it is someone you will be interviewing, arrange
for an interview. Be prepared to tape-record parts of the interview so you can include clips
in your digital story. If it is someone from history, do research on his/her life. If it is a
character from literature or film, review the source text for points you’d like to highlight.

Compile images that can be used for your story. These can be photographs or images that
enhance your story. You may also consider stills from films.

Begin to organize the narrative structure of your story. You will record yourself as a “voiceover” for your digital story/movie. This will be a total of 5 minutes in length and will be set
to the images you organize. You may also include short clips from any interviews you’ve
conducted or from source texts such as films, interviews, etc. (with proper citation).

Use a digital storytelling program to begin to organize and edit your images and link them
to your audio. Some recommended programs (most available with a free download) are:
Audacity, Windows Photo Story, Windows Movie Maker, iMovie, Photoshop, or PowerPoint.

Review the finished product to make sure the images and narration have a logical link and
effectively tell the story you are hoping to convey. Prepare a brief (1-2 minute) live oral
introduction to your digital story in the target language, then show the film, and then field
follow-up questions by the audience in the target language Review the rubric to be sure
you adhere to all of the specific task requirements.
+ Technology use for Presentational Assessments:
Speaking
Digital Storytelling Examples
 Example
 Example
1: Claire’s story about her aunt
2: Jason’s interview with a family friend
who immigrated to the United States
+
Discussion
Question
What are other ways you could utilize digital stories as
an assessment tool in your language classroom?
+ Technology use for Presentational
Assessments: Writing

Snapfish or Shutterfly to practice captioning pictures.

Wiki: https://wiki.uww.edu/class/2141-SPANISH-322-01/index.php/Wiki_1
Sample Checklist for Wiki
______ Contributed to the discussion by the deadline.
______ Wrote the entire entry in the target language.
______ Met the minimum length requirement (20 sentences).
______ Had 10 or fewer grammatical errors. **Note that this counts for 2 points.
______ Had 5 or fewer vocabulary errors.
______ Responded to each of the writing prompts.
______ Used transitions and showed a level of sophistication appropriate for Spanish 321.
______ Corrected at least one error on five of your peers’ wikis.
______ Corrected your own wiki and produced a final version.
+ Technology use for Presentational
Assessments: Writing
 Wiki
is helpful for:
 Process-writing
 Formative assessments
 Peer editing
 Building self-awareness regarding errors
 Building block toward larger, summative
assessments with more formal rubrics (see
department example)
+
Discussion
Question
In what additional ways could wikis support your
pedagogical and assessment goals in the language
classroom?
+ Technology Use for Interpretive
Assessments: Listening or viewing

Youtube

Deutsche Welle for audio, text, and video content, as well as
didacticized activities in German: http://www.dw.de/learngerman/s-2469

Radio France internationale for listening activities, current events,
other language activities:
http://www1.rfi.fr/lfen/statiques/accueil.asp

TV5 Monde has a page for French learners with listening and
current events activities for different levels:
http://apprendre.tv5monde.com/

Audio books in Spanish: www.albalearning.com

Audio clips of Spanish and Latin American poems, some read by
the poets themselves: www.palabravirtual.com

Radio Televisión Española's website: www.rtve.es
+ Technology Use for Interpretive
Assessments: Reading
Examples of sites with authentic texts

Center for Language Education and Research:
http://clear.msu.edu/clear/index.php

Latin American Network Information Center:
http://lanic.utexas.edu/

Deutsche Welle: http://www.dw.de/learn-german/s-2469

Biblioteca Virtual Miguel de Cervantes site:
www.cervantesvirtual.com
+
Discussion
Question
What other technology resources have you used or
could you use to create interpretive assessments?
+ Technology Use for Interpersonal
Communication: Conversation

Wimba: http://www.wimba.com/index.php

VoiceThread: http://voicethread.com

Vocaroo: www.vocaroo.com

Skype or FaceTime for oral interviews.
Potential benefits of Skype or FaceTime for oral
interviews:

Ideal for a distance -learning or hybrid class

Can accommodate non-traditional students with irregular
schedules

Provides practice for the OPIc
+ Technology Use for Interpersonal
Communication: Conversation
SAMPLE ORAL COMMUNICATION ASSESSMENT TASK SHEET
Assessment Mode: Interpersonal (Interview)
Task Title: Study Abroad Placement Interview
Theme: Study Abroad
National Standards: Communication Cultures Connections Comparisons Communities
Time Frame: Task should take 15 minutes total per student (5 min. explanation; 10 min.
conversation).
Description of Task: Instructor will simulate an interview with the student for potential
study abroad placement. During the conversation, which will take place via Skype, the
instructor will ask student about his/her previous language study, interests, hobbies, family
and other activities to help “place” the student in a program and with a family that is a good
match for the students’ abilities and interests. Instructor will also ask student about his/her
specific goals for the study abroad experience and what s/he hopes to learn, see, do, and
experience. Lastly, the student will be asked to describe his/her ideal host family and
living arrangements.
+ Technology Use for Interpersonal
Communication: Conversation
Length of Student Response(s): The interview will last 10 minutes per student
and students will be allowed ample time to answer each question to allow students
the opportunity to produce a cohesive narrative.
Materials Needed: Questions/prompts designed by instructor.
Instructor Notes: Students have prior knowledge of narration in the past, present
and future using various tenses. Students also have prior knowledge of the
vocabulary required to discuss personal interests, hobbies, family and activities.
During previous classes (or throughout the semester), the instructor will have
discussed the necessary background information (linguistic, lexical, grammatical,
cultural) to ensure minimal success of task. Prior to the task, students will have had
the opportunity to research potential study abroad programs in their target
languages so they are familiar with the different options available. Students will
also have been guided in the process of setting up and using Skype.
+ How to keep it all straight?

To stay up-to-date on exciting new pedagogical tools, check out:
http://www.scoop.it/t/tools-for-learners

Another fun site: http://gratisography.com/
+
Discussion
Question
Share your most successful technology-based
assessment. What tools did you use? What made it
particularly successful?
+
Questions
or
comments?
Feel free to contact me at: parysj@uww.edu
+
Resources

ACTFL. (2014). Position Statement: Role of Technology in
Language Learning. Accessed on 21th June Web. 21 June 2014.

World Language Assessment: Get in the Mode! (2008-2011).
Curriculum Design for Learning World Languages. Accessed
on 21st June Web. 21 June 2014.

World Language Assessment: Get in the Mode! (2008-2011).
Video on Demand: Technology in Assessment. Accessed on
21st June Web. 21 June 2014.