Writing and Assessment--CMS Style

I've noticed two trends regarding how students write and how I evaluated student writing, as submitted through our Moodle CMS pages...

1. Given a good prompt, students are more likely to compose an extended response using a computer than they are using a pencil or pen and paper.
2. As a teacher, I find my attention being more drawn to the depth of their ideas rather than being distracted by mechanical (especially spelling) errors.

What this means, I think, is that since our students are comfortable using a computer, and I would argue, more comfortable on a compter than with pen or pencil in hand, their ability to compose thoughtful responses is increased through the access to their "comfort zone."

On my most recent exam in a blended-online literature course, I gave students a prompt on a current ethical issue that incorporated one non-fiction source, one required fiction source, and required a choice of two other fiction sources. The average response was around 900 words. Given the limited time, I was frankly surprised to hear the clickety-clack of the keybords right up until the end of the exam period.

Surprised, but satisfied. Best of all, the essays were, for the most part, awesome.

TechStalled in Education

It is nearing the end of the first decade of the third millenium... teachers and school administrators want to be on the cutting edge of teaching wth integrated technology. But we've been here for a while, and we seem to be stuck in neutral. "Integrating Technology" to some means posting a syllabus onlne. To others, it's using an online grading program. In some areas, the most basic educational technology services are unavailable due to limited financial resources.

Education is a service industry, and it is the consumers of our education who are the technology experts. The contemporary classroom is as different today from what it was 100 years ago as it will be from the classroom of 10 years from now.

I wonder if we can afford to keep up.