By Pak Supriyanto, teacher (Grade 4), SDN Bandar Kidul 2, Mojoroto, Kediri City district
Innovation in learning is critical in this era of constantly evolving educational technology. Additionally, the selection of instructional methods has a significant impact on meeting the diverse learning needs of students. My participation in classroom observations led me to think that students would rather participate in collaborative learning activities centred around games than in more dry, traditional methods, including but not limited to completing fill-in-the-blanks questions.
During my 4th grade class’s unit on living things, I was motivated to come up with new ideas of formative assessments that might gauge students’ progress as we were learning, and inspire a greater desire to learn. I needed to find something that would minimise assessment-related stress while simultaneously assessing students’ understanding and encouraging their enthusiasm for learning. Eventually, I found an online platform (Quizizz) which met these requirements.
After I had established some goals for the assessment, I created several challenges that were relevant to the lesson’s content. During the implementation, students used a Chromebook or other device to access the platform. To make it more unique for each student, I asked that they fill out their name and character before we began to make it more personalised. I closely monitor each student’s progress in the assessment process.
I also chose a mastery achievement option that they could progress through at their own pace. I found that students were able to work on challenges independently, without feeling rushed, and could concentrate on their own learning; thus, my decision was appropriate and in keeping with my objectives. When students make a mistake, they have several chances to correct it until they fully grasp the concept. Furthermore, with the accessible reporting platform, I can quickly track my pupils’ progress in the process, including the number of times they got challenges wrong. The assessment approach I developed not only helped them have fun while learning, but it also significantly improved their comprehension of what they had learned. There are a lot of things to do while learning online with this platform, but having offline options can be helpful when the internet is slow.
I am pleased because, as well as improving learning outcomes, I had the opportunity to interact with pupils from varied backgrounds. When students successfully completed each task tailored to their learning needs, I observed that they looked thrilled. Being able to properly manage learning and meet students’ needs is something I think about often as a teacher. It’s also my responsibility to ensure that my students maintain attentiveness while they revel in the thrill of completing fun learning assessments, which can elicit a wide range of emotions, from extreme enthusiasm to outright laughter. Ultimately, I can see that they are developing a love of learning, which is building the foundation they need for successful lives.
