Tracking Student Performance Using Technology

The behaviorist theory incorporates instructional strategies in the classroom to promote learning through positive student behavior. In order to help my kindergarten students learn academically, I must also aid them with the development of positive behavior skills. Information presented through a variety of activities and flexible presentation styles can meet individual learning needs to enhance learning and simultaneously provide opportunities for the students to develop respectful and safe habits.

Homework and practice enables students to practice a skill or concept and further enhances their ability to reach their full learning potential (Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K., 2007). Online resources such as Starfall are effective tools that help teachers meet the need to vary methods of instruction while helping young students work on particular skills such as learning letters and vowel sounds. BBC skillwise also offers worksheets, games, and quizzes to stimulate knowledge of mathematics concepts and the English language for slightly older students between the ages of three and eight. These types of accessible resources provide enjoyable methods for students to build on their existing knowledge of topics from home or school.

The responsibility for tracking students performance and progress traditionally falls on the teacher, however, technology now offers teachers the option of using effort rubrics like the excel spreadsheet template presented by authors Pitler, Hubbell, Kuln, and Malenoski (2007, p.157) in order to enable students to honestly evaluate their level of effort with meeting goals. Learning how their efforts relate to their achievements can be a powerful behavior changing tool for students because they can identify what to do differently in order to get desired results. The instructional strategy of reinforcing effort is not limited to academic learning. Effort rubrics can also be used to outline the problem solving process in order to aid students with developing positive reactions to social conflicts. This exercise helps students become more responsible individuals through positive relationships with others. The data collection tool Survey Monkey is an effective way to share ways other student have overcome problems and achieved goals.

Ultimately, reinforcing effort and use of multimedia that encourages students to practice skills and concepts will result in students taking responsibility for their behavior and enable them to achieve higher levels of academic success through perseverance.

Pitler, H., Hubbell, E., Kuhn, M., & Malenoski, K. (2007). Using technology with classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA.