A special thanks to my Cooperating Teacher, Michael Barney, for this innovative idea. Receptive assessments can be a challenge because a fair test requires that you sign everything the same every time you sign it. This is difficult when you test your students and you want them to see what you produce more than one time. It is also challenging when you have to do this for several classes. Then, there is always the question of students who are absent and need to make up the test. Making your assessment into a movie solves all of these issues.
I have actually used this in my ASL classes and it makes life so much easier. I use a movie making program and film myself signing all of the assessment 'questions'. I can sign them several times so that I have several versions to choose from when I do my editing. When I edit, I choose the segment that is most clear and understandable. I allow my students to view the question 2x, so I copy the clip twice. When all of my clips are arranged in the sequence I want, I burn the assessment on a disc.
Having the assessment on a disc is wonderful because I then simply play it for the class on my projector and pause between each clip so the students can record their responses on paper. Each time the students see a clip repeated, it is identical to the first time they saw it. In addition, when students need to make up the exam, I can simply let them put the disc into a computer or a DVD player on their own and take the exam independently. I also like to give my students the opportunity to re-take assessments, so having the exact assessment available is very convenient.
As a bonus, this process also reduces cheating in class because I become more available to observe the students during the assessment process.
Here are some links to help you get started:
For Mac Users: imovie
For Windows Users: Premier Reel or Movie Maker
If you have other suggestions on how these technologies can enhance your ASL classroom, feel free to comment.
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