I am not new to online test taking and virtual assessments, they are ubiquitous in university and secondary schools. However, as a math teacher, I have found it difficult to find a simple platform to type math problems on and now anticipating running my classroom online for the rest of the semester, I was very excited to come across some resources that allowed me to easily insert math equations!
By far the best I have encountered is Formative. Gaston had left a comment that this was great for math, so I had to check it out! Turns out, it is amazing. It is very easy to insert math equations and questions. There is also an option to allow the students to show their work which is essential in math to understand where a student might have made an error. It also forces students to show their work versus doing the work in their head which can lead to mental errors (I know I’m guilty of that!). As I am working on transition to an online classroom, I fully intent to try to use this for my students (that is if they have internet access/the devices required). One thing I would like to comment on is that when required to show work, the student can upload a picture of their work so they are not left to attempt to draw their responses neatly.
To view the assessment I made using this platform visit:
goformative.com/join and enter the code: AWDTVN
The second platform I explored was Socrative. I enjoyed this platform however, math was not as simple to insert in this. It had the option for exponents which will work well for the exponent until but once we hit roots and more intricate problems, this will be a difficult platform to use. What got me to use this platform was the ability to create exit tickets and quick questions. I think I need to explore a bit more, but I had difficulty making one. But, theoretically, it would be a nice quick check. During a lesson, I could direct the students to this site and ask them to answer the question. I will get instant results which is way quicker than walking around the classroom checking each students answer, or receiving 50+ exit slips each day to grade/look over. Once aspect I like is the ability to turn the online quiz to a pdf. If I create an assessment and am unable to get computers or a device for that day, I can easily convert the assessment and print it out without messing with the plan for the day.
To view this assessment please visit:
https://b.socrative.com/login/student/
Room Name: Bobbin
Here is a link to the PDF I created (I hope this works)
