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Summer, Summer, Summertime
We can all agree that there has never been a year quite like this one for us as educators. As we wrap up this school year and give it a final bow, it is already time for us to begin planning for the next. Summertime is when the activity level of most of the RCU staff really warms up. Our team is finalizing national certification reports, editing item banks following item analysis processes, evaluating assessment, writing technical reports and planning for the 2021-2022 school year.
Remember there are also two areas related to MS-CPAS results that you should take advantage of prior to planning your instruction for the next school year.
- Reports: For secondary reports, we have further separated reports due to the new scoring process required by the MS-CPAS3 contract in an Archived Area (Fall 2010-Fall 2017) and Current Area (Spring 2018-Present). Reports can be accessed with your RCU district account here.
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Interpretive guide: Each August we update the MS-CPAS Interpretive Guide. This document provides data interpretation guidelines for teachers, administrators and school districts for all the CTE reports offered by our department. The guide can be downloaded here.
Most of us used some semblance of hybrid teaching in our career and technical education (CTE) classrooms this school year. This summer would be an ideal time to video demonstrations of difficult or fundamental hands-on skills you need your CTE students to master. Here are a few free tools (with an idea of how to use them) that you can consider using in your Canvas courses. I have used each of these in my Mississippi State University classes over the last few years. Consider using a few of these as you plan for the next school year.
- EdPuzzle: Free tool that embeds with Canvas and can be used to create interactive video lessons.
- CTE Use: Take YouTube videos (already made or film your own) and insert multiple-choice questions at points in each video for students to engage with and to check for understanding.
- FlipGrid: Free video tool that embeds with Canvas and can be used to engage students and families.
- CTE Use: Get students to video each other performing a skill and reflecting on the performance task.
- Loom: Free tool that embeds with Canvas and can be used to record and share video messages of your screen or webcam.
- CTE Use: Narrate and annotate your presentations or techniques to find out more about careers in each CTE field.
- EpocCam: Who needs a document camera? Use this app to stream camera footage to your PC from your phone.
- CTE Use: With a camera mount, you can have an easy, hands-free way to capture content to use in your courses.
Please take the time to relax, recharge and plan for next year. You deserve it!
Sean Owen, PhD
Assessment Manager
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