Online Mathematics Tests in the Classroom
Online mathematics tests are the new frontier in education. Although schools have been utilizing online resources for years, there are more options in online mathematics and mathematics testing then ever before. Like anything, there are pros and cons to using online resources for any subject. Although it seams that the benefits of using it in the classroom outweigh the negatives as the percentage of schools implementing new programs utilizing it are on the rise.
Traditional textbooks in schools are usually passed down from class to class and suffer from huge amounts of wear. In some cases schools can’t afford to replace textbooks every year or even every 5 years. Once textbooks are purchased it is difficult to replace them with up to date curriculum. As society and culture become more progressive the way mathematics is taught needs to follow the progression. Online learning can accommodate that by providing up to date resources to schools at a fraction of the cost of purchasing new materials. Using online mathematics tests makes it easier to include experts from around the world, and students from other schools. Opening up a students world to include information from teachers and students outside of their school is one more opportunity for them to grow, learning things in ways they may not otherwise have had access too. In addition the amount of new material is almost limitless when the academic world is connected online.
Specifically online mathematics tests can be a benefit for students who need a little extra help. In a large classroom setting it is true that there is only so much time that can be spent one on one with the students. With math testing online the students can have access to online tutoring . They won’t get a specific answer to the problem they are working on, but will have the ability to go over similar problems showing them the formula they may have forgotten, or not quite grasped during their regular classroom time. Outside of the tutoring program it is also beneficial for the accountability it creates in not allowing the student to correspond outside of the program being used . With most programs their work is recorded along with the time it took them to complete it.
Generations of students are now growing up with computers and the internet as large parts of their daily lives. This familiarity with technology can help students feel more comfortable in their approach to taking tests. Sitting down to a computer feels natural to them, and when using online mathematics tests the task can feel less dauntingly formal.
On the more traditional side, are hard copies of textbooks, paper and sharpened pencils along with real faces and voices. Even with all of the benefits of online testing they should not replace the hands on experience of traditional testing. Part of moving forward in academia is not leaving behind traditional methods and ideas, but rather fusing the two together to create something new where each of the ideas benefit from the other. This is real progressive thinking in education.