Last year, our school at Aitken used the opportunity of the implementation of the Australian curriculum to put together focus groups on differentiation at a number of different year levels within the faculties of Science, English and Mathematics. I was fortunate to be a part of the Year 8 team and we were given time to meet once a week to devise curriculum based on Differentiation. It was a challenging task- we found that there were a number of hurdles that we had to negotiate in order to find a way forward. Firstly, we had to come to a common understanding of what we believed differentiation was. Building on the work that we did in Year 8, I set out to find ways that I could incorporate flexible learning pathways in the Senior Chemistry classroom. Senior classrooms have their own unique challenges – however, I could see that the wide range of learning abilities in the classroom would benefit from thinking about them differently to the more classic teacher directed classroom.
Workshop Outline
1. Differentiated Defined.
2. Establishing What Students Know - Pre Assessment
Table Talk Introduce yourself, for example your name and your school. And then what your thoughts on differentiation will be. Differentiation. Not the Wikipedia definition but your thoughts on what you would like it to look like in your classroom. Share your ideas together on the table. Introduce your name, school, a little of your teaching background and what you would like differentiation to look like in your classroom.
Differentiation in Your Classroom
Transform Your Ideas • Draw a diagram, picture or use an analogy to
represent your ideas.
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Presentation Notes
Transform your idea or distill a little further by; Drawing a diagram, picture or using an analogy to represent your ideas.
Differentiation in Your Classroom
Running Group Analogy - Runners of all abilities running together.
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Presentation Notes
I like to think of differentiation as being similar to my running group. In this group people of all different abilities run together. How? The secret is the turn around. The slowest person in the group will run down the road, with the faster runners running ahead, they then do a turn around to meet the person at the back and continue running down the road. No one is left behind, the whole group arrives back together, and some people have run further distance overall. Then show my idea of running group with the turn arounds. This idea helps to keep me on track as to what my end goal is. There are a myriad of ways that differentiation can be tackled so it is good to keep coming back to your end goal- what do you want to achieve in your classroom.
Differentiation Learning Defined
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Presentation Notes
Differentiation is said to have its beginnings in Brain Based Learning, where the idea is that learning is most effective when multiple learning pathways are triggered in the brain. For example, learning a concept using all of our senses is more likely to help the concept to remain. However, the ideas that we will be exploring in this workshop have their foundations in Vygotsky’s theory of Zone of Proximal Development and the follow on theory of Scaffolding. The ZPD, Difference between what a learner can do without help and what they can do without help and is about providing pathways for students where they are all within their learning zone. Sufficiently challenged but not overwhelmed. So not in the zone of boredom or in the zone of anxiety. In the intervening years, educationists extended ZPD to encompass other types of learning and incorporated the idea of scaffolding where there is a structure of supports through a more competent adult or peer to aid a student in their learning. Differentiation shares similarities to ZPD/ scaffolding in that the aim is to move students learning and understanding from one point to another– however with differentiation there is recognition that in one class the zone of proximal development will differ for each student and thus multiple learning pathways are required.
Differentiated Learning Defined
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By definition Differentiation is providing a range of learning opportunities so that all students within a classroom can learn effectively regardless of differences in ability. Differentiation can be by content, process, product or learning environment. Differentiation by content is based on what students already know Differentiation by process is based on students learning styles Differentiation by product is what the student uses to demonstrate their knowledge Differentiation by learning environment is providing students with a range of options in their learning such as group work or quiet individual work
Differentiated Learning
Content
Process
Product Learning Environment
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Presentation Notes
By definition Differentiation is providing a range of learning so that all students within a classroom can learn effectively regardless of differences in ability. Differentiation can be by content, process, product or learning environment. Differentiation by content is based on what students already know Differentiation by process is based on students learning styles Differentiation by product is what the student uses to demonstrate their knowledge Differentiation by learning environment is providing students with a range of options in their learning such as group work or quiet individual work
Pre- Assessment
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Presentation Notes
The first step in establishing a classroom where differentiation occurs requires knowing your students. Being able to design curriculum that is challenging but not overwhelming it is important to understand the students baseline of understanding. It is interesting that in the Meta Analysis Study by John Hattie that he found that the single most powerful moderator on student learning was feedback. Feedback is traditionally thought to be feedback from the teacher to the student. However, he found that feedback from the student to the teacher was the imperative element in teaching.
Pre- Assessment
“feedback was most powerful when it is from the student to the teacher”… “When teachers seek, or at least are open to feedback from students, as to what
students know, what they understand, where they make errors, when they have misconceptions, when
they are not engaged—then teaching and learning can be synchronized and powerful. Feedback to teachers
helps make learning visible.” J. Hattie, 2009
Reference: Hattie, J (2009) Visible Learning; a synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement London; Routledge
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Presentation Notes
Hattie further revised and refined his thoughts about the influence of feedback on student achievement by saying “feedback was most powerful when it is from the student to the teacher”…”When teachers seek, or at least are open to, feedback from students as to what students know, what they understand, where they make errors, when they have misconceptions, when they are not engaged—then teaching and learning can be synchronized and powerful. It was also interesting that he noted that while teachers reported that they provided lots of feedback to their students, he observed that they typically did not. And practically in our classrooms, it is probably true that feedback from the teacher to the student and the student to the teacher is often limited to discussing with students their test results or in the senior levels their SAC results. However, there is this evidence from Hattie’s research that when teachers seek to know what the students know, what they understand, where they make errors, when they have misconceptions and when they are not engaged and use this as a moderator of where they will proceed forward then this is when feedback becomes a powerful influencer on student learning. Feedback to students can come in many ways, with the best being described by Hattie as one on one discussion. However, I have found that it is often good to have something concrete from which to work from first. These can be in the form of short quizzes or tests. At times these can be a little cumbersome in that they may a long time to complete or will require further analysis after the lesson so as a way of being able to have a quick sense of the level of each students understanding, I devised an assessment task which the students can complete reasonably quickly in class which is based on Bloom’s taxonomy.
Chemical Equations Number of moles Redox Acids and Bases Stoichiometry Level 1 Write the electrovalence for
the ions listed below:
Lithium ion
Carbonate
Phosphate
Aluminium ion
List two formulae that can be used to calculate the number of moles. Define the variables and state the units.
Circle the correct answer:
a) Redox reactions involve the transfer of electrons/protons.
b) If a substance acts as an oxidant it is reduced/oxidised.
c) If a substance acts as a reductant it is reduced/oxidised.
d) When a substance is oxidised the oxidation number increases/decreases.
Circle the correct answer:
a) Acid base reactions involve the transfer of electrons/protons.
b) An acid is a substance that will donate/accept a proton.
c) A base is a substance that will donate/accept a proton.
List the mole ratio for the reactants in the following chemical equations:
a) CH3COOH(aq) + NaOH(aq) CH3COONa(aq) + H2O(l)
b) CH4(g) + 2O2(g) CO2(g) + 2H2O(g)
c) Na2CO3(aq) + CaCl2(aq) 2NaCl(aq) + CaCO3(s)
Level 2 Balance the following chemical equations:
a) Zn(s) + HCl(aq)
ZnCl2(aq) + H2(g)
b) Mg(OH)2(aq) + H2SO4(aq)
MgSO4(aq) + H2O(l)
State the formula that would be used to calculate the number of moles when you are given the volume of a gas at STP.
Calculate the oxidation number for the bolded element in each of the following:
Au
MnO4-
Cr2O72-
Classify the following reactions as a particular type of reaction pattern. For example: NaOH(aq) + HCl(aq) NaCl(aq) + H2O(l) is acid + base salt + water. a) Mg(s) + 2HCl(aq) MgCl2(aq) + H2(g) b) CaCO3(aq) + 2HNO3(aq) Ca(NO3)2(aq) + CO2(g) + H2O(l)
Copper(I) oxide can be formed from the oxidation of copper metal as shown in the chemical equation below: 4Cu(s) + O2(g) 2Cu2O(s) If 2.30 g of copper was heated in a crucible with plenty of oxygen, calculate the amount of copper oxide that would form.
Level 3 Write the ionic equation for the precipitation reaction between Barium chloride and Sulphate ions to form the precipitate Barium sulphate. * Don’t forget to include states.
Calculate the number of moles of 42.9 L of CH4 at 2 atm and 27oC.
Permanganate (MnO4-) reacts
with iodide (I-) to produce manganese(II) ions (Mn2+) and Iodine (I2). Write the half equations and the fully balanced redox equation for this reaction.
State the difference between a weak acid and a dilute acid.
Determine the pH of a solution in which 20.0 mL of 0.25M NaOH is added to 13.0 mL of 0.42M HCl.
Analysis of Level of Understanding (ALU): Revision of Unit 1 & 2 Chemistry
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Presentation Notes
These tasks I called “Analysis of Level of Understanding” or an ALU and are simply a task that includes short questions based on a revision of Blooms Taxonomy of Educational Objectives which includes both the knowledge dimension and the cognitive process dimension.
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3
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Presentation Notes
This set of descriptors provides a framework by which increasingly more difficult questions can be devised. Level 1 in the ALU is based on “Remember” and “Understand” cognitive dimensions, Level 2 is based on “Apply” and “Analyse” and Level 3 is based on “Evaluate” and “Create”.
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For example in this ALU which was designed to gauge students understanding of Unit 1& 2 key knowledge areas, the second level includes questions that were written based on the apply dimension, with calculate and classify.
Chemical Equations Number of moles Redox Acids and Bases Stoichiometry Level 1 Write the electrovalence for
the ions listed below:
Lithium ion
Carbonate
Phosphate
Aluminium ion
List two formulae that can be used to calculate the number of moles. Define the variables and state the units.
Circle the correct answer:
a) Redox reactions involve the transfer of electrons/protons.
b) If a substance acts as an oxidant it is reduced/oxidised.
c) If a substance acts as a reductant it is reduced/oxidised.
d) When a substance is oxidised the oxidation number increases/decreases.
Circle the correct answer:
a) Acid base reactions involve the transfer of electrons/protons.
b) An acid is a substance that will donate/accept a proton.
c) A base is a substance that will donate/accept a proton.
List the mole ratio for the reactants in the following chemical equations:
a) CH3COOH(aq) + NaOH(aq) CH3COONa(aq) + H2O(l)
b) CH4(g) + 2O2(g) CO2(g) + 2H2O(g)
c) Na2CO3(aq) + CaCl2(aq) 2NaCl(aq) + CaCO3(s)
Level 2 Balance the following chemical equations:
a) Zn(s) + HCl(aq)
ZnCl2(aq) + H2(g)
b) Mg(OH)2(aq) + H2SO4(aq)
MgSO4(aq) + H2O(l)
State the formula that would be used to calculate the number of moles when you are given the volume of a gas at STP.
Calculate the oxidation number for the bolded element in each of the following:
Au
MnO4-
Cr2O72-
Classify the following reactions as a particular type of reaction pattern. For example: NaOH(aq) + HCl(aq) NaCl(aq) + H2O(l) is acid + base salt + water. a) Mg(s) + 2HCl(aq) MgCl2(aq) + H2(g) b) CaCO3(aq) + 2HNO3(aq) Ca(NO3)2(aq) + CO2(g) + H2O(l)
Copper(I) oxide can be formed from the oxidation of copper metal as shown in the chemical equation below: 4Cu(s) + O2(g) 2Cu2O(s) If 2.30 g of copper was heated in a crucible with plenty of oxygen, calculate the amount of copper oxide that would form.
Level 3 Write the ionic equation for the precipitation reaction between Barium chloride and Sulphate ions to form the precipitate Barium sulphate. * Don’t forget to include states.
Calculate the number of moles of 42.9 L of CH4 at 2 atm and 27oC.
Permanganate (MnO4-) reacts
with iodide (I-) to produce manganese(II) ions (Mn2+) and Iodine (I2). Write the half equations and the fully balanced redox equation for this reaction.
State the difference between a weak acid and a dilute acid.
Determine the pH of a solution in which 20.0 mL of 0.25M NaOH is added to 13.0 mL of 0.42M HCl.
Analysis of Level of Understanding (ALU): Revision of Unit 1 & 2 Chemistry
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Presentation Notes
In the ALU there are five topics with questions at three levels - so with a total of 15 questions this seems like a lot of questions for the students to get through. However, students don’t complete each question, rather they only need to complete a question in each topic at the highest level of difficulty that they can achieve.
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For example, some students were able to complete all the level 3 questions across all topics….
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….but more often than not students completed questions from a range of levels across the topics.
Level 2 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 1
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The students then allocate what level of understanding they have in each topic. One of the benefits of the ALU is that students themselves are aware of what they do and don't know – which gives the accountability back to them and creates a sense of ownership over their own learning. I know when my students first do an ALU they find the concept difficult to grasp. A number will try and add up their marks. It is important to emphasise that the purpose is not to work out a mark or a score but rather to establish a baseline. Giving students opportunity to have ownership over their own understanding is really important as it helps them to begin the process of being analytical or critical about where they need to do to improve. I found that students were much more proactive in seeking assistance to improve their understanding which is first step in being able to work with them on establishing learning goals.
Analysis Learning & Understanding - ALU
Table Task • Choose a topic. • Allocate one level per pair. • Develop questions based on
Blooms. • Combine to form one ALU.
Analysis Learning & Understanding - ALU
Table Task • Can be completed on paper or electronically. • Download electronic copy from,
http://mychemhub.wordpress.com/ • Menu • CEA November Chemistry Lectures • ALU Blank Template
So now with the foundation established in that the student is aware of their learning needs this now provides a basis for a flexible learning lesson which is designed to provide a range of options for students learning.
Feedback and Goal setting
“A combination of goal setting plus feedback is most effective. The greater the challenge the higher the probability of the student seeking, receiving, and assimilating feedback information.”
Reference: Hattie, J.,(1999) Influences on student learning, Inaugural Lecture: Professor of Education, University of Auckland, online adobe, www.education.auckland.ac.nz/.../influences-on-student-learning.pdf, date accessed 23rd Feb 2014.
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Presentation Notes
But before we head talk about how to develop flexible learning pathways, I just want to bring in a couple of considerations. “A combination of goal setting plus feedback is most effective. The greater the challenge the higher the probability of the student seeking, receiving, and assimilating feedback information.” Two points to consider from this statement when designing flexible learning pathways. Feedback is important – the teacher needs to have time to be able to observe student learning, provide direction and adjustment of incorrect hypotheses. The tasks need to be challenging. There is an innate need in us as teachers to deliver learning programs that are easy for students to achieve. However, this shouldn’t be our focus – but rather it should be about providing students with opportunities to learn through challenge.
One way of being able to have flexible learning in the classroom is to use learning hubs. These learning hubs can be physical spaces in the classroom or..
Virtual Learning Hubs
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they can be virtual learning hubs with a number of links to online resources that students can use to help improve their understanding. The ALU has provided students with the confidence that they need to self select a learning hub that suits their needs for that topic.
Level 1 - Begin Terminology
Foundational concepts
Level 3 - Link Link knowledge
Level 2 - Build Practice singular tasks
Level 4 - Apply
Learning Hubs
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Presentation Notes
There are usually three or four learning hubs set out for the lesson, based on the ALU of level one to three and an additional level for those who were able to complete Level 3. The first level is about establishing students base understanding of the topic. Ensuring that students have a sound understanding of the terminology and the foundational concepts that underpin the topic. The second level is for students to build on their knowledge by providing for them an opportunity to practice singular tasks. The third level is focused on students applying their understanding to problems that require them to link knowledge from a number of different areas. As an extension to the three levels, Level 4 is about Creating where students could be required to design an experiment to analyse for a particular substance using redox volumetric analysis or write an exam question with answers based on a key knowledge idea.
Learning Hubs – Design Keys
1. Simplify all auxiliary tasks. The task itself is challenging, but the process to achieve the task is simple.
2. Tasks are student directed. 3. Streamline the number of levels.
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Presentation Notes
In terms of using Learning Hubs in the classroom – some design keys that I have picked up from using these in class. 1. Simplify all auxiliary tasks. Taking students abseiling, area chosen, ropes set up, pathway chosen so that they can be successful. All the student needs to do is apply their knowledge about abseiling. 2. All tasks should be student directed. Why? To free you up in order to be able to move between the tasks. 3. Constrain lesson to three levels in order to be able to provide sufficient feedback. You want to be freed up to discuss with the students rather than Being caught up with too many tasks.
Redox – I have included four levels but the first level I would set as a task to do before they arrived at school. Like a warm up session. In order for the lesson to be manageable for the teacher, each learning hub includes student directed tasks that the students can access either through print or online. The virtual learning hub is set up with learning resources that includes online practical activities that the students can use. With the use of student directed tasks, the teacher is free to move around to the different learning hubs to assist the students. Whilst this teaching style may not suit every lesson I have found that even when I am using a direct instruction style of teaching, that it can be useful to incorporate flexibility in the practice questions for the students. Rather than putting together questions that all the students need to work through in a linear manner, I categorise the questions into the three levels of difficulties. Again, using the Blooms taxonomy, this is a checklist that I am including questions that are manageable for students who require more scaffolding and questions sufficiently difficult for the students who have quickly grasped the topic.
Learning Hub
Table Task • Download electronic copy of Learning Hub Redox
from, http://mychemhub.wordpress.com/ • Menu • CEA November Chemistry Lectures • Learning Hub Redox
Aim To test whether a range of materials are conductors or insulators and link the observations to bonding. Materials • 10 or 5 cent coins • Chocolate bud • Glucose • Hand sanitiser • margarine • Toothpaste • Alfoil • Paper guitar • MaKey MaKey
Conductors, Bonding and Guitar Hero
Continued on the next page
Control Set Up • Connect MaKey MaKey to the computer as stated in the instructions. • Set up the paper guitar with ten or five cent coins connected to the ASDFG
controllers on the MaKey MaKey. • Open http://makeymakey.com/hero/ • Play Guitar Hero.
Testing Materials 1. Keep one ten cent coin on the G connector as a control. 2. Place plastic counters on all the other connects and add four materials
from the list above. 3. Test whether the materials are conductors or insulators by playing
Guitar Hero. 4. Write your observations in the table below.
Conductors, Bonding and Guitar Hero
Type of intramolecular
bonding
Type of intermolecular
bonding
Conductor or Insulator
Chocolate bud Glucose Hand sanitiser Margarine Toothpaste Alfoil
5. Provide an explanation in terms of bonding for why some of the materials act as conductors.
Summarise your findings using a
mind map
Created by Adele Hudson, 2014
Challenge Build a bridge that is a minimum of 20 cm long and 5 cm high and can conduct electricity using only limited materials. Materials • 5 x Wooden paddle pop sticks • 4 x plastic straws • Paper towel (20 cm) • 2 x plastic pegs • 4 x rubber bands • Water • Computer • MaKey MaKey Please note that not all the materials need to be used. Test To test the bridge you must be able to connect one end to the MaKey MaKey controller and touch the other end to play the Bongos - http://makeymakey.com/bongos/
Explain • Complete the table below, providing an explanation of the intramolecular
and intermolecular bonding present for each of the materials listed.
• State whether each of the materials are conductors or insulators.
Material
Type of Intramolecular
bonding
Types of Intermolecular
bonding
Conductor or insulator
Wooden paddle pop stick (assume made of cellulose)
Plastic straw
Paper towel (assume made of cellulose)
Plastic peg
Water
Continued…..
• Provide an explanation for why a material is a conductor.
Learning Hub – Explore and Create
Table Task • Download electronic copy of Learning Hub Bonding,
http://mychemhub.wordpress.com/ • Menu • CEA November Chemistry Lectures • Learning Hub Bonding
• Choose one of two tasks to complete; • Bridge Building, Bonding and Bongos • Conductors, Guitar Hero and Bonding • Create one more level to add to Learning Hub
The Turn Around; - Students consolidate understanding in Study Groups. - Snowball effect – pair work on a task, four students work on a task and then explain to the teacher their solution to the task.
Exam Question Understanding and Analysis Tool
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Presentation Notes
Along with flexible learning in the classroom during the year – I have also been looking at how I can provide a flexible approach to the end of year exam preparation. One of the challenges that I found in preparing students for the end of year exam is gauging student understanding for the different key knowledge areas and for students to be able to identify areas of weakness and strength. In response to this, I designed an Exam Question Understanding and Analysis Tool, EQUAT, where the teacher or student allocated key knowledge descriptors to each question, then inserted their marks and from this a summary of their achievement in each topic is given across Unit 3&4. This tool was helpful when providing students with feedback as it gave concrete evidence of where the student needed to target their future efforts. As well as discussing the details of what calculations they could or couldn’t do it was helpful for them to be able to discuss what their future plan would be in terms of how to improve. In surveying the students who used the tool for a number of practice exams, they felt the tool helped them to work harder as it made it really clear to them concepts that needed further strengthening and others where they had established a sound foundation.
Source: VCCA (2012) Chemistry Victorian Certificate of Education Study Design VCE, p20: VCAA
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Presentation Notes
As a brief introduction of how EQUAT works I used the key knowledge descriptions from the Chemistry study design as the basis for developing what I have named ‘key Knowledge Descriptors.’ Using the key knowledge dot points as one category, I simplified the paragraph into separate descriptors which were then used to categorise each question.
Image: clockwerk, 3D Stick People, http://www.phombo.com/art-photography/3d-stick-people-hd/588200/popular/, date accessed 23rd Feb 2014.
The overall information that could be obtained was generated into a report that was given to the students and used as the springboard in which to discuss with them the areas that they needed to do further work on. The information that can be obtained from the student individual report is how they performed in a number of key knowledge categories. For example, this student Bobby performed well in the calculation style questions – for example this student performed well in calculation style questions, however they struggled in the questions that were based on common organic reactions. The report also provided them with an overall percentage grade of how their achievements for each area of study.
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Presentation Notes
This information is also given for the Unit 4 work. These reports helped provide the students with a way to measure their progress in each topic and also a clear way where they could identify areas where they needed to consolidate their understanding.
Benefits of using EQUAT
• Class summary of student results
• Individual analysis of student performance
• Students are aware of their strength and weaknesses
• Provides scope for being able to provide specific
feedback and develop goals.
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Presentation Notes
Although there are a number of challenges that I have found with using EQUAT – it can be time consuming. Completing the exam, including the analysis and then inserting the data. Depending on the exam –this can take quite some time. But there are a number of benefits. As a teacher you can determine a class summary of the class results. When reviewing exams you can hit the questions where most students did not perform well. For example, some students overall scores may be quite low but it is possible to identify areas where they have made improvements.
Summary and Outcomes
• Defined differentiation in your classroom
• Developed pre-assessment tool – ALU
• Further developed Learning Hub
• Introduced the idea of study groups for turn around
• EQUAT – a tool for providing feedback during exams
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Although there are a number of challenges that I have found with using EQUAT – it can be time consuming. Completing the exam, including the analysis and then inserting the data. Depending on the exam –this can take quite some time. But there are a number of benefits. As a teacher you can determine a class summary of the class results. When reviewing exams you can hit the questions where most students did not perform well. For example, some students overall scores may be quite low but it is possible to identify areas where they have made improvements.
