I had a conversation a while ago with a friend at work (an inclusion teacher), and she mentioned that one of the English teachers in our building was using Flubaroo with great success. I had heard about it, but hadn't really looked into it.
Now, I'm hooked.
I HATE copying test papers. It's so wasteful. I don't like either using all of my allotted copies to have them collated and stapled, but I also don't like spending the time to do it myself after using the less fancy copier without a code.
I've tried lots of ways of getting around paper testing and paper wasting. I've tried class sets, but I like to change tests every semester (typically because I want to protect the test questions, or I want to improve the assessment).
Here's what I've tried:
- Just copying one for everyone. Feel free to write on it, kids!
- Class sets - and don't you dare mess it up! (Inevitably followed by "Can we write on this?" at least 10 times, then "Dylan! I JUST TOLD YOU NOT TO WRITE ON IT! That better not be pen!"
- Posting a PDF of the test on the class website, kids write answers on notebook paper
- Posting a PDF, kids answer using infuse learning/socrative
- Typing questions into infuse learning/socrative
- (the problem with these - the infuse and socrative servers can be unreliable and slow)
My fear with posting a PDF is that they will email the file, or view it in a previous class period if they know it's test day. I also struggle with letting them test online - I don't want them to be tempted to google a question. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven the day I found out about Guided Access on Ipads - no more googling! Guided Access locks an Ipad into one screen/website/app until a teacher unlocks it with a code.
So on to the discovery.
Flubaroo is a script that you install with a Google Form.
- You create a Google Form with your questions
- How to make a Google Form
- How to use PICTURES as questions in a Google Form (this is what I recommend - just take and save screenshots of a scanned paper copy test or an existing digital file)
- How to send a Google Form to your students
- Once your students take the test, install Flubaroo and have it grade your tests.
- Send your students their grades automatically!
I'll be using this on my next test, with Guided Access, so that my tests are graded for me, students receive quick feedback, and I can make sure they aren't cheating using Google. I spent this afternoon making sure all the features work well together, and I'm confident this will be a method I can continue to use reliably with my students.
Just thought I'd share this awesome piece of technology goodness! Have a great weekend, everyone.
Update: The English teacher from my school that uses this enlightened me that now with the new Add-Ons, it makes this process more efficient. Update your Google Spreadsheet to the new Google Sheets in Settings, then under Add-Ons click Get Add-Ons and install Flubaroo. That's it!
Sounds like a great option! Thanks for sharing!! I'm guessing mostly for multiple choice type questions and not longer, constructed response? Are you using anything similar online for written out constructed response?
ReplyDeleteFor longer responses (which I usually include on formative assessments rather than my unit tests), I tend to prefer infuse learning. Flubaroo only automatically grades things that have specific "correct" responses. Infuse learning has different features, including an interactive drawing feature that works great for showing work in math.
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