The one tool I want to expand the use of is Jing based discussion boards where students can use voice or print to have a discussion. I am developing a unit for the scientific method where students will design experiments. I want to encourage them to be creative and think about studying anything using the scientific method. Examples of experiments will involve zombies, superheroes, and other pop culture references. Such as an experiment to see what supplements help Capt America to maintain peak condition, what materials could help Ironman have better armor, or how much force is required to dispatch a zombie. The students will design their experiment and send it to me. I will then respond with a couple of data sets that could have come from their experiment and they will analyze the results. Then they will post their experiment in a journal like format and other students will respond to it and design follow-up experiments. I want a lively discussion about the experiments and for many students typing their response is a drawback to getting them to really respond to what other s have done. I see a lot of potential to being able to have students respond verbally. I want them involved to really understand what the peer review portion of the scientific method  is an how it works to keep science advancing. I also see potential to turn what is often typically one of the most boring sections of a science class into one of the funnest to start the class.

I think the authentic assessment is very applicable, not only in online or blended settings but in traditional setting also. It builds on the development of higher order thinking skills and that is what all teachers should look to build. I really like the idea of building discussion boards into the classes as a way to encourage interaction be tween students and myself, and as a way to bring in bigger ideas to explore as a group. The problem I see in implementing this is the time dilation factor. In the on-line classes I currently teach the students are greatly scattered in where they are in the class. This will be a problem when I want the students to bounce ideas off of each other like in a traditional class discussion. I debate if it is worth putting hard cut offs in place as far as due dates, for some it would keep them working that wait until the very end now, others it would just bring about the point where they quit sooner. I can't help but think about the students I have had that I thought there was no way they would make the end of class guideline and then they do. Will I loose these students in a class with hard due dates that make them keep up or will they keep up because of the due dates?  I will probably compromise and make late assignments only worth 80%, then bend the rules some when the 20% makes a student slightly below passing. I also want to work in some padlet discussions, but this again brings up the time issue, some students will be waiting for others to respond to their padlet pads, while others will get there late and just read others and not get the discussion portion of the class since all the other students will be done.