Yacapaca

=** [|Yacapaca] **= = =

** Resources **

 * [|Yacapaca Introduction - Video]
 * [|Yacapaca Demo]
 * [|Tutorial from Teacher Tube]

Strengths

 * Teachers also have the control to create their own quizzes and assignments.
 * When a student answers a question incorrectly, the program allows teachers to input a response for the student to see. The teacher could explain why their selection is incorrect, explain what the correct answer is, or both.
 * It allows students to take tests, submit assignments, receive grades and feedback.
 * It allows teachers to have assignments graded for them (or manually grade portfolio items) and view student statistics.
 * Teachers can input data from offline assessments to improve student data analysis.
 * It is a free application
 * Super-fast to create student accounts - just upload a spreadsheet or word processing list with student names.
 * Provides teachers with a feedback forum by subject area
 * Allows teachers to pick questions from other teachers’ quizzes to add to their own

Weaknesses

 * For home testing cheating could become an issue
 * If your internet is a little slow it can take a while for the exercises to load
 * Your classroom would have to have a set of computers in order to use it in class. (Or you could use stations.)
 * Content seems to be focused outside of U.S. in wording (e.g. ICT for Information Technology). (You can copy the questions and edit the wording instead of starting from scratch.)
 * When taking quizzes with a laptop, students can miss questions because of touchpad sensitivity. (inherent risk)
 * Teachers must review content of quizzes already in database for accuracy and focus (Hopefully teachers review questions/answers of any assessment for accuracy before giving it to students - whether electronic or on paper!)
 * Some quizzes have too short a time to really answer the question (subjective assessment - time varies depending on how the teacher sets the assessment)
 * Quiz screen may have distracting figure moving while you try to answer questions - some students don't like knowing how much time is left (too much pressure)

Opportunities

 * To have a paperless classroom – sustainability
 * To control your schedule better – due to administration changes in scheduling
 * Assessments can be created over a wider area of content than you normally teach
 * Teaches students how to handle time-related assessments
 * Re-teaches questions if you miss answers earlier in the quiz - only if answers are given after each questions instead of at the end of assessment

Threats

 * Cheating (if assessments are at home) - so think of it as a take-home assessment. If you have appropriate timing for the questions, students shouldn't have time to search for the answer or to put it in a calculator. Appropriate timing would allow students sufficient time to answer the question after reading.
 * Frustrates students who do not do well at timed testing or who qualify for time-extended testing - students that qualify for extended time can have the same assessment with a longer period of time allowed. Changing the length of time allowed is easy!

** Ideas for Use in the classroom **

 * An assessment tool!
 * Students could create assessments based on a presentation given.
 * Class surveys to rate a project.
 * Since Yacapaca has online eportfolios, you could develop an ongoing project that is easily accessed by you (the teacher)

Examples of Use in the Classroom

 * Baseline assessments before starting a project
 * Summative assessment at the end of a project
 * Formative assessment can be carried out by using the excellent analysis tools; this enables you to focus on areas where students have performed the weakest
 * Revision quiz
 * Gaining student feedback
 * Weekly/monthly checks to monitor progress (math)