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Paving the Way for Online Testing in Elementary Schools

Paving the Way for Online Testing in Elementary Schools. Presented by Betty Mills Arlington County. We did it and you can too!. Students Say…. Success in APS. Goals for Year One. Get a few volunteers to try online testing at the elementary level Focus on the positive

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Paving the Way for Online Testing in Elementary Schools

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  1. Paving the Way for Online Testing in Elementary Schools Presented by Betty Mills Arlington County

  2. We did it and you can too!

  3. Students Say…

  4. Success in APS

  5. Goals for Year One • Get a few volunteers to try online testing at the elementary level • Focus on the positive • Share results and success with all elementary schools

  6. How It Rolled Out in APS • Year 1 - 2007 • 6 of 22 schools participated • 3% of tests online • Most Schools chose: • One grade level • One or two content areas • STCs were enthusiastic • Principals were pleased

  7. We knew that once they tried it they would love it!

  8. Goals for Year Two • Ask all schools to participate • Space for paper materials was limited and difficult to manage • Wanted to prepare students for online testing at Middle school • Immediate test results help with remediation and placement for following year

  9. APS Inventory - 2005

  10. What We Did - Year 2 • Superintendent encouraged all schools to participate • Urged STCs from pilot schools to share their experiences • Nudged apprehensive schools by suggesting they test one grade or content area • Worked closely with apprehensive schools • Elicited more feedback

  11. Year Two • Elementary participation went from 6 schools to 17 schools • Online tests from 3% to 31%

  12. Year Two • 3 Schools went over 95% online (two were not pilot schools)

  13. Year Two • Support • Comprehensive training • Online assistance sessions • Held their hands every step of the way • Step Papers

  14. Goal for Year Three • To have every elementary school offer online testing in at least one grade level subject To help with scheduling we added 2 additional days to the testing window. This ability was the direct result of fewer paper tests to review and prepare for shipment to be scored.

  15. Year Three • All schools participated • 70 % of tests were online • Six schools at 90% or above • 73% of schools above 55% online 4th Grade Student @ Barrett

  16. Year Three • First Year School – 97% (only PEM on paper)

  17. Year Three “LOVED, LOVED online testing. It is gratifying to get the (near) real-time results so you can impact instruction for the rest of the school year.” Erin, STC “For us, ‘growing’ the pool of testers by adding one grade at a time brought a needed comfort level to the teachers involved in testing. The third grade teachers loved getting the SOL scores so quickly. The immediacy of the process was very affirming.” Angela, STC

  18. Do Your Research • State certification comes first • Bandwidth • Requirement 1:5 computers to students • No stipulation as to ratio that must be available for testing • APS schools – all levels – certified 2006 • IT support in the schools • You need solid IT help & support

  19. APS Approach – Year 1 • Brief the Principals • Inform the ITCs • Keep IT personnel up to date

  20. Get the Word Out • Brief your Principals • Share the benefits • Online audio, immediate scores, one test item per page, opportunity to review • Online practice tests • Supports technology initiatives • Prepares students for online testing is Middle school • Forces “old school” teachers to move into the 21st century!

  21. Get the Word Out • Brief your Principals • Share the hindrances • Some accommodations not available • Lack of practice tests for content areas other than reading • Possible scheduling changes • Share district’s online history @ secondary level

  22. Students Say “It was SO MUCH better. Only one question at a time-just one! I didn’t have to worry about all the other questions. I wasn’t stressed at all.” 5th grade student at ATS

  23. Students Say From a special ed student calling out to the teacher: “I need to tell you something and you are are not going to like it…but this test is easy!” From the teacher: “Remarkably, students do not need to use the restroom or get drinks during online testing. Paper and pencil takers are constantly parading to restrooms and to get drinks.”

  24. Get the Word Out • Inform Your STCs • Benefits vs. Hindrances • Requirements • Training • Computer availability • Scheduling • Roles of testing personnel • Who to test and how • Accommodations

  25. Get the Word Out • Keep IT Personnel Up to Date • Equipment requirements • TestNav • Training • Troubleshooting • Roles of IT personnel during testing • Develop a close working relationship with IT department

  26. Online Pilot Testing • Ask for Volunteer Schools • Choose Schools with: • Principal’s endorsement • Enthusiastic STC • Willing and supportive IT personnel • Provide Comprehensive Training • STCs and IT • Participation Plan

  27. Online Pilot Testing • Require a Participation Plan • Will enable you to see trouble spots beforehand • Will inform you of unusual circumstances that may require more time or hardware • Good indication to IT as to time / personnel required for setting up computers

  28. Obstacles Bandwidth? APS dedicated a separate server for Elementary School Testing

  29. Obstacles • No fulltime STCs • Shared ITCs Schedule from each school was necessary. We did not allow any school to test if there was no ITC in the building.

  30. Obstacles • Lack of space

  31. Support… Support… Support!

  32. Support Through Team Work • Kenny – designated as TestNav authority • Betty – administration authority • Michelle – policy Team kept each other informed and communicated with everyone – principals, ITCs, STCs

  33. Support Through Training • Ensured each group understood • Proctor caching • Test tickets • Printing answers in case of EWS • Turning on computers in prep for testing • Defined roles for each group • Set up chain of events in case of a problem

  34. Emergency Plan

  35. Where to Start • Form a Team • All Pitchers • Enthusiasm is the Game Plan • Prepare for the Foul Balls and Strike Outs • Start with Bunts • Home Runs will Follow!

  36. Make Their Lives Easier • Use Electronic Forms • Provide Online Training & “Help” sessions • Accommodations Excel File • ePATS – involve teachers & parents • Elicit feedback along the way

  37. Credits for Our Success • We built on previous success at secondary level • Extolled the benefits • Promised support and followed through • Solicited feedback & shared it • Reported progress through statistics • Word of mouth among STCs

  38. And the Best Part Was… • Built cooperation between IT department, ITCs, STCs, Principals and the Testing Office by: • Highly organized approach • Being always available • Working through worst case scenarios • Using feedback to improve processes each year • Greatly improved our relationship with schools with regards to testing

  39. Students Say… 4th grade student @ Barrett

  40. If we did it, you can too!

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