learning assessment technology

Learning Assessment Technology

John Gingrich

DefinitionHistory

ImplementationClosing Thoughts

Definition

• Learning Assessment Technology is used to measure student (or worker) achievement relative to established standards and to track and analyze that data for improved instruction and better performance.

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History: 1928 Pennsylvania Test

• Significant milestone in early push for standardized testing.

• 12 hours, 3,200 items, mostly declarative

http://geology.com/state-map/maps/pennsylvania-state-map.gif

History: 1937 GRE Graduate Record Exam

• Knowledge • Reasoning

http://www.bibl.u-szeged.hu/afik/gre1.jpg

History: 1947 Educational Testing Services

• Goal of fair assessment.

• SAT’s, Praxis, GME, GRAT

http://www.hnip.net/imgLib/20020902_ets_logo2.gif

??What other meaningful criteria (such as personal

social responsibility - PSR) should be measured, and how?

http://pages.cms.k12.nc.us/pictures/montclaire/CharacterEd003.jpg

Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching (since 1905)

• Generally accepted standards of achievement.

• Methods of measuring achievement and holding pupils to performance.

• Flexibility in educational offerings to maximize each individual’s benefit.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xMu1JOybE2U/Sp7ENQuGWEI/AAAAAAAAAQk/Z1KC1YYiOz4/s320/teaching+poster+bw.png

History: Late 1970’s

• Multiple-choice testing not seen as holistic

http://www.richardgoodallgallery.com/images/niagara/pr34.jpg

Current Social Trends

• “Information Economy” requires educated citizens and demand for tracking educational achievement. http://www.educause.edu/EDUCAUSE+Quarterly/EDUCAUSEQuarterlyMagazineVolum/TheNewEconomyTechnologyandLear/161826

http://www.businesshighstreet.com/import/images/Economy_894_18047948_0_0_14654_200.jpg

Current Social Trends

• Govt. and general population pressure on higher ed create “culture of evidence.” http://www.cae.org/content/pdf/A_Brief_History_of_Student_Learning_Assessment_(Shavelson-2007).PDF

http://www.cioindex.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/culture.jpg

Current Social Trends

• NCLB (2002): Era of “high stakes testing.”

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b225/late2wake/packingrat/nclb.jpg

LAT Potential +’s

• Accurately identify weaknesses, take corrective actions, advance desired results.

• Improved alignment with standards.

• Accessible documentation.

Implementation

• Define organizational assessment goals.

http://www.r3strategis.com/images/R3-Advantage.jpg

Implementation

• Does assessment promote organization goals?

http://www.positive-eye.com/uploads/images/pagepic_selfteams.jpg

Implementation

• Testing should align with applicable standards.

http://f47testingtest.epri.com/semi_graphics/w_learn.jpg

Implementation

• Results should guide instruction.

http://c-statesolutions.com/wp-content/themes/c-state/images/goal_off.jpg

Implementation

• Can results can be easily stored, sorted, and analyzed?

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5307E/x5307e2f.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5307E/x5307e06.htm&usg=__Dm3M2tDH2_-gBZVVERw1GJ40kYQ=&h=381&w=451&sz=13&hl=en&start=15&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=-tpsNKOxLhMaTM:&tbnh=107&tbnw=127&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dresults%2Bcan%2Bbe%2Beasily%2Bstored,%2Bsorted,%2Band%2Banalyzed%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26rlz%3D1T4GGLR_enUS247US248%26tbs%3Disch:1

Consider Scope

http://library.csum.edu/information%20fluency/MCj03030480000%5B1%5D.jpg

or

Integrated with full curriculum

http://www.arcspace.com/books/limited_edition/limited_1.jpg

Consider Technical Resources

• Server• Band Width• Support • Staff• Training

http://www.newqueststudio.com/Images/Computer_training_001.jpg

Consider Pricing Options

• Per User • Per enrolled student• Per School • District 1 Time• Annually

Electronic Learning Assessment Resource (ELAR) http://www.clrn.org/elar/search.cfm

Potential -’s

• Significant upfront resource costs– Purchase $– Infrastructure costs– Training

• Time spent on testing is lost to instruction.

• Emphasis on testing can skew teaching.

The Reluctant TouristSuccess for All: Home Screen

The Reluctant TouristSuccess for All: Let’s Explore

The Reluctant TouristSuccess for All: I have no classes?

Because I’m “Special”?

The Reluctant TouristSuccess for All: Available Extracts

The Reluctant TouristSuccess for All: Reading Groups

I wonder why the Reading Edge query shows only 12 teachers’ classes?

The Reluctant TouristSuccess for All: Extract Selected Criteria

The Reluctant TouristSuccess for All: Extract Tests for Year

Here we extracted results for 1 homeroom.

The Reluctant TouristSuccess for All: My Security Profile

The Reluctant TouristSuccess for All: Student AYP Elibility

(not sure what this means, but no students show up for me)

The Reluctant TouristSuccess for All: Student Hot List

(not sure what this means, but 0 hot listed students)

The Reluctant TouristSuccess for All: Set Test Targets

(not sure who should do what, but no targets set)

Reluctant Tourist Musings

As a “special” teacher who doesn’t have a homeroom, there doesn’t seem to be an easy way to get much data that would help me improve my teaching. But then, it’s not obvious that this data is being used to improve teaching, either from perusing this site or from correcting open ended math problems on the tests. I am not suggesting that my limited perspective provides meaningful insights into the efficacy of learning assessment technology.

If my estrangement from this assessment tool is typical for teachers in my school as I think it is, I think the fault lies with the school leadership.

We’ll need many tools to fix our failing school. They’ll help only if tools are used well.

Closing Thoughts

• “Assessment all by itself is an insufficient condition for powerful learning and improvement.” http://www.cae.org/content/pdf/A_Brief_History_of_Student_Learning_Assessment_(Shavelson-2007).PDF

• Focusing on optimal test results is not the same as focusing on the educational success for all.

• Properly implemented, LAT can guide instruction to better achieve standards.

References

• http://www.educause.edu/EDUCAUSE+Quarterly/EDUCAUSEQuarterlyMagazineVolum/TheNewEconomyTechnologyandLear/161826

• http://www.cae.org/content/pdf/A_Brief_History_of_Student_Learning_Assessment_(Shavelson-2007).PDF

• http://www.answers.com/topic/educational-testing-service