January 2003 — Features
Print this article | Email this articleClick here to receive your FREE subscription to T.H.E. Journal
Getting On Board With Online Testing
How Map Works
MAP is typically administered to students twice a year — in the fall and spring — for math, reading and language arts. Science tests are also available, and are expected to be adopted by the Idaho districts in the near future. Some districts also use the tests for midyear evaluations. Once the test administrator has linked to NWEA via the Internet and downloaded student data from previous tests, the testing session is ready to begin. The network administrator hosts the session, eliminating the need for separate software setups on every student computer. In addition, features like spell checkers or calculators are only available where appropriate.
During the session, MAP automatically adapts the level of difficulty to each student and how he or she responds to the first several items. This means that while the number of items is the same for all students, each sees different items. If a question is answered correctly, subsequent questions become gradually more challenging. If, however, a question is answered incorrectly, easier questions will follow. During a subsequent testing session, the system remembers where the student left off and presents items at that level. This adaptivity ensures that each student receives a test that is appropriately challenging, yet fair.
