January 2003 — Features
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Getting On Board With Online Testing
6 Steps to Online Success
By Jim Lewis, Ed.D., Superintendent, Blaine County, Idaho
As a person actively involved in researching and implementing an Internet-enabled testing system, I’ve learned how to get a computerized testing system up and running successfully in a district. The top suggestions learned by the Blaine and Rigby districts that should help you expedite the process include:
1. Develop and commit to a plan. First, make sure the test you choose to implement complements the long-range vision for your school district. Also, ensure that it effectively functions to provide the data needed to improve instruction. To assure this goal, you’ll need to assign an individual, most likely a principal, to take responsibility for testing, data collection and follow through; i.e., making sure the right questions are asked, that you retrieve the kind of data needed to inform instruction, and that you know what to do with that information to meet your goal. After all, the principal is the person who authorizes the time needed for testing, data gathering and evaluation of results, as well as for holding teachers accountable for using that data to improve classroom practices.
2. Leverage the power of technology. While a district may be completely wired in terms of having connections between all the schools, it’s necessary to continually improve the quality of the network and what’s available within each classroom (e.g., experimenting with the use of wireless laptops in the classroom for testing).
3. Don’t be “technophobic.” Although the idea of computerized testing might seem to require extensive technology expertise, teachers in Rigby and Blaine County districts have found that’s not the case. As in almost every district these days, our schools have tech-support personnel who handle downloading and uploading test data, moving computers around and ensuring that the system is working correctly. Most of our teachers aren’t particularly computer-savvy, and with the MAP system, they really don’t have to be. NWEA provides strong tech support, so you can run the MAP system without the need for extensive technology expertise.
4. Do your homework. A major key to the success of the testing program is use of NWEA’s MAP Coordinator’s Handbook, a comprehensive manual that covers every element involved in implementing the program.
5. Training is key. Obviously, when a test program is first initiated, most of the training will involve technical matters: familiarizing the staff with the computers and interfaces with your test organization. But training d'esn’t stop there. In addition to conducting training sessions for administrators, it is essential to provide training for every person involved in the process, including counselors, tech staff and test proctors to ensure that every school is tested the same way, and on schedule. It’s also crucial that training include how to properly use the data that’s retrieved.
6. Test the tester, pretest the kids. It’s vitally important for every teacher to take a sample test so that they understand what their students are being exposed to. It’s also important, especially for younger children, to be allowed to take a practice run to become familiar with the test format or the process.
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