NWEA Launches MAP Assessment iPad App
The Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) has launched a new iPad app, called MAP Testing,
that is designed to let students use a touchscreen to take the Measures
of Academic Progress (MAP) and MAP for Primary Grades (MPG) assessments.
Primary
grade children find it easier to use a touchscreen than a keyboard and
mouse, according to NWEA. "We've received over a thousand requests from
teachers and administrators to create an iPad app that allows students
to take assessments on touchscreen devices, particularly for younger
kids who are most comfortable using this type of technology," said Matt
Chapman, CEO of NWEA, in a news release.
The MAP and MPG are both
computer adaptive assessments aligned to state standards. Answering a
question correctly results in subsequent questions that are more
challenging, and answering a question incorrectly results in subsequent
questions that are easier.
Although the MAP and MPG are not
timed, the MAP was designed to be completed in less than an hour, and
the MPG was designed to be complete in less than 30 minutes. NWEA
suggests administering the assessments three to four times per year.
Teachers receive student results immediately, including information
about the student's "achievement, growth and areas for further learning
to inform instruction," stated a news release from NWEA.
According
to NWEA, the experience of taking the MAP or MPG assessments on a
touchscreen is very similar to taking them with a keyboard and mouse,
and the adaptive nature of the assessments is the same with both
interfaces.
The MAP Testing app is available as a free download on the Apple App Store. Further information about the app and NWEA's assessment products can be found on NWEA's site.
About the Author
Leila Meyer is a technology writer based in British Columbia. She can be reached at [email protected].