Title: North Carolina Online Test of Computer Skills
1North CarolinaOnline TestofComputer Skills
- UPDATE SESSION
- PASI
- Summer 2005
- Presenter Scott Ragsdale
2Session Purpose
- This session will update the audience on recent
developments with the North Carolina Online Test
of Computer Skills and the North Carolina
Computer Skills Alternate Assessment as the State
prepares for operational implementation during
the 2005-2006 school year
3The Five Ages
- The Age of Anxiety
- The world is coming to an end!
- The Age of Reason
- Why is world is coming to an end?
- The Age of Knowledge
- Facts you should know about the end of the world
- The Age of Wisdom
- Only the world as we know it is coming to an end
- The Age of Enlighten up ?
- Take a breath, smile, and enjoy the fruits of a
brave new world
4The Age of Anxiety
- Anxiety is the thin stream of fear trickling
through the mind. If encouraged, it cuts a
channel into which all other thoughts are
drained. - Arthur Somers Roche
-
- It has been said that our anxiety does not empty
tomorrow of its sorrow, but only empties today of
its strength. - Charles Spurgeon
5The End is Near!
- 2005-2006 school year! That is this year!
- This is not feasible! LEAs and schools do not
have the technological capacity nor the
technology staff to administer a web-based test! - Students do not know what they are doing! Taking
the computer skills test online will only confuse
and frustrate them! - Why move to a web-based delivery? Why change
what we already know works? Are we intentionally
trying to make our lives painful? - What about accessibility for ALL students?
6The Age of Reason
- The past is our definition. We may strive, with
good reason, to escape it, or to escape what is
bad in it, but we will escape it only by adding
something better to it. - Wendell Berry
- Conscience is our magnetic compass reason our
chart. - Joseph Cook
7Why Change?
- Two Separate Tests
- Currently two separate tests required for student
to fulfill computer proficiency requirement
Student must pass each to demonstrate proficiency - Multiple-Choice
- Performance
- In reality two tests are really one requirement!
8Why Change?
- Time
- Current administration times
- 1992 curriculum
- Multiple Choice 105 minutes
- Performance 90 minutes
- 1998 curriculum
- Multiple Choice 110 minutes
- Performance 133 minutes
- Note Administration times do not include
distribution of material, printing and organizing
of student printouts performance, packaging,
shipping, and other logistical activities - Time is precious! There never seems to be enough!
9Why Change?
- Test Files
- Currently supporting 26 different software
packages for performance test - Distribution of test files to field
- Question of equity
- And more packages keep coming out each year!
10Why Change?
- Paper
- Printing of test materials
- Test booklets
- Answer documents
- Header sheets and shipping lists
- Excess Ordering
- Printing of student work performance
- Handling of materials
- _at_ 6 deforestation last year of the Amazon rain
forest!
11Why Change?
- Hand Scoring
- Currently performance test booklets are hand
scored by a scoring contractor at a central
location - Time
- Fall administration approximately 2 months
- Spring administration approximately 1 month
- Costs
- High
- Scorers, staffing, spacing, supplies
12Why Change?
- Hand scoring continued
- Reliability
- Scores are reliable and valid
- Inter-rater reliability is high 93
- Reliability monitoring, qualified scorers
- But
- Potential for human error still exists
- Student work does not always provide evidence
that student used correct methods to accomplish
task - Why dig a hole with your hands when you have
access to a shovel?
13Why Now?
- New Curriculum
- New curriculum adopted in February 2004
- Implemented starting with 2004-2005 school year
- New curriculum new instrument for measurement
- Technology changing at an astonishing rate
- Traditional paper tests will be archaic before
long - Traditional hand scoring is outdated
- If you live in the past, the best you can hope
for tomorrow is to look back at today!
14Why Not?
- Merge two tests into one
- Reduce the administration, testing, scoring, and
logistical time required - Provide a universal delivery to increase equity
for a standardized test - Eliminate costs of printing paper and reduce
paper waste - Decrease frustration of handling so much paper
- Maximize reliability and validity of scores
- Theoretically return scores more efficiently and
timely - Keep pace with the changing face of technology,
testing, and scoring
15The Age of Knowledge
-
- If facts are the seeds that later produce
knowledge and wisdom, then the emotions and the
impressions of the senses are the fertile soil in
which the seeds must grow. - Rachel Carson
-
- The first step towards knowledge is to know that
we are ignorant. - Richard Cecil
16The Test
- One test
- Combines multiple-choice and performance items
- 72 items total
- 4 sections 18 items per section
- Items not delivered randomly, but also not
divided into sections by specific
strands/objectives i.e., database section, etc.
- A database performance item may be followed by a
multimedia multiple-choice item, in turn followed
by a word processing performance item, etc.
17The Test
- Measures 2004 curriculum
- Approximately 41 objectives tested
- Performance items vs. Multiple-Choice items
- 50 performance based
- 50 multiple-choice based
- Embedded field test items for future test
development
18The Test
- Web-based delivery
- NCDesk Integrated Java Applications Suite
- Delivery of performance items within testing
environment - Includes
- text editor/word processing application
- database application
- spreadsheet application
- e-mail composer application mimic application
- window management application
19The Test Environment
- Secure
- Encrypted
- Save function disabled in Java applications
- Self-contained
- Browser parameters set
- No surfing of Internet within environment
- No cut, copy, paste functionality outside of
environment - Data Warehousing
- Student responses stored on server when moving
between sections and questions - Allows for recovery of test and data if
workstations crash or other technical problems
are encountered
20The Test Environment
- Screen Division
- Frame contains functions and identifying
information - Two parallel sub-windows
- Item stem
- Foils multiple-choice or application
performance - Separate scroll bars for each
21The Test Environment
- Functions
- Navigation
- Sections do not allow for navigation between and
amongst them - Returning to section is not permitted once
section is completed - Navigation within sections is permitted
- Navigational buttons PREV (previous), NEXT
- Linear movement backwards or forwards within
section - Navigation bar at end of section section
summary - Non-linear movement to any item in section
22The Test Environment
- Functions
- Restore
- Clears item of changes and restores to original
format - Flag
- Identifies item on navigation bar at section end
with a red question mark as an indicator that
student may need to re-visit prior to exiting
section - Student can still exit section if items are
flagged
23The Test Environment
- Functions
- End Section
- Links to section summary page
- Pause
- Pauses the test at the immediate location for
recovery without exiting test environment
24The Test Environment
- Section number identified on each item page
i.e., Section 1 - Item number within section identified on each
item page i.e., Question 2 of 18 - Section summary
- Makes summary statement of how many items in the
section were answered and/or flagged - Navigation bar also identifies items answered and
flagged - Continue button moves to next section
- Displays warning message that once exiting
section, return is not permitted - Reconfirms intent to exit section
25NCDesk
- Center of the Universe
- Test
- Access test at Log in page School code, User
name, Password - Test Simulation
- Practice activity to simulate real test
environment - Verify Connection
- Runs test to verify if secure connection to test
server is established - Documentation
- Links to website for information, updates, etc
- Applications
- Access to all applications integrated in test
environment for use and familiarization
26NCRegistration
- Administrative - User access rights functions.
Users are state level administrators, regional
level administrators, local district test
coordinators, school test coordinators, test
administrators, and possibly teachers. - Bulk Registration - Function to allow bulk file
uploads of student records to register large
groups of students to a testing window. - Single Registration - Function to allow
registration of single student to a testing
window. - Test Session Scheduling - Indicating numbers of
students at a school per test administration - Student Information Questions (SIQ) -- additional
data collection process - Reports
27Technical
- NCDesk is a locally installed client Java
application - Client computers must have Java runtime installed
- Quality Internet connection required for
accessing test environment - Internet connection not required for NCDesk
applications when used for learning and practice - NCDesk communicates with a central server for
testing not hosted locally - Auto-update system check for current NCDesk
version - Sufficient RAM recommended
- CPU of good clock speed and recent vintage
recommended - Minimum amount of drive space available
- Sufficient amount of bandwidth required during
testing - Best Resource for technical recommendations
- http//ncdesk.ncsu.edu/ncdesk/technote.asp
28Technical Notes - Proposed Client Computer
Requirements Special Note Client computer
systems running the minimum 128Mb RAM need to
reduce the number of background applications
running when trying to use NCDesk. Background
applications consume memory resources that can
become critically low when other applications are
running. These types of applications include
hidden applications, system inits (Macintosh) and
system tray applications (Windows). The following
proposed client computer requirements are posted
with the assumption that currently active
background applications are at a minimum.
29Stages of Development
- Feasibility Studies/Trials
- Conduct research into feasibility of delivering
web-based test environment - Conduct research into performance of local and
central technology during delivery - Conduct research into overall performance of test
environment and applications - Conduct research into item performance within
test environment and applications - Receive feedback and implement debugging,
redevelopment, or new development
30Stages of Development
- Field Testing
- Conduct further research into overall performance
of test environment and applications - Conduct research into item performance
- Use data and items to construct operational
form(s) - Receive feedback and implement debugging or
redevelopment where needed. Note implementation
of change can only occur where not affecting
performance of item
31Stages of Development
- Operational
- Form(s) built using viable items from field
testing - Based on item performance, feedback, analysis,
IRT (Item Response Theory), psychometric review,
etc. - Implementation locks forms and items for future
- Standards/Proficiency indicators established
- Delivery as instrument for determining proficiency
32The Past
- Fall 2003
- Feasibility Study/Trial
- Volunteer sites
- Adults only
- 1,926 starts 1,351 finishes
- 62 LEAs represented, 193 schools
- Ongoing debugging and development of technology,
test environment, and items - Fall 2004
- Feasibility Study/Trial
- At minimum, 10 locally chosen students per school
containing eighth-grade students - 5,620 starts 4,783 finishes
- Ongoing development and debugging of technology,
test environment, and items
33The Past
- Spring 2005
- Field Test
- Sampled population of schools and students
- Window April 11 June 15
- 8,510 students chosen for sample
- 6,361 starts 6,198 finishes
- Alternate Assessment also field tested
- Window May 9 June 15
- 2000 students chosen for sample
- Ongoing debugging and development of technology,
test environment, and items
34The Present
- Analysis of field test data
- Item performance, results, feedback from field
- Development and implementation of scoring
parameters for items - Analysis of technical issues arising during field
testing - Ongoing debugging and development of technology
and test environment - Creation of operational form(s) based on analysis
of field test data - Development of new items item writing for
embedding in the future
35The Future
- Operational implementation starting with the
2005-2006 school year - Students entering eighth-grade
- Testing Window
- Daily Administration Blocks
- Standard setting
- Determining proficiency
- Ongoing development of items item writing and
technology - Ongoing evaluation and monitoring of technical
and infrastructure issues both at the central and
local level
36Computer Skills Alternate Assessment
- Why?
- Results of feasibility study and Federal mandates
required development of an alternate assessment
instrument for two distinct populations - Students with special needs who could not access
the online test using available accommodations - Students who could not access the online test as
a result of technical/technology limitations
i.e., unable to meet minimum requirements for
bandwidth, memory, etc.
37Computer Skills Alternate Assessment
- Field tested Spring 2005
- Different delivery from online test, but equal
rigor of standard item difficulty level,
thinking skills, etc. - One test consisting of two distinct sections
38Computer Skills Alternate Assessment
- Multiple-Choice Section
- 36 items
- Traditional
- Performance Section
- 27 total items
- 26 performance-based, administrator rated yes or
no items - 1 administrator rated yes or no item evaluating
student proficiency with computer over course of
time - Computer-based
- Individualized administration
- Use supplied files and local applications i.e.,
word processing, database, etc. to complete
tasks required by items - Files provided in text format for conversion into
local applications PDFs provided to serve as
blueprints
39Computer Skills Alternate Assessment
- Item performance, results, and feedback being
analyzed at this time - Possibility probability of being field tested
again in the Fall 2005 - Some issues with local administrators and
technology staff having to convert text files
into local applications - Probability that necessary test files will be
provided for State supported platforms/packages
in future administrations
40Accessibility Issues
- Definite accessibility issues with online
testing! - Standard accommodations are still available
- Choice of large or regular font size for NCDesk
- Keyboard and mouse actions functional
- Currently developing the ability to integrate and
support assistive technology i.e., screen
readers - Exploring multiple options for accessibility
zoom functions, etc. - Implementation of additional assistive technology
likely an extended process
41Support
- Helpdesk
- Activated for feasibility studies/trials, field
testing, and will be available for operational
administration - Assistance provided prior to, during, and after
testing - Addresses NCRegistration, NCDesk, Computer Skills
Alternate Assessment, and any other issues
involved in delivery and implementation of online
test - http//cskills.ncsu.edu/ncdesk/helpdesk.asp
- Mobile Labs
- Available for schools/systems unable to test
because of technical limitations - By request only actual process for requests
still in development - Availability issues and division of time
42The Age of Wisdom
- It is no longer enough to be smart all the
technological tools in the world add meaning and
value only if they enhance our core values, the
deepest part of our heart. Acquiring knowledge is
no guarantee of practical, useful application.
Wisdom implies a mature integration of
appropriate knowledge, a seasoned ability to
filter the inessential from the essential. - Doc Childre and Deborah Rozman
-
- Learn wisdom from the ways of a seedling. A
seedling which is never hardened off through
stressful situations will never become a strong
productive plant. - Stephen Sigmund
43The Meaning?
- Online testing is the future
- Most states are in the process of either
implementing or maintaining an online testing
program - North Carolina is moving forward with online
testingthis is only the beginning - Students are far more positive about online
testing than administrators/teachers/staff - Trends suggest students more comfortable and
engaged with online testingoverwhelming support
from them - Technology concerns are warranted, but
- Implementation of technology will become seamless
over time as traditional options for testing are
exhausted - Systems/schools have been successful in
implementing this test
44Basic Necessities for Success
- Dissemination and sharing of information
- Local, State, National, International
- Use resources available and act as a resource
- Communication
- Question
- Online testing is a new world so do not be afraid
to question things or offer your opinion - Support
- There will be some growing pains, but never waver
in your support - Support at all levels, between all divisions and
peoples is absolutely required - Learn
- Do not be complacent in your knowledge, always
seek more - Familiarity Understanding Less frustration,
stress, and anxiety for all
45The Age of Enlighten up
-
- This I conceive to be the chemical function of
humor to change the character of our thought. - Lin Yutang
-
- Humor is perhaps a sense of intellectual
perspective an awareness that some things are
really important, others not and that the two
kinds are most oddly jumbled in everyday affairs.
- Christopher Morley
46A Brighter Future
- Yes, anxiety is expected, normal, and okay
- Yes, change can be painful
- Yes, this is a serious matter not to be taken
lightly - But
- Never lose perspective on what is important
- Think about why we are really doing this and who
it ultimately benefits - Understand that we are all in this together, for
better or worse, so let us all be friends, not
enemies - And lastly
- Smile and be confident in knowing that, though
pioneers, we are moving in the right direction
47Websites
- http//cskills.ncsu.edu/nccs
- Link to home page of the North Carolina Online
Test of Computer Skills - http//ncdesk.ncsu.edu/ncdesk
- Direct link to the home page for the NCDesk
application suite - http//www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/computer
skills - Link to Computer/Technology Skills Standard
Course of Study on the North Carolina Department
of Public Instruction website - http//community.learnnc.org/dpi/tech
- Link to Computer/Technology Skills page for
Curriculum and School Reform on the North
Carolina Department of Public Instruction website - http//www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/test
ing/computerskills - Link to computer skills testing information on
the North Carolina Department of Public
Instruction website - http//tps.dpi.state.nc.us/
- Link to Technology Implementation Planning
Services page on the North Carolina Department of
Public Instruction website - http//www.ncpublicschools.org/techservices
- Link to Technology Services page on the North
Carolina Department of Public Instruction website
48Contact Information
- Scott Ragsdale
- Project Manager, North Carolina Computer Skills
Assessments - scott_ragsdale_at_ncsu.edu
- Randy Craven
- Technical Manager
- randy_craven_at_ncsu.edu
- Jim Kroening
- Program Manager, Performance Assessments
- jkroening_at_dpi.state.nc.us
49Final Thought
-
- The important thing in life is not where we are,
but in which direction we are moving. - Oliver Wendell Holmes