TESA

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Texas Conference on On-line Assessment Logistical
Issues for districts of all sizes.

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On-Line Testing

• Bandwidth and Hardware with no Extra Funding

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Oregon Context

• 198 school districts
• 1,290 schools
• 552,320 students in the state
• Oregon has been administering a state level
  assessment program in mathematics, reading,
  writing and science since 1990

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Oregon Context cont.

• In the 5th year of administering a state level
  on-line assessment program Technology Enhanced
  Student Assessment (TESA)
• Initially presented as an option for districts
• ODE has involved ESDs early in the process

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Oregon Context cont.

• Window for testing opens in September and closes
  in May
• Largest day of testing based on
• of students logged on
• of students completing tests in a given day

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ESD Partners By County
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? Support Contacts ?
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Role of ESD PartnersTraining

• Logging in process, selection of tests, what test
  screens look like, how to stop/suspend at test,
  log out, what to look for when proctoring, etc.
• Test Administration- appropriate modifications
  and accommodations,
• Administrative features, printing reports, etc.

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Advantages and Disadvantages

• Students may have up to three opportunities to
  test, state takes highest score
• Strand data and a RIT score are available
  immediately upon completion of the test
• There is only one testing window for the school
  year
• Adaptive testing allows students to test at their
  ability level
• Tests do not need to be ordered, there is no
  precoding, no shipping of test materials, and no
  confidential materials to dispose of
• A test may be stopped and restarted at any time
• Grade-level challenges can easily be requested

• Limited lab time in schools
• Difficult for some schools to obtain up-to-date
  technology
• Students cannot go back in a test
• Some teachers feel that reading may be a
  different skill on the computer versus on paper

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Other Logistical Considerations

• Scheduling
• Training
• Support
• Staffing

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A Look at TESA
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? New for 2005-06 ?
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? Number of Opportunities ?
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TESA 2005 HOME PAGE
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TESA Website

• Test site

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TESA 2005 HOME PAGE
Click on Administrator/Teacher Login
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TESA 2005 Administrator, Teacher, Proctor Log In
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TESA 2005 Teacher Main Menu
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From a Students Perspective
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TESA 2005 HOME PAGE
Click on Student Login
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TESA 2005 Logging in as a Student
Enter SSID, School ID, and Access Key.
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TESA 2005 Student Welcome/Confirmation Screen
Click on Yes, this information is CORRECT.
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TESA 2005 Student Welcome/Confirmation Screen
Student must verify School Name and School ID
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TESA 2005 Student Test Center
Click on a colored tab to see available tests.
Only one test per subject can be opened at a time.
Spanish tests are located in Other.
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TESA 2005 Launching a Test
Select the test youd like to take.
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TESA 2005 Resume a Test
Tests to be resumed are listed at the top of the
screen.
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TESA 2005 Launching a Test
Click OK to start the test.
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TESA 2005 Enter Test Key
Enter the Test Key and click on the login button
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TESA 2005 Reading Passage Preview
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TESA 2005 SCHOOL NAME
ODE is still determining how to use this
function. It will be on to start the year while
we gather feedback. It may be removed if it is
shown to not be helpful to students.
School name appears on screen through the entire
test
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TESA 2005 Reading Passage Preview
Previews all questions within a passage.
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TESA 2005 Confirmation Box to Stop Test and
Finish Later
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TESA 2005 Math Item with Finish Button
Click on COMMENT AND FEEDBACK to report a problem
with the question to ODE.
The flag will appear on the last question of the
test.
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A Look at ELPA
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ELPA Website

• ELPA Website

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Other Logistical Considerations

• Scheduling
• Training
• Support
• Staffing

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Scheduling

• Lab availability
• How many opportunities vs. how many subjects?

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Training

• Orientations
• Technical vs. Test Administration
• Site based

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Support

• Who do you call for what?
• Connectivity Issues
• Data Issues
• Policy Issues

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Staffing

• Whos involved in on-line testing?

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Tips for On-line Test Takers
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Technology Matrix for ELPA
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Before the Test

• Conduct Teacher training and allow for teacher
  preparedness.
• Teach students about the type of questions they
  will see on the test content, format, question
  type, etc. You can use sample tests printed off
  of the ODE website or use sample tests on TESA.
• Remind students that they should not rush
  through the test. As long as they are making
  progress, they will be given as much time as
  necessary to complete the test.

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• Teach students about the type of questions they
  will see on the test content, format, question
  type, etc. You can use sample tests printed off
  of the ODE website or use sample tests on TESA.
• Testing is a priority, schedule revolves around
  assessment.
• Create a reasonable test schedule where testing
  is spread out students are not overloaded.

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• Look over the Accommodations Table for the
  reading test found on the ODE website. These
  adjustments to the testing situations are
  available for all students. Here are some of the
  accommodations you will find at that link read
  or reread directions to student sign directions
  simplify language in directions student reads
  test aloud or sub-vocalizes text to listener or
  self student points to or dictates
  multiple-choice responses to a scribe, etc.
• http//www.ode.state.or.us/teachlearn/testing/manu
  als/tables/

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• Make sure students have many opportunities to use
  computers before taking the test. It may cause
  some students anxiety if they only use computers
  for testing. Create a unit where students have
  to locate information or complete comprehension
  activities to increase their understanding of a
  specific topic. The OSLIS website has some
  multiple choice questions online which require
  students to look closely at each answer before
  choosing. Great practice! http//www.oslis.org

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• Test your students in 45 minute blocks.
• Start your IEP students earlier to allow them the
  ability to keep up with other students.
• Show students how they can use their mouse
  (cursor) to highlight a line, section or question
  on the test. Students could highlight one
  paragraph at a time to focus their reading on a
  specific passage. Once they are finished with
  that section, they just click on the screen to
  clear the highlighting.

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During the Testing Session

• Check the lighting in the room. Looking at the
  screen for any length of time can be harsh on the
  eyes and the lighting should not add any stress.
  
• Teach students to take eye breaksas often as
  needed. Since this test requires a great deal of
  focused reading, knowing when to relax your eyes,
  neck, back and brain is essential.

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• Give students breaks during the testing session.
  One teacher recommended a break after 20
  questions.
• Provide each student with a cardstock bookmark
  they can use on the screen to track their
  reading. This helps them follow along and not
  skip lines.
• Give students sticky notes to place on the edge
  of the computer screen to mark an important idea
  or key vocabulary word. They could also take
  notes during reading.

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• Show the students the Preview button they can
  use to review the questions before reading the
  passage.
• One teacher gives each student a clipboard with
  blank pieces of paper. Students look at the
  answers for a question and use process of
  elimination to narrow the choices to two possible
  answers. They write the letters of those answers
  on their paper to make it easier to focus and
  make a clear decision. They can also write down
  words they dont know and look at the roots,
  syllables, context clues, etc.

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• Once the test is initiated, lift the keyboards
  off the table and put them on top of the monitor.
  Only the mouse is needed at that point, and the
  keyboard is an unnecessary distraction.
• For struggling readers, the reading test can be
  printed out, and students could use the
  strategies they apply to reading a paper copy
  (highlighting, underlining, etc.). However, care
  should be taken with this secure test. Make sure
  the printer is in the same room as the computers
  and that the test is shredded immediately after
  the testing session.

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Other Resources

• Douglas ESD Page
• Multnomah ESD
• ODE TESA Page

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Questions?