Next Generation
Assessments (NGAs)
Tech Skills Needed
For Students to be
Successful
INFOhio User Meeting
September 18, 2014
jduckro@northmontschools.net
Tech Skills for NGAs
Eric Curts,
Technology Integration
Specialist
ericcurts@gmail.com
eric.curts@apps.sparcc.or
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INFOhio Bootcamp 2014 Presentation #1
Agenda
• What are Next Generation Assessments (NGAs)?
• What tech skills are needed for NGAs?
• Are our students prepared?
• Resources available to help students
What are NGAs
Next Generation Assessments have many of
the following characteristics:
• Delivered online
• Interactive (drag and drop, click to highlight)
• Use of manipulatives (virtual protractors, rulers,
calculators)
• Use of simulations
• Use of multimedia (videos, audio)
• Multiple part questions
What tech skills are needed?
Tech Skills needed for
NGAs include:
Click/tap
Select object
Use text highlighter
Scroll
Select text
Use calculator
Plot Points
Select area
Use protractor
Drag and drop
Select & drag/slide
Use ruler
Type with text editor
Unselect
Use video player
What tech skills are needed?
•
The purpose of these assessments is to
determine the students' mastery of subjectarea content, not their technology abilities.
• Lack of technology skills could negatively impact
a student's performance on an assessment, and
not give a true measure of their subject
knowledge.
Are our students prepared?
In the Spring, SPARCC conducted a survey of students
who took the practice tests to find out about their
experience.
Full results from the survey can be found here:
Statistical Summary Link
Student Feedback Link
Difficulty with tasks?
3-5
389
6-8
667
9-12
448
Navigating
16.71%
10.04%
8.93%
Reading
13.62%
11.54%
19.87%
Typing
14.65%
12.29%
8.48%
Online tools
11.31%
10.04%
8.71%
Dragging dropping
23.14%
13.79%
16.52%
Clicking highlighting
15.42%
10.79%
9.60%
Compared to paper/pencil?
3-5
389
6-8
667
9-12
448
Easier
38.05%
31.48%
22.77%
Same
36.25%
28.19%
28.57%
More difficult
25.71%
40.33%
48.66%
Student feedback
There was too much clicking you had to do, when i
thought i was done with a problem and move on i had
more to answer and didn't know what it was.
It is to hard to understand what to do. The tools are hard
to remember also. How are we supposed to know which
button does what without learning it?
Troubles with tools: delete button, dragging/dropping,
Survey Conclusions
• Younger students thought the online test was
easier than paper and pencil, but they have the
most difficulty with the skills needed.
• Older students thought the online test was
harder than paper and pencil, even though they
had less difficulty with the skills needed.
• All students need more practice taking online
assessments to develop familiarity and a comfort level
taking next generation assessments.
Resources Available
Eric Curts developed a website to collect and share free
online resources to help students develop familiarity and
proficiency with the technology skills they will need for
next generation assessments.
nextgen.apps.sparcc.org
Brandi Young put together a Pearltree for INFOhio
INFOhio's tech skills for online testing
Question Examples
Formulas and
other information
needed to answer
questions
Buttons needed to
know to answer a
math problem
Tools
Examples
Need to use the slider to see whole passage and use tools in text box
Examples
Directions include
listening to a
video clip
Understanding the Toolbar
Toolbar