Setting Up and Using the
Smarter Balanced Practice Tests
January 8, 2014
9:00 a.m.
Presenters: Michael McDaniel and
Daniel Stanley
Agenda
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About the Practice Test
About the Login Process
Practice Test Tools and Layout
Recorded Demonstration
Reminders and Resources
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Why Use the Practice Test?
• Allows students and administrators to become
familiar with the online testing environment
before taking the spring 2014 Field Test and
future operational tests.
– Both teachers and students participating in the
Field Test are strongly encouraged to take the
practice test multiple times before the Field
Test.
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Why Use the Practice Test?
• Provides a snapshot of item types that may
appear on a future assessment.
– Note: Not all standards that are assessed in the
Field Test and/or the operational tests are
represented in the practice tests.
– NOT intended to be used as a predictor of
success on future assessments.
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About the Practice Test
• Practice tests, which were launched in May
2013, are available for:
– ELA grades 3–8 and 11
– Mathematics grades 3–8 and 11
• Each grade-level practice test contains two
sections:
– Multiple-select/short answer test questions
– A performance task
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About the Practice Test:
Performance Tasks
• What is a performance task? An extended
activity that measures a student’s ability to
integrate knowledge and skills across multiple
standards.
– Involves significant interaction of students with
stimulus materials and/or engagement in a problem
solution
– For the Field Test and operational tests, a classroom
activity will precede a performance task.
– There are no classroom activities available for the
practice test.
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About the Practice Test:
Performance Tasks
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The practice test has performance tasks for both
content areas (ELA and Math) at each grade level.
It is strongly encouraged for students to take both
sections of the practice tests, for each content area.
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How to Access the Practice Test
• There are two methods to get to the practice
tests:
1. Through the secure browser
2. Through a Web browser
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How to Access the Practice Test
1. Through the secure browser
•
The recommended way to access the practice
test, if possible
-
Best simulates the field testing experience
Locks down the computer
Gives access to the text-to-speech accommodation
feature
2. Through a Web browser
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If secure browser not yet available for your
devices
Students/parents can access at home
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Login through Web Browsers
1. Navigate to http://sbac.portal.airast.org/practicetest/.
2. Click on the “Student Interface Practice Test”
button.
− Supported web Browsers are: Mozilla Firefox,
Google Chrome, Microsoft Internet Explorer 10,
and Apple Safari.
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Login through Web Browser
3. Make sure the
checkboxes next to
“Guest User” and
“Guest Session” are
checked.
4. Select [Sign In].
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Login through Secure Browser
1. Close all running applications
on your device.
2. Open the secure browser.
3. Select the link that takes you
to the practice test.
4. Make sure the checkboxes
next to “Guest User” and
“Guest Session” are checked.
5. Select [Sign In].
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Beginning a Practice Test
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Step 1: Select a Grade
Level
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Select a grade level from
the “Grade” drop-down list.
Select [Yes] to continue.
Step 2: Select a Practice
Test
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Select the name of the
practice test you want to
take and continue to the
next step.
If you want to access tests
from another grade, select
[Back to login].
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Beginning a Practice Test
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Step 3: Choose Test
Settings
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Select the option(s) you
want for each available
test setting.
Select [Select] to
continue.
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Test Setting Options
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Students must select test setting options during
the login process.
Available practice test settings:
– Language
 English (default)
 Braille English
– Color Choices
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Black on White (default)
Black on Rose
Medium Gray on Light Gray
Yellow on Blue
Reverse Contrast
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Test Setting Options (cont.)
– Word List (Glossary)
 Spanish Glossary (mathematics only)
» Students can open a glossary to view terms presented on the
test that may be unfamiliar to them
» Now available for ALL grades
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Test Setting Options (cont.)
– Text-to-Speech is now available for ALL grades for both
ELA and Math.
 Text-to-speech (TTS) functionality is available only when
using the secure browsers.
» AIRSecureTest mobile secure browser
for Android
» Not available for the practice test
on Chromebooks or iPads.
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Test Setting Options (cont.)
– Print Size
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Level 0 (No Zoom) = 1X (default)
Level 1 = 1.5X
Level 2 = 1.75X
Level 3 = 2.5X
Level 4 = 3X
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Beginning a Practice Test
•
Step 4: Confirm Selected Test and
Settings
−
−
Review the screen and confirm the
test and settings.
If the settings are not correct, select
[No]. You will return to Step 2.
Select a Practice Test.
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Step 4a: Text-to-speech Check
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Select the audio button to listen to
the sample audio.
− You can adjust the volume and
pitch of the voice on this screen.
See Page 6 of the Practice Test
User Guide for further instructions.
•
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Beginning a Practice Test
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Step 5: Begin Test Now
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The “Test Instructions and
Help” page is last.
Review the information on
this page by scrolling
through the entire page,
and then select [Begin
Test Now] at the bottom of
the screen. The first page
of the test will
automatically appear.
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Practice Test Layout
Basic Practice Test Rules
• Students cannot skip test items.
• Students must answer all test items on a page
before going to the next page.
− Some pages contain multiple items, so students
may need to use the vertical scroll bar to view all
items on a page.
• Students may mark items for review and use
the “Question” drop-down list at the top of the
page to easily return to those items.
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Practice Test Tools
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The following tools are available for all practice
tests:
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Highlight text in passages and test questions
Zoom in and out of test pages (this makes the font look larger
or smaller)
Mark items for review
Make notes about an item in the notepad
View tutorials about item type (now available for ALL items)
Strikethrough (cross out answer options)
Access to the Test Instructions and Help
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Practice Test Tools
Calculator Tool:
• Students have access to calculators for
mathematics assessments:
– Basic Calculator: grades 6
– Scientific Calculator: grade 7 & 8
– Graphing, Regression, and Scientific
Calculators: grade 11
• Note: The calculator appears only in a segment
of the mathematics practice tests.
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Practice Test Tools
Stimulus Expansion Tool:
• Some tests will have pages that display two panes
– The left pane will contain either a reading passage
or stimulus.
– The right pane will display the items associated with
the stimulus.
•
Students can expand the stimulus section so that it
takes up a larger portion of the screen.
– The icon is in the upper right corner of the left pane
that shows a plus sign and a right arrow.
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Practice Test Tools
Text-to-Speech (TTS) and Speak Tool:
• TTS can only be used through the secure browser.
• Students who use the Speak
tool must use headphones.
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− Headphones with built-in volume
control are recommended.
Students can use the Speak tool to listen to math stimuli
and/or test items and answer options.
Reminder: TTS settings should be tested and verified
as working properly before students begin their tests.
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Reminders and Resources
Using Braille and JAWS with the Practice Test
(cont.):
•For information about using Braille and JAWS with the
practice test, refer to the Practice Test User Guide,
pages 13–27.
− http://sbac.portal.airast.org/wpcontent/uploads/2013/07/PracticeTest_UserGuide_U
pdated080513.pdf
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Reminders and Resources
• Web-based Smarter Balanced Practice Test:
– http://sbac.portal.airast.org/practice-test/
• Smarter Balanced Practice Test User Guide:
– http://sbac.portal.airast.org/wpcontent/uploads/2013/07/PracticeTest_UserGuid
e_Updated080513.pdf
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Reminders and Resources
CalTAC help desk is there to support YOU!
E-mail: caltac@ets.org
Phone: 800-955-2954
Web Site: http://californiatac.org
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