8th Grade Technology Proficiency

ProjectMORRISTOWN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT

Model Schools Site Administrators MeetingSt. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES Canton, NYPresented - April 25, 2007

Mike Wills, PrincipalBill Van Vleet, Technology CoordinatorLoren Nowak, SLL BOCES Model Schools

Project Rationale:

• Began as part of the technology plan update requirement for future Title IID funding

• Technology Committee formed to address task of updating plan for compliance

• Added components needed:

– Staff Skills Survey (we used Mankato scale tool, Brasher/SC)

– Student 8th Grade Proficiency

– Title IID Cover Sheet (referencing required parts of Tech Plan)

Morristown Tech Committee:

• Weekly meetings scheduled:

– About 1 – 1.5 hours each

• Stakeholder representatives:

– Superintendent, HS Principal, Elementary Supervisor, Administrative Intern (teacher), Athletic Director, Guidance Counselor, Technology Coordinator, Model Schools Tech Curriculum Coach, BOCES Computer Technician

• Morristown meeting format used

The Magic Number:

• Was always a Federal requirement under NCLB

• New NY State reporting requirement that was introduced at BOCES Tech Planning Day

• Will also be required for most future grant initiatives (eligibility)

• Percentage of students deemed proficient needed for Fall (October) BEDS forms, aka “The Magic Number”

Getting to the Magic Number:

• What is proficient?

– Left for local district interpretation…

• How to assess students?

– Left for local district interpretation…

– Homegrown objective test or commercially available?

• What level of accomplishment should students need to attain to be proficient?

– Left for local district interpretation…

8th Grade Proficiency Test –

• Morristown District Interests:

– low to no cost

– easy to administer, and replicable

– provide insight on students’ application of knowledge

– comply with BEDS requirement

– remain eligible for future tech funding

• Three Parts

– One multiple choice, two real-world project based

– Input from Tech Planning Committee

Proficiency Test – Part 1

• 70 multiple choice questions developed from a bank of questions found online

• Questions reworded for readability

• Poor questions thrown out

• Additional questions were added

• Original assessment correlated to ISTE NETS

• Questions placed in CPS database for ease of assessment

• ISTE.org (International Society for Technology in Education)

< Educator Resources… <Assessment…

< NETS Online Technology Assessment…

( http://www.iste.org/resources/asmt/msiste/ )– ISTE lists a variety of fee-based assessment services

– This one is FREE until June 30, 2007 (NETS scheduled for update)

– VIRTUAL PC environment (window in a window)

– Students perform 12 modules based on real-world tasks

– Results are automatically graded

– Results export to Excel format

ISTE Assessment Tool

Proficiency Test – Part 21. Business Letter—

Take assessment

a. Assesses NETS•S 1B and 3A

b. Application Skill(s) Assessed:

Word processing:

• Open a document

• Left justify text

• Change line spacing

• Adjust margins

• Select text, cut and paste

• Select text and delete

• Enter text

• Insert a symbol

• Change font style and size

• Apply font effects

• Use spell check

• Save a document with a different name

E-mail:

• Create an e-mail message

• Enter an e-mail address

• Enter a subject line

• Type a message

• Attach a file to an e-mail

• Send an e-mail

Proficiency Test – Part 31. The Planets—Take assessment

a. Assesses NETS•S 1B and 3A

b. Application Skill(s) Assessed:

Word processing:

• Insert a page break.

• Center text horizontally on a page.

• Center text vertically on a page.

• Indent the first line of a paragraph.

• Add and center page numbers on all pages except the title page.

• Use Print Preview.

• Remove blank pages

• Use Page Setup to change margins.

• Convert a table to text.

• Change bold text to plain text.

• Indent a list.

• Change plain text to bold text.

• Use the spelling tool to find spelling errors.

• Use the grammar tool to find grammar errors.

• Explain why you made spelling and grammar changes.

• Select font size, style and color appropriate to a topic.

• Explain why you selected font size, style and color for a topic.

RESULTS – Part 1

Name Grade 22.9 pt curve

Student1 21.4 44.3

Student2 22.9 45.8

Student3 31.4 54.3

Student4 32.9 55.8

Student5 32.9 55.8

Student6 35.7 58.6

Student7 40.0 62.9

Student8 40.0 62.9

Student9 40.0 62.9

Student10 40.0 62.9

Student11 41.4 64.3

Student12 42.9 65.8

Student13 45.7 68.6

Student14 45.7 68.6

NameGrad

e 22.9 pt

curve

Student15 50.0 72.9 72.9    

Student16 52.9 75.8 75.8    

Student17 52.9 75.8 75.8    

Student18 55.7 78.6 78.6    

Student19 55.7 78.6 78.6    

Student20 60.0 82.9 82.9    

Student21 60.0 82.9 82.9    

Student22 67.1 90 90    

Student23 67.1 90 90    

Student24 77.1 100 100    

      10 students/24 tested

% passing 41.7        

# proficient 10        

• Newsletter article to inform parents/guardians

• Test questions were printed

• Cover sheet for student name, access codes

• CPS was used in “student managed” mode to allow slower readers more time

• 5 students missing from sample (AIS, absent)

• Provided instruction on how to use CPS

• Realistic expectations were explained

Part 1 Observations/Notes:

RESULTS – Parts 2 + 3• TBA

– Part 2 was scheduled for Monday, Part 3 was scheduled for yesterday

– Both postponed due to server outage

• Observations/Notes:

– Requires ActiveX plug-in installation, may need admin rights to PC, so plan a test run before assessing students

– Provide a hyperlink for students to quickly “get there”

– 9th grade test subjects used for “beta” testing

What did we learn?

• Part 1 results: Average Score 46.31 out of 100.00 (46.31%) raw data before curve

• Results as expected, students tested without comprehensive exposure to preparatory curriculum and integrated technology experiences

• Many teachers offering fragmented instruction on specific topics without knowing what others offer; duplication; holes…

• Student knowledge is high in some tech areas, with unexpected holes (question item analysis)

• Current level of student preparation not congruent with District and Technology Mission Statements

What else…& where do we go now?

• We have good capacity with current staffing level, but it needs coordination (curriculum mapping)

• Capacity to increase student tech knowledge would be improved with additional staffing

• Instruction must begin early to be effective in developing skills prior to 8th grade

• Increased student technology proficiency not the sole responsibility of instructors of 8th graders

• There are benefits to each: objective vs. project-based assessment

• To improve, we must develop curriculum and make a coordinated, well-designed, concerted effort to effectively increase student proficiency