[NIFL-ASSESSMENT:1258] RE: New Computerized Literacy Tests

From: Nancy Hansen (sfallsliteracy@yahoo.com)
Date: Wed Oct 05 2005 - 20:29:31 EDT


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From: Nancy Hansen <sfallsliteracy@yahoo.com>
To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-assessment@literacy.nifl.gov>
Subject: [NIFL-ASSESSMENT:1258] RE: New Computerized Literacy Tests
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Hi Marie,

Thanks for the information.

Nancy Hansen
Sioux Falls Area Literacy Council
sfallsliteracy@yahoo.com

--- Marie Cora <marie.cora@hotspurpartners.com> wrote:

> Hi Nancy, yes, of course, thanks for your question
> about abbreviations.
> 
> ETS stands for Education Testing Service, one of the
> principle
> developers of educational tests for all levels of
> learning (elementary
> ed, higher ed, adult basic ed, and specialized
> subject areas).  For more
> info on ETS, you can go to:
>
http://www.ets.org/portal/site/ets/menuitem.3a88fea28f42ada7c6ce5a10c392
>
1509/?vgnextoid=85b65784623f4010VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD
> 
> AIR stands for American Institutes for Research 
> (http://www.air.org/)
> >From their website:
> "The American Institutes for Research (AIR) is one
> of the largest
> behavioral and social science research organizations
> in the world."
> They are the ones who develop and conduct the large
> scale national
> literacy surveys such as NAEP (National Assessment
> of Educational
> Progress) and NALS (National Adult Literacy Survey)
> and now NAAL
> (National Assessment of Adult Literacy).
> 
> I leave Nancy's other questions to you all.
> marie
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nifl-assessment@nifl.gov
> [mailto:nifl-assessment@nifl.gov] On
> Behalf Of Nancy Hansen
> Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2005 1:26 PM
> To: Multiple recipients of list
> Subject: [NIFL-ASSESSMENT:1250] RE: New Computerized
> Literacy Tests
> 
> Hello Marie,
> For those who are new to the assessment and testing
> topic, please tell us what the two following
> organization abbreviations mean:
> <<...ETS and researchers from AIR are right now
> looking at the alignment of the NRS levels with
> these
> tests. ...>>
> 
> I also have a question to those who test using
> computers:  Do you find the skills of the learner
> who
> has had next to NO exposure to computers and LITTLE
> literacy skills are accurately being portrayed via
> this style testing?  
> 
> I have men and women in our adult literacy program
> who
> had never sat down at a computer - much less used a
> mouse before.  I cannot imagine that their extensive
> life skills would be evaluated appropriately when
> they
> hit and miss at the computer - sometimes even
> striking
> incorrect keys.
> 
> Nancy Hansen
> Sioux Falls Area Literacy Council 
> sfallsliteracy@yahoo.com
> 
> --- Marie Cora <marie.cora@hotspurpartners.com>
> wrote:
> 
> > Hi Debbie,
> > 
> > Yes, the TALS is already approved for use with the
> > NRS - but actually,
> > I'm unsure if that test (paper/pencil version) is
> > still available.
> > Anyone?  I'll also see if I can find out about
> that.
> > 
> > What is in process presently is the approval for
> > using the two new
> > computerized versions (PDQ Profile Series and the
> > Health Activities
> > Literacy Test) for the NRS.  ETS and researchers
> > from AIR are right now
> > looking at the alignment of the NRS levels with
> > these tests.  From
> > there, these two groups make the necessary
> > adjustments, or approve the
> > use, or reject the use.  The info I was able to
> find
> > out is that this
> > process should be completed during this fall.
> > 
> > It is my understanding that staff at AIR who are
> in
> > charge of the NRS
> > are the folks who ultimately make the decision to
> > approve a particular
> > test for use, or not.
> > 
> > mariE :)
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: nifl-assessment@nifl.gov
> > [mailto:nifl-assessment@nifl.gov] On
> > Behalf Of Debbie Yoho
> > Sent: Tuesday, October 04, 2005 10:51 AM
> > To: Multiple recipients of list
> > Subject: [NIFL-ASSESSMENT:1243] RE: New
> Computerized
> > Literacy Tests
> > 
> > >From Maria:
> > 
> > "The TALS is acceptable to the NRS...  It would
> > appear that
> > these can be used for the NRS - I believe that
> this
> > is the effort in
> > motion right now: to give the official OK for use
> > with the National
> > Reporting System." 
> > 
> > Maria, can you clarify?  Is the TALS already
> > approved for the NRS, or is
> > this only in process?  And if in process, do you
> > know when a decision
> > may
> > be made?  And by the way, who approves which tests
> > are allowed for NRS
> > purposes?  Thanks.
> > 
> > "Turning Pages into Possibilities",  Debbie
> > 
> > Deborah W. Yoho
> > Co-moderator, NIFL-Health Listserv
> > Executive Director, Greater Columbia Literacy
> > Council
> > Past President, SC Adult Literacy Educators
> > 2728 Devine Street,  Columbia, SC  29205
> > 803-765-2555   Fax  803-799-8417  
> > dwyoho@earthlink.net
> > 
> > GCLC is a community service of Volunteers of
> America
> > of the Carolinas.
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> 
> 
> 
> 		
> __________________________________ 
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> 
> 



		
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