Return-Path: <nifl-assessment@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id j97DP4G11981; Fri, 7 Oct 2005 09:25:04 -0400 (EDT) Date: Fri, 7 Oct 2005 09:25:04 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <002501c5cb43$a246bf40$1b01a8c0@riral.com> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-assessment@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-assessment@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-assessment@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Howard Dooley" <hdooley@riral.org> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-assessment@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-ASSESSMENT:1266] RE: FW: [NIFL-TECHNOLOGY:3792] Re: Computer assessment and adult learners X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook, Build 10.0.6626 Content-Type: text/plain; Status: O Content-Length: 7120 Lines: 182 Interesting discussion and comments. My program also uses the CASAS to place our ESL students into classes and to assess progress (for funders and the NRS), and we find that it is both useful and practical, particularly in our large-scale registrations. We use other measures and assessments to gather further data that is of value to the learners, instructors and to make program improvements. In some classes we use the listening, some the reading; we have begun to pilot the workplace speaking at worksite literacy classes which are ESOL, and instructors are reviewing the CASAS functional writing assessment and comparing it to the REEP to see what would fit best with our program structure and learners. I recently spoke with Richard Ackermann, the CASAS staff point person for CASAS' computerized assessments. CASAS provides several options for assessing learners, though the multiple-choice tests are the most familiar. Two of the CASAS assessment series, Life and Work & Employability Competency, are available as CBT -- which means the test booklet has been put onto the computer, no change in items. The advantage is immediate scoring and ease of download into an MIS. CASAS is currently working on computer adaptive testing. Richard provides the following description for us: CASAS is currently pilot testing computer adaptive testing (CAT) with a large workforce development program. The workforce program is using CAT in reading, math and listening. A single administration of a reading, math or listening CAT is used to both place the student in the appropriate level of training and serve as the benchmark pre-test for measuring gain. A principal advantage of CAT is that one test administration serves as both appraisal and pre-test. A further economy is that the examinee is administered fewer test items in a CAT than with paper and pencil. (Because the assessment "adapts" to each individual learner.) CASAS is planning a widespread release of reading CAT, math CAT and listening CAT in early summer 2006. With advances in technology, there will soon be a wide variety of assessment options available to us. As always, we should view these advances as expanding our opportunities to match the best method of assessment to each of our learners. Some of the comments earlier in the discussion seemed to fear that programs would "force" learners to take CBT or CAT, when that choice would clearly be inappropriate; just as it would be inappropriate to give a learner a pencil-and-paper test if the learner had no experience with reading, multiple-choice testing, bubble sheets, or pencils. I hope neither happens; and if we suspect or see it happens, that we can find a way to stop it, by mentoring or educating practitioners. Howard -----Original Message----- From: nifl-assessment@nifl.gov [mailto:nifl-assessment@nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Gustav Kocsis Sent: Thursday, October 06, 2005 9:19 PM To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: [NIFL-ASSESSMENT:1265] RE: FW: [NIFL-TECHNOLOGY:3792] Re: Computer assessment and adult learners We would like to see a good and easy to score paper and pencil test for our ESL students. We are now using the CASAS and we are finding that the CASAS tests are not useful to use to asses an ESL student's language ability. We have to register too many students at one time to be able to use computer testing such as the BEST PLUS. Many of our students are not very skilled with computers and a computer based test might not truly reflect the student's English skills. I know of many other large programs that would be interested in a valid and reliable paper and pencil ESL test for NRS reporting. Is there anything else out there that is better than CASAS? Gustav A. Kocsis English as a Second Language Coordinator Adult Basic Education Santa Fe Community College 6401 Richards Ave Santa Fe, NM 87508 505-428-1444 Gkocsis@sfccnm.edu -----Original Message----- From: nifl-assessment@nifl.gov [mailto:nifl-assessment@nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Marie Cora Sent: Thursday, October 06, 2005 1:59 PM To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: [NIFL-ASSESSMENT:1264] FW: [NIFL-TECHNOLOGY:3792] Re: Computer assessment and adult learners -----Original Message----- From: nifl-technology@nifl.gov [mailto:nifl-technology@nifl.gov] On Behalf Of ra_duffy@comcast.net Sent: Thursday, October 06, 2005 1:16 PM To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: [NIFL-TECHNOLOGY:3792] Re: Computer assessment and adult learners If the purpose is also to assess their computer skills, I could see assessing via a computer. However, if a student has virtually no computer experience, as many of the older immigrants who are in our program do not have, I can not imagine adding this layer on to what is really trying to be assessed. -- Ruthann Duffy ESL Tech Coordinator Essential Skills Program Shoreline Community College 16101 Greenwood Ave N. Seattle, WA 98133 Telephone: 206-533-6624 email: ra_duffy@comcast.net http://success.shore.ctc.edu/callab > Hi everyone, > > I wanted to prod you all to add your thoughts to Nancy's questions from > the other day regarding testing via computers in ABE/ESOL. What are > your thoughts, and what have been your experiences on this? > > I have done a little bit of work using the BEST Plus with adult learners > - but in that case, it is the teacher/test administrator who actually is > using the computer and asking questions of the test-taker. As an aside, > the great thing about this type of computer testing is that the software > program automatically stops you when the student has reached as far as > they can go, and it also jumps over questions that it realizes the > student will have no problem answering. Thus, you avoid the unnecessary > and sometimes painful process of forcing students to answer way too easy > questions, for example. > > But! This is not the situation Nancy is describing here - so do folks > have thoughts on adult students personally using a computer for > assessment purposes? I am also sending this reply to the > NIFL-Technology List to see if folks over there have something to > contribute to this discussion. > > Thanks! > marie > > marie cora > Moderator, NIFL Assessment Discussion List, and > Coordinator/Developer > LINCS Assessment Special Collection at > http://literacy.kent.edu/Midwest/assessment/ > > marie.cora@hotspurpartners.com > > > > On Wed 10/5/2005, Nancy Hansen wrote: > > 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 > > > >
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Mon Oct 31 2005 - 09:48:53 EST