Feds Tout Computerized Tests for Key Skills

Feds Tout Computerized Tests for Key Skills
By Meris Stansbury October 3. 2007
eSchool News
Submitted by Laurie Bobley

How higher-order thinking skills are actually measured is at the center of a report issued by the National Center for Education Statistics, a division of the U.S. Department of Education. The Report, “Problem Solving in Technology Rich Environments (TREs): A Report form the NAEP Technology-Based Assesssment Project, ” notes that there has been no clear way to gauge student achievement in certain higher-order thinking skills. The premise of the investigation was that testing for these skills on a computer would give a good indication of both the targeted higher-level thinking skills and the emerging 21st Century skills. The investigation looked at a student’s ability “to search for and synthesize information from the internet, to use simulation and modeling tools to answer what-if questions, and to craft meaningful communications with text-editing and presentation tools,” all 21st Century skills essential for success in college and workplace. The testing was done in

The students were involved in two science-based simulated scenarios: a search scenario and a simulation scenario. Choosing a group to test was based on three factors: the ability to read scientific material of at least a sixth grade level; rudimentary knowledge of scientific inquiry and concepts; and experience with basic computer skills. It was determined that eighth grade students would be at his level. The study involved over 2000 eighth grade students from across the U.S. First, to measure scientific inquiry and computer skills, students were required to search for and synthesize information about scientific helium balloons. The second test attempted to measure scientific exploration, scientific synthesis, and computer skills. To accomplish this students conducted simulated experiments of increasing complexity to investigate relationships between mass, volume, and buoyancy.

The results of the tests were promising because it was determined that computer-based testing is a better format to test higher-order thinking skills than the traditional multiple choice test. Interestingly, there were no gender differences related 21st Century skills levels.

However, other findings from this study are not as quite as positive. Once more, significant differences in scores were found among various socioeconomic, racial or ethnic groups. Also, students with little parental education did not perform as well as those from homes where parents were more educated. These differences underscore the critical state of the U.S. educational system and the need for a remedy.

Computer based tests are an effective way to measure 21st Century higher order thinking skills, but assessments of this sort will not be widely used in schools for at least five to ten years because of the time to develop the tools and infrastructure that is necessary.