Solution Aims to Transform Math Assessment

Solution aims to transform math assessment

Ray Jashembowski
EDLA 615 Language Arts and Technology
Current Issue 3
Link: http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStory.cfm?ArticleID=7436

Title: Solution aims to transform math assessment
Publisher: eSchool news
Date of Publication: 10/17/07
Author: Laura Devaney, Associate Editor



Wireless Generations and other institutions just received a four year $1.5 million grant to produce a math version of their successful early reading assessment tool, mClass. The U.S. Department of Education approved a four year grant to Wireless Generation, Teachers College at Columbia University, and the University of Missouri-Columbia. The grant will allow the production of a math related mClass, which has helped boost reading scores dramatically. These handheld computers with software will help administer one on one assessment for K-3 students for the Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) exam. mClass gives students a problem then lets them solve it how they want, and during assessment students are asked how they did it. Teachers can record results and observations and sync their results to a secure laptop or desktop. Wireless Generation isn’t the first for this sort of thing but may be the first to target the K-3 grade levels. Basically it allows teachers to examine how the K-3 student came up with an answer which will allow the teacher to correct the reason why the mistake happened. School districts such as Chicago Public Schools and Florida’s Orange County Public Schools have seen profound effects in reading. They can target a students’ weakness in about a third of the time allowing instruction to be adjusted
I feel that this can greatly help avoid the drop in test scores, especially for low-income students’ that is seen after third grade. Depending on the cost, districts that experience all of the challenges in today’s education system can target students’ and correct the problem before it happens. My next question is how well does this software work with older computers or even future changes in tests. Other than the cost of technology issue it seems like an answer to many problems now that it will be available for reading and math.