Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
1
Technology readiness
Devices People Infrastructure
Devices Support Test Administration External Internal
Adequate Devices
School Staff
Number of Testers
Number of “Seats”
Test Window
Internet Bandwidth
Internal Network (WAN)
Wi-Fi
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
2
Device specifications
Refer to the Technology Guidelines for PARCC Assessments, Version 5.1, at http://www.parcconline.org/technology
Has specifications for Windows, MAC, and Chromebook devices, Linux machines, iPads, and Android tablets
Provides minimum and recommended specifications:
Minimum specs: Devices can be used this spring (2016); might not be usable beyond spring 2016
Recommended specs: Devices can be used in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019; projected by PARCC to meet the minimum specs in 2018-19
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
3
Determining # of devices for testing
Steps Considerations Example
1. Over how many days will you give the test?
The maximum amount of days in the testing window is 20
5
2. How many sessions will you give per day?
Schools give 2-3 sessions per day 2
3. How many testing sessions do you have available?
Multiply the # of days in your testing window by the # of sessions/day
10
4. How many students are you testing?
This is the enrollment count across tested grades 100
5. What is the max # sessions per tested student?
At most, students sit for 7 sessions 7
6. What is the total # of “seats” needed for testing?
Multiply # of tested students by # of sessions per tested student above
700
7. What is the total # of devices needed for testing?
Divide total # of seats above by total # of sessions available in #3 above
70
NOTE: This model yields the minimum # of devices for online testing. Schools may want to adjust figures to account for different grade configurations and simultaneous grade level testing, or use the PARCC “Rule of Thumb” described in the Technology Guidelines for PARCC Assessments.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
4
Infrastructure and bandwidth recommendations
Refer to the Technology Guidelines for PARCC Assessments, Version 5.1, at http://www.parcconline.org/technology
Proctor-caching (offline testing) is strongly recommended to ensure an uninterrupted testing experience, minimize data loss, and maximize # of simultaneous test-takers.
Bandwidth demand of test sessions (per student):
Minimum w/caching: ≥ 5 kilobits per second Minimum w/o caching: ≥ 50 kbps Recommended for instruction + assessment: ≥ 100 kbps SETDA target for 2017-18: 1,000 kbps
Bandwidth available for testing must account for common school technology activities such as email, web browsing, online learning, audio/video streaming, etc.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
5
Changes from spring 2015 to spring 2016
Phased out: Operating systems:
Windows Vista/XP, MacOS 10.6, iOS 7
Browser versions: Internet Explorer 9/10, Safari 5.x, Google Chrome (all versions)
Java versions: 1.6, 1.7
Phased in: Installable TestNav app for desktops &
laptops eliminates dependency on external browsers (both installable & browser-based versions support Mac OS X & Windows)
New TestNav home screen design Headphones required for ELA/L Larger screen size for ELA/L constructed
response Spell check available for ELA/L
responses End of session review screen for
students: can flag/review unanswered items
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
6
Preparing students & staff for online testing
Refer to http://parcc.pearson.com/
Provide plenty of opportunities across the curriculum for students to gain fluency with computers and digital tools
PearsonAccessNEXT
Technology Setup Manuals & Training
Test Preparation Bulletins Support
General Navigation Skills• Using navigation
buttons• Browsing tabs/windows• Keyboarding, etc.
Universal Access Features• Using glossaries• Text-to-speech• Masking answers, etc.
General Answering• Using line
readers/guides• Selecting hot spots• Highlighting text, etc.
Math Tools• Manipulating objects• Understanding
simulations• Editing equations, etc.
