every day is a high-stakes day! - lcsc day is a high-stakes day! joy smiley zabala, ed.d. assistive...
TRANSCRIPT
EVERY Day is a
High-Stakes Day!
Joy Smiley Zabala, Ed.D.
Assistive Technology and Leadership
Director of Technical Assistance
CAST and the National AEM Center
Main Ideas of the Session
Context of 21st Century realities and large-scale
assessments
Major issues related to 21st Century assessments
The impact of assessment accommodations on
instructional accommodations
Points to Ponder and Lessons Learned
The 21st Century Context
From 20th Century Imagination
to 21st Century Reality
The Times They’ve Been
A’ Changin…
20th Century Imagining
1931: Chester Gould's timeless comic strip detective, Dick
Tracy., with his wrist radio
21st Century Reality
•Wear the future on your
wrist - LG GD910 Mobile
Phones
•1.3 inch full touch screen,
3G+ connectivity, Video call
capabilities, Bluetooth v2.1
with A2DP, MP3 player,
Voice recognition software
21st Century Reality
20th Century Accessible Building
21st Century Accessible Building
20th Century Library
21st Century Libraries
20th Century Learning Materials
21st Century Learning Materials
21st Century Reality
Eric Sheninger, Principal
New Milford High School, Bergen County, NJ.
Personalized Learning
21st Century Reality
Eric Sheninger, Principal
New Milford High School, Bergen County, NJ.
Large-Scale Assessments
in the 21st Century
Points to Ponder
Council of Great City Schoolsas cited in this morning’s eSchool News
“From pre-kindergarten through 12th
grade students take an average of 113
standardized tests.”
Robert Schaeffer
"Believing we can improve schooling
with more tests is like believing
you can make yourself grow taller
by measuring your height.”
Larry WexlerOffice of Special Education Programs
”You can’t fatten a lamb
by weighing it.”
General Observations about
21st Century Assessments
Assessments are developed primarily intended
for electronic/digital delivery
There is great concern about security and
construct validity
In some areas, more than one construct is
being measured (e.g. reading) in the same item.
Observations about Sample 21st Century
Testing Accommodations
“An accommodation is a change in the
standardized testing materials or procedures that
enables a student with disabilities or with limited
English proficiency to participate in an assessment
in a way that measures abilities.”
“An accommodation does not change the concept
being measured”
Observations about
21st Century Assessments
Two types of supports are currently available
on Minnesota Assessments
General Test-Taking Practices
Accommodations for a few
Little information is currently available about
interoperability across platforms
In general, not much said about assistive
technology
Points to Ponder in
Policy and Practice
Functional Requirements
Perceive the
informationProduce
Response
Interact
with
Construct
and the
System
Understand
the
Construct(s)
and the
System
There are cognitive, linguistic, sensory,
physical and social-emotional requirements
for participation in assessments that involve
both the content and the delivery system.
Flexible, Inclusive Assessments
When thinking about accessible digital
assessments it is important to understand that
content and delivery technology are two sides of the AIM coin and both require
careful consideration and selection.
The Dilemma of Multiple Constructs
When more than one construct is being assessed and
the inability to successfully deal with one construct
blocks the way for assessing the others,
consideration should be given to
accessing the constructs separately.
Is the assessment designed to confirm
what we already know a student cannot do or
to determine what she CAN do?
Commonly Used Supports
Scaffolds, access supports and accommodations
provided to students during instruction should be
available during assessment as long as they do
not violate the construct(s) being assessed.
If technology or any other support/accommodation is
commonly used in education and life, why would it
be unavailable in assessment?
Tool/System Transparency
If a student is unfamiliar with available tools or with
the way the tools are presented, the cognitive and
physical attention required to deal with the tools take
cognitive attention away from the task.
.
Are available tools for the assessment those that are
commonly used by THE INDIVIDUAL STUDENT who is
expected to use them in high stakes assessments?
System/Tool Interoperability
Interoperability across platforms and tools
(hardware and software) is critical to a flexible
system that can be effectively and efficiently
used across the widest possible range of
student diversity and variability.
Avoid writing one particular “solution” into a system.
One size never did fit all.
Multiple Supports
Many students use more than one type of technology
and/or strategy depending upon the task and the
facilitators and barriers within the environments in
which the tasks occur.
Does the student have an array of “tools” from which to
select depending on what needs to be done, where and
when?
Senator Paul Wellstone
"Making students accountable for test
scores works well on a bumper sticker…
It allows many politicians to look good by
saying that they will not tolerate failure.
But it represents a hollow promise.
Far from improving education, high stakes
testing marks a major retreat from fairness,
from accuracy, from quality and from equity.”
Making EVERY Day is a
High-Stakes Day!
Twelve Lessons Learned from
Students, Families and Colleagues
We’re All in This Together!
Shaping our world takes a dynamic team,
all pulling together in the same direction so that
all students develop competence, confidence
and independence!
We’re All in This Together!
• Everyone involved is an active member of the
team
• Team members bring different gifts - knowledge,
skill, observations, ideas, suggestions
• Multiple perspectives are vital
• Everyone involved is an advocate and has a
common interest in individual achievement
• The hard work is aligning thoughts on how to
foster it
Presume CompetenceEveryone belongs. Everyone learns.
Everyone contributes. Everyone benefits.
What I learned from Michael and many others
Cultivate “Attitudes of Possibility”People who believe something is possible
will work hard to make it so.
What I learned from families and
colleagues about collaboration.
.
Develop a shared visionIt’s an essential step for moving
forward in the same direction
Make sure that everyone impacted
participates in the development and
“viewing” of the vision!
Recognize, honor and expect variabilitywithin each other, within the family,
within the community
What I learned from the Holland family
Lower unnecessary barriers
while keeping expectations high Harness interests and desires.
What I learned from Kelvin
Communication takes many forms!Use everything you’ve got!
What I learned from Dodie about Barney
Fill the Toolbox with options! One tool or strategy does not work for
every task in every situation
What I learned from watching people
Seek first to understand
What I learned from Angel and her mother
Consider unintended consequencesSome can last a lifetime.
What I learned Dodie, first grade and others.
.
Nurture active responsibilityIt leads to self actualization and self determination
What I learned from Lake and the Fourth Grade Assistant
Never underestimate the power of peers!
What I learned from Dodie and Marcie!
Sometimes you have to let go and trust that
whatever happens will be fine or funny!
What I learned from Dodie about control – or lack thereof
Rumi
13th Century Persian poet, jurist
theologian and mystic
“Don’t be satisfied with stories of
how things have gone with others.
Unfold your own myth.”
“It is not enough to stare up the steps…
We must step up the stairs”
Vaclav Havel
Stepping Up the Stairs
• Build a team of positive, proactive people who
are advocating for participation and achievement!
• Be proactive
• Develop a share vision
• Communicate! Collaborate! Proceed with
Purpose
• Celebrate every step!
• View any lack of success as “Not Yet!”
• Change course when necessary
EVERYONE can reach success.What will YOU do to ensure they get there?
54
Elie Wiesel
"There may be times
when we are powerless to prevent injustice,
but there must never be a time
when we fail to protest.”
