Introduction to INSIGHT Online Testing

1. Introduction to INSIGHT Online Testing September 20, 2012

2. WebEx Protocol • Participant phone lines will be muted to eliminate background noise. • Use ‘raise hand’ or ‘chat’ features to ask questions during presentation. • This presentation is available on eDIRECT: • Under Documents • EOCEP Fall/Winter 2012-13 & ELDA Spring 2012 administrations • Available at district user level

3. Agenda • Introductions & Opening Remarks • Benefits of Online Testing • Comparability Studies • System Requirements & Installation • Test Setup & Precode • Training Tools & Student Experience • Online Testing Logistics • EOCEP & ELDA Online Testing Plan • Training & Support • Questions

4. Introductions & Opening Remarks • South Carolina Department of Education • Richland 2 DTC • John Arnold, guest speaker • Data Recognition Corporation (DRC) • Members of the South Carolina Project Team • Andy Gasser & Gene Rees (INSIGHT Technical Experts)

5. Benefits of Online Testing Students: • Comfortable with technology – they are “digital natives” • Presentation of items individually allows “clean” appearance • Everything needed for the test is available within the system (reference sheet, calculator, ruler, etc.) • Scores are available quickly

6. Benefits of Online Testing (cont.) Test Administrators/Coordinators: • Few materials to sign out and keep secure (Customized materials and tickets) • Reduced time required for preparation • Less hassle of moving/staging test booklets and answer documents • Grades are posted quickly • Easier to get grades finalized • Can allow for greater instructional time • Adding a new student to test online is simpler than paper testing • Keeping track of who has/has not tested is simplified

7. Comparability Studies Spring 2005: • Algebra, English, Biology, and Physical Science • Districts volunteered; students took alternate forms of paper/pencil and online test • Results: • Algebra and English:  slightly better performance paper/pencil • Biology and Physical Science:  slightly better performance online • Effect sizes were small, meaning that the differences were not large enough to be practically significant

8. Comparability Studies (cont.) Spring 2006: • English and Physical Science • Samples of online testers and paper/pencil testers: • English: 4,160 online; 30,703 paper/pencil • Physical Science: 3,893 online; 26,131 paper/pencil • Results: • Scores were comparable; slightly higher (.5 raw score points or less) for online group

9. System Requirements for Student Test Engine Windows Installer: • 256 MB of RAM or greater • Updated graphics drivers with a screen resolution of 1024 x 768 or greater • Mouse; Keyboard • 100 MB of available hard disk space or greater • 700 MHz or faster processor • Must have connectivity to the Internet Supported Operating Systems: • Microsoft® Windows® XP with SP 1 or greater • Microsoft® Windows Vista® • Microsoft® Windows® 7 • Microsoft® Server 2003 • Microsoft® Server 2008

10. System Requirements (cont.) for Student Test Engine Macintosh Installer: • 256 MB of RAM or greater • Updated graphics drivers with a screen resolution of 1024 x 768 or greater • Mouse; Keyboard • 10 MB of available hard disk space or greater • 400 MHz or faster processor (PowerPC not recommended) • Must have connectivity to the Internet Supported Operating Systems: • Apple® Mac OS X® 10.5 • Apple® Mac OS X® 10.6 • Apple® Mac OS X® 10.7

11. Local Caching Service (LCS) • Same system requirements with one exception: requires 1 Gig of available hard disk space or greater • Runs on a computer within the local network • Increases reliability by caching student responses when Internet connection fails; Responses will be automatically transmitted by LCS every 15 minutes • Reduces Internet traffic by caching test content • The student interface must be configured to use an LCS

12. Local Caching Service (cont.) • Installed using an installation wizard; requires administrative rights • Configured during the software installation, can also be modified through the System Readiness Check application • LCS highly recommended whenever possible and also if testing more than 150 simultaneous users • LCS mandatory for the oral administration online testing accommodation and for ELDA listening test

13. Installation • Easy process; testing engine and LCS installed in minutes • Several remote installation and shared environment solutions • DTCs will be notified via email when installers are available • Must have eDIRECT account with “Online Testing – Secured Resources” permission to access installation software • Windows and Mac installers will be available via eDIRECT under Test Setup / General Information • Mac installation requires a reboot of each computer once download is complete • Local Caching Service (LCS) • Installation Instructions & FAQs will be available on eDIRECT • Automatic updates available

14. Installation (cont.) System ReadinessCheck • Runs as part of the installation • Can be run afterwards or on-demand for debugging purposes

15. Test Setup • Used for the following functions: • Manage test sessions • Access and modify student demographic data • Print Student Test Tickets • Available via eDIRECT • User accounts must have the appropriate permissions; more information will be shared at Regional Workshops

16. Test Setup • Student Test Tickets with login information are generated automatically; contains all information needed to begin test • Test Administrators must verify that each student has their correct ticket (one ticket needed per grade/subject) • Tests are activated once a student logs in with the username and password provided on the ticket • Student Test Tickets are secure; they must be distributed, collected and accounted for, and securely destroyed following testing

17. EOCEP Precode • All student records from the November precode update file will be loaded into eDIRECT • Student records where the online testing flag = ‘Y’ will be considered online testers and automatically assigned to a test session; demographic information may be modified in eDIRECT • Student records where the online testing flag = ‘N’ will be considered paper/pencil testers; demographic information may not be modified in eDIRECT • Paper/pencil testers can be changed to online testers • New students can be added, as needed • Information on precoding online accommodations will be provided via email

18. Training Tools Tutorial (with audio) • Guides administrators and students through testing experience including testing tools and navigation • Available via eDIRECT (login not required) Online Tools Training (OTT) • Opportunity for test administrators and students to become familiar with online testing tools • Review as many times as desired • Items should not be considered representative of an actual test • Available via eDIRECT (login not required)

19. Student Experience Demo of INSIGHT This link can be used by anyone to download and explore a public version of the INSIGHT online testing system. Once downloaded, select the option for automatic updates. • www.drcedirect.com/insight • Login:  INSIGHT • Password:  user2012

20. Online Testing Logistics Scheduling Computers / Labs: • Paper testing requires planning for classroom space; online testing requires both space and computers • Although teachers assigned to computer labs lose their classroom during testing, they can plan ahead to have their students doing activities that do not require computers Setup and Preparation: • Turning on computers and logging in ahead of time is an important time-saving step • Student Test Tickets can be printed on colored paper for easier recognition

21. EOCEP Online Testing • Online testing is optional, but highly recommended • Students testing with regular, loose-leaf, or sign language test booklets may test online • Students requiring oral administration may test online • Use of LCS is mandatory • System requirements may differ slightly(more information provided at Regional Workshops) • Schools supply headsets

22. EOCEP Fall/Winter Key Dates

23. ELDA Online Testing ELDA online testing is available for the following grades and subjects:

24. ELDA Online Testing (cont.) • Online testing is optional, but highly recommended • Students testing with regular or loose-leaf test booklets for Reading, Writing, or Listening may test online • Audio component for Listening test • Use of LCS is mandatory • System requirements may differ slightly(more information provided at Regional Workshops) • Schools supply headsets • Online testing is not available for Speaking test

25. ELDA Spring Key Dates

26. Training & Support • Regional Workshops (Oct 15-17) • Documentation available: • Workshop Presentations • STC/TA Training Tool • TAM for Online Testing • Installation Document

27. Training & Support (cont.) South Carolina Project Team • Direct Line: 1-800-451-7834 • Fax: 1-866-237-9314 • E-mail: scproject@datarecognitioncorp.com • eDIRECT: https://sc.drcedirect.com

28. Questions?