FAQ for Schools About Online Testing
1. Why are Hawaii schools replacing the paper and pencil tests with online testing?
- Online testing will provide immediate feedback to teachers and other educators about student performance, while they can still use the information to help target instruction.
- Moving online will allow each student up to three opportunities to take the test, so teachers can use information from the first opportunity to target instruction before the next opportunity. Each student’s highest score will count towards Adequate Yearly Progress. Students will not see the same test items more than once.
- Online testing provides more flexibility in administration. Schools will be able to administer part of the test one day, and the rest on another. Schools will not have to change bell schedules to administer the tests. Students can stop at different points in the test.
- Online testing is less expensive, and will save the Department of Education (Department) millions of dollars. At the same time, online tests provide educators with more of the information that they need to help students succeed.
2. When and where will the students take the online tests?
- The Online Field Test will be taken only once per subject between February through May 2010 by students who are currently enrolled in the tested grades. Schools do not have to test all the students at once (each student will get a unique test form, so the tests will stay secure), and students can even stop the test and complete it another day.
- For the 2010-2011 school year, students will take the Hawaii State Reading, Mathematics, and Science Assessments online. The assessments will be available towards the end of the first quarter, and students can test any time thereafter through May. Schools must ensure that all students in grades 3-8 and 10 take the Reading and Mathematics Assessments at least once and that all students in grades 4, 8 and 10 take the Science Assessment at least once. Schools have the option of administering each subject to a student up to three times.
- Students can test in any room that provides a quiet environment, and where there are enough computers for a group of students, plus one computer for the test administrator. Some schools will use computer labs, and others will use mobile computer carts brought into classrooms.
3. How many computers will we need to conduct the testing?
- Remember, not all students will have to test at the same time, so you will need fewer computers than you may expect. A good rule of thumb is about one computer for every 5-10 students. Computer labs set up with enough computers to accommodate a class can easily test four classes in one subject every two days. So, for example, a school with one computer lab and 200 students per grade should schedule about one week to test each grade in each subject.
- The Department recommends that each school have about one computer for every 5-10 students; however, as the example above shows, even fewer will work. When counting computers you should only count computers in group settings where groups of students can be tested together, and at least one computer should be reserved for the test administrator.
4. Does the test administrator need a computer during online testing sessions?
- Yes, the test administrator will need a computer in order to create a session for students about to test, to review and approve students for testing, to monitor student progress during testing, and to pause student tests if necessary. Schools should plan to leave one computer available for the test administrator during testing sessions.
5. Our computers are pretty old. Is that ok?
- The Department has chosen an online testing system that works well with older computers. If necessary, we can work with computers that are 10 years old. As long as your computer was built after 1999, it will work with the online testing system.
- The American Institutes for Research is conducting a survey of schools to learn about each school’s technology capabilities. The Department will deploy a system that is workable for all of Hawaii’s public and public charter schools.
6. I’m concerned that we may experience possible glitches and technology issues at my school during the field test. What happens if the power goes out? Or a student accidentally switches off the computer?
- The Department has selected an online testing system that will not lose data if there is an internet outage or power loss. If the internet goes out, students will have to complete their tests another day, however, the answers that they already provided will have been saved and the student will restart where he or she left off.
- The flexible testing schedule will let schools decide when to test, and for how long. The Department expects that many students will begin the test on one day, and continue on another even when there are no technology problems.
7. How will students and teachers get results back?
- Once the online tests are operational in the 2010-2011 school year, the Department will set up an online reporting system. Every complex area superintendent, school principal and teacher will have access, and it will show results for their schools, classes, and students.
- Results will be available immediately after testing. Teachers will just have to log on to see how their students performed.
- Parents will still receive a printed score report at the end of the school year.
8. Will the test still have open-ended questions?
- To report test scores back immediately, all items must be scored by the computer.
- This spring, the Department will field-test some machine-scored open-ended questions in each grade and subject. Depending on the results of the field tests, these questions may be included on the 2010-2011 online Hawaii State Assessments.
9. Is there a guide for principals on how to manage the transition to online testing?
- Yes, the Department is producing a Principal’s Guide to Online Testing that will provide more details about the move to online testing.
- The Principal’s Guide to Online Testing will be available on the Hawaii State Assessment website at www.alohahsa.org before testing begins.
10. Are there any communication materials to help schools inform students and parents about the online field tests starting in February 2010 and the online Hawaii State Assessment starting in the 2010-2011 school year?
- Yes, the Department is developing a brochure to share with teachers, students and parents. The brochure will explain the key characteristics of the new testing system and will be available by the end of October.
- The brochure will be accessible on the web on the Hawaii State Assessment web site.
11. Are there any training materials that principals can use to prepare teachers and test administrators for conducting the spring 2010 field test online?
- Yes, the Department is developing a series of training materials to help schools train their teachers and test administrators on how to administer the field test using the new online testing system.
- The Department will offer online training for test administrators. A help desk will be available as well.
- Printed administrator guides and user guides will also be available.
12. How can we ensure that students do not cheat when they are taking their test on a computer?
- The test administrators’ training manual will describe the security procedures in detail.
- Just like with paper tests, test administrators will be responsible for proctoring and ensuring that the students taking a test are, in fact, who they say they are.
- Students will take the test through a special browser that prevents them from doing anything on the computer except taking the test, so they will not be able to copy questions or look up answers.
- While taking the test, students will see different questions in different sequences, so copying from one another will not help them.
- If a student ends a testing session before answering all of the questions, the student will not be able to review completed questions when finishing the test during a subsequent session.
13. What do schools need to do technology-wise to get ready for the online field test in February? Is there a checklist for schools to refer to in preparing for this change? Do schools need to install new servers, software or build out new infrastructure?
- Schools will participate in a survey about their technology capabilities. The American Institutes for Research, the testing contractor who will be administering the online field tests starting in spring 2010, will contact each public and public charter school during the months of September and October 2009 to complete a short survey. This survey will help identify schools that may need additional support in preparing for the switch to the new online testing system. In general, schools will need about 1 computer for each 5-10 students, and that computer will need to be hooked up to the Internet.
14. What if my school does not have a Technology Coordinator? Who can make sure our technology is sufficient to administer an online field test?
- The Department has chosen an online testing system that requires very little technology support from schools. Your school does not need to have a full-time Technology Coordinator or someone with an extensive understanding of IT processes. It is recommended, however, that your school designate a single point of contact to ensure your school is 100% prepared for the first testing day, as well as for efficient communication with the Department and the American Institutes for Research.
- The Department’s communication materials will provide explicit instructions addressed to non-IT personnel on how to prepare for the online field test.
15. Will schools be able to see the online testing system before Feb 2010 so teachers, test administrators and students can get familiar with it before doing the field test?
- Yes. A practice test system will be available in January 2010. The Department encourages every teacher, test administrator and student to try it out before the field test begins. It will be accessible through the Hawaii State Assessment web site.
16. How will we get our school’s test results for the field test and for the Hawaii State Assessment when it is online in 2010-2011?
- The results for the field test are not reported to schools, whether the field test is conducted online or by paper and pencil tests.
- The results for the Hawaii State Assessment will be reported in two formats:
The system will provide electronic reports immediately after each test is completed; and
Paper score reports will be provided for schools, classes and students.
17. Where can I find out more information about the online testing plans for the field test and the Hawaii State Assessment?
- As the Department moves forward with this important initiative, we will post relevant information and announcements on the Hawaii State Assessment web site.
- Schools may contact the American Institutes for Research’s help desk at 1-866-648-3712 or email at hsahelpdesk@air.org with any other questions.
18. Are the Hawaii State Alternate Assessment and the Hawaiian Aligned Portfolio Assessment also going online?
- The Hawaii State Alternate Assessment will continue to be administered using an online system for submitting student evidence.
- The Department is reviewing the feasibility of online testing for the Hawaiian Aligned Portfolio Assessment.
19. Will students need rulers, protractors, calculators, or other tools for the online assessments?
- Students may use four-function calculators but not rulers, protractors, or other tools during the online field test in spring 2010. For operational testing, beginning in school year 2010-11, a pop-up calculator will be available to students during testing, so they will not need a separate calculator or any other tools. Students may use scratch paper during both the online field test and the operational testing.