ACT Explore Clicker Pilot - Assessment Goes Digital!

We are pleased to announce that the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals and Turning Technologies, in collaboration with the Michigan Department of Education and ACT, are sponsoring a pilot to use ResponseCard technology (clickers) to administer the EXPLORE test from ACT.

As a member of the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, the Michigan Department of Education has made a goal to move all high stakes testing to an online format. This pilot will help our students to make this transition from a traditional paper/pencil assessment to a digitized response. Schools that elect to participate in this pilot will receive a set of Turning Technologies clickers for the administration of the Explore test at NO COST.

As part of the pilot, students will take an EXPLORE test from ACT using either the traditional paper “bubble” form or a clicker as the answer input device. In each format, the students are self-paced as they work through the test with each student working from their own booklet with a clicker or a pencil to record their answers. Testing rooms need to be divided - clicker testers with one proctor and pencil testers with another. "Retired" EXPLORE tests may not be used for the clicker pilot - all tests must be purchased from ACT and paid through the MDE free pilot at 8th grade or funded by the District or ISD for students in 7th or 9th grades.

Recent research examining tests of students who used the Turning Technologies ResponseCard NXT versus those who used pencil and paper showed no significant statistical difference in scores. Turning Technologies' method has been shown to provide accurate, secure data that can be scored and returned to the school exponentially faster than the traditional bubble form methodology. (The ResponseCard NXT is the same clicker that will be used for our upcoming pilot.)

By participating in this pilot, schools will receive support and the benefit of the following:

• Score data available online within 48 hours after submission.
• Early access to the ACT online report portal which will include linkage and all traditional reports.
• All materials shipped to the site ready to use.
• Discounts for the district to purchase classroom-based testing solutions from Turning Technologies for up to one year.
• First look at computer-based testing solutions with the ability to provide feedback and guidance to future solutions, and first exposure to new products and potentially additional pilots.

To participate in the pilot, schools will be asked to adhere to the following research practices:

• Schools using the clicker will follow an additional training on how to use it for standardized testing. This is in addition to the regular Test Administration training.
• Schools must provide students practice time (approximately 20 minutes) prior to the non-test sections of the EXPLORE.
• Some schools will participate in a more specific research study that compares student data from those who used a ResponseCard NXT to those who used a pencil and paper.
• Additional activities required by research schools:
  • Distribute and collect scratch paper to allow for analysis of the amount of student written work on the math portion of the test.
  • Observe and record approximate time of paper and pencil students’ completion.
• Proctors will need to have a computer in the testing room. The computer does not have to be connected to the Internet.

Provide feedback on the user experience with the testing solutions. Districts and schools interested in participating in this research pilot can receive more information by going to www.pilot.turningtechnologies.com and filling out an Enrollment Form. Webinars will be available to view the solution and ask questions. Schools who elect to participate in the MDE EXPLORE/PLAN paid pilot where the costs are covered by the State to administer the EXPLORE to students in 8th and PLAN to students in 10th is a separate pilot (deadline for application for the MDE pilot is February 10, 2012). The projects are collaborating, but schools must sign up for both to participate in both.

We encourage all member schools to consider participation in this pilot. It will allow students, staff and parents to gain familiarity with digitized assessments. It will also allow ACT and MDE to ensure that testing validity is maintained as we make the transition. We look forward to monitoring the pilot implementation and to getting your survey feedback to ensure a positive testing experience. As an Association we are proud to partner on this important project and we welcome this opportunity to chart a new course.