When doing research within my organization this week, I realized how important it is for teachers and administration to be prepared when planning to give such a huge assement like SBAC. My organization is small compared to other districts and even other schools. With one class per grade level, it is easy to take inventory of what is needed to have in place to fulfill SBAC requirements. Within larger schools and districts, this would be a really big job! When thinking about this process on a grander scale, I had a lot of questions. First off, who does this important inventory each year? Where is the information recorded? Is it done on an individual school level, or on a district level? What if schools can't fulfill requirements, what do they do? If schools currently do not have enough devices or broadband width for their students to take the SBAC at the same time, who coordinates and schedules when classes are testing? What about if students are absent? I know that the SBAC takes several hours to complete. If there are technical difficulties throughout the test, are the teachers comfortable and able to troubleshoot? Do students receive extended testing time if the wifi cuts out or there are other technical issues? These are things that I thought about and I'm sure school and district leaders must think about before students can participate in SBAC. Anytime something new is put into place, it is never going to go smoothly the first time. I'd be interested to talk to teachers and school leaders who have run into some of these issues.
The other big thought that I had throughout this whole process was that I am surprised iPads are approved for SBAC testing. I know with the newest Apple technology that is coming out, teachers will be able to lock their students into specific apps and sites. But currently, students are able to jump between apps faster than you can blink. Using split screen is a great tool, but also makes me think that students could quickly and easily access a calculator or website or application.... essentially cheating on the test. Perhaps because I've never administered this assessment before that is the cause for my questions and doubts. Again, I'd be very interested to continue this conversation with my cohort mates who have had experience with SBAC testing.
The other big thought that I had throughout this whole process was that I am surprised iPads are approved for SBAC testing. I know with the newest Apple technology that is coming out, teachers will be able to lock their students into specific apps and sites. But currently, students are able to jump between apps faster than you can blink. Using split screen is a great tool, but also makes me think that students could quickly and easily access a calculator or website or application.... essentially cheating on the test. Perhaps because I've never administered this assessment before that is the cause for my questions and doubts. Again, I'd be very interested to continue this conversation with my cohort mates who have had experience with SBAC testing.