Simple Assessment

[Patte Bowman]

Here is a follow up question to my previous question....

Has anyone had experience using SimpleAssessment?

http://www.simpleassessment.com/

Our high school tech integrationist is looking at it for possible use in our district. Wouldn't it be nice if K-12 and adult ed could find a common student technology assessment? She and I are going to look at it further. I will keep you posted on what we learn.

I didn't know that NCLB requires schools to verify that students have basic tech lit skills by 8th grade. Does that mean we should also aspire to make sure that our students have at least the same basic tech skills? Just like we expect for reading and math skills? Is there a way through adult ed that we can provide the programming and classes AND ASSESSMENT that adult learners can use to certify to potential employers or colleges that they have at least the basic tech skills? This could be the equivalent of the GED for high school diploma or WorkReady for employability. A credential to verify/certify computer skills. Why not? SimpleAssessment is based on ISTE NETS standards.

Please let me know if you know anything about this....

Patte

[Mike Burd]

Patte,

I have our performance-based assessment here:

https://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AWM5i70O-InNZGZ2Nm5oZHBfMTNnZzlwNndjYg&hl=en

It's on the surface a pretty basic eval but how the student performs/responds to a few key items gives me a pretty good idea where the gaps are. That allows me to target those gaps pretty effectively. I had the ISTE NETS standards in mind when putting this together a couple-3 years ago.

The only actual technology "certificate" we currently provide is within the context of the WorkReady or College Transition Programs.

Here is the College Transitions class outline that I work from:

https://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AWM5i70O-InNZGZ2Nm5oZHBfMTY4Z2Z6NjM1Yzg&hl=en


Both docs are revisited/revised as often as I can. I also understand that the bulk of the environments encountered by students exiting here will likely be PC-based, so you will note a somewhat less-than-subtle bias. It is impractical for me to do it differently at this point, but I make it very clear that there are several OS options and choices. I can provide support for some on an individual basis for those that are OS/Program "diverse"...

I'd be interested to see the simpleassessment for sure.
It would be a wonderful thing for us to all be on the same page with curriculum as well as assessment.

-Mike Burd