Recently, there was an announcement about technology literacy assessment, for the first time, as a part of the National Assessment of Education Progress, also known as the national report card. USDOE has awarded $1.8 million competitive grant to WestEd, a nationally known research organization, to develop the technology literacy assessment framework by 2009.

http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/top-news/?i=55483

This will have a significant implication and impact on our technology integration efforts at local level. I happen to be selected to serve on the national planning committee for the framework development. I will try to update you with what I have learned through my involvement. At the same time, I would also like to get ideas from you, the field experts, on questions like What, How, and When to meaningfully assess students' technology literacy, now and future. The initial meeting will take place in two weeks. Don't hesitate to let me know your ideas via this media.

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Teh-yuan,
I am excited to hear that you are leading this initative. We are going to be organizing an evening or weekend event on second life at ISTE island. Would you be interested in meeting up with some of us to get input on this? If so, what is a good day and time for you?
I look forward to seeing you on Monday!!!
Bill
Hi, Bill.

I signed up for Second Life two years ago and have never found time to get comfortable using it. What it is more it is blocked from our Department's web access. So maybe we can explore other options such as teleconference calls or webinar. Definitely, I would like to see some interactions going on this site as well.

I checked my calendar and found that I will be relative open on 12/16 afternoon. Is it possible to have some interactions from 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm on 12/16 afternoon. Let's talk about it on Monday at the The Way Forward.

Teh-yuan
Bill,

I would be interested in being updated about this Second Life communication. I'll ask our Suffolk Literacy Group tomorrow if they want Debbie and I to arrange a quick SL workshop for our group so they can communicate using this medium.

Darlene
Sounds good. Lets talk soon about this and other things.
Hello I am new to this group...and to on line participation. Forgive my learning curve.
I am very interested in the whole idea of assessment and technological skill testing.

I work with adults exclusively and find that since they did not develop in the tech world they resist learning using technology even though it would be the best route for their busy time sensitive schedules.

Curriculum development is a real challenge and I find that I have to overcompensate for their lack. Meeting them at libraries to train them on the use of e mail, phone conferences to explain how to download...simple tasks take a long time when the mind is resistant.

Their need is urgent. They are mostly foreign born and are struggling to learn English as it is.( I also teach time management and stress management)..

The added problem of technology presents a real challenge. In order to assess them for educability their technical aptitude needs to be tested as well.

Are there special short cuts/links/hand outs that are available? Something simple and sweet.

Thank you for any input. My training is old school..and I am seeking to upgrade my teaching style to keep up with the needs of my students.
Tilda
Tilda,
What type of courses are you working on with your adult students? Is it teaching them English? I see you also teach time and stress management. I have used Google effectively for this. Reflecting is a good way to allow them to think about what they have learned and/or struggled with and why they think they have or have not been successful. Old school could be as simple as having them journal in a notebook. You could use rubrics to assess their writing both at the beginning of your classes and at the end.

I entered education teaching adults how to learn English in 2002 using laptops and my students were very open to using the new tools, despite the difficulty communicating in English. It may have been enticing them with learning to use email to write letters to loved ones back home. I have some basic skills assessment documents to help you gain an understanding of their skills before you start class. I am sure I can dig up some old instructions that are still relevant and that can be updated quickly. I'm interested in knowing more about what you teach. Please feel free to email me at bduarte.teach@gmail.com with more information or send me a message through this site. My belief is that every time you are able to teach someone how to work on their own, you are teaching them to be free. Keep up the good work you are doing!
Has anyone been using an online tool to assess students (8th grade or other)? If so, has it been met with success and what program is it? Thank you!
There have been a few online tools out there. Most of them are on the commercial side of it. Learning.com has been out there early in offering the online assessment tool, TLA. In response to the push for 21st century learning skills, Learning.com is developing or expanding its assessment tools with e-Portfolio component. I have not seen it. In addition, Schoolkit has a tool, called, TechStep which is more comprehensive than online assessment. Rather it is a more PD tools for technology integration with technology literacy assessment built in. West Virginia DOE has been working with them to develop the tool sets to address their 21st century learning standards initiative.

Recently, the eSchoolNews has gathered its pieces under the heading of Measuring 21st Century Skills, covering a range of issues and resources related to 21st century skill assessment. It also touches on technology literacy assessment. Check it out by following the following link.

http://www.eschoolnews.com/resources/measuring-21st-century-skills/

Hope this helps.
I am interested to hear the outcome of the national planning committee meeting back in December- How will we assess student tech-literacy when many of the teachers have minimum tech-competency?
The national planning committee started its initial meeting in December to learn its charge, timeframe of the work, and specific tasks following the guiding principles outlined by the NAEP TLA Framework Steering Commitee. The planning committee will continue to work and meet (periodically) till September, So far, we have met twice and been mapping out the scope of the technological literacy framework. It includes not only education technology literacy or ICT fluency but also basic technology literacy as reflected in the discipline of engineering. Of course, the final mode of assessment would be similar to the NAEP Science Assessment in 2009 which is computer-based and consists three components: multiple choice, hands-on manipulation, and simulation. Students who are selected for participation through sampling would be provided with computer to take the science test.

NAEP testing is designed to take a snap-shot at American students' proficience or mastery of specific subject areas and may serve the purpose of exposing the issues or problems associated with the students' performance on specific subject areas. But it is not criterion-based and responsive to the level of efforts in technology integration or preparation of teachers in technology literacy.

You raised a very good question. It is also a chicken or egg issue. If NAEP TLA Framework is developed and assessment is given, it may objectively reveal the problem as you identified. Then, policies and practices should be examined to identify specific gaps and holes and standards, curriculum and resources and implementation strategies should be put in place to address the issues and close the gaps and holes.
Teh-yuan,
Congratulations on being selected to be a part of the national planning committee! I am sure you will keep us as up to date as you can. For those people who would like to read more about the discussions, is there a place online that is available to the public regarding the outcome of those conversations? Also, have there been states that have meaningfully addressed technology literacy in their standards that information can be drawn from? I know that North Carolina has spent a considerable amount of time developing their resources and aligning skills to standards. http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/curriculum/computerskills/scos/ Do keep us posted and thank you for always bringing to light these great initiatives!
Thanks, Besides North Carolina which has implemented technology literacy assessment for almost 10 years, two other states have been persistent and standing out with their respective approachs to addressing this question while many states are moving in a similar direction. They are West Virginia which has fully adopted the 21st century skills framework and systemically revamped its standards with close integration of technology literacy into its core curricula and side by side and Massachusetts' integrated standards combining ISTE's NETS-S and Partnership for 21st Century Skills Framework. While they all promote integrating the ICT skills into core curricula and expect implementation through daily teaching and learning, they do have established accountability mechanism to assess students' mastery of the basic ICT proficiency and skills for effective learning. Check them out:

West Virginia State
http://wveis.k12.wv.us/Teach21/public/21C/popUp21.cfm

Massachusetts Department of Education
http://www.doe.mass.edu/edtech/standards.html

Hope this helps.

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