NIFL-ASSESSMENT 2005: [NIFL-ASSESSMENT:1265] RE: FW: [NIFL-TECH

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From: Gustav Kocsis (gkocsis@sfccnm.edu)
Date: Thu Oct 06 2005 - 21:20:19 EDT 

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From: "Gustav Kocsis" <gkocsis@sfccnm.edu>
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Subject: [NIFL-ASSESSMENT:1265] RE: FW: [NIFL-TECHNOLOGY:3792] Re: Computer assessment and adult learners
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We would like to see a good and easy to score paper and pencil test for
our ESL students. We are now using the CASAS and we are finding that the
CASAS tests are not useful to use to asses an ESL student's language
ability.
We have to register too many students at one time to be able to use
computer testing such as the BEST PLUS. Many of our students are not
very skilled with computers and a computer based test might not truly
reflect the student's English skills.
I know of many other large programs that would be interested in a valid
and reliable paper and pencil ESL test for NRS reporting. Is there
anything else out there that is better than CASAS?

Gustav A. Kocsis
English as a Second Language Coordinator
Adult Basic Education
Santa Fe Community College
6401 Richards Ave
Santa Fe, NM 87508
505-428-1444
Gkocsis@sfccnm.edu


-----Original Message-----
From: nifl-assessment@nifl.gov [mailto:nifl-assessment@nifl.gov] On
Behalf Of Marie Cora
Sent: Thursday, October 06, 2005 1:59 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: [NIFL-ASSESSMENT:1264] FW: [NIFL-TECHNOLOGY:3792] Re: Computer
assessment and adult learners



-----Original Message-----
From: nifl-technology@nifl.gov [mailto:nifl-technology@nifl.gov] On
Behalf Of ra_duffy@comcast.net
Sent: Thursday, October 06, 2005 1:16 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: [NIFL-TECHNOLOGY:3792] Re: Computer assessment and adult
learners

If the purpose is also to assess their computer skills, I could see
assessing via a computer.  However, if a student has virtually no
computer experience, as many of the older immigrants who are in our
program do not have, I can not imagine adding this layer on to what is
really trying to be assessed.

--
Ruthann Duffy
ESL Tech Coordinator
Essential Skills Program
Shoreline Community College
16101 Greenwood Ave N.
Seattle, WA 98133

Telephone: 206-533-6624
email: ra_duffy@comcast.net
http://success.shore.ctc.edu/callab


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I wanted to prod you all to add your thoughts to Nancy's questions
from
> the other day regarding testing via computers in ABE/ESOL.  What are
> your thoughts, and what have been your experiences on this?
> 
> I have done a little bit of work using the BEST Plus with adult
learners
> - but in that case, it is the teacher/test administrator who actually
is
> using the computer and asking questions of the test-taker.  As an
aside,
> the great thing about this type of computer testing is that the
software
> program automatically stops you when the student has reached as far as
> they can go, and it also jumps over questions that it realizes the
> student will have no problem answering.  Thus, you avoid the
unnecessary
> and sometimes painful process of forcing students to answer way too
easy
> questions, for example.
> 
> But!  This is not the situation Nancy is describing here - so do folks
> have thoughts on adult students personally using a computer for
> assessment purposes?  I am also sending this reply to the
> NIFL-Technology List to see if folks over there have something to
> contribute to this discussion.
> 
> Thanks!
> marie
> 
> marie cora
> Moderator, NIFL Assessment Discussion List, and 
> Coordinator/Developer 
> LINCS Assessment Special Collection at  
> http://literacy.kent.edu/Midwest/assessment/
>  
> marie.cora@hotspurpartners.com
> 
> 
> 
> On Wed 10/5/2005, Nancy Hansen wrote:
> 
> I also have a question to those who test using
> > computers:  Do you find the skills of the learner
> > who
> > has had next to NO exposure to computers and LITTLE
> > literacy skills are accurately being portrayed via
> > this style testing?
> > 
> > I have men and women in our adult literacy program
> > who
> > had never sat down at a computer - much less used a
> > mouse before.  I cannot imagine that their extensive
> > life skills would be evaluated appropriately when
> > they
> > hit and miss at the computer - sometimes even
> > striking
> > incorrect keys.
> > 
> > Nancy Hansen
> > Sioux Falls Area Literacy Council
> > sfallsliteracy@yahoo.com
> > 
> 
>

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