Smarter Balance Assessments- Technology in Testing

Through an activity that we did in class today it brought up many issues about standardized tests and how they are administered. In the activity, people had to write a short essay following a standardized test's prompt. Some people were given restrictions, like they could only type with one finger, and others had no restrictions. At first I thought the restrictions were just a metaphor for some students coming in better prepared for standardized tests than others. This is true and applicable because some students go to schools where they are given practice tests, and have better teachers, while others do not. Some students are going to go into these tests knowing the content better than others. So while what I was thinking was true, the restrictions are also literal examples of what some students might have difficulty with. Some students are coming into these tests not knowing how to use computers that well, let alone being able to type proficiently.

The Smarter Balanced Assessment is an online assessment tool that helps students gain proficiency in different content areas. Since it is solely based on the computer, as mentioned before it gives some students a head start compared to others.  The increasing amount of standardized tests being on the computer automatically gives students that are experienced with computers the upper hand. These students normally relate to students with good, reliable resources. The students that really do need help in gaining proficiencies, most likely do not have access to reliable computers or can competently navigate them. This is just perpetuating and increasing the gap between high performing schools and low performing schools. These assessments are assuming that using the computer is a basic skill, when for many students it is not.

This being said, there are definitely some positives to the Smarted Balanced Assessments. Since it works as a cumulative approach, it assesses students fairly and on the level of proficiency that they currently are. I think this is really amazing, in that these tests can personalize to the needs of every student. This is really helpful because it assess the student to provide them with challenges, but not so that the questions are impossible. Also, while the variety of ways to respond to the question can be challenging for some students, at the same time, it provides students with examples of what they may encounter. It helps students be prepared for different types of questions, and how they should respond. This variety, also helps students that think differently and are better at certain questions.

There is no answer to how much technology should be incorporated into testing. There are definitely positives, in that technology can provide many different types of questions, and assistance to many different levels of proficiency. I think there are many negatives as well because it just adds to the achievement gap between schools with resources and schools without. It is important to change with the times, and incorporate technology in the classroom, but not everything has to have a technological component. I think testing is one thing in the classroom that is better done on paper. I find it really hard to read off of split screens and go in between different windows in order to do a test. I think this requires a lot of mental effort, and so I can't spend as much mental energy on the actual questions. For me tests, including standardized assessments, are better done in the old-fashioned way- on paper.