endicott.8@osu.edu -- (614)247-6178

Creating Positive Change

Brian Endicott

Member, Governing BoardGrants Committee ChairNational College Testing Association

Manager for Enrollment ServicesThe Ohio State University Testing CenterColumbus, Ohio

Who wants to make change?

More time with family?

Eat healthier?HAIRSTYLE?

Increase volunteer service?

Weight Loss?

Exercise more?Job or career switch?

Just about everybody wants to change something.

Strengthen

faith and

religion?

Better question:Who knows how to enact their

desired changes?

Who wants to make change?

More time with family?

Eat healthier?HAIRSTYLE?

Increase volunteer service?

Weight Loss?

Exercise more?Job or career switch?

Just about everybody wants to change something.

Strengthen

faith and

religion?

Better question:Who knows how to enact their

desired changes?

Same answer:Pretty much

everybody knows how to enact their desired changes!

“I’M FOR CHANGE!”

Transitions at Your Offices & Colleges

Testing Center Relocations?

Lincoln Tower(through 08/08)

Pressey Hall(08/08 – 02/10)

Student Academic Services Building

Transitions at Your Offices & Colleges

Powerterm Enterprise (April, 2009) PeopleSoft

Changes in your student database?

Transitions at Your Offices & Colleges

Change from Quarters to Semesters?

Launch: Summer, 2012

Transitions at Your Offices and Colleges

• Test Center Relocations• Changes in student databases• Quarter to Semester Transition• Change in forms and procedures• Changes in staffing levels• Budgetary constraints

• Others??

Industry Transitions

Computer-Based Testing (CBT)

Paper-Based Testing (PBT)

Industry Transitions

Internet-Based Testing (iBT)

Computer Adaptive Testing

Lots to Consider During Industry Transitions1

• An improvement exam validity?– Optimize the exam’s purpose– High-quality exam items– Ensure scoring and reporting accuracy

• Candidate access to the exam?– Number of administration dates– Number and location of test sites

• Strengthen exam and content security?• Associated Costs

Chronology of Professional Testing Associations

TACTP(Texas Association of College Testing Personnel)

• First recognized professional organization of testing professionals

• Dr. Jerry Osborne, University of Texas at Austin• Formed pre-1988 as a response to state-mandated

standardized placement testing• Includes K-12 Educators involved in standardized testing• Still in existence today; the first and longest running statewide

organization.

MPACT(Midwestern Professional Association of College Testing)

• 1988: Harriet Strasberg (UMN), Joyce Moore (Univ. of Iowa), Char Tortoricci (Uinv. Of Wisconsin at Madison)

• 1989: First conference for testing professionals, held in Minneapolis/St. Paul. Approximately 75 attendees. {MSP will host the NCTA 2012 Conference!}

• Subsequent annual conferences in Milwaukee (1990), Chicago (1991), Des Moines (1992) though 1999.

Chronology of Professional Testing Associations

SETA(SouthEastern Testing Association)

• 1990: Susan Neel (Georgia State) and Sybil Hobson (Univ of Alabama)– Met Harriet Stasberg from MPACT at American Educational Research Association

conference in Boston.– Group of 15 (representing 5 states) met in October 1990, deciding to form a regional

association of college testing professionals

• 1991: First Conference held in Atlanta, Georgia• Subsequent Annual Conferences held in Charleston (1992), Memphis

(1993), through 1999.

Chronology of Professional Testing Associations

Birth of NCTA• 1992-1999: A lot of cross-pollination between MPACT, SETA, and TACTP• 1994 MPACT Conference in St. Louis: Early discussions of a joint MPACT

and SETA Conference– Trivia: These discussions took place over a very expensive French dinner and a near-

arrest of a colleague!

• 1995-1998: Growth in professional organizations continues. MPACT and SETA each have around 300 members, representing more than 25 states.

• 1999: Last MPACT (St. Louis) and SETA (Louisville) Conferences Held

Chronology of Professional Testing Associations

Birth of NCTA• 1999: Decision made to formally merge MPACT and SETA

conferences• 2000: Decision made to formally merge MPACT and SETA

Organizations at first joint conference• 2000: First ever NCTA Conference – Chicago, Illinois

– “Celebrating CHANGE: Testing In A New Millennium”– Julian Zucko, Conference Chair– Approximately 250 attendees

Chronology of Professional Testing Associations

Today’s NCTA

• Membership is approximately 1,200– Collegiate individual and institutional members– Corporate members– Non-Collegiate Members

• Conferences– 2010: Testing … On My Mind (Atlanta)– 2011: Making Waves in Testing (San Diego)– 2012: Minneapolis, Minnesota– 2013: Nashville, Tennessee

• 12 Members:– Pam Bedford; University of Illinois (2000-2005)– Lea Brown; East Tennessee State University (2000-2006)– Marilyn Goulden; University of Arizona (2000-2005)– Duane Goupell; Central Michigan University (2000-2002)– Scott Kaplan; University of South Carolina (2000-2003)– Rita Roberts; Kansas State University (2000-2003)– Harriet Strasberg; University of Minnesota (2000-2002)– Julian Szucko; University of Illinois at Chicago (2000-2002)– Fran Taylor; University of West Georgia (2000-2008)– Gayle Veltman; Wichita State University (2000-2002, President)– Tom Veltman; Wichita State University (2000-2001)– Ellen Waxman; Delta College (2000-2003)– Bud Wood; Brigham Young University (2000-2004)

Original Governing Board

Agents for Change!

• Communication– Newsletter– Website– Mailing List– Social Networking– Editing

• Professional Development– E-Journal– Test Center Certification

• Outreach– Marketing– Recruitment

• Annual Conference– Awards– Sponsors & Exhibits– Mentoring

• Finance– Financial Activities– Grants

• Member Services– Member Activities– New Members Welcome

• Administration– Archivist– State/Regional Groups– Volunteer/Technical Services

Today’s NCTA

Governing Board

CommunicationCriss Gilbert &Gayle Veltman

Newsletter

Editing

Website

Mailing ListSocial

Networks

Professional Development

Steve SaladinTest Center Certification

E-Journal

OutreachJoseph Fenty &Joleen Reynolds

Marketing

Recruitment

Annual ConferenceTo Be Determined

Awards

Mentoring

Sponsors & Exhibits

FinanceRosemary Freer, Treasurer

Financial Activities

Grants

Member ServicesSue Nickel, Membership

Chair

Membership Activities

New Members Welcome

AdministrationSally Frazee

ArchivistTechnical Services

Volunteer ServiceState/Regional

Groups

NCTAToday’s Initiatives

• Restructuring Committees / Org Chart– Updating by-laws, as necessary

• Annual Grants Program– Launch, 2010 with 6 awardees

• Test Center Certification– First Certification: Florida Atlantic Univ., 2010

• Social Networking– Facebook, Twitter

• Marketing and Outreach• Archivist (Yes, NCTA needs an archivist!)

Agents of Change

• Accomplishments of individuals and groups of individuals who founded first TACTP, MPACT, SETA

• Leading to formation of NCTA• The evolution of today’s NCTA• Changes in our industry• Changes at our home institutions• Changes in our personal lives

Who is responsible for making these changes?

Agents of Change

YOU!!!

Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to

change the things I can, And wisdom to know the difference.

Be an AGENT FOR CHANGE.

Special Thanks• C. Criss Gilbert, University of Minnesota• Harriet Strasberg (Ret.), University of Minnesota• Fran Taylor, University of West Georgia• Wendy Gruver, University of Texas at Arlington• Steve Saladin, University of Idaho • Connie Lorick, University of Texas at Austin• Theresa Scott, Florida Atlantic University• Dr. Lou Woodruff, Bucks Community College

References1van Lent, Gerben: “Risks and Benefits of CBT versus PBT in High-Stakes Testing”.

Educational Testing Service, 2009.