The Large Scale use of Computer Adaptive Assessment in Primary Schools in Northern Ireland

Richard Hanna

Director of Education Strategy

April 2011Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment

SIRikt

Northern Ireland overview

Population approximately 1.8 million

330, 000 pupils at school 164, 000 primary pupils

1000 primary schools

Primary (ages 4-11)

System Structure

Age

Stage

Year

Secondary (ages 12-16)

Foundation Key Stage 1 Key Stage 2 Key Stage 3 Key Stage 4

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Policy Context

School Improvement

» Raising standards and closing the achievement gap

» Effective use of data

Curriculum

» Revised in 2007

» Focus on numeracy, literacy and ICT

» Cross curricular skills (communication, using mathematics and ICT)

» and ‘other skills’ of thinking skills, personal capabilities,

» problem solving, working with others

Assessment

» Assessment OF learning

- Summative

» Assessment FOR learning

- Formative

Primary schools

Statutory Assessment (formative)

Years 4, 5, 6, 7 (Computer Adaptive Assessment –InCAS)

InCAS Assessments

» Local Area Network (LAN) in each school, with access to a Wide Area Network (WAN) through dedicated broadband connections

» Administration and management systems for schools, connected to a data warehouse

» Filtered access to the internet and e-mail

Technology in schools – central provision

A core entitlement to every school (based on number of pupils)

provided free of charge

65, 000 Internet ready workstations

Computer Based Assessment

» Equipment/infrastructure

» Change of practice

» Professional Development

» Managing change

» School improvement

» Assessment used as a diagnostic tool

» Effective use of Data

» Understanding data and using it effectively to support teaching and learning and raise standards

Supporting Education Policy

Challenges

Summary and findings

Don’t make assumptions

Train, support, Train, support…….

Make it easy,Make it better

Make it work Make it worthwhile Manage change*

CCEA Virtual Learning Environment

Interactive Learning Tools

Video Tours

Planning Tips

Feedback

FAQs

Discussion Forums

Glossaries

Instant Chat

Help Desks

Supporting Teachers

What improves outcomes?

Teachers

Teaching

Success for all

» The quality of an education system can’t exceed the quality of the teachers

» The only way to improve outcomes is to improve instruction

» High performing systems require every child to succeed

McKinsey & Co (2007)

The e-competent school

ICT making a difference

Safe use

Engagement

Professional development Effective use

Any teacher that can be replaced by a computer deserves to be“

”David Thornburg

If you bring in these technologies and don’t think ahead to how they’ll be used to promote learning and the acquisition of skills then the only thingthat will change in school is the electric bill.

Questions for discussion

Some assessments are used for accountability purposes at system level. Can the same assessments be used for measuring the effectiveness of schools AND support teaching and learning?

A = YES B = NOTechnology makes generating data easy. Are there challenges for schools

by having large quantities of data available?

A= YES B= NOIs an e-competent school always a good school?

A = YES B = NOInvestment in ICT infrastructure is expensive. In the currenteconomic climate does it represent value for money?

A = YES B = NO

Richard Hanna

rhanna@ccea.org.uk

nicurriculum.org.ukccea.org.ukdeni.gov.uk