Monday, March 29, 2010

Custom Test Reporting

Galileo K-12 Online features a variety of test reports that can be run at the student, class, school and district level. The new Custom Test Report adds flexibility by guiding users through the process of generating personal queries to export student-level demographic and test information from the Galileo K-12 Online database. Custom Test Reports can be run for single or multiple tests, including tests spanning program years.

The Custom Test Report can be accessed in the new Reporting menu under the ‘Custom’ heading:

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In the Custom Test Report screen, you create a new report by clicking the ‘Create Custom Test Report’ link:

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The first step in generating a custom report in Galileo is to select the desired data fields. Student demographic information and data from external assessments such as state or national tests (e.g. DIBELS, TerraNova, SAT) are accessed via Galileo Forms. Galileo Forms can also contain fields for any data desired by the district, provided either as part of a Galileo Data Import or a separate upload.

Once the desired form is selected form fields can then be selected for inclusion in the report, as shown in the following screenshot:

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As shown, it is also possible to individually include the school, class, and/or teacher in the report.

Once all demographic and form data is selected, student performance data from assessments that were administered within Galileo K-12 Online are added to the report. This screenshot shows selection of the desired tests within a teacher-level library for inclusion in the report:

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There are multiple options available for data inclusion and report generation. These are shown in the above screenshot. For example, a report can be generated that includes each student’s answers to test questions, and/or the correct answers. Reports can also contain cut scores, DL scores sum score, percentile, percent correct and performance levels.

Once the report settings are chosen, enter the desired delimiter (the default is comma) and file name and click the ‘Create File’ button as in the screenshot below. It is not necessary to enter a file extension, all reports generated with this feature receive the .txt extension, though the data is typically manipulated by opening in Excel.

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Once the ‘Create File’ button has been clicked, you then use the ‘Custom Test Report Activity’ link at the top of the page to monitor report generation. Custom reports are generated using message queuing, meaning you do not wait for your report to appear on the screen – when the system has generated the report, the name will appear on the monitoring screen and the report is then available for download:

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Manipulating the file in Excel involves just a few steps:

  1. Save the file to your local computer
  2. Open Excel
  3. Use the Open File function within Excel, be sure to include ‘All Files (*.*)’ in your search
  4. The Text Import Wizard will start automatically once you choose the downloaded file

    1. Identify the file as ‘Delimited’ in step 1
    2. Identify the comma delimiter in step 2
    3. Simply click ‘Finish’ in step 3

A sample screenshot is shown here – the data is now ready for additional manipulation, sorting, filtering or reporting.

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Monday, March 15, 2010

Q&A with Robert Vise, Ph.D. with Pueblo City Schools

Pueblo City Schools
Q&A with Robert Vise, Ph.D.
Executive Director of Assessment and Technology

Pueblo City Schools, through the implementation of a community-led strategic plan that began in 2007, worked to recreate the District from the ground up. Today, Dr. Robert Vise Executive Director of Assessment and Technology at Pueblo City Schools, in Pueblo, Colorado says the District is offering professional development for all staff, applying a four phase implementation model, and utilizing the tools and technology available within Galileo K-12 Online.

What were the main things that the District implemented that you believe were responsible for your success?

We took incremental steps during the first year of implementation. They were called phases.

Phase One consisted of:
a. Building administrator and lead teacher training.
b. Building training only on what Galileo was and how to administer benchmark tests.
c. Cohort of teachers to select benchmarks to be tested based upon our curriculum mapper.
d. Cohort of teachers review benchmark tests before publishing.
Phase Two consisted of:
a. Training all staff in the analysis of benchmark tests.
b. Individualizing instruction based upon the results.
Phase Three consisted of:
a. Expanding administrators and teachers usage of various reports.
b. Expanding into the use of Instructional Dialogs.
Phase Four consists of:
a. Creating formative tests in other subject areas.
b. Also, working with Americas Choice, incorporating their pre and posttests
in math and literacy to measure growth using their initiatives.

How did you identify students needing additional instructional assistance?

Students were identified based upon their Individual Development Plan. Students who were not proficient were provided additional instruction and safety nets such as different forms of additional instruction. This could be a tier two or tier three intervention such as Navigator Literacy, Navigator Math, Lindamood-Bell reading instruction, and after school tutoring. And teachers were directed to use the Galileo K-12 Online Benchmark Results report and the three reports within.

What advice would you give to other districts who might want to implement an approach like yours?

Work heavily in the professional development for all. Also, work with administrators to fully understand the reports and to monitor teacher use of Galileo components through class walk throughs and Professional Learning Communities.

Anything else you would like to add?

The staff at ATI has been extremely helpful along the way. When we want something changed in the system or added, they are responsive. Best vendor I have worked with.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

What standards will be assessed on the District Benchmark Assessment?

Have you ever been surprised that student knowledge of a specific standard was tested on a benchmark assessment? Did you know that there is a report in Galileo that will map what will be assessed on a test? Galileo allows users to print a Test Blueprint report for any published assessment created in Galileo, be it a Benchmark Assessment or a Formative Assessment.

The Test Blueprint shows the percentage of the test that covers each learning standard and each strand/concept. You will know the standards that are going to be assessed, and reflect on what degree your instruction mirrors the test. The Test Blueprint also lists the number of items on a given assessment that relate to each learning standard. This allows you to identify the standards that have more weight. Typically, these are “power standards”, or standards that have been identified as being essential to student learning. Knowing the standards that are more often assessed, allows you to focus your instruction on these valued standards.

Does your district complete the Assessment Planner (use customized assessments)? If so, the Test Blueprint will also display the number of items being requested by your district for specific standards. This gives you some idea of which of these standards may appear on future district benchmarks. This information is especially helpful if you are running the Test Blueprint on a formative assessment. It allows the user to see the alignment of classroom assessments with the district benchmark assessment.

A user will find the Test Blueprint in the Assessment area.

As your next assessment window approaches we recommend that you take some time to analyze this powerful report and reflect on the instruction that has most recently occurred in your class.