When developing a technology-enhanced item (TEI), how do you ensure that the TEI type you’ve chosen makes sense as an assessment tool? Here are five questions to ask yourself to determine the most appropriate technology-enhanced test item to use:
1) What does the wording of a standard tell you about how it should be assessed?
Before you try to reinvent the wheel, see if the action verb from a standard already matches an existing TEI type. If students need to “order” or “classify” to meet a particular standard, why not use the Order or Classification item types, respectively? One 4th grade ELA standard requires students to “demonstrate understanding of words by relating them to their opposites (antonyms) and to words with similar but not identical meanings (synonyms)” (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.5.C). A Matching or Drag-and-Drop item would be a great way for students to relate a word with its antonym or synonym.
2) Does the assessment item require multiple examples or answers in order to be considered correct?
Unlike traditional item types, such as multiple choice or true/false questions, many TEIs require students to select multiple words or statements for a correct answer. The Hot Text item type allows students to select multiple possible answers to a question or prompt. A math item might ask students to interpret the rate of change, using values from a table, by highlighting all statements that are true from a set of options. An English item might ask students to click all words that should be capitalized in a particular sentence. Learners are not prefaced with how many correct answers there are, so they must analyze each option carefully.
3) How can students meaningfully interact with items and texts?
As mentioned in an earlier blog post, TEIs offer students the opportunity to authentically interact with an assessment item. When writing TEIs, identify places where students can participate in creating their response rather than choosing a response. For example, students can identify parts of a cell using a Label item type on an actual graphic of a cell, or plot fractions on a number line using a Plot Points item type. Incorporating authentic interaction with test items can better engage students and provide more reliable assessment results.
4) Is the student expected to provide evidence or explain their reasoning?
Since next-generation assessments expect students to go beyond merely identifying the correct response to a question, there are several TEIs that offer automatic gradability of student reasoning. If a question requires students to select textual evidence from a short passage, using a Hot Text or Highlighting item type is a great alternative to a multiple-choice question. If the student is asked to justify their reasoning, you can use Drag-and-Drop or Drop-Down item types for students to fill in the blanks of a sentence frame by organizing or choosing from pre-existing options.
5) Which item type preserves the rigor intended in the standard?
In order to be a valid and effective, any assessment item, let alone a TEI, should be introduced in a context that appropriately evaluates students’ content knowledge, skills, or comprehension. Use an item type that correlates with the rigor of the skill in question. If a student is expected to write a function to model a linear relationship, don’t use drop-down options where students can only identify slope and y-intercept; have them use Equation Editor to write their own function. Also, the format of the TEI itself should not interfere with the content it is assessing. Using a Matrix item type may work well for determining if a set of statements is true or false, but it may over-complicate the task of solving five equations by matching each equation on the left with its solution at the top. The item type should naturally complement the question without confusing the student.
While the number and variety of TEI types can be overwhelming at first, asking these questions can help you identify the right TEI to use for any type of assessment.
Related A Pass Angles
Technology Enhanced Angle 1: Technology-Enhanced Items in Assessment
Technology Enhanced Angle 2: Speak. Listen. Learn.Technology Enhanced Angle 3: Beyond 1 + 2 = 3, Auto Scoring for Open-Ended Math Questions
Technology Enhanced Angle 4: A Helping Hand
Technology Enhanced Angle 5: Getting Personal
