Standardized Testing: Are You Prepared to Prepare Them?

Objective Students will be able to explore standardized testing resources in order to address the test preparation needs of modern students.

Introduction In today’s educational system, there is a huge movement towards data based instruction, particularly in core areas such as English, math, science, and social studies. This means that students are assessed continually, data is analyzed, and teaching is based on the strengths and weaknesses observed through the data. In addition, standardized testing is the master to whom all must bow in order to adequately prepare students for the testing they will assuredly encounter. The data from tests such as the Maryland School Assessments is the medium by which schools, teachers, and students are judged for academic aptitude. While testing does not have to be the sole focus of a classroom, teachers have to expect that it will be an important part of their daily instruction. Fortunately, there are varied resources available for teachers to use to learn about these tests and to keep their classrooms aligned with state and national standards.

Activity Spend some time exploring the websites below.

School Improvement in Maryland

This site offers information about the middle school and high school assessments, data analysis, instruction, and overall school improvement through data based instruction. It also offers an archive of tests from previous years.

http://www.mdk12.org/

The College Board

This site is for education professionals and it offers information about SAT, ACT, and Advanced Placement testing.

http://professionals.collegeboard.com/gateway

Assignment Create a handout, presentation, game, or web activity for your students that will provide them with useful information and resources about either the MSA, the HSA, the SAT, the ACT, or an Advanced Placement test, whichever is most relevant for your age group. This should be something that you could modify for test prep on a daily basis, or something that you can adapt and use again for multiple classes.

Submission Post your activities as an html file to your FTP folder, create a link to the file on your index page, and send your instructor and email notification containing a working hyperlink to the assignment (not to your index page), and the assignment file’s URL. Make sure the subject line of your email is in the following format: SLM521-lastname-standardizedtesting-elective #, if applicable.

Rubric

	Unacceptable	Developing	Accomplished
Assignment is relevant, accurate, and useful for the age group.
Assignment is engaging and creative.
Assignment could easily be implemented in the classroom.
Assignment contains no spelling, grammar, or word usage errors.

Other Resources

http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/testing/hsa/

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/HSA/

http://www.bcps.org/offices/LIS/hsa/index.html

http://www.testprepreview.com/sat_practice.htm