Tools of the trade: a look at educators’ use of assessment systems

ABSTRACT

Test-based accountability policy in the US has resulted in increased availability and use of assessment systems to support instructional decision making. Though limited, literature to date suggests an important role for these systems as tools, mediating teacher knowledge and action. We examine system log data from NWEA’s MAP assessment to better understand how and when educators use the system, report features valued by educators, and patterns of use at the individual, school, and district levels. Findings reveal limited engagement with the system, occurring primarily around testing windows with a small subset of reports. We describe the features of those reports as well as how those features relate to use across the school year. We also find use is primarily an individualized practice, with little variability in use accounted for among schools and districts. We conclude with implications for research as well as local policy and practice.

KEYWORDS:

• Educational assessment
• data use
• data systems

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Elizabeth N. Farley-Ripple is an associate professor of education at the University of Delaware. Her research focuses on evidence-based decision making in education, including the role of research and data in school improvement.

Austin Jennings has a PhD in education with a specialization in evaluation, measurement, and statistics from the University of Delaware. His research interests lie in using mixed methods to understand teacher decision making, including the role of data use in instruction.

Amanda B. Jennings is a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Michigan. Her research focuses on understanding children’s naive economics theories in an effort to better design social studies curricula. Prior to working at University of Michigan, Amanda earned her PhD at the University of Delaware.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Spencer Foundation through the Evidence for the Classroom Initiative under Grant number 201400155.