AleTechnologyComputerAssessment
From LiteracyTentWiki
What computer skills assessments are available for ABE and ESOL/ESL?
Discussion
The messages below, which were posted to the National Institute for Literacy Technology (NIFL-Technology) and the Massachusetts Adult Literacy Technology Team (MALTT) electronic discussion lists, respond to this question.
To: NIFL-Technology@literacy.nifl.gov
From: inst_abe@onlinecollegeprep.com
Date: Thu Apr 19 2001 - 09:47:35 EDT
H&H Publishing has a basic computer skills assessment called the Technology and Internet Assessment (TIA). The TIA is administered on the Web in about 20-30 minutes and measures strengths and weaknesses in eight areas related to computers, the Internet, and information technology skills.
The eight scales are:
- Use of Technology
- Specific Computer Skills
- Acquisition of Technical Knowledge
- Basic Internet Knowledge
- Internet Information Skills
- Adapting to Technological Change
- Impact of Technology
- Ethics in Technology
A free copy of the TIA User's Manual is available at no charge and includes an overview of the assessment, a description of the eight scales, normative and reliability data, and directions for administrators. The manual also includes a section on how results tie in with the functioning level descriptors from the National Reporting System's method of measurement for ABE.
You can locate a sample of the assessment and request a copy of the User's Manual at http://www.hhpublishing.com/_assessments/TIA/samples.html [or read about the TIA at http://www.hhpublishing.com/_assessments/TIA/index.html ]. Please call (800) 366-4079 or e-mail H&H directly at hhservice@hhpublishing.com if you have any questions.
H&H Publishing Company, Inc.
1231 Kapp Drive
Clearwater, FL 33765
To: NIFL-Technology@literacy.nifl.gov
From: Harriet Vardiman Smith (hsmith@coe.tamu.edu)
Date: Fri Mar 03 2000 - 14:04:37 EST
Check out the "Computer Skills Assessment Instrument for Adult Learners" on our Website http://www-tcall.tamu.edu/docs/COMPASSM.HTM. It was developed by Jackie Hamlett of the Lake County Literacy Program, based at the Waukegan Public Library in Waukegan, Illinois (adapted from the Onandoga Adult Literacy Program in California). She graciously agreed to let us put it on our Website. It was intended for adult learners, but could also be used to assess skills of potential teachers.
Harriet Vardiman Smith
Materials/Research Coordinator
Texas Adult Literacy Clearinghouse
800-441-READ
409-862-6519
website: http://www.cdlr.tamu.edu/tcall/
To: NIFL-Technology@literacy.nifl.gov
From: John David Avery (homeavery@harbornet.com)
Date: Tue Oct 30 2001 - 11:51:02 EST
I am an instructor from Washington State who led a statewide team on the development of technology competencies for Adult Learners, both ABE and ESL. Our goal was to set the competencies as a guide for a curriculum that would integrate the teaching of technology with the basic skills. Our effort has been driven by the state's effort to align with EFF (Equipped for the Future) and the WIA (Workplace Investment Act). You can view our work at http://www.ivygreen.ctc.edu/avery/Faculty/techComp.htm . You may want to take a look at my site http://www.ivygreen.ctc.edu/avery/ to see how we've been working with ESL students in particular. I am currently updating that site which includes a list of software and its uses http://www.ivygreen.ctc.edu/avery/Faculty/software.htm and examples of student-completed projects http://www.ivygreen.ctc.edu/avery/activities/projects/projects.htm . A presentation I did at TESOL 2001 is at http://www.ivygreen.ctc.edu/avery/Faculty/TESOL01_1.htm gives an overview of our work in Washington on developing the competencies and the assessment system which accompanies them.
This may be what you are looking for or may not be. Currently the class where we do most of this instruction is numbered ESL 055 and called our TALL class for Technology Assisted Language Learning. We do this instruction primarily in the classroom and not over the web per se although many of the assignments and much of the student research is done on the web. Feel free to contact me for any further information.
Sincerely, John Avery
A message from John Avery, Instructor of English as a Second Language at
Green River Community College, Auburn, WA
ESL Site: http://www.ivygreen.ctc.edu/avery
Email: javery@grcc.ctc.edu or homeavery@harbornet.com
From: ESnay@qcc.mass.edu
Subject: [MALTT] Computer Assessment
Date: September 8, 2005 12:42:19 PM EDT
MALTT@lists.literacytent.org
....I've also found this K-12 Technology standards at this link: http://www.doe.mass.edu/edtech/standards.html that also has a self assessment for teachers. If I were creating an assessment I might look at theses standards and create the assessment around this document....
Eunice Snay
Regional Technologist for Central SABES
esnay@qcc.mass.edu
Date: April 19, 2001 (Revised below by Louise Miller on Wednesday, 9/14/2005)
From: "Louise Miller" <louise@wvabe.org>
To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov>
Subject: [NIFL-TECHNOLOGY:1698] `RE: Re: Basic Computer Skills Standards
WV has developed a "Computer Literacy Program Guide" which includes two skills assessment checklists that are aligned to the NRS descriptors. The guide provides instructions on how to use the checklists in relation to the EFLs as well as a curriculum for beginning computers entitled "This is the ON Button." The curriculum is currently available for Windows 98 and Windows XP. In addition, the guide includes various programs of study; however, no specific curriculum has been developed. If you would like to view the Windows 98 curriculum, go to http://wvabe.org/technology.htm#ABE%20Computer%20Literacy%20Curriculum%20Available The curriculum is in pdf format. The guide is available to programs outside of WV for a small fee to cover reproduction expenses. If you have any questions regarding the guide, please do not hesitate to contact me via phone 1-800-766-7372, ext. 334 or via e-mail lbmiller@access.k12.wv.us If you do utilize any portion of the guide, I would appreciate it if you would contact me and let me know what portions you found useful, or not useful. Comments are always welcome for program improvement. Also, please site the WVABE program accordingly.
Louise Miller
ABE Technology Coordinator
RESA I
400 Neville Street
Beckley, WV 25801
Date: Mon, 16 Feb 1998 19:12:01 -0500 (EST)
From: David J Rosen
To: nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov
Subject: Assessing Students' Computer Skills
Ken Tamarkin, a technology teacher at Malden Mills in Lawrence, Massachusetts, and member of the Massachusetts Adult Literacy Technology Team,[now Director of the Massachusetts Coalition for Adult Education] has an article entitled *What Counts? Assessing Computer Skills* in the Volume 10, December, 1997 _Adventures in Assessment_ . (Ordering info. URL is http://www.sabes.org/adven.htm)
I think the article might be very useful to teachers who want to assess their students' computer skills in an adult basic education/ESOL context. Designed to accompany an Introduction to Computers class, the purpose of the self-assessment is to find out students' initial computer knowledge and comfort in order to place them at the right level, and then to measure their computer skills progress. The assessment has had a 90% accurate placement rate, and engages students in the process of assessing their progress.
What I like best about Ken's assessment is that the skills he lists provide a helpful, operational definition of *computer literacy.* They include computer familiarity and comfort, and range from _turn on a computer_ to _modify screen properties_ , _use a digital camera_ and _Use a computer to monitor and control production equipment_ .
I wonder what other computer literacy/computer use skills assessments (not computer office skills such as word processing, spreadsheet and database proficiency) readers of this listserv might be using. Are there assessments that you think are good? If so, please share this information with us.
David J. Rosen
djrosen@comcast.net
September 12, 2005
I'd like to share how I'm using the Arizona technology standards in our classes. The students have a checklist to define if they know these skills and want to learn them. I have the links up on our site.
Here is the link http://www.azcallateen.k12.az.us/student%20tech.htm
and sample activities http://www.ade.state.az.us/Adult-Ed/Documents/AEStandards/TechSampleActivities.pdf
Maureen Hoyt
www.az-aall.org
Other Resources which Address this Question
Technology Proficiency Links in the LINCS Technology Training Special Collection
