EQAO Testing
Questions and Answers
The second Standard of Practice refers to applying educational policies and legislation to inform one's professional practice. The use of the EQAO test, and standardized tests in general, is always a 'hot-topic' among educators. The following questions and answers examine how teachers can implement the test, communicate with parents about it, and use the data that it provides to inform their practice in the classroom.
Standardized testing is certainly a controversial topic within the educational community, and it seems the further one gets away from administration and towards the classroom the less love these types of tests receive. That said, data is always useful to teachers, especially if it is taken in the correct context. The EQAO goes to great lengths to try to encourage teachers to be conscious of how they should use the data that the EQAO tests provide, both on their website (EQAO, 2015) and in the document Understanding Levels of Achievement: Using EQAO Information to Improve Student Learning (EQAO, 2012). As a teacher abroad, removed from the politics of education in Ontario, it is easier to view the EQAO tests as a source of data on student learning without some of the negative connotations that are often comingled with standardized tests.
1. How could you use the information found in the document and on the EQAO site to your advantage?
The first thing that struck me about the document linked to was the lengths to which the EQAO goes to describe the value of the data that the test provides and how it fits within the spectrum of assessments that students will encounter throughout their time in school (EQAO, 2012, p. 2). As a teacher, I would share this information with my students to try to alleviate any test anxiety that they might be facing when considering writing the test.
The document also provides teachers with some good, basic assessment advice, such as the value of much more personalized approaches to assessment such as portfolios in getting an accurate view of student growth and achievement (EQAO, 2012, p. 3). In addition, the document provides links to resources on collaborative assessment, which is a great tool for teachers to add to their assessment repertoire (EQAO, 2012, p.5). While multiple choice questions are often not the most ideal type of question for assessing student understanding, the annotations provided alongside the responses provide insight for teachers not only into their students’ performance on the test, but also into how to create more meaningful selected response questions of their own (EQAO, 2012, p. 9). Also, advice is given on how to use the scales to have students self-assess their own learning throughout the year, with and without the assistance of the teacher (EQAO, 2012, p. 6). All in all, the document provides a good review of a number of assessment practices, as well as how to leverage the scales as a tool for more personalized assessments of learning in the classroom.
The exemplars and assessments thereof contained within the document are a great resource for teachers when trying to determine reasonable expectations for the students in their class (EQAO, 2012). There is no such thing as an ‘average’ student; each student is unique. But, having an ‘average’ or base-of-comparison to use as a benchmark can help a teacher needing to create homogeneous learning groups or determine reasonable expectations for students in unique classroom situations for which they have no previous experience. Knowing what the ‘average’ Ontario 6th grader writes will help one to determine appropriate expectations when leading a classroom of ELL students for the first time.
The document also focuses strongly on using the data from the EQAO test to modify and improve instruction (EQAO, 2012, p. 9). The IF/THEN charts are a very useful tool for teachers to personalize instruction for their students who may need it. Furthermore, instructional focuses are provided to support improvement. Despite its status as a large-scale, summative assessment of learning at the end of the Junior years, the document itself contains ample resources for educators to make use of in applying the data received in a more formative way.
The document also provides teachers with some good, basic assessment advice, such as the value of much more personalized approaches to assessment such as portfolios in getting an accurate view of student growth and achievement (EQAO, 2012, p. 3). In addition, the document provides links to resources on collaborative assessment, which is a great tool for teachers to add to their assessment repertoire (EQAO, 2012, p.5). While multiple choice questions are often not the most ideal type of question for assessing student understanding, the annotations provided alongside the responses provide insight for teachers not only into their students’ performance on the test, but also into how to create more meaningful selected response questions of their own (EQAO, 2012, p. 9). Also, advice is given on how to use the scales to have students self-assess their own learning throughout the year, with and without the assistance of the teacher (EQAO, 2012, p. 6). All in all, the document provides a good review of a number of assessment practices, as well as how to leverage the scales as a tool for more personalized assessments of learning in the classroom.
The exemplars and assessments thereof contained within the document are a great resource for teachers when trying to determine reasonable expectations for the students in their class (EQAO, 2012). There is no such thing as an ‘average’ student; each student is unique. But, having an ‘average’ or base-of-comparison to use as a benchmark can help a teacher needing to create homogeneous learning groups or determine reasonable expectations for students in unique classroom situations for which they have no previous experience. Knowing what the ‘average’ Ontario 6th grader writes will help one to determine appropriate expectations when leading a classroom of ELL students for the first time.
The document also focuses strongly on using the data from the EQAO test to modify and improve instruction (EQAO, 2012, p. 9). The IF/THEN charts are a very useful tool for teachers to personalize instruction for their students who may need it. Furthermore, instructional focuses are provided to support improvement. Despite its status as a large-scale, summative assessment of learning at the end of the Junior years, the document itself contains ample resources for educators to make use of in applying the data received in a more formative way.
2. What other information is available at your board about the Provincial Assessment to help?
As an OCT working abroad, I’m far removed from the EQAO testing. In South Korea, large-scale standardized testing is a fundamental part of the educational system, with results of key tests massively influential in determining students’ futures in both education and careers. Though within Ontario teachers may find the EQAO tests stifling or philosophically and pedagogically inappropriate, from my perspective the approach the EQAO takes towards the testing is quite forward thinking.
3. How would you assist parents with understanding what you are doing in the classroom to better prepare students for testing?
The EQAO website has an extensive section devoted solely to educating parents on the nature of the test. If I was in a situation in which I needed to communicate with parents about the test, I would first explain the test and what we were doing in class to prepare on our class blog or social media page, and I’d include a link to the website as well.
I would also offer an open house in my classroom and give a brief presentation and question and answer session on the testing. Pre-made slide presentation are available on the EQAO website that are suitable for this purpose (EQAO, 2015). Time permitting, I’d print out a mini-test with some sample questions for parents to complete so that they could experience the test firsthand. I would also show the scales and some exemplars from Understanding Levels of Achievement: Using EQAO Information to Improve Student Learning and have parents self-assess their practice test and compare them to examples of their children’s work pulled from portfolios. Hopefully, this would help parents to manage their expectations and form their own opinions on the validity of the assessment.
Finally, I would try to incorporate the scales into assessment rubrics throughout the year whenever possible and use the exemplars when assessing student learning throughout the year. In this way, parents could become familiar with the language used in the assessment, and students could come to learn more about the criteria used to assess them on the test.
I would also offer an open house in my classroom and give a brief presentation and question and answer session on the testing. Pre-made slide presentation are available on the EQAO website that are suitable for this purpose (EQAO, 2015). Time permitting, I’d print out a mini-test with some sample questions for parents to complete so that they could experience the test firsthand. I would also show the scales and some exemplars from Understanding Levels of Achievement: Using EQAO Information to Improve Student Learning and have parents self-assess their practice test and compare them to examples of their children’s work pulled from portfolios. Hopefully, this would help parents to manage their expectations and form their own opinions on the validity of the assessment.
Finally, I would try to incorporate the scales into assessment rubrics throughout the year whenever possible and use the exemplars when assessing student learning throughout the year. In this way, parents could become familiar with the language used in the assessment, and students could come to learn more about the criteria used to assess them on the test.
4. How could you use EQAO results to support student learning in the classroom?
As I mentioned earlier, there are many good suggestions in the documentation regarding how to use the scales in the classroom. Applying common standards to self-assessment and discussing them with the students in class could help to enrich their understanding of the curricular expectations and provide them with the vocabulary and criteria to understand and assess their own learning in a deeper way.
The results could also be a part of a broader assessment report provided to students at parent-teacher conferences. Sharing data with parents regarding their child’s learning can help to empower them to take a more active role in their child’s education, resulting in potentially more engaged students in class.
An examination of individual student scores could provide helpful information regarding areas of strength and areas in need of development. This could help the teacher to individualize and personalize future instruction to better meet that student’s need and close skill and knowledge gaps.
Finally, on a broader school-wide or district-wide level, the results of the EQAO test could be used to help to map out modifications to curricula and to determine what new initiatives would best serve the most students and teachers in general. Some data, analyzed conscious of its limitations, is always better than no data when determining a vision for growth.
The results could also be a part of a broader assessment report provided to students at parent-teacher conferences. Sharing data with parents regarding their child’s learning can help to empower them to take a more active role in their child’s education, resulting in potentially more engaged students in class.
An examination of individual student scores could provide helpful information regarding areas of strength and areas in need of development. This could help the teacher to individualize and personalize future instruction to better meet that student’s need and close skill and knowledge gaps.
Finally, on a broader school-wide or district-wide level, the results of the EQAO test could be used to help to map out modifications to curricula and to determine what new initiatives would best serve the most students and teachers in general. Some data, analyzed conscious of its limitations, is always better than no data when determining a vision for growth.
References:
Education Quality and Accountability Office. (2012) Understanding Levels of Achievement: Using EQAO Information to Improve Student Learning 2012: Junior Division. Toronto: Queen’s Printer for Ontario. Retrieved from: http://www.eqao.com/en/assessments/junior-division/assessment-docs/understanding-achievement-levels-junior-division.pdf
Education Quality and Accountability Office. (2015) EQAO Home. Retrieved from: http://www.eqao.com
Education Quality and Accountability Office. (2012) Understanding Levels of Achievement: Using EQAO Information to Improve Student Learning 2012: Junior Division. Toronto: Queen’s Printer for Ontario. Retrieved from: http://www.eqao.com/en/assessments/junior-division/assessment-docs/understanding-achievement-levels-junior-division.pdf
Education Quality and Accountability Office. (2015) EQAO Home. Retrieved from: http://www.eqao.com