Preparing for PARCC - Blog Series Part XI

Preparing for PARCC

Building Comfort with the 

PARCC Math Equation Editors

This post is part of our blog series on PARCC. In this series, we offer tips and strategies you can use to ensure that your students perform at their very best on the PARCC tests.

Imagine you are a student taking the PARCC Summative Assessment for Math online. As you click, drag and drop, and make other answer selections, you encounter an item with a large text box that has selections that look much like calculator functions. Perhaps, it is a calculator (it is not). You have encountered one of the PARCC Equation Editors. If this is your first encounter with the editor, it may appear as a “BIG SCARY BOX.”

Many software programs provide equation editors that are useful for creating math expressions and equations. Most equation editors provide symbols for the mathematical operations (+, -, *, ÷). Other symbols are provided such as <, π, . Equation editors are not universal in design; each software program can have a unique editor. Because many students are beginners with keyboarding skills, they may have little to no experience with equation editors.

The PARCC online assessments are delivered on the TestNav8 software program and have unique equation editors.

The Basic Equation Editor is provided as the answer box with an item that requires the student to construct the math answer. The Basic Equation Editor is provided because the answer may require the use of special functions. For example, an item may have this instruction: “Enter only the fraction.” It is not possible to enter fractions in a simple text box using a standard keyboard on the TestNav8 software program. However the Basic Equation Editor has a special fraction function. Here is a screenshot of the Basic Equation Editor for various grade bands:

Notice how the functions are different for each grade band.

The Open Equation Editor is provided as the answer box for items that require the student to enter words and math. PARCC Type II and Type III items with hand-scored responses will include the Open Equation Editor. Here is a screenshot of the Open Equation Editor for each grade band:

PARCC has provided both equation editors at all grade bands for practice. On the PARCC Pearson.com website, select the “Test Preparations” drop-down menu. Then select “Tutorials.”

On the right-hand side of the page, there is a menu of selections for the Equation Editors:

The Equation Editor Guide is a PDF on how to use the editors to create responses. A separate guide is provided for each grade band.

Select the “Practice with the Equation Editor” drop-down menu for online practice with equation editors. Here are some suggestions for providing students with a practice experience:

• Allow students to practice entering sample answers. Create a document of sample math answers that make use of the various functions on the Basic Equation Editor. For example, for grade 3:

                     

• Allow students to respond on paper to a sample PARCC Type II or Type III practice item. Ask the student to enter the response in the Open Equation Editor online.
• Continue with practice experiences online using the PARCC practice tests. The equation editors are provided with the items, as needed. 
• Provide a poster of the editors in the classroom or a small printed image of the editors for each student to reference as needed. This allows the editors to be reviewed frequently. Students can identify the function keys that are needed to create specific answers. As a result, the functions are familiar and visible each day in the classroom, not just when practicing on the PARCC website.
• Use a screenshot of the editors on classroom paper items as the answer box. Ask the students to circle any functions they used in their responses.

The Equation Editor Tutorials provide helpful hints and practice. It highlights various features and operational techniques for entering responses.

Students have varying abilities with keyboarding. The same is true with the equation editors. Each student’s learning curve is unique. Experience with the online editors is necessary to build familiarity with the tool and ease of use. Building a level of comfort will allow students to be more confident with online assessment and to focus more on the content of the assessment items, instead of the software platform. There is no reason why the equation editor should be the “BIG SCARY BOX.”

Standards Solution and Inspired Instruction offer 540 PARCC lesson plans, online PARCC-like assessments with technology-enhanced items, PARCC workshops, and PARCC demonstration lessons. Please contact Judy Cataldi for more information. 

Judy.cataldi@standardssolution.com or call 908-223-7202.

Standards Solution Holding, LLC is not owned by or affiliated in any fashion with PARCC, Inc.

Preparing for PARCC - Blog Series Part X

Preparing for PARCC

 Gaining a Greater Understanding 

of 

PARCC’s Type I Math Items

This post is part of our blog series on PARCC. In this series, we offer tips and strategies you can use to ensure that your students perform at their very best on the PARCC tests.

When I was a classroom teacher, I often asked myself, “What can I do to provide my students with an authentic summative assessment-like experience that will enhance their learning and not interrupt the instruction?” For me, the answer was to understand the design of released summative assessment items and to incorporate similar items in the classroom.

PARCC has shown itself to be transparent. They’ve disclosed the summative assessment structure and focus, evidence statements, and released items from the 2014-2015 PBA and EOY assessments, and provided testing tutorials, practice tests, and other support materials. According to the PARCC Claims Structure (Grades 3-8, HS), more than 50% of the total points on the 2015-2016 summative assessment in math are from Type I items (Sub-Claims A and B). Making sure your students understand Type I items is essential to their success.

What Are PARCC Type I Items?

Type I Tasks assess concepts, skills, and procedures:

• Balance of conceptual understanding, fluency, and application
• Can involve any or all mathematical practice standards
• Machine-scored, including innovative, computer-based formats
• Sub-claims A and B, including fluencies

What Do Type I Items Look Like?

Before PARCC, most state summative assessments included mainly multiple choice and short-constructed response items that were used to measure concepts, skills, and procedures. The level of rigor was limited. In some previous assessments, the lack of quality distractors and/or the effective implementation of simple testing strategies could allow students to score well, but the scores were not a true reflection of the students’ understanding of the concepts. With the new styles of PARCC summative assessment items and the design of high quality distractors, the level of rigor is increased. Students need a deep level of understanding of the math concepts, and they need to apply reasoning and other critical thinking skills. There are two categories of PARCC items:

Constructed Response: The student constructs the answer. This could be a single number, an expression, equation or inequality, and/or a completed mathematical model.

Here’s an example of a PARCC machine-scored Type I item in which the student constructs the answer:

Selected Response: A selection of possible responses are provided; the student selects the correct response(s). There are at least seven different styles of these technology-enhanced items. Some of these styles include: Drag and Drop, Multiple Select, Multiple Choice, Drop-Down Menus, Sort by Category, Reorder the selections. 

Here’s an example of a PARCC machine-scored Type I in which the student selects the answer:

The best way to see the PARCC Type I items is to access the website: http://parcc.pearson.com/

In the menu, select Test Preparation. You will find tutorials and practice tests. I highly recommend engaging in the Student On-line Tutorial  for your grade band. Descriptions of the styles of items and sample items are provided. Also, I highly recommend taking the on-line EOY practice test  for the grade/course you teach. As you engage with the practice items, ask yourself, “What features within the items will be challenging for my students?” 

Consider these features:

• Imbedded Vocabulary
• “Teachers should use strategies for involving students in reading, writing, speaking, and listening as necessary to meet the mathematics standards — for example, to understand the meanings of specialized vocabulary, symbols, units and expressions to support students in attending to precision (MP.6)…”  
• Details in Directions
• Each item has its own specific directions that describe how to record the answer.  Students should highlight directions. Refer to: How to Respond to PARCC Math Items “Direction Detective”  blog.
• Technology Skills
• Notice the technology skills needed to provide the response.
• Design of Distractors
• When identifying distractors, consider how a student may solve the problem incorrectly. This incorrect response is usually one of the distractors. Notice that the distractors are not obvious; this increases the rigor.

Consider the features in this PARCC sample item:

What content is measured by the PARCC Type I Items?

PARCC has disclosed the Evidence Statements  used by the assessment designers.

“Evidence Statements describe the knowledge and skills that an assessment item or a task elicits from students. These are aligned directly to the Common Core State Standards, and highlight their advances especially around the coherent nature of the standards.” 

Evidence Statements include information on "Clarifications, Limits and Emphasis," related "Mathematical Practices" and "Calculator Designations." 

When examining the document, notice the first column on the left side of the table. It identifies the PARCC Sub-Claim. Type I items are Sub-Claims A and B.

A great way to connect the Evidence Statements to the practice test items is to:

• Print the answer key to the practice test. It provides the Evidence Statement Key aligned to the items. 
• Find the matching key in the Evidence Statement Table.
• Review the assessment item. 

This comparison will allow you to gain insights on how a standard is being measured on the summative assessment.

Standards Solution and Inspired Instruction offer 540 PARCC lesson plans, online PARCC-like assessments with technology-enhanced items, PARCC workshops, and PARCC demonstration lessons. Please contact Judy Cataldi for more information. 

Judy.cataldi@standardssolution.com or call 908-223-7202.

Standards Solution Holding, LLC is not owned by or affiliated in any fashion with PARCC, Inc.