SKeVA Introduction A Self Guided Tour of the A Self Guided Tour of the SKeVA System
Contact Information Main email: skeva@tamu.edu Phone: (979) 862-1151
SKeVA : Science Keyword Vocabulary Assessment What is SKeVA? An online progress monitoring system of science key word vocabulary An online data based method for making decisions about instructional practices Who can use it? Specifically designed for 5 th and 8 th grade Has been used with students from 1 st -12 th grade Contains inclusive TEKS vocabulary ***Most state standards reflect national standards and have a great deal of overlap. Compare to your state by clicking the link (below) http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=6148
SKeVA Background Sponsored by Texas Education Agency and Texas A&M University Lead Researchers: Dr. Kimberly Vannest, Dr. Richard Parker Project entering fifth year Has been used by over 15,000 students and 500 faculty/staff t ff members across Texas
What is Progress Monitoring? Consists of frequent tests or check-ups that provide feedback on the skills being taught Allows teachers to evaluate student learning Enhances ability to evaluate the effectiveness of instruction or interventions Facilitates necessary changes to improve students academic progress
What is Progress Monitoring? Conducted in an on-going fashion Informs instruction ti Can be used to estimate rates of improvement for each student Helpful to evaluate effectiveness of instruction
Components of Effective Progress Monitoring Well-defined target behavior or skill A measurement strategy Student s baseline level of performance Intervention Goal Graph progress A plan for making decisions
Why Use Progress Monitoring? Progress Monitoring, unlike Pre/Post testing, allows you to assess the retention of materials over longer (6-12 weeks) periods of time English and mathematics have used Progress Monitoring successfully for years Science has struggled with incorporating seemingly unrelated autonomous units in Progress Monitoring
SKeVA as a Progress Monitoring Tool Research shows that keyword assessment is a valid and reliable measure of retention and progress monitoring in science SKeVA is a free, online system available to teachers based on keyword assessment for progress monitoring in science
Why Use SKeVA? Provides instant, online feedback regarding student performance Save time by creating and grading SKeVA tests in seconds Use SKeVA results to communicate with district stakeholders and parents Motivate t students t by using technology and instant feedback Encourage struggling students to track their progress against self scores
Who Can Use it? Free to all teachers and district administrators Requires the use of a computer with internet access Can also be accessed by mobile devices such as ipads, smart phones, etc. Available 24 hours a day
5 th Grade 2500 items 500 keywords SKeVA System Audio (Read Aloud) Support Spanish Language Translations 8 th Grade 1400 items 250 keywords
SKeVA Creation Keywords were gathered from state adopted textbooks, supplemental materials, and through feedback with current teachers Items (questions) were written for each keyword and edited for clarity, relevance, and importance in the curriculum
Components of SKeVA Adding Students and Classes Creation of Tests Test Reports Supplemental Materials and Support
Test Creation The first step is to decide between a Progress Monitoring Test or a Pre/Post Test The two main considerations are: Length of Unit Amount of material within the Unit
Progress Monitoring vs. Pre/Post Testing Pre/Post Test given at the start and conclusion of a unit Represents content learned in that specific unit 5-10 day unit Covers 10-14 Keywords in SKeVA Progress Monitoring Probes (tests) given periodically over a longer unit, 6-12 times Represents content learned in a specific unit AND retained from previous units 6-12 week unit Covers 30-54 Keywords in SKeVA
Which one is right for me? Teachers are generally more familiar with Pre/Post testing Smaller, week-long units that t are specific are better suited for Pre/Post Testing Insect Life Cycle Adaptations of Mammals Scientific Method Longer, more comprehensive units can be assessed with Progress Monitoring Chemistry Physics Solar System
Which One is Right for Me? One of the benefits of SKeVA is that it is possible to use both assessments at the same time Example of combined Unit: Living Things Progress Monitoring: Probe every week for 8 weeks Pre/Post Tests: Mammals, Fish, Reptiles, Amphibians, Birds
Training Set Up In the following slides, you will find screenshots with step by step instructions on how to use the components of SKeVA Each set of instructions will be followed by at least one slide with numbered, written instructions in a simplified format for easy reference later Camtasia Tutorials are available with live captures of the SKeVA system
Hints After each section you will find a slide with helpful hints based on frequently asked questions Although the SKeVA system is relatively easy to learn, you may find it beneficial to print out or save a copy of this presentation for quick access later
Getting Started Log in using your username and password S l t M A t i th i ht Select My Account in the upper right hand corner of the home screen
Adding Classes Enter a desired username and password Enter class names one at a time by selecting Add after each class Select Update when complete
Step by Step: Logging in and Adding Students 1.) Log in using established username and password 2.) Select My Account in upper right hand corner of homepage 3.) Change username and password if desired 4.) Add classes one by one by selecting Add for each class 5.) Select Update ; the screen will not refresh but your changes will be saved
Helpful Hints It is much easier to add classes first, and add students to those classes later rather than vice versa It may be helpful to add an additional tutoring class to your roster at this time; you can create additional practice tests for students who would benefit from extra exposure to materials and assign them to this class only
Adding Students You only add students once to the SKeVA system each year Two options: Manual Upload Excel Spreadsheet Upload The general rule of thumb is For 40 or less students, manual (one by one) upload is more efficient For more than 40 students, the mass upload with the Excel template is more efficient
Manual Upload On the homepage, select Add/Edit/Delete Students under Manage Users A drop down box listing your classes will appear on the left
Manual Upload (2) Select Add Student for the class desired A drop down menu with many fields will appear (see next slide) The only necessary fields are: First and Last Name Class Period PEIMS ID All other fields are optional
Manual Upload (3)
Step by Step: Manual Upload 1.) Select Add/Edit/Delete Students under Manage Students 2.) Select desired class from drop down menu on the left 3.) Select Add Student 4.) Enter student first and last name, class, and PEIMS ID 5.) Select Add Student
Helpful Hints Certain versions of Internet Explorer are incompatible with the adding students feature of SKeVA If you select Add Student and the screen fails to fully load (look at the green bar at the bottom of the screen), you are likely experiencing this difficulty We suggest switching to Safari, Mozilla, or another version of Internet Explorer for adding students only; all other features of SKeVA are unaffected
Excel Upload Select Add/Edit/Delete Students under Manage Users Select Upload Students in the lower left hand side of the screen
Excel Upload (2) Enter the following information in your Excel document: First and Last Name PEIMS ID Class ID (should be automatically generated) Gender Ethnicity Save the document Select Upload Students and follow the listed instructions
Step by Step: Excel Upload 1.) Select Add/Edit/Delete Students from Manage Users on the homepage 2.) Select Excel Template from lower left hand side of the Student Screen 3.) Complete spreadsheet by entering: first and last name, PEIMS ID, gender, and ethnicity (class is completed for you) 4.) Save the spreadsheet 5.) Return to the student screen and select Upload Excel Template 6.) Follow the instructions to browse for your document and upload it to the SKeVA system
Helpful Hints While many other student data fields are optional, you or your district may find it useful to have this information listed for students (ex: free or reduced lunch, SPED, etc.) The manual upload screen is where you will be able to activate the Audio Support and Spanish Language translations
Helpful Hints When adding students, you may come across an error message stating that a student with that first/last name combination already exists in the system You can either create an individual name by adding a suffix or a prefix to that student s s name or add a universal suffix or prefix to all students names for ease of use Ex: Juan Lopez becomes Juan Lopez11; a teacher would automatically add 11 to the end of all last names so that he or she would not have to remember which students had the unique suffix
Creating Tests Select Create a New Test under Manage Tests on the SKeVA Homepage The following are required fields for test creation (Green): Cycle Type Test Name Start Date & End Date Classes Assigned Optional fields include (Orange): Instructions Share test Timer
Test Creation Fields
Creating Tests (2) Once you have completed the required fields, make sure you select the desired classes by highlighting them with your cursor and then selecting add Your selected class should toggle from the left text box to the right Select Save and Continue at the bottom of the screen
Creating Tests (3) The keywords displayed can be narrowed down by selecting either TEKS standards or objectives Any combination of TEKS and objectives can be selected The SKeVA team strongly suggests starting with the entire keyword bank during initial iti test t creation sessions To select from the entire bank of keywords, check each box next to the objectives at the top of the screen Select Save and Continue
Example of Selection Criteria
Selecting Keywords Guidelines: 10-1414 keywords for Pre/Post Tests 30-54 keywords for Progress Monitoring Tests Select keywords by checking the box next to each keyword
Selecting Keywords Notice the Keyword Counter in the center of the blue bar above the keywords; this counter will track your selections there is no need to keep count as you go Select Save and Continue
Example Keyword Selection
Progress Monitoring Tests Progress Monitoring Tests have one additional field that appears during test creation called Number of Probes A probe is simply a progress monitoring test; different terms are used to help easily distinguish between pre/post tests and progress monitoring Enter the number of desired probes in this field, 6-12 Most users start with one probe per week and adjust as needed
Progress Monitoring Test Creation Screen
Step by Step: Test Creation 1.) Select Create New Test under Manage Tests 2.) Complete fields: Cycle Type, Test Name, Start and End Date, Classes 3.) Select desired TEKS or Objectives, select Save and Continue 4) 4.) Select desired d keywords, select Save and Continue
Student View of Test
Helpful Hints Start and End Dates: The SKeVA team strongly suggests selecting today s date as the start date and the last day of the school year as the end date for tests. Once the end date has past the test is inaccessible to students although results will be available for the teacher. Selecting the last day of the school year will ensure that students have access to take the test even if absent, etc.
Helpful Hints Number of Probes: Although as few as six probes can be used with Progress Monitoring, research suggests using as many as possible, up to twelve. Selection Criteria: New SKeVA users should start with general criteria as many TEKS do not have sufficient keywords associated with them to create an entire test
Helpful Hints Share Test: Tests can be shared with other teachers within your school (not within the same district) i t) only if you select Share Test during the creation process Timer: The test timer appears in the upper right hand corner of student test pages; it counts up, will not limit students to a particular time frame, and will not record the time spent on the test. The timer acts as a visual reminder for the student t and allows the teacher to determine, at a glance, how long the student has been working on any one test.
Helpful Hints Error Messages: Occasionally you may see the message Test NOT CREATED, please click here to modify Follow the prompts back to the keyword selection screen and select additional keywords as needed to complete your test
Student Access Once your test has successfully created, you can visit your homepage to allow students to access the test. Students must be given explicit access to their tests in order to take them. This allows teachers to create tests for the entire school year without worrying that their eager students t will attempt t tests t on material not yet covered.
Student Access(2) On the SKeVA homepage, scroll down to Upcoming Tests Next to each created test is a field that states Student Access Select Yes when you are ready for students to begin that particular test
Student Access (3) Many teachers choose to allow access at the start of a particular school day or unit Once granted, access cannot be denied O g, to students
Editing Created Tests Select Created Tests under Manage Tests on the SKeVA homepage A list will appear with all created tests with the fields Edit, Delete and View Student t Status t
Editing Created Tests Tests that have not been completed by any students can be edited by selecting the Edit link Tests that have had at least one student start them are locked to editing to ensure that all students receive equivalent tests Teachers can view rosters of which students t have completed tests t by selecting View Status
View Status Screen
Viewing Student Data Student data is available in a variety of formats within the SKeVA system Data can be accessed as Individual Student Reports or as Class wide Reports Reports are organized by overall percentage correct, TEKS standards and objectives, and keywords
Reports Available
Viewing Classwide Reports Select Class Gradebook Report under Manage Reports on the SKeVA homepage Select applicable test name and class
Viewing Classwide Reports Reports can only be viewed for one class at a time Reports are initially presented as overall percentage correct; use the blue links in the upper right hand corner to view data arranged in other formats
Report by Keywords (Numerical)
Report By Keywords (Bar Graph)
Report by Objective
Report by Grade (Numerical)
Report by Grade (Bar Graph)
Special Features: Audio The Audio, or Read Aloud feature uses a human (not digital) voice to pronounce both the questions and available answer choices Students activate the audio by clicking on a black play button on the test screen next to each item or answer Students can utilize the audio as often or as little as they prefer
Special Features: Audio The audio function ensures that science content is being measured for struggling readers (not reading level) Available in 5 th grade only Teachers assign the audio feature for each individual student
Assigning the Audio Support Select Add/Edit/Delete Students from the SKeVA homepage Select the desired class and student for the audio support Click on Edit next to the desired student
Assigning the Audio Support Scroll to the bottom of the page and select the box labeled Audio Support Select Update
Spanish Language Support Spanish Language translations are available for the 5 th grade system only Like the audio, Spanish Language translations must be activated for each individual student
Assigning Spanish Language Support Select Add/Edit/Delete Students from the SKeVA homepage Select the desired class and student for the Spanish Language Support Select Edit
Assigning Spanish Language Support Scroll to the bottom of the available fields and select BOTH ELL and Spanish Language Items are Displayed Select Update
Helpful Hints Only activate the Audio or the Spanish Language Support for each individual student; they are not designed to work together and will read Spanish items in English Consider using headphones for students with Audio Support Remember to check both ELL and Spanish Language Items are Displayed if translations are desired
Helpful Hints Students should begin and end an entire test series of progress monitoring probes or pre/post tests in one language Ex: Students who take probe 1 in Spanish should take all additional probes in Spanish as well When a new test is started, the teacher can switch between English and Spanish at will
Student Access to SKeVA The student access portal is skeva.tamu.edu/students edu/students (PLURAL) Students log in with a username that is automatically generated No passwords for students to remember
Student Access to SKeVA If you had to make a name unique by adding a suffix or prefix, this will be included in the username as well Print out a list of usernames by viewing the Add/Edit/Delete / students link and usernames will appear in the class grid We suggest keeping this list handy the first few times students access SKeVA
Helpful Hints If a student is having trouble logging on to the SKeVA system there are usually two issues at fault: 1.) The student did not properly log off 2.) The student s name has an almost imperceptible space or character mistakenly inserted during the registration process Never fear we have easy solutions to both!
Helpful Hints SKeVA utilizes a specific Log Off link in the upper right hand corner of the screen Students t may at first simply hit the red X to close the screen, which may not register that they have logged off The next time the student t attempts t to log in, they will be blocked because the system believes they never logged out Teachers can log off students t by accessing Add/Edit/Delete Students and selecting Log off All Students
Helpful Hints When adding students, sometimes users inadvertently insert a space before the first letter of a student s name or a special character These small variations can be all but invisible to the user The system will not allow the student t to log on with this discrepancy in place The teacher can reset the student s username by accessing Add/Edit/Delete Student and reentering the student s first and last name, then selecting Update
Data Driven Decision Making What is data driven decision making? How can progress monitoring i or pre/post testing help me make data driven decisions? What are the most common decisions teachers make regarding lesson content?
What is Data Driven Decision Making? Data driven decision making is essentially exactly as it sounds: The ability to form decisions regarding lesson content based on quantitative data regarding student t progress Decisions in the classroom respond directly to individual needs, not to a prescribed plan of teaching
How can SKeVA help me make Data Driven Decisions? SKeVA provides instantaneous, quantitative data SKeVA reports can be accessed by the individual or the class level Sufficient detail is provided within the reports to facilitate decisions regarding future lesson content Data can be compared across multiple time points in progress monitoring
What are the most common Data Driven Decisions? Reteach Remediate Differentiate Mastery
Reteaching Reteaching refers to presenting material to the entire class or a large group an additional time This can include: Material that should have been covered in previous grades but was not retained Material covered in previous lessons that perhaps would be better presented in an alternative method (visual, audio, tactile, etc.)
Reteaching Teachers who use data driven decision making to select content for reteaching often only select the few concepts their students struggle with out of an entire lesson In the SKeVA system, reports break down data by keywords, TEKS Objectives, and standards to allow teachers to easily and quickly assess which topics specifically the class continues to struggle with
In the example to the right, many individuals continue to struggle with the content and the whole class could presumably benefit from reteaching Reteaching
Remediation Remediation refers to offering tutoring or specialized extra practice to individual students who continue to struggle with mastery while the rest of the class performs at acceptable levels The primary difference between reteaching and remediation becomes a question of numbers (How many students would benefit from additional practice or instruction?)
Remediation Remediation at the individual level allows teachers to individualize according to student t needs while maintaining i i the most efficient delivery of content to the class as a whole Teachers can avoid reteaching a concept that most have already mastered by using SKeVA data to pinpoint struggling students and individualize tutoring or practice tests for additional exposure to content
Remediation Example In the example below, only one student continues to struggle with the material and would benefit from remediation
Differentiate Differentiation refers to teaching in different modalities (visual, audio, kinetic, etc) to allow students to process the content according to their own needs and preferences A teacher may decide to differentiate if he or she notices a pattern; for instance, if a student consistently scores well on tests of content taught with pictures, this student may benefit from visual instruction
Mastery Of course, the most delightful data that SKeVA provides is evidence that students are mastering and retaining i concepts throughout the school year SKeVA reports can provide data on mastery of the TEKS Objectives, standards, and keywords Evidence of mastery assures the teacher that he or she can move on to additional content while still preparing p students for end of year assessments
Mastery In the example below, students demonstrate mastery of the topics assessed
Supplemental Materials & Resources On the homepage, you will find additional resources including: Frequently Asked Questions Quick Start Guide Usage Instructions Helpful Hints SKeVA grams Camtasia Tutorials
Thank you We hope you enjoy the SKeVA system! Please contact us at skeva@tamu.edu if you have any questions or if you would like additional teacher accounts created for your school, district or region.