Training & Support
Last year I was pleased to share the latest upgrades to our Testwise assessment platform, chief among which was the launch of the GL Data Dashboard that allows schools and teachers to see all of their assessment results – current and historical – in one, easy-to-use place.
At the time, I said it was less a one-off event and more an indication of the type of iterative process you should expect with Testwise – not least by using customer feedback to make additional improvements.
Over the past few months, we’ve been able to go further. By analysing data patterns and usage, we’ve been able to anticipate where we can make additional adjustments and improvements. This has enabled us to amplify the functionality of the dashboard and refine our assessments in three key areas.
1. Improved student experience
It’s essential that the data we capture is accurate, reliable and of the highest possible quality. We noticed, however, that students can become distracted by ‘browser clutter’ and, in some cases, can access AI tools through bookmarks or favourites to help them answer assessment questions.
The solution was to move to full screen to ensure students focused on the assessment at hand and weren’t distracted or tempted to click on browser options. We also noticed that occasionally students inadvertently opened a second tab mid-test that took them away from the original assessment. Should they do this, they now receive an error message advising them to close the second tab and return to the first to complete the assessment.
2. Additional data insight
Customers have a wealth of New Group Reading Test (NGRT) data that they can use to identify students’ strengths and weaknesses, but they often feel unsure about what to do next – how can they best support them with the most appropriate interventions?
Our Reading Support Pathway helps teachers distil the data and apply it effectively but sensitively. It enables them to understand the nuance of need, providing them with clear suggestions on how they can fine-tune support to give students the ‘right’ help in the ‘right’ way.
3. Better management of student data
Testwise is now connected to Wonde, which means student IDs are automatically inputted, improving accuracy and saving time. We are also in the process of enabling schools that use both paper and online tests to see the results in one place on Testwise, which means data is now accessible in whichever form best suits customers and which enables easier cross-reporting.
We have also introduced upgrades that:
- Allow users to merge data themselves
- Make it easier to check if student information is correct and up to date, and
- Add an identity confirmation stage to prevent students logging on as the wrong user.
What’s next?
WellComm Digital
This month, we launched a new digital version of our highly regarded speech and language screening toolkit, WellComm. It takes just 15 minutes and outcomes are displayed online using a traffic light system to quickly identify children with communication gaps.
Once screening is complete, assessors are automatically signposted to specific activities from a bank of 150 online interventions that they can put in place even while waiting for specialist support.
As it’s suitable for children aged six months to 11 years, it provides a reliable baseline at the outset and allows professionals in early years and primary schools to act immediately to address any speech, language and communication needs with appropriate support.
New Group Maths Test
Launching in September and complementing our popular New Group Reading Test (NGRT) and New Group Spelling Test (NGST), the New Group Maths Test (NGMT) is designed for learners aged 6 – 12 years. It will use a standardised, nationally representative sample of over 10,000 learners to give teachers the insight into students’ numeracy skills that NGRT and NGST gives them into students’ reading, comprehension and spelling skills.
NGMT will allow teachers to establish an accurate measure of maths attainment, pinpoint areas of relative strength and weakness, measure curriculum effectiveness within and across schools and put meaningful information in the hands of specialist and non-specialist teachers. Register your interest for this new assessment here.
Personalised Testwise home page
We recognise that the plethora of data teachers are confronted with can make the job of information management daunting. Are assessments going to schedule? Who has missed them and needs to reschedule? Do I have enough credits to last? And so on.
A home page should do more than just show you options of where you could go. To enable our customers to work more efficiently and productively, we are in the process of upgrading and personalising our Testwise home pages by providing snapshots of the most important information teachers might need to know at any particular time, allowing them to prioritise more effectively and to feel confident that everything is under control.
Alongside this will be a visual refresh because we appreciate that the platform’s looks haven’t kept pace with its enhanced functionality. So we’re working on a facelift – a fresher design that will not only look better but be easier to navigate, too. More on that will follow soon.
Assessment data API
And finally, we are aiming to allow Testwise data to be extracted easily and put into school groups’ MIS. This will enable customers, even if they have different systems in multiple schools, to move our data into whatever data ecosystem they have.
But it doesn’t stop there. As I indicated at the outset, updating Testwise is an iterative process of constant improvement. Your collaboration is a necessary part of that process – because we are building a product with you, not just for you.
