SQA Adapted Digital Question Papers: The story so far…. Paul D. Nisbet CALL Scotland University of Edinburgh

Adapted Digital Papers 2006 (pilot) 2007 (pilot) Number of centres Number of candidates Number of requests ,1671,962 Number of candidates / centre Number of requests / candidates

Requests for Adapted Digital Papers

2009 requests by local authority AuthorityRequestsAuthorityRequests Fife Council 149 The Moray Council 31 The City of Edinburgh 122 Highland Council 22 Falkirk97 Shetland Islands Council 18 Dumfries and Galloway 89 North Ayrshire Council 16 Aberdeenshire65 North Lanarkshire Council 15 Dundee City 62 Renfrewshire Council 13 South Ayrshire 60 East Dunbartonshire Council 7 Perth & Kinross 59 East Renfrewshire Council 4 Aberdeen City 52 Midlothian Council 4 West Lothian 45 Western Isles Council 2 City of Glasgow 42 East Ayrshire Council 1 Scottish Borders 41 South Lanarkshire Council 1 Argyll and Bute 38 Stirling36 FE Colleges 21 Inverclyde33 Independent Secondary Schools 22

2009 requests by schools 2009 CentresRequestsLocal Authority Queen Anne High School122 Fife The Royal High School82 City of Edinburgh Bo'ness Academy68 Stranraer Academy62 Dumfries & Galloway Prestwick Academy60 South Ayrshire Kinross High School59 Perth & Kinross Mintlaw Academy48 Aberdeenshire Ashcraig School37 Glasgow City Campbeltown Grammar School37 Argyll & Bute Peebles High School35 Scottish Borders Aboyne Academy34 Aberdeenshire St Columba's High School (Gourock)33 Inverclyde St Paul's RC Academy32 Dundee City Holy Rood High School30 City of Edinburgh Buckie High School29 Moray

2009 requests by subject (subjects with requests > 10) Subject Number of requestsSubject Number of requests English284French39 Biology98 Modern Studies 37 History92 Physical Education 36 Computing Studies 91Mathematics29 Geography76 Business Management 28 Chemistry50Drama28 Craft & Design 50 Home Economics 22 Administration48 Mathematics: Maths 1, 2 and 3 12 Physics42German11

Reasons for requesting ADPs, 2009

Pupils’ comments 2006 & 2007 Prefer it to using a scribe. Easier to give answers. Easy to do. You can see both the questions and the text at the same time. Enjoyed using it! I would prefer to have split screens so that I could see questions and tables together instead of having to refer to another page.

Pupils’ comments 2006 & 2007 Papers are simpler to use. You do not have to fiddle about with different papers. By switching windows, you can see both the question and the text at the same time. Because it is much easier to use than a reader

Staff evaluations 2006 trials

Pupils’ results with digital papers “Candidates’ results from digital papers are similar to their teachers’ estimates” “Candidates’ results from digital papers are similar to their teachers’ estimates” “there appears to be little difference between [marks awarded for] entries using digital papers and the other entries sat by the same candidates” “there appears to be little difference between [marks awarded for] entries using digital papers and the other entries sat by the same candidates” Nisbet, P.D., Shearer, N., Balfour, F., Aitken, S., (2006) SQA Adapted Examination Papers in Digital Format: Feasibility Report Nisbet, P.D., Shearer, N., Balfour, F., Aitken, S., (2006) SQA Adapted Examination Papers in Digital Format: Feasibility Report

Reliability “Digital exams were the only part of the 2007 diet which did not cause significant problems – they simply worked. Probably this was assisted by more stringent attention to detail, adequate risk assessment, etc.” “Digital exams were the only part of the 2007 diet which did not cause significant problems – they simply worked. Probably this was assisted by more stringent attention to detail, adequate risk assessment, etc.” “I personally would like to see digital exams as the default choice for pupils with physical disabilities, and paper, helpers, scribes etc as options which would need to be specially requested, because I believe they are empowering, less difficult to administer and cost- effective.” “I personally would like to see digital exams as the default choice for pupils with physical disabilities, and paper, helpers, scribes etc as options which would need to be specially requested, because I believe they are empowering, less difficult to administer and cost- effective.”

Accommodation “We had 2 rooms set up with double sized tables to allow a comfortable amount of room for laptop and papers. Each candidate was allocated a table which was the same for each exam. All tables were numbered and we made use of screen dividers which created a booth effect and cut down distractions and gave a certain amount of privacy in the small classroom. We had 9 candidates sitting the exam in digital format and 2 writing in the same room for the Standard Grade English exam. Candidates names and numbers were on the desks, and times.”

% of AA candidates using ADPs (12 schools )

2008 requests to support writing (46 centres using ADPs) “We really appreciate this format of exam paper. The pupils are generally much happier to be independent rather than depend on scribes and readers. This year all our S3 and S4s sat the SG English examination at the same time. If we had had to provide readers and/or scribes for this we would not have been able to staff it.”

Support for writing (12 centres using ADPs)

Support for reading (data from 18 centres in 2008)

Text-reading software

Use of readers

Cost analysis: School ‘H’ English Standard Grade, 5 pupils using ADPs instead of reader/scribes RoomsTime Reader/scribe time Reading General 5 1 hour 5 hours Reading Credit 5 1 hour 5 hours Writing F/G/C hours 7.5 hours Total hours/ pupil 17.5 hours

School ‘H’ Standard Grade: digital papers for 5 pupils 5 pupils, 5 computers, 1 room 5 pupils, 5 computers, 1 room Preparation time (SfL): 1 hour? Preparation time (SfL): 1 hour? Technician time: 2 hours? Technician time: 2 hours? Running time (SfL): 3.15 hours? Running time (SfL): 3.15 hours? Total:7.15 hours Total:7.15 hours

School ‘H’ readers/scribes vs. digital Readers / scribes Digital Papers Saving Staff hours hours Staff £25/half day £250 £143 * £107 Staff £20/hour £350£143£207 Staff £200/day £1000£143£857 Rooms51 4 rooms School H buys in all readers/scribes at £25 per half day. The school saved £1000 by using ADPs in * Cost calculated at £20/hour

Costs of readers/scribes 16,554 reader requests; 14,197 scribe requests 16,554 reader requests; 14,197 scribe requests ~ 30,000 individual exams ~ 30,000 individual exams ~ 60,000 hours ~ 60,000 hours Say average £20/hour for reader/scribe? Say average £20/hour for reader/scribe? = £1,200,000 Say £10/hour for invigilator? Say £10/hour for invigilator? = £600,000 TOTAL = £1.8 m in Scotland per annum TOTAL = £1.8 m in Scotland per annum