Using Technology to Manage Test Materials Phyllis D. Spencer Director for Local Testing Wake County Public Schools

Co-Presenters Carol L. Jenkins, Senior Director for Testing Wake County Public Schools Brian K. Sumner, Senior Administrator for Alternate Assessments Wake County Public Schools Brian Swiger, NCDPI

Consultants Wake County Public Schools Testing Technicians Barbara Williams Wendell Howard Nelson Surles

EOG Materials – 3-5 Only

Where’s Brian?

Microsoft InfoPath Microsoft Excel/Word Quickr Technology We use many tools to help us manage materials in Wake County. We do not claim to be experts on any of these tools. We just want to share with you what works for us. Tools we have found most helpful are (refer to slide).

InfoPath

An application used to develop XML-based data entry forms InfoPath An application used to develop XML-based data entry forms

This is what you see when you first open the application. This is what the application looks like when you begin the process of designing a new form. Click - top circle …looks like other microsoft products familiar to you Click - special controls and features that InfoPath has. Controls it the main one we use.

InfoPath - Controls Controls Text Box Rich Text Box Drop Down List List Box Date Picker (with pop-up calendar) Check Box (for multiple answer questions) Option Button (for multiple choice questions) Multiple Selection List Box File Attachment Hyperlinks …and many more, as well as customized controls! Once you click on controls you get several options. All the different types of tools you can use in your form.

InfoPath - Forms This is a form we developed to help us keep an inventory of unused books at the school level.

InfoPath-Forms School enters information into the form Save the form Attach and email the form to Testing Office Save forms in a common folder

InfoPath – Exporting to MS Excel Data Export File Export To MS Excel

InfoPath – Export to MS Excel

InfoPath – Add Data

InfoPath – Add Files to Export Highlight all of the files and click okay.

InfoPath – Exporting Data

InfoPath – Completed Spreadsheet In a matter of seconds…

EXAMPLE

EXAMPLE

EXAMPLE

Using MS Excel and MSWord Save time, track materials, and track inventory Using MS Excel and MSWord

All instructions presented are for Microsoft Office 2003 Tracking Materials This process is streamlined using MS Excel and MS Word for: Taking inventory Completing distribution lists Creating test material sign out sheets All instructions presented are for Microsoft Office 2003 Brian will make a note about 2007 during presentation.

MS Excel We used MS Excel last year to manage read aloud materials distribution. We focused on having schools use what they had on hand and we supplement. (explain the spreadsheet)

Mail Merging Information Start With This End With this

Saving the files There are two main files used for creating the distribution list: MS Excel spreadsheet MS Word document/mail merge For WCPSS purposes the files are posted on our internal website School test coordinators download and save the files to their home directory

The Spreadsheet Test coordinators review their precoded answer sheets for each class and fill in their information on the spreadsheet. Date refers to the Test Date AS = Answer Sheet TB = Test Booklet OIPP = One Item Per Page X2 = NCExtend2 Brian will fix this slide

The Spreadsheet The number of answer sheets and test booklets for each class will be calculated in the fields “AS Total” and “TB Total.”

The Spreadsheet Save your changes. Here is an example of how the completed spreadsheet will look. WARNING: After you have entered all the information for your school it is a good idea to delete all the rows with a “0” in the “Ans Shts” and “Books” column. This will keep you from printing extra pages after the information has been mail merged.

Sign Out Now click on the tab labeled “Sign Out” at the bottom left corner of the spread sheet Select fields will transfer to the “Sign Out” worksheet.

Mail Merge Mail merge automatically creates a series of classroom distribution lists. NOTE: You must have already entered information into the spreadsheet before following these steps.

Mail Merge Open the MS Excel spreadsheet and the MS Word document. When you open the MS Word document you may get what looks like an error message. Click “NO.” 

Mail Merge In the MS Word document click Tools click Letters and Mailings click Mail Merge

Mail Merge When the mail merge opens, a side bar will appear on the right side of the window. Click the blue “Next” link toward the bottom right side of the page until you get to “Step 3”

Mail Merge Once on Step 3 click the blue “Browse” link just above the middle of the page. Find and choose the spreadsheet file as your data source by double clicking the file

Mail Merge After double-clicking the file another window will open and you’ll see a box asking you to select a table. Click “OK”

Mail Merge Another window will open showing all the different headings in the spreadsheet. Click “OK”

Mail Merge Click the blue link at the bottom right corner of the screen that says “Next: Write your letter”

Mail Merge Click the blue link at the bottom right corner of the screen that says “Next: Preview your letters”

Mail Merge Here, you’ll be able to look over each page to ensure that all the desired data have been transferred over.

Mail Merge You will be able to print everything once you click on “Complete the merge.”

Mail Merge We recommend test coordinators either save or .pdf the document for each day to keep a running record. We also recommend printing each day on a different color of paper to avoid confusion. WARNING: If you didn’t delete the extra rows in your original spreadsheet you will end up printing several extra pages.

Quickr

Quickr Quickr is an IBM application we have used for many years to store and share data with schools. With recent upgrades Test Coordinators can use it as a secure method of communicating certain confidential information to us.

Quickr As you can see it is a repository for many data related documents. How do you use it to help manage materials?

Quickr –Alternate Assessments Brian our Senior Administrator for alternate assessments uses it to share with schools who we have listed as students who should be on alternate assessments. Schools can download and update the spread sheet as new students are added and upload the information immediately. Brian sends out monthly emails for updates and this way he is able to maintain an accurate count of materials needed for testing throughout the year. (Refer to Brian for futher input.)

Quickr – Material Management Barbara also uses Quickr to post final documentation on materials released to schools during testing. She can post them for all schools testing in one place, at one time. Schools go in print off the form and verify their materials and bring the form with them on turn-in day.

Contact Us Wake County Public Schools Testing Office – testingoffice@wcpss.net Phone: 919-856-3788 Fax: 856-3026 Carol L. Jenkins, Sr. Director – cjenkins@wcpss.net Phyllis D. Spencer, Director – pdspencer@wcpss.net Brian K. Sumner, Sr. Admin. – bksumner@wcpss.net Barbara S. Williams, Testing Technician – bswilliams@wcpss.net Wendell Howard, Testing Technician – whoward@wcpss.net Nelson Surles, Testing Technician – dsurles@wcpss.net David Holdzkom, Assistant Superintendent, Evaluation and Research – dholdzkom@wcpss.net