Is the Pen Mightier than the Keyboard? The Effect of Online Testing on Measured Student Achievement
Backes, Ben; Cowan, James (2019). Economics of Education Review v68 p89-103. Retrieved from: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED595015
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examining232,891Students, grades5-8
IES Performance Measure
Review Details
Reviewed: October 2019
- IES Performance Measure (findings for Computer-based Tests (CBT))
- Quasi-Experimental Design
- Meets WWC standards with reservations because it uses a cluster quasi-experimental design that provides evidence of effects on individuals by satisfying the baseline equivalence requirement for the individuals in the analytic intervention and comparison groups.
This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Findings
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Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) - Math |
Computer-based Tests (CBT) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Grades 5 though 8;
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N/A |
N/A |
Yes |
-- |
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) - ELA |
Computer-based Tests (CBT) vs. Business as usual |
0 Days |
Grades 5 though 8;
|
N/A |
N/A |
Yes |
-- |
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Sample Characteristics
Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.
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6% English language learners -
Female: 49%
Male: 51% -
Rural, Suburban, Urban
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Massachusetts
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Race Asian 6% Black 10% Other or unknown 84% -
Ethnicity Hispanic 16% Not Hispanic or Latino 84%
Study Details
Setting
The study took place at 658 elementary and middle schools in Massachusetts. Students in grade 5 through grade 8 are included in the analysis. (p.91)
Study sample
Students across the entire state of Massachusetts are included in the analysis. The grade 5 through 8 analytic sample includes 10 percent African American students, 6 percent are Asian students, and 16 percent are Hispanic students. Thirty-eight percent of students are eligible for free/reduced price lunch, 6 percent are English learners, and 17 percent are special education. (p. 95)
Intervention Group
Students in the intervention condition were administered the online version of the PARCC assessment. The online and paper formats of the PARCC assessment included a set of common questions which were linked in order to compare scores across modes. The online assessment featured an interactive format in which students selected items from drop-down menus, moved selected text with their mouse or keypad, and scrolled down the page to read passages and write responses. (p. 89).
Comparison Group
Students in the comparison condition were administered the paper version of the PARCC assessment. (p.89)
Support for implementation
No support for the online administration of the PARCC assessments is described in the study.
An indicator of the effect of the intervention, the improvement index can be interpreted as the expected change in percentile rank for an average comparison group student if that student had received the intervention.
For more, please see the WWC Glossary entry for improvement index.
An outcome is the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are attained as a result of an activity. An outcome measures is an instrument, device, or method that provides data on the outcome.
A finding that is included in the effectiveness rating. Excluded findings may include subgroups and subscales.
The sample on which the analysis was conducted.
The group to which the intervention group is compared, which may include a different intervention, business as usual, or no services.
The timing of the post-intervention outcome measure.
The number of students included in the analysis.
The mean score of students in the intervention group.
The mean score of students in the comparison group.
The WWC considers a finding to be statistically significant if the likelihood that the finding is due to chance alone, rather than a real difference, is less than five percent.
The WWC reviews studies for WWC products, Department of Education grant competitions, and IES performance measures.
The name and version of the document used to guide the review of the study.
The version of the WWC design standards used to guide the review of the study.
The result of the WWC assessment of the study. The rating is based on the strength of evidence of the effectiveness of the intervention. Studies are given a rating of Meets WWC Design Standards without Reservations, Meets WWC Design Standards with Reservations, or >Does Not Meet WWC Design Standards.
A related publication that was reviewed alongside the main study of interest.
Study findings for this report.
Based on the direction, magnitude, and statistical significance of the findings within a domain, the WWC characterizes the findings from a study as one of the following: statistically significant positive effects, substantively important positive effects, indeterminate effects, substantively important negative effects, and statistically significant negative effects. For more, please see the WWC Handbook.
The WWC may review studies for multiple purposes, including different reports and re-reviews using updated standards. Each WWC review of this study is listed in the dropdown. Details on any review may be accessed by making a selection from the drop down list.
Tier 1 Strong indicates strong evidence of effectiveness,
Tier 2 Moderate indicates moderate evidence of effectiveness, and
Tier 3 Promising indicates promising evidence of effectiveness,
as defined in the
non-regulatory guidance for ESSA
and the regulations for ED discretionary grants (EDGAR Part 77).