This document contains reports from the 2001 Math Online (MOL) study and the 2002 Writing Online (WOL) study, both field investigations in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Technology-Based Assessment Project, which explored the use of new technology in NAEP. In the MOL study, nationally representative samples of fourth- and eighth-grade students were administered a computer-based mathematics test and a test of computer facility, among other measures. In addition, at the eighth-grade level, a randomly parallel group of students was administered a paper-based test containing the same items as the computer-based test. Results showed that the computer-based mathematics test was significantly harder than the paper-based test for eighth-grade students. At both grade levels, computer facility predicted online mathematics test performance after controlling for performance on a paper-based mathematics test, suggesting that degree of familiarity with computers may matter when taking a computer-based mathematics test in NAEP. In the WOL study, a nationally representative sample of eighth-grade students was administered a computer-based writing test and a test of computer facility, among other measures. The performance of this sample was compared to a second nationally representative group taking the same writing test in main NAEP. Results showed that average scores on the computer-based writing test were generally not significantly different from average scores on the paper-based writing test. However, as in the Math Online study, computer familiarity was associated with online test performance (after controlling for performance on a paper-based writing test), suggesting that the student's computer skill level may affect online writing test performance in NAEP.
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