TECHNOLOGY-BASED ASSESSMENT FOR LEP LEARNERS IN VOCATIONAL AND EMPLOYMENT TRAINING PROGRAMS

TO MEET THE NEEDS OF VOCATIONAL AND EMPLOYMENT-RELATED TRAINING PROGRAMS, THE FIELD REQUIRES ASSESSMENT MEASURES THAT GO BEYOND CONVENTIONAL PAPER AND PENCIL, AND MULTIPLE CHOICE TESTS. INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES SUCH AS VIDEOS, COMPUTERS, AND INTERACTIVE VIDEODISCS CAN SERVE THAT NEED BY PRESENTING INFORMATION IN VISUAL AND AUDITORY FORM, ALLOWING TEST-TAKERS TO SOLVE PROBLEMS AND MAKE DECISIONS, AND FACILITATING TEST ADMINISTRATION AND SCORING. TO IMPROVE TESTING EFFORTS, AGUIRRE INTERNATIONAL PROPOSES A THREE PHASE PROJECT. PHASE I WILL DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF AN INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY-BASED TEST. PHASE II WILL DEVELOP THE TEST AND PRODUCE A SHORT ASSESSMENT GUIDE. PHASE III WILL DISSEMINATE THE TWO PRODUCTS. PHASE I WILL EXPLORE THE FEASIBILITY OF DEVELOPING ONE WELL DESIGNED, EDUCATIONALLY SOUND, TECHNOLOGY-BASED ASSESSMENT MEASURE THAT IS SENSITIVE TO THE DIVERSITY OF PROGRAM CONTEXTS, PRACTICAL, AND COST-EFFECTIVE. DURING PHASE I, WE WILL MEET THREE OBJECTIVES: 1) DETERMINE THE NEEDS OF THE FIELD AND MATCH THEM WITH THE MOST APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE TO MEET THOSE NEEDS; 2) OUTLINE A SHORT ASSESSMENT GUIDE; AND 3) PRODUCE A PLAN FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY-BASED ASSESSMENT.