PHS CARPStacey, Cameron, Matt, Cat, Brennan

Area of NeedStudents have difficulty taking tests because

they don’t understand the language or intent of the questions.

“Often students do not know how to devise a plan to use for studying and are unorganized when they come to the test, which can result in lower test scores” (Bass et al. 2002, p. 27)

Our Strategy 1. Identifying Key Words

- Circle the word that tells you what to do

2. Rephrase Test Questions- Student puts question in his/her own words

Purpose of our ResearchTo see if explicitly teaching test-taking skills

will improve students’ overall test-taking ability.

Increase test scores across subject areas.Improve classroom assessment and high stakes

testing scores.

RationaleHow does this tie into school improvement?

Principal Highsmith identified that interpreting test questions is difficult for students across disciplines

Example: AlgebraWhy is this significant? (“so what?”)

Nearly all subjects require some kind of high-stakes test

This project can ameliorate test-taking ability across disciplines

May lead to improvement of test scores HSA, SAT, AP

PopulationBiology, AP Environmental Science, Social

Studies, and English studentsBeneficial to all students Could help HSA and AP scores

Strategy Justification“In order to perform well on a test a student

needs to develop effective strategies for reading, learning, and studying” (Bass et al. 2002, p. 27)

Peer-reviewed research supports the specific test-taking strategies that we have chosen (Chittooran & Miles 2001)

Research Questions1. Did our strategies help students become better test

takers?2. Do students use the strategies that we suggest?

Description of ProceduresAdministering pre-test of test-taking

strategiesTeach mini-lesson on strategies (one per

week)Post-test to assess effectiveness of lessons

Data Collection PlanPre/Post Assessment

Student Work Shadowing

Did our strategies help students become better test takers?

Affective questions about test-taking strategies

We will use evidence of strategy on student work

Do students use the strategies that we suggest?

We will look at tests for evidence of voluntary strategy-use

We will monitor and keep a written record about students while they are taking tests

Observation GuidelinesThe following will be done at least three

times during the study: Look for supplemental marks on tests other

than answer indication.Look for student use of test strategy skills

without being prompted.

Pre-post AssessmentShort Lickert Scale questionnaireSample question:1. How often do you circle or underline parts of a test question to help you answer that question?

1 – Never2 – Not often3 – Sometimes4 – Very often5 - Always

Pre/Post Data AnalysisWe analyzed our data using a paired T-Test to

test for significance.

We wanted to know if there was a significant difference in students responses between the pre and post test surveys

Pre/Post Data AnalysisWe configured our survey results so that a 5

on the Lickert scale was always positive.Scored student pre/post tests for each of our

classesCompared pretest and posttest results of

each class using a T-Test (alpha level 0.05). Compiled data across classes and compared

pretest and posttest results using a T-Test (alpha level 0.05).

Class Data – Ms. Meyer 1st period standard biology n=15Pretest Average = 18.5Posttest Average = 17.8p > 0.05 so the treatment effect was not

significant

This means that implementing implicit and explicit instruction in our two test-taking strategies did not produce a significant effect.

Observations/Student WorkI observed very few students using the

strategies during class workResults were slightly better when I looked at

students quizzes and observed students while testing which was encouraging. Ex. Organelle vs. Process

Class Data – Mr. StoneData from 4 Periods of Academic Englishn = 76Pre Test Average = 16.50Post Test Average = 17.42p = .034034Since p < .05, this means that implementing

implicit and explicit instruction in our two test-taking strategies did produce a significant effect.

Observations/Student WorkI observed a moderate amount of students

using the strategies during daily class work. However, during exams when students were

reminded of the strategies and encouraged to use them I observed a greater number of students applying the strategies.

Class Data – Mr. DavisSocial Studies

Class Data – Ms. HollandEnglish

Class Data – Mr. Leischer English

Overall Results After performing a T-Test using data from all

of our students combined we found that our treatment effect was not significant

p = 0.0581 n=256

Since our data is approaching significance it may be that with more time and/or more data points the effect may be significant.