Tips and Hints for Taking the SEC (Teachers)

Oregon SEC Collaborative

Having agreed to take the survey you understand the commitment of time that is necessary to provide an accurate picture of instruction in your classroom. This document is based on the experiences of teachers who have taken the survey and is designed to provide you with the information they “wished they had known” when they began the process.

  • You will be answering questions in the survey based on your instruction for the current school year. Have materials available that will remind you what you taught this entire school year (lesson plan book, textbooks, etc.)
  • When registering your username the first time you log into the SEC, you will need to pick a name not already in the system. For example, if you want to use your first name but someone else has already registered with that name, you can add an underscore or number to make it unique. Do not use your full e-mail address as your username.
  • The program will log you off after 20 minutes of no activity. If you have to take a break from the survey, finish up the section you’re on and click “submit.” All your data up to that point will be saved. No information will be saved without clicking “submit.”
  • Do not use the “back” button on the web browser if you want to view a previous screen. If you need to go to a previous screen, use the “back” button on the survey screen you are working on.
  • After you complete the surveys, but before you view your results, you can go back and edit. However, you may not edit after you have looked at your own data.
  • Previewing the printed copy of the survey can be especially helpful in preparing you to answer the questions related to level of cognitive demand. For time saving purposes, however, it is not recommended that you complete the entire survey on paper and then enter it into the computer.
  • Consider taking the survey in the computer lab (or wherever you have access to more than one computer) at the same time as another teacher. It can be helpful to discuss questions you’re not sure how to answer as you’re taking the survey. Don’t worry – this isn’t cheating!!!
  • To print out your results, you will need access to a color printer.

The Oregon SEC Collaborative is a partnership between the OAESD Instructional Leadership Council and the Oregon Department of Education

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SEC 201(Updated 05.08.07)