Maricopa Community College District
21st Century Maricopa Project
Integrate Placement Testing Tools with SIS (E23-R2)
Charge:
Determine the feasibility of fully integrating placement testing instruments with Student Information System (SIS), including automated upload of placement scores and providing a more user-friendly presentation of this information to students.
Executive Summary:
Across the Maricopa Community County College District (MCCCD) more than 186,700 placement exams are administered annually. Within the 186,700+ exams that are administered MCCCD has contracts with four vendors that permit us to purchase seven unique testing instruments/exams. The student score results of each of these unique exams must be uploaded into the Student Information System. Currently the upload process is completed by hand, semi-automated, or fully integrated and automated depending on the instrument and vendor. The E23-R2 work team recommends that the upload process for placement instrument results become fully integrated and automated as soon as possible. Our research suggest that the upload process for more than 50% of the actual tests that are administered can be fully integrated and automated within 6 months. Additionally, research suggests that MCCCD can expect to experience a soft savings of 1250 – 2500 labor hours annually by minimizing the amount of data that must be handled by Testing Center personnel. These labor hours could be reallocated to value-added services that that students request, resulting in a more efficient and effective use of MCCCD resources within the Testing Centers.
Furthermore this work team recommends that a link be added connecting a student’s test results with the appropriate course description. A student’s “test scores” can be found in their Student Center within the https://my.maricopa.edu website. Our research indicates that incorporating this link will provide easy access to information that students seek on a regular basis. Additionally, implementing this recommendation has the potential to free staff in the Testing Centers, Advisement Centers and Admission Offices, allowing them to provide the more complex, high-touch services students request.
How does the recommendation align with the 21st Century Guiding Principles?
Both components of this recommendation align well with the 21st Century Guiding Principles. First and foremost they align with the mission, vision and values of the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD). Additionally, they advance both Student Success and “One” Maricopa, providing support for two of the three pillars as defined by our Chancellor. Examples of Student Success can be realized by providing faster access to accurate test results. This access will encourage students to self-serve; as well as supporting both Advisement and Registration. A unified, systematic method of upload of placement results across MCCCD will provide another example supporting “One” Maricopa. This recommendation when fully implemented will increase our organization effectiveness and efficiency by freeing staff from jobs that can be automated and allow them to provide the personalized environment that leads to student persistence and success. Additionally the automated upload process will bring us into further compliance with Federal Regulations related to Financial Aid. In summary, the full implementation of this recommendation will foster an environment that meets or exceeds the 21st Century Guiding Principles.
Review and Analysis Methodology Used:
The team working on this recommendation expounded the single recommendation that was provided into two distinct components. From this point forward the two components will be identified whenever appropriate.
The first component recommends that MCCCD provide students a link that ties their placement score to the appropriate course description from the course bank.
The initial research for the first component was completed by this committee by team members who contacted peer institutions who are currently using a Student Information System (SIS) based on the PeopleSoft product. This allowed the work team to determine what placement score result information was provided to the students of our peer institutions. Our focus in this research was to determine what MCCCD was able to offer in comparison to other institutions using a similar SIS system.
The results of this research indicated that although MCCCD is slightly more user-friendly than some of our peer institutions; the technology and skills required to provide additional information to students is minimal. Furthermore the “cost” of implementing this recommendation would be negligible when compared to the perceived value of the information that would be provided to students.
More significantly, team members contacted representatives of the MCCCD Information Technology Department (IT) to determine the feasibility of providing a direct link from a student’s placement scores to the appropriate class description. All indications are that this is a feasible request that could be implemented with minimal cost to MCCCD.
The second component of the recommendation relates to the ability to automatically upload placement exam scores. Each of the placement exams that are administered by the MCCCD Testing Centers has been selected by the relevant Instructional Council. The exams are sold by a single vendor which gave our research a clear and distinct focus.
The committee contacted each vendor that provides the testing instruments utilized by MCCCD to determine the feasibility of a fully integrated upload process as defined below.
For the purposes of this report a fully integrated and automated upload process shall be defined as:
· Automatically creating a unique student record from the placement tool
· Exporting that record into the File Staging area
· Automatic uploading of placement scores from the File Staging area into individual student’s academic records
· Creating appropriate milestones based on a student’s placement scores.
Work Team Findings/Decisions – Issues, Risks and Mitigation
Issues for Consideration
I. What placement testing tools are currently in use or are planned to be in use within the next fiscal year?
· Accuplacer/Writeplacer – A web based adaptive college placement test that helps educators to quickly evaluate incoming students' skill levels in reading, writing and math. Results are used to place students in appropriate courses.
· ALEKS - Assessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces is a Web-based, artificially intelligent math assessment system. ALEKS uses adaptive questioning to determine what mathematical material a student has mastered. Results are used to place students in appropriate math courses.
· Asset - A paper and pencil test that is utilized for placing students into postsecondary English, reading and math coursework based on the student’s skill level.
· CELSA - (Combined English Language Skills Assessment) - Assesses and places high school, college and adult ESL students into English courses quickly and accurately based on their mastery of English.
· Compass – Computer adaptive college placement test that helps educators to quickly evaluate incoming students' skill levels in reading, writing and math. Student results are used to place students in appropriate courses.
· HESI A2 – Web based exam that assesses general knowledge in seven individual modules. Students are required to pass this exam in order to qualify for admission into the MCCCD Nursing Program.
· HESI PN – Web based exam that assesses knowledge related to nursing. Students who are interested in advance placement for the Nursing Program are required to pass the exam order to qualify for advance placement admission into the MCCCD Nursing Program.
II. How are current tools integrated with SIS?
The current integration with SIS varies depending on which placement tool is utilized.
· ALEKS – Student results are stored in the ALEKS database. ALEKS automatically creates a daily file which is downloaded by MCCCD. The file is then automatically uploaded into the MCCCD Student Information System (SIS).
· Asset – Paper and pencil exam, scoring system is independent and information is stored locally on hard drive in the Testing Center at each campus, only compatible with Windows98 – no integration at either the local or district level.
· Compass (Windows) – Student results stored on campus network drives – no integration
· Compass (Internet) – Student results stored in ACT’s database – no integration
· Accuplacer (Internet) – Student results stored in College Board’s database – no integration
· CELSA – Paper & pencil or computer based. Scoring system is independent and information is stored locally on hard drive in the Testing Center at each campus. At this time results are hand entered by staff in the Testing Center’s – no integration.
· HESI A2 & PN (Internet) – Student results stored in Elsevier’s database; student scores are hand entered by Testing Center Staff – no integration.
District has automated the upload of student scores into the database after the file has been staged. File staging requires each campus to create a daily file for each type of exam administered and upload it to the File Staging area in SIS. The “automatic” upload only occurs once a day, if a campus wishes to upload scores more than once a day they must create and stage the file and then upload scores and create milestones.
III. What type and/or degree of integration with SIS is required/desired for placement testing tools currently in use or planned to be in use within the next fiscal year?
To reiterate for the purposes of this report a fully integrated and automated upload process shall be defined as:
· Automatically creating a student record from the placement tool
· Exporting that record into the File Staging area
· Automatic uploading of placement scores from the File Staging area into individual student’s academic records
· Creating appropriate milestones based on a student’s placement scores.
In the long-term this work team also recommends an automatic reconciliation of student records that do not automatically upload due to a mismatch of student information.
ALEKS - This work team recommends the continued support of the fully integrated and automated upload process that is currently in place.
Accuplacer, Compass (Windows/Internet) - This team recommends implementing a fully integrated and automated upload process immediately.
CELSA – At this time the technology does not support a fully automated and integrated upload process. However, with minimal changes within the District the vendor indicates that an automated upload process is feasible. Additional information will be available from the vendor in early August, 2010. This work-team strongly recommends that follow-up be done at that time to asses, develop and implement a fully integrated and automated process.
HESI A2, HESI PN, and CELSA - When the technology and support becomes available this team recommends that a fully integrated and automated upload process for HESI A2, HESI PN testing instruments be implemented. At this time we understand that this is not possible. However, we support the immediate initiation of a collaborative effort between MCCCD IT and these test vendors to develop this process.
ASSET - Due to the nature of Asset this work team does not believe that any additional integration is possible at this time.
This work team strongly recommends that the potential for a fully integrated and automated upload process play an integral part of the equation when considering alternate/additional placement tools.
IV. What is the feasibility of providing the type/degree of integration required/desired?
The team has contacted the vendors that provide each of the identified testing instruments; we have inquired about their ability to assist MCCCD in developing a fully integrated and automated system to upload score results. Their abilities to assist MCCCD vary, more specific details can be found below.
Our research indicates that a fully integrated and automated upload process is currently feasible for ALEKS, Accuplacer, and Compass (Internet/Windows).
The HESI A2, HESI PN and CELSA placement instruments may afford some type of automation. At this point the degree of service that can/will be provided by the parent company is still in question. It may be possible to integrate and automate the upload of these exams but will require an additional commitment from their IT teams.
In order to design a fully integrated upload process each testing instrument will need to have the ability to generate an appropriate data packet. Once MCCCD has determined that this process is feasible, there will be additional steps that need to be completed by the MCCCD IT. Following the protocol of MCCCD IT will determine the feasibility of a fully integrated and automated upload process. Those steps include but are not limited to the steps defined in the implementation section of this report.
V. What are the potential costs and timeframes for achieving the type/degree of integration required/desired?
Cost and time frames required to complete these recommendations will vary dependant on the instrument in question. Final cost to implement the components of this recommendation can be more specifically estimated upon completion of the steps required by Information Technology (IT) at the District level. This work team anticipates minimal if any work will require contractors outside of MCCCD.
Component I:
All of the technology is currently in place at MCCCD. According to the team research providing students with a link from their placement scores to course descriptions from the course bank is a simple process. When adding this link it is critical that MCCCD IT identify valid placement scores following the guidelines established by MCCCD (i.e. length of validity, ALEKS, etc.). Scores that are identified as ineligible for placement should not have an active link provided.
Component II:
· ALEKS – MCCCD current supports a fully integrated and automated upload process for this placement instrument – this work team recommends this process remain in place.
· Accuplacer and Compass (Internet/Windows) - Based on the research conducted by this team we believe that a fully integrated and automated upload process for these placement instruments could be completed within 3- 6 months, costs should be minimal.
Both test vendors have provided templates that MCCCD can follow providing data in the appropriate format, facilitating a fully integrated and automated upload process.
Additionally, as recently as the summer of 2009 MCCCD developed a fully integrated and automated upload process for ALEKS so as an organization we have recent historical experience developing this type of technology.
· CELSA - Research indicates that if MCCCD is willing to transition (district wide) to an online version of this exam a fully automated and integrated upload may be possible. It will require set up from the vendor in collaboration with the District IT Department. There will be an additional cost for individual test units, but this cost should be offset by a district wide contract (rather than individual campuses) and the reduction in labor costs by eliminating the current requirements to manually enter this data.