Implications of Technology and Common Core State Standards

"How will a rise in online testing in states that adopt the standards affect your own practice? Should you be concerned?" (Duebel, 2010).  The answer is YES!  If by 2014 we will begin testing under the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) by means of the computer, we have a long way to go.  Yes, progress in the area of technology in the classroom has been made, but we are still a ways off from online testing being the norm.

One of the most critical issues with this concerns accessibility.  Online testing means schools adopting CCSS must have access to computers for each student.  Gray, Thomas and Lewis found that the ratio of students to computers in the classroom was 5.3:1. It's obvious to anyone with simple math skills that we have an inequality between the number of computers available and the number of computers needed.  Who is going to supply these additional computers?  Are schools going to be responsible when they are already busting at the seams with other budget issues such as teacher layoffs and program cuts?

If students are going to be assessed on the computer, it means they need frequent exposure to using this technology.  However, many times there's an additional roadblock besides accessibility, and that, although it's hard to admit, is the teacher.  Schools need to offer much more professional development in the area of technology integration.  Teachers need to realize that integrating technology means much more that plopping a student in front of the computer to practice reading using Starfall.com or memorize their math facts using the program Math Blaster.  We must give all students fair chances to succeed on the test, and for this to happen, we need to ensure teacher appropriately implement this technology.

There are a myriad of additional concerns I have with using technology to test under CCSS, including technical difficulties, adaptive testing, curriculum revamping and instructional practices.  You might think, "Why, you're a techy, isn't this what you want?" and while they answer may be yes, we need to be sure it's not done before EVERYONE is ready!