Throughout the coronavirus lockdown, my son worked hard and smart. He started his day at 6.45am by checking the laptop for work that had been set by his teachers, who were phenomenal throughout.
He then scheduled his day like a school day: 10.30am, break; lunch between 12.30pm and 1.30pm; and the school day ended at 3.30pm.
He has Asperger’s Syndrome, a neurological disorder found under the umbrella term of autism. He requires organisation, likes clear instruction, and clear objectives. He doesn’t like to be disturbed when he works.
So he flourished in lockdown. It suited him.
Timed assessments: the issues
But then, as summer approached, things changed. In his final week of Year 9, he was set online tests for each of his subjects, and for the first time, his teachers placed time limits on each test, with some timeframes as short as 15 seconds.
His level of engagement, study, and confidence that had grown so much suddenly fell away. A barrier had been erected between him and his ability to demonstrate his learning.
For him, the objective had changed from demonstrating learning to beating the clock.
The first test he took, he didn’t have enough time to read the question before he was timed out. The same happened with the next question, and the next.
False negative
He became upset, not because he couldn’t answer the question, but because he didn’t have enough time to read the question, as well as the options available, before the nominated algorithm placed an ‘x’ on the screen.
This is a valuable lesson for schools, whether they are teaching remotely or in classrooms.
Consideration must be taken when addressing the needs of those who have SEND, or those who may require a greater amount of time for processing information, when creating timed tests. This should be particularly the case when those tests are online: tests that have a timer on each question can create additional challenges for students who may already require additional time for each question.
So what is the answer?
Tips for timed assessments
The following outlines a few points to consider when preparing timed online questions that would benefit learners with SEND, but also every other student in the class.
- Are the questions open or closed? Or a combination of both? Closed questions usually require a single-word answer. Whereas open questions require a more detailed response and a corresponding timeframe in which to make that response. Think about the diversity of learners in the class and how you would normally differentiate tasks to achieve the same result. Should times be set differently for different questions and different students?
- Think about the objective: what do you want to achieve with this method of assessment? It will help determine your timeframe and the type of question, again differentiating where possible.
- Can you set a re-take option on the quiz or test? And if so, are you going to use the final outcome or the initial one? Again, the objective of the exercise will determine the answer.
- Will you allow for other methods of submission, for example, handwritten pieces of work, using online games where you can monitor results obtained or extended periods of time for each question?
- Could you make the expectations clearer: for example, stating that writing only two paragraphs is required.
- Solicit feedback on the online assessment itself: ease of use, clarity, any faults or confusion with the question and time constraints.
Michelle Jagdeo-Bailey is a science teacher
