This slideshow is designed to help you better prepare your students for the online PARCC assessments

1. Preparing for PARCC:
Addressing Online Testing
Challenges with your Students
Presented by:
Zack Blois

2. Ice-breaker Poll Question
What is your school/district’s largest
PARCC preparation challenge?
a) Introducing new online testing vocabulary to students/
staff
b) Fostering Online testing familiarity
c) Helping students prepare for 8-9 hour testing period

3. “Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in ‘Fill-inthe-bubble’ land anymore…”
As you know, it’s very important for students to get a
chance to familiarize themselves with testing techniques
and vocabulary prior to any assessment.

4. Challenges include:
• Online testing within a brick-and-mortar setting
• New online testing format for students and staff
• Multi-step and written response questions
• New testing vocabulary and terms

5. So, how do we help our students model and
practice these new online assessments?

6. It’s as simple as A, B, C…
Take a three-pronged approach to PARCC
preparation:
A. Focus on new vocabulary and testing terms
B. Help students practice a variety of online testing
examples
C. Leverage technology and resources to foster experience
and familiarity

7. A) Focus on new vocab and testing terms
The PARCC online
assessment questions and
interactions contain verbs/
actions words that many
students have never
encountered on a test
before.
“Exp
lain”
“Write”
ag”
Dr
“
“Select”

8. Start with modeling, follow up with
Practice!
Just like any other instructional strategy, begin by
modeling in a full class or group setting:
•
Show students how to identify both the navigation tools and the
objective of the question/interaction

9. Individual Practice is Key
Following the modeling period, facilitate individual
practice of different vocab-focused assessment objects.

10. Let’s take a look at a few modeling and practice
strategies!

11. Poll Question #2
How is your school/district planning to help
students practice taking online assessments?
a) The official PARCC sample items
b) A PARCC-mirroring content software
c) Not sure yet

12. Scaffold toward Step B
B) Help students
practice a variety of
online testing
examples
• Begin with action verb
& scaffold toward
mastering the entire
assessment question

13. Going beyond the action verb…
It’s important that your students
understand “drag”, “enter”, etc…
However, putting that specific action
verb into practice within a larger
objective is a whole different challenge.

15. “Show and Explain”
PARCC asks students
to show basic skills
knowledge, and to
utilize that
knowledge within a
higher-order
application task.
Including:
• Multi-Step Interactions
• Word Problem Analysis
• Written Response
Interactions

16. Application starts in the classroom…
Build toward the application required by multi-step and
analysis questions:
• Write about math everyday
• Utilize problem-based activities
• Foster the “accordion effect”

17. …. And ends in the classroom

18. Lastly, we have Step C
C) “Leverage technology and resources to
foster student experience and familiarity”

19. 8-9 Total Hours of testing?
Today’s students take
to digital devices
pretty quickly, but are
they ready to focus at
a computer/tablet for
8-9 total hours of
testing (per EdWeek)?

20. Scaffolding is Key
50-60 minute individual
summative online assessments
Individual 30 minute online
assessment blocks once a week
Quick group-based online quiz periods, 1 or
3 time a week (10-15 minutes)

21. Leverage data to improve progress
Finally, be sure that your students are not
practicing for the sake of practicing.
•
Keep an eye on progress
data and student
performance for both skill
and concept development.

22. Quick Review
Take a three-pronged approach to your school/
district’s PARCC preparation:
A. Focus on new vocabulary and testing terms
B. Expose students to online testing style and grading structure
C. Leverage technology and resources to foster experience and
familiarity

23. Questions or Comments?
Contact info:
www.wowzers.com
Zack Blois
Email: zach@wowzers.com
Phone: 312-273-1340

24. Poll Question #3
Are you interested in learning more about the Wowzers
PARCC math assessment solution?
a) Yes
b) No

25. PARCC Practice makes perfect!
Many of the images in this webinar
were taken directly from the Wowzers
PARCC-mirroring math quizzes!
Learn more about how Wowzers can
help prepare your students for the
PARCC math assessments at:
info.wowzers.com/special-parcc-offer