9 Training and Professional Development
Chapter 10 of the Dynamic Learning Maps® (DLM®) Alternate Assessment System 2015–2016 Technical Manual—Science (Dynamic Learning Maps Consortium, 2017) provides a complete description of training and professional development for DLM assessments, including the required test administrator training and the optional instructional professional development for educators.
This chapter presents updates to the required test administrator training content as well as participation rates and evaluation results from the 2023–2024 optional instructional professional development modules. Overall, required training and professional development remained consistent with the 2023–2024 implementation, with the addition of one new training video on interpretation and use of score reports, as well as one new science professional development module.
9.1 Updates to Required Test Administrator Training
Training is required annually for all educators who administer the DLM alternate assessment. In 2023–2024, the training was updated with additional features to support educator learning.
DLM staff developed a new training video that supports educators in using individual student DLM score reports. The module covers the parts of the score reports, how to read and interpret the Performance Profile and Learning Profile, how the score reports can be used, and uses that are not supported. The new training video is available on the DLM website. Eight states include this video in their required test administrator training.
9.2 Instructional Professional Development
The DLM professional development system is built to support educators in their efforts to teach science to students who take DLM tests. In addition to providing instructional support, the instructional professional development modules also teach educators about the DLM system. While the modules were originally intended for educators who administer DLM assessments, system data suggest that preservice educators, related service providers, parents, and others also access and complete the modules.
There are a total of 12 science modules, which are described in section 9.2.1.2 of this chapter. The 12 modules are available in both self-directed and facilitated formats. The self-directed modules are available online, on demand. The interactive modules include a combination of video-based content, embedded activities, and, for participants who would like to receive a certificate documenting their successful completion of the module, a pre- and post-test. These certificates are sent directly to each participant’s email when they achieve a passing score on the post-test. To support state and local education agencies in providing continuing education credits to educators who complete the modules, each module includes a time-ordered agenda, learning objectives, and biographical information on the faculty who developed the training modules.
During the 2023–2024 school year, DLM staff worked in cooperation with the professional development team at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to develop one new science professional development module, which was released during 2023–2024.
The new professional development module is Science and Engineering Practice 5: Using Mathematical and Computational Thinking. An accessible activity is provided to engage students with the science and engineering practice. The module also addresses instructional considerations that affect student engagement with mathematical concepts and ways that science activities can be adjusted for complexity.
The module also includes guidance for teaching science content through differing levels of complexity using DLM Science Essential Elements and linkage levels. The writing and production process of the science module was consistent with the approach used with existing English language arts (ELA) and mathematics professional development modules to ensure a more streamlined DLM learner experience.
9.2.1 Professional Development Participation and Evaluation
There are two ways in which test administrators and educators may complete professional development modules: through their required test administrator training or, optionally, through the professional development website. Some states require one or more of the optional professional development modules to be completed as part of the required test administrator training. States can require that certain modules be completed by new test administrators, returning test administrators, or both. Test administrators completing professional development modules as part of the required test administrator training access the modules through the Moodle training site where the rest of the required test administration training is located. Professional development modules are also available through the DLM professional development website. The modules on the professional development website can be accessed by anyone and completed at any time. Participants completing modules on the website are administered a short evaluation survey following each module. The evaluation survey is not included in the required test administrator training. With the exception of the evaluation survey, the content of the modules is identical in the required test administrator training and the professional development website.
9.2.1.1 Required Professional Development Participation
A total of eight states required at least one professional development module as part of their required test administrator training. The modules included in the required test administrator training are required of all relevant test administrators (i.e., new or returning, as specified by the state). For example, a test administrator who only administers science assessments may still be required to complete a module on instruction for ELA. Table 9.1 shows the number of modules required, by state, for new and returning test administrators, as well as the total number of modules completed in 2023–2024. In total, 11,866 professional development modules were completed by 2,359 new and 3,186 returning test administrators as part of the required training.
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New test administrators
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Returning test administrators
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Required modules | Test administrators | Required modules | Test administrators | Total modules completed |
| Alaska | 2 | 89 | — | — | 178 |
| Delaware | 2 | 120 | — | — | 240 |
| Maryland | 2 | 686 | 2 | 1,132 | 3,636 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | 161 | — | — | 161 |
| New Mexico | 3 | 355 | 1 | 506 | 1,571 |
| Oklahoma | 5 | 598 | 2 | 1,192 | 5,374 |
| Rhode Island | 1 | 136 | — | — | 136 |
| West Virginia | 1 | 214 | 1 | 356 | 570 |
Table 9.2 shows which modules were required for new and returning test administrators across all states choosing to include professional development modules in the required training. For example, the Effective Instruction in Mathematics module was required for new test administrators in one state and was required for returning test administrators in one state.
| Module | States requiring for new test administrators | States requiring for returning test administrators | Total modules completed |
|---|---|---|---|
| DLM Essential Elements Overview | 4 | — | 1,140 |
| Effective Instruction in Mathematics | 1 | 1 | 926 |
| Individual Education Programs Linked to the DLM Essential Elements | 5 | 2 | 4,101 |
| Principles of Instruction in ELA | 1 | — | 571 |
| Who Are Students With the Most Significant Cognitive Disabilities? | 7 | 4 | 4,981 |
9.2.1.2 Optional Professional Development Participation
Table 9.3 shows the number of individuals who completed optional professional development modules through the DLM professional development website as well as the total number of test administrators from each state who had a student rostered for the DLM assessment. In total, 107 modules were completed in the self-directed format from August 1, 2023, to July 31, 2024. Since the first module was launched in the fall of 2017, a total of 3,950 modules have been completed on the professional development website.
| State | Participants | DLM test administrators | Total modules completed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 0 | 128 | 0 |
| Arkansas | 1 | 740 | 3 |
| Delaware | 0 | 150 | 0 |
| District of Columbia | 0 | 109 | 0 |
| Illinois | 1 | 1,940 | 7 |
| Iowa | 3 | 536 | 12 |
| Kansas | 2 | 530 | 3 |
| Maryland | 1 | 977 | 9 |
| Missouri | 1 | 1,153 | 1 |
| New Hampshire | 0 | 180 | 0 |
| New Jersey | 2 | 1,810 | 7 |
| New Mexico | 0 | 461 | 0 |
| New York | 1 | 3,820 | 1 |
| North Dakota | 0 | 171 | 0 |
| Oklahoma | 0 | 892 | 0 |
| Pennsylvania | 2 | 3,295 | 3 |
| Rhode Island | 0 | 185 | 0 |
| Utah | 3 | 743 | 3 |
| West Virginia | 1 | 331 | 15 |
| Wisconsin | 5 | 1,039 | 9 |
| Non-DLM state and other locations | 20 | — | 34 |
| Note. Participant counts may include individuals who are not educators or test administrators (e.g., preservice educators). |
To evaluate educator perceptions of the utility and applicability of the modules, DLM staff ask educators to respond to a series of evaluation questions on completion of each self-directed module. Educators responded to questions about the importance of content, whether new concepts were presented, the utility of the module, and whether educators planned to use what they learned. Educators respond using a 4-point scale ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree. During the 2023–2024 year, across all modules, educators completed the evaluation questions 68% of the time, with response rates for modules taken by at least five educators ranging from 40% to >99% per module. The responses were consistently positive, as illustrated in Table 9.4. Across all modules, 47% of respondents either agreed or strongly agreed with each statement.
To evaluate the consistency in the ratings for each module, we calculated Cronbach’s (1951) alpha from the four items for each module using all ratings from fall 2017 through the 2023–2024 year. Across all modules, alpha ranged from .95 to >.99, with an average value of .97, suggesting high internal consistency in responses.
9.3 Conclusion
The DLM system makes training and instructional professional development modules available to test administrators and educators as well as state and local education agency staff. The required test administrator training is designed to ensure that test administrators understand the DLM system to administer the assessments with fidelity. Complementary to the required training are the professional development modules, which provide participants learning opportunities to support instructional practices aligned with content measured by DLM assessments. In 2023–2024, participants provided consistently positive feedback regarding the importance and relevance of the professional development modules, although participation was low relative to the educator population. Finally, one new module was developed and released this year.