UTIPS -- Math
UTIPS -- Language
UTIPS -- Science
Teacher
Practice Tests
5th Grade
4th Grade
3rd Grade
2nd Grade
Why UTIPS:
UTIPS is a site that can be accessed from school or home, giving
students a chance to practice taking tests that apply to the
standards they are learning in school. Practicing with the
tests on UTIPS prepares students for CRT tests because the tests
are quite similar.
Where:
http://www.utips.washk12.org. We
find it locks up more often in Internet Explorer so we have
downloaded the Mozilla Firefox Browser for use in our lab.
Subjects:
Most classes do math and language arts, but there are also
science tests. Students sometimes get confused in
language arts
if you tell them to take ANY test, since some types of tests do
not work properly. It helps to direct students to vocabulary, or phonics and
spelling, or comprehension--informational--LA standards or
literacy.)
Student Logins:
There are three ways to login; from a home computer, it is
better to do the first one:
a. This
method is
fastest.
After choosing test, student just clicks "Start."
This method does
not
record their scores or send email to the teacher. The score
does display on the screen after each student finishes each
test; the teacher can go around the room to see scores or ask
student to record their own scores on paper if desired. This
method can be used if students want to practice repeatedly and
it doesn't matter what score they receive. This is the fastest
way to get a class started, especially if the teacher has not
yet entered student names into the system.
b. This
method is
ideal in the lab.
The teacher or lab aide enters each child's name into the UTIPS
site; the site generates a number for each student which tracks
them. (These numbers do not need to be known by the teacher or
student; instead students will need to
spell correctly
their own name and their teacher's user name.) When the student
chooses their test, they click on "Simple
Login"
and type in their own name (as entered in system) and their
teacher username (e.g. croberts). (After they have done it
once, it will show up in the drop-down menu.) Then they must
click "Login
and Start"
NOT just "Start." (The first time a student logs in on their
computer, the teacher may want to spell it to be sure it is
spelled correctly; that way when it shows up later in the
drop-down menu, they are more likely to choose the right name.)
c. This
third method is for
emailing results
to the teacher. There must be student numbers in the system,
then chose "log-in
and start."
This is the least desirable because teachers will get a separate
email for every test taken by every student in his class. It
may be helpful when the teacher needs to know exactly when the
student took the test.
Navigation:
Students are taught how to open the "directory tree" on the left
to navigate. We show them how to open folders and how to know
when they are open by using the plus and minus boxes. Be sure
they learn to single click rather than double click on test
names.
a.
Changing questions:
There are small black arrows by the question numbers to take
them forward and backward through the test. (Explain how they
can tell how many questions are on the test and they should
continue until they have done all of them.)
b.
Changing test views:
The state site has a default of "user choice." The tests come
up one question at a time, but there is a phrase on the upper
right that says "show all questions" so all the questions are on
one page and students scroll up and down. That view is not
usually preferred by elementary because it is too easy to miss
questions.
c.
Changing tests:
If they want to change to a different test, they simply go to
the "directory tree" and click on the test they want.
d.
Changing subjects:
If a student wants to change subjects, they need to go back to
the homepage by clicking on the "back" button. If there is
confusion, a student can return to the main UTIPS page by
clicking on the UTIPS banner/logo at the top left of the screen.
Student Answers:
The state site is set up as "open book" so it gives automatic
feedback. This is especially good for parents working with the
students at home; if the student just clicks "start," there is
no record that they have been at the site practicing. But since
students know immediately which answers are right or wrong, some
might not read carefully and just guess until they get it
right.
Finishing tests:
Students can get out of tests by choosing a new test, clicking
the green back button, or clicking on the UTIPS logo, BUT the
only way to get the final score is to click on "submit." This
can be done from any question; if it does not say "submit,"
either they did not finish taking the test, or it may have been
an "open book" test.
