Introduction


The Item Report provides a curricular breakdown at the level of the curriculum the test is recommended.  The Item report indicates what percentage of the group of students answered each question (item) on a test successfully. It also compares the success of the group on the questions with the success of students from the national reference group at a given year level.  When reading the report it is important to identify which year level the group of students is being compared with. In Term 4 students will automatically be compared to the following reference year's Term 1 results.  It is important to remember that national performance on a question is only a reference point. A school might expect their students to consistently perform above the national proportions. 


The report provides links to each question/item plus a breakdown of how each student answered each question providing in-depth diagnostic knowledge of individual students' knowledge and skill in specific areas of the subject.  Good curriculum knowledge will allow teachers to quickly make links behind the particular concept being tested by individual questions and the students' responses, to make formative decisions about  how students think and approach each idea.



Features 

  • The red triangle indicates the proportion of the national reference group who answered correctly
  • The green shaded part indicates the proportion of the test group who answered correctly
  • The percentage correct on each question is also shown numerically, the national reference group in brackets
  • The Filter (top right) provides gender and ethnicity information brought in from your SMS system
  • Each question/item has gender and ethnicity filters
  • All reports can be printed as PDFs
  • Each question number is 'live' and once clicked shows you the question, the multi-choice options and a breakdown of the test group/class responses
  • Click on a student name in the Individual Test Item Report to see their individual report
  • PAT:Maths has a filter option for strands under CONTENT CATEGORY and QUESTION NUMBER to reorder questions
  • PAT:Maths & PAT:Reading Comprehension & Vocab have direct links to the ARBS (Assessment Resource Banks) at the bottom of each individual question/item page


Using the Item Report


The amount of assessment information in the Item report can seem overwhelming. Teachers are not expected to look at every question and every student. The Item Report can be used to 'drill down' into the subject knowledge and skill to:

  1. Find answers to set questions before choosing the relevant PAT assessment
  2. Find trends and patterns, strengths and weaknesses that exist in the test group
  3. Identify specific cohorts in specific areas of the subject who require specific teaching to target knowledge and skills.
  4. Follow hunches, 'informal conclusions' to identify actual needs


Reviewing questions where the group’s performance is well under the national performance, or which deviate from the patterns shown on other questions, may highlight particular areas for concern and further investigation.  By investigating the Individual Item Report (Click on question number)  flagged by concerns or questions, teachers can 'drill down' into specific areas of the subject, specific cohorts with learning needs - either support or extension, and target relevant teaching strategies to meet the needs. 




Item Report Example


Click on the report to view full size image