Controlled Studies

The ONPAR Science items were trialed in controlled studies between May and December 2008.  The studies were conducted in order to collect data for the purpose of comparing accessibility between language groups for ONPAR and traditional test forms.  Native English speakers and ELL students with either Spanish or Korean language backgrounds were included.  The students’ test results were analyzed according to how they addressed three research questions:

1. Do results for students with low English language proficiency levels vary across and within forms compared to non-ELL students when controlling for ability?

The hypothesis was that low ELLs would perform significantly better on the ONPAR Science test in comparison to the traditional written test, while non-ELLs would perform similarly on both the ONPAR and traditional tests.  If the hypothesis was correct, that would demonstrate that ONPAR was a valid measure of science ability, and that low ELL students are better able to demonstrate their science ability on the ONPAR form compared to the traditional. 

1. How do results for other levels of English language proficiency students vary across and within forms compared to non-ELL students when controlling for ability?

The ONPAR Science test is designed to be a valid measure of science ability for any student regardless of English language proficiency.  If the hypothesis for the first research question proved to be true, then a second hypothesis could be made that all levels of ELL are better able to demonstrate their science ability on the ONPAR form compared to the traditional.

1. What are the relationships between performance and other variables for students with different performance levels, and are those relationships the same or different than for students with differing English language proficiency levels?

Whereas the first two research questions investigated how the ONPAR test would compare to the traditional assessments, the third research question examined the efficacy of the ONPAR Science test.  The hypothesis predicted that the ONPAR Science test is a valid assessment that would yield a better description of the students’ science abilities for students of all levels of English proficiency.

Click here to view the report that summarizes the results of the controlled studies.

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