The structure of my test was mutliple choice, matching (I used letter A-F and set up like M/C), and essay. There were 21 questions, and the 4 essay questions were worth 2 points each. I used a rubric for those. My students used the bubble sheets, and I printed the copies with their names on them.
What I really liked about this assessment was that it allowed me to easily link my standards to test questions. This is the first time I've used that feature in data director, and it will be very informative. I look forward to printing reports to see areas of need and success.
The biggest issue I had was just getting used to the new format. At first I made a class copy of the test, but then realized how important it is for kids to still write on their test. It is a good test-taking strategy to cross out answers, etc. And despite specific instructions to put their essay answers on the bubble sheet empty space, many students wrote them on their test copies. So I was juggling a lot of papers and going back and forth to fill in their rubric scores. This all seemed kind of messy compared to the old-fashioned way, but I'm sure it will get more streamlined as the kids and I get used to it.
I have not run all my tests through the scanner, yet but when I've done this before I often get problems with reading students numbers, etc. I sometimes wonder if this is really saving me time. I am hopeful that continued adjustments and the potential for helpful reports will make it worth it.
I think our staff could use training in all the different report options.