How Do I Get the Assessment?

     Because the DISCOVER Assessment gathers substantially more information than paper-and-pencil tests, its implementation is correspondingly more complex…and because the Assessment is available in several forms, its implementation varies.  If you have not already done so, please read the Assessment section first, before proceeding to the information below.  This will give you a better understanding of how the DISCOVER Assessment works and will explain the terms used in describing its implementation.

     The following categories guide you through the available Assessment options and provide specific details for each, helping you decide which is best for your school.  Please note that even though the Assessment exists in both an individual and group form, only the group-form is discussed here.  The individual form generally is used in a non-school setting, by parents, and is discussed in the section Assessment—Parent/Community-based. 

     Your school (or organization) can choose one of the following three options, depending on how many students are to be assessed and whether or not assessments will be ongoing from year to year, or in multiple locations.

• School-Based Assessment Option 1: is recommended for a one-time Assessment, of less than 50 students.  With this option, DISCOVER staff come to your school and conduct all components of the Assessment.  It requires no special training for your staff, no additional expenditures for Assessment-related materials, and only minimal preparation.  Logistically, Option 1 is the most simple and is a good way to give the Assessment a “trial-run” in preparation for a larger future program.  It is the most cost effective option for a small number of students and is a common choice for small, rural schools.

• School-Based Assessment Option 2:  is recommended when more than 50 students will be assessed or when the DISCOVER Assessment will be used as a regular part the testing or placement process.  With this option, one or more DISCOVER staff members train and certify local staff to be Observers and conduct the Assessment within their school or region.  Once trained and certified, local teams conduct as many Assessments as needed in their school or district.  To assure teams are up-to-date, re-certification is required on an annual basis, and schools purchase the forms and materials used during the Assessment.  This option is the most commonly chosen of the three, and works well for medium-sized schools, districts, and regional cooperatives of smaller schools.  Sometimes schools within a district or region band together to support an Assessment team (or teams) that travel from school to school throughout the year.

• School-Based Assessment Option 3: is the next level up, useful for large-scale implementation, usually involving multiple schools and sometimes thousands of students.  In this option, DISCOVER staff train and certify a local individual (or individuals), who in turn train(s) and certify(ies) local teams of Observers.  The local trainer candidate must be an experienced Observer and must complete a two-part training procedure that involves a mentored training experience.  Re-certification occurs every other year.

Can I See It in Action First?

     Now you can view the DISCOVER Assessment in advance, to determine if it will work in your school.  There are two viewing options:  Live Viewing or Interactive Video Seminars.  Live Viewing involves actively watching a live Assessment from beginning to end.  By “actively watching” we mean that viewers not only watch the activities, they actually participate in them, categorizing effective problem solving behaviors in the same way as the actual Observers.  The Interactive Video Seminar features a customizable digital video show, narrated by a DISCOVER staff member.  The show can feature any number of clips or full length segments, showing all aspects of the Assessment for any or all grade levels, with accompanying explanations.  Both options are available either on-site or in Tucson, and both include a professional presentation explaining the background, philosophy, and basic components of the Assessment, as well as a summary of DISCOVER Curriculum, the latest research results, and how DISCOVER services might fit into your school structure.

• Live Viewing of Standard Group Assessment, grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8 or 9-12:

• Interactive Video Seminar with Staff Narration—Standard Group Assessment (Any Grades):

     The two viewing options can be combined to offer a more comprehensive experience.

• Combination Live Viewing and Interactive Video Seminar—Standard Group Assessment:

Other Assessment Services

• Training for Individual Observers (applies to Assessment Option 2):  Normally Observers are trained in groups of 10 during a standard Assessment training.  However, occasionally one or more Observers need to be added to an existing team, due to attrition.  As an alternative to a full-scale training of 10 additional Observers, we offer a training seminar in Tucson that can be attended by individual Observer candidates from any school with an active Assessment team.  This Observer training is cost effective for up to approximately 4 Observers.  If more than 4 Observers are needed, a standard Assessment training probably will be more economical.

• Supplemental Training for Observers & Trainers (applies to Assessment Options 2 & 3):  Observer Candidates and Trainer Candidates, before being certified, must demonstrate adequate skills in the respective tasks.  Most individuals acquire these skills quickly, but occasionally extra training or practice is needed.  Similarly, former Observers or Trainers (inactive for more than two years but wishing to renew certification) need supplemental training to learn the latest revisions, techniques, and research results.  Supplemental training is available on-site or in Tucson and will vary according to the needs of the individual.

• Observer & Trainer Yearly Re-Certification:  Yearly certification is required for Observers and Trainers.  The process monitors performance, to assure the quality and consistency of Assessment results.  It also provides Observers and Trainers with the latest research results, revisions, training materials, and Assessment components.  The process varies by location.  We create an individual plan with each school, co-op, or district, taking into consideration the particulars of each program.  The process usually is relatively simple and every attempt is made to minimize the cost and time required.  Some of the components of re-certification are discussed in this section.