2014 Score | Score Change | 2018 Score |
---|---|---|
150 on 0–300 scale | 2ptsIcon showing an arrow pointing up Increase from 2014 to 2018 | 152 on 0–300 scale |
The TEL assessment measures three interconnected content areas—Technology and Society, Design and Systems, and Information and Communication Technology—and three practices that cut across the content areas—Understanding Technological Principles, Developing Solutions and Achieving Goals, and Communicating and Collaborating. When solving problems, students are expected to be able to apply each of the TEL practices within and across the content areas. Learn more about what the TEL content areas and practices measure.
In 2018, eighth-grade students also scored higher in all three TEL content areas and in all three practices compared to 2014.
2018 Score | Score Change | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
TEL Content Areas | Technology & Society | 152 | 2 ptsIcon showing an arrow pointing up | |
Design & Systems | 153 | 3 ptsIcon showing an arrow pointing up | ||
Information & Communication Technology | 153 | 3 ptsIcon showing an arrow pointing up | ||
TEL Practices | Understanding Technological Principles | 152 | 2 ptsIcon showing an arrow pointing up | |
Developing Solutions & Achieving Goals | 152 | 2 ptsIcon showing an arrow pointing up | ||
Communicating & Collaborating | 153 | 3 ptsIcon showing an arrow pointing up |
NAEP reports scores at five selected percentiles to show the progress made by lower- (10th and 25th percentiles), middle- (50th percentile), and higher- (75th and 90th percentiles) performing students. In comparison to 2014, the 2018 overall TEL scores were higher for eighth-graders performing at the 50th, 75th, and 90th percentiles.
In 2018, forty-six percent of eighth-grade students performed at or above the NAEP Proficient level in TEL compared to 43 percent of students in 2014.
In 2018, female students scored higher than their male peers in TEL overall. Female students also scored higher than their male peers in more content areas and practices in 2018 compared to 2014.
2014 | 2018 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
TEL Overall | Female | 151* | 155 | ||||
Female-male Score gap | 3 | point significant score gap | 5 | point significant score gap | |||
Male | 149 | 150 | |||||
* Significantly different (p < .05) from 2018. | Score gaps are calculated based on unrounded scores |
TEL Content Areas
2014 | 2018 | |
Female | 151* | 154 |
---|---|---|
Female-male Score gap | 1 | 4 |
Male | 149 | 151 |
2014 | 2018 | |
Female | 150* | 154 |
---|---|---|
Female-male Score gap | # | 1 |
Male | 150 | 152 |
2014 | 2018 | |
Female | 153* | 156 |
---|---|---|
Female-male Score gap | 6 | 7 |
Male | 147 | 149 |
TEL Practices
2014 | 2018 | |
Female | 151* | 154 |
---|---|---|
Female-male Score gap | 1 | 3 |
Male | 149 | 151 |
2014 | 2018 | |
Female | 151* | 155 |
---|---|---|
Female-male Score gap | 2 | 4 |
Male | 149 | 150 |
2014 | 2018 | |
Female | 153* | 157 |
---|---|---|
Female-male Score gap | 5 | 7 |
Male | 147 | 149 |
As part of the TEL assessment, students answered survey questionnaires that included questions about their learning experiences in technology and engineering. For example, students were asked whether they had taken the following classes in school: industrial technology; engineering; any class that involves learning to use, program, or build computers; or any other technology-related class. Students could select one or more of the classes or indicate that they had not taken any of these classes.
Fifty-seven percent of eighth-graders reported taking at least one class related to technology or engineering in 2018, an increase of 5 percentage points compared to 2014.
Students who reported taking at least one technology- or engineering-related class in 2018 had a higher TEL score on average than those who reported not taking any of these classes.
In the NAEP TEL assessment, students were tested with computer simulations of technology and engineering problem-solving tasks set in a variety of realistic scenarios. Using laptops, students interacted with these scenario-based tasks that included videos, audio clips, animations, and text.
For example, in the task Andromeda, a television network is using a website to promote a television show about the Andromeda Galaxy. Students need to select a suitable image of the Andromeda Galaxy for the website. They must secure permission to use a copyrighted image and to properly credit use of the image in accordance with fair use guidelines.
Students were able to select appropriate information to communicate an idea in accordance with fair use guidelines but were less able to accurately cite the source of copyrighted material.
Compared to 2014, there was a 2-point increase in the average overall TEL score at grade 8 in 2018.