Implications of changing the delivery mode on reading tests in Norway-a gender perspective

Abstract

What can be seen as a digital shift in society is also visible in the Norwegian educational system, as the use of digital devices has increased in both teaching and learning activities. Together with some practical and logistical reasons, the former has very much facilitated the change of delivery mode of the Norwegian National Assessment of Reading Literacy. At the same time, a concern arose regarding whether the test will continue to measure the same underlying concept of reading as before. Furthermore, from the equity perspective, it is important that the change of mode is not disfavourable to any particular group of students. As a solution to this, the format of the test is preserved using fixed, as opposed to dynamic, texts, assuming that fixed texts are consumed in the same way regardless of whether they are presented on paper or on screen. Building on this, this chapter reports on a field trial study for the 2016 Norwegian National Assessment in reading. Nine hundred seventy-three eighth graders from nine different schools participated in completing reading tests on either paper or screen. The main aim of the study is to explore to what extent delivery mode seems to influence students' outcomes. In particular, we investigate whether the change in delivery mode affects boys' and girls' results on reading comprehension tests in the same way. For the purpose of analysis, the Rasch model will be used as a measure of student ability and a multiple regression model will be used to investigate gender differences across the modes. Based on the research so far, we assume that the change in mode will not have a significant impact on student performance relative to gender. The results will be discussed in the light of the gender gap in reading achievement present in the Norwegian educational system.