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Pearson staff consider diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) throughout test planning/research planning, development, and revision process. There are both general and specific considerations for DE&I for any project that is being revised or developed. The general considerations for DE&I in clinical assessment development at Pearson will be summarized below, as well as specific considerations for the planning, initiation, content/item development, data collection, scoring and data analysis, and test manual writing phases. 

This information is a summary of the complex process undergone by the Pearson staff to ensure that DE&I considerations are embedded within every phase of product planning and development. While this is by no means an exhaustive representation of our efforts, our staff is dedicated to continuing our learning and application of DE&I principles. 

If you're an occupational or physical therapist, you probably spend a lot of your day thinking, talking, and reading about motor skills. But have you ever come across the term “Fundamental Movement Skills”? Until recently, I hadn't, but it turns out there is a whole body of literature devoted to studying and discussing this construct that is, well, fundamental to children's ability to engage in play, recreation and activities of daily life. Sounds pretty relevant to what we do, right?

The steady integration of technology in the classroom has ushered in a proliferation of digital assessments, which offer immense promise to reduce educator workloads and give them better insight into their students’ unique learning needs. Yet for all the ease they provide, digital assessments shouldn’t be deployed as a plug-and-play solution, at least initially. Without proper preparation, you run the risk of yielding inaccurate results, technical difficulties and even testing irregularities.

Districts considering digital assessments should realize that the outcomes will only be as strong as the efforts they invest in professional development for the educators using them. Comprehensive training should cover big-picture issues, such as how to choose the most relevant assessment, work as a team, and appropriately analyze and apply the insights gleaned. It also should include logistical components, like standardizing administration, navigating the online testing platform, troubleshooting issues, utilizing accessibility features and upholding security protocols.

Early childhood educators and allied professionals realize the benefits of fostering an environment that embraces every child’s distinctive self-expression. We also realize that children reach milestones at different times and in different ways.

However, part of our professional role is determining when some of our child’s individual “quirks” or reticence may indicate a need for further support. Assessments can help distinguish individuality or preferences from potential issues that might require intervention. While we never want to extinguish a child’s spark, early identification of developmental delays allows us to nurture areas where they might need an extra boost during prime learning windows and help set them on a positive path for their learning future.

The Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency™ (BOT™) was the first standardized test I came across on my first fieldwork placement as an occupational therapy student. Back then, it came in a clunky metal case and used real pennies for the coin activities (I'm showing my age now!) Like many therapists, I feel like I've "grown up with” the BOT so I'm thrilled to be part of the team bringing the original BOT's “grandchild” — the BOT™-3 — into the world! We are all excited about this new edition, and we think you will be too!

Here's a preview of some of the changes you can expect to see in this latest version.

As social media use surges among youth, educators are grappling with the need to manage device disturbances — while acknowledging that technology use is embedded in education. Although educators embrace digital tools to help surface diverse viewpoints, boost engagement and save time, clear guidelines are necessary to keep students on task during the school day and promote digital responsibility.

As schools and districts aim to set consistent rules for device and social media usage, they should embrace a balanced approach that fosters a safe, supportive learning environment while minimizing distractions and risky behavior. Here are five guidelines to consider.

Social media and the mobile devices used to access those apps have a pervasive pull on adolescents and teens, even when they’re supposed to be studying or socializing “IRL” at school. As a result, educators may be the first to notice social media- and device-related issues that need to be addressed with caregivers. Those can be tough conversations — it’s easy to feel as though addressing a student’s social media and device use could feel out of bounds.

However, when a situation is affecting students’ physical or mental wellness, it becomes vital for an empathetic educator to start a dialogue with their family. In any conversation, take care to open by expressing concern (rather than blame or criticism), underscore the reasons social media can be beneficial to youth and emphasize your desire to work on solutions together. Listening is critical.

Here are three potentially sticky situations involving social media and devices for which you might want to initiate this dialogue, along with ideas for how to frame the conversation.

Note: Schools and districts likely have their own policies for how to handle student issues involving social media and devices. We intend for these examples to provide additional best practices to validate or enhance your own approach.

Educators always remember those leaders who made a difference — those who encouraged, motivated and appreciated them. Before I joined Pearson as an assessment consultant, I spent 17 years in public education, and I know I remember those stellar leaders.

One of my favorite principals knew we would all perform better when we recognized we had a voice, so he made sure we did. He assembled a leadership team to provide input, but he didn’t stop there: He also asked each of us to seek input from our departments to gain more robust insight. It was a concrete way for him to demonstrate that everyone’s opinion was sought-after and valid. He also had an open-door policy, literally, where he would welcome any of us into his office for a conversation.

As we all know, administrators deal with some rough stuff, but he never let that infiltrate his demeanor with staff — or students and families. He was always positive and always welcoming. To me, he was the epitome of the type of leader I think most educators strive to be.

How do you get there?