Using PASS with a Small Group of Students

We designed PASS to be used in a one-on-one context with students who are passing clinically but are academically at risk. We still believe that PASS is most effective when used one on one. However, there were some semesters when we lacked the time and resources to meet students on an individual basis. Because we believed so strongly in PASS, we wanted to keep it available in these situations. That is how using PASS with a Small Group of students came about.

We assembled our initial group by identifying those students who were academically failing or at risk, based on the results from the first written test of the semester. We leave it to you to set your own criteria, based on which students you want to help. In our experience, teachers who are still learning how to use PASS should limit their small group to a maximum of 6 or 8 students.

The focus of the Small Group context is to address group patterns. Although this option allows you to help students with less expenditure of time than the one-on-one context, we found that we were not able to get to know our students as well in the group setting.

Here are some other advantages and disadvantages of the Small Group context.

Advantages for students:

• share similar experiences and realize that they are not alone
• support and learn from each other

Disadvantages for students:

• do not receive an individualized Action Plan
• may have to disclose some personal information to the group

This disclosure of personal information means that you will need to obtain each student’s written consent to participate in a group setting. Although students are not asked to divulge specifics about their situation, they may feel uncomfortable acknowledging to their peers that they are struggling academically.

Step 1 – Contact each student

Review our Guidelines, and contact students to introduce PASS and get their consent to participate in a group setting. We recommend that you contact them via email. We have included a template invitation letter for you to use.

Step 2 – Choose your Complementary Assessment Tools

If you are planning to use some of the Complementary Assessment Tools, then consider the size of your group. We caution that it can be time-consuming and overwhelming to use all of the tools in a small group setting. In addition, you can find yourself dealing with individual student concerns, which defeats the purpose of working in a Small Group context.

If you need help deciding which of the CAT to use, refer to the description of each tool.

If you choose to use the Student Profile, you can attach it to the email from Step 1 and ask that the student return the completed form to you by a set date. Remember, the Student Profile includes a rating scale for the student’s perception of their anxiety. Because anxiety is prevalent among students, using the Student Profile gives you an opportunity to determine whether anxiety is an issue in the group.

If you want to use any other CAT, you can attach them to the email. Advise the students to complete the forms and bring them to the first group meeting.

Step 3 – Review Data from Student's Performance Assessment Graphs (SPAG)

The PASS Excel program, which produces the Student Performance Assessment Graphs (SPAG), is the heart of PASS. When working with a Small Group of students who are facing similar challenges, reviewing their graphs collectively is an opportunity to analyze data in a different way - for example, how the group did on Apply-level questions. This is different from the one-on-one context, where we only see how the individual student did and have no group perspective.

After the first test, review data from the SPAG for each student in your group. Look for patterns that you can address with the group. For example:

• In Class Content, are there topics that students had more success / difficulty answering?
• In Professional Component, are students having more success / difficulty answering one Dimension as compared to another?
• In Functional Component, are students having more success / difficulty answering one field of knowledge compared to another?
• In Bloom's Taxonomy, are students having more success / difficulty answering one level of question as compared to another?

You should also compare the students’ performances on the first half versus the second half of the test. Because you are looking at the graphs collectively, you may see some patterns emerge:

• One half of the test may be easier/harder than the other half.
• A weaker performance on the first half of the test may suggest test-taking anxiety.
• The test may be too long for the time allotted, which often affects students in the second half of the test.

Begin writing a presentation of your findings, which you will share with the group.

Step 4 – Review students’ completed test booklets

You may find it valuable to review the students’ completed test booklets to look for patterns; for example:

Overall:

• Did the student finish the test?
• Did the student leave many unanswered questions?
• Did the student erase and/or change many answers?

For each question that the student got wrong or lost marks:

• Did the student understand what was being asked? For example, did the student answer an Assessment question with an Intervention?
• When answering the question, did the student use information relevant for the case?
• Was the answer clearly written?
• Was the answer vague or incomplete?

Add your findings to the presentation that you will share with the group.

Step 5 – Review data from Complementary Assessment Tools, if used

Student Profile

If you used the Student Profile, refer to the Student Profile – Guide to Interpreting the Data. As you review the students’ completed forms, look for common factors that you can address with the group; for example, some students may be working too many hours in a paid job.

Study Habits Checklist

If you asked the students to complete the Study Habits Checklist, you need to give them some guidance on how to interpret the data, as they are responsible for this process. Use the Study Habits Checklist – Student’s Guide to Interpreting the Data to teach the students how to interpret their own data.

Identifying Your Learning Style

If you asked the students to complete the Identifying Your Learning Style assessment tool, you need to give them some guidance on how to interpret the data, as they are responsible for this process. Use the tool Identifying your Learning Style – Student’s Guide to Interpreting the Data to teach the students how to interpret their own data and identify study strategies that are related to their learning styles.

Add your findings to the presentation that you will share with the group.

We recommend giving the students a copy of the Study Habits and/or Identifying Your Learning Style – Student’s Guide to Interpreting the Data to take home with them.

Step 6 – Prepare your PASS Test Review Presentation, Test 1

The purpose of writing up a presentation is to prepare you for your discussion with the group. We have included a sample PowerPoint presentation for you to use.

The presentation should include:

• guidance for the students on how to interpret their SPAG
• patterns identified in Steps 3, 4 and 5, and your interpretation of them
• the group’s strengths and areas that need improvement
• study and test-taking strategies to address predominant patterns (use the Bank of Strategies for Success and Addressing Student Anxiety)
• reflective questions to encourage students to share and learn from each other

Step 7 – Meet the Student Group

Meet the group. It is best to begin by taking a few minutes to discuss how you want the group to function. We like to discuss the importance of establishing group norms:

• Respect and confidentiality:
  • everyone is equally important
  • what is shared in the group, stays in the group
• Collaboration

When you first introduce the students to PASS, allow 15 to 20 minutes to explain how to interpret the information presented in the graphs (provide students with a color copy of their SPAG).

Discuss your findings and the interpretation of your findings with your group.

Offer the relevant study and test-taking strategies.

Although meeting as a group allows you to help more students at once, you may not have an opportunity to address the needs of a specific student. In such a case, we strongly recommend that you contact the student for a one-on-one meeting. This happens more frequently when you use the Complementary Assessment Tools, because you get to know the student better.

Following a subsequent test, repeat Steps 3 and 4; then proceed to Step 8.

Step 8 – Review data from Comparison Graphs

After Test 2, review the data from the Comparison Graphs between Test 1 and Test 2. These graphs will show you where the student improved, did not improve or did more poorly.

Step 9 – Prepare your PASS Test Review Session, Test 2

As you did following Test 1, prepare a presentation of your feedback to the group. We have included a sample PowerPoint presentation for you to use. The presentation should include:

• guidance to the students on how to interpret the Comparison Graphs
• patterns identified in Steps 3 and 4, and your interpretation of them
• group’s strengths and areas that need improvement
• additional study and test-taking strategies to address predominant patterns (use the Bank of Strategies for Success and Addressing Student Anxiety)
• reflective questions to encourage students to share and learn from each other

Step 10 – Meet the Student Group

• Distribute the SPAG from Test 2 and the Comparison Graphs.
• Explain how to interpret the information in the Comparison Graphs.
• Discuss your findings and the interpretation of your findings with the group.
• Offer additional study and test-taking strategies.

Step 11 – Prepare your PASS Test Review Session, Final Test

Generally we do not use PASS for the final test of the semester. If students request their SPAG, however, we do provide them. The SPAG from the final test of the semester can give students an overview of their accomplishments and areas that still need improvement.

If you decide to hold a PASS Test Review Session after the final test of the semester, the process remains the same.

Worksheet

Week	Tasks	Done
1	Decide to use PASS
2
3
4
5	Test 1
6
7	Contact students, introduce PASS, and obtain consent to participate in Small Group context Send Complementary Assessment Tools, if using
8	Review data from SPAG, Complementary Assessment Tools and students' completed test booklets Look for patterns Prepare PASS Test Review Session, Test 1
9	Meet the group: establish group norms discuss SPAG discuss findings offer study and test-taking strategies
10
11	Test 2
12
13	Review data from SPAG Test 2, Complementary Assessment Tools, and students' completed test booklets Look for patterns Prepare PASS Test Review Session, Test 2 Meet the group: discuss SPAG and Comparison Graphs discuss findings with the group offer additional study and test-taking strategies
14
15

*This timeline is based on 3 tests/semester