Results of New Technology and Engineering Literacy (TEL) Assessment

Today, the National Assessment of Educational Progress released results from the first-ever nationally representative assessment of students’ technology and engineering literacy. Technology Engineering and Literacy (TEL) is a new assessment administered by the National Assessment of Educational Progress. In 2014, eighth-graders were presented scenario based tasks on laptop computers and asked to analyze and solve real-world technology and engineering problems. The Technology and Engineering Literacy assessment tests students’ thinking and reasoning skills in three content areas--Technology and Society, Design and Systems, and Information and Communication Technology—as well as three technology and engineering practices--Understanding Technological Principles, Developing Solutions and Achieving Goals, and Communicating and Collaborating. Performance will be available for the both the Nation’s public and private schools as well as by race/ethnicity, gender, school location and eligibility for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). The report also includes a number of contextual variables around students’ experience with technology.