The challenge: Ensuring validity, efficiency, and data utility in a digital age
Like many schools today, Dubai National School faced several challenges in its assessment practices:
Ensuring Test Security and Validity: In the era of advanced AI tools like ChatGPT, ensuring students weren't accessing external information during digital assessments was paramount. The school needed a robust lockdown browser more effective than previously used tools.
Extracting Actionable Data: Pen-and-paper tests were time-consuming to grade and analyze. While digital tools offered speed, the school needed immediate, standard-based analytics to genuinely inform instruction and intervention strategies, rather than just assign grades.
Teacher Workload: Creating and grading assessments, especially for diverse subjects and standards, consumed significant teacher time that could otherwise be dedicated to teaching and supporting students.
Integration with Existing Systems: A seamless flow of assessment data into the school's Student Information System and curriculum mapping tools (like Atlas Rubicon) was crucial for comprehensive analysis and reporting, but proving difficult to achieve with previous platforms.
The solution: A comprehensive assessment platform with AssessPrep
After evaluating various options, Dubai National School chose AssessPrep as its primary assessment platform, recognizing its potential to address their core challenges.
Enhancing Curriculum Planning Through Data-Driven insight with Atlas and AssessPrep integration: The integration between AssessPrep and Atlas has created a powerful feedback loop that directly connects our planned curriculum standards with actual assessments. This provides clear insight into which standards were targeted, which were assessed, and how well students performed. We use this data during curriculum review sessions to refine instructional planning and strengthen alignment between teaching, learning and assessment.
Robust Security & Lockdown Browser: AssessPrep's lockdown browser was a critical differentiator. The school became so confident in its security that they openly challenged students to try and bypass it – a testament to its strength. This feature was vital for maintaining academic integrity, particularly for high-stakes assessments.
“Go ahead, try every YouTube hack,” Mahmud told students—none worked. Confidence in high-stakes security converted sceptical parents and staff.
AI-Powered Efficiency Gains: The integration of AI features has significantly impacted teacher workflow.
Positive User Experience across devices such as I-pads: The platform's simplicity and ease of use, especially on iPads (the primary student device), have contributed to its widespread adoption across grades.
Anecdote: The Arabic department's "aha!" moment
During an Arabic-department workshop, Mahmud demoed AI in AssessPrep. He demonstrated AssessPrep's AI capability to generate assessment questions directly in Arabic. Seeing the platform instantly produce relevant content in their language was a clear "Aha moment" that quickly shifted their perspective and drove adoption within the department.
“Write five Grade 8 Arabic comprehension questions.” In seconds, teachers saw high-quality, standards-aligned prompts in their own language—instantly winning over the department.
Impact and results
Significant reduction in time spent for creating and delivering. The teachers are able to spend more time planning and actual teaching and learning.
School-Wide Adoption: All core subjects (English, Math, Science, Arabic, Islamic, Social Studies) now test on AssessPrep; daily quizzes, mock exams and PISA 2025 practice all run through the platform.
Enhanced Assessment Validity and Reliability: The robust lockdown browser ensures the integrity of digital tests, providing more reliable data on student knowledge and skills.
Improved Data Utilization: Immediate, standard-based analytics allow for timely, data-informed decisions regarding instruction, interventions, and curriculum adjustments.
Positive Progress towards KHDA Goals: The comprehensive, data-driven approach supported by AssessPrep contributes directly to the school's efforts to improve assessment practices as evaluated by the KHDA framework.
Next steps: Deepening integration and maximizing features
As DNS continues its journey with AssessPrep (currently in Phase 6 of adoption), future priorities include:
Achieving full, functional integration with Atlas Rubicon for seamless data transfer between curriculum mapping and assessment results.
Developing more advanced analytical capabilities within the platform.
Encouraging wider utilization of AssessPrep's one-to-one student feedback features to personalize learning support further.
Leveraging new features, such as the upcoming auto-tagging of questions with standards and difficulty levels, to enhance analytics and test design.
Final words from Dubai National School
"Overall, AssessPrep is adding value to our students - their learning " — Mahmud, Head of Curriculum & Assessment, DNS
Mahmud expresses gratitude for a tool that is "supporting us," enabling the school to achieve assessment goals that wouldn't have been possible otherwise. Despite ongoing tweaks and developments, the platform is clearly fulfilling DNS's needs and contributing positively to their educational mission.
