ACT WorkKeys Training for Illinois NCLB Assessments: The Chicago Model

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ACT WorkKeys Training for Illinois (NCLB)
AssessmentsThe Chicago Model

• Loretta Begley
• Chicago Public Schools
• Office of High School Programs
• lmbegley_at_cps.k12.il.us

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Companies Using WorkKeys

• Comfort Suites
• Caterpillar Paving Products
• Toyota Financial Services
• Volvo Truck
• Bristol-Myers Squibb
• R.R. Donnelley
• Northrop Grumman
• Firestone
• Ford Motor Company

• Procter Gamble
• Gillette/Oral-B
• Goodyear
• JC Penney
• La-Z-Boy
• M M/Mars
• Dow Chemical Co.
• Ralston Purina
• Rockwell International
• Frito-Lay

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PSAE / ACT HISTORY

• NCLB and AYP
• Implications for the Employment Community

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WorkKeys Recap

• Illinois PSAE Exam 20 Total
• 50 Reading for Information
• 50 Applied Mathematics
• An ACT study found an 80 correlation between the
  ACT test and WorkKeys assessments
• indicating that an intervention causing an
  increase in WorkKeys scores would cause a
  subsequent increase in the ACT score
• Increasing a WorkKeys Reading score From Level 4
  to Level 5 would cause
• An increase of 4-8 composite score points due to
  the WorkKeys portion on the PSAE .
• An improved ACT score resulting in possible
  increase of 5-8 points on the PSAE.
• A total PSAE Reading score increase of 9-16
  points.
• Must Achieve Level 5 to have a chance of
  achieving AYP

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Resources For WorkKeys Training

• ACT Approved Products
• Targets for Instruction
• Practice Test One released Version
• KeyTrain and WIN software
• Texts and Test-Prep Services
• McGraw-Hill
• Cambridge, Kaplan, Princeton Review

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What is Key-Train?

• Key Train is a comprehensive training curriculum
  that is designed specifically for the Work Keys
  assessments. Each module includes pre and post
  test time-in-lessons date stamp, and a variety
  of reporting features.
• Modules include
• Reading for Information (included on PSAE)
• Applied Mathematics (included on PSAE)
• Locating Information
• Writing
• Applied Technology
• Teamwork
• Listening Observation
• Basic Skills (Level 2)
• Career Skills

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Utilizing Key-Train

• How much time does it take for a student to move
  up one level?
• Estimated time of completion is 6-12 hours of
  work in one subject area to complete one level.
• Time alone is not an indicator of success.
• Teacher Identification of Learning Gaps (reports)
  accompanied by good instructional practices is
  critical.

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Instructional Planning

• Dont teach the test teach the skills needed
  for success on the test. (Use EPAS strand
  analysis / WorkKeys Practice Exam / KeyTrain
  software to identify those skills)
• Begin at the End. What do you want the final
  product to look like. (Skill Level 5)
• Use Data Analysis resources to identify
  instructional strengths and weaknesses.
• Learning Gaps-include skill and level to address.
  (How do you determine correct skill level? How do
  you assure rigor? And how do you identify
  progress toward the next level?
• How and where will WorkKeys skills be
  incorporated within the curriculum?

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Teachers and School ProfessionalsConcerns
KeyTrain, ACT on Line, bellringers what else are
they going to make me do?
When do I teach my subject?
My students get good grades. They just don't
perform well on big tests.
Reading is not in my curriculum.
How many different initiatives am I expected to
incorporate?
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Students
Why do I have to take these stupid tests?
ACT is the only important part of the PSAE.
A diploma is all that is really needed to get a
good job.
The Workkeys Exam is Easy
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Instructional Practice

• Appropriate use of Instructional Software.
• Make sure students are using calculator and
  formula sheet (AM).
• Make it count incorporate in instructional
  practice.
• Monitor student usage and reports. Look for
  serious effort.
• Provide extended instruction and reinforcement.
• Set goals and provide incentives for successful
  movement to the next level.
• Elicit parental support by providing individual
  reports.

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N-CREL Recommendations For Technology Integration
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Curriculum-Specific Applications

• If technology is to be used to produce
  improvements in student achievement, teachers
  must see a direct link between the technology and
  the curriculum for which they are responsible
  (Byrom, 1998).
• Professional development for technology use
  should demonstrate projects in specific
  curriculum areas and help teachers integrate
  technology into the content. In particular,
  professional development activities should
  enhance teachers' curriculum, learning, and
  assessment competencies and skills as well as
  classroom and instructional management
  competencies and skills.
• Specific content can help teachers analyze,
  synthesize, and structure ideas into projects
  that they can use in their classrooms (Center for
  Applied Special Technology, 1996).

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Infuse it into the curriculum

• A good professional development program is job
  embedded and tied to learning goals It provides
  activities in the context of practice.
• The best integration training for teachers does
  not simply show them how to add technology to
  their what they are doing. "It helps them learn
  how to select digital content based on the needs
  and learning styles of their students, and infuse
  it into the curriculum rather than making it an
  end in itself," notes Fatemi (1999).
• "Using technology effectively also requires
  having a wide repertoire of teaching approaches."
  

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New Roles for Teachers

• Technology encourages teachers to take on new and
  expanded roles, both inside and outside of the
  classroom. Within the classroom, technology
  supports student-centered instruction.
• The teacher assumes the role of coach or
  facilitator while students work collaboratively
  (Jones, Valdez, Nowakowski, Rasmussen, 1995
  Kupperstein, Gentile, Zwier, 1999). Outside of
  the classroom, technology supports teacher
  collaboration. Instead of working in isolation,
  teachers can work together on school wide
  programs. They can help find solutions to
  problems, act as peer advisors to provide
  information and feedback, and collect data to
  test hypotheses (Lieberman, 1996 Little, 1982).
  Their new roles may involve distance
  collaboration with cross-school peer groups and
  study groups through telecommunications
  (Kosakowski, 1998).
• Professional development for technology use
  provides opportunities for teachers to become
  comfortable and effective in these new roles.

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Data and Analysis

• REA Data and Analysis http//research.cps.k12.il.
  us
• Reading, Math and Science
• Plan, Explore, Plan, ACT
• Strand Analysis
• WorkKeys Practice Exam, Item Analysis
• KeyTrain Reports
• Usage and level Reports by grade
• Export total school use in Excel
• PDF View and Print Repots,
• Other Services / Strategies / Formative
  Assessments

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Programs, Curriculum and Test Prep

• Small Schools, Career Academics, ETC, Avid,
  Transformation Schools, IB, Excelerator, Gear Up
• Test Prep Facts and Myths

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EPAS

• Educational
• Planning and
• Assessment
• System
• EXPLORE, PLAN, and ACT assessments in Reading,
  Math, English, and Science Reasoning
• All are published by ACT, Inc.
• EPAS assessments are all linked to
• Illinois Learning Standards
• ACT College Readiness Standards (formerly
  Standards for Transition)
• Pathways for Transition

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ACT WorkKeys Reading Skills

• Identifying the main idea or details, both
  obvious and implied
• Understanding word and acronym meanings using
  context, ranging from explicit to implied
  definitions
• Applying instructions by sequencing steps,
  knowing when to use conditions, and cause and
  effect.
• Applying information to described and new
  situations
• Analyzing and synthesizing information to
  identify rationale and principles and apply them
  to new situations

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5 Reading Strands

• Generalizations and Conclusions
• Main Ideas and Authors Approach
• Meanings of Words
• Sequential, Comparative and Cause-Effect
  Relationships
• Supporting Details

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ACT Strand Analysis Reading
Meanings of Words Weakest Strand
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ReadingExplore/Plan TrendsMeaning of Words
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7 Mathematics Strands

• Basic Operations Applications
• Graphical Representations
• Measurement
• Numbers Concepts Properties
• Properties of Plane Figures
• Probability, Statistics, Data Analysis
• Expressions, Equations, Inequalities

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ACT WorkKeys Math Skills

• Add, subtract, multiply, and divide positive and
  negative numbers
• Calculate and convert to percentages
• Convert from one unit of measurement to another
• Understand and work with fractions.
• Understand and work with ratios and proportions
• Calculate time intervals and changes as well as
  production rates
• Use formulas, including those involving
  perimeter, area, and volume
• Solve assorted word problems

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Three Areas of Weakness Stand Out
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Mathematics Explore/Plan TrendsInconsistent
Progress
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Monitor Progress

• Look at the data to drive instructional
  decisions.
• Check administrative reports to see usage
  records.
• Look for appropriate time on taskpretest and
  lessons.
• Look for MOVEMENT to the next level --increased
  rigor
• Start with incoming Freshman junior year is too
  late.
• Consider Team teaching or instructional support
  for specific content.
• Identify needs for professional development.

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KeyTrain Planning and Procedures
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New Logons

• Logons and Passwords
• Students Username ID
• Students Password ID
• New
• Note The new School Unit ID numbers are 6 digits
• Teachers Username
• School ID-00000Employee ID
• Teachers Password
• School ID-Employee ID

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Lessons have been assigned for 3 topics, plus
Beginning Skills.
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District Default Settings
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Administrators Menu
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Reports
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Reports on System
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School Usage Summary
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Usage Summary
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Organization Admin Report
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Report on Organization
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Class Usage Statistics
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Class Usage Statistics
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Class Usage Statistics
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Applied Math School Lesson Statistics
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Locating Information Lesson Statistics
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Reading For Information Lesson Statistics
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Student List Report
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Course Analysis / Include Objectives
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Beginning Skills

• IF anyone scores a Level 2 or lower on a Pre-test
  you must tell the student to go into Beginning
  Skills.
• New Feature Assign Beginning Skills to all
  classes.

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Applied Math
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Look at Quizzes failed at each level.
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Applied Math Level 3 Objectives
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Look at Below 8019 Kids missed Question 7
(Handling Money) and Question 11 (Measurement)
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Analysis

• Analysis AM Level 3 Below 80. Out of 28
  students, 19 students missed questions 8 and 12.
  17 students missed 2,4, and 14.
• Therefore, Learning Gaps are identified in each
  concept.

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You now can export by date
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Juniors Implementation Plan

• What does your school data show?
• The last week in September, your sophmores and
  juniors took the WorkKeys paper practice tests.
  Use the item analysis to identify deficiencies.
• Course Analysis w/objectives report
• Topic and Quiz Detail report
• What teachers, classes and students will be using
  KeyTrain? Think about what your teachers are
  doing now.
• Think about how many labs you have available.

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• What programs are being used at your school? (ACT
  Prep, Kaplan, Cambridge, Princeton Review, etc.)
  Can you identify deficiencies from other
  resources?
• How can your teachers rotate labs, to make the
  most of KeyTrain exposure. Incorporate KeyTrain
  (WorkKeys skills) as a component of classroom
  instruction. How are your teachers going to
  accomplish this?
• We need 6-12 hours in each area to go up one
  level. We need Juniors to be at Level 5, by
  January.
• You should be seeing movement to higher levels
  over time? (Course Analysis Report)

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Implementation Plan
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Class Planning

• Which grade level of students are going to use
  KeyTrain? (Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors)
• Which classes will use KeyTrain? (ETC courses,
  Test Prep, English, Math, Science, Social
  Sciences).
• Which content area will be addressed for each
  class? (English Reading for Information / Math
  Applied Math / Social Sciences or Science
  Locating Information)
• Have you considered innovated designs? Team
  teaching?
• Which classes will need to be rotated to a lab?

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Lab Rotation