![]() |
![]() |
[Assessment 443] Re: Skills BankVirginia Tardaewether tarv at chemeketa.eduWed Aug 2 12:01:46 EDT 2006
I agree with Howard Gloria. We used the web-based. The only issue is cost as is true for all software. I have many ESL, ABE and GED students who use it along with other instructional strategies. Have you tried getting your students to figure it out instead of you? You might have some great computer "geeks" hidden there in the group....that gives them focus and frees your time. va ________________________________ From: assessment-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:assessment-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Gloria Fuentes Sent: Tuesday, August 01, 2006 3:16 PM To: hdooley at riral.org; The Assessment Discussion List Subject: [Assessment 439] Re: Skills Bank Hi Howard, I didn't know they had a web based program as well. What version are you using over there? I came into this teaching job not knowing anything about GED preparation. I am teaching Office Occupations and didn't know I would also be preparing my students for GED as well. Which I don't mind even though I am a brand new teacher. I took over this classroom where their had been no teacher for 4 months. The only one that was working with the students was the sweet Case Technician who knows very little about computers. I had never used Skills Bank and no one was there to show me the ropes on anything, first teaching job and I have been learning everything the hard way. I finally just figured out how to work the SkillsBank4 version they have there. I did try to get some support on it but found out they don't support version 4 anymore since they are now on version 5. SO--I have been figuring it all out on my own. So far I think its great but I have come to a problem where one of my students is ready to go on to Intermediate Math and they say I don't have that, with our package. I have been told that when my boss gets back from vacation he has found some money for some new hardware and software. So since we are working on ANTIQUE PC's I thought I would put in for some new ones and also have been checking out some good GED-Prep programs. So far I think SkillsBank is winning. Plato seems VERY expensive and I am hearing it isn't very user friendly. I have also found working with my students, along with the Skills Bank program seems to be working BEST! Thank you very much for your response, Gloria On 8/1/06, Howard L. Dooley, Jr. <hdooley at riral.org> wrote: We use My Skills Tutor, a web based program, which works very well with our basic skills and GED or EDP preparation students. RI purchased a license as part of Project IDEAL participation, a distance learning initiative. At our main learning center, all High ESL, ABE and ASE students experience the program, and have varying levels of participation on it. Several of our teachers have been using the program with some learners, in preparation for an expanded use this fall with our general ed, community based programs (which are mostly part-time evening programs). We intend to offer learners a blended model (distance learning/ classroom instruction). Learners who can't attend every class or need to stop out will have support in continuing with My Skills Tutor. For learners in class, homework assignments will include using the program, or to add reinforcement and more time on task for individual needs. I agree with Virginia: we find most learners can access and stay with the program long enough to achieve some skill development. Very few students can use it as a stand-alone however, mostly because they lack independent study skills and self-monitoring. Staff is discussing if and how we can explicitly instruct in these areas. Howard D. Virginia Tardaewether wrote: We use skills bank every day here in our basic skills lab. We use it for credit as well as non credit students. We have the students run their own tracking sheet rather than the tracking portion of the program (due to our limitations). In Salem, they have a lab assistant who keeps track of the students. This software works great for basic reading, writing and math. It also has some science, etc. depending upon what you purchase. Students engage with it well and will stick to it long enough to gain skills using the software. Haven't worked enough with PLATO to comment. Va ________________________________ From: assessment-bounces at nifl.gov [ mailto:assessment-bounces at nifl.gov <mailto:assessment-bounces at nifl.gov> ] On Behalf Of Gloria Fuentes Sent: Monday, July 31, 2006 3:14 PM To: Assessment at nifl.gov Subject: [Assessment 430] Re: Skills Bank Is anyone familiar with the SkillsBank software or Plato, if so what do you think about it for GED preparation? -- Gloria Fuentes ________________________________ ------------------------------- National Institute for Literacy Assessment mailing list <mailto:Assessment at nifl.gov> Assessment at nifl.gov To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to <http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/assessment> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/assessment ------------------------------- National Institute for Literacy Assessment mailing list Assessment at nifl.gov To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/assessment -- Gloria Fuentes -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/assessment/attachments/20060802/9946fc3b/attachment.html
More information about the Assessment mailing list |