Hi James and everyone,
Thanks so much for this information, it is very helpful.  
James, you've raised a few very interesting issues in your discussion.
I'm not very familiar with the WorkKeys materials, but what I do know of
them indicates that they attempt to provide a snapshot of people's
cognitive skills/abilities as well as their personal qualities.  What do
you (and others) think about the assessment of personal qualities?  This
is an area that is very difficult to capture/quantify/etc.  Do folks
find this type of assessment helpful?  How do you use this information?
Is it shared with the adult student/worker?
On the note that someone is using the TABE as the pre-test and then
WorkKeys as the post-test - you are entirely correct James when you
question the validity of this mix and match - it is not valid.  This
would not fly with the NRS.  These tests are not equated and cannot be
assumed to provide an accurate measure of gain against each other.  I
think I understand that the person doing this is interested in getting
more of a picture of the skills that the worker already has, and then
comparing how far they can go in terms of working with the WorkKeys
materials - and I suppose this could work - you could be using the
information gleaned from both tests in formative ways.  But that's where
that ends:  you can't use any scores from either test to say anything at
all about the person because you are using 2 different measures - they
cannot be compared to each other.  And you're right James:  you would
have to go thru an extensive, complex equating process in order to use
one for a pre-test and the other for a post-test - and still you would
not get truly accurate information out of this endeavor.  
Perhaps the better combination would be to stick to the one assessment
for purposes of summative assessment (i.e.:  reporting to funders) to be
sure of accuracy, but then use your own or commercially available
assessments, tests, quizzes, etc that can inform your teaching and help
you with further diagnostics of your adult students (formative
assessment).  This feels like a schizophrenic situation I know:  it
feels like the summative and formative trains shall never meet - and
there are ways in which they never will.  But there are also ways in
which these two pieces can indeed inform one another and I have no doubt
that many of you already are doing this.
Thanks,
Marie Cora
Assessment Discussion List Moderator
-----Original Message-----
From: assessment-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:assessment-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of james austin
Sent: Saturday, January 13, 2007 5:21 PM
To: 'The Assessment Discussion List'
Cc: austin.38 at osu.edu
Subject: [Assessment 578] WorkKeys for ABLE Learners
Folks,
I work in Ohio with ABLE programs as part of the state leadership
network, and would like to tell folks a little bit about our statewide
level of interest similar to that which Barbara mentioned for New
Mexico.
Our state was encouraged several years ago to think about a credential
and workplace education.  A committee on which I served developed a
process for interviewing potential vendors of assessments (FOUR:  Work
Readiness Credential of EFF-US Chamber, Skills Max bundle within Ohio,
the ERI from Canada, and Work Keys).  We have completed a field test
with 5 programs and 200 some adult learners, and are planning going to
scale with the WorkKeys credential (which was also just endorsed by the
Governors Workforce Policy Board).  I will find out from the
powers-that-be in the state if I can share more with you about our field
test.
I liked the fact that ACT went the through the tortuous process of
obtaining NRS approval for the measure.  This makes it more useful, even
if perhaps not as diagnostic.
On the diagnosticity issue of Work Keys brought up by the posting by
Melinda, I do see the system as more of a summative measure than a
formative one.  One of the teachers in the field test, however,
indicated that she thought that giving a TABE first and Work Keys second
seemed to be most logical approach.  This begs the issue of pre-post
testing with the "same" test and so might not always be appropriate with
WIA Title II funding guidance.  It would require an equating process
between the two testing systems before use in a pre-post (gain)
situation.
Lastly, I believe that there are many forms of the WorkKeys rather than
just one.  The delivery can be computer-based, and the scoring can be
done by you (remotely) if you have a testing center approved or licensed
by ACT.
The cost is fairly comparable, although scoring costs must be considered
in certain cases, and the WorkKeys system is popular with employers in
Ohio (our Adult Workforce Education component has used it almost since
it came out in the 1990s).
 
 
  _____  

From: assessment-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:assessment-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Barbara Arguedas
Sent: Wednesday, January 10, 2007 10:40 AM
To: The Assessment Discussion List
Subject: [Assessment 573] Re: Opinions and thoughts about usingWork
KeysforAdult Literacy Students
 
In New Mexico, the Governor's Office of Workforce Training and
Development is diligently pursuing WorkKeys, including training and
marketing to businesses.  New Mexico has a Career Readiness Certificate
that is based on the WorkKeys assessment.  ABE programs throughout the
state have had access to WorkKeys for several years specifically for use
with the TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) students.  Our
state assessment policy allows the use of WorkKeys for NRS levels 4, 5,
and 6.  We use it for assessment purposes on a limited basis.  Some
programs, including ours here in Santa Fe, also use KeyTrain for the
remediation.  Though we have not used either of these products
extensively, overall we have had favorable results.  Given that a
student can earn the Career Readiness Certificate which will assist him
or her in the job search, we think that the use of WorkKeys will
increase.  Of course, the goal of the student is what drives the study
plan.  We do recommend the use of WorkKeys for those who have a goal of
employment.  Good luck.
Barbara Arguedas
ABE Director, Santa Fe Community College, Santa Fe, NM
 
-----Original Message-----
From: assessment-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:assessment-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Limkemann, Karen
Sent: Wednesday, January 10, 2007 7:14 AM
To: The Assessment Discussion List
Subject: [Assessment 571] Re: Opinions and thoughts about using Work
KeysforAdult Literacy Students
 
We use KeyTrain heavily with ABE, GED, and ESL but do not have access to
WorkKeys.  The workforce development folks handle that testing in
Indiana.  We have found KeyTrain to be a great tool for a variety of
folks.  
You might want to contact someone in Michigan.  It seems I heard that
they are going to use WorkKeys as a high school exit exam. I would
hesitate to use it as a pre-post tool as it is not diagnostic in nature.
Karen Limkemann
The Literacy Alliance 
Fort Wayne, IN
 
 
 
  _____  

From: Melinda Hefner [mailto:mhefner at cccti.edu] 
Sent: Tuesday, January 09, 2007 5:31 PM
To: assessment at nifl.gov
Subject: [Assessment 569] Re: Opinions and thoughts about using Work
Keysfor Adult Literacy Students
 
oops....sorry for the it's/its!!!!!!  :-(


>>> "Melinda Hefner" <mhefner at cccti.edu> 01/09/07 4:18 PM >>>

I apologize in advance if this duplicates a recent question/discussion,
but I hope you will let me know your opinions and thoughts about using
Work Keys as an assessment tool for ABE, GED, and Adult High School
students.  Pros?  Cons?  Recommend it's use?  Recommend it's conditional
use?  Don't recommend it?
 
Thanks in advance for your help.
 
Melinda
 
Melinda M. Hefner
Director, Literacy Support Services
 
Basic Skills Department
Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute
2855 Hickory Blvd.
Hudson, North Carolina  28638
Office:  (828) 726-2245
FAX:     (828) 726-2266
 
 
 

 
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