WORK KEYS SET TO LOW NON-COLLEGE SKILLS STANDARDS
\doc\web\98\07\workkey.txt
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1998 17:54:02 -0500 (CDT)
Message-Id: <LYR989462-1416182-1998.10.09-18.53.33--arthurhu#halcyon.com@lists.dundee.net>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/enriched; charset="us-ascii"
To: "ClearingHouse" <education-consumers@ripple.dundee.net>
From: "eca@fastlane.net" <eca@fastlane.net>
Subject: [education-consumers] ACT's WorkKeys Assessment of Writing
Reply-To: "ClearingHouse" <education-consumers@ripple.dundee.net>
Precedence: bulk
Status:  O


=====================================================================




Today I had a good look at the ACT Work Keys web site
(http://www.act.org/workkeys/index.html)




For those who may not know, Work Keys assessments are based on the
SCANS skills (http://www.act.org/workkeys/assessments/Readinfo.html). 




At the ACT Work Keys site, they say:




<paraindent><param>right,left</param>ACT's Work Keys is a comprehensive
system designed to help people make transitions from school to work,
from unemployment to work, and from job to job. The basic premise of
the Work Keys system is that, to make informed decisions at these key
transition points, people need accurate information about the skills
they possess, the skills they must acquire, and the levels of
performance they must demonstrate if they are to achieve their goals.




Using Work Keys, learners and workers can document their employability
skills. Employers can define the skills they are looking for and
identify workers who have them. And educators can tailor instructional
programs to help learners acquire the skills employers need in the
employees. Work Keys helps people prepare for, obtain and retain jobs.
And, by helping build a stronger workforce, it helps strengthen the
nation's economic health.


</paraindent>


Lucky for us, Work Keys provides sample assessment questions and
answers for a number of skills that employers want to measure. Below
I've provided a link for each assessment. It is interesting to compare
low-level questions and answers with high-level questions and answers.
You will quickly realize how little "education" employers want their
employees to have, and, if public education aligns its curriculum with
employers' goals, how little education students will get. You will also
notice that the scenarios presented in each of the assessments
references low-level, low-skill jobs. ACT Work Keys is not asking
questions that would require a college education to answer.




Writing


http://www.act.org/workkeys/assessments/Writing.html




Applied Mathematics


http://www.act.org/workkeys/assessments/Appmath.html




Locating Information


http://www.act.org/workkeys/assessments/Locinfo.html




Teamwork


http://www.act.org/workkeys/assessments/Teamwork.html




Applied Technology


http://www.act.org/workkeys/assessments/Apptech.html




Observation


http://www.act.org/workkeys/assessments/Observ.html




Listening


http://www.act.org/workkeys/assessments/Listen.html




Reading for Information


http://www.act.org/workkeys/assessments/Readinfo.html






Jeanne Donovan, Coordinator


Texas Education Consumers Assoc.


http://www.fastlane.net/~eca


eca@fastlane.net














Jeanne