WorkKeys:

1. WorkKeys: Training for Test Administrators For more information contact: Kimberly Mildward or Kara Rollins at mail.nwmorcog.org or (660) 582-5121

2. Agenda • What is WorkKeys? • How does WorkKeys work? • Test Security • Testing Environment • Accommodations • Test Session Preparation • How to Handle Situations that arise

3. Agenda Continued • Retest Policy • Shipping of Scoring and Non-Scoring Materials • Ordering Materials • Scoring • CBT

4. What is WorkKeys?

5. What is WorkKeys? • A comprehensive employability skills assessment tool from ACT, designed to help individuals develop better workplace skills. • An important link in the movement to bring together employers, educators, labor, and state agencies to improve a community’s supply of skilled workers.

6. What does WorkKeys measure? Skills that employers believe are critical to job success.

7. Need for a Better-Trained Workforce... In a recent survey by the Society of Human Resource Managers (SHRM), human resource professionals said that the skills of more than 60 percent of their job applicants are deficient.

8. How Does WorkKeys Work?

9. How does WorkKeys work? WorkKeys is centered around three major components: • Job Profiling • Assessments • Training Component

10. How does WorkKeys work? WorkKeys is centered around three major components: • Job Profiling • Assessments • Training Component

11. Job Profiling • The profiler first obtains background information about the company and about how the job to be profiled fits into the company. • The profiler begins the process by developing an initial task list for the position.

12. Job Profiling • The profiler will then meet with subject matter experts of the job being studied to review and revise the list of tasks to make a final list that accurately represents their job as it is performed in the company.

13. Job Profiling • The final document is a listing of important tasks an individual must perform and the skill level required to perform the job. • Assessments can be matched with task lists and used for employee training, selection or instructional program development.

14. How does WorkKeys work? WorkKeys is centered around three major components: • Job Profiling • Assessments • Training Component

15. Assessments • Assessments cover transferable and soft skills of employees. • Assessments are given in paper/pencil, video or computer based format. • Each test is 30-75 minutes in length.

16. Assessments • Assessment scores are based on a list of tasks the employee must master to score at that level. • Reports for businesses, education and workforce development are easy to read. • Scores can be available approximately 2 hours after testing for most tests.

17. What assessments are available? • Readiness Assessment • Applied Mathematics • Locating Information • Reading for Information • Teamwork • Observation

18. What assessments are available? • Applied Technology • Writing • Business Writing • Listening

19. Test Security

20. Checking in Materials • Open every box in your shipment and check the contents against the enclosed Materials Packing List. • Count the individual assessment booklets and be sure that you have received all the materials listed and that the materials have not been tampered with in any way.

21. Securing and Storing Assessment Materials • After you have verified receipt of all materials, lock them in a secure place. • Save the boxes, they may be used for returning at the completion of testing. • Assessment booklets, tapes and videos are not to be transferred to any other test center, site, without prior notice to WorkKeys Customer Services.

22. What is the best way to maintain secure assessments? While the materials are in your custody, never leave them unattended unless they are inside a secure and locked facility to which only authorized individuals have access, such as a storage closet or filing cabinet.

23. Tracking WorkKeys Testing Materials • Inventory booklets, tapes and videos at least quarterly to make sure all are accounted for. • Count out, write down materials you take for each testing session. • Count materials after each test, before dismissing for a break or starting the next test. • Recount before placing in secure area.

24. Testing Environment

25. Testing Rooms • Offer adequate writing surfaces. • Uncrowded seating. • Good lighting. • Comfortable temperatures. • Quiet atmosphere. • Freedom from distraction.

26. Testing Rooms, cont. • Audiotape/videotape assessments- freedom from outside noise is especially important. • Videotape assessment- all examinees must have a clear view of the monitor at a distance that permits them to easily read the words on the screen. • 1 proctor for 25 examinees.

27. Bulletin Boards Check each testing room to make sure that maps, periodic tables, posters, charts, and bulletin board materials related to the subjects of the assessments are removed or covered.

28. Seating Arrangements • Whenever possible, seat examinees at separate desks in a block so that all rows (side-by-side) and columns (front-to-back) have about the same number of examinees. • Arrange seating to prevent examinees from communicating or looking at one another’s answer document.

29. Accommodations

30. Accommodations Assessment accommodations are the responsibility of the site. As a test administrator, you should: • Make sure examinees are aware of the accommodations available to them prior to the test date. • Accommodations that do not directly impact the nature of the skill measured should be provided but should not be coded on the answer document.

31. Accommodations Available • Large-print answer document. • Braille answer document. • Captioned Video Test • Reader/Signer • Assistance in Recording Responses • Extra time • Foreign Language Dictionaries

32. Test Session Preparations

33. Arrangements for TestingDay and Time of Testing You may administer all of the assessments in one session with breaks between assessments; administer each assessment separately on different days; or administer the assessments in a combination of these two options.

34. Arrangements for TestingDay and Time of Testing • Assessments usually take 40 to 45 minutes. • Teamwork requires two 32-minute sessions. • Observation requires two 30-minute sessions.

35. Order of Assessment • First complete the demographic information. • Part 1 & Part 2 of the Teamwork must be administered consecutively. • Part 1 & Part 2 of the Observation must be administered consecutively. • If the Listening & Writing assessment is administered, they should be the final assessment.

36. Breaks • You should provide breaks between assessments. • Breaks should be approximately 10 minutes. • Determine your break times and add the minutes to the overall session.

37. Video-Based TestsTeamwork & Observation • You must provide a VHS or DVD player. • The third frame shows the Test Form Number. • If you are administering Observation in one session, allow examinees a five minute break between Part 1 and Part 2.

38. Video-Based TestsTeamwork & Observation • Do not rewind the videotape. The videotape continues through the end of the test. • Responses for Part 2 are to be marked in the same section as Part 1 responses.

39. Listening and Writing • They require only one administration. • They can be scored on the basis of Listening criteria, Writing criteria, or both. • Follow the instructions provided for the appropriate scoring situation. • You must provide a cassette tape player for each testing room.

40. Instructions Before Test Day A few days prior to the the test day, examinees should be informed that they must bring the following: • #2 lead pencils with erasers • A watch to pace themselves • Social Security number • Pens if administering Listening and/or Writing • A calculator for the Math Assessment • Photo Id

41. Administrator’s Instructions • The roster should include all examinees who actually took the test. Every name should be designated (R) as recognized by the administrator or with the type of identification presented. • It is very important that all testing personnel be familiar with the instructions on completing the personal demographic information, Test Form Numbers, and Booklet Numbers.

42. Administrator’s Instructions • The Test Form Numbers indicate which answer key ACT will use in scoring the assessment. Therefore, if a Test Form Number is not entered correctly, ACT cannot score the answer document correctly. • Test administrators should keep records on the testing session for 6 months including an examinee roster and a Testing Conditions Report. • Do not admit examinees who arrive late.

43. Verbal Instructions for Completing Demographics • Distribute the answer documents after seating all examinees. • Blank answer documents may be counted and given to the first examinee in each row to pass back. • Do not distribute assessment booklets until you have completed the demographic verbal instructions below.

44. Verbal Instructions for Completing Demographics • For security reasons, it is important to hand each examinee a booklet and individually. • Read aloud all instructions in the shaded boxes. Do not depart from this text. • Where a series of dots appears, pause to let examinees follow instructions.

45. Verbal Instructions for Completing Demographics • Text in parentheses is intended for the testing staff only and should not be read aloud. • Demographic blocks 8-27 are optional.

46. Avoiding Common Errors When completing the demographic information: • Grid only one oval per column. • Start with the first box and first column of ovals in the block. • Grid name and address in addition to writing them in the spaces.

47. Avoiding Common Errors When completing each assessment section: • Grid the appropriate test form code in addition to writing the code in the boxes and the name in the space provided. • Emphasize that examinees must mark their responses on the answer document. No additional time will be allowed for transferring answers unless an assessment accommodation is used.

48. Timing • Use a interval timer to keep time. • Start and stop times and the 5-minute and 1-minute times remaining must be written in the appropriate place in this manual and computations checked carefully before time is called.

49. Announcement of Time Remaining A verbal announcement of time remaining should be read five minutes and one minute before the end of each assessment.

50. Situations that may arise