Return-Path: <nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id j8LKZcG12100; Wed, 21 Sep 2005 16:35:38 -0400 (EDT) Date: Wed, 21 Sep 2005 16:35:38 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <s3318af7.049@mailsrv4.gsu.edu> Errors-To: listowner@nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Daphne Greenberg" <ALCDGG@langate.gsu.edu> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-WOMENLIT:3310] New Computerized Literacy Tests X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII X-Mailer: Novell GroupWise Internet Agent 6.5.4 Status: O Content-Length: 4693 Lines: 78 ETS Announces New Computerized Literacy Tests The PDQ Profile Series and the Health Activities Literacy Test are available online at www.ets.org/etsliteracy <http://www.ets.org/etsliteracy> and consist of real-world materials and open-ended questions that are automatically scored by a computer. The tests also are adaptive in that they select questions based in part on an individual's level of skill, thus making the individual's test shorter and more precise than it would otherwise be. Both of these measures provide information that can be used to determine if and where there is a need to improve literacy skills; better focus teaching and learning activities; and, compare results with those obtained in state, national and international surveys. "Literacy skills are critical to developing the human capital that individuals and nations will need to succeed in the 21st century," says Irwin Kirsch, who directs the Center for Global Assessment at ETS and who developed the framework for the assessments. "The assessments are based both on the legacy of the National Adult Literacy Survey and the International Adult Literacy Survey, and the extensive research base surrounding these large-scale assessments." The PDQ Profile Series consists of tests that provide accurate information about an individual's skill at using written and printed information associated with adult roles and contexts. PDQ refers to the Prose, Document, and Quantitative literacy proficiency scales used in the large scale surveys and these new computerized tests. Prose literacy measures how well individuals understand and use information found in newspapers, magazines, novels, brochures, manuals or flyers. Document literacy assesses how well a person understands information in forms, schedules, charts and graphs, and tables. Quantitative literacy involves reading the same type of materials associated with Prose and Document literacy, but differs in that the individual needs to identify the appropriate information and perform one or more arithmetic operations using these materials. The Health Activities Literacy Test also provides accurate information about an individual's skill at using written and printed information, but focuses on health-related activities that are defined in terms of health promotion, health protection, disease prevention, health care and maintenance, and systems navigation. Both the PDQ Profile Series and the Health Activities Literacy Test include a locator and full-length test version of the assessments. The locator is a useful tool for providing a general evaluation of an individual's literacy skills for placement purposes, and the full-length tests are useful measures for pre- and post-testing, to determine whether skills have changed over time or as the result of a particular intervention. The PDQ Profile Series and the Health Activities Literacy Test capitalize on new computer technologies that allow for automatic presentation, scoring, scaling and reporting of the everyday open-ended literacy tasks. The tests are available for purchase by individuals and institutions and are designed to measure the skills of their learners, program participants, and employees. By using internet technologies, the administrative burden associated with traditional paper and pencil testing is eliminated. Another feature of these measures is the automatic production of individual score reports, emphasizing strengths and weaknesses with particular types of literacy tasks. The reports are accompanied by interpretive material that includes functional competencies and near-term learning targets. In addition, downloadable data files will be available to institutions and researchers using the tests. For further information or to purchase a test, please visit: www.ets.org/etsliteracy. <http://www.ets.org/etsliteracy> About ETS ETS is a nonprofit institution with the mission to advance quality and equity in education by providing fair and valid assessments, research and related services for all people worldwide. In serving individuals, educational institutions and government agencies around the world, ETS customizes solutions to meet the need for teacher professional development products and services, classroom and end-of-course assessments, and research-based teaching and learning tools. Founded in 1947, ETS today develops, administers and scores more than 24 million tests annually in more than 180 countries, at over 9,000 locations worldwide. ________________________ Julie K. Eastland Program Administrator Center for Global Assessment Educational Testing Service Rosedale Rd. Princeton, NJ 08541 Tel: 716-876-5802 Cell: 716-982-1802
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