Welcome to the ESD Facilitator Guide for the Essential … guide combined.pdfESD Facilitator’s Guide | Contents ©2010 BOWVALLEY COLLEGE - ESD Facilitator Guide - Welcome to the

ESD Facilitator’s Guide | Contents

©2010 BOWVALLEY COLLEGE

- ESD Facilitator Guide -

Welcome to the ESD Facilitator Guide for the Essential Skills Online: A Consortium Approach Pilot Project.

This resource is designed to act as a guide for facilitators participating in this pilot project, and to enhance the learning experience for the participants who will be using the Essential Skills Direct tool (ESD) to improve their Essential Skills. This guide will provide facilitators with tools, resources, background information and instructions for ESD.

The ESD Facilitator Guide Contains:

Project Overview

Part A: Project Activities • Selecting & Preparing Participants • Administering TOWES (Pre and Post testing sessions) • Piloting ESD • Completing Evaluations

Part B: ESD Guide

• ESD Overview • Facilitator Access and Instructions • Essential Skills & TOWES Overview

Resources

• Facilitator Documents • Links • Learner Guide (copy for reference)

**NOTE: Throughout the ESD Facilitator Guide, when a project document is referred to it will be noted with the following symbol:

All documents can be found in the Resources section.

ESD Facilitator’s Guide | Project Introduction

- Project Overview- As part of a national partnership with Fanshawe College and the Canadian Virtual College Consortium, Bow Valley College has developed an online Essential Skills training tool designed to teach Essential Skills from a sector-specific workplace context:

Essential Skills Direct (ESD) Providing accessible, innovative and convenient learning options, ESD aims to effectively remove barriers to learning and employment by teaching the skills needed for working in Canada’s highly skilled labour market. The ESD tool will help learners develop techniques for improving Essential Skills and introduce an integrated approach to training in an online environment. The tool will improve the Essential Skill levels of learners, in the context of the following specific sectors:

Health Care | Automotive | Oil & Gas | Trades

The goal of this pilot project is to have approximately 300 learners test the ESD tool and provide feedback to Bow Valley College. The online accessibility and functionality as well as the quality of the content will be evaluated by all field test participants. Partner organizations have been selected from across Canada to test the ESD tool in a variety of situations and with a diverse group of learners. To ensure consistency between partners and pilot groups, and to get the most out of the pilot test data, this Facilitator guide has been prepared by TOWES to outline in detail the project activities and procedures that each partner organization and their facilitators must follow. As the partner organizations involved in this project will receive compensation for participation, it is imperative that all staff involved is aware of the expectations to ensure that participants complete all components of the field test. Below is a summary of the Key Project Activities and responsibilities of the project partners. The procedures and documents that are to be used in this project are described in detail in the Project Activities section of the ESD Facilitator Guide.

Review Facilitator Guide and complete training Recruit participants Prepare participants for TOWES & ESD Administer Pre -TOWES Pilot ESD tool Administer Post - TOWES Complete Evaluations (facilitator and participant versions)

Facilitators can also refer to the Facilitator Checklist provided in this guide. The checklist outlines all of the key activities, and documents that need to be completed throughout the project. It is recommended that all ESD facilitators or project coordinators keep this document for their reference, to ensure that all activities are completed.

Facilitator Checklist Consultation & Facilitator Training

ESD Facilitator’s Guide | Project Introduction

All ESD facilitators involved in this project should review this guide thoroughly, to ensure that the responsibilities of the facilitators and participants are understood and all project deliverables are met. Upon receipt of the Project Partner Contract (sent out to all project partners with the “Project Initiation Package”), TOWES will schedule a training session prior to the scheduled pre-TOWES testing session. Unless otherwise agreed upon, these training sessions will take place over the phone with key project staff only or facilitators will be directed to complete the ESD online training tutorials. *Please note that the length of the Facilitator training and the content presented may differ amongst partners. Content will be determined based on a number of factors including: level of experience with TOWES and Essential Skills, types of learners, planned classroom settings, level of facilitator involvement.

Project Partner Contract

ESD Facilitator’s Guide | Project Activities

- Project Activities -

Activity 1. Select & Prepare Project Participants Selecting Participants To ensure a successful pilot project, it is important that the “right” participants are recruited for and properly informed about the project. To aid project partners in selecting appropriate learners, a Participant Selection Guide is provided. It provides some general guidelines and qualifications that will help facilitators to determine who should participate.

Participant Selection Guide Preparing the Participants Participants should be informed of why they are participating in this project and about the anticipated outcomes. The Participant Project Guide will give participants this information as well as describing why their participation and feedback is important. The guide also describes all the activities that will occur in the project and includes a checklist the participants can use to track their own progress. It is recommended that the facilitators review this document in detail with the participants. TOWES has provided a Consent Form that must be signed by all participants to ensure that they are aware that the information obtained during the pilot project will be used for research purposes only, and that their personal information will remain confidential at all times. Although, their names appear on the test site records and tracking sheet – only their test booklet numbers and ESD User IDs are used for reporting purposes (names will be collected only to ensure that the correct TOWES booklet numbers and ESD IDs are linked).

Participant Project Guide

Consent to Participate in Research


Activity 2. Administering TOWES All participants involved in this pilot project will be required to complete a Pre -TOWES test, prior to using the ESD tool, as well as a Post- TOWES test following completion of the ESD tool. The testing process and results are crucial to measuring any Essential Skills improvements and assessing the effectiveness of the ESD tool. To ensure consistency and accuracy of the data, project partners will be required to use the TOWES tests supplied by TOWES. Existing stock of TOWES tests will not be allowed for use in this project1

. TOWES tests will be couriered to each partner one week prior to the specified testing date for both pre and post TOWES testing sessions.

Testing Procedures

1. Complete the OLT/ESD Project Order Form specifying the number of TOWES tests that will be needed. This form must be received by TOWES at least 15 business days prior to the testing date, to ensure that the tests are sent out in time.

2. Schedule TOWES Testing Session and prepare participants accordingly (if necessary, refer to the online TOWES Test Administration Training component at www.towes.com ).

3. Ensure that you are using the correct TOWES tests. All TOWES tests for this project will be GEN209A or GEN210A and GEN209B or GEN2109B. The tests supplied through this project are for use in this project ONLY.

Please send any un-used test booklets back to TOWES along with the completed booklets. Test booklets used in the pre-testing sessions are not to be “saved” for the post-test. Prior to the post test, the OLT/ESD Project Order Form will be completed and sent back to TOWES and booklets for the post testing session will be sent to the organization.

4. Test Administrators are required to complete the online Test Site Record for both testing sessions and to associate appropriate TOWES booklet information to ESD IDs. A tracking sheet is provided for this purpose.

1 Applicable to TOWES Distributors and Third Party Agreement holders only

All TOWES testing sessions for this pilot project must be administered by a trained TOWES Test Administrator and all TOWES testing protocol must be adhered to. *If you are completing TOWES Test Administrator training specially for this project, you must complete the online TOWES Test Administration Training and Certification Exam prior to any testing sessions. **If you already are a certified TOWES Test Administrator, please note that some of the procedures have been customized for this project – and the project specific forms should be used. These procedures are outlined below.

http://www.towes.com/�


The testing procedures outlined above are to be followed in the same manner for the Post - TOWES testing session as well. TOWES Testing Procedures Checklist: Pre-Test Online TOWES Test Administrator Training and Certification Exam completed Pre-test Order Form completed and submitted Testing session scheduled, participants notified Online Test Site Record completed and submitted

Post-Test Testing session scheduled, participants notified Post-test Order Form completed and submitted no later than 15 business days prior to

completion of ESD Content Participant TOWES Booklet/ESD ID # Tracking Sheet completed and sent with each group of

completed TOWES Test Booklets

OLT/ESD Project Order Form

TOWES Booklet/ ESD ID # Tracking Sheet (this will be emailed directly to you)


Activity 3. Pilot ESD ESD Access Each project participant and facilitator will be assigned a unique ESD user ID which they will use to access the secure online website. This user ID will be assigned by TOWES based on the partner organization and will grant the participant access to the content that is related to their specified sector. TOWES will assign unique ESD user IDs to each facilitator. It is the responsibility of the facilitator to correctly associate participant Pre -TOWES booklet information with a given ESD ID #. Upon receipt of the TOWES booklets for marking, TOWES will reference the Tracking Sheet to capture and record the required project data. Please keep a copy of this Tracking Sheet for your records (for the duration of the project); the tracking sheet should be updated with Post - TOWES testing information.

TOWES Booklet/ ESD ID # Tracking Sheet (this will be emailed directly to you)

The pilot project partner organizations will deliver the ESD materials in a facilitated delivery model. There is flexibility within this delivery method as detailed below. Be sure to select the right options for your learners. Facilitated Delivery Facilitators will work with learners to complete Essential Skills Direct. Facilitators will have the option to restrict access to various components of the curriculum and to the assessments (for example, the facilitator could give their learners access only to the SkillBuilders, requiring all students to view all SkillBuilders prior to beginning the activities). Facilitator’s may wish to introduce learning concepts in a classroom environment (i.e. SkillBuilder lessons) and then have learners review and complete a module workbook on their own time. The Sector-Based Workbooks could be used as assignments and graded by the facilitator or completed in a group work environment. The unique approach adopted for ESD content development allows for flexibility in the delivery of Essential Skills remediation as the learner or facilitator can customize how the content is used and what materials are viewed. Some learners may decide to review all of the SkillBuilders and then apply their learning to the Sector- Based Workbooks. Others may decide to complete the Sector-Based Workbooks and view only the SkillBuilders related to content with which they experience difficulty.


Activity 4. Evaluations The collection of feedback from both the facilitators and participants is very important to gauging the overall experience of using ESD. We wish to evaluate the tool’s content as well as the learner’s experience regarding usability, navigation, and appearance. In order to accomplish this goal, we require all parties involved to complete an Evaluation Survey. This survey will be provided to all facilitators and participants to be completed online and received by TOWES before the end of your pilot term. Facilitators will receive a listing of unique online survey links by email directly from TOWES. The listing provides the online survey links that are associated with each individual participant in their learner group. When distributing the online survey links to the learner group, it is important that each individual is correctly associated with their unique online survey link provided by TOWES. It is strongly encouraged that facilitators provide the unique online survey links immediately after Post- TOWES testing to ensure its completion by the end of the pilot term.

ESD Facilitator’s Guide Part B | ESD Guide

- ESD Guide -

ESD Learner Guidelines

Facilitators should ensure that the participants who will be accessing the ESD tool meet the requirements and guidelines outlined in Part A of the ESD Facilitator Guide.

Learner Support

The ESD tool is designed to be learner centered and facilitator-directed, with an abundance of interaction and feedback built into the SkillBuilders. The Sector-Based Modules can be completed and submitted to facilitators for feedback. Depending on the needs of the learner, the course can be completed exclusively online or it may be offered in a blended fashion combining some face-to-face classroom components with self-directed work time and use of the materials online and/or on paper.


ESD Components Overview

ESD Support Components Learner Survey At the time of first login, learners are directed to a “welcome” section in the LMS. Learners are asked to answer a few questions to determine how knowledgeable they are about the sector they have identified, any past related work experience, and other information relative to the project. Learner responses will be used for data analysis purposes, after the completion of the pilot project. Types of information that will be collected include: demographic information chosen occupation(s) work experience understanding of occupational requirements (i.e. do they know the occupation’s certification

requirements, employment trends, employment industries) – responses are used to generate a list of online resources for the learner

anticipated amount of time to be spent on course materials goals of the learner

*All personal information collected will be used for data collection purposes only and will be kept confidential.

ESD Support Components


Learner Guide The Learner Guide is available to all learners via the ESD tool, or in hard copy. Facilitators may want to review the Learner Guide with participants before accessing the tool, to ensure understanding. The Learner Guide includes: ESD overview Instructions for how to access and use ESD (structure of the content, navigation, organization,

etc.) Hints and tips Instructions for how to access support

All facilitators will be able to access the Learner Guide. See resource section.

Learner Profile A learner profile, titled ESD Profile, is available for each participant to complete independently, or with the help of a facilitator; however, we recommend that the facilitator work through the form with the learners. This form provides each learner an “at a glance” overview of their ESD information, and provides them with an opportunity to set goals for their work throughout the ESD content, as well as goals for the post –ESD TOWES assessment.

Learners can access the ESD Profile document through the Learner Guide in the ESD LMS – or from facilitators. Also… learners may save an electronic version of this after completing it as a PDF form. No need to print.


Help & Support For the ESD pilot project, learner requests for support or assistance should be first directed to the facilitator. During Facilitator training sessions, facilitators will be provided with the information necessary to assist learners. TOWES will be available for technical support.


Bar Graphs Context Clues Flowcharts Forms Fractions & Decimals Imperial Conversions Keywords Line Graphs Lists Metric Conversions Percentages Pie Charts Rates, Ratios & Proportions Rounding Skimming & Scanning Symbols, Icons & Technical Drawings Tables

ESD Content Components

SkillBuilders SkillBuilders are short movies that provide information, examples and practice, to help learners develop techniques to complete activities and strengthen their Essential Skills. Learners participating in the ESD pilot have access to the ESD SkillBuilders described below and the Essential Skills Online (ESO) activities developed for an earlier project. As learners work through the Sector -Based Modules, they are directed to view certain SkillBuilders. They may also access the SkillBuilders anytime to review the concepts or as preparation before completing assessments or TOWES. A brief explanation on how to use the SkillBuilders plays at the beginning of each movie. ESD SkillBuilders teach Essential Skills Strategies on the following topics:

ESD Content Components


Sector - Based Modules Each module focuses on tasks related to the workplace-sector identified in the title. The Essential Skills activities for each sector are contained in individual Workbooks. Activities are based on an authentic workplace task or problem and the information required to complete the task or solve the problem is located in a source document. Source documents may be integrated into the activities in the workbook or they may be in a Source Document booklet. Instructions in the workbook direct the learner to the location of the source document. Completing the Activities There are three options for completing the module activities.

1. Learners can type directly into the PDF form within the ESD online Learning Management System (LMS)

2. The PDFs can be saved to the learner’s computer and completed at anytime (on or offline) 3. The PDFs can be printed and completed by hand


Practice Assessments The practice assessments allow learners to assess their learning, help them apply their learning, and help them prepare for writing TOWES. The assessments are informal self evaluation milestones, but are designed to look and feel like a formal TOWES test. For learners who are in a facilitator-led course, the facilitator will indicate when they are required to complete the assessments. These assessments can be completed more than once and are useful practice tools within the ESD course. Practice Assessments are completed in the same manner as the modules. Learners also have access to two practice assessments that are not sector- specific. These assessments are built into the ESO tool. The first ESO practice assessment targets Essential Skill Levels 1 & 2, and the second assessment targets Essential Skills at Levels 2 & 3. Both are accessed within the ESO navigation menu.


Essential Skills Online ESO (Essential Skills Online) is a first generation TOWES online learning tool. For the purposes of the field test, ESO is available to participants at no extra cost. For more information on ESO please visit our web site (www.towes.com) or contact TOWES directly. The ESO tool is presented by Essential Skills domain (Reading Text, Document Use and Numeracy) and is grouped by Essential Skills Level. ESO incorporates interactive lessons to teach strategies for finding and using information, as well as practice exercises and assessments that provide feedback to the learners. Authentic workplace documents are used to present realistic workplace scenarios that teach the processes, ethics, and terminology associated with using Canadian documents in the workplace. Simple language, an easy to use interface, and repetition of concepts also aid in the learning experience. ESO activities are not sector specific; rather, the strategies taught are in the context of the Canadian workplace and can be applied to any occupation.

ESO is organized first by Essential Skills Level:

Chapter 1 targets Essential Skill levels 1 and 2 - Reading Text - Document Use - Numeracy

Chapter 2 targets skill levels 2 and 3 - Reading Text - Document Use - Numeracy

Chapter 3 targets skill level 3 and above - Reading Text - Document Use - Numeracy

Learners navigate ESO by using the Navigation Menu on the left hand side of the screen.



How to Use ESD How should learners access the components of ESD? ESD is designed with flexibility of learning in mind. To assist the learner with making a decision around approach to the materials, the ESD Support Components should be reviewed with the learner before he/she begins the ESD Content Components. The SkillBuilders and sector-based modules that comprise the ESD Content Components both teach Essential Skills strategies, but each provides a different experience for the learners. The order in which learners access the ESD content, and the amount of time each component is accessed, will vary based on a variety of factors including: Learner’s pre-ESD TOWES score Learner’s familiarity with online learning Learner’s literacy level Level of sector related training completed (i.e. post secondary training, workplace training etc.)

Below are three suggested learning plans. The plans are listed in order based on a learner’s pre-ESD TOWES results, from low to high. Scores below level 3 in two or three domains: Start with ESO in all domains Every learner will have access to not only the workplace oriented SkillBuilders for ESD, but also

the more generic materials developed for ESO. Learners who score below level 3 in two or three of the domains tested by TOWES may benefit

from first working through some or all of the ESO curriculum Learners should next work through the ESD SkillBuilders. The last step for this group of learners should be to work on the modules that comprise the

curriculum developed for the sector the learner selected at the outset of the field test. Learners should be encouraged to complete the practice assessments to prepare for the post-

ESD TOWES Scores below level 3 in one domain: Start with ESO in domain identified as weak Learners who score below level 3 in any one of the domains will benefit from first working

through ESO in the domain identified as weak. For example: a learner who scores lower on Document Use can focus on just the Document Use

section of ESO Learners can also access ESO based on Essential Skill Level – For example: a learner who scores at Level 2 can begin by focusing on the Level 2 Chapters in the ESO tool

Learners should next work through the ESD SkillBuilders. The last step for this group of learners should be to work on the modules that comprise the

curriculum developed for the sector the learner selected at the outset of the field test. Learners should be encouraged to complete the practice assessments to prepare for the post-

ESD TOWES


Scores at level 3 in all domains: Start with Sector-Based Modules Use the successes and challenges encountered while completing the modules to identify skill

gaps and focus more time on relevant SkillBuilders for extra practice - Direct learners to specific SkillBuilders, if it is apparent where the skill gap exists. For

example: a learner experiencing difficulty working with tables can work through the Tables SkillBuilder, or the various Document Use sections of ESO

*In all cases, we recommend that each learner completes all the Sector- Based Module workbooks, and as many of the SkillBuilders as possible. Learners may access SkillBuilders at any time to review the concepts. They will also be prompted to review certain SkillBuilders as they progress through the workbooks to reinforce the concept in an activity. On the ESD Profile document, there is space for facilitators to work with the learners to develop a plan for completing the ESD Content Components.


ESD Learning Management System (LMS) The LMS has 3 tiers of user access. They are:

Administrative Access - for TOWES project staff only. This section includes access to create, maintain and monitor all user accounts as well as the TOWES database linking information such as TOWES scores and demographics. This access also allows project staff to manage the curriculum content – uploading new content, and controlling access to content.

Facilitator Access – facilitators have access to monitor learner progress and control what

sections learners can access. They are also able update information for learners such as: Contact information Facilitator Availability Resources – facilitators can download/view extra curriculum resources such as answer

keys Links – facilitators can access and share any links they feel are relevant

Learner Access - Learner’s see the preliminary log in pages (as outlined below) and the content as determined by their facilitator and/or Learning Plan.

Instructions for Facilitator Access are described in detail below, for instructions for the Learner Access, please refer to the Learner Guide.


Facilitator Access Instructions

To Access ESD:

1. Go to: http://esd.towes.com

2. Enter your Username and Password in the spaces provided

3. Click “Login”

Screen View:

1. http://esd.towes.com

2. Username& Password

3. Click “Login”

*All Facilitator User IDs will be assigned by TOWES.


Facilitator Administrative Access Overview

When logged into ESD as a Facilitator, you will be automatically directed to an overview screen which outlines the options available to facilitators.

Screen View:

The options available to Facilitators include:

Assign Content – allows facilitators to assign content to learners in their group Availability – allows facilitators to set the dates and times they are available to be contacted by

learners for support Contact Information – set preferred method of contact by TOWES project staff or by learners External Resources – view links for resources Resources – view internal links for resources, view content that learners see View Documents – view documents and assignments submitted by learners for review.


Assign content

The facilitator has access to assign or un-assign content for each learner, in their designated group. Why facilitators would use this feature A facilitator might choose to control the access the learner has to a component such as the Answer Keys. For example, by closing access to the answer keys for the modules or assessments, the facilitator can have the learner hand in materials for marking, or do assessments or activities as an “in-class” activity. How to:

1. Select “Assign Content” from the Navigation Panel located on the left hand side of the screen.

2. Click “Search” to bring up learners in your group or select a learner from the list for whom you would like to assign content (you also have the option to “sort” learners by name, ID, etc.).

3. Select the appropriate sector assigned to the learner A “Tree view” will appear below containing the curriculum components currently

assigned

4. Un-check the box next to the content you would like to un-assign. Note: As a default all content is automatically assigned to each user. If for

example you would like to hide the answer keys from a learner, you must un-check the box next to “Answer Keys”

5. Click “Save” Follow Steps 1-5 for each learner to assign or un-assign content

Screen View:

1. Select “Assign Content”

2. Search or select learner

3. Select sector curriculum

4. Assign/ Un-Assign

5. Click “Save”


Availability

By choosing the Availability node, facilitators can update their availability for answering questions, mentoring etc. Why facilitators would use this feature This allows facilitators to inform their students when they are available for consultation and support. How to: In the Availability” node, there is a text entry field to add dates, and times of availability; any information you wish to communicate to your learners. Just type your message, use the edit tools and click Save. This information will be available for learners to view in their profile. Screen View:


Contact Information

By choosing the Contact Information node, facilitators can update their contact information. Why facilitators would use this feature Allows facilitators to let their students know how they can be contacted. How to: Just fill in the boxes with your preferred information and click Save. This information will be available to learners in their profile. Screen View:


External Resources

By choosing the External Resources node, the facilitator can provide learners with links that are relevant to their learning path. Why facilitators would use this feature Some learners may benefit from extra resources to help them expand on the range or depth of their learning. How to:

1. Click “Search” This will bring up all available links

2. Choose the link you want to upload and click “Load” The link will appear in the window

Screen View:

Resources

**This function allows the facilitator to access all the content and curriculum that is uploaded into the ESD learning management system. Because there are other areas of navigation that are more

functional in allowing access to the facilitator, the Resources section of the ESD is not intended for use in this field test pilot.**


View Documents

By choosing the View Documents node, the facilitator can access any ESD materials submitted for review by the learners. Why facilitators would use this feature This function is designed so that facilitators can view content from the modules or assessments that is uploaded by the learner and submitted for review, for marking or to ensure completion. How to:

1. Select a Student name from the drop down menu

2. Select the student document you wish to view

3. Click the View icon and the uploaded document will open in a new tab. Screen View:

1. Choose Learner

3. Click View

2. Choose Document


- Essential Skills - Essential Skills are the skills needed to carry out a wide variety of everyday tasks for work, learning, and life. They are not the technical skills required by a particular job, rather they are the skills applied at various levels of difficulty, in all occupations. For example, writing skills are required in a broad range of jobs but the complexity and frequency of writing varies; some workers have to write simple comments on drawings, while others write complex monthly reports. In general, Essential Skills help people perform the tasks required by their occupation and other activities of daily life. They also provide people with a foundation to learn other skills, and enhance their ability to adapt to change. The nine Essential Skills:

Reading Text

Thinking Skills

Problem Solving Decision Making Critical Thinking Job Task Planning and Organizing Significant Use of Memory Finding Information

Document Use Numeracy Writing Oral Communication

Computer Use

Continuous Learning Working with Others

The list of Essential Skills identified in Canada, was established as a result of a national research study launched by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) in the early 1990s – The Essential Skills Research Project (ESRP). The ESRP set out to examine how certain skills are used in various occupations and to determine, what skills are common to all workplaces. The ESRP involved interviews with workers, managers and practitioners to gather information and insight into the relationship between skills and success in the workplace. The ESRP found that a common set of skills is needed to carry out a wide variety of everyday tasks for work, learning and life. These skills are known as the Essential Skills.

Essential Skills: Help people perform the tasks required by their

occupation and activities of daily life Provide people with a foundation to learn other

skills Enhance people’s ability to adapt to change

Essential Skills Required in all Occupations

Technical Skills Occupation Specific

Job Skills Firm/Job Specific


Essential Skills in ESD

The ESD curriculum incorporates the three Essential Skills that are required in every workplace and that are important to safety and productivity: reading text, document use and numeracy. These three skills are often referred to as workplace literacy skills. They are:

Reading Text - written information contained within notes, manuals, specifications, regulations, reports or journals. This includes forms and labels, print and non-print (text on a computer screen) media, and paragraph-length text found in charts, tables and graphs. Document Use - data presented in lists and tables and visual displays such as icons, scale drawings, maps and schematics. This includes all materials in which words, numbers, icons, and other visual characteristics (lines, colours, and shapes), are organized within tables and lists or given meaning by their spatial arrangements. Numeracy - refers to numerical information and calculations involving money math, scheduling, budgeting and accounting math, measurement and calculation math, data analysis math and numerical estimation.

The literacy skills referenced above are the skills that are formally measured by TOWES. Although there is an emphasis placed on these three skills, within ESD, learners are also building their skills in other areas. Essential Skills such as, Computer Use, Thinking Skills, and Writing are integrated into content of ESD. As learners progress through ESD they are building their Essential Skills proficiency, thus they are building their foundational skills which are transferrable to other areas of their training. For more Essential Skills information visit:

http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/workplaceskills/essential_skills/general/home.shtml

http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/workplaceskills/essential_skills/general/home.shtml�


International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS) The nine Essential Skills were identified by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) in response to the results of the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS). The IALS study was a 22 country initiative carried out between 1994 -1998. This study sought to measure the literacy of working age adults 16-65 and create a comparative literacy profile across linguistic and cultural boundaries.1

Essentially, IALS set out to find out how well adults use information to function in society.

In order to define and measure literacy skills, the IALS examined three literacy domains: prose, document, and quantitative. These three domains are synonymous with the Essential Skill domains of reading text, document use, and numeracy. IALS plotted proficiency ratings on a scale of zero to 500 points. Level 1(0-225) signifies persons with very basic literacy skills, while Levels 4 and 5 (326-500) indicate individuals with significant skills. The next section, Levels of Complexity, provides more detail on these scales. Results of the survey redefined how adult literacy is viewed; it established literacy as a continuum of abilities, rather than a basic threshold (literate or illiterate). Other important findings from IALS showed that literacy is strongly correlated with life chances and use of opportunities; literacy is not synonymous with educational attainment; and adults with low literacy levels do not usually acknowledge or recognize they have a problem. Further, results from IALS proposed a likely connection between literacy levels and personal and economic potential. It was concluded that in a knowledge-based, global economy, an adult needs a minimum Essential Skill Level 3 in reading text, document use, and numeracy to succeed in life and work.

For more information on IALS, visit: http://www.nald.ca/nls/ials/introduc.htm

1 Statistics Canada http://www.statcan.ca/english/Dli/Data/Ftp/ials.htm, 2006

http://www.nald.ca/nls/ials/introduc.htm�

http://www.statcan.ca/english/Dli/Data/Ftp/ials.htm�


Essential Skill Levels of Complexity

Essential Skill levels (also referred to as complexity levels, proficiency levels, or scores) are measured on a 500-point scale, and most often presented on a 5-level scale. The relationship between these two scales is presented below, accompanied by a description of how individuals function at each skill level.

Levels 4 & 5 - individuals are considered highly skilled. They are able to find, use and integrate complex information from multiple sources to complete complicated tasks.

Level 3 - individuals at level 3 have the minimum level of literacy needed to effectively function in our modern society. They have the ability to transfer their knowledge from one situation to another, and they are able to integrate several sources of information to solve more complex problems.

Level 1 & 2 - persons at this level do not have the Essential Skills required to effectively function in modern society. They can only deal with information that is simple and perform tasks that are clearly laid out. Skill deficits at this level may difficult to diagnose because individuals have often developed coping mechanisms for dealing with day-to-day demands. Given a new task or situation, an individual at this level will have difficulty adapting, and successfully completing the task.

Level 3 is considered the minimum level of literacy needed to effectively function in our modern knowledge-based society.


Essential Skills Profiles

Essential Skills profiles describe how each of the nine Essential Skills is used by workers in particular occupations across Canada. Over 300 Essential Skills profiles have been developed, most of which are for occupations requiring Essential Skill Levels of 3 or less. Essential Skill Profiles include: a brief description of the occupation and a list of the most important Essential Skills, examples of tasks that illustrate how each Essential Skill is applied, complexity ratings that indicate the level of difficulty for each task, and examples of workplace documents used in each occupation.

The profiles can be used to help: demonstrate the skills and skill levels required in various occupations; develop workplace training programs and learning plans; create educational tools to enhance skills development; and investigate career options with learners.

If learners complete a TOWES test, they are able to compare the scores from their TOWES assessment to the complexity ratings listed in the NOC profiles for occupations of interest. Through this comparison, they can identify areas where skill deficiencies exist and use the ESD tool to address their skill gaps. For example: A learner who is interested in pursuing a career as a Heavy Equipment Operator can reference the NOC profiles to see that the Essential Skill levels, or complexity ratings, required for this occupation are 2, 2, 3 for reading text, document use, and numeracy, respectively. The TOWES test written by this learner indicates that their Essential Skill levels are 2, 2, 2 in the three domains. In order to succeed as a Heavy Equipment Operator, this learner should improve his or her numeracy skills from a level 2 to a level 3. For more NOC information on National, visit:

http://www23.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/2001/e/generic/welcome.shtml

To search the Essential Skills Profiles visit:

http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/workplaceskills/essential_skills/general/home.shtml

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http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/workplaceskills/essential_skills/general/home.shtml�


- TOWES -

TOWES (Test of Workplace Essential Skills) is an assessment that measures an individual’s Essential Skill levels in the same three domains - reading text, document use, and numeracy - that were researched in IALS, and that are the foundation of the ESD tool. The results of a TOWES assessment are described using the same 500-point scale as IALS. Competency is important in the workplace where workers are expected to complete tasks correctly most of the time. Unlike traditional tests where 50% is often considered to indicate competency, the workplace demands a higher level of proficiency. For TOWES, an 80% probability of correct response is used, which is the standard established by IALS. On an individual basis, someone is considered proficient at a particular Essential Skills level when they can correctly answer questions at that Essential Skill level 80% of the time.

TOWES assessments consist of problem sets, each containing: A lead statement which provides context for the activity As series of questions or “items”. Each item measures one of the Essential Skills domains Authentic Canadian workplace document, which the test taker will use to find the information

to answer the questions

A typical TOWES test contains 16-18 problem sets including about 60-80 items. All TOWES items are created using a constructed response methodology which requires the test taker to generate an answer from the information provided. This methodology greatly reduces the opportunity for guessing, as test takers are never provided with multiple choice or true/false type questions. All TOWES assessments are hand marked by a certified test marker, and re-marked by an experienced quality checker to ensure accuracy, consistency and fairness is maintained. As well, all TOWES test administrators are trained and certified by TOWES to ensure that testing sessions are administered in a fair and consistent manner across the country. Within the next year, TOWES will also be available as an online assessment that will utilize adaptive algorithms to accurately pinpoint skill level. TOWES scores are directly comparable to other workplace measures like the job requirements as described in the Essential Skills Profiles and HRSDC's National Occupational Classifications (NOC). All use the same measurement framework and levels of complexity. Someone who scores a level 2 on TOWES should be able to complete an Essential Skill Profile or NOC level 2 task. For more information on TOWES, visit: www.towes.com



The Value of Incorporating Essential Skills Documents used in the workplace are unlike reading and writing tasks found in schools and training institutions. As numerous researchers have discovered, reading and writing tasks in the workplace are carried out for different purposes, use different strategies, and are often at a higher level of complexity than reading and writing exercises in a traditional classroom. Learners are becoming more sophisticated in their training and education choices. They are looking for programs that will provide them with concrete skills for the workplace, and enable them to get a job. Incorporating Essential Skills assessment and training into the education system will provide learners, educators, and employers with the collection of skills needed to function effectively in our information rich, and technologically advanced job market. Research conducted by Statistics Canada identified a significant gap between the overall Essential Skill levels of Canadians, and the levels needed to participate fully in society. Several studies have suggested that to actively participate in a knowledge- based economy, individuals require Essential Skills of level 3. A staggering 47% of the Canadian workforce possesses skills below this critical level.2

By implementing instructional activities based on authentic workplace tasks and materials, learners will increase their Essential Skills and build both ability and confidence for the workplace.

2 Based on the International Adult literacy Survey, 1997