ONLINE CAREER & EDUCATION SOLUTIONS - 2009/ · PDF fileONLINE CAREER & EDUCATION SOLUTIONS - 2009/2010. HIGH SCHOOL Test ... Students take the PSAT to assess their Critical Reading,

ONLINE CAREER & EDUCATION SOLUTIONS - 2009/2010

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TestPreparation

Graduation requirements and college admissions standards get tougher and more competitive every year. Students face growing pressure to improve

their academic performance and achieve higher test scores.testGEAR’s mission is to bring high-quality standardized test prep to all students by providing powerful, web-based tutorial programs that are universally accessible and affordable. We are committed to putting test success within the reach of anyone who needs it.

Aligned to state standards, testGEAR online test prep raises

students’ scores with over 50 hours of individualized curriculum.

Accountability reporting tools help schools track and evaluate students’ performance, allowing schools to provide data-driven instruction to initiate remediation strategies.

HIGH SCHOOLCollegeEntranceExamstestGEAR test prep courses for the ACT®, SAT® and PSAT are uniquely designed to mirror test content, providing students with the practice they need to succeed. Depending on a student’s strengths and weaknesses, they may perform much better on one test than the other as the ACT and SAT are significantly different.

An achievement test, the ACT measures what students have learned in school, while the SAT is an aptitude test that assesses students’ reasoning skills.

The ACT encompasses English, Mathematics, Reading and Science, with an optional Writing component. Meanwhile, the SAT covers Verbal, Mathematics and Writing abilities. Mathematics make up 33% of the SAT’s score compared to 25% of ACT’s score.

The SAT has a small penalty for incorrect answers, while the ACT score is based only on the number of correct answers. For both tests, students can decide what scores they want submitted.

No matter which test students choose to take, testGEAR arms them with the skills they need to achieve their full potential, exceed the standards, and attend the college of their choice.

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testGEAR for ACTThe ACT is a universally-accepted standardized college entrance exam that assesses students’ general educational development and gauges their ability to complete college-level work.

A curriculum-based exam, questions are directly related to what students have learned in their high school courses. The ACT covers students’ skills in English, Mathematics, Reading and Science. The Writing test, an optional component required by some colleges, measures skills in planning and writing a short essay.

Although students may take the ACT several times and choose which score to submit as part of their college entrance requirements -- testGEAR for ACT gives students the preparation they need to excel on the exam from the very first time they take it.

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“Give Students the Competitive AdvantageTo fully prepare students for their exam, testGEAR for ACT includes:

• Over 50 hours of instruction

• 40-minute diagnostic test

• 20 interactive lessons covering 40 test-taking strategies

• 46 interactive tutorials covering 178 content-specific skills

• 3,000+ word Vocab Lab

• Two full-length and 15 practice tests with immediate scoring and feedback

Thanks to testGEAR, more of our students are actually preparing for standardized tests before taking them!

- Cynthia Blackey, Educator

Flowing Wells High School, Tucson, AZ

Upcoming ACT® Test Dates

September 12, 2009

October 24, 2009

December 12, 2009

February 6, 2010

April 10, 2010

June 12, 2010

HIGH SCHOOLtestGEAR for SATThe Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) assesses how well students can analyze and solve problems as they put into practice their Critical Reading, Math and Writing skills required to succeed in post-secondary.

Not solely based on the amount of information memorized throughout high school, the SAT is designed with questions that reflect students’ reasoning abilities. For example, reading passages require students to make inferences, assumptions and interpretations to answer questions related to a passage.

More than two million high school students take the SAT every year in hopes that they will meet the standards to pursue their post-secondary goals. testGEAR for SAT helps students prepare with practice curriculum that builds critical-thinking skills and teaches them the test-taking strategies needed to achieve academic success.

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“Upcoming SAT® Test Dates

October 10, 2009

November 7, 2009

December 5, 2009

January 23, 2010

March 13, 2010

May 1, 2010

June 5, 2010

Give Students the Competitive AdvantageTo fully prepare students for their exam, testGEAR for SAT includes:






• 2 full-length and 16 practice tests (two each for the 8 subsections) with immediate scoring and feedback

testGEAR is a great way for students to prepare and understand the SAT better.

- Mark Danaher, Career Counselor

Manchestor SeniorHigh School, CT

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testGEAR for PSATThe PSAT /NMSQT® stands for Preliminary SAT/ National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test – but it is most commonly referred to as just the PSAT. Students take the PSAT to assess their Critical Reading, Writing and Math skills, prepare for the SAT, receive information from colleges, and enter competitions for national scholarships such as the National Merit Scholarship.

Each year, more than 50,000 students are honored in the National Merit Scholarship competition. About 9,700 of the most outstanding participants receive scholarships worth a total of $50 million, while high scorers receive a Letter of Commendation that recognizes their outstanding academic promise. Using testGEAR for PSAT, students have the opportunity to build their academic skills and improve their chances to enter the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) scholarship and recognition programs.

Give Students the Competitive AdvantageTo fully prepare students for their exam, testGEAR for PSAT includes:






• Two full-length and 16 practice tests (two for each of the 8 subsections) with immediate scoring and feedback

Upcoming PSAT Test Dates

October 14, 2009

October 17, 2009

HIGH SCHOOLState &High SchoolExamsState exit exams are becoming more influential than ever before. With the enforcement of No Child Left Behind, 65% of all public school students currently live in states with exit exam requirements. testGEAR makes it easy for schools to support student motivation and achievement on exit exams,

without obligating educators to teach to the test.

Engaging and easy to implement into existing curriculum, testGEAR test prep courses for Math, English Language Arts, Science and Social Studies prepare students with the content skills they need to achieve on high stakes exit exams.

TestSCOPE accountability reporting tools provide valuable insight at the classroom, school

and district levels, making it easier than ever before for educators to identify at-risk students early on and provide more effective remediation with targeted instruction.

With testGEAR, you can rest assured that every student has the skills they need to meet and exceed state standards and graduate on time.

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testGEAR for MathFor many students, math can be one of the most difficult subjects to master, and now the stakes are higher than ever. No Child Left Behind legislation requires students to undergo testing at least once between grades 10 and 12 to determine if their math skills are on par with state standards.

Fortunately, testGEAR for Math can help your students effectively prepare with a standards-aligned customized study plan. Struggling students can benefit using testGEAR as a remediation tool to improve their day-to-day academic skills.

As well, every student can get the extra practice they need to achieve higher test scores and soar beyond the standards.

Give Students the Competitive AdvantageTo fully prepare students, testGEAR for Math includes:

• Optional 20-minute diagnostic test

• 19 Practorial lessons covering 28 test-taking strategies

• 50 MicroCourse lessons covering 179 learning skills

• 8 Practice Tests to build confidence

• 2 Mini Tests

• Over 1,000 practice questions

• Fun, engaging and relevant content

• Explanatory feedback with every question

HIGH SCHOOLtestGEAR for ELAWith the implementation of No Child Left Behind’s plan for mandatory high school testing of reading skills, it is crucial to start implementing your own plan of action that promotes student preparation. Ensure your studentshave the resources they need to meet and exceed state standards using testGEAR for English Language Arts.

Quickly diagnose student weaknesses using the BrainScan. Based on theirdiagnostic quiz, the SMART Curriculum will prescribe a personalized study plan. Students get all the practice they need to improve crucial English skills like reading comprehension, grammar and writing structure. Not only do students strengthen their skills, they also gain valuable test-taking strategies to help them succeed on the test and in the classroom.

Give Students the Competitive AdvantageTo fully prepare students, testGEAR for English Language Arts includes:





• 2 Mini Tests

• Over 1,000 practice questions




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testGEAR for ScienceMandatory science testing has arrived – are your students prepared? Starting in 2007-2008, all high schools will be expected to test science skills at least once over the course of a student’s high school career. To meet theserequirements by 2012, 19 states will have added a science module to their state exit exam.

Ensure your students have the skills they need to succeed. Give them advanced preparation with testGEAR for Science.

In-depth concepts such as chemistry of life, energy transformations, and the interactions of matter have never been easier or more engaging to learn online.

Give Students the Competitive AdvantageTo fully prepare students, testGEAR for Science includes:





• 2 Mini Tests



HIGH SCHOOLtestGEAR for Social StudiesDid you know that by 2012, at least 14 states will have included a social studies component in their state exit exams? Social studies provides students the opportunity to apply real-life context to skills they’ve learned in math and English language arts. Many educators see great importance in evaluating how students use logic and reasoning to apply these basic skills in another subject area.

With No Child Left Behind’s emphasis on math and English, some educators are concerned that there is little time available for teaching social studies. Fortunately, the self-directed online format of testGEAR for Social Studies saves you class time, and ensures students are prepared to meet state standards for this valuable curriculum component.

Give Students the Competitive AdvantageTo fully prepare students, testGEAR for Social Studies includes:





• 2 Mini Tests



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TestSCOPE Reporting ToolsThe first step in helping your students is to know what they know. TestSCOPE provides ultimate reporting flexibility with detailed access to student performance. This enables educators and administrators to immediately assess students’ abilities and identify specific areas that require more targeted instruction.

Achieve greater accountability by providing more data-driven education at the classroom, school and district levels. The following six reports are easy to understand and clearly show student progress and performance ina variety of areas:

• Group Summary Report provides an overview of group performance across all reporting categories. Using a three-point scale, educators can quickly assess student progress in key reporting areas, such as BrainScan Results, Enrollment, Lesson Scores, and Practice Test Results. The recommendation column suggests what needs to be done to improve in a given report category and also provides intervention strategies to improve results.

• Group Enrollment Report analyzes data related to group activity such as participation rates and how many students have enrolled to use their testGEAR preparation course.

• Group BrainScan Results gathers data from student responses to objective assessment questions from the BrainScan. This report also includes three Subjective Student Reports that show how students perceive their learning styles and how they have assessed their skill levels in various subjects.

HIGH SCHOOL• Group Lesson Scores

analyzes the basic skills and strategy areas that students studied in the course, evaluating student performance on mastery quizzes and learning questions.

• Group Practice Test Results analyzes student participation rates in Full and Practice tests, including the number of attempts made and the average percentage correct.

• Individual Student Report analyzes individual student activity and performance. The skills analysis section of the report is based on completion of MicroCourses and Practorials indicating whether a student has completed an exercise, the number of attempts made, learning question performance, and their priority assignments in a unit. The Performance section reports score results on all Practice Tests and Full Tests.

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State-Specific testGEARtestGEAR has a proven record of raising student test scores with highly correlated, standards-aligned content. However, our exclusive state-specific courses take test preparation one step further for the FCAT, CAHSEE, Regents, TAKS, MCAS and MME.

Using the 30-minute BrainScan, students can assess their strengths and weaknesses relevant to their specific state exit exam. Next, they receive over 25 hours of standards-aligned instructional content that uses language and examples characteristic of their state.

Practice tests closely mirror state exit exams and provide immediate scoring and feedback to build student confidence and help them know what to expect on the real thing.

Ask how you could have your state’s exit exam added to our state specific program.Call 1-800-281-1168.

CaliforniaCAHSEE Math• 6 CAHSEE Math

Practice Tests

CAHSEE English Language Arts• 6 CAHSEE Language Arts

Practice Tests

FloridaFCAT Math• 4 FCAT Math Practice tests

FCAT English Language Arts• 8 FCAT Language Arts

Practice tests

MassachusettsMCAS Math• 2 MCAS Math Full Tests,

designed as Pre and Post Assessments

• 2 MCAS Math Mini Tests• 6 MCAS Math Practice Tests

MCAS English Language Arts• 2 MCAS Language &

Literature Mini Tests• 6 MCAS Language &

Literature Practice Tests• 2 MCAS Composition

Mini Tests• 4 MCAS Composition

Practice Tests

MichiganMME Math• 4 MME Math Practice Tests• 1 MME Math Mini Test

MME English Language Arts• 8 MME Language Arts

Practice Tests• 2 MME Language Arts

Mini Tests

New YorkRegents Math• 2 NY Regents Math A

Mini Tests• 7 NY Regents Math A

Practice tests

Regents English Language Arts• 2 NY Regents English

Mini Tests• 8 NY Regents English

Practice Tests

TexasTAKS Math• 6 TAKS Math Practice Tests

TAKS English Language Arts• 6 TAKS Language Arts

Practice Tests• 2 TAKS Language Arts

Mini Tests

HIGH SCHOOLtestGEAR Evidence of EffectivenessMeasured in real-world school environments, testGEAR online test prep courses have been proven effective at improving student achievement on standardized tests.

testGEAR democratizes education through customized learning solutions offered in the classroom. Bridges is committed to partneringwith schools and providing tools that help improve student performance against state standards. These case studies illustrate how testGEAR has been introduced in schools to make a difference in students’ lives.

Note: The testGEAR line of courses was originally developed and provided to schools as “TestU” and “Skill Navigator.”

College Entrance ExamsIn a 15-week study involving 100 students and four high schools, New York City Alternative High Schools examined testGEAR’s ability to improve student SAT scores. Students took the January administration of the SAT as their pre-test, and then participated in the testGEAR for SAT course until either the May or June SAT date as their post-test.

Pre- and post-test scores were analyzed in conjunction with the level of student participation in the online SAT course. Students who completed the program realized significant score gains:

Gains for students completing the testGEAR for SAT online course:• Average overall SAT score gain of 89.09 points

• Average verbal component score gain of 21.82 points

• Average math score gain of 67.27 points

Gains for students regardless of how much they interacted with the online course:• Average overall SAT score gain of 45 points

• Average verbal component score gain of 14.29 points

• Average math score gain of 30.71 points

High School Exit ExamsIn the Houston Independent School District, a comparative analysis examined the performance of students in nine high schools who failed the Texas state high school assessment, measuring their performance after they used the online test prep courses during asummer program.

Students achieved a dramatic increase in test results:• 67% of students improved their reading score, increasing scores by 29%

• 81% of students improved their math score, increasing scores by 13%

• 82% of students improved their writing scores, increasing scores by 7%

In Palm Beach County, students in four high schools used testGEAR online courses in school to prepare for the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT). As an evaluation of student progress, 248 students completed two math and two reading practice tests as part of their online course.• Reading scores increased by 16.15%

• Math scores increased by 12.56%• One school saw math scores rise by 32.4%

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Case StudiesOne of the questions we are always asked is “How do we use this program in our school?” The answer lies in the needs of the individual school. We offer four typical implementation strategies that we have found to be most successful depending on your budget, time and resources. Find out which of the following options might be right for your school.

Curriculum Enhancement

A California high school uses testGEAR to prepare students in their ELA, Math and SAT classes. With a computer lab classroom, the Math and ELA teacher feels that testGEAR is a valuable tool that easily fits his needs since it pulls the questions right from the curriculum. He can tell if he needs to re-teach something by referring to the TestSCOPE reports to see if most of his students are on track or if they do not understand certain concepts.

Programmed Course

Students at a Texas high school are fortunate enough to receive an academic credit for using testGEAR to prepare for the SAT. testGEAR is used in their SAT test prep class three or four days a week as part of their curriculum, and at least one day a week the Math or English department chair visits the classroom to teach students specific work in those areas.

This school has also introduced testGEAR to their English and Math sophomore through seniorclasses. Three or four weeks before the PSAT, students are taken to the computer lab to prepare using testGEAR. From there, they are expected to work on testGEAR on their own time from home or school.

At a parent open house, staff handed out business cards with the testGEAR web address and access codes printed on it. Parents have been really pleased with testGEAR, as they see their kids are using it at home simply because they want to do well on the test.

Is Curriculum Enhancement right for your school?

Schools selecting the curriculum enhancementmodel often possess a receptive faculty willing totry new methods and strategies to increase studentperformance. Technology and access to the Internetis plentiful. Schools without multi-computer labsor computers available in the classroom would notbenefit from this type of implementation.

Is a Programmed Course right for your school?

Good candidates for this model include schoolsthat currently support preparing students for pre collegiate exams by offering a test preparationcourse or have the flexibility to easily add courses.There should also be sufficient Internet access inthe school.

CASE STuDIESAfter-School Program

In response to the demand for an effective, affordable test preparation program, a New Jersey high school began using testGEAR as a way to augment their existing after-school program. testGEAR’s flexible online format gives students the opportunity to catch up on missed work from home. Teachers can recommend which practorials they should take to understand the information covered in class. If a student has a problem in a certain area, the teacher will suggest one of the practice quizzes.

After-school programs work well for schools with noavailable class time to dedicate to test preparation.Staff found that motivated students were willing to spend a few hours a week in an after-school program if it meant they had a better chance of getting into the college of their choice.

Other schools have also started test prep clubs,transforming the responsibility of test preparation into an engaging extracurricular activity.

Stand-Alone

Without an overabundance of computers, aCarolina high school decided the best wayimplement testGEAR would be to offer informationto students and parents at every opportunity,everyone knew they could use testGEAR fromhome and school.

Innovative ways this school “got the word out” include:• Putting a notice on the bottom of report cards• Advertising in the school newsletter and through

their in-house broadcasting system• Placing an article in the school newspaper• Setting up a table at registration, at the beginning

of the school year• Discussing testGEAR at parent/teacher interviews• Having all teachers announce it in class

Is an After-School program right for your school?

Schools with the flexibility to offer an after-schoolprogram are usually open after normal school hoursfor a variety of community programs. In addition,technology needs to be sufficient and reliable tosupport the number of participating students.

Is a Stand-Alone program right for your school?

This program works best for schools that areconfident students are motivated and able to directtheir own learning (testGEAR makes independentstudy very straightforward). In addition, most ofthe student body has access to the Internet at homeand their parents are aware of and committed tothe importance of preparing for high-stakes exams.Historically, programs using the stand-alone modelhave a small number of students participating.

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ONLINE CAREER & EDUCATION SOLUTIONS - 2009/ · PDF fileONLINE CAREER & EDUCATION SOLUTIONS - 2009/2010. HIGH SCHOOL Test ... Students take the PSAT to assess their Critical Reading,