ERIC Number: ED355380
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1992-Aug-14
Pages: 14
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Work Keys: Integrating Work Keys in the Business Environment.
Hater, John J.
Work Keys (occupational tests developed by American College Testing) could support an employer's human resource function in a number of ways: (1) communicating to educators the skill requirements for an employer's particular jobs on a national basis; (2) providing students with a realistic preview of skills needed for jobs and an assessment of their standing on those skills; (3) helping employers selection decisions; and (4) helping employers in need of upgrading their current work force. For most employers to use Work Keys assessments for selection decisions, the question is whether a content validation strategy will be adequate. A content strategy was used to validate the Reading for Information and Listening and Writing tests for the customer service agent job at Federal Express. Information from observations of and interviews with job incumbents and mangers was used to develop task statements, ability statements, and task clusters. Fifty-eight task statements were put into a questionnaire that asked for two ratings for each task: how often it is performed and its importance. The ability questionnaire with 26 ability statements asked for 2 ratings from instructors: importance and when the ability was acquired. Linkages that were made between tasks and abilities were inferences concerning whether an ability was a prerequisite for performing the task. A Content Validity Panel of eight subject matter experts (SMEs) took the Work Keys tests. Data on response fidelity were gathered. All SMEs thought the tests were fair and valid measures of the skills used in the job. (YLB)
Descriptors: Adult Education, Basic Skills, Construct Validity, Content Validity, Job Analysis, Job Skills, Labor Force Development, Listening Skills, Occupational Tests, Reading Skills, Service Occupations, Service Workers, Task Analysis, Test Content, Test Items, Test Use, Testing, Vocational Education, Writing Tests
Publication Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Work Keys (ACT)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A