Everything went very, very smooth at our end. I believe the major thing with any type of testing is to ensure the test takers are relaxed and feel comfortable in their surroundings. We go the extra mile to make sure this happens.
TOWES Test Administrator
Field testing the Test of Workplace Essential Skills (TOWES) involved the participation of many individuals and organizations in a very short time period (January to March 2008). The College Sector Committee (CSC) wishes to thank everyone who supported this project.
First of all, the CSC extends its gratitude to Bow Valley College for its generous offer of free TOWES On-line tests for students to pilot. A special thank you goes to Alisa Foreman for guiding us through new assessment territory with efficiency, clarity and patience. The CSC Executive is to be recognized for their support and direction throughout the project, by signing their colleges up for the field test, linking the project to Bow Valley College, reviewing survey processes and forms, and providing practical advice. We are especially grateful to Sandi Hennessey and Barb Glass for sharing their expertise and experience with TOWES. The Executive Director of CSC, Lynne Wallace, took a “handson” role in getting the project started. Thanks, Lynne!
We also want to acknowledge the managers, co-ordinators and test administrators of participating colleges. The project required the involvement of many players, especially at colleges where testing was carried out at different sites. Co-ordination at many levels was needed, from identifying students eligible to complete the test, to making sure all the test materials and booklets were returned to the CSC. This was challenging considering the project’s tight time frame. Participating colleges include:
Our deepest appreciation goes to the students in the Academic and Career Entrance program, who, on top of writing a two-hour test, took the time to complete a lengthy questionnaire. Their comments provide important insight into their test taking experiences. Their feedback on the test itself will help determine the suitability of TOWES as a valid, reliable test of Essential Skills for students with college post secondary and Apprenticeship goals.