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As I listen to discussions among colleagues from around the country I again am struck by the fact that assessment has become such an important issue in the reform efforts in modern American education and the new Perkins Act. There is still much apprehension and confusion about technical skill attainment as we begin to implement our five-year plans. Educators are struggling with their understanding of how students gain skills and, subsequently, how to incorporate assessment into the learning process at critical intervals and to help students gain the critical technical skills in demand by industry.
We are beginning to understand the power of assessment in the hands of capable teachers who understand and use testing as an effective tool for benchmarking the learning of knowledge and skills in demand by industry. Assessment plays a critical role in helping teachers and students collaborate in charting a successful pathway to the skills for both a career and postsecondary education. When assessment is done correctly, it is a tool to evaluate the readiness of a person to continue on to the next level. Tests should not serve as gatekeepers that prevent a student or potential employee from moving on, but a gateway to a clearer understanding of that person’s skill level.
At NOCTI, our commitment has been to provide our field with those appropriate assessments to help students move to the next level by listening to you, our customers, and then using the experience of experts in the field. Now, we want to bring you together.
In continuing our commitment to assist educators in getting the most out of their assessment tools, we are again partnering with ACTE to hold a Pre-Convention NOCTI Conference on Assessment at ACTE. On December 3 at the Charlotte Convention Center, North Carolina, our staff and national experts on assessment will challenge and teach you to make the most of your assessment practices. The presenters will also talk about using assessment to improve programs and student achievement to plan for the future. There will be discussions about practical strategies to create a learning culture where assessment for learning and improvement - not of learning - can become a reality.
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Belinda McCharen,
NOCTI Board Chair |
We at NOCTI want to not only give you the tools to improve achievement in your schools; we want to work with you to make it happen. Please join us in beautiful Charlotte, North Carolina on December 3.
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