Posted on 12/09/2014 at 12:43 PM by Liz Determan
When we try to answer the question, “What does a student need to be college and career ready?”, we sometimes get caught up in the idea that there must be one answer that fits all students. But we know, if we really think about it, that not all students need the same education, mastery of exactly the same knowledge and skills, because they will not all be doing the same job and do not all share the same career goal. It is the student’s career interest/goal that determines the precise knowledge and skills a student will need.
College and career ready encompasses a wide range of postsecondary options from entering the military, on-the-job training, apprenticeships, certificates, diplomas and 2 -4 year degrees and beyond. There are any number of opportunities for students to excel as adults through any one of these doors. If we put the student at the center on the student, we can begin to recognize as educators, administrators, counselors and teachers that each student’s journey can be different, focusing on the knowledge and skills that will move them towards success after high school. So what are the common qualities that prepare ALL students, no matter where they are headed after high school, with a sense of readiness for whatever lies ahead?
David Conley of the EdImagine Strategy Group (2014) identifies them in four key areas:
|
Key Cognitive Strategies |
Key Content Knowledge |
Key Learning Skills & Techniques |
Key Transition Knowledge & Skills |
|
Think |
Know |
Act |
Go |
|
Problem Formulation Hypothesize Strategize
Research Identify Collect
Interpretation Analyze Evaluate
Communicate Organize Construct
Precision & Accuracy Monitor Confirm |
Structure of Knowledge Key Terms & Terminology Factual Information Linking Ideas Organizing Concepts
Attitudes Toward Learning Content Challenge Level Value Attribution Effort
Technical Knowledge & Skills Specific College & Career Readiness Standards |
Ownership of Learning Goal Setting Persistence Self-awareness Motivation Help-seeking Progress Monitoring Self-efficacy
Learning Techniques Time Management Test Taking Skills Note Taking Skills Memorization/Recall Strategic Reading Collaborative Learning Technology |
Contextual Aspirations Norms/Culture
Procedural Institution Choice Admission Process
Financial Tuition Financial Aid
Cultural Postsecondary Norms
Personal Self-advocacy in an Institutional Context |
Whether we agree with Conley’s four key areas or not, I sincerely like the question he asks, one that we should be able to answer:
If these are the things we need to focus on for all students, how do we establish “a system of assessments that provide as much information as possible to inform learners of their standing in relation to their aspirations and to facilitate student-centered decisions about their readiness?”
Do you have an answer?
