THE 2014 GED TEST

ACTIVATE BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE

• What do you know or think you know about the new GED?

BASICS ABOUT THE GED

• It is more difficult

• There are new types of questions

• It is computer based

• It costs more

• Practice Tests cost $4 and are online

WHY IS IT HARDER?

• Multiple choice answers let you employ test taking skills to guess the right answer.

• The new GED emphasizes critical thinking, reasoning skills, and expressing yourself through writing.

• You need technology skills.

• You will need more specific content knowledge.

DEPTH OF KNOWLEDGE

• The Depth of Knowledge model details the level of cognitive complexity required to answer specific items on the GED test.

• There are three levels of DOK complexity.

• About 80% of items across all four tests will be written to DOK levels 2 and 3 with the rest at level 1.

• Level 1: Recall, observe, question, or represent facts or simple skills. Surface understanding.

• Level 2: Process information beyond simple recall and observation to include summarizing, ordering, classifying, identifying patterns and relationships, and connecting ideas.

• Level 3: Explain, generalize and connect ideas by inferring, elaborating, and predicting. Test takers must summarize from multiple sources and develop compositions that critically analyze the sources.

WHAT TESTS ARE ON THE NEW GED?

• Reasoning Through Language Arts

• Science

• Social Studies

• Mathematical Reasoning

• 150 minutes

• 90 minutes

• 70 minutes

• 115 minutes

TYPES OF QUESTIONS

• Multiple Choice

• Fill in the Blank

• Hot Spot Items

• Drag and Drop Items

• Drop Down Selection Items

• Short Answer

• Extended Response

FILL IN THE BLANK

• Fill in the blank items allow test takers to demonstrate vocabulary skills at a higher cognitive level by requiring them to provide their own synonyms. They also require learners to write a short phrase or sentence in response to an item.

HOT SPOT

• This item contains sensor regions, or hot spots, on which the test takers can click in order to provide responses to the question.

DRAG AND DROP

• Drag-and-drop items involve interactive tasks that require test takers to move words, phrases, or short sentences into designated drop zones. Test takers classify and sequence information, analyze an author’s arguments, and edit to re-order sentences within a paragraph.

DROP DOWN SELECTION

• These items include a pull down menu of response choices directly embedded within the text. Test takers use these items to demonstrate mastery of language skills, such as conventions of Edited American English and standard usage and punctuation.

SHORT ANSWER

• Appears on the Science exam

• Requires about a paragraph of text.

• Don’t take more than 10 minutes!

EXTENDED RESPONSE

• On the Reasoning Through Language Arts Test.

• 45 minutes for RLA.

• You will read two arguments (one pro and one con) and decide which argument is better supported by the evidence.

• You will need to write a 3-4 paragraph essay.

• The rubric has three traits:

• Analyzing arguments and gathering evidence found in source texts.

• Organizing and developing their writing.

• Demonstrating fluency with conventions of Edited American English.

SCORING

• You can score between 100 and 200 on each of the tests.

• You need 145 to pass each test.

• You need a total score of above 580 to pass all four tests.

RESOURCES

• Instructors

• Tutors and Tutor Lab

• GED.com

• ABS/GED Wiki

• Learning Express Library

TAKEAWAY MESSAGE

• The GED test is different, and it costs more, but it is still DOABLE.

• Studying for and passing the GED will help you be more successful in college and work.

• You still need to put in a lot of time and effort.

QUESTIONS?