GACE® Study Plan Development Webinar: Test Preparation Resources
People in this video
Rick Cullors, ETS Client Relations Director for GACE
Transcript Body
Narrator - Welcome to the Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators, the Study Plan Development Webinar. This particular section, we will focus on test preparation resources. I’m Rick Cullors, the ETS Client Relations Director for the GACE program.
Test Preparation Resources
There are a number of different test preparation resources available for test takers: the study companions, test familiarization videos, interactive test demonstrations, Interactive Practice Tests or IPTs, tutorials, webinars, developing a study plan, and things available via the ETS Store.
On-screen: [Screen shot of the GACE® Test Preparation Materials Page, www.gace.ets.org/prepare/materials with the Select an Assessment menu highlighted.]
Narrator - Some of the GACE test prep materials, you can go to your web page and select a GACE assessment title in order to view the test prep material available for that particular assessment. There is test prep for all assessments except the Teacher Leadership and the Georgia Educator Ethics that can be found there. Test prep for all those assessments is available in their specific sections of the GACE website.
Test Specific Preparation Materials
On-screen: [Screen shot of the GACE® Preparation Materials Page, www.gace.ets.org/prepare/materials with the Test Preparation and Interactive Practice Tests sections highlighted.]
Narrator - You have test-specific preparation materials. As you will see from the red boxes, free test prep materials such as study companions and test familiarization videos are available. Priced test preparation materials includes the Interactive Practice Test.
Study Companions
Study companions are also available. The study companion familiarizes test takers with the content to be tested, the test question formats, the pertinent study resources, and these study companions are free. They are downloadable and they are available for each GACE assessment except the Educator Ethics.
What’s contained in these study companions? Well, an overview of the assessment, descriptions of different types of test questions, information about the scores and how to understand them, test-taking tips and strategies, some frequently asked questions, specific information about the assessment, there is one set of practice questions, explanations on correct answers to the practice questions, a study plan template, as well as additional study resources.
A little more about the study companion. It tells you information about the assessment. Each of the study companions gives an overview of the assessment and includes important information for test takers such as the test codes, the testing time and the duration, the number of questions, as well as the test format.
The study companion also includes information specific to that particular test or assessment. And as you see on the slide here it gives you information on the test subareas as well as the objectives.
On-screen: [Screen shot of a Study Companion showing the following:]
Test I Subareas
| Subarea | Approximate Percentage of Test |
|---|---|
| 1. Foundations of Agriculture and Agricultural Education | 60 |
| 2. Food Science and Biotechnology | 20 |
| 3. Power, Structural, and Technical Systems | 20 |
Test II Subareas
| Subarea | Approximate Percentage of Test |
|---|---|
| 1. Animal Systems | 34 |
| 2. Environmental and Natural Resource Systems | 33 |
| 3. Plant Systems | 33 |
Sample Questions and Question Formats
Narrator - Sample questions and question formats. Each of the study companions offer samples of the types of test questions that the test taker may encounter in an actual test, and explanations of how best to answer them.
Sample questions and explanation of answers.
On this page, you’ll see the questions, the correct answers, and the rationale or the reasoning or explanation for why that is the best answer for that particular question.
Constructed-response Questions and Scoring Guide
Some of the constructed-response questions and the scoring guide information that can be found there. For tests that have constructed-response questions, an explanation of how to answer a constructed-response question is included in the study companion along with a scoring guide, and here is an example.
On-screen: [Screen shot of a Study Companion Constructed Response Question 1: Argumentative Essay and the associated Scoring Guide for Argumentative Essay]
Test Familiarization Videos
Narrator - Test familiarization videos are also available. These videos are free and can be used to prepare for a GACE test, and to see what a computer-delivered test center looks like, as well as to learn how to navigate through the computer-delivered GACE assessment.
On-screen: [Screen shot of the GACE® Videos web page: www.gace.ets.org/prepare/videos]
The Computer-Delivered Test Center Tour. This is a video that shows you what to expect when you take a computer-delivered test.
The Interactive Computer-Delivered Test Demonstration. This particular demonstration explains how to navigate through the GACE assessment and how to answer different types of questions.
Interactive Practice Tests
The Interactive Practice Test or the IPTs. Each Interactive Practice Test is a full-length practice test that consists of a single set of practice questions. After completing the practice test, candidates can view the correct answers and explanations for the correct answers. IPTs are available for $15 and can be purchased during the registration or through the ETS Store. Here are a few examples of the practice test score page with the correct answers.
Tutorials
On-screen: [Screen shot of the GACE® Tutorials web page: www.gace.ets.org/prepare/tutorials]
Narrator - There are a number of tutorials that are available. The GACE tutorials are free tools offered to help candidates who are preparing for the French, German, Spanish assessment, or who are taking a GACE assessment or test that requires the use of a graphing or scientific calculator. Let’s look at a couple of these.
The first is the Alternate Character Toolbar. For candidates taking the GACE French, German, or Spanish assessment, they would utilize this Alternate Character Toolbar, and this allows the user to practice using the toolbar for each language prior to the day of the test. This can be extremely helpful because often in taking some of the foreign-language tests there will be alternate characters or accents over particular numbers or letters that must be incorporated in order to show a good grasp of the language. So it’s very important that test takers take advantage of this Alternate Character Toolbar before sitting to take the actual test.
On-screen: [Screen shot of the Alternate Character Toolbar: www.gace.ets.org/prepare/tutorials/act]
Narrator - Another tutorial is the online calculator. Some tests have an online calculator built right into the test software. Examples are the Mathematics test, the Middle Grades Mathematics, Special Education Mathematics and Science. The tutorial allows test takers to practice using these calculators prior to taking the assessment. An important point here is that test takers cannot bring their own calculators. In the past, calculators may have been utilized for certain assessments, but now that all tests are computer-based and online, the calculators are incorporated right into the software. For more information there at www.gace.ets.org/prepare/tutorials/calculator will take you directly to this tutorial.
On-screen: [Screen shot of the Online Calculator: www.gace.ets.org/prepare/tutorials/calculator]
Narrator - Webinars are free and available to download on the GACE website. Candidates can choose from seven different webinar topics: an overview of the assessments, setting up testing accounts, registration, test preparation, taking an assessment, scores and scoring policies, and using the GACE website. For more information, please see the web address found here on the screen.
On-screen: [Screen shot of the GACE® Webinars Page: www.gace.ets.org/prepare/webinars]
Developing an Effective Study Plan
Narrator - One of the other beneficial tools available to test takers is developing an effective study plan. GACE candidates can utilize the study plan sheet to help them schedule their study time and better prepare for a GACE test. A study plan sheet is included in each study companion and can also be downloaded from the GACE website. For more information, please see the web address found here on the screen.
On-screen: [Screen shot of the Study Plan page and a blank Study Plan: www.gace.ets.org/prepare/study_plan]
Narrator - The ETS Store is available here at GACE Interactive Practice Tests where all assessments are available for purchase in the ETS Store. Each $15 subscription consists of a single practice test and is valid for 90 days after the first use. For more information, please see the web address found here on the screen.
On-screen: [www.ets.org/store]
Contact Information
Narrator - You can contact ETS GACE Customer Service for all inquiries not related to certification, such as registration, payment, admissions ticket, and score reporting. There are two ways of making contact. One is the website, www.gace.ets.org, or the toll-free number at 1-855-225-7178. The hours for this number are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time, excluding holidays. For email correspondence, it is gace_inquiries@ets.org. You can contact the Georgia PSC for inquiries about which test to take or certification requirements. That website is www.gapsc.com. There you will find the Latest on GACE newsletter available on the home page of the GaPSC website, and the email address is mail@gapsc.com. Here you can receive assistance with your MyPSC account or certification.
[End of Test Preparation Resources Webinar]