Communications And Math Employment Readiness Assessment (Camera) System

CAMERA System is used to:
• administer placement tests to find out learner’s ES needs
• identify what to teach based on learner’s Essential Skills requirements
• demonstrate learner’s skills and progress over time
• help learner practice and develop the Essential Skills they will need at work

Each test in the CAMERA series is designed so that people are faced with a series of
appropriately challenging tasks that allow them to demonstrate reading, writing, document use and numeracy skills. Each CAMERA test includes 5 to 12 tasks; most tasks include a workplace-style document and multiple questions.

Documents are organized into a reusable Test Book; Response Books contain space for learners to record answers. All tasks, while designed for assessment purposes, have an authentic feel – important for introducing people to real workplace tasks.

The results on each test are displayed both visually and numerically. Numeric scores are presented in three ways, each intended for a different purpose.

• First, results show the extent to which the individual is able to demonstrate competency in each of the four skill domains: reading text, document use, numeracy and writing. This diagnostic information can inform programming decisions about which skills need to be developed.
• Second, in cases where tests include questions at different levels of complexity, results show the extent to which skills have been demonstrated at these different levels.
• Finally, an overall score is provided on each test. Assessors use this score to inform decisions about placement and promotion readiness.

Results from CAMERA tests may support any one of the following conclusions:
• A person is proficient at the skill level assessed; or
• A person is proficient in particular skill areas assessed; or
• A person is not yet proficient in any of the skill areas assessed

CAMERA is designed to provide information that will help instructors prepare an effective workforce literacy program. At the same time, CAMERA also provides results that can be shared with learners so they can monitor their own progress. Summary sheets can be provided to learners during debriefing, shared with instructors and offered to intermediaries.

The CAMERA system is composed of 3 components

CAMERA tests: a series of seven standardized assessments

CAMERA tests provide placement and diagnostic information about a person’s abilities to manage workplace communications and numeracy tasks. The assessments incorporate authentic workplace documents, input from employers, and Employment and Social Development Canada’s (ESDC) Essential Skills Profiles to give an accurate snapshot of skills.

CAMERA tasks are selected from a wide variety of occupations and job sectors; the skills people are asked to demonstrate are not occupationally specific but, rather, highlight the underlying Essential Skills required for success on the job. CAMERA comprises tasks that assess four skill domains: reading text, document use, numeracy and writing.
CAMERA
Trained assessors can administer a CAMERA Placement test to identify a person’s
needs and the Stage tests at set intervals to give learners an opportunity to
demonstrate skills and see progress

Test features:
• provides realistic workplace tasks
• captures gains at Essential Skills levels 1 to 3
• created as progressive model
• gives results in concrete, easy to understand language
• designed for low-skilled learners
• validated through extensive pilot and field testing

Signposts: curriculum guidelines
Program developers and instructors use Signposts to identify what to teach and to
monitor learning along specific Essential Skills

Signposts features:
• describes skills workers use on the job
• includes instructional ideas
• provides sample informal assessments for classroom use
• designed for low-skilled learners
• synthesized from over 800 Essential Skills examples

workwrite: a series of workbooks
Learners complete activities in workwrite to develop and practice the Essential Skills
they will need at work.

workwrite features:
• provides hundreds of workplace-specific Essential Skills activities
• includes instructor notes, lesson plans, discussion questions and answers
• designed for low-skilled learners
• can be photocopied for classroom use

PTP has trained hundreds of educators across Canada in the use of its resources, and adapted or created materials various groups including Including Indigenous populations. Our approach has been to listen, explore ideas, provide guidance, make recommendations and offer customized solutions.

90% of the partners working with the CAMERA system are Indigenous communities and/or organizations. CAMERA and the CAMERA System is being used by Indigenous communities across the country.

CAMERA tests are standardized, which means they must be administered according to set procedures. Assessors must be trained by PTP to administer the CAMERA tests.

Training is offered to potential assessors on-line and face- to-face either on PTP’s site or on site in the community. Training includes an introduction to the CAMERA System, review of all test content, opportunities to observe the administration of assessments, and occasions to score learner-generated assessment samples.

Trained assessors receive a Guide that includes an Administration Reference Sheet for each test. It lists the materials assessors need while administering, the supports available to test takers, and the estimated completion time for the assessment. It also provides a script that outlines how the test should be introduced and invigilated.

For people with very limited literacy skills, questions are presented orally by the assessor; people who are able to read comfortably at the sentence level can record answers independently.

Nunavut Arctic College, Iqaluit, Nunavut
Tseshaht First Nations – Port Alberni