Nonprofit’s performance-based assessments combined with expanded instruction will further improve students’ essential critical thinking and problem-solving skills
NEW YORK, October 11, 2022 | Source: GlobeNewswire
The Council for Aid to Education, Inc. (CAE), a nonprofit developer of assessments that measure students’ college and career readiness, today announced the expansion of its partnership with Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School (MBS) for the 2022-2023 academic year. The collaboration, which began in 2021, will include a new cohort of incoming students who will participate in performance task assessments and receive in-depth instruction in critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
“CAE is privileged to continue working with Mays Business School, providing innovative, authentic assessments and critical thinking instruction to help ensure students’ eventual success in the workplace,” said Bob Yayac, CAE president and chief executive officer. “As one of the country’s top undergraduate business schools, Texas A&M recognizes the value of critical thinking and problem-solving skills as necessary supplements to the technical business skills students develop during their studies at College Station.”
CAE’s performance-based Success Skills Assessment (SSA+) will be administered to this year’s entering undergraduate students at the start of the semester. Students are presented with real- world scenarios where they must analyze and synthesize data, evaluate options, and recommend and defend a course of action. The results of the assessment help instructors and students evaluate their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The critical thinking skills instruction also leverages a performance task model and expands upon last year’s instruction from 150 minutes to 350 minutes. The instruction is integrated into the curriculum and the scenario evolves over the semester culminating in a final presentation. The updated curriculum provides students with more in-depth learning opportunities and deliberate practice, which will further improve their essential skills.
“We realized we needed to enhance students’ skills in the areas most in demand by employers, so we launched a program with CAE to strengthen them,” said Shannon Deer, Ph.D., interim associate dean for undergraduate programs, Mays Business School. “We were extremely pleased with the initial results and are excited to expand this relationship with the experts at CAE, as it is essential for our students’ success in the classroom and workforce.” To learn more about CAE, visit https://cae.org/ contact-us/.
About CAE Since 2002, CAE has developed performance-based and custom assessments that authentically measure students’ essential academic and career skills. Our Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA+) and Success Skills Assessment (SSA+) for higher education and College and Career Readiness Assessment (CCRA+) for secondary education evaluate the skills that are predictive of positive college and career outcomes and in demand by employers: critical thinking, problem solving and effective written communication. Over 825,000 students at more than 1,300 secondary and higher education institutions globally have completed CAE’s essential skills assessments.
As a non-profit whose mission is to improve student outcomes, CAE also offers critical thinking skills curriculum, professional development, and designs custom, innovative performance assessments across all subject areas and grades. To learn more, please visit www.cae.org and follow us on LinkedIn, YouTube, and Twitter.
