It’s almost impossible to put into words what looking back on 2020 means.

This is typically a time of year for reflection and a time to look back and appreciate all that has impacted our lives— a chance to provide a vision into what might lie ahead in the year to come. Although we all have so much to be thankful for this year, there remains an uneasiness of what lies ahead. At GED Testing Service, our thoughts and our hearts remain with each of you and your families that have been impacted by COVID-19. We know that this pandemic has caused disruption for all of us, and our learners.

I want to thank you for your unwavering support of our learners through this challenging year. We know that you have been a source of motivation and encouragement, and even some needed consistency in the lives of those who need it most. We know our students have experienced and will continue to face some of the biggest impact from the pandemic including financial hardship. Your dedication has not gone unnoticed.

Our plan is to remain focused and continue to invest in giving our learners better options that make the test and credential more accessible and attainable, such as using our online proctoring platform offering. We are committed to working with each of you on what is needed to prepare, educate and support the learner in their journey to success. Our partnership with you is essential to what we do, and we will continue to welcome your recommendations and feedback as we work together.

As social injustice stays top of mind for GED Testing Service, I look back on 2020 as a year of bringing a long-awaited awareness with calls for needed change. As we reflect on the tragic events of racial injustice and related social unrest, we can acknowledge the problem and advocate for change. It’s important to be a strong voice, an advocate and a leader who can make changes that positively impact each of our Black learners. We all must be at the center of leading efforts for change and advocating for social justice and equity. By taking lessons from this past year, we can focus on being more aware, more empathetic and stronger in leading and supporting social justice efforts.

There is no time like the present for each of us to reflect, find gratitude and improve our path forward. I hope each of you find the courage and strength to embrace all that you are and what you bring to our learners. We at GED Testing Service are truly grateful for your unrelenting commitment to our learners. Your passion and purpose make each of us better.

I wish each of you and your families a safe and healthy Holiday season!

—Vicki Greene, President of GED Testing Service

Here are the top five things you should know to help your students successfully prepare for and take the online GED test.

1) Let your students know that the Online Proctored (O.P.) GED® test is an option to them.

• State-by-state information about online testing is available here: https://ged.com/state-information-online-testing/
• Eligible students need to have a computer, webcam and internet, quiet and private workspace, a government-issued ID and ‘Green’ GED Ready score within the last 60 days.

2) All the information students need to know about the O.P. test is available on GED.com.

• Students can find information about eligibility, an overview of the testing process, exam rules, FAQs and more on our student online testing webpage.

3) Before test day students should practice with the Whiteboard tool to get comfortable before they test.

• Students can draw and write out math calculations using the online whiteboard.
• This video reviews how to use the whiteboard during testing.
• Students can learn more about how to use the Whiteboard tool and practice here: https://home.pearsonvue.com/onvue/whiteboard

4) Complete the online system check before scheduling—to make sure their equipment works properly.

• Students should do a system test to make sure their computer, webcam and internet connection meet the requirements for testing online.

5) The content on the O.P. test is the same content they would see when testing in person.

• Test questions, timing and scoring are the same as tests taken in person at authorized test centers.

We recently hosted mini conferences highlighting instructional strategies and resources for educators working with learners in adult education and Corrections.

Here’s a look at each of the conference tracks, related sessions and recent Tuesdays for Teachers webinars with publishing partners:

Tuesdays for Teachers Mini-Conference: The Online Proctored GED® Test

Conference Description: This two-part conference takes “deep dive” into the operational and instructional components that make up the O.P. GED Test as another testing option for adult learners. These sessions also cover student scheduling and the check-in process, as well as instructional strategies and tips to help your adult learners.

Part One link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/recording/3308656298441393411

Part Two link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/recording/9180882920268590850

Corrections Education Mini-Conference

Meeting the Challenges to Finish Strong in Math

Session Description: While public adult education sites have moved to either very limited in person classes or virtual teaching, many of our correctional facilities have moved back into paper and pencil packets with very limited or no in person instruction. There are key skills that an ABE student can master that will enhance their progress. This presentation will focus on key skills students need that can transfer across content areas, and the resources needed to address the skills for in person or remote delivery of instruction.

Webinar link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/recording/7853529393316088592

ND DOCR Transformation in Adult Education & Growth Mindset Beyond a Concept within Corrections

Session Description: This session will share with you the mantra that the ND DOCR Education Department studies and implements to meet each student where they are to get them to the finish line of a graduate. Participants will receive an explanation of the importance of a balanced mindset as well as the impacts the PCBL (Personalized Competency Based Learning) and how it has had a positive result not only in success but also wellness.

Webinar link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/recording/3104498979438800136

Tuesdays for Teachers Sessions with Publisher Partners:

Modeling Hybrid Learning: Core Instruction, Activities and Games for Online Classrooms

Session Description: GED Testing Service and Essential Education share how teachers from programs across the world are using GED Academy™ and the wealth of free resources from Essential Education. The focus on the elements of core instruction, activities and games that directly impact student engagement and performance will provide you new ideas for the classroom.

Webinar link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/recording/5069450503356180226

Practice Makes Perfect (And Could Raise a GED Score by 4 Points!)

Session Description: GED Testing Service and Aztec Software co-developed GED Flash. This supplemental practice tool provides adult education programs and their learners access to thousands of randomized practice questions across the four academic areas assessed on the GED tests as well as immediate student feedback. This session shares strategies and techniques to incorporate GED Flash into the student journey to help achieve greater success.

Webinar link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/recording/6840489956378104590

A full archive of professional development presentations is available on GED.com in our Educators and Administrators section.

Last year we launched a GED.com demo site so educators can more easily view the student account experience.

We’ve recently updated the demo site link and encourage you to set up an account to get a better idea of what your learners see when using their GED.com accounts.

We know many of you have created Gmail accounts just to sign up for GED.com accounts. In addition, most teachers have a GED.com account they use to see the system, receive email alerts, etc. Occasionally the GED.com account experience will change slightly for new test-takers and it impossible to see the new features/look without setting up a new account.

This demo site erases most of these common annoyances. Here’s how you can take advantage of the new GED.com account demo site in two easy steps:

Step 1: Navigate to this website link: https://demo.ged-cloud.com/login

Step 2: Sign-up for a GED.com account—just like you would on GED.com.

A few things to remember:

You can use a real or “fake” email account and password when you sign-up for a demo account.

• Example: You could use “newstudent123@gg.com” or “signmeup@123.com”. As long as the email address follows a standard email address format, they can type anything they want. You can sign up for accounts as many times as you want

• Example: If you have three new classes you can demonstrate the account setup for each one. None of the demo accounts you set up are real
• *You also have the option to log in with any student account you create. It is a good practice to use the same password for all the student accounts you create in the demo environment, so you don’t have to worry about remembering it. *

We hope that you enjoy this new tool and streamlined way for you to demonstrate to your students how to set up a GED.com account.