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Preparing Learners for the Canadian Adult Education Credential (CAEC)

A guide to help adult educators understand the test and support test candidates

The new Canadian Adult Education Credential (CAEC) is a breakthrough for Canadian adults who want a secondary equivalency credential for work, personal goals and further learning. Compared to the previous equivalency test, the US-based General Educational Development test (GED®), the CAEC introduces three major changes:

Digital changes
Content changes
Test question complexity changes.

Any one of these changes would require a new instructional approach, professional development and new test-preparation resources. Combined, the three major changes mean that we have to look at the CAEC in a completely different way than the GED®.

The inter-related changes mean it will be challenging to simply develop a test-preparation book or online program, similar to previous comprehensive resources that supported the GED®. Instead, extensive professional development is needed so that educators can build their knowledge, and then draw on a variety of strategies related to the digital, content and cognitive complexity changes to teach test candidates and learners the skills, strategies and knowledge they need to pass the tests.

We've created this comprehensive guide primarily using the CAEC sample tests so we can clearly describe the test from the test-taker's perspective. Sections in the guide respond to these questions:

What will candidates see, do and experience when taking the test (i.e. digital interface, navigation, icons and symbols, stressors and challenges)?
What sources will they have to read, view, interpret and understand?
What types of knowledge do they need to understand the sources and figure out answers (e.g., conceptual, factual, techniques and processes, reading comprehension, close reading, online composition, reasoning, etc.)?
How are the test questions designed to demonstrate their knowledge (e.g., match, analyse, infer, understand, evaluate, argue, etc.)?
How will they show their knowledge on the screen (e.g., direct entry, click one button, order buttons, drag and drop, click a dropdown menu, click a graphic, etc.)?

Explore the guide!

CAEC features and changes compared to the GED®

Learn about the digital changes as a result of a sophisticated online testing platform (i.e. Vretta), content changes in reading, writing, science and social studies and test question complexity that requires background knowledge and emphasizes the application of knowledge and skills.

Test readiness tools and protocols

Access downloadable assessments, involving discussion, observation and direct demonstration of abilities using the sample test and related activities.

Subject guides

Each subject guide contains an overview of the test questions, slides you can use in a workshop and a curriculum outline with numerous tips and resources to help you plan and instruct a test-preparation course. We've also included a digital subject guide. Even though digital skills, strategies and knowledge aren't tested, they are essential for success. Digital skills aren't separate from the content, but are a means through which learners can show what they know in the content areas.

Digital

Learn how to support candidates to

Read, interpret and respond to various forms of information (e.g.icons, text, images, graphics) on a complex testing platform.
Navigate the test interface using a variety of text manipulation and navigation tools
Answer test questions using at least 13 different interactive answer formats, including drag and drop, ordering, selection and direct entry questions
Read a variety of digital communication formats, particularly in the reading and writing sections (e.g. emails, results of searches, infographics, texting excerpts, etc.).

Reading

Learn about what candidates will read, how they'll read, the types of test questions, question complexity and how to show answers. Use our curriculum tips and lesson routines for workshops and courses.

Writing

Learn how candidates will need to compose a persuasive email or letter in response to a detailed scenario. Use our skill-building checklists, curriculum guide and templates for your workshops and courses.

Math

Access a variety of detailed topic lists to help you plan instruction using most of your existing resources.

Science

Learn to to organize and plan instruction to support the over-arching outcome: identify characteristics of science, such as how scientific ideas are developed through a process of ongoing inquiry. Use our quiz to evaluate background knowledge.

Social studies

Learn how to efficiently plan instruction using our synthesized list of outcomes. Access various free and open resources to support instruction.

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