Lesson 3 - Learning Express Library

Basic Challenge
1.  Set-up an account in Learning Express and browse through the available exams.  
A pretty easy process that I breezed right through. I thought that there were quite a few test options and that they were displayed well. 

2.  Choose one and answer a few questions. Then click "Score my test" in the top toolbar. Ignore the warnings and continue to have your test scored, so that you can see how the diagnostic page looks. Then click "View Answers" at the bottom of the page. What did you think about this test experience? 

I chose the "Health Careers Practice Entrance Test: General Science". It was very easy to get into the test. Taking it was also very simple, although I do need to brush up on my science apparently. After I clicked on "View Answers" I decided to click on one of the questions that I answered incorrectly and this took me the answer page with the questions. It might be beneficial to jump directly to this page, rather than the short list in-between. 

3.  Job searching and resume writing are among the self-paced courses in Learning Express.  Locate the career resources and add one of the courses to your center.  Take a few minutes to explore the course and note your observations.

I didn't find a specific link to "career resources, so I assume that I was on the right track by going to the Career Center. I choose to look at their information on becoming a Firefighter. I am a volunteer firefighter, and am taking classes right now for that, so I wanted to compare their information on the information that I have received through my training and through friends who are full time firefighters. I thought that the information that they provided was thorough and accurate. I liked that they gave information no the requirements, both physical and educational. They gave links and information for different firefighting organizations, how to pass tests, practice tests, financial aid for training schools, and different branches of firefighting. I think that this would really help anyone that is looking at becoming a firefighter. 

4. Type a search term in the search box for a skills improvement or career topic in which you are interested. Notice that results are sorted by tests, courses and eBooks (if all of those are available for your chosen topic). Please select an eBook and look through its pages.

As mentioned above, I looked through the book on Firefighting. I found it very informational.


Common Core Challenge
Set-up an account in Learning Express and browse through the available exams. Choose one or more tests or courses to see what they are like. Browse the centers and see what type of eBooks are available. Consider how you would use this resource to meet a Common Core standard. (Common Core State Standards information is found on this page and in the right-hand sidebar. Current SD School Library Content Standards are here.) 


In your blog post, name the standard and briefly and specifically describe how you will use Learning Express to help meet the standard.

Honestly, this is a little too advanced for the 4th and 5th graders that I am working with. However, if there was a student that was interested in a particular career, I might point them in the direction of the e-books that might give them more information on the career. 

The standard  "5.R.I.7 Draw on information from multiple print or digital sources, demonstrating the ability to locate an answer to a question quickly or to solve a problem efficiently." Might be applicable if the student was doing a report on a certain career or field of study. This is really the only one that I could get to fit with 4th and 5th graders. 


Overall I liked this resource, but I think that it is too advanced for the the grade levels that I teach.