VirtualVocations

Telecommute Social Studies Item Editor

WestEd, a nonprofit research, development, and service agency, works with education and other communities to promote excellence, achieve equity, and improve learning for children, youth, and adults. While WestEd serves the states of Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah as one of the nation's Regional Educational Laboratories, our agency's work extends throughout the United States and abroad. WestEd has 16 offices nationwide, from Washington and Boston to Arizona, Southern California, and its headquarters in San Francisco.

Position Description

Based in WestEd's headquarters, the Assessment Standards and Development Services (ASDS) program is involved extensively at the local, state and national level in planning, developing, researching, implementing, and evaluating standards and assessment methods and systems. Our work addresses assessment and accountability needs from the elementary school level into the world of work. ASDS projects span a range of domains, from traditional academic areas (e.g., language arts, mathematics, science) to other fields, such as career-technical education. Projects also examine methods for addressing the needs of English language learners and students with disabilities.

Scope of Work:

The Assessment and Standards Development Services (ASDS) division of WestEd is looking for qualified individuals to review and edit social studies test items (i.e., questions) to be used in the development of a statewide assessment. The development of test items will begin in October 2008. We are looking for part-time and full-time editors.

Editors will be reviewing and editing high quality social studies items for state assessment projects. Editors will utilize their social studies content knowledge and skills to edit multiple-choice and open-response assessment items for grades 4-12.

Key Responsibilities:

Individuals selected to review and edit test items (i.e., item editors) will be responsible for completing the activities described below.

· Review and edit multiple-choice items for elementary, middle, and high school assessments (4-12). Review and edit multiple-choice items to ensure the items match state-specific educational content standards and ensure that the items meet WestEd writing guidelines and specifications. Provide detailed updates on the status of work.

· Review and edit open-response items and accompanying scoring guides (rubrics) for elementary, middle, and high school assessments. Review and edit open-response items to ensure that they match state-specific educational content standards and ensure that they meet WestEd writing guidelines and specifications. Review and edit accompanying scoring guides to items to ensure that they meet WestEd writing guidelines and specifications. Provide detailed updates on the status of work.

Qualifications

· Bachelor degree in history, geography, economics, political science or a related field (master’s degree preferred)

· Strong editing skills

· Detail Oriented

· Strong social studies content knowledge for grades 4-high school

· Experience in large-scale assessment development experience

· Teaching experience in elementary, middle, or high school social studies (including curriculum)

· Strong analytical/critical thinking skills

· Ability to fact-check and document content for social studies test items

· Ability to meet deadlines, manage multiple tasks and priorities in a fast-pace environment

· Excellent writing skills

· Ability to follow detailed writing rules and guidelines

· Strong communication skills

· Strong skills working in a team

· Open to feedback and review

·Ability to maintain confidentiality and security of all assessment materials

· Ability to communicate and send files via e-mail and the Internet (please see technical specifications section)

Technical Specifications

Item editors will need to have consistent access to our online item development system and to e-mail. If you are unable to meet one of these specifications, please let us know.

High speed Internet access (DSL, Cable)

Operating system and browser requirements:

Computer: PC MAC

Operating System: Windows 2000 or XP OS X

Internet Browser: Microsoft Internet Explorer (6.0 or above)http://www.microsoft.com/downloads Firefox (.7 or above) http://www.mozilla.org/Mozilla (1.3 or above) http://www.mozilla.org/Netscape (7.1 or above)http://channels.netscape.com/ns/browsers/download.jspPlease note that Safari is not currently supported.

Employer Posted:Tuesday, July 15, 2008