Pearson Enhances Critical-Thinking Assessment Capabilities With Launch of Watson-Glaser II
Assessment Upgrade Focuses on Critical Thinking Capacity and Enhances Validity, Applicability
San Antonio, TX (PRWEB) June 17, 2009
The Assessment and Information group of Pearson, the leading education and technology company, today announced the release of the Watson-Glaser II, (http://www. talentlens. com/en/watson/) an upgraded version of the company's critical-thinking and decision-making assessment. With the Watson-Glaser II, Pearson provides businesses with the ability to measure essential 21st century critical thinking skills, which enables employees to look at a situation, understand it from multiple perspectives and determine the most effective solution.
Thousands of organizations and businesses already use the research-based Watson-Glaser assessment as a selection and development tool. Building on a decades-long history, the Watson-Glaser II adds more contemporary, global and business-relevant items; increases the assessment's validity and applicability for individuals from countries other than the United States; organizes the assessment into the latest critical thinking model; and incorporates two new 40-question forms that can be completed in about 35 minutes.
"Today, all successful job candidates and managers must be able to use essential 21st-century skills, like critical thinking, in a variety of settings. In fact, the U. S. Department of Labor characterizes critical thinking skills as the 'raw materials' necessary to enable mastery of all other competency domains. With the Watson-Glaser II, Pearson's customers will be on the cutting edge of this trend - assessing necessary talents, separating the 'bright' from the 'exceptional' and getting a leg up on the competition," said Aurelio Prifitera, group president and CEO of the Clinical Assessment group of Pearson.
In order to properly assess 21st-century skills, Watson-Glaser II's upgrades are based on the latest model for critical thinking: Recognize Assumptions, Evaluate Arguments and Draw Conclusions (RED). This three-factor model helps learners recognize assumptions in ideas, statements and strategies; evaluate the merit of arguments or information that is presented; and draw appropriate conclusions based on available evidence.
To ease results interpretation, the Watson-Glaser II also provides three kinds of reports for its users: profile, selection and development. Each report provides a different level of personalization, based on the user's needs.
A profile report provides Watson-Glaser scores and predicts some behaviors; a selection report includes a critical thinking-based behavioral interview; and a development report builds a custom learning and development plan to enhance the test taker's critical thinking skills. With these key results, human resources managers can successfully profile job applicants to find the best candidate or enhance current employee teams.
"Increasingly, managers are using Watson-Glaser to identify employees who can appropriately use critical thinking to handle various on-the-job tasks and provide quality results - leading to increased sales, enhanced productivity or better teamwork. It's important to keep in mind that it's not just the big decisions that require critical thinking. In every area of business: IT, operations, supply chain, law, accounting, finance or human resources, the biggest challenge at all levels is deciding on a course of action and implementing it effectively and economically," said Prifitera.
Pearson's TalentLens publishes the Watson-Glaser II and many other scientific assessments that are used globally to hire and develop the 21st century workforce. TalentLens' instruments measure critical thinking, problem solving and a range of job skills to deliver data-driven insights that inform and clarify an organization's human capital decisions. Learn more at www. TalentLens. com.
About Pearson:
Pearson (NYSE:PSO), the global leader in education and education technology, provides innovative print and digital education materials for preK through college, student information systems and learning management systems, teacher professional development, career certification programs, and testing and assessment products that set the standard for the industry. Pearson's other primary businesses include the Financial Times Group and the Penguin Group. For more information about the Clinical Assessment group of Pearson, visit http://www. pearsonassess. com/ (http://www. pearsonassess. com/).
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