AOP_Educator_User

2024–2025

ACT ONLINE PREP |

Educator Guide

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© 2024 by ACT Education Corp.  Page 3 of 19  QU2001.CJ15302 
Contents 
About This Guide .............................................................................................................................. 4 
Overview of AOP ..................................................................................................... 5 
Why Use AOP? ................................................................................................................................... 5 
For Students: ............................................................................................................. 5 
For Teachers: ............................................................................................................. 5 
Core Features of AOP .................................................................................................................... 5 
Using AOP: Core Content for College and Career Readiness ........ 7 
Using AOP as a Supplemental Curriculum Resource: MODELS .................... 7 
Whole Group ............................................................................................................. 7 
Small Group ............................................................................................................... 8 
Collaborative Learning ....................................................................................... 8 
Independent Learning ....................................................................................... 9 
Combined Instruction ...................................................................................... 10 
Using AOP: Classroom Configurations and Schedules ......................11 
Using AOP as a Supplemental Curriculum Resource: EXAMPLES ............... 11 
Configuration for Any-Content Classroom .......................................... 11 
Configuration for Core Content Classrooms ...................................... 12 
Using AOP for Lesson Planning: TIPS .............................................................................. 14 
Understanding the Data Available—Key Data Reports .................... 15 
Test Report ........................................................................................................................................... 15 
Real-Time Student Reports ..................................................................................................... 16 
Using Data for Student Learning: TIPS ........................................................................... 17 
For More Information .................................................................................................................. 19 

About This Guide

This guide is intended to provide ideas for incorporating ACT

Online

Prep (AOP) into instruction for students to improve achievement in

English, reading, mathematics, and science.

As a supplemental curriculum resource, this versatile guide allows for

use with whole group, small group, and independent learning

instructional models. It also supports multitiered systems of support

(MTSS) for meeting individual student needs.

Tips for teaching AOP effectively are provided (including use of sample

classroom configurations). You will also find suggestions for how to

apply the rich formative data that comes from student use of the

learning tool, helpful in developing additional next-step instructional

decisions to promote student success.

Overview of AOP

Why Use AOP?

For Students:

⚫ The more students who have used AOP, the greater their ACT

test

score gains were likely to be.

⚫ Those who have used AOP for less than seven hours have seen

greater score gains than students who did not use test preparation.

⚫ Those who have used AOP for seven or more hours have seen an

average gain score over double that of students who did not use

test preparation.

For Teachers:

⚫ Lessons can be integrated into the core curriculum.

⚫ Lessons provide a deep dive into the skills that are aligned to ACT

College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS) reporting

categories, creating efficiencies in lesson planning.

⚫ Lessons can be used in a variety of blended learning and rotation

models.

⚫ Customized learning task assignments provide the instructional

content needed for quality tiered intervention supports.

Core Features of AOP

⚫ Study plan structure: Organizes content into 16 Study Plan Steps,

composed of lessons and practice question sets, for each of the

subject areas. Based on composite score range and time available,

students are guided to do a quick review or a more in-depth study

of the tasks associated with the step.

⚫ Core content focus: Provides content designed to support

reinforcement and practice in the core content needed for college

and career readiness in English, reading, mathematics, and science

as measured by the ACT.

⚫ Format familiarity: Helps students to become more familiar with

the format of the ACT test.

⚫ Practice tests: Includes two, full-length ACT

Practice Exams that

provide students with a predicted ACT score range as well as four

short subject tests for each core content (English, reading,

mathematics, and science). Students and teachers can gauge

students’ progress in meeting achievement outcomes.

⚫ Writing feedback: Includes prompts for writing essays that are AI

scored to allow for quick feedback on writing skill achievement.

⚫ Engaging variety: Includes over 2,400 practice questions, flashcards,

and a game center for a variety of ways to engage student learners.

⚫ Broad access: Allows for anywhere, anytime access via the internet

on any device.

Using AOP: Core Content for

College and Career Readiness

Using AOP as a Supplemental Curriculum

Resource: MODELS

Whole Group

For modeling of skills and knowledge: teacher-facilitated instruction

where students experience the same learning with the same pacing

⚫ Instructor-only modeling: Project a lesson and guide students

through the activities.

o Consider using a read-aloud, think-aloud method, where you read

aloud the content and speak aloud what you might think or do if

you were completing this lesson independently.

o By demonstrating clearly how to process lessons, you can

strengthen students’ understanding of how to best use the

lessons provided when students are working independently.

⚫ Instructor-plus-student modeling: Project a lesson and guide

students through the lesson activities, adding in opportunities for

students to share aloud strategies they would use to address the

lesson if working independently.

o Provide feedback to guide students in effective strategies for

working through these lessons independently.

⚫ Instructor-guided curriculum-incorporation modeling: Project a

sample practice problem that requires use of the concepts under

study in your core curriculum.

o Model how to solve the problem, focusing on core knowledge and

skills needed to address the problem.

o Follow up by having students work in small groups or

independently as you serve as guide-on-the- side to support

student acquisition of the targeted knowledge and skills.

⚫ Student-sharing curriculum-incorporation modeling: Project a

sample practice problem that requires use of the concepts under

study in your core curriculum.

o Give each student time to work on the problem; have students

share their solutions and reasoning for the strategies and

approaches used to solve the problem.

USING AOP: CORE CONTENT FOR COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS

o Shape student understanding of which strategies and solutions

are viable, and which are not, focusing on helping students

address misconceptions and misunderstandings.

Small Group

For tiered intervention and extension supports

Station rotation: You work with students in small group to provide

tiered support; students with you can work on meaningful instruction

using AOP either in pairs, collaborative groups, or individually.

⚫ Independent and shared learning: AOP is engaging and allows

groups of students to learn important concepts and skills when not

working with you directly as an instructor.

⚫ Individualized feedback: You can use the same resources and

techniques described for whole group instruction, but with a

smaller, homogenously grouped set of students (grouping based on

student needs), so you can provide more intensive and/or targeted

feedback to individual students.

⚫ Flexible teaching and learning: You can use the materials from AOP

to set up learning centers around the room, with groups working as

follows:

o One group can work together or independently with flashcards.

o One group can play reinforcement games either together or

independently.

o One group can work on a collaborative learning problem.

o One group can work on a lesson with you or complete “catch up”

work.

This structure allows for all students to be actively learning,

opportunities for you as an instructor to successfully support

individual needs, and it breaks up the monotony of day-to-day

whole group instruction.

Collaborative Learning

For students to work together to search for understanding, meaning,

or solutions, or to create an artifact or other demonstration of their

learning

⚫ Same problem, different solutions: Consider providing each group

with the same problem to solve, and then have the students

present their strategies for solution and the solutions to the others

in the class.

o This activity works well as a think-pair-share (begin by having

students work on the problem independently, then to pair with a

partner, and then have two pairs share ideas/solutions).

USING AOP: CORE CONTENT FOR COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS

o You serve as a guide-on-the-side to support individual students or

groups who need scaffolded inputs to successfully work through

the problem.

o Be sure to summarize the key learning points for all students to

ensure they leave the lesson with clarity on the knowledge and

skills linked to the learning objective(s).

o This activity works well with heterogenous as well as

homogeneous groups.

⚫ Different problems by data group: Determine student strengths

and needs using the data from AOP.

o Place students in groups with others who have similar needs.

Have students work collaboratively to solve one or more problems

linked to content where the students need more practice to

address these needs.

o You serve as a guide-on- the-side to support individual students,

or groups of students, who need scaffolded inputs to successfully

work through the problem.

o By providing each group with different problems, you can

differentiate learning based on student needs

Independent Learning

For independent learning and reinforcement, practice of core

knowledge and skills

⚫ Workshop model: Each student works independently on AOP

lessons and practice activities.

o As an instructor, you conference (workshop) with individual

students to provide intensive, targeted feedback to support

increased student achievement on knowledge and skills of focus.

⚫ Goal-setting model: Each student independently sets goals and

creates a plan to achieve them.

o This helps students to instill a growth mindset in the classroom:

when students believe they can achieve a goal through

persistence and hard work, they learn to be resilient; overcoming

small failures can lead to larger successes.

⚫ Individual computer-time model: Each student works

independently on AOP lessons and practice activities.

o Even without direct instruction, students benefit from time spent

working through the AOP lessons and practice activities.

USING AOP: CORE CONTENT FOR COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS

Combined Instruction

Putting it all together

⚫ Structured lesson with objective: Create a lesson over one or more

periods that provides whole group, small group, and independent

learning to teach a targeted skill or strategy.

o Set a learning objective and have students set goals linked to this

learning objective.

o Provide a brief mini lesson to the whole group where you model a

skill or strategy linked to your academic standards.

o Break into small groups of students (using one of the small group

options presented earlier) and have them practice the modeled

skill or strategy.

o Provide time for students to practice the skill or strategy

independently.

o Bring the group together to de-brief: share successes in meeting

goals set, reinforce lessons learned, and clarify any remaining

misconceptions or misunderstandings linked to the targeted skill

or strategy.

Using AOP: Classroom

Configurations and Schedules

Using AOP as a Supplemental Curriculum

Resource: EXAMPLES

Configuration for Any-Content Classroom

All Teachers

⚫ Daily: Bellringers: exercises that should only take 5 minutes

⚫ Weekly: One day a week for approximately 20 minutes

⚫ Biweekly: Two times a month for 20–30 minutes each

⚫ Monthly: One time a month for a full class period

All classroom teachers can provide ACT support using the AOP

program:

⚫ Bellringers can be 2–3 problems daily.

⚫ Practice can be one day a week using a set number of questions or

a set timeframe.

⚫ Establish study plans for each student based on the time available

for student learning. Have students use these plans and work with

them to monitor and adjust the study plans as needed.

⚫ Model test-taking strategies and problem-solving for core content

using AOP problems alongside core curriculum content whenever

possible. In this way, students learn to apply their knowledge and

skills to ACT-like problems.

Note: While all classroom teachers can support student success in

learning, the core content measured on the ACT (English,

mathematics, reading, and science), it is best practice for school-based

teams to determine which teachers will work on which content. This

helps to ensure that students receive ample instruction and practice in

all content areas. Schools may also use school-based data to

determine school-based targeted instructional focal points (e.g., if 95%

of the students demonstrate high need in mathematics, the school

might choose to have most students doing additional mathematics

work, with the 5% of students not needing mathematics supports

being provided other available enrichment options).

USING AOP: CORE CONTENT FOR COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS

Configuration for Core Content Classrooms

Sample instructional plan: Embedding AOP into core English

instruction (approximately 20 minutes per period)

⚫ Week 1: Introduction to AOP

This week is designed to establish student routines and familiarity

to the core curriculum.

o Students watch the video Welcome to ACT Online Prep (the

teacher can use this in blended learning).

• Instructor conducts question-and-answer session.

⚫ Week 2: Short ACT English Practice Test

This week is intended to allow students to see what an ACT subject

test is like. The teacher has the option to test all students at once,

stagger student testing, or assign as part of a blended learning

model.

o Students take a short ACT English practice test.

Note: Students require approximately 60 minutes for testing.

⚫ Week 3: Understanding Your Score and Goal Setting

This week focuses on reviewing overall class results with students

and modeling setting classroom goals.

o Students learn about SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable,

Relevant, Timebound) goals.

• Students set personal goals.

⚫ Week 4: ACT Basics and General Strategies

This week students learn about the ACT test, in general, including

navigation supports, and are introduced to an ACT subject-area test.

o Students learn about the ACT English test.

• Students create a personalized study plan.

⚫ Week 5: Subject-Verb Agreement

This week focuses on a specific English grammar skill.

o Students work through Example Questions related to subject-

verb agreement (the teacher can use this as part of a station

rotation, as described earlier)

o Students watch the video [Name of Video] (the teacher can use

this in blended learning).

⚫ Week 6: Subject-Verb Agreement Practice Questions

This week addresses content from the previous week practice

questions on subject-verb agreement, focusing on results and

remediation.

USING AOP: CORE CONTENT FOR COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS

o Students discuss practice question results (the teacher can do

small groups based on results).

• Students participate in mini-lesson station rotations for

remediation and/or extension.

⚫ Week 7: Elements of Strong Writing

This week changes focus from English grammar to writing, an

optional test subject for the ACT.

o Students work through Example Questions related to elements

of strong writing (the teacher can use this as part of a station

rotation).

o Students watch the video [Name of Video] (the teacher can use

this in blended learning).

⚫ Week 8: Answer as You Read to combine this lesson with current

classroom core curriculum for additional practice

⚫ Week 9: End of Quarter (option to combine completed AOP

practice with core curriculum end of quarter summative

assessments)

Note: This configuration can be used for mathematics, reading, and/or

science. Tasks/activities are optional and times approximate. Teachers

can and should arrange topics to match with their core curriculum

and use results of practice tests to determine where students may

need additional support.

USING AOP: CORE CONTENT FOR COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS

Using AOP for Lesson Planning: TIPS

⚫ Application of data: Use student data or school-wide aggregate

data to drill down to specific areas of strength and need to support

instructional decisions on flexible grouping structures, specific

differentiated lessons needed, etc.

o Combine the data insights derived from the practice tests and/or

short tests in AOP with other data such as results from the ACT,

PreACT

, ACT WorkKeys

, and/or classroom tests, quizzes, and

projects to inform instructional decisions.

⚫ Time for goal setting: Provide time for students to set/review goals;

AOP allows students to gauge their own progress and can motivate

them to achieve new successes.

⚫ Alignment with assignments: Use the Assignments feature in AOP

to align assignments in AOP with core curriculum content as it is

introduced in your course syllabus.

⚫ Addition to syllabus or spiraling: Design AOP lessons based on what

is currently in the syllabus or choose to spiral topics after reviewing

or teaching them.

Understanding the Data Available—

Key Data Reports

Test Report

⚫ Data details shared in Test Reports allow you to do the following:

o Score data for each short topic test, full-length practice exam, or

quiz.

o Help students grow over time if taking short topic tests at the

beginning and at the end (pre- and post-tests).

o View scores for all attempts if the student has reset a test.

⚫ To use this data instructionally, consider doing the following:

o Use to group students by need for small group instruction.

o Measure growth to determine if instructional strategies are

successful.

Example Test Report

UNDERSTANDING THE DATA AVAILABLE—KEY DATA REPORTS

Real-Time Student Reports

⚫ Data details shared in Real-Time Student Reports allow you to do

the following:

o View real-time student performance data on practice questions,

short topic tests, full length practice exams, quizzes, and

assignments.

o View progress toward teacher-created assignment completion.

o Drill down to performance data on practice questions, tests,

exams, and quizzes.

o Review time spent per question to determine level of effort

⚫ To use this data instructionally, consider doing the following:

o Group students by topics needing growth and/or use as

enrichment for small group instruction.

o Use the AOP program as a blended learning to support classroom

instruction based on individual student need.

o Measure growth to determine if instructional strategies are

successful.

Example Real-Time Reports

UNDERSTANDING THE DATA AVAILABLE—KEY DATA REPORTS

Using Data for Student Learning: TIPS

You can most effectively use the data from AOP to support student

learning by applying the following tips.

⚫ Online dashboards: Track students’ progress using the online

dashboards. The dashboards provided give key information to you

as an instructor. The information available on the dashboards

includes:

o Student Overall Session Summary displays:

• Last Active: The most recent date the student was active in the

course

• Total Time Spent: The amount of time the student has spent

logged in

• Avg. Progress: The percentage of total progress through AOP

material

• Avg. Practice%: The percentage of practice questions

answered correctly

UNDERSTANDING THE DATA AVAILABLE—KEY DATA REPORTS

• Avg. Test%: The percentage of ACT Practice Exam questions

answered correctly

• Avg. Session Time: The average time a student spends in the

program each time they log in

o Courses Breakdown Summary displays:

• Last Active: The most recent date the student was active in the

course

• Student Status: The student’s percentile ranking among all

AOP users

• Progress: The percentage of total progress through AOP

material

• Avg. Practice%: The percentage of practice questions

answered correctly

• Avg: Test%: The percentage of ACT Practice Exam questions

answered correctly

⚫ Session reports: Optionally, you can also run Session Detail reports,

which provide time-on-task data and can be filtered by date range.

⚫ Anecdotal analysis: Consider taking anecdotal notes on what you

discover as you analyze the data and look for patterns or trends in it.

Some common patterns or trends and relevant next steps may

include those in the table below.

Pattern or Trends

Next Steps

Strengths in specific content

for individual students

Provide enrichment

opportunities during

instructional periods focused

on that content.

Opportunities for

improvement in specific

content for individual

students

Assign lessons and practice

aligned to student needs.

Strengths or opportunities

for improvement in specific

content for a small group of

students

Plan tiered interventions or

extensions (using one of the

small group instruction

models, described earlier).

Strengths in specific content

for all but a handful of

students

Consider means to extend or

compact learning tied to that

content.

Opportunities for

improvement in specific

content for all but a handful

of students

Build opportunities to revisit

core content in whole group

instruction with differentiated

extension activities for the

handful of students who do

not require additional time on

task for this specific content.

UNDERSTANDING THE DATA AVAILABLE—KEY DATA REPORTS

Pattern or Trends

Next Steps

Review the curriculum to

determine if the curriculum

needs strengthening in this

specific content for future

instruction with other groups

of students.

⚫ CCRS criteria: Use the data from AOP, including students’ predicted

ACT scores, alongside classroom data and other available data to

determine the degree to which students have met the ACT CCRS.

o Consider additional options for tiered intervention or extensions

to ensure all students will be ready for college and careers upon

graduation from high school.

⚫ Practice test opportunities: Schedule opportunities for students to

complete a full-length ACT Practice Exam with Scoring under actual

testing conditions in AOP.

o While the best preparation for the ACT is quality instruction, such

as core instruction with AOP, since most people perform best in

familiar contexts, giving students an opportunity to experience

the testing context can support increased achievement on the

actual ACT.

⚫ Test day goal: Make sure students select a test day so they have a

target goal; the Study Plan will help guide how much they need to

complete to remain on track.

o Most people achieve better when they have clear goals and a

realistic plan to achieve those goals. When students know their

test day and have a study plan tied to that goal, this can motivate

and help them experience greater success when they take the

ACT.

For More Information

To access additional information about AOP administration and

reporting, visit the AOP Training Toolkit.