From djrosen at comcast.net  Thu Jan  3 19:01:37 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Thu, 3 Jan 2008 19:01:37 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 740]  Adults Learnng Mathematics Conference
Message-ID: <105B57F5-7696-462A-8CBD-D9CEA77E7BF8@comcast.net>

The following is posted on behalf of Katherine Safford-Ramus.

The fifteenth annual conference of Adults Learning Mathematics - A  
Research Forum (ALM), A Declaration of Numeracy: Empowering Adults  
through Mathematics Education, will be held in Philadelphia,  
Pennsylvania from June 30, 2008 to July 3, 2008.  ALM is an  
international research forum that brings together those engaged and  
interested in research and developments in the field of adult  
mathematics/numeracy teaching and learning.  The ALM conference has  
not met in the United States since 2000 and offers American educators  
a unique opportunity to meet colleagues from around the world who  
share their interest in adult mathematics education.  Information  
about the 2008 conference can be found on the ALM website www.alm- 
online.net.  The conference organizer is Kathy Safford,  
ksafford at spc.edu.

Katherine Safford-Ramus, Ed.D.

Associate Professor

Mathematics Department

Saint Peter's College

Jersey City, New Jersey

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

From MMaralit at NIFL.gov  Fri Jan  4 08:17:34 2008
From: MMaralit at NIFL.gov (Maralit, Mary Jo)
Date: Fri, 4 Jan 2008 08:17:34 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 741] Reminder: Part 2 of Reading Assessment Webcast
	- Jan. 11, 2008
Message-ID: <4062487BDB6029428A763CAEF4E1FE5B180C51BB@wdcrobe2m03.ed.gov>

** Just a friendly reminder that registration is OPEN for the Reading
Assessment Webcast, Part 2 **

>From Assessment to Practice: Research-Based Approaches to Teaching Reading
to Adults
     Part 2: Specific Instructional Strategies for Fluency and Vocabulary

WHEN: Friday, January 11, 2008 

TIME:	       1:30 PM -  2:45 PM Eastern Time 
	 	12:30 PM -  1:45 PM Central Time 
	 	11:30 AM - 12:45 PM Mountain Time 
	 	10:30 AM - 11:45 AM Pacific Time 

Please join us for Part 2 of "From Assessment to Practice: Research-Based
Approaches to Teaching Reading to Adults" webcast. This follow-up webcast
will focus on specific instructional strategies for two other components of
reading, fluency and vocabulary. The presenters will show how all four
components provide a natural framework for assessing adult students' reading
ability, and how assessment results can lead seamlessly to a program of
instruction to improve students' reading.

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN
To register and for more information, please go to:
http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/webcasts/assesspractice2/webcast0111.html
Once you have registered, you will receive a confirmation email and a
reminder email before the event.

This seventy-minute webcast is a part two for the webcast presented on
September 28, 2007: From Assessment to Practice-Research-Based Approaches to
Teaching Reading  to Adults
<http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/webcasts/assesspractice/webcast0928.html>. The
main purpose of the first webcast was to present a compelling rationale for
the use of research-based principles for adult reading instruction. The
presenters used two components of reading, word analysis and comprehension,
as examples to illustrate research-based practices, focusing on specific
instructional strategies derived from the research. 

For more information, please contact info at nifl.gov or call 202-233-2025 or
visit us online at: http://www.nifl.gov/.

Thanks,
Jo Maralit
mmaralit at nifl.gov

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From MMaralit at NIFL.gov  Fri Feb  8 16:12:49 2008
From: MMaralit at NIFL.gov (Maralit, Mary Jo)
Date: Fri, 8 Feb 2008 16:12:49 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 742] LINCS Regional Resource Centers Sponsor Health
	Literacy Summits
Message-ID: <4062487BDB6029428A763CAEF4E1FE5B180C53D3@wdcrobe2m03.ed.gov>

 

 

LINCS Regional Resource Centers Sponsor Three Regional Health Literacy
Summits 

 

The National Institute for Literacy through its LINCS Regional Resource
Centers is convening adult literacy and health professionals in three
locations in February and March to share information about the research on
health literacy and resources for implementing health literacy programming.

 

Health literacy is often defined as the ability to read, understand, and act
upon health-related information. Improving health literacy may improve the
health status and quality of life of America's adults, especially among
adults with marginal literacy skills. The National Assessment of Adult
Literacy (NAAL) reported the extent of low health literacy in The Health
Literacy of America's Adults: Results from the 2003 National Assessment of
Adult Literacy. About 22 percent of adults only had Basic health literacy
and 14 percent had Below Basic health literacy.

 

The LINCS health summits will share information on the state of health
literacy in the nation and address how partnerships among adult literacy
providers and health literacy providers can help in eliminating literacy
barriers in accessing quality health care. 

 

For contact information and registration, please go to: 
http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/news_events/02-08-08.html 

 

Region 3 will meet February 28, 2008 in San Francisco, CA. This summit is
sponsored by Literacyworks in partnership with San Francisco State
University College of Humanities, Center for Immigrant and Refugee Community
Literacy Education (CIRCLE); Community Engagement Program, University of
California San Francisco (UCSF); and Center for Vulnerable Populations,
UCFS/San Francisco General Hospital. Presenters include Dr. Dean
Schillinger, MD, University of California San Francisco Associate Professor
of Medicine, and various literacy providers and adult students.  

Region 2 will meet March 5, 2008 in Atlanta, GA. This summit is sponsored by
the Center for Literacy Studies, University of Tennessee, in partnership
with the Center for the Study of Adult Literacy, Georgia State University;
Office of Adult Literacy, Georgia Department of Technical and Adult
Education; and Literacy Action, Inc. (Atlanta). Presenters include Cynthia
Baur (US/DHHS) and Dr. Yolanda Partida, UCSF Fresno. 

Region 1 will meet March 25-26, 2008 in Indianapolis, IN. This summit is
sponsored by World Education and Kent State University/Ohio Literacy
Resource Center in partnership with Indiana Department of Education/Division
of Adult Education. Among the presenters are Paul D. Smith, MD, University
of Wisconsin (Health literacy: A clinician's point of view) and Andrew
Pleasant, Ph.D., Rutgers University (Advancing health literacy: Building
bridges). The summit will also highlight health literacy initiatives in
Wisconsin, New York, Iowa and Rhode Island. 

Jo Maralit

National Institute for Literacy

mmaralit at nifl.gov

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From djrosen at comcast.net  Wed Feb 20 10:59:33 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Wed, 20 Feb 2008 10:59:33 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 743] Formative Assessment in Adult Literacy
	Education: A Special Topics Discussion
Message-ID: <7B56ED6C-B905-40B2-907C-18DE50E0224B@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

Beginning on Monday, February 25th, the Special Topics list will hold  
a discussion on formative assessment, a set of classroom practices  
that substantial research in England has shown to positively affect  
elementary and secondary level student learning outcomes. Not a term  
widely known in the U.S., formative assessment refers to what  
teachers and learners do in the classroom to assess learning  
progress.  An assessment is _formative_ when information gathered in  
the assessment process is used to modify teaching and learning  
activities.  It's an assessment _for_ learning,  not just _of_ learning.

A just-published study sponsored by the Organisation for Economic Co- 
operation and Development (OECD), Teaching, Learning and Assessment  
for Adults: Improving Foundation Skills < http://tinyurl.com/2dksn5 >  
looks at formative assessment practices in adult foundation skills  
(basic skills) classes in several countries among which were the U.S.  
and England. We will have as our guests the researchers who did the  
studies in these two countries. OECD researchers  who studied adult  
formative assessment practices in other countries may also  
participate in the discussion.

In my opinion, not an unbiased one as I was an OECD researcher in  
this study of practices in Flanders Belgium, the study could have an  
important impact on adult literacy education practices in North  
America, and formative assessment could -- as has been shown in K-12  
and higher education studies -- make an important difference for  
students' learning.

I hope you will join my esteemed guests for this discussion. I also  
hope you will invite your colleagues to join us. Instructions for  
subscribing are below.

To subscribe to the discussion, go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics .
You can unsubscribe after the discussion by going to the same web  
page or, if you prefer, you can stay subscribed for the next  
discussion, Transition from Corrections to Community Education.

Formative Assessment Guest Experts

Janet Looney
Janet Looney is the project leader of the Centre for Educational  
Research and Innovation program known as What Works in Innovation in  
Education. Since 2002 its focus has been on formative assessment.   
Between 2002 and 2004, the What Works program explored formative  
assessment in lower secondary classrooms in eight international  
systems. [See Formative Assessment: Improving Learning in Secondary  
Classrooms (2005)].  OECD has just published the second study  
addressing formative assessment for adult basic skill learners, whose  
web page was provided above.
Earlier in her career Janet taught ESOL in Japan for over two years,  
and  at the YMCA in Seattle Washington.

John Benseman
John Benseman has been involved in adult education and literacy for  
over 30 years working as a practitioner and program administrator,  
but mainly as a researcher and evaluator. He started his working life  
as a primary (elementary) school teacher, but ?became disillusioned  
with the task of constantly trying to motivate reluctant learners and  
became much more interested in working with adults who were much more  
motivated?. After a year of studying adult education in Sweden, he  
worked in continuing medical education, followed by seven years of  
running a community-based adult education organization and a similar  
period of self-employment as a researcher. After 12 years of teaching  
adult education at the University of Auckland, he moved last year to  
the Department of Labour to run a national workplace literacy  
project. The aim of this project is to identify best practice in  
workplace literacy by evaluating 15 diverse programs throughout New  
Zealand. They are about halfway through and should complete it late  
next year. To date they have interviewed about 250 learners and are  
just starting to get their first post-program data. They expect to  
have data on about 500-600 learners when it is finished.
John?s PhD was an analysis of New Zealand as a learning society. In  
addition to a "zillion" reports, he has edited a book on New Zealand  
adult education and two weeks ago, another one (with Alison Sutton)  
on New Zealand adult literacy. He ?mainly works from home in a study  
that looks out on to beautiful native bush, including a stream and  
lots of native birds?. He says "It?s summer here, so life includes  
jaunts to the beach, enjoying family life, frustrated attempts to  
lower a very average golf handicap and riding a motorbike to beat the  
Auckland traffic. My current project also includes a lot of travel  
round the country to interview people ? a duty that I am even paid to  
do?"

With John Comings, John Benseman did the formative assessment  
research in the U.S., sponsored in part by the National Institute for  
Literacy

John Comings
Dr. John Comings was director of the National Center for the Study of  
Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL) during its 11 years of funding  
from the US Department of Education. He is currently Senior Research  
Associate and lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education  
and a consultant on adult education in the U.S. and other countries.  
His research focuses on the impact of adult literacy programs and  
ways to support persistence of adult learners.

John Vorhaus
Dr John Vorhaus is Associate Director, Research, at the National  
Research and Development Centre in Adult Literacy and Numeracy (NRDC)  
at the Institute of Education. He is also Director of the Centre for  
Research on the Wider Benefits of Learning.

John has directed numerous projects on adult literacy, language and  
numeracy, many of these focused on teaching and learning practices,  
and also on disadvantaged groups such as offenders, ethnic minority  
groups and people who are not in education, training or employment.

On-going research is taken up with persons with profound and multiple  
learning difficulties and disabilities; their political status, the  
question of whether and how they are shown respect, and an  
examination of the teaching and learning practices best fitted to  
their needs and abilities.

John has taught philosophy at the Universities of Bristol and London,  
and also in prison, adult and further education, and he continues to  
publish in the areas of political philosophy, philosophy of law and  
philosophy of education.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

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From djrosen at comcast.net  Fri Feb 22 14:48:35 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Fri, 22 Feb 2008 14:48:35 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 744] Preparation for Monday's Discussion on
	Formative Assessment
Message-ID: <899D0680-AB4F-4CC6-87D7-B42B27A4F5B9@comcast.net>

Special Topics Colleagues,

In preparation for our discussion Monday on formative assessment in  
adult foundation (basic) skills classes, our guests have suggested  
the following readings that will be found at:

http://www.oecd.org/document/ 
42/0,3343,en_2649_37455_40026026_1_1_1_37455,00.html

or at the short form of the web address:

http://tinyurl.com/2dksn5

The Case Studies; Literature Reviews; Overview of Policies and  
Programmes for Adult Language, Literacy and Numeracy Learners; and  
Country Background Reports are free and are linked at the bottom of  
the web page. You will also find information there for ordering the  
just published Teaching, Learning and Assessment for Adults:  
Improving Foundation Skills.

Key research which led up to this study, by Dylan Wiliam and Paul  
Black in England, will be found at:

http://www.dylanwiliam.net/

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

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From MMaralit at NIFL.gov  Fri Feb 22 20:33:39 2008
From: MMaralit at NIFL.gov (Maralit, Mary Jo)
Date: Fri, 22 Feb 2008 20:33:39 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 745] World News with Charles Gibson: A Special
	Series on Literacy
Message-ID: <4062487BDB6029428A763CAEF4E1FE5B1538336C@wdcrobe2m03.ed.gov>

February 22, 2008

News and Notes from the National Institute for Literacy 
>From the Desk of Dr. Sandra L. Baxter, Director                            
____________________________________________________________

"WORLD NEWS WITH CHARLES GIBSON" TO REPORT A SPECIAL SERIES -
"LIVING IN THE SHADOWS: ILLITERACY IN AMERICA" BEGINNING FEBRUARY 25th

Beginning Monday, February 25, ABC's "World News with Charles Gibson" will
feature a special series, "Living in the Shadows: Illiteracy in America"
that examines the hidden phenomenon of illiteracy in this country. An
estimated 30 million people in the U.S. cannot read a simple sentence, and
as Senior Justice Department Correspondent Pierre Thomas reports,
undiagnosed learning disorders, poverty, and unstable homes are among the
factors contributing to this nation-wide crisis. The problem persists, in
large part, because many actively try to conceal it or avoid seeking help.

45 year-old Monica Baxley of Chipley, Florida was one of those people,
hiding the fact that she was functionally illiterate from family, friends,
even her husband for thirty years. She was unable to read newspapers, road
signs, or fill out job applications - a painful existence with constant
reminders of her limitation. She finally decided to seek help after becoming
frustrated that she couldn't help her daughter with homework. After several
years of intensive instruction with a local literacy group, she went on to
earn her GED. She now spends her time tutoring and inspiring others who are
illiterate.

In part two of the series, Thomas travels to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where
one out of every five residents there has difficulty reading or cannot read
at all. The city has pledged to cut the illiteracy rate in half in the next
ten years - launching a city-wide campaign to increase awareness of the
issue and enlisting hundreds of tutors and volunteers. Are their initiatives
making a difference? For those who have overcome illiteracy, the ability to
read has opened new doors and expanded their opportunities.

"Living in the Shadows: Illiteracy in America" will air on "World News with
Charles Gibson" beginning Monday, February 25. Thomas' reporting will also
be featured on the "World News" webcast, available on ABCNEWS.com, ABC News
Now, Apple's iTunes, and mobile phones.

Jon Banner is the executive producer of "World News with Charles Gibson."
ABC News Media Relations:
Natalie Raabe (212) 456-2418

From MMaralit at NIFL.gov  Sun Feb 24 23:55:32 2008
From: MMaralit at NIFL.gov (Maralit, Mary Jo)
Date: Sun, 24 Feb 2008 23:55:32 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 746] ABC News Special Series on Literacy starts
	Monday, Feb. 25
Message-ID: <4062487BDB6029428A763CAEF4E1FE5B15383379@wdcrobe2m03.ed.gov>

Special Announcement
>From the Desk of Dr. Sandra L. Baxter       
    
Join us as we tune into watch ABC's "World News with Charlie Gibson," the
first installment in this special series airs Monday, February 25, 2008.
(Please check local listings.)

>From ABC NEWS: http://abcnews.go.com/
Text link: http://abcnews.go.com/WN/LegalCenter/story?id=4336421&page=1
Video link: http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4336780

Living in the Shadows: Illiteracy in America
Millions Live With a Crippling Secret That Affects Their Everyday Lives

By PIERRE THOMAS, JACK DATE and THERESA COOK

Feb. 24, 2008 --

It's a chronic crisis of huge proportions, one that keeps millions of
Americans living in the shadows. And for nearly all of her of 45 years,
Monica Baxley had lived with the crippling secret.

"I cried a lot over this," she said, "when I was alone and just would wonder
what could be done, you know, if there was any help out there for me."

Baxley, of the Florida panhandle town of Chipley, was functionally
illiterate. She quit school in the ninth grade, and for 30 years kept her
secret from friends, family and even her husband.

"I didn't want to be exposed, beyond anything else. That was the most
important thing -- for no one to ever learn."

Baxley joins so many others with literacy challenges: 7 million Americans
are illiterate, 27 million are unable to read well enough to complete a job
application and 30 million can't read a simple sentence.

Her travel was limited because she was unable to read road signs. She was
unable to read a newspaper or food labels in a supermarket.

Baxley never voted in an election. "I didn't know who or what to vote for,"
she said.

Her illiteracy even impacted her physical health, as she avoided seeing the
doctor out of fear she would have to fill out a medical form or read a
prescription.

"My health is poor now, but I really believe that's because I never went to
the doctor and had my physicals and stuff that I should have had," Baxley
admitted.

A recent study from the Archives of Internal Medicine revealed patients who
had difficulty reading prescriptions were 50 percent more likely to die from
disease than patients who were literate.

"It is a life and death issue," said study author Dr. David Baker of
Northwestern University. "Literacy affects your health in so many different
ways," he said, from inability to properly follow instructions to not
knowing about common conditions or what symptoms to look for.

"So when you put all of these things together it's not surprising that
people with the lower literacy levels are more likely to die [earlier],"
Baker said.

Baker said his team has interviewed hundreds of patients about their
experiences, and Baxley's situation was a common theme -- hiding illiteracy
from those close to them.

"It's very scary for people" when their first contact with the healthcare
system involves filling out detailed medical forms. "That's not a great
start," Baxter said, "and then when they are seeing their doctor they're
given other information they don't understand" such as prescription
information and instructions to take care of themselves.

"Many people are afraid to come in and see the doctor," Baxter said. They
don't seek care, resulting in the worsening of their conditions and an
increased likelihood of trips to the emergency room.

The American Medical Association Foundation did a private study of patients
who could not read. One woman who provided a testimonial said signed a form
agreeing to a medical procedure with no idea what it meant.

"The nurse said, how are you feeling since your hysterectomy?" according to
the testimonial. "And I acted as normal as I could, but inside, my mouth
fell open and I thought to myself, how could I be so stupid as to allow
somebody to take part of my body and I didn't know it?"

Another patient took her medication improperly, afraid to tell her physician
about her difficulty reading.

"I didn't take it right. I admit it," her testimonial said. "I just didn't
have they nerve to ask them and I didn't want anyone to know I couldn't
read."

"It's a tremendous problem when you think about the costs for us,
economically, health-wise," said Sandra Baxter, director of the National
Institute for Literacy.

"For so many adults who don't have the education, it's embarrassing to have
to say, would you explain that to me?" Baxter said of potential problems
during a doctor appointment. "And so they don't ask the questions that they
need to."

Undiagnosed learning disorders, poverty and an unstable home life are all
factors.

As for Monica Baxley, she confronted her illiteracy at age 42 and learned to
read. But illiteracy persists for millions who continue to live with it in
the shadows.

If someone you know needs help, contact your local library, or use one of
the following resources:

National Institute for Literacy: http://www.nifl.gov

Reading is Fundamental: http://www.rif.org/

To find a literacy program near you: http://www.literacydirectory.org/

To search resources by state:
http://www.literacydirectory.org/?op=hotlines&type=contacts

Copyright ? 2008 ABC News Internet Ventures

From djrosen at comcast.net  Mon Feb 25 07:58:44 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2008 07:58:44 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 747] Formative Assessment in Adult Literacy Education
Message-ID: <28E348B0-7C0C-49AC-859F-80CD60E00317@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

Today we will begin an international discussion on formative  
assessment in adult literacy education. Our guests, Dr. John  
Benseman, Dr. John Comings, and Dr. John Vorhaus are international  
researchers who have taken part in background studies and case  
studies of formative assessment in adult foundation (basic) skills  
programs in England and the U.S. The studies were sponsored by the  
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and  
were led by Janet Looney. Support from the National Institute for  
Literacy enabled the studies in the U.S.

Janet, can you start us off by giving us some background on the  
study.   To organize this a bit I have some questions for you below.

On Tuesday John Vorhaus and John Comings will present the case study  
for England.

On Wednesday John Benseman and John Comings will present the case  
study for the United States.

On Thursday I hope that other OECD experts who conducted or  
participated in studies, and who are subscribed to this discussion,  
will chime in.

All during the week, I hope participants will post questions about  
formative assessment in adult basic education (including second  
language learning) and about these studies. I hope participants in  
the formative assessment research -- both researchers and  
practitioners -- will comment on the studies in their countries.

Janet, here are my questions:

1. What is OECD and what does it do?
2. What led up to the OECD What Works study, Teaching, Learning and  
Assessment for Adults: Improving Foundation Skills? Why is OECD  
interested in teaching, learning and assessment, especially in  
formative assessment for adults who need basic skills?
3. Could you say a bit about the research of Black and Wiliam in the  
U.K. , their "black box" model, and why their elementary and  
secondary education and higher education research is so significant  
for those interested in the quality of instruction and in education  
outcomes?
4. What countries were involved in the study?
5. What were the methods used in the study?
6. How does OECD define formative assessment; what are its key  
characteristics?
7. What were some of the key findings of the initial research?
8. What are the steps of the learning journey?
9. What are the study's conclusions?

I very much look forward to this discussion, and hope it generates  
some new and sustained interest in formative assessment in adult  
literacy education in the U.S. and in countries across the world.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

David J. Rosen
djrosen at comcast.net

From Janet.LOONEY at oecd.org  Mon Feb 25 09:56:24 2008
From: Janet.LOONEY at oecd.org (Janet.LOONEY at oecd.org)
Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2008 15:56:24 +0100
Subject: [SpecialTopics 748] Re: Formative Assessment in Adult Literacy
	Education
In-Reply-To: <28E348B0-7C0C-49AC-859F-80CD60E00317@comcast.net>
References: <28E348B0-7C0C-49AC-859F-80CD60E00317@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <227A8C8F337FB14CB1304302479F1B890D8A1387@EXCHANGEB.main.oecd.org>

GOOD MORNING.  DAVID HAS PROVIDED A SET OF QUESTIONS. SINCE THERE ARE SEVERAL
QUESTIONS, I'LL START OUT WITH JUST A FEW OF THE MOST BASIC QUESTIONS TO GET
THE DISCUSSION STARTED, AND WILL GO INTO MORE DEPTH AS THE DISCUSSION
PROCEEDS.

QUESTION 1. WHAT IS THE OECD AND WHAT DOES IT DO?

The OECD (the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development), which
was established in 1961, might be described as an international "think tank".
It provides statistics, economic and social data; analyzes and forecasts
economic developments; seeks answers to common problems; and identifies good
practices.  There are 30 member countries -  including the United States (for
the complete list, see "About OECD" at www.oecd.org).  OECD headquarters is
located in Paris, France.

While the OECD is not necessarily well-known in the United States, those
participating in this Special Topics discussion group may be familiar with
some of its large-scale surveys.  They include:

*	the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), a test of
15 year- olds' problem-solving skills
*	The International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS), conducted between
1994 and 1998 as a joint project of the OECD and Statistics Canada. 
*	The Adult Literacy and LifeSkills (ALL) Survey of 2005 and ongoing,
also conducted as a joint project of the OECD and Statistics Canada 
*	The Programme for International Assessment of Adult Competencies
(PIAAC) which will begin in the next two to three years, will include more on
literacy in the information age.

But the OECD is also involved in other kinds of research, including studies
developed to compare policy experiences, to seek answers to common problems,
and to identify good practices.

More information on the Education Directorate can be found at
www.oecd.org/edu.  

The website for the study about we're discussing this week, Teaching,
Learning and Assessment for Adults: Improving Foundation Skills, can be found
at  www.oecd.org/edu/whatworks and www.oecd.org/edu/whatworks/feb2008meeting

QUESTION 2. What led up to the OECD What Works study, Teaching, Learning and
Assessment for Adults: Improving Foundation Skills? Why is OECD   interested
in teaching, learning and assessment, especially in   formative assessment
for adults who need basic skills?

I'LL ANSWER THIS QUESTION IN TWO PARTS - FIRST, WHY FOCUS ON CLASSROOM
PRACTICE, AND SECOND, WHAT IS FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT AND WHY IS IT SUCH SO
SIGNFICANT?

The OECD international surveys on adult literacy have been extremely
important for identifying the prevalence of adults with foundation skill
needs across countries.  For example, the IALS showed that in the majority of
the 23 countries participating in the survey, between 14 and 23 % of adults
were able to meet only the lowest standards of literacy and numeracy
proficiency. Other publications have focused on questions of improving access
to adult foundation skill learning  [for example, Beyond Rhetoric (OECD,
2003) and Promoting Adult Learning (OECD, 2005)].  

The just published OECD study, Teaching, Learning and Assessment for Adults:
Improving Foundation Skills  (OECD, 2008) is the first study to focus on
improving the quality of provision and outcomes for adult learners.   

Until recently, it has been rare for a policy organization such as the OECD
to focus on what happens inside classrooms.  However, there is increasing
awareness that:

*	We cannot effectively support goals for equity and efficiency in
education without paying attention to quality.
*	It is not enough to set outcome goals and targets for learning and
then expect programs to meet them.  Teaching, learning and assessment are
highly complex tasks, and instructors also need support if they are to help
learners achieve high-quality outcomes.   To provide appropriate support,
policy-makers also need to understand the steps of the learning process. 
*	And, with an understanding of "what works" in practice, policy-makers
are also be able to provide more effective leadership, to ensure that the
elements of the system are aligned, and to make better investments.

THE SECOND PART OF DAVID'S QUESTION IS WHY WE CHOSE to FOCUS ON "FORMATIVE
ASSESSMENT"?  

FIRST, WHAT IS FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT? For those who are unfamiliar with the
term, "formative assessment" refers to frequent assessments of learner
progress and understanding to identify learning needs and shape teaching.
Formative assessment is sometimes referred to as assessment for learning,
distinct from assessment of learning (tests and examinations).  In another
definition, Black et al. (2005) propose that:

"Assessment for learning is any assessment for which the first priority in
its design and practice is to serve the purpose of promoting students'
learning... An assessment activity can help learning if it provides
information to be used as feedback, by teachers, and by their students, in
assessing themselves and each other, to modify the teaching and learning
activities in which they are engaged. Such assessment becomes 'formative
assessment' when the evidence is actually used to adapt the teaching work to
meet learning needs." (SEE REFERENCE FOR BLACK, ET AL., 2005) AT THE END.

While formative assessment is really a global approach to teaching and
learning , it might be useful to give a few concrete examples of techniques ,
such as "feedback", questioning and scaffolding.

*	Feedback with specific suggestions on how to improve performance
helps learners to meet learning goals.
*	Effective questioning can help to draw learners into active dialogue
and debate, joint enquiry, and/or reveal whether learners have understood a
new concept. Questioning may help to establish common understandings within
heterogeneous groups. Questions that push learners to reflect and/or explain
are more useful (for example, ""how?", "why?", "are you sure?", "are you
happy with that?", "show me", and other questions which cannot be answered
with a "yes" or "no").
*	Scaffolding means that instructors pitch the level of lessons and
learning material so that learners get as much or as little challenge as they
can handle at any given point.  

These are just a few specific techniques....I'll have more to say about how
formative assessment changes the overall approach to teaching and learning
later in the discussion.

WHY IS FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT SUCH AN IMPORTANT AREA FOR EDUCATIN RESEARCH?  

The English researchers Paul Black and Dylan Wiliam describe achievement
gains associated with formative assessment as among the largest ever reported
for educational interventions - based on their 1998 review of the English
language literature  ecologically valid controlled studies on formative
assessment practices.  Formative assessment has also been found to have an
even greater impact for low achieving students, and helps build students'
skills for learning-to-learn. These effects are consistent across different
age groups (school-age and university learners), subjects and in the
different countries included in major reviews. Yet there have been few
efforts to date to study the impact or implementation of formative assessment
in the context of adult foundation skill learning.

I should note that we also focused on the subject of formative assessment in
our 2005 publication, Formative Assessment:  Improving Learning in Secondary
Classrooms (OECD, 2005).  Based on this study and other research, we were
convinced that formative assessment would have important implications for
adult foundation skill learners, and so set out to learn more about the state
of the art in this sector.

[REFs: Black, P., C. Harrison, C. Lee, B. Marshall and D. Wiliam (2005),
Assessment for Learning: Putting it into Practice, Open University Press,
Buckingham.

Black, P. and D. Wiliam (1998), "Assessment and Classroom Learning",
Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy and Practice, CARFAX,
Oxfordshire, Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 7-74.]

QUESTION 3. Could you say a bit about the research of Black and Wiliam in the
U.K. , their "black box" model, and why their elementary and secondary
education and higher education research is so significant for those
interested in the quality of instruction and in education outcomes?

Following on their 1998 review of the literature, Black and Wiliam turned to
the question of how to promote formative assessment practices in regular
classrooms.  They first applied the term "black box" to the classroom -
noting that policy makers tend to focus on "inputs" and "outputs", with
little attention as to how results are achieved.  We found this metaphor to
be very useful for the adult foundation skill classroom, as well.

QUESTION 4. What countries were involved in the study?

Ten countries were involved in the current OECD study.  These countries
identified exemplary practices for case study development and/or background
reports on the policy environment for adult foundation skill learning:

Australia
Belgium (Flemish Community)
Denmark 
England
France
New Zealand
Norway
Scotland 
Spain, and
the United States

MORE AS THE DISCUSSION GETS STARTED....

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

David J. Rosen
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to janet.looney at oecd.org

From djrosen at comcast.net  Mon Feb 25 11:07:08 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2008 11:07:08 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 749] For those who have just joined the formative
	assessment discussion
Message-ID: <2C6CBA12-BA92-42CC-ACA9-8E8AF915B402@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

The discussion on formative assessment began earlier today, February  
25th. If you have just joined the discussion and have missed the  
first two posts you will find them -- and all the posts for this  
discussion that follow -- at http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/ 
specialtopics/2008/date.html

If you have questions or comments on the postings so far, the  
background and introduction to the study/ies, please email them to to  
specialtopics at nifl.gov

I look forward to your thoughts, questions, and comments.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

From Janet.LOONEY at oecd.org  Mon Feb 25 12:08:25 2008
From: Janet.LOONEY at oecd.org (Janet.LOONEY at oecd.org)
Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2008 18:08:25 +0100
Subject: [SpecialTopics 750] Re: For those who have just joined the
	formativeassessment discussion
In-Reply-To: <2C6CBA12-BA92-42CC-ACA9-8E8AF915B402@comcast.net>
References: <2C6CBA12-BA92-42CC-ACA9-8E8AF915B402@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <227A8C8F337FB14CB1304302479F1B890D8A16C3@EXCHANGEB.main.oecd.org>

I'LL ADDRESS A COUPLE MORE OF DAVID'S QUESTIONS ABOUT THE OECD STUDY WE ARE
DISCUSSING: 

QUESTION 5. What were the methods used in the study?

This study explores the state of the art in this field, drawing upon:

*	International research from English, French, German and
Spanish-language literature.  The literature examines the conceptualization
of formative assessment and related teaching strategies in adult LLN
education, the breadth and quality of evidence in the field, and what is
known about the impact of specific approaches and techniques for different
learners.   
*	Innovative cases in a range of adult LLN learning settings, where
teaching, learning and assessment have been adapted to meet the needs of this
population.  The case studies were conducted by country-based experts along
with OECD-appointed experts not from the same country (and therefore bringing
a different perspective to the study).  
*	Country background reports describing policies to suport adult
foundation skill learners.

All of these documents are available for free on our website.  At the moment,
the quickest link is at www.oecd.org/edu/whatworks/feb2008meeting.   Click on
the link to "Documentation" just below the "conference agenda".

The literature reviews did, however find  a rich literature on the different
formative assessment  approaches and techniques, which draws on practitioner
wisdom.  This literature provides a firm foundation for further research.

QUESTION 6. How does OECD define formative assessment; what are its key
characteristics?

The "quick and dirty" definition of formative assessment used by the OECD is:
"the frequent assessment of learner progress and understanding to identify
learning needs and shape teaching".  

If we probe more deeply, we find that formative assessment represents a sea
change in how we think not only about assessment, but also teaching and
learning:
*	The underlying assumption of formative assessment is that each
learner can succeed. Assessment is a means to identify individual needs and
tailor teaching. This is a profound change from approaches where assessment
is used as a means to identify and promote the most able learners.
*	In classrooms featuring formative assessment, the instructors'
primary role is to facilitate the learning process. This implies that
instructors have developed skills for uncovering learning gaps, correctly
identifying the source of misconceptions, and offering useful learning tasks
and challenges to promote learning. Instructors need strong subject-matter
and pedagogical expertise, as well as softer skills, such as empathy.
*	Learners are actively engaged in the learning and assessment process,
and developing skills for self- and peer-assessment. They may also negotiate
teaching goals and methods. The focus is on the process of learning as well
as on outcomes. 

The focus on the individual learner, the shaping of the educational process
to draw on the information about how well learners are progressing, and the
engagement of learners in the learning process go well beyond techniques of
"traditional" student assessment: it is about the whole approach to shaping
teaching and learning. In short, formative assessment represents a
fundamental shift in classroom relationships, and how instructors and
learners work toward successful outcomes.

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: 25 February, 2008 5:07 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 749] For those who have just joined the
formativeassessment discussion

Colleagues,

The discussion on formative assessment began earlier today, February  
25th. If you have just joined the discussion and have missed the  
first two posts you will find them -- and all the posts for this  
discussion that follow -- at http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/ 
specialtopics/2008/date.html

If you have questions or comments on the postings so far, the  
background and introduction to the study/ies, please email them to to  
specialtopics at nifl.gov

I look forward to your thoughts, questions, and comments.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to janet.looney at oecd.org

From djrosen at comcast.net  Mon Feb 25 13:40:31 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2008 13:40:31 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 751]  What is formative assessment
Message-ID: <BE8C64B4-7D9D-4494-8E53-50382227CB57@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

A discussion list subscriber wrote to me offline: "David, I've never  
heard of formative assessment in adult basic
education.  What is it?" I think she may speak for many in the U.S.  
who are subscribed to this discussion.

I encourage those who are new to this concept -- or possibly just  
this term -- to post your questions now, to ask  Janet and our other  
guests about what formative assessment means. You might ask questions  
like "Does it mean that a teacher would......" or " ...that students  
would...." or "Does it differ from summative assessment in that....."  
or however you like.

While we await subscribers' questions, Janet could you give some more  
examples of formative assessment in adult foundation (basic) skills.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

From dwyoho at earthlink.net  Mon Feb 25 15:13:51 2008
From: dwyoho at earthlink.net (Debbie Yoho)
Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2008 15:13:51 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 752] Re: What is formative assessment
Message-ID: <380-220082125201351765@earthlink.net>

While is appears formative assessment is relatively an unknown idea in
adult education, it may be very familiar to educators trained for k-12.  As
an undergraduate secondary education major in 1971, I was carefully taught
the difference between formative and summative assessments.  The emphasis
for formative assessment was on teacher-developed assessment tools.  We
studied Robert Mager's structure for formulating objectives and outcomes,
and were taught to create our own periodic assessments, oiften quite
informal,  keyed to those objectives.  One book that had a profound impact
on my teaching practice was called CLASSROOM QUESTIONS.	 Alas, I cannot
remember the author and no longer have the book.  But the book showed how
to structure questions by considering Bloom's Taxonomy.   If the title
rings a bell with anyone I'd love to be reminded of the author and whether
or not it is still in print.  It was a slim volume, less than 100 pages.

Questions for our special topics guests:  is the foundational work of Bloom
and Mager pertinent to how formative assessment was evaluated in the OECD
studies, and are we talking mainly about teacher-made tools?

Deborah W. Yoho
director, Turning Pages
     (formerly the Greater Columbia Literacy Council)
a community service of Volunteers of America Carolinas
803-765-2555   Fax:  803-779-1657
PO Box 1447  Columbia, SC  29202
yohogclc at earthlink.net

> [Original Message]
> From: David J. Rosen <djrosen at comcast.net>
> To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
> Date: 2/25/2008 1:40:36 PM
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 751]  What is formative assessment
>
> Colleagues,
>
> A discussion list subscriber wrote to me offline: "David, I've never  
> heard of formative assessment in adult basic
> education.  What is it?" I think she may speak for many in the U.S.  
> who are subscribed to this discussion.
>
> I encourage those who are new to this concept -- or possibly just  
> this term -- to post your questions now, to ask  Janet and our other  
> guests about what formative assessment means. You might ask questions  
> like "Does it mean that a teacher would......" or " ...that students  
> would...." or "Does it differ from summative assessment in that....."  
> or however you like.
>
> While we await subscribers' questions, Janet could you give some more  
> examples of formative assessment in adult foundation (basic) skills.
>
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at comcast.net
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to dwyoho at earthlink.net

From etolbert at temple.edu  Mon Feb 25 15:45:28 2008
From: etolbert at temple.edu (etolbert at temple.edu)
Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2008 15:45:28 -0500 (EST)
Subject: [SpecialTopics 753] Re: What is formative assessment
Message-ID: <20080225154528.DGM25092@po-f.temple.edu>

I googled and found Classroom Questions:  What kinds by 
Sanders, N.M., 1966 - could that be it?

Earldine V. Tolbert
Program Specialist
Temple University - CSPCD/WELL
Mitten Hall, Room 201, TU Box (043-83)
1913 N. Broad Street
Philadelphia, PA  19122
215-204-2560 (Work)
267-978-2600 (Cell)

From sbeaman at webster.edu  Mon Feb 25 15:51:39 2008
From: sbeaman at webster.edu (Sarah Beaman-Jones)
Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2008 14:51:39 -0600
Subject: [SpecialTopics 754] Re: What is formative assessment
In-Reply-To: <20080225154528.DGM25092@po-f.temple.edu>
Message-ID: <C3E8867B.1F1F%sbeaman@webster.edu>

If so, it is available, used, at Amazon.com.

Sarah Beaman-Jones 
Literacy Program Director

LIFT-Missouri
815 Olive Street, Suite 22
St. Louis, Missouri  63101

1-800-729-4443 ext. 206
www.lift-missouri.org

On 2/25/08 2:45 PM, "etolbert at temple.edu" <etolbert at temple.edu> wrote:

> I googled and found Classroom Questions:  What kinds by
> Sanders, N.M., 1966 - could that be it?
> 
> Earldine V. Tolbert
> Program Specialist
> Temple University - CSPCD/WELL
> Mitten Hall, Room 201, TU Box (043-83)
> 1913 N. Broad Street
> Philadelphia, PA  19122
> 215-204-2560 (Work)
> 267-978-2600 (Cell)
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to sbeaman at webster.edu
> 

From dwyoho at earthlink.net  Mon Feb 25 16:48:34 2008
From: dwyoho at earthlink.net (Debbie Yoho)
Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2008 16:48:34 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 755] Re: What is formative assessment
Message-ID: <380-220082125214834546@earthlink.net>

Yes indeed, the reference is Norris Sanders, CLASSROOM QUESTIONS.  It
should be required reading for all teachers, as it was in 1971.  

Deborah W. Yoho
director, Turning Pages
     (formerly the Greater Columbia Literacy Council)
a community service of Volunteers of America Carolinas
803-765-2555   Fax:  803-779-1657
PO Box 1447  Columbia, SC  29202
yohogclc at earthlink.net

> [Original Message]
> From: Sarah Beaman-Jones <sbeaman at webster.edu>
> To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
> Date: 2/25/2008 4:26:25 PM
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 754] Re: What is formative assessment
>
> If so, it is available, used, at Amazon.com.
>
> Sarah Beaman-Jones 
> Literacy Program Director
>
> LIFT-Missouri
> 815 Olive Street, Suite 22
> St. Louis, Missouri  63101
>
> 1-800-729-4443 ext. 206
> www.lift-missouri.org
>
>
>
>
>
> On 2/25/08 2:45 PM, "etolbert at temple.edu" <etolbert at temple.edu> wrote:
>
> > I googled and found Classroom Questions:  What kinds by
> > Sanders, N.M., 1966 - could that be it?
> > 
> > Earldine V. Tolbert
> > Program Specialist
> > Temple University - CSPCD/WELL
> > Mitten Hall, Room 201, TU Box (043-83)
> > 1913 N. Broad Street
> > Philadelphia, PA  19122
> > 215-204-2560 (Work)
> > 267-978-2600 (Cell)
> > -------------------------------
> > National Institute for Literacy
> > Special Topics mailing list
> > SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> > To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> > http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> > Email delivered to sbeaman at webster.edu
> > 
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to dwyoho at earthlink.net

From djrosen at comcast.net  Mon Feb 25 17:14:47 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2008 17:14:47 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 756] EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller class sizes
	'not cost effective
References: <mailman.19819.1203958441.1030.specialtopics@nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <729DD7C9-5734-427A-AF5D-49BD40556885@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

Tom Sticht spotted this on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site and sent  
it for our formative assessment discussion.

-------
Note from Tom Sticht:

This article about formative assessment appears in todays (2/25/08  
Education Guardian online.
-------

To see this story with its related links on the  
EducationGuardian.co.uk site, go to http://education.guardian.co.uk

Smaller class sizes 'not cost effective'
Anthea Lipsett
Monday February 25 2008
The Guardian

Reducing school class sizes in an attempt to raise pupil achievement  
is a waste of money for all but the youngest children, one of the  
country's leading experts on assessment said today.

Cutting class size by 30% gives children the equivalent of four extra  
months of learning a year, but costs around &#163;20,000 for each  
class every year, according to Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of  
the Institute of Education.

He said the more effective method of "formative assessment" - where  
teachers monitor their pupils' progress continuously and provide  
appropriate feedback - could provide eight extra months of  
educational development for only &#163;2,000 per classroom per year.

"It can therefore be 20 times as cost-effective as reducing class  
size in terms of pupil achievement," he told the annual Chartered  
London Teachers Conference today.

"Smaller classes do confer a benefit if pupils are unruly, because  
fewer pupils in a class means less disruption. But as long as pupils  
are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is  
generally possible with a class of 30.

"Smaller classes can also be more cost-effective for five to seven- 
year-olds, but research suggests the class size needs to be reduced  
to 15 or less," he said.

Wiliam added that investments in information communication technology  
have also shown a poor return. But international studies have  
confirmed that formative assessment can double the speed of pupil  
learning.

Some teachers use a "traffic light" system and ask pupils to hold up  
different coloured cards to show whether they have understood what  
they have been told. Red means "no", amber means "partly", and green  
"yes". Pupils are also encouraged to evaluate their own work and  
advise their classmates on how they can improve.

The English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish education departments  
have all provided varying degrees of backing for formative assessment.

After three years of research in both the UK and the US, Wiliam  
concluded that the approach would only take off properly if teachers  
work together in school-based groups to refine their classroom methods.

Wiliam and his co-researchers found that groups of eight to 10  
teachers who meet once a month for at least two years can be most  
effective. "It takes time to change teachers' ways of working,  
particularly if they have been in the classroom for many years," said  
Wiliam. "Simply telling teachers what to do doesn't work."

"For example, most teachers have heard about research from the 1980s  
which shows that if they wait three to five seconds after asking a  
question their pupils' performance improves because they have been  
given some time to think.

"Even so, many teachers are still allowing less than a second for  
pupils to respond. The conclusion we can draw from that is that  
knowing what to do is the easy part of teaching. Actually doing it is  
what's hard."

Wiliam told EducationGuardian.co.uk that teacher quality was key to  
any improvements.

"To reduce class size from 30 to 20 would need 150,000 more teachers  
and that would dilute the quality of teachers," he said.

"We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the classroom  
and we need to get better teachers into the profession."

Martin Johnson, acting deputy general secretary of the Association of  
Teachers and Lecturers, said the research should encourage the  
government to "put its money where its mouth is".

"Staff need to work together to learn how to teach more effectively,  
but schools will need more resources to do this. [Wiliam] reminds us  
that this would be very cost-effective.

"Schools have benefited hugely over the last decade from having more  
classroom based staff but much more training is needed to make their  
deployment fully effective.

"And while the government says it encourages assessment for learning,  
its testing policies have stolen teachers' self-confidence so new  
training must be provided and resourced.

"School staff desperately need a contractual entitlement to training  
which meets their individual needs."

Copyright Guardian News and Media Limited

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

From john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz  Mon Feb 25 22:30:44 2008
From: john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz (John Benseman)
Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 16:30:44 +1300
Subject: [SpecialTopics 757] Re: What is formative assessment
In-Reply-To: <380-220082125201351765@earthlink.net>
Message-ID: <001701c87827$f8e935b0$0b00a8c0@critical1>

If I could come in at this point and respond to this question.

 

I think it is important to recognise that formative assessment is, as one of
the Norwegian delegates at the OECD meeting said, an attitude rather than a
single or even multiple set of strategies (such as questioning or
teacher-designed tests). By attitude, I mean that teachers need to approach
their teaching using assessment in order to understand constantly how well
their learners are progressing on the one hand and then adjusting their
teaching in the light of that information on the other.

 

It is assessment FOR learning, not assessment OF learning.

 

In order to assess how well their learners are progressing, teachers can use
a whole range of strategies (which I'm sure we will get to in this
discussion) in order to understand where they are at any point. These
strategies can be as informal and instant as asking insightful, focused
questions (which Debbie has referred to), on-going tests or even using
summative tests for formative purposes (analysing why learners made mistakes
for example).

 

By way of a negative example, how many of us have done courses where the
teacher covers the content come hell or high water? My most vivid memories
of these sorts of courses were maths ones. The teacher simply ploughed on
through topic after topic with no recognition of how well any of us
understood the content. And then there would be a (summative) test at the
end to 'prove' that indeed most of us had not understood the content - and
hadn't since about the second session.

 

This is the antithesis of formative assessment

 

John

 

John Benseman

 

*   john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz

 

*   641 9 627 1882  Cell  027 454 0683

 

* 52a Bolton St, Blockhouse Bay, Auckland 0600, NZ

 

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Debbie Yoho
Sent: Tuesday, 26 February 2008 9:14 a.m.
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 752] Re: What is formative assessment

 

While is appears formative assessment is relatively an unknown idea in

adult education, it may be very familiar to educators trained for k-12.  As

an undergraduate secondary education major in 1971, I was carefully taught

the difference between formative and summative assessments.  The emphasis

for formative assessment was on teacher-developed assessment tools.  We

studied Robert Mager's structure for formulating objectives and outcomes,

and were taught to create our own periodic assessments, oiften quite

informal,  keyed to those objectives.  One book that had a profound impact

on my teaching practice was called CLASSROOM QUESTIONS.     Alas, I cannot

remember the author and no longer have the book.  But the book showed how

to structure questions by considering Bloom's Taxonomy.   If the title

rings a bell with anyone I'd love to be reminded of the author and whether

or not it is still in print.  It was a slim volume, less than 100 pages.

 

Questions for our special topics guests:  is the foundational work of Bloom

and Mager pertinent to how formative assessment was evaluated in the OECD

studies, and are we talking mainly about teacher-made tools?

 

Deborah W. Yoho

director, Turning Pages

     (formerly the Greater Columbia Literacy Council)

a community service of Volunteers of America Carolinas

803-765-2555   Fax:  803-779-1657

PO Box 1447  Columbia, SC  29202

yohogclc at earthlink.net

 

 

> [Original Message]

> From: David J. Rosen <djrosen at comcast.net>

> To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>

> Date: 2/25/2008 1:40:36 PM

> Subject: [SpecialTopics 751]  What is formative assessment

> 

> Colleagues,

> 

> A discussion list subscriber wrote to me offline: "David, I've never  

> heard of formative assessment in adult basic

> education.  What is it?" I think she may speak for many in the U.S.  

> who are subscribed to this discussion.

> 

> I encourage those who are new to this concept -- or possibly just  

> this term -- to post your questions now, to ask  Janet and our other  

> guests about what formative assessment means. You might ask questions  

> like "Does it mean that a teacher would......" or " ...that students  

> would...." or "Does it differ from summative assessment in that....."  

> or however you like.

> 

> While we await subscribers' questions, Janet could you give some more  

> examples of formative assessment in adult foundation (basic) skills.

> 

> David J. Rosen

> Special Topics Discussion Moderator

> djrosen at comcast.net

> 

> 

> 

> -------------------------------

> National Institute for Literacy

> Special Topics mailing list

> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov

> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to

http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics

> Email delivered to dwyoho at earthlink.net

 

 

-------------------------------

National Institute for Literacy

Special Topics mailing list

SpecialTopics at nifl.gov

To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics

Email delivered to john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz

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From SCropper at fas.edu  Mon Feb 25 17:46:30 2008
From: SCropper at fas.edu (Sandy Cropper)
Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2008 14:46:30 -0800
Subject: [SpecialTopics 758] Re: What is formative assessment
In-Reply-To: <380-220082125201351765@earthlink.net>
References: <380-220082125201351765@earthlink.net>
Message-ID: <37E27EAC319870439379BF42DD12767E018B226C@fas-exch-01.FAS.ADS>

I remember the book.  But I don't remember the author.  I can't find the
book either.  Thank you for reminding me about it.  I started out in
elementary school. I switched to Adult Ed.:)

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Debbie Yoho
Sent: Monday, February 25, 2008 12:14 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 752] Re: What is formative assessment

While is appears formative assessment is relatively an unknown idea in
adult education, it may be very familiar to educators trained for k-12.
As
an undergraduate secondary education major in 1971, I was carefully
taught
the difference between formative and summative assessments.  The
emphasis
for formative assessment was on teacher-developed assessment tools.  We
studied Robert Mager's structure for formulating objectives and
outcomes,
and were taught to create our own periodic assessments, oiften quite
informal,  keyed to those objectives.  One book that had a profound
impact
on my teaching practice was called CLASSROOM QUESTIONS.	 Alas, I cannot
remember the author and no longer have the book.  But the book showed
how
to structure questions by considering Bloom's Taxonomy.   If the title
rings a bell with anyone I'd love to be reminded of the author and
whether
or not it is still in print.  It was a slim volume, less than 100 pages.

Questions for our special topics guests:  is the foundational work of
Bloom
and Mager pertinent to how formative assessment was evaluated in the
OECD
studies, and are we talking mainly about teacher-made tools?

Deborah W. Yoho
director, Turning Pages
     (formerly the Greater Columbia Literacy Council)
a community service of Volunteers of America Carolinas
803-765-2555   Fax:  803-779-1657
PO Box 1447  Columbia, SC  29202
yohogclc at earthlink.net

> [Original Message]
> From: David J. Rosen <djrosen at comcast.net>
> To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
> Date: 2/25/2008 1:40:36 PM
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 751]  What is formative assessment
>
> Colleagues,
>
> A discussion list subscriber wrote to me offline: "David, I've never  
> heard of formative assessment in adult basic
> education.  What is it?" I think she may speak for many in the U.S.  
> who are subscribed to this discussion.
>
> I encourage those who are new to this concept -- or possibly just  
> this term -- to post your questions now, to ask  Janet and our other  
> guests about what formative assessment means. You might ask questions

> like "Does it mean that a teacher would......" or " ...that students  
> would...." or "Does it differ from summative assessment in that....."

> or however you like.
>
> While we await subscribers' questions, Janet could you give some more

> examples of formative assessment in adult foundation (basic) skills.
>
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at comcast.net
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to dwyoho at earthlink.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to scropper at fas.edu

From djrosen at comcast.net  Tue Feb 26 00:59:32 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 00:59:32 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 759] Formative assessment in adult foundation skills
	in England
Message-ID: <FAD11274-766F-4C4F-890A-1D2E68A3F01C@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

Although Janet Looney will still be answering the (very many)  
questions I asked, and other questions from discussion participants,  
let's also move on to the first set of case studies, from England. I  
have asked John Vorhaus and John Comings if they could:

1. give a short overview of the national adult basic skills context  
in England, particularly noting any features or terms of the context  
that may be unfamiliar to a U.S. audience and that are important to  
understand the case studies;

2. describe the three case studies; and

3. describe what are the most interesting, significant findings and  
also explain how the case studies might be a good example of  
formative assessment.

It would be helpful if, in describing teacher formative assessment  
practices in England, you could describe or give examples of what  
goes beyond usual good practice in teaching and learning, what, in  
particular, is good practice in formative assessment. That is, some  
may wonder if formative assessment is just a different name for good  
teaching? Is it really something new? Is it really a discrete set of  
practices? If, as Black and Wiliam's research shows, it makes a  
difference in students' learning in elementary and secondary  
education, what about formative assessment makes that difference? Why  
is formative assessment such a powerful set of strategies, so  
effective?  I believe that some of our subscribers are still trying  
to understand of these issues; perhaps the case studies in England  
might shed some light on them.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

From J.Vorhaus at ioe.ac.uk  Tue Feb 26 04:26:46 2008
From: J.Vorhaus at ioe.ac.uk (John Vorhaus)
Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 09:26:46 -0000
Subject: [SpecialTopics 760] Re: Formative assessment in adult foundation
	skillsin England
In-Reply-To: <FAD11274-766F-4C4F-890A-1D2E68A3F01C@comcast.net>
References: <FAD11274-766F-4C4F-890A-1D2E68A3F01C@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <949E22B7BCCFF2408271BAAA8166BF07033F2404@M3.ioead>

Dear Colleagues,

My response to David's questions will come in several parts. Here is the first, giving some of the background to adult basic skills in England. 

John Comings will also be contributing a response. And I am copying in three colleagues who are perhaps the leading experts in this field in England: Kathryn Ecclestone, Jan Eldred and Jay Derrick.  They may want to add to, or dissent from what follows. 

Adult basic skills in England: background

Before the publication of the findings from the 1994 International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS), adult basic skills were not a priority of the English government. The IALS reported that the average literacy and numeracy skill levels of the population of the United Kingdom was below that of Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Norway, Sweden, The Netherlands, and the United States.

The government formed a commission, led by Claus Moser, to investigate the issue and make recommendations.  The 1999 Moser report led to a three-fold increase in funding for adult basic skills in England, from ?137 million in 2000/2001 to ?420 million in 2001/2002, and then higher amounts in the following years. Funding for adult basic skills in 2005/2006 was ?680 million. 

The increase in funding was accompanied by a call for greater accountability. Since the government had employed externally set achievement targets measured by standardized tests in its effort to improve the education of children, it chose the same approach for adult basic skills.

In 2001, the government launched a new adult basic skills strategy, Skills for Life, to address the learning needs of adults identified by the IALS as having low literacy and numeracy skills. Skills for Life is coordinated by the Skills for Life Strategy Unit (SfLSU) within the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS). 

The Skills for Life strategy established five levels of English language, literacy, and numeracy skills:
*	Level 2 is equivalent to a GCSE (a qualification usually achieved at age 16) at grades A* to C (higher skill level)
*	Level 1 is equivalent to a GCSE at grades D to G (lower skill level)
*	Entry Level 3 is equivalent to the skills of school students aged 9 to 11
*	Entry Level 2 is equivalent to the skills of school students aged 7 to 9
*	Entry Level 1 is equivalent to the skills of school students aged 5 to 7

Initially, the government's Public Sector Agreement (PSA) target, the most important government target in relation to Skills for Life, focused only on achievement at Levels 1 and 2, because analysis of the IALS data showed that adults needed this level of skill to compete for good wages in the global economy. However, the government decided that the PSA target would also include Entry Level 3, in the context of the policy priority of promoting progression to Level 2 and beyond. Only the first achievements at the top three levels count towards the PSA target. That is not to say that learner achievements at Entry Levels 1 and 2 are not important; achievement at this level often represents a vital stage in a learners' development, in its own right and as a step on the way to achievement at a higher level. I hope that this is one of the questions that is picked up for further discussion.

The IALS identified the issue of low basic skills but could not provide an estimate of how many adults fell into each of the five Skills for Life levels. To gain this information, the government undertook the 2003 Skills for Life Survey, which interviewed 8730 randomly selected adults, aged 16 to 65, to build a national profile, based on the five levels of basic skills, of the population in England. The survey found that the 31.9 million adults in this age range in England fell into the following categories in terms of literacy and numeracy skill: 

*	3% (1.1 million) had literacy skills at Entry Level 1 or below
*	2%	(0.6 million) had literacy skills at Entry Level 2
*	11% (3.5 million) had literacy skills at Entry level 3
*	40% (12.6 million) had literacy skills at Level 1
*	44% (14.1 million) had literacy skills at Level 2 or above

*	5%	(1.7 million) had numeracy skills at Entry Level 1 or below
*	16% (5.1 million) had numeracy skills at Entry Level 2
*	25% (8.1 million) had numeracy skills at Entry Level 3
*	28% (8.8 million) had numeracy skills at Level 1
*	25% (8.1 million) had numeracy skills at Level 2 or above

Nearly half (47%) of all adults aged 16 to 65 were classified as Entry Level 3 or below in either literacy or numeracy.  Only one in five (18%) adults achieved Level 2 or above for both literacy and numeracy. 
Based on these findings, the government decided to set ambitious targets for Skills for Life: 750,000 learners achieving qualifications at one of the top three levels by 2004; 1.5 million by 2007; 2.25 million by 2010. 

A recent report by the House of Commons' Committee of Public Accounts noted that the first target, 750,000 by 2004, was met, but it cautioned that more than half of the participants who achieved a qualification were 16 to 19 year olds.  Most of these teenagers were served by the Key Skills component of the programme in full-time Further Education colleges.  Adults were being served, but they were not the majority of participants. Our case study was focused on that majority - those aged 19+.

The Moser report supported the use of formative assessment as an element of quality improvement. The report argued that the materials used for learning should include assessments that provide useful information to learners and tutors. However, the Skills for Life programme has no formal policy on formative assessment. Though formative assessment is not a formal mandate, formative assessment often features as a (semi) formal process within courses observed in our case study.  

One of several sources of published advice on formative assessment is 'Recognising and recording progress and achievement in non-accredited learning' (RARPA).The project provided a model for formative assessment and quality assurance in Skills for Life. RARPA developed a staged process:
*	Aims appropriate to an individual learner or group of learners
*	Initial assessment to establish the learner's starting point
*	Identification of appropriately challenging learning objectives (initial, renegotiated, and revised)
*	Recognition and recording of progress and achievement during the programme (tutor feedback to learners, learner reflection, and progress reviews)
*	End of programme learner self-assessment, tutor summative assessment, and review of overall progress and achievement

More to follow. 

John Vorhaus

> -----Original Message-----
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov 
> [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
> Sent: 26 February 2008 06:00
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 759] Formative assessment in adult 
> foundation skillsin England
> 
> Colleagues,
> 
> Although Janet Looney will still be answering the (very many) 
> questions I asked, and other questions from discussion 
> participants, let's also move on to the first set of case 
> studies, from England. I have asked John Vorhaus and John 
> Comings if they could:
> 
> 1. give a short overview of the national adult basic skills 
> context in England, particularly noting any features or terms 
> of the context that may be unfamiliar to a U.S. audience and 
> that are important to understand the case studies;
> 
> 2. describe the three case studies; and
> 
> 3. describe what are the most interesting, significant 
> findings and also explain how the case studies might be a 
> good example of formative assessment.
> 
> It would be helpful if, in describing teacher formative 
> assessment practices in England, you could describe or give 
> examples of what goes beyond usual good practice in teaching 
> and learning, what, in particular, is good practice in 
> formative assessment. That is, some may wonder if formative 
> assessment is just a different name for good teaching? Is it 
> really something new? Is it really a discrete set of 
> practices? If, as Black and Wiliam's research shows, it makes 
> a difference in students' learning in elementary and 
> secondary education, what about formative assessment makes 
> that difference? Why is formative assessment such a powerful 
> set of strategies, so effective?  I believe that some of our 
> subscribers are still trying to understand of these issues; 
> perhaps the case studies in England might shed some light on them.
> 
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at comcast.net
> 
> 
> 
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please 
> go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to j.vorhaus at ioe.ac.uk
> 
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From J.Vorhaus at ioe.ac.uk  Tue Feb 26 05:38:26 2008
From: J.Vorhaus at ioe.ac.uk (John Vorhaus)
Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 10:38:26 -0000
Subject: [SpecialTopics 761] Re: Formative assessment in adult foundation
	skillsin England
In-Reply-To: <FAD11274-766F-4C4F-890A-1D2E68A3F01C@comcast.net>
References: <FAD11274-766F-4C4F-890A-1D2E68A3F01C@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <949E22B7BCCFF2408271BAAA8166BF07033F2452@M3.ioead>

Dear Colleagues, 

Having given some of the background to adult basic skills in England,
here are a few words on the English case studies. At this stage I have
included only a general introduction and some thoughts about the
strengths and weaknesses of the formative assessment practices observed.
John may want to add to this, and I think he may want to give details of
each of the three sites visited. (If not, I will later on today.)

I am sure my three English colleagues will want to make contributions.

Nomenclature

Before I begin a word about nomenclature. In our case study report, and
below for ease of reference, we refer to 'adult basic skills'. But: 

1. 'Basic' has connotations many of us are unhappy with. One alternative
is 'adult literacy, language and numeracy'. 
2. As Jan Eldred and others repeatedly and rightly say, the differences
between each of these three are so significant as to raise the question
whether we should treat them under a single rubric. That is relevant to
this discussion because we can't assume that formative assessment
practices found to be successful in a literacy context will also or
equally be found to be successful in a numeracy context. Which takes us
on to the question how far the success of formative assessment practices
are dependent on context. 

The Case Studies

Three adult basic skills programmes were the subjects of the case
studies.  One is in London; one in the city of York (200 miles north of
London), and one is in the London Borough of Croydon (10 miles south of
the centre of London). These three sites were picked as exemplary
programs by the England-based author. The choice of these three
programmes was based, in part, on the personal experience of the author,
but his selection was checked with others who have a wide experience of
programmes in England.  The choice also was influenced by a desire to
have a range of different types of programmes and to have programmes
that could be visited within a limited time period. 

All of the programs provided inspection reports from the last visit of
teams from the Adult Learning Inspectorate (ALI). All three ALI reports
were positive.  Both instruction and management received a positive
rating on the ALI scale, usually receiving one of the top two grades.
Programme leaders suggested two reasons why their programmes were able
to achieve and maintain a level of instruction that would lead to being
chosen as an exemplary programme. The first was the quality of their
teachers, and the second was their staff's regular reflection focused on
programme improvement.

Since these were all exemplary programmes, we asked the Heads of
Department at each of the 3 sites about the factors that most support
good teaching and learning. Whilst there was not a consensus, there was
broad agreement that each of the following were important, and in
roughly this order:  
*	Well qualified, committed and enthusiastic tutors; staff with
substantial hours who are willing to attend meetings, training and to
generally 'go the extra mile' 
*	Regular feedback and reviews of learner progress
*	Opportunities for continuing professional development 
*	Good resources, including e-learning resources; activities and
resources of interest and relevance to the learner
  
The influence of these factors on good teaching and learning will depend
in part on the value each learner places on them. But respondents agreed
that well qualified, committed and enthusiastic tutors help motivate and
stimulate learners, inspiring them to do their very best and helping
them to overcome often long held barriers to learning and personal
success. Regular feedback and reviews of learner progress are also
extremely important, for this is how learners will know whether they are
heading in the right direction. Constructive feedback is also invaluable
at points when learners are beginning to struggle, not only for the
direct assistance that the tutor is able to provide but also because
constructive on-going assessment promotes learners' motivation and
persistence. Formative assessment also provides an opportunity for the
tutors themselves to receive feedback on the teaching and learning
process, identifying changes that need to be made. 

Respondents agreed that activities and resources that are of interest
and relevance to the learner help engage the learner, maintaining
motivation and supporting the natural learning process. Finally, there
was general agreement that levels of funding and frequent redefining of
priorities are the factors that most threaten good Skills for Life
teaching and learning, together with an increasing administrative
burden.

Because of the national character of the system, initial assessment,
instruction, formative assessment, and summative assessment look similar
in all three.  However, they are by no means the same. Each programme
uses different types of assessment; teachers draw on their experience
and training as well as their knowledge of their learners to design
courses and teaching strategies that work best in their context; and
learners have a range of summative tests they can take to secure the
same qualification. In addition, different types of institutions
(nonprofit, further education college, and local government programme)
are featured in our case studies and different types of classes (ESOL,
numeracy, and adult literacy) were observed at each site.

Some strengths and weakness: observations

Strengths
*	A focus on small increments of learning - something that is
manageable for learners who may otherwise be overwhelmed by the demands
of a course. 
*	Learners and teachers are encouraged to reflect and modify
learning goals and aspirations.
*	Formative assessment encourages teachers to support learners,
and to assist learners in learning how to learn.
*	Teachers are able to bring their own experience and training to
the learning process. 
*	Formative assessment encourages dialogue between teacher and
learner, and amongst learners. 
*	Teachers are encouraged to understand how learners learn best,
and at what rate.

Weaknesses
*	The amount of time taken up in recording the process, time taken
away from instruction.
*	Whilst formative assessment procedures are supportive of
learning, if a class meets two hours per week for 12 weeks, and a
learner has missed two classes, the total time-on-task is only 20 hours.
Even an hour taken out of this time could affect learning. 
*	Each formative assessment task, therefore, should be justified
by evidence that it is supportive to learning.  The time required of
tutors by the writing up of formative assessment activities takes away
from their preparation for instruction. This time should be justified by
its impact on learning. 

Comment

A few further thoughts, which go beyond evidence from the case studies
themselves, and beyond, perhaps, what John C would want to say.  

1. The weaknesses observed above might be said to lie not in the
formative assessment process per se, but in the (chosen means of)
writing it up. But it is not easy to think of far less labour intensive
alternatives, once they become embedded in an institutional system. Some
form of authoritative report seems necessary to meet even minimal
demands of accountability. This takes us onto the terrain of
professional judgement, and reliance on that, and also onto questions
about accountability systems. I'm sure Jay Derrick will want to come in
here.  

2. One theme which Kathryn Ecclestone has brought to our attention is
the relation between assessment and personal autonomy: how far do
formative assessment practices contribute to the development of the
personal autonomy of the learner, encouraging her to take responsibility
for her learning, to understand how she learns and how she is most
likely to progress? And how far might the outcome only serve to inhibit
or neglect autonomy, perhaps because formative assessment is inexpertly
practiced, or because these practices are adhered to only mechanically,
or because the interests of formative assessment become subverted to the
demands of summative assessment? 

3.  I think David is right to raise the question how far formative
assessment can be disentangled from the practices that make up good
teaching generally. Many items listed under 'strengths' would appear in
any initial teacher training programme. I think there is truth in what
John B says, that formative assessment is partly to be characterised by
reference to attitude: by the attitude of looking at the teaching and
learning process from the learners' point of view, of drawing attention
to how the learner is progressing, and giving priority to how best to
support her. But I can hear teacher trainers say - and I have! - that '
we do all of that anyway'. Perhaps much (not all) of what is new is less
at the level of general principle and more in the details we are
uncovering about how best to apply those principles in particular
contexts.  But I expect Kathryn will want to disagree with that?

More soon.

John Vorhaus

> -----Original Message-----
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov 
> [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
> Sent: 26 February 2008 06:00
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 759] Formative assessment in adult 
> foundation skillsin England
> 
> Colleagues,
> 
> Although Janet Looney will still be answering the (very many) 
> questions I asked, and other questions from discussion 
> participants, let's also move on to the first set of case 
> studies, from England. I have asked John Vorhaus and John 
> Comings if they could:
> 
> 1. give a short overview of the national adult basic skills 
> context in England, particularly noting any features or terms 
> of the context that may be unfamiliar to a U.S. audience and 
> that are important to understand the case studies;
> 
> 2. describe the three case studies; and
> 
> 3. describe what are the most interesting, significant 
> findings and also explain how the case studies might be a 
> good example of formative assessment.
> 
> It would be helpful if, in describing teacher formative 
> assessment practices in England, you could describe or give 
> examples of what goes beyond usual good practice in teaching 
> and learning, what, in particular, is good practice in 
> formative assessment. That is, some may wonder if formative 
> assessment is just a different name for good teaching? Is it 
> really something new? Is it really a discrete set of 
> practices? If, as Black and Wiliam's research shows, it makes 
> a difference in students' learning in elementary and 
> secondary education, what about formative assessment makes 
> that difference? Why is formative assessment such a powerful 
> set of strategies, so effective?  I believe that some of our 
> subscribers are still trying to understand of these issues; 
> perhaps the case studies in England might shed some light on them.
> 
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at comcast.net
> 
> 
> 
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please 
> go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to j.vorhaus at ioe.ac.uk
> 
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From djrosen at comcast.net  Tue Feb 26 07:22:21 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 07:22:21 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 762]  Formative Assessment: terminology in England,
	"catching up"
Message-ID: <86B54A5F-461E-4759-AD14-93449A80A435@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

As we dive into the English case studies -- I hope you will -- take a  
look at:
http://www.oecd.org/document/ 
18/0,3343,en_2649_35845581_39972050_1_1_1_1,00.html
If this long link doesn't work for you, cut and paste it into your  
browser, or just try the short form of the web address:
http://tinyurl.com/2d3wyk

Some North American subscribers may not know that the word "tutor" in  
England usually refers to what in the U.S. would be referred to as a  
classroom teacher.

Those who have just joined us, who want to catch up, can read the  
earlier postings in the archives at:
http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html

This is a lot to read, absorb and reflect on over a short period of  
time, but I hope discussion participants will be able to do that and  
that we will have many more comments and questions. Let's have yours!

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

From djrosen at comcast.net  Tue Feb 26 07:32:17 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 07:32:17 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 763] Re: Formative assessment in adult foundation
	skills in England
In-Reply-To: <949E22B7BCCFF2408271BAAA8166BF07033F2452@M3.ioead>
References: <FAD11274-766F-4C4F-890A-1D2E68A3F01C@comcast.net>
	<949E22B7BCCFF2408271BAAA8166BF07033F2452@M3.ioead>
Message-ID: <3ADC3456-97A0-40E3-99C5-9E14F6F6A777@comcast.net>

John Vorhaus, and other English Colleagues,

One question that many U.S. teachers will have, I am sure, is how do  
tutors (teachers) cope with all the time required for summative  
assessments and reporting, and still manage time for formative  
assessment.  Is this a problem in England, or not? If it is, how do  
tutors do it?

Another question,  for all of our guests: from a professional  
development point of view, do you find that tutors who do formative  
assessment well have had a lot of experience and training? Do they  
tend to be full-time, and/or older? To what extent can good formative  
assessment practices be learned in professional development and  
practiced well by relatively new teachers?

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

On Feb 26, 2008, at 5:38 AM, John Vorhaus wrote:

> Dear Colleagues,
>
> Having given some of the background to adult basic skills in  
> England, here are a few words on the English case studies. At this  
> stage I have included only a general introduction and some thoughts  
> about the strengths and weaknesses of the formative assessment  
> practices observed. John may want to add to this, and I think he  
> may want to give details of each of the three sites visited. (If  
> not, I will later on today.)
>
> I am sure my three English colleagues will want to make contributions.
>
> Nomenclature
>
> Before I begin a word about nomenclature. In our case study report,  
> and below for ease of reference, we refer to 'adult basic skills'.  
> But:
>
> 1. 'Basic' has connotations many of us are unhappy with. One  
> alternative is 'adult literacy, language and numeracy'.
> 2. As Jan Eldred and others repeatedly and rightly say, the  
> differences between each of these three are so significant as to  
> raise the question whether we should treat them under a single  
> rubric. That is relevant to this discussion because we can't assume  
> that formative assessment practices found to be successful in a  
> literacy context will also or equally be found to be successful in  
> a numeracy context. Which takes us on to the question how far the  
> success of formative assessment practices are dependent on context.
>
> The Case Studies
>
> Three adult basic skills programmes were the subjects of the case  
> studies.  One is in London; one in the city of York (200 miles  
> north of London), and one is in the London Borough of Croydon (10  
> miles south of the centre of London). These three sites were picked  
> as exemplary programs by the England-based author. The choice of  
> these three programmes was based, in part, on the personal  
> experience of the author, but his selection was checked with others  
> who have a wide experience of programmes in England.  The choice  
> also was influenced by a desire to have a range of different types  
> of programmes and to have programmes that could be visited within a  
> limited time period.
>
> All of the programs provided inspection reports from the last visit  
> of teams from the Adult Learning Inspectorate (ALI). All three ALI  
> reports were positive.  Both instruction and management received a  
> positive rating on the ALI scale, usually receiving one of the top  
> two grades.  Programme leaders suggested two reasons why their  
> programmes were able to achieve and maintain a level of instruction  
> that would lead to being chosen as an exemplary programme. The  
> first was the quality of their teachers, and the second was their  
> staff?s regular reflection focused on programme improvement.
>
> Since these were all exemplary programmes, we asked the Heads of  
> Department at each of the 3 sites about the factors that most  
> support good teaching and learning. Whilst there was not a  
> consensus, there was broad agreement that each of the following  
> were important, and in roughly this order:
>
> Well qualified, committed and enthusiastic tutors; staff with  
> substantial hours who are willing to attend meetings, training and  
> to generally ?go the extra mile?
> Regular feedback and reviews of learner progress
> Opportunities for continuing professional development
> Good resources, including e-learning resources; activities and  
> resources of interest and relevance to the learner
>
> The influence of these factors on good teaching and learning will  
> depend in part on the value each learner places on them. But  
> respondents agreed that well qualified, committed and enthusiastic  
> tutors help motivate and stimulate learners, inspiring them to do  
> their very best and helping them to overcome often long held  
> barriers to learning and personal success. Regular feedback and  
> reviews of learner progress are also extremely important, for this  
> is how learners will know whether they are heading in the right  
> direction. Constructive feedback is also invaluable at points when  
> learners are beginning to struggle, not only for the direct  
> assistance that the tutor is able to provide but also because  
> constructive on-going assessment promotes learners? motivation and  
> persistence. Formative assessment also provides an opportunity for  
> the tutors themselves to receive feedback on the teaching and  
> learning process, identifying changes that need to be made.
>
> Respondents agreed that activities and resources that are of  
> interest and relevance to the learner help engage the learner,  
> maintaining motivation and supporting the natural learning process.  
> Finally, there was general agreement that levels of funding and  
> frequent redefining of priorities are the factors that most  
> threaten good Skills for Life teaching and learning, together with  
> an increasing administrative burden.
>
> Because of the national character of the system, initial  
> assessment, instruction, formative assessment, and summative  
> assessment look similar in all three.  However, they are by no  
> means the same. Each programme uses different types of assessment;  
> teachers draw on their experience and training as well as their  
> knowledge of their learners to design courses and teaching  
> strategies that work best in their context; and learners have a  
> range of summative tests they can take to secure the same  
> qualification. In addition, different types of institutions  
> (nonprofit, further education college, and local government  
> programme) are featured in our case studies and different types of  
> classes (ESOL, numeracy, and adult literacy) were observed at each  
> site.
>
>
> Some strengths and weakness: observations
>
> Strengths
>
> A focus on small increments of learning ? something that is  
> manageable for learners who may otherwise be overwhelmed by the  
> demands of a course.
> Learners and teachers are encouraged to reflect and modify learning  
> goals and aspirations.
> Formative assessment encourages teachers to support learners, and  
> to assist learners in learning how to learn.
> Teachers are able to bring their own experience and training to the  
> learning process.
> Formative assessment encourages dialogue between teacher and  
> learner, and amongst learners.
> Teachers are encouraged to understand how learners learn best, and  
> at what rate.
>
> Weaknesses
>
> The amount of time taken up in recording the process, time taken  
> away from instruction.
> Whilst formative assessment procedures are supportive of learning,  
> if a class meets two hours per week for 12 weeks, and a learner has  
> missed two classes, the total time-on-task is only 20 hours. Even  
> an hour taken out of this time could affect learning.
> Each formative assessment task, therefore, should be justified by  
> evidence that it is supportive to learning.  The time required of  
> tutors by the writing up of formative assessment activities takes  
> away from their preparation for instruction. This time should be  
> justified by its impact on learning.
>
> Comment
>
> A few further thoughts, which go beyond evidence from the case  
> studies themselves, and beyond, perhaps, what John C would want to  
> say.
>
> 1. The weaknesses observed above might be said to lie not in the  
> formative assessment process per se, but in the (chosen means of)  
> writing it up. But it is not easy to think of far less labour  
> intensive alternatives, once they become embedded in an  
> institutional system. Some form of authoritative report seems  
> necessary to meet even minimal demands of accountability. This  
> takes us onto the terrain of professional judgement, and reliance  
> on that, and also onto questions about accountability systems. I'm  
> sure Jay Derrick will want to come in here.
>
> 2. One theme which Kathryn Ecclestone has brought to our attention  
> is the relation between assessment and personal autonomy: how far  
> do formative assessment practices contribute to the development of  
> the personal autonomy of the learner, encouraging her to take  
> responsibility for her learning, to understand how she learns and  
> how she is most likely to progress? And how far might the outcome  
> only serve to inhibit or neglect autonomy, perhaps because  
> formative assessment is inexpertly practiced, or because these  
> practices are adhered to only mechanically, or because the  
> interests of formative assessment become subverted to the demands  
> of summative assessment?
>
> 3.  I think David is right to raise the question how far formative  
> assessment can be disentangled from the practices that make up good  
> teaching generally. Many items listed under 'strengths' would  
> appear in any initial teacher training programme. I think there is  
> truth in what John B says, that formative assessment is partly to  
> be characterised by reference to attitude: by the attitude of  
> looking at the teaching and learning process from the learners'  
> point of view, of drawing attention to how the learner is  
> progressing, and giving priority to how best to support her. But I  
> can hear teacher trainers say - and I have! - that ' we do all of  
> that anyway'. Perhaps much (not all) of what is new is less at the  
> level of general principle and more in the details we are  
> uncovering about how best to apply those principles in particular  
> contexts.  But I expect Kathryn will want to disagree with that?
>
> More soon.
>
> John Vorhaus
>
>
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
> > [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
> > Sent: 26 February 2008 06:00
> > To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> > Subject: [SpecialTopics 759] Formative assessment in adult
> > foundation skillsin England
> >
> > Colleagues,
> >
> > Although Janet Looney will still be answering the (very many)
> > questions I asked, and other questions from discussion
> > participants, let's also move on to the first set of case
> > studies, from England. I have asked John Vorhaus and John
> > Comings if they could:
> >
> > 1. give a short overview of the national adult basic skills
> > context in England, particularly noting any features or terms
> > of the context that may be unfamiliar to a U.S. audience and
> > that are important to understand the case studies;
> >
> > 2. describe the three case studies; and
> >
> > 3. describe what are the most interesting, significant
> > findings and also explain how the case studies might be a
> > good example of formative assessment.
> >
> > It would be helpful if, in describing teacher formative
> > assessment practices in England, you could describe or give
> > examples of what goes beyond usual good practice in teaching
> > and learning, what, in particular, is good practice in
> > formative assessment. That is, some may wonder if formative
> > assessment is just a different name for good teaching? Is it
> > really something new? Is it really a discrete set of
> > practices? If, as Black and Wiliam's research shows, it makes
> > a difference in students' learning in elementary and
> > secondary education, what about formative assessment makes
> > that difference? Why is formative assessment such a powerful
> > set of strategies, so effective?  I believe that some of our
> > subscribers are still trying to understand of these issues;
> > perhaps the case studies in England might shed some light on them.
> >
> > David J. Rosen
> > Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> > djrosen at comcast.net
> >
> >
> >
> > -------------------------------
> > National Institute for Literacy
> > Special Topics mailing list
> > SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> > To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please
> > go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> > Email delivered to j.vorhaus at ioe.ac.uk
> >
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to  
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to djrosen at comcast.net

From Janet.LOONEY at oecd.org  Tue Feb 26 07:36:02 2008
From: Janet.LOONEY at oecd.org (Janet.LOONEY at oecd.org)
Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 13:36:02 +0100
Subject: [SpecialTopics 764] Re: What is formative assessment
In-Reply-To: <001701c87827$f8e935b0$0b00a8c0@critical1>
References: <380-220082125201351765@earthlink.net>
	<001701c87827$f8e935b0$0b00a8c0@critical1>
Message-ID: <227A8C8F337FB14CB1304302479F1B890D8A1DF5@EXCHANGEB.main.oecd.org>

Continuing with the discussion as to just what formative assessment is....

 

Black and Wiliam describe formative assessment as involving four elements

 

1.)    Establishment of a standard or expected level of student performance
(the goals for learning)

2.)    Gathering information on the student's current performance (through
diagnostic assessment or within the classroom - questioning, written or oral
performances, testing, and so on).

3.)    Development of a mechanism to compare the two performance levels
(criteria for judging the quality of the learner performance)

4.)    Development of a mechanism to alter the gap (feedback, development of
appropriate assignments or areas of study to help address a specific learning
gap - instructors may also adjust the level of difficulty as appropriate for
the learner).

It differs from "summative" assessment (tests, examinations), in that the
information gathered in the assessment process is used to help identify and
address gaps, rather than to make a final judgment of the learners'
performance.  Learners may have the chance to "re-do" lessons until they have
mastered it.  

 

As John Benseman has mentioned, Instructors often feel obligated to plough
through the curriculum content, whether learners are "getting" it or not.
Instructors who have integrated formative assessment approaches into their
teaching approaches often find that they are choosing to cut back on what
they will cover - focusing instead on the core concepts that are absolutely
essential for learners.   They proceed when it is clear that learners have
grasped the fundamental concept (and they may come back later to help deepen
knowledge of that concept),

 

While we very often contrast formative and summative assessment - we should
clarify that the ABSENCE of summative assessment (e.g., adult foundation
skill learners don't get "marks"/"grades" as do learners in compulsory
schooling) does not necessarily mean that instructors are providing formative
assessment.  Effective formative assessment requires a planned, systematic
approach as well as full engagement of the learners with the process (setting
out goals for their learning, understanding and helping to set criteria for
judging its quality, assessing the quality of their own and sometimes their
peers' work, responding to instructor feedback, and tracking progress toward
goals).  Instructors are systematic in their efforts to gauge learner
progress and to ensure that lessons are meeting learner needs.

 

In both the 2005 and the current OECD studies, instructors interviewed
consistently emphasized how important it is to create a classroom ambiance
where learners feel "safe" to express themselves, and to reveal what they do
and do not understand.   The is perhaps initially challenging with adults,
who have developed the habit of covering up any shortcomings in skills.

 

 

 

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of John Benseman
Sent: 26 February, 2008 4:31 AM
To: dwyoho at earthlink.net; specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 757] Re: What is formative assessment

 

If I could come in at this point and respond to this question.

 

I think it is important to recognise that formative assessment is, as one of
the Norwegian delegates at the OECD meeting said, an attitude rather than a
single or even multiple set of strategies (such as questioning or
teacher-designed tests). By attitude, I mean that teachers need to approach
their teaching using assessment in order to understand constantly how well
their learners are progressing on the one hand and then adjusting their
teaching in the light of that information on the other.

 

It is assessment FOR learning, not assessment OF learning.

 

In order to assess how well their learners are progressing, teachers can use
a whole range of strategies (which I'm sure we will get to in this
discussion) in order to understand where they are at any point. These
strategies can be as informal and instant as asking insightful, focused
questions (which Debbie has referred to), on-going tests or even using
summative tests for formative purposes (analysing why learners made mistakes
for example).

 

By way of a negative example, how many of us have done courses where the
teacher covers the content come hell or high water? My most vivid memories of
these sorts of courses were maths ones. The teacher simply ploughed on
through topic after topic with no recognition of how well any of us
understood the content. And then there would be a (summative) test at the end
to 'prove' that indeed most of us had not understood the content - and hadn't
since about the second session.

 

This is the antithesis of formative assessment

 

John

 

John Benseman

 

*   john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz

 

*   641 9 627 1882  Cell  027 454 0683

 

* 52a Bolton St, Blockhouse Bay, Auckland 0600, NZ

 

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Debbie Yoho
Sent: Tuesday, 26 February 2008 9:14 a.m.
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 752] Re: What is formative assessment

 

While is appears formative assessment is relatively an unknown idea in

adult education, it may be very familiar to educators trained for k-12.  As

an undergraduate secondary education major in 1971, I was carefully taught

the difference between formative and summative assessments.  The emphasis

for formative assessment was on teacher-developed assessment tools.  We

studied Robert Mager's structure for formulating objectives and outcomes,

and were taught to create our own periodic assessments, oiften quite

informal,  keyed to those objectives.  One book that had a profound impact

on my teaching practice was called CLASSROOM QUESTIONS.     Alas, I cannot

remember the author and no longer have the book.  But the book showed how

to structure questions by considering Bloom's Taxonomy.   If the title

rings a bell with anyone I'd love to be reminded of the author and whether

or not it is still in print.  It was a slim volume, less than 100 pages.

 

Questions for our special topics guests:  is the foundational work of Bloom

and Mager pertinent to how formative assessment was evaluated in the OECD

studies, and are we talking mainly about teacher-made tools?

 

Deborah W. Yoho

director, Turning Pages

     (formerly the Greater Columbia Literacy Council)

a community service of Volunteers of America Carolinas

803-765-2555   Fax:  803-779-1657

PO Box 1447  Columbia, SC  29202

yohogclc at earthlink.net

 

 

> [Original Message]

> From: David J. Rosen <djrosen at comcast.net>

> To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>

> Date: 2/25/2008 1:40:36 PM

> Subject: [SpecialTopics 751]  What is formative assessment

> 

> Colleagues,

> 

> A discussion list subscriber wrote to me offline: "David, I've never  

> heard of formative assessment in adult basic

> education.  What is it?" I think she may speak for many in the U.S.  

> who are subscribed to this discussion.

> 

> I encourage those who are new to this concept -- or possibly just  

> this term -- to post your questions now, to ask  Janet and our other  

> guests about what formative assessment means. You might ask questions  

> like "Does it mean that a teacher would......" or " ...that students  

> would...." or "Does it differ from summative assessment in that....."  

> or however you like.

> 

> While we await subscribers' questions, Janet could you give some more  

> examples of formative assessment in adult foundation (basic) skills.

> 

> David J. Rosen

> Special Topics Discussion Moderator

> djrosen at comcast.net

> 

> 

> 

> -------------------------------

> National Institute for Literacy

> Special Topics mailing list

> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov

> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to

http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics

> Email delivered to dwyoho at earthlink.net

 

 

-------------------------------

National Institute for Literacy

Special Topics mailing list

SpecialTopics at nifl.gov

To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics

Email delivered to john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz

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From fmumford at msde.state.md.us  Tue Feb 26 07:50:33 2008
From: fmumford at msde.state.md.us (Fran Mumford)
Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 07:50:33 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 765] Re: Formative Assessment: terminology in
	England, "catching up"
In-Reply-To: <86B54A5F-461E-4759-AD14-93449A80A435@comcast.net>
References: <86B54A5F-461E-4759-AD14-93449A80A435@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <2433CF3169B9054193EB844AC38230CC0C4EF3FC@msebex1.msde.net>

This website will also take you to an understanding of Formative
Assessment.  It compares formative and summative assessments to make the
concept understandable.

http://www.nap.edu/html/howpeople1/ch6.html

Dr. Fran Tracy-Mumford
Academic Program Coordinator
Correctional Education
Maryland State Department of Education
200 W. Baltimore Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
410.767.0732

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 7:22 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 762] Formative Assessment: terminology in
England,"catching up"

Colleagues,

As we dive into the English case studies -- I hope you will -- take a  
look at:
http://www.oecd.org/document/ 
18/0,3343,en_2649_35845581_39972050_1_1_1_1,00.html
If this long link doesn't work for you, cut and paste it into your  
browser, or just try the short form of the web address:
http://tinyurl.com/2d3wyk

Some North American subscribers may not know that the word "tutor" in  
England usually refers to what in the U.S. would be referred to as a  
classroom teacher.

Those who have just joined us, who want to catch up, can read the  
earlier postings in the archives at:
http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html

This is a lot to read, absorb and reflect on over a short period of  
time, but I hope discussion participants will be able to do that and  
that we will have many more comments and questions. Let's have yours!

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to fmumford at msde.state.md.us

From holly at dilatush.com  Tue Feb 26 07:51:14 2008
From: holly at dilatush.com (Holly Dilatush)
Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 07:51:14 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 766] Re: What is formative assessment
In-Reply-To: <BE8C64B4-7D9D-4494-8E53-50382227CB57@comcast.net>
References: <BE8C64B4-7D9D-4494-8E53-50382227CB57@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <a305dbd10802260451o152fae77k7f4072fabcac4876@mail.gmail.com>

Hello all,
A recent course I completed introduced me to Robert Stakes' quote:

"When the cook tastes the soup, that's formative; when the guests taste the
soup, that's summative."
and a quick Google search reveals that many have shared this quote as an
elementary way to compare the two.  Here's one such site:

That Google search turned up this online chart (from Northern Arizona
University):
http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/edtech/etc667/proposal/evaluation/summative_vs._formative.htm

Hope this helps?

Holly (Dilatush)

Charlottesville VA USA

holly at dilatush.com
(434) 960.7177 cell phone
(434) 295.9716 home phone
[OK to call 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. EST / GMT -5 time]

"As soon as we begin to generalize, we fail to have meaningful dialogue."
(Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt, 2008)

"Live with intention. Share inside~out smiles, inspire hope, seek awe and
nurture in nature."

www.tales-around-the-world.blogspot.com
www.abavirtual-learningcenter.org
www.boomerlangs.edublogs.org
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From kgotthardt at comcast.net  Tue Feb 26 07:55:41 2008
From: kgotthardt at comcast.net (Katherine)
Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 07:55:41 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 767] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller class
	sizes'not cost effective
In-Reply-To: <729DD7C9-5734-427A-AF5D-49BD40556885@comcast.net>
References: <mailman.19819.1203958441.1030.specialtopics@nifl.gov>
	<729DD7C9-5734-427A-AF5D-49BD40556885@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <32B6459C7FD240E9BCD74E301739540E@OwnerPC>

No hold on : )

"We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the classroom
and we need to get better teachers into the profession."

In the United States (in my state of Virginia and in other states) we have 
Standards of Learning tests.  These tests require teachers to feed material 
to students at break-neck speed with little time for formative assessment 
other than constant testing.  Because of class sizes and the state 
requirements (which spill into national requirements via the "No Child Left 
Behind" act), teachers have VERY little time to address questions from 
students who really have NOT understood the material.  Several times I have 
heard the complaint, "I had a question but the teacher didn't have time to 
answer it."

SOL scores in Virginia directly impact funding, and often negatively. 
Qualified and quality teachers are forced to teach to the test.  To boot, 
the states are cutting school funding, as is our county.  We have 
over-crowding in, I would guess-timate, just about ALL of our county schools 
which to me clearly indicates unbalanced priorities.  We have students in 
TRAILERS attempting to learn in unstable environments because of 
over-crowding.  How does this cost us?

Drop outs.  SOL failure.  Discipline problems.  Increased administrative 
time addressing issues that could be taken care of in the classroom IF it 
was manageable.  Failure to identify and properly address possible learning 
disabilities.  And as we know, students who fail in K-12 have a harder time 
contributing to the economy if and when they graduate.  This spills over 
into poverty and unemployment rates.  It's all connected, and most 
bureaucrats don't see it.  They think short-term, from budget year to budget 
year with no thought of the future for the schools or the community.

So.....add up all the numbers from the above, and I KNOW they won't match 
those in this article.

How are our public schools supposed to survive in such an environment?

Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt
www.luxuriouschoices.net
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net>
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Sent: Monday, February 25, 2008 5:14 PM
Subject: [SpecialTopics 756] EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller class 
sizes'not cost effective

> Colleagues,
>
> Tom Sticht spotted this on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site and sent
> it for our formative assessment discussion.
>
> -------
> Note from Tom Sticht:
>
> This article about formative assessment appears in todays (2/25/08
> Education Guardian online.
> -------
>
> To see this story with its related links on the
> EducationGuardian.co.uk site, go to http://education.guardian.co.uk
>
> Smaller class sizes 'not cost effective'
> Anthea Lipsett
> Monday February 25 2008
> The Guardian
>
> Reducing school class sizes in an attempt to raise pupil achievement
> is a waste of money for all but the youngest children, one of the
> country's leading experts on assessment said today.
>
> Cutting class size by 30% gives children the equivalent of four extra
> months of learning a year, but costs around &#163;20,000 for each
> class every year, according to Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of
> the Institute of Education.
>
> He said the more effective method of "formative assessment" - where
> teachers monitor their pupils' progress continuously and provide
> appropriate feedback - could provide eight extra months of
> educational development for only &#163;2,000 per classroom per year.
>
> "It can therefore be 20 times as cost-effective as reducing class
> size in terms of pupil achievement," he told the annual Chartered
> London Teachers Conference today.
>
> "Smaller classes do confer a benefit if pupils are unruly, because
> fewer pupils in a class means less disruption. But as long as pupils
> are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is
> generally possible with a class of 30.
>
> "Smaller classes can also be more cost-effective for five to seven-
> year-olds, but research suggests the class size needs to be reduced
> to 15 or less," he said.
>
> Wiliam added that investments in information communication technology
> have also shown a poor return. But international studies have
> confirmed that formative assessment can double the speed of pupil
> learning.
>
> Some teachers use a "traffic light" system and ask pupils to hold up
> different coloured cards to show whether they have understood what
> they have been told. Red means "no", amber means "partly", and green
> "yes". Pupils are also encouraged to evaluate their own work and
> advise their classmates on how they can improve.
>
> The English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish education departments
> have all provided varying degrees of backing for formative assessment.
>
> After three years of research in both the UK and the US, Wiliam
> concluded that the approach would only take off properly if teachers
> work together in school-based groups to refine their classroom methods.
>
> Wiliam and his co-researchers found that groups of eight to 10
> teachers who meet once a month for at least two years can be most
> effective. "It takes time to change teachers' ways of working,
> particularly if they have been in the classroom for many years," said
> Wiliam. "Simply telling teachers what to do doesn't work."
>
> "For example, most teachers have heard about research from the 1980s
> which shows that if they wait three to five seconds after asking a
> question their pupils' performance improves because they have been
> given some time to think.
>
> "Even so, many teachers are still allowing less than a second for
> pupils to respond. The conclusion we can draw from that is that
> knowing what to do is the easy part of teaching. Actually doing it is
> what's hard."
>
> Wiliam told EducationGuardian.co.uk that teacher quality was key to
> any improvements.
>
> "To reduce class size from 30 to 20 would need 150,000 more teachers
> and that would dilute the quality of teachers," he said.
>
> "We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the classroom
> and we need to get better teachers into the profession."
>
> Martin Johnson, acting deputy general secretary of the Association of
> Teachers and Lecturers, said the research should encourage the
> government to "put its money where its mouth is".
>
> "Staff need to work together to learn how to teach more effectively,
> but schools will need more resources to do this. [Wiliam] reminds us
> that this would be very cost-effective.
>
> "Schools have benefited hugely over the last decade from having more
> classroom based staff but much more training is needed to make their
> deployment fully effective.
>
> "And while the government says it encourages assessment for learning,
> its testing policies have stolen teachers' self-confidence so new
> training must be provided and resourced.
>
> "School staff desperately need a contractual entitlement to training
> which meets their individual needs."
>
> Copyright Guardian News and Media Limited
>
>
>
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at comcast.net
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to kgotthardt at comcast.net 

From djrosen at comcast.net  Tue Feb 26 08:38:13 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David Rosen)
Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 08:38:13 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 768] Formative Assessment: does teacher content
	knowledge matter?
Message-ID: <28e6aeea580b5215f55685ed96d2a61e@comcast.net>

 From Patricia Donovan:

David and All,

I've been reading the discussion entries and find them quite
interesting. I'm wondering how teacher content knowledge plays into
formative assessment. It seems to me that sufficient content knowledge
is a prerequisite to insightful formative assessment. In other words, if
I do not understand the knowledge underpinning the division of
fractions, for instance, it seems it would be difficult to assess
learner knowledge and to develop appropriate instructional responses.

Tricia Donovan

SABES "Training Leaders in Adult Basic Education"

Tricia Donovan, Ed.D.
SABES CRC
World Education
44 Farnsworth St.
Boston, MA 02210
617-482-9485 x3785
Fax 617-482-0617

From Janet.LOONEY at oecd.org  Tue Feb 26 09:06:56 2008
From: Janet.LOONEY at oecd.org (Janet.LOONEY at oecd.org)
Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 15:06:56 +0100
Subject: [SpecialTopics 769] Re: Formative Assessment: does teacher
	contentknowledge matter?
In-Reply-To: <28e6aeea580b5215f55685ed96d2a61e@comcast.net>
References: <28e6aeea580b5215f55685ed96d2a61e@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <227A8C8F337FB14CB1304302479F1B890D8A1FD1@EXCHANGEB.main.oecd.org>

You are absolutely right.  Instructors must have strong subject-matter
knowledge in order to identify the source of learner misconceptions, and to
develop appropriate responses. Skills and approaches will also vary by
subject-matter (pedagogical skills for teaching language are different than
those for teaching numeracy, and so on). 

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of David Rosen
Sent: 26 February, 2008 2:38 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 768] Formative Assessment: does teacher
contentknowledge matter?

 From Patricia Donovan:

David and All,

I've been reading the discussion entries and find them quite
interesting. I'm wondering how teacher content knowledge plays into
formative assessment. It seems to me that sufficient content knowledge
is a prerequisite to insightful formative assessment. In other words, if
I do not understand the knowledge underpinning the division of
fractions, for instance, it seems it would be difficult to assess
learner knowledge and to develop appropriate instructional responses.

Tricia Donovan

SABES "Training Leaders in Adult Basic Education"

Tricia Donovan, Ed.D.
SABES CRC
World Education
44 Farnsworth St.
Boston, MA 02210
617-482-9485 x3785
Fax 617-482-0617

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to janet.looney at oecd.org

From learndoc at cox.net  Tue Feb 26 09:08:01 2008
From: learndoc at cox.net (learndoc at cox.net)
Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 9:08:01 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 770] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller class
 sizes'not cost effective
In-Reply-To: <32B6459C7FD240E9BCD74E301739540E@OwnerPC>
Message-ID: <20080226090801.IVJ8E.47611.imail@fed1rmwml14>

I would like to jump in here while I have a moment.

It took me only about a month of teaching high school math before I determined how ill-prepared I was for helping my students. Luckily, the graduate school I enrolled in after a distressing three more years in the classroom, shined a great deal of light on my problems.

It all started with a little text partially entitled "Error Pattern Analysis" by Ashcroft. I know this process has been transferred to other disciplines, but I know it works in mathematics. It provides an excellent formative assessment framework for continually monitoring student understanding and progress.

It can be applied easily on most basic computation concepts, but it can be used almost anywhere in the curriculum. It does not a require a deep mathematical understanding by the teacher - an issue I've always found puzzling to me - who is the idiot that decided I need a graduate degree in mathematics, or even a bachelor's for that matter, to teach anything up to and even including calculus? I have neither, and I have always been the go to teacher in schools I have worked to assist those who are struggling with their students - go figure.

By the way, Ashcroft's from England, and I was lucky enough to study with him and his complete curriculum - an incredibly valuable experience! And yet, he and his processes are unheard of by anyone I meet these days. The solutions to the problems in education, I believe, are much simpler than people think. Many of the answers are at our fingertips, but the wrong people are making the administrative and political decisions.
---- Katherine <kgotthardt at comcast.net> wrote: 
> No hold on : )
> 
> "We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the classroom
> and we need to get better teachers into the profession."
> 
> In the United States (in my state of Virginia and in other states) we have 
> Standards of Learning tests.  These tests require teachers to feed material 
> to students at break-neck speed with little time for formative assessment 
> other than constant testing.  Because of class sizes and the state 
> requirements (which spill into national requirements via the "No Child Left 
> Behind" act), teachers have VERY little time to address questions from 
> students who really have NOT understood the material.  Several times I have 
> heard the complaint, "I had a question but the teacher didn't have time to 
> answer it."
> 
> SOL scores in Virginia directly impact funding, and often negatively. 
> Qualified and quality teachers are forced to teach to the test.  To boot, 
> the states are cutting school funding, as is our county.  We have 
> over-crowding in, I would guess-timate, just about ALL of our county schools 
> which to me clearly indicates unbalanced priorities.  We have students in 
> TRAILERS attempting to learn in unstable environments because of 
> over-crowding.  How does this cost us?
> 
> Drop outs.  SOL failure.  Discipline problems.  Increased administrative 
> time addressing issues that could be taken care of in the classroom IF it 
> was manageable.  Failure to identify and properly address possible learning 
> disabilities.  And as we know, students who fail in K-12 have a harder time 
> contributing to the economy if and when they graduate.  This spills over 
> into poverty and unemployment rates.  It's all connected, and most 
> bureaucrats don't see it.  They think short-term, from budget year to budget 
> year with no thought of the future for the schools or the community.
> 
> So.....add up all the numbers from the above, and I KNOW they won't match 
> those in this article.
> 
> How are our public schools supposed to survive in such an environment?
> 
> Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt
> www.luxuriouschoices.net
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net>
> To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
> Sent: Monday, February 25, 2008 5:14 PM
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 756] EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller class 
> sizes'not cost effective
> 
> 
> > Colleagues,
> >
> > Tom Sticht spotted this on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site and sent
> > it for our formative assessment discussion.
> >
> > -------
> > Note from Tom Sticht:
> >
> > This article about formative assessment appears in todays (2/25/08
> > Education Guardian online.
> > -------
> >
> > To see this story with its related links on the
> > EducationGuardian.co.uk site, go to http://education.guardian.co.uk
> >
> > Smaller class sizes 'not cost effective'
> > Anthea Lipsett
> > Monday February 25 2008
> > The Guardian
> >
> > Reducing school class sizes in an attempt to raise pupil achievement
> > is a waste of money for all but the youngest children, one of the
> > country's leading experts on assessment said today.
> >
> > Cutting class size by 30% gives children the equivalent of four extra
> > months of learning a year, but costs around &#163;20,000 for each
> > class every year, according to Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of
> > the Institute of Education.
> >
> > He said the more effective method of "formative assessment" - where
> > teachers monitor their pupils' progress continuously and provide
> > appropriate feedback - could provide eight extra months of
> > educational development for only &#163;2,000 per classroom per year.
> >
> > "It can therefore be 20 times as cost-effective as reducing class
> > size in terms of pupil achievement," he told the annual Chartered
> > London Teachers Conference today.
> >
> > "Smaller classes do confer a benefit if pupils are unruly, because
> > fewer pupils in a class means less disruption. But as long as pupils
> > are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is
> > generally possible with a class of 30.
> >
> > "Smaller classes can also be more cost-effective for five to seven-
> > year-olds, but research suggests the class size needs to be reduced
> > to 15 or less," he said.
> >
> > Wiliam added that investments in information communication technology
> > have also shown a poor return. But international studies have
> > confirmed that formative assessment can double the speed of pupil
> > learning.
> >
> > Some teachers use a "traffic light" system and ask pupils to hold up
> > different coloured cards to show whether they have understood what
> > they have been told. Red means "no", amber means "partly", and green
> > "yes". Pupils are also encouraged to evaluate their own work and
> > advise their classmates on how they can improve.
> >
> > The English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish education departments
> > have all provided varying degrees of backing for formative assessment.
> >
> > After three years of research in both the UK and the US, Wiliam
> > concluded that the approach would only take off properly if teachers
> > work together in school-based groups to refine their classroom methods.
> >
> > Wiliam and his co-researchers found that groups of eight to 10
> > teachers who meet once a month for at least two years can be most
> > effective. "It takes time to change teachers' ways of working,
> > particularly if they have been in the classroom for many years," said
> > Wiliam. "Simply telling teachers what to do doesn't work."
> >
> > "For example, most teachers have heard about research from the 1980s
> > which shows that if they wait three to five seconds after asking a
> > question their pupils' performance improves because they have been
> > given some time to think.
> >
> > "Even so, many teachers are still allowing less than a second for
> > pupils to respond. The conclusion we can draw from that is that
> > knowing what to do is the easy part of teaching. Actually doing it is
> > what's hard."
> >
> > Wiliam told EducationGuardian.co.uk that teacher quality was key to
> > any improvements.
> >
> > "To reduce class size from 30 to 20 would need 150,000 more teachers
> > and that would dilute the quality of teachers," he said.
> >
> > "We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the classroom
> > and we need to get better teachers into the profession."
> >
> > Martin Johnson, acting deputy general secretary of the Association of
> > Teachers and Lecturers, said the research should encourage the
> > government to "put its money where its mouth is".
> >
> > "Staff need to work together to learn how to teach more effectively,
> > but schools will need more resources to do this. [Wiliam] reminds us
> > that this would be very cost-effective.
> >
> > "Schools have benefited hugely over the last decade from having more
> > classroom based staff but much more training is needed to make their
> > deployment fully effective.
> >
> > "And while the government says it encourages assessment for learning,
> > its testing policies have stolen teachers' self-confidence so new
> > training must be provided and resourced.
> >
> > "School staff desperately need a contractual entitlement to training
> > which meets their individual needs."
> >
> > Copyright Guardian News and Media Limited
> >
> >
> >
> > David J. Rosen
> > Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> > djrosen at comcast.net
> >
> >
> >
> > -------------------------------
> > National Institute for Literacy
> > Special Topics mailing list
> > SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> > To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 
> > http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> > Email delivered to kgotthardt at comcast.net 
> 
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to learndoc at cox.net

From Geriteaches22963 at aol.com  Tue Feb 26 13:36:38 2008
From: Geriteaches22963 at aol.com (Geriteaches22963 at aol.com)
Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 13:36:38 EST
Subject: [SpecialTopics 771] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller class
	sizes'not ...
Message-ID: <c17.2df43ff1.34f5b636@aol.com>

It is my belief we need better leaders to support the existing teachers in 
our profession.  We need principals and district administrator that have vision 
and can present ways for our teachers to address the needs of all students.  
One example I can give you, with regard to high stakes state testing is my 
(previous) district in lower slower Delaware overcame being under review for many 
of the district schools to one of the highest rated districts on the east 
coast.  This was due to developing programs to support the needs of struggling 
students (READ 180 and Pre-Teach math classes), formative assessments after 
guided lessons that focused on the standards, which by the way, the DSTP examines.  
Success was also due to our Principal (Mike Klein-Hope you're enjoying 
retirement), who molded a segmented middle school staff to a cohesive, unified group 
of professionals.  There is so much adminstrators can do to make this all 
happen, but it can't be by thinking negatively.  It's been said, "If you're not 
part of the solution, you're part of the problem."  We can put our intelligent 
heads together to solve the problem.
 
Geri Hayden
VA Department of Correctional Education
SPED/504 Coordinator
FCCW, VCCW, CVCU13

**************Ideas to please picky eaters. Watch video on AOL Living.      
(http://living.aol.com/video/how-to-please-your-picky-eater/rachel-campos-duffy/
2050827?NCID=aolcmp00300000002598)
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From Geriteaches22963 at aol.com  Tue Feb 26 13:24:28 2008
From: Geriteaches22963 at aol.com (Geriteaches22963 at aol.com)
Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 13:24:28 EST
Subject: [SpecialTopics 772] Re: Formative assessment in adult foundation
	skills i...
Message-ID: <d52.259c566c.34f5b35c@aol.com>

Formative assessment doesn't require a tremendous amount of time and effort 
in order to ascertain what our students are learning and what they are ready to 
learn next.  In my experience, formative assessment can be questioning during 
class or what we term a ticket out the door.  The ticket out the door can 
take various forms:  select a specific question to respond to or sum up the day's 
lesson.  I always like to include an area for the student to ask a question 
(this is private, so they're more inclined to ask it on the card) for what they 
need more help or information on.
 
Geri Hayden
VA Department of Correctional Education
SPED/504 Coordinator
Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women,
Virginia Correctional Center for Women
Central Virginia Correctional Unit 13
_geriteaches22963 at aol.com_ (mailto:geriteaches22963 at aol.com) 
 

**************Ideas to please picky eaters. Watch video on AOL Living.      
(http://living.aol.com/video/how-to-please-your-picky-eater/rachel-campos-duffy/
2050827?NCID=aolcmp00300000002598)
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From jay.derrick at blueyonder.co.uk  Tue Feb 26 17:15:38 2008
From: jay.derrick at blueyonder.co.uk (jay.derrick)
Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:15:38 -0000
Subject: [SpecialTopics 773] Responses to David Rosen's 2 questions on
	Formative Assessment
References: <mailman.20700.1204029728.1030.specialtopics@nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <004901c878c5$2158fe70$6401a8c0@DF01>

Hi David and colleagues

I've been involved in a two-year research project in England called
Improving Formative Assessment (IFA).  In brief, this has been looking at
whether the findings of the Black and Wiliam studies (often known
collectively as 'Inside the Black Box') are replicated in the wide range of
learning contexts which make up post-compulsory education, including Adult
Literacy, Numeracy and ESOL.  As John Vorhaus mentioned, we have
particularly been interested in the extent to which pedagogical approaches
make difference to the development of student motivation and autonomy. More
about this project can be found at
http://www.brookes.ac.uk/schools/education/staffinfo/eccleston-FAproject.html

The project will be reporting formally this year.  One aspect of IFA was the
production of a Literature Review on formative assessment and adult
learning, which, with support from the OECD, became the English-language
review for the OECD study, at
http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/28/32/40046731.pdf

This review, as well as the IFA fieldwork, suggests some fairly clear-cut
messages for teachers of adult literacy, numeracy and language (and maybe
teachers in general), which we would be very pleased to hear comments on
from researchers and practitioners.  They can be found towards the end of
the review.

In response to David's two questions:

1.  Time for Formative Assessment
If FA is seen as a distinct stage in the teaching and learning cycle, (which
it is in the English Skills for Life policy, coming somewhere between
diagnostic assessment and summative assessment), then it follows there may
be time implications.  However, the view of our research team is much more
that all aspects of teaching and learning, including assessment, review,
teaching, checking learning, feeding back, marking assignments, etc, and
summative tests or examinations, all have the potential to be carried out
more or less formatively.  From this perspective, FA doesn't need to take
more time, it means doing things in a particular way.  Two examples: I
observed a very low-level ESOL class, (about 12 students speaking 10
different first languages) in which students gave very short structured oral
presentations and then assessed themselves and each other on them, against
some very simple quality criteria which they had agreed as a class in an
earlier class.  This activity took very careful preparation over several
weeks' classes, but each activity that made up the whole series was valuable
in terms of a traditional approach to a beginners' ESOL curriculum
(vocabulary, pronunciation, speaking distinctly, etc), but also developed
the students' confidence, ability to get into discussions with each other,
and motivation.  The end result happened to be that almost every student
found that they assessed themselves at a lower level than their peers did.
2nd example: As an alternative to giving a whole mathematics class the same
examination practice questions to try to solve on their own in silence, the
teacher gets the students to make up their own real-life exam questions,
write the answers to each question on a separate sheet, and then try to
solve each other's questions.  If arguments develop between the students
about the correct approch to solving a particular question, so much the
better for learning!  (For more of this type of approach, and the value of
bringing out conceptual conflicts in learning mathematics, see Collaborative
Learning in Mathematics, Malcolm Swan, NIACE/NRDC 2007.)   This approach
makes the student active in their learning, and also in assessing their own
learning, both vital components of effective learning according to various
research studies.

2. Experience of teachers and doing FA well
Our research didn't specifically address this question, and our sample size
probably wouldn't justify generalisations anyway, but I have led about a
dozen development sessions with teachers all over the country over the past
year on these issues, amd my experience is that most teachers are highly
receptive to the FA approach.  I think this is because although one of the
strongest mantras of adult education teachers in England is 'student-centred
learning', there isn't much agreement about what this means in terms of
classroom practice, apart from treating people well.  I suspect the set of
ideas and practices highlighted by the FA approach gives teachers a chance
to 'put flesh on the bone' of student-centred learning.   Many if not most
of them are using FA approaches anyway, though in a relatively unsystematic,
intuitive way, from time to time, rather than as a central focus for their
planning and preparation.   Also, as Black and Wiliam have pointed out, and
our research agrees, the 'high stakes outcomes' context in which teachers
work in England tends to inhibit teachers from adopting thse approaches,
even though the research shows that they are more effective than
'traditional' transmission methods of teaching.  But in my experience, these
ideas can give teachers the confidence to make FA central to their planning,
to do more of it, and to do it in a more informed and systematic way.

I also suspect they are positive because the approach puts a high value on
the skills needed to teach well.  I suggested at the Paris conference that
the ideas around FA suggest that we pay renewed attention on the 'craft
skills' of teachers, which high-regulation over-prescriptive policy
environments have been undermining for some years.  The FA approach demands
the highest skills of teachers, particualrly in the area of setting up,
managing and maintaining constructive, purposeful discussions and dialogic
activities between students, so as to generate opportunities for feedback,
and so as to gain information for fine-tuning the class, or for planning
future activities.  By contrast, teaching from the front of the class, doing
all the talking, using textbooks as instruction manuals, does not require
such a complex range of skills or challenge.

One last point I got from the conference which I'd love to hear reactions to
is about accountability systems.  In some countries, what is meant by
accountability is a set of procedures whose purpose is to make sure
taxpayers 'get what they have paid for' - and this is embodied in a set of
procedures for producing auditable proof of outcomes for every programme.
This is a contract culture version of accountability, in the sense of what
'accountants' do.

In other countries accountability seems almost entirely to be a political
concept, implying only that if something went wrong, there would be someone
in principle who would accept responsibility for the problem.  But the
assumption is that normally nothing will go wrong, and there is no need for
any bureaucratic or accounting procedures, because there is trust between
the people working at different levels in the system.

Which system of accountability offers a more fertile and supportive
environment for good teachers?  Let's hear your opinions....

Sorry this has been a bit lengthy, but I hope it is helpful, and well done
to David for getting this exchange going!

Jay Derrick
Consultant researcher, London UK
www.bluesky-learning.com
jay.derrick at blueyonder.co.uk

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <specialtopics-request at nifl.gov>
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 12:42 PM
Subject: SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 19, Issue 7

> Send SpecialTopics mailing list submissions to
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> Today's Topics:
>
>    1. [SpecialTopics 762]  Formative Assessment: terminology in
>       England, "catching up" (David J. Rosen)
>    2. [SpecialTopics 763] Re: Formative assessment in adult
>       foundation skills in England (David J. Rosen)
>    3. [SpecialTopics 764] Re: What is formative assessment
>       (Janet.LOONEY at oecd.org)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 07:22:21 -0500
> From: "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net>
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 762]  Formative Assessment: terminology in
> England, "catching up"
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Message-ID: <86B54A5F-461E-4759-AD14-93449A80A435 at comcast.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed
>
> Colleagues,
>
> As we dive into the English case studies -- I hope you will -- take a
> look at:
> http://www.oecd.org/document/
> 18/0,3343,en_2649_35845581_39972050_1_1_1_1,00.html
> If this long link doesn't work for you, cut and paste it into your
> browser, or just try the short form of the web address:
> http://tinyurl.com/2d3wyk
>
> Some North American subscribers may not know that the word "tutor" in
> England usually refers to what in the U.S. would be referred to as a
> classroom teacher.
>
> Those who have just joined us, who want to catch up, can read the
> earlier postings in the archives at:
> http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html
>
> This is a lot to read, absorb and reflect on over a short period of
> time, but I hope discussion participants will be able to do that and
> that we will have many more comments and questions. Let's have yours!
>
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at comcast.net
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 07:32:17 -0500
> From: "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net>
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 763] Re: Formative assessment in adult
> foundation skills in England
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Message-ID: <3ADC3456-97A0-40E3-99C5-9E14F6F6A777 at comcast.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=WINDOWS-1252; delsp=yes;
> format=flowed
>
> John Vorhaus, and other English Colleagues,
>
> One question that many U.S. teachers will have, I am sure, is how do
> tutors (teachers) cope with all the time required for summative
> assessments and reporting, and still manage time for formative
> assessment.  Is this a problem in England, or not? If it is, how do
> tutors do it?
>
> Another question,  for all of our guests: from a professional
> development point of view, do you find that tutors who do formative
> assessment well have had a lot of experience and training? Do they
> tend to be full-time, and/or older? To what extent can good formative
> assessment practices be learned in professional development and
> practiced well by relatively new teachers?
>
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at comcast.net
>
>
> On Feb 26, 2008, at 5:38 AM, John Vorhaus wrote:
>
> > Dear Colleagues,
> >
> > Having given some of the background to adult basic skills in
> > England, here are a few words on the English case studies. At this
> > stage I have included only a general introduction and some thoughts
> > about the strengths and weaknesses of the formative assessment
> > practices observed. John may want to add to this, and I think he
> > may want to give details of each of the three sites visited. (If
> > not, I will later on today.)
> >
> > I am sure my three English colleagues will want to make contributions.
> >
> > Nomenclature
> >
> > Before I begin a word about nomenclature. In our case study report,
> > and below for ease of reference, we refer to 'adult basic skills'.
> > But:
> >
> > 1. 'Basic' has connotations many of us are unhappy with. One
> > alternative is 'adult literacy, language and numeracy'.
> > 2. As Jan Eldred and others repeatedly and rightly say, the
> > differences between each of these three are so significant as to
> > raise the question whether we should treat them under a single
> > rubric. That is relevant to this discussion because we can't assume
> > that formative assessment practices found to be successful in a
> > literacy context will also or equally be found to be successful in
> > a numeracy context. Which takes us on to the question how far the
> > success of formative assessment practices are dependent on context.
> >
> > The Case Studies
> >
> > Three adult basic skills programmes were the subjects of the case
> > studies.  One is in London; one in the city of York (200 miles
> > north of London), and one is in the London Borough of Croydon (10
> > miles south of the centre of London). These three sites were picked
> > as exemplary programs by the England-based author. The choice of
> > these three programmes was based, in part, on the personal
> > experience of the author, but his selection was checked with others
> > who have a wide experience of programmes in England.  The choice
> > also was influenced by a desire to have a range of different types
> > of programmes and to have programmes that could be visited within a
> > limited time period.
> >
> > All of the programs provided inspection reports from the last visit
> > of teams from the Adult Learning Inspectorate (ALI). All three ALI
> > reports were positive.  Both instruction and management received a
> > positive rating on the ALI scale, usually receiving one of the top
> > two grades.  Programme leaders suggested two reasons why their
> > programmes were able to achieve and maintain a level of instruction
> > that would lead to being chosen as an exemplary programme. The
> > first was the quality of their teachers, and the second was their
> > staff?s regular reflection focused on programme improvement.
> >
> > Since these were all exemplary programmes, we asked the Heads of
> > Department at each of the 3 sites about the factors that most
> > support good teaching and learning. Whilst there was not a
> > consensus, there was broad agreement that each of the following
> > were important, and in roughly this order:
> >
> > Well qualified, committed and enthusiastic tutors; staff with
> > substantial hours who are willing to attend meetings, training and
> > to generally ?go the extra mile?
> > Regular feedback and reviews of learner progress
> > Opportunities for continuing professional development
> > Good resources, including e-learning resources; activities and
> > resources of interest and relevance to the learner
> >
> > The influence of these factors on good teaching and learning will
> > depend in part on the value each learner places on them. But
> > respondents agreed that well qualified, committed and enthusiastic
> > tutors help motivate and stimulate learners, inspiring them to do
> > their very best and helping them to overcome often long held
> > barriers to learning and personal success. Regular feedback and
> > reviews of learner progress are also extremely important, for this
> > is how learners will know whether they are heading in the right
> > direction. Constructive feedback is also invaluable at points when
> > learners are beginning to struggle, not only for the direct
> > assistance that the tutor is able to provide but also because
> > constructive on-going assessment promotes learners? motivation and
> > persistence. Formative assessment also provides an opportunity for
> > the tutors themselves to receive feedback on the teaching and
> > learning process, identifying changes that need to be made.
> >
> > Respondents agreed that activities and resources that are of
> > interest and relevance to the learner help engage the learner,
> > maintaining motivation and supporting the natural learning process.
> > Finally, there was general agreement that levels of funding and
> > frequent redefining of priorities are the factors that most
> > threaten good Skills for Life teaching and learning, together with
> > an increasing administrative burden.
> >
> > Because of the national character of the system, initial
> > assessment, instruction, formative assessment, and summative
> > assessment look similar in all three.  However, they are by no
> > means the same. Each programme uses different types of assessment;
> > teachers draw on their experience and training as well as their
> > knowledge of their learners to design courses and teaching
> > strategies that work best in their context; and learners have a
> > range of summative tests they can take to secure the same
> > qualification. In addition, different types of institutions
> > (nonprofit, further education college, and local government
> > programme) are featured in our case studies and different types of
> > classes (ESOL, numeracy, and adult literacy) were observed at each
> > site.
> >
> >
> > Some strengths and weakness: observations
> >
> > Strengths
> >
> > A focus on small increments of learning ? something that is
> > manageable for learners who may otherwise be overwhelmed by the
> > demands of a course.
> > Learners and teachers are encouraged to reflect and modify learning
> > goals and aspirations.
> > Formative assessment encourages teachers to support learners, and
> > to assist learners in learning how to learn.
> > Teachers are able to bring their own experience and training to the
> > learning process.
> > Formative assessment encourages dialogue between teacher and
> > learner, and amongst learners.
> > Teachers are encouraged to understand how learners learn best, and
> > at what rate.
> >
> > Weaknesses
> >
> > The amount of time taken up in recording the process, time taken
> > away from instruction.
> > Whilst formative assessment procedures are supportive of learning,
> > if a class meets two hours per week for 12 weeks, and a learner has
> > missed two classes, the total time-on-task is only 20 hours. Even
> > an hour taken out of this time could affect learning.
> > Each formative assessment task, therefore, should be justified by
> > evidence that it is supportive to learning.  The time required of
> > tutors by the writing up of formative assessment activities takes
> > away from their preparation for instruction. This time should be
> > justified by its impact on learning.
> >
> > Comment
> >
> > A few further thoughts, which go beyond evidence from the case
> > studies themselves, and beyond, perhaps, what John C would want to
> > say.
> >
> > 1. The weaknesses observed above might be said to lie not in the
> > formative assessment process per se, but in the (chosen means of)
> > writing it up. But it is not easy to think of far less labour
> > intensive alternatives, once they become embedded in an
> > institutional system. Some form of authoritative report seems
> > necessary to meet even minimal demands of accountability. This
> > takes us onto the terrain of professional judgement, and reliance
> > on that, and also onto questions about accountability systems. I'm
> > sure Jay Derrick will want to come in here.
> >
> > 2. One theme which Kathryn Ecclestone has brought to our attention
> > is the relation between assessment and personal autonomy: how far
> > do formative assessment practices contribute to the development of
> > the personal autonomy of the learner, encouraging her to take
> > responsibility for her learning, to understand how she learns and
> > how she is most likely to progress? And how far might the outcome
> > only serve to inhibit or neglect autonomy, perhaps because
> > formative assessment is inexpertly practiced, or because these
> > practices are adhered to only mechanically, or because the
> > interests of formative assessment become subverted to the demands
> > of summative assessment?
> >
> > 3.  I think David is right to raise the question how far formative
> > assessment can be disentangled from the practices that make up good
> > teaching generally. Many items listed under 'strengths' would
> > appear in any initial teacher training programme. I think there is
> > truth in what John B says, that formative assessment is partly to
> > be characterised by reference to attitude: by the attitude of
> > looking at the teaching and learning process from the learners'
> > point of view, of drawing attention to how the learner is
> > progressing, and giving priority to how best to support her. But I
> > can hear teacher trainers say - and I have! - that ' we do all of
> > that anyway'. Perhaps much (not all) of what is new is less at the
> > level of general principle and more in the details we are
> > uncovering about how best to apply those principles in particular
> > contexts.  But I expect Kathryn will want to disagree with that?
> >
> > More soon.
> >
> > John Vorhaus
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
> > > [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
> > > Sent: 26 February 2008 06:00
> > > To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> > > Subject: [SpecialTopics 759] Formative assessment in adult
> > > foundation skillsin England
> > >
> > > Colleagues,
> > >
> > > Although Janet Looney will still be answering the (very many)
> > > questions I asked, and other questions from discussion
> > > participants, let's also move on to the first set of case
> > > studies, from England. I have asked John Vorhaus and John
> > > Comings if they could:
> > >
> > > 1. give a short overview of the national adult basic skills
> > > context in England, particularly noting any features or terms
> > > of the context that may be unfamiliar to a U.S. audience and
> > > that are important to understand the case studies;
> > >
> > > 2. describe the three case studies; and
> > >
> > > 3. describe what are the most interesting, significant
> > > findings and also explain how the case studies might be a
> > > good example of formative assessment.
> > >
> > > It would be helpful if, in describing teacher formative
> > > assessment practices in England, you could describe or give
> > > examples of what goes beyond usual good practice in teaching
> > > and learning, what, in particular, is good practice in
> > > formative assessment. That is, some may wonder if formative
> > > assessment is just a different name for good teaching? Is it
> > > really something new? Is it really a discrete set of
> > > practices? If, as Black and Wiliam's research shows, it makes
> > > a difference in students' learning in elementary and
> > > secondary education, what about formative assessment makes
> > > that difference? Why is formative assessment such a powerful
> > > set of strategies, so effective?  I believe that some of our
> > > subscribers are still trying to understand of these issues;
> > > perhaps the case studies in England might shed some light on them.
> > >
> > > David J. Rosen
> > > Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> > > djrosen at comcast.net
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > -------------------------------
> > > National Institute for Literacy
> > > Special Topics mailing list
> > > SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> > > To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please
> > > go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> > > Email delivered to j.vorhaus at ioe.ac.uk
> > >
> >
> > -------------------------------
> > National Institute for Literacy
> > Special Topics mailing list
> > SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> > To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> > http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> > Email delivered to djrosen at comcast.net
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 13:36:02 +0100
> From: <Janet.LOONEY at oecd.org>
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 764] Re: What is formative assessment
> To: <john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz>, <specialtopics at nifl.gov>,
> <dwyoho at earthlink.net>
> Message-ID:
> <227A8C8F337FB14CB1304302479F1B890D8A1DF5 at EXCHANGEB.main.oecd.org>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> Continuing with the discussion as to just what formative assessment is....
>
>
>
> Black and Wiliam describe formative assessment as involving four elements
>
>
>
> 1.)    Establishment of a standard or expected level of student
performance
> (the goals for learning)
>
> 2.)    Gathering information on the student's current performance (through
> diagnostic assessment or within the classroom - questioning, written or
oral
> performances, testing, and so on).
>
> 3.)    Development of a mechanism to compare the two performance levels
> (criteria for judging the quality of the learner performance)
>
> 4.)    Development of a mechanism to alter the gap (feedback, development
of
> appropriate assignments or areas of study to help address a specific
learning
> gap - instructors may also adjust the level of difficulty as appropriate
for
> the learner).
>
>
> It differs from "summative" assessment (tests, examinations), in that the
> information gathered in the assessment process is used to help identify
and
> address gaps, rather than to make a final judgment of the learners'
> performance.  Learners may have the chance to "re-do" lessons until they
have
> mastered it.
>
>
>
> As John Benseman has mentioned, Instructors often feel obligated to plough
> through the curriculum content, whether learners are "getting" it or not.
> Instructors who have integrated formative assessment approaches into their
> teaching approaches often find that they are choosing to cut back on what
> they will cover - focusing instead on the core concepts that are
absolutely
> essential for learners.   They proceed when it is clear that learners have
> grasped the fundamental concept (and they may come back later to help
deepen
> knowledge of that concept),
>
>
>
> While we very often contrast formative and summative assessment - we
should
> clarify that the ABSENCE of summative assessment (e.g., adult foundation
> skill learners don't get "marks"/"grades" as do learners in compulsory
> schooling) does not necessarily mean that instructors are providing
formative
> assessment.  Effective formative assessment requires a planned, systematic
> approach as well as full engagement of the learners with the process
(setting
> out goals for their learning, understanding and helping to set criteria
for
> judging its quality, assessing the quality of their own and sometimes
their
> peers' work, responding to instructor feedback, and tracking progress
toward
> goals).  Instructors are systematic in their efforts to gauge learner
> progress and to ensure that lessons are meeting learner needs.
>
>
>
> In both the 2005 and the current OECD studies, instructors interviewed
> consistently emphasized how important it is to create a classroom ambiance
> where learners feel "safe" to express themselves, and to reveal what they
do
> and do not understand.   The is perhaps initially challenging with adults,
> who have developed the habit of covering up any shortcomings in skills.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
> On Behalf Of John Benseman
> Sent: 26 February, 2008 4:31 AM
> To: dwyoho at earthlink.net; specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 757] Re: What is formative assessment
>
>
>
> If I could come in at this point and respond to this question.
>
>
>
> I think it is important to recognise that formative assessment is, as one
of
> the Norwegian delegates at the OECD meeting said, an attitude rather than
a
> single or even multiple set of strategies (such as questioning or
> teacher-designed tests). By attitude, I mean that teachers need to
approach
> their teaching using assessment in order to understand constantly how well
> their learners are progressing on the one hand and then adjusting their
> teaching in the light of that information on the other.
>
>
>
> It is assessment FOR learning, not assessment OF learning.
>
>
>
> In order to assess how well their learners are progressing, teachers can
use
> a whole range of strategies (which I'm sure we will get to in this
> discussion) in order to understand where they are at any point. These
> strategies can be as informal and instant as asking insightful, focused
> questions (which Debbie has referred to), on-going tests or even using
> summative tests for formative purposes (analysing why learners made
mistakes
> for example).
>
>
>
> By way of a negative example, how many of us have done courses where the
> teacher covers the content come hell or high water? My most vivid memories
of
> these sorts of courses were maths ones. The teacher simply ploughed on
> through topic after topic with no recognition of how well any of us
> understood the content. And then there would be a (summative) test at the
end
> to 'prove' that indeed most of us had not understood the content - and
hadn't
> since about the second session.
>
>
>
> This is the antithesis of formative assessment
>
>
>
> John
>
>
>
> John Benseman
>
>
>
> *   john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz
>
>
>
> *   641 9 627 1882  Cell  027 454 0683
>
>
>
> * 52a Bolton St, Blockhouse Bay, Auckland 0600, NZ
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
> On Behalf Of Debbie Yoho
> Sent: Tuesday, 26 February 2008 9:14 a.m.
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 752] Re: What is formative assessment
>
>
>
> While is appears formative assessment is relatively an unknown idea in
>
> adult education, it may be very familiar to educators trained for k-12.
As
>
> an undergraduate secondary education major in 1971, I was carefully taught
>
> the difference between formative and summative assessments.  The emphasis
>
> for formative assessment was on teacher-developed assessment tools.  We
>
> studied Robert Mager's structure for formulating objectives and outcomes,
>
> and were taught to create our own periodic assessments, oiften quite
>
> informal,  keyed to those objectives.  One book that had a profound impact
>
> on my teaching practice was called CLASSROOM QUESTIONS.     Alas, I cannot
>
> remember the author and no longer have the book.  But the book showed how
>
> to structure questions by considering Bloom's Taxonomy.   If the title
>
> rings a bell with anyone I'd love to be reminded of the author and whether
>
> or not it is still in print.  It was a slim volume, less than 100 pages.
>
>
>
> Questions for our special topics guests:  is the foundational work of
Bloom
>
> and Mager pertinent to how formative assessment was evaluated in the OECD
>
> studies, and are we talking mainly about teacher-made tools?
>
>
>
> Deborah W. Yoho
>
> director, Turning Pages
>
>      (formerly the Greater Columbia Literacy Council)
>
> a community service of Volunteers of America Carolinas
>
> 803-765-2555   Fax:  803-779-1657
>
> PO Box 1447  Columbia, SC  29202
>
> yohogclc at earthlink.net
>
>
>
>
>
> > [Original Message]
>
> > From: David J. Rosen <djrosen at comcast.net>
>
> > To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
>
> > Date: 2/25/2008 1:40:36 PM
>
> > Subject: [SpecialTopics 751]  What is formative assessment
>
> >
>
> > Colleagues,
>
> >
>
> > A discussion list subscriber wrote to me offline: "David, I've never
>
> > heard of formative assessment in adult basic
>
> > education.  What is it?" I think she may speak for many in the U.S.
>
> > who are subscribed to this discussion.
>
> >
>
> > I encourage those who are new to this concept -- or possibly just
>
> > this term -- to post your questions now, to ask  Janet and our other
>
> > guests about what formative assessment means. You might ask questions
>
> > like "Does it mean that a teacher would......" or " ...that students
>
> > would...." or "Does it differ from summative assessment in that....."
>
> > or however you like.
>
> >
>
> > While we await subscribers' questions, Janet could you give some more
>
> > examples of formative assessment in adult foundation (basic) skills.
>
> >
>
> > David J. Rosen
>
> > Special Topics Discussion Moderator
>
> > djrosen at comcast.net
>
> >
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > -------------------------------
>
> > National Institute for Literacy
>
> > Special Topics mailing list
>
> > SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
>
> > To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
>
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
>
> > Email delivered to dwyoho at earthlink.net
>
>
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
>
> National Institute for Literacy
>
> Special Topics mailing list
>
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
>
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
>
> Email delivered to john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz
>
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> End of SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 19, Issue 7
> ********************************************
>
>

From jay.derrick at blueyonder.co.uk  Tue Feb 26 17:36:17 2008
From: jay.derrick at blueyonder.co.uk (jay.derrick)
Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:36:17 -0000
Subject: [SpecialTopics 774]  The Standards of Learning Tests in Virginia
References: <mailman.11.1204045204.3071.specialtopics@nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <005201c878c8$04b719c0$6401a8c0@DF01>

Katherine's description of the situation in her state illustrates clearly
how systems for accountability (funding, proof that taxpayers are getting
value etc) can become 'the tail wagging the dog'.  Teachers' practice is
affected by these accountability systems, and the effect is often to damage
learners' opportunities to improve their life chances.  There is research
project in the UK that demonstrates that this damaging effect is stronger
for less confident learners:

Harlen, W. and R. Deakin Crick (2002), "A Systematic Review of the Impact of
Summative Assessment and Tests on Students? Motivation for Learning",
Research Evidence in Education Library, Issue 1, Institute of Education
EPPI-Centre review (version 1.1), London.

Jay Derrick
Consultant researcher, London UK
www.bluesky-learning.com
jay.derrick at blueyonder.co.uk

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <specialtopics-request at nifl.gov>
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 5:00 PM
Subject: SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 19, Issue 8

> Send SpecialTopics mailing list submissions to
> specialtopics at nifl.gov
>
> To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
> or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
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>
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>
> When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
> than "Re: Contents of SpecialTopics digest..."
>
>
> Today's Topics:
>
>    1. [SpecialTopics 765] Re: Formative Assessment: terminology in
>       England, "catching up" (Fran Mumford)
>    2. [SpecialTopics 766] Re: What is formative assessment
>       (Holly Dilatush)
>    3. [SpecialTopics 767] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller
>       class sizes'not cost effective (Katherine)
>    4. [SpecialTopics 768] Formative Assessment: does teacher
>       content knowledge matter? (David Rosen)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 07:50:33 -0500
> From: "Fran Mumford" <fmumford at msde.state.md.us>
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 765] Re: Formative Assessment: terminology in
> England, "catching up"
> To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
> Message-ID:
> <2433CF3169B9054193EB844AC38230CC0C4EF3FC at msebex1.msde.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
>
> This website will also take you to an understanding of Formative
> Assessment.  It compares formative and summative assessments to make the
> concept understandable.
>
> http://www.nap.edu/html/howpeople1/ch6.html
>
> Dr. Fran Tracy-Mumford
> Academic Program Coordinator
> Correctional Education
> Maryland State Department of Education
> 200 W. Baltimore Street
> Baltimore, MD 21201
> 410.767.0732
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
> [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
> Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 7:22 AM
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 762] Formative Assessment: terminology in
> England,"catching up"
>
> Colleagues,
>
> As we dive into the English case studies -- I hope you will -- take a
> look at:
> http://www.oecd.org/document/
> 18/0,3343,en_2649_35845581_39972050_1_1_1_1,00.html
> If this long link doesn't work for you, cut and paste it into your
> browser, or just try the short form of the web address:
> http://tinyurl.com/2d3wyk
>
> Some North American subscribers may not know that the word "tutor" in
> England usually refers to what in the U.S. would be referred to as a
> classroom teacher.
>
> Those who have just joined us, who want to catch up, can read the
> earlier postings in the archives at:
> http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html
>
> This is a lot to read, absorb and reflect on over a short period of
> time, but I hope discussion participants will be able to do that and
> that we will have many more comments and questions. Let's have yours!
>
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at comcast.net
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to fmumford at msde.state.md.us
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 07:51:14 -0500
> From: "Holly Dilatush" <holly at dilatush.com>
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 766] Re: What is formative assessment
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Message-ID:
> <a305dbd10802260451o152fae77k7f4072fabcac4876 at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> Hello all,
> A recent course I completed introduced me to Robert Stakes' quote:
>
> "When the cook tastes the soup, that's formative; when the guests taste
the
> soup, that's summative."
> and a quick Google search reveals that many have shared this quote as an
> elementary way to compare the two.  Here's one such site:
>
>
>
> That Google search turned up this online chart (from Northern Arizona
> University):
>
http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/edtech/etc667/proposal/evaluation/summative_vs._formative.htm
>
> Hope this helps?
>
> Holly (Dilatush)
>
> Charlottesville VA USA
>
> holly at dilatush.com
> (434) 960.7177 cell phone
> (434) 295.9716 home phone
> [OK to call 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. EST / GMT -5 time]
>
> "As soon as we begin to generalize, we fail to have meaningful dialogue."
> (Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt, 2008)
>
> "Live with intention. Share inside~out smiles, inspire hope, seek awe and
> nurture in nature."
>
> www.tales-around-the-world.blogspot.com
> www.abavirtual-learningcenter.org
> www.boomerlangs.edublogs.org
> -------------- next part --------------
> An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
> URL:
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>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 07:55:41 -0500
> From: "Katherine" <kgotthardt at comcast.net>
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 767] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller
> class sizes'not cost effective
> To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
> Message-ID: <32B6459C7FD240E9BCD74E301739540E at OwnerPC>
> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
> reply-type=original
>
> No hold on : )
>
> "We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the classroom
> and we need to get better teachers into the profession."
>
> In the United States (in my state of Virginia and in other states) we have
> Standards of Learning tests.  These tests require teachers to feed
material
> to students at break-neck speed with little time for formative assessment
> other than constant testing.  Because of class sizes and the state
> requirements (which spill into national requirements via the "No Child
Left
> Behind" act), teachers have VERY little time to address questions from
> students who really have NOT understood the material.  Several times I
have
> heard the complaint, "I had a question but the teacher didn't have time to
> answer it."
>
> SOL scores in Virginia directly impact funding, and often negatively.
> Qualified and quality teachers are forced to teach to the test.  To boot,
> the states are cutting school funding, as is our county.  We have
> over-crowding in, I would guess-timate, just about ALL of our county
schools
> which to me clearly indicates unbalanced priorities.  We have students in
> TRAILERS attempting to learn in unstable environments because of
> over-crowding.  How does this cost us?
>
> Drop outs.  SOL failure.  Discipline problems.  Increased administrative
> time addressing issues that could be taken care of in the classroom IF it
> was manageable.  Failure to identify and properly address possible
learning
> disabilities.  And as we know, students who fail in K-12 have a harder
time
> contributing to the economy if and when they graduate.  This spills over
> into poverty and unemployment rates.  It's all connected, and most
> bureaucrats don't see it.  They think short-term, from budget year to
budget
> year with no thought of the future for the schools or the community.
>
> So.....add up all the numbers from the above, and I KNOW they won't match
> those in this article.
>
> How are our public schools supposed to survive in such an environment?
>
> Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt
> www.luxuriouschoices.net
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net>
> To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
> Sent: Monday, February 25, 2008 5:14 PM
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 756] EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller class
> sizes'not cost effective
>
>
> > Colleagues,
> >
> > Tom Sticht spotted this on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site and sent
> > it for our formative assessment discussion.
> >
> > -------
> > Note from Tom Sticht:
> >
> > This article about formative assessment appears in todays (2/25/08
> > Education Guardian online.
> > -------
> >
> > To see this story with its related links on the
> > EducationGuardian.co.uk site, go to http://education.guardian.co.uk
> >
> > Smaller class sizes 'not cost effective'
> > Anthea Lipsett
> > Monday February 25 2008
> > The Guardian
> >
> > Reducing school class sizes in an attempt to raise pupil achievement
> > is a waste of money for all but the youngest children, one of the
> > country's leading experts on assessment said today.
> >
> > Cutting class size by 30% gives children the equivalent of four extra
> > months of learning a year, but costs around &#163;20,000 for each
> > class every year, according to Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of
> > the Institute of Education.
> >
> > He said the more effective method of "formative assessment" - where
> > teachers monitor their pupils' progress continuously and provide
> > appropriate feedback - could provide eight extra months of
> > educational development for only &#163;2,000 per classroom per year.
> >
> > "It can therefore be 20 times as cost-effective as reducing class
> > size in terms of pupil achievement," he told the annual Chartered
> > London Teachers Conference today.
> >
> > "Smaller classes do confer a benefit if pupils are unruly, because
> > fewer pupils in a class means less disruption. But as long as pupils
> > are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is
> > generally possible with a class of 30.
> >
> > "Smaller classes can also be more cost-effective for five to seven-
> > year-olds, but research suggests the class size needs to be reduced
> > to 15 or less," he said.
> >
> > Wiliam added that investments in information communication technology
> > have also shown a poor return. But international studies have
> > confirmed that formative assessment can double the speed of pupil
> > learning.
> >
> > Some teachers use a "traffic light" system and ask pupils to hold up
> > different coloured cards to show whether they have understood what
> > they have been told. Red means "no", amber means "partly", and green
> > "yes". Pupils are also encouraged to evaluate their own work and
> > advise their classmates on how they can improve.
> >
> > The English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish education departments
> > have all provided varying degrees of backing for formative assessment.
> >
> > After three years of research in both the UK and the US, Wiliam
> > concluded that the approach would only take off properly if teachers
> > work together in school-based groups to refine their classroom methods.
> >
> > Wiliam and his co-researchers found that groups of eight to 10
> > teachers who meet once a month for at least two years can be most
> > effective. "It takes time to change teachers' ways of working,
> > particularly if they have been in the classroom for many years," said
> > Wiliam. "Simply telling teachers what to do doesn't work."
> >
> > "For example, most teachers have heard about research from the 1980s
> > which shows that if they wait three to five seconds after asking a
> > question their pupils' performance improves because they have been
> > given some time to think.
> >
> > "Even so, many teachers are still allowing less than a second for
> > pupils to respond. The conclusion we can draw from that is that
> > knowing what to do is the easy part of teaching. Actually doing it is
> > what's hard."
> >
> > Wiliam told EducationGuardian.co.uk that teacher quality was key to
> > any improvements.
> >
> > "To reduce class size from 30 to 20 would need 150,000 more teachers
> > and that would dilute the quality of teachers," he said.
> >
> > "We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the classroom
> > and we need to get better teachers into the profession."
> >
> > Martin Johnson, acting deputy general secretary of the Association of
> > Teachers and Lecturers, said the research should encourage the
> > government to "put its money where its mouth is".
> >
> > "Staff need to work together to learn how to teach more effectively,
> > but schools will need more resources to do this. [Wiliam] reminds us
> > that this would be very cost-effective.
> >
> > "Schools have benefited hugely over the last decade from having more
> > classroom based staff but much more training is needed to make their
> > deployment fully effective.
> >
> > "And while the government says it encourages assessment for learning,
> > its testing policies have stolen teachers' self-confidence so new
> > training must be provided and resourced.
> >
> > "School staff desperately need a contractual entitlement to training
> > which meets their individual needs."
> >
> > Copyright Guardian News and Media Limited
> >
> >
> >
> > David J. Rosen
> > Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> > djrosen at comcast.net
> >
> >
> >
> > -------------------------------
> > National Institute for Literacy
> > Special Topics mailing list
> > SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> > To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> > http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> > Email delivered to kgotthardt at comcast.net
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 4
> Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 08:38:13 -0500
> From: David Rosen <djrosen at comcast.net>
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 768] Formative Assessment: does teacher
> content knowledge matter?
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Message-ID: <28e6aeea580b5215f55685ed96d2a61e at comcast.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed
>
>  From Patricia Donovan:
>
> David and All,
>
> I've been reading the discussion entries and find them quite
> interesting. I'm wondering how teacher content knowledge plays into
> formative assessment. It seems to me that sufficient content knowledge
> is a prerequisite to insightful formative assessment. In other words, if
> I do not understand the knowledge underpinning the division of
> fractions, for instance, it seems it would be difficult to assess
> learner knowledge and to develop appropriate instructional responses.
>
> Tricia Donovan
>
>
> SABES "Training Leaders in Adult Basic Education"
>
> Tricia Donovan, Ed.D.
> SABES CRC
> World Education
> 44 Farnsworth St.
> Boston, MA 02210
> 617-482-9485 x3785
> Fax 617-482-0617
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
>
> End of SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 19, Issue 8
> ********************************************
>
>

From grotlueschen at uni-bremen.de  Tue Feb 26 17:43:11 2008
From: grotlueschen at uni-bremen.de (=?iso-8859-1?Q?Anke_Grotl=FCschen?=)
Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 23:43:11 +0100
Subject: [SpecialTopics 775] Re: Formative Assessment: does
	teachercontentknowledge matter?
In-Reply-To: <227A8C8F337FB14CB1304302479F1B890D8A1FD1@EXCHANGEB.main.oecd.org>
Message-ID: <20080226224332.C7AFD102811@bladez03.zfn.uni-bremen.de>

Well... hello David, Janet and everyone else - I just joined the discussion
- I thought that it takes place on the assessment-list - but the problem you
mention is very interesting for us in Germany as well. 

We currently prefer to co-operate with specialists on
subject-matter-teaching (so-called Fachdidaktik) and from special education,
because they know a lot about the steps of the acquisition of reading and
especially writing. On the other hand, they - our subject-matter-specialists
- know nothing about adults, and they appreciate the practitioner wisdom
from our colleagues at the German Adult Education Schools, the
"Volkshochschulen" who offer ABE training.

In a few words: Formative Assessment needs both strong subject matter skills
and clear adult education principles, I think. 

Best regards from Alisha, Claudia, Yvonne and Steffanie as well - all of
them just start as scientific employees in the area of ABE in Bremen,
Germany... 

Anke 

--

Prof. Dr. Anke Grotl?schen
Juniorprofessur f?r Lebenslanges Lernen
Universit?t Bremen
GERMANY

-----Urspr?ngliche Nachricht-----
Von: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
Im Auftrag von Janet.LOONEY at oecd.org
Gesendet: Dienstag, 26. Februar 2008 15:07
An: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Betreff: [SpecialTopics 769] Re: Formative Assessment: does
teachercontentknowledge matter?

You are absolutely right.  Instructors must have strong subject-matter
knowledge in order to identify the source of learner misconceptions, and to
develop appropriate responses. Skills and approaches will also vary by
subject-matter (pedagogical skills for teaching language are different than
those for teaching numeracy, and so on). 

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of David Rosen
Sent: 26 February, 2008 2:38 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 768] Formative Assessment: does teacher
contentknowledge matter?

 From Patricia Donovan:

David and All,

I've been reading the discussion entries and find them quite
interesting. I'm wondering how teacher content knowledge plays into
formative assessment. It seems to me that sufficient content knowledge
is a prerequisite to insightful formative assessment. In other words, if
I do not understand the knowledge underpinning the division of
fractions, for instance, it seems it would be difficult to assess
learner knowledge and to develop appropriate instructional responses.

Tricia Donovan

SABES "Training Leaders in Adult Basic Education"

Tricia Donovan, Ed.D.
SABES CRC
World Education
44 Farnsworth St.
Boston, MA 02210
617-482-9485 x3785
Fax 617-482-0617

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to janet.looney at oecd.org
-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to grotlueschen at uni-bremen.de

From cherylthornett at hotmail.com  Tue Feb 26 16:20:50 2008
From: cherylthornett at hotmail.com (Cheryl Thornett)
Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 21:20:50 -0000
Subject: [SpecialTopics 776] Re: Formative assessment in adult
	foundationskills in England
References: <FAD11274-766F-4C4F-890A-1D2E68A3F01C@comcast.net><949E22B7BCCFF2408271BAAA8166BF07033F2452@M3.ioead>
	<3ADC3456-97A0-40E3-99C5-9E14F6F6A777@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <BLU129-DAV6AEFA681FE041CF539DD8CC190@phx.gbl>

Hi,

I?m coming at this from the perspective of an ESOL tutor in adult education. Being called a tutor mainly means being paid less, I?m afraid.

The specialists have made some really good points. Formative assessment is definitely a valuable part of teaching, but too many recording systems take far too much of limited teaching time. 

Imagine, four hours per week, 12 or more regular attendees plus the irregulars?I do need to teach, as well as record targets and attainments. (And yes, I know half of you are rolling your eyes and saying ?Four whole hours? Not even 20 in the class??) 

One of the problems for language teachers and learners is that typically, a person learning another language may find it extremely hard to reflect on their needs and learning, never mind put these into the language they are learning and an unfamiliar set of terminology. Assessment activities need to be meaningful to the student.

I keep a simple grid on the back of my lesson plans, with the main targets for each lesson and the names of the students. This gives me a quick-and-dirty record of who has actually done a particular piece of work and usually includes a simple check or cross to show whether each managed at the expected level. I can, if necessary, look back over these to get a picture of missed lessons, or indications that someone is struggling or sailing through. 

Our system requires that students write a short record and possibly a comment at the end of each lesson, which we usually manage to do, and I try to read these at intervals.

I generally comment informally when an activity shows real improvement, say, in asking questions or putting words in alphabetical order. This is pretty normal classroom practice, of course. I also, since I teach ESOL, ask students to give a short talk in class at fairly regular intervals and to write something such as a letter or report, based on our work for that period, and also reflecting the formal exams which they have to take at some stage. I give brief individual feedback on these as soon as possible, as well as making more copious notes, and the feedback and notes reflect individual needs and progress. I mainly teach multi-level classes, and I find this works well, because students can participate at their own level, or I can set different tasks. Before Christmas, for example, I asked L1/L2 students to give an account (2-3 minutes) of how to do something, with about a week to prepare, and I asked them to write a formal letter, the topic taken from past exam papers. We had worked as a group on various aspects of formal letters and on language suitable for explaining or giving instructions, among other areas. The lower level students wrote a letter asking for help and advice, while the higher level students wrote letters of complaint.

At the end of the first two terms of the year (3 terms in total), I interview each student (5-10 minutes usually) and we discuss the student?s learning plan, how well they feel they have done and how well I feel they have done, taking the assessment tasks into account, along with class work. This is our formal, required formative review, and I base the next set of Individual Learning Plans on this. There are some generic questions to answer such as ?What have you achieved? What has been difficult? What do you need to do next?. If students have moderate English literacy (certainly E3 and up), I ask them to write the answers in their own words after our discussion. We do not have time for individual tutorials outside class hours.

I have noticed that many commercial textbooks and some public materials now include regular test-type activities, which may be called review, ?check your learning?, ?what can you do now?? or something similar. I find that learners actually appreciate these, once they feel confident that they are not really tests with grades, because it gives them a sense of ongoing progress. I like them, if well-designed, for the same reason. While these are not individuated, they can still show the individual?s strengths or weaknesses. They aren?t all just tests of grammar, either.

And now, back to marking class work....

Cheryl Thornett
ESOL tutor
Birmingham (UK) Adult Education

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net>
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 12:32 PM
Subject: [SpecialTopics 763] Re: Formative assessment in adult foundationskills in England

John Vorhaus, and other English Colleagues,

One question that many U.S. teachers will have, I am sure, is how do  
tutors (teachers) cope with all the time required for summative  
assessments and reporting, and still manage time for formative  
assessment.  Is this a problem in England, or not? If it is, how do  
tutors do it?

Another question,  for all of our guests: from a professional  
development point of view, do you find that tutors who do formative  
assessment well have had a lot of experience and training? Do they  
tend to be full-time, and/or older? To what extent can good formative  
assessment practices be learned in professional development and  
practiced well by relatively new teachers?

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

On Feb 26, 2008, at 5:38 AM, John Vorhaus wrote:

> Dear Colleagues,
>
> Having given some of the background to adult basic skills in  
> England, here are a few words on the English case studies. At this  
> stage I have included only a general introduction and some thoughts  
> about the strengths and weaknesses of the formative assessment  
> practices observed. John may want to add to this, and I think he  
> may want to give details of each of the three sites visited. (If  
> not, I will later on today.)
>
> I am sure my three English colleagues will want to make contributions.
>
> Nomenclature
>
> Before I begin a word about nomenclature. In our case study report,  
> and below for ease of reference, we refer to 'adult basic skills'.  
> But:
>
> 1. 'Basic' has connotations many of us are unhappy with. One  
> alternative is 'adult literacy, language and numeracy'.
> 2. As Jan Eldred and others repeatedly and rightly say, the  
> differences between each of these three are so significant as to  
> raise the question whether we should treat them under a single  
> rubric. That is relevant to this discussion because we can't assume  
> that formative assessment practices found to be successful in a  
> literacy context will also or equally be found to be successful in  
> a numeracy context. Which takes us on to the question how far the  
> success of formative assessment practices are dependent on context.
>
> The Case Studies
>
> Three adult basic skills programmes were the subjects of the case  
> studies.  One is in London; one in the city of York (200 miles  
> north of London), and one is in the London Borough of Croydon (10  
> miles south of the centre of London). These three sites were picked  
> as exemplary programs by the England-based author. The choice of  
> these three programmes was based, in part, on the personal  
> experience of the author, but his selection was checked with others  
> who have a wide experience of programmes in England.  The choice  
> also was influenced by a desire to have a range of different types  
> of programmes and to have programmes that could be visited within a  
> limited time period.
>
> All of the programs provided inspection reports from the last visit  
> of teams from the Adult Learning Inspectorate (ALI). All three ALI  
> reports were positive.  Both instruction and management received a  
> positive rating on the ALI scale, usually receiving one of the top  
> two grades.  Programme leaders suggested two reasons why their  
> programmes were able to achieve and maintain a level of instruction  
> that would lead to being chosen as an exemplary programme. The  
> first was the quality of their teachers, and the second was their  
> staff?s regular reflection focused on programme improvement.
>
> Since these were all exemplary programmes, we asked the Heads of  
> Department at each of the 3 sites about the factors that most  
> support good teaching and learning. Whilst there was not a  
> consensus, there was broad agreement that each of the following  
> were important, and in roughly this order:
>
> Well qualified, committed and enthusiastic tutors; staff with  
> substantial hours who are willing to attend meetings, training and  
> to generally ?go the extra mile?
> Regular feedback and reviews of learner progress
> Opportunities for continuing professional development
> Good resources, including e-learning resources; activities and  
> resources of interest and relevance to the learner
>
> The influence of these factors on good teaching and learning will  
> depend in part on the value each learner places on them. But  
> respondents agreed that well qualified, committed and enthusiastic  
> tutors help motivate and stimulate learners, inspiring them to do  
> their very best and helping them to overcome often long held  
> barriers to learning and personal success. Regular feedback and  
> reviews of learner progress are also extremely important, for this  
> is how learners will know whether they are heading in the right  
> direction. Constructive feedback is also invaluable at points when  
> learners are beginning to struggle, not only for the direct  
> assistance that the tutor is able to provide but also because  
> constructive on-going assessment promotes learners? motivation and  
> persistence. Formative assessment also provides an opportunity for  
> the tutors themselves to receive feedback on the teaching and  
> learning process, identifying changes that need to be made.
>
> Respondents agreed that activities and resources that are of  
> interest and relevance to the learner help engage the learner,  
> maintaining motivation and supporting the natural learning process.  
> Finally, there was general agreement that levels of funding and  
> frequent redefining of priorities are the factors that most  
> threaten good Skills for Life teaching and learning, together with  
> an increasing administrative burden.
>
> Because of the national character of the system, initial  
> assessment, instruction, formative assessment, and summative  
> assessment look similar in all three.  However, they are by no  
> means the same. Each programme uses different types of assessment;  
> teachers draw on their experience and training as well as their  
> knowledge of their learners to design courses and teaching  
> strategies that work best in their context; and learners have a  
> range of summative tests they can take to secure the same  
> qualification. In addition, different types of institutions  
> (nonprofit, further education college, and local government  
> programme) are featured in our case studies and different types of  
> classes (ESOL, numeracy, and adult literacy) were observed at each  
> site.
>
>
> Some strengths and weakness: observations
>
> Strengths
>
> A focus on small increments of learning ? something that is  
> manageable for learners who may otherwise be overwhelmed by the  
> demands of a course.
> Learners and teachers are encouraged to reflect and modify learning  
> goals and aspirations.
> Formative assessment encourages teachers to support learners, and  
> to assist learners in learning how to learn.
> Teachers are able to bring their own experience and training to the  
> learning process.
> Formative assessment encourages dialogue between teacher and  
> learner, and amongst learners.
> Teachers are encouraged to understand how learners learn best, and  
> at what rate.
>
> Weaknesses
>
> The amount of time taken up in recording the process, time taken  
> away from instruction.
> Whilst formative assessment procedures are supportive of learning,  
> if a class meets two hours per week for 12 weeks, and a learner has  
> missed two classes, the total time-on-task is only 20 hours. Even  
> an hour taken out of this time could affect learning.
> Each formative assessment task, therefore, should be justified by  
> evidence that it is supportive to learning.  The time required of  
> tutors by the writing up of formative assessment activities takes  
> away from their preparation for instruction. This time should be  
> justified by its impact on learning.
>
> Comment
>
> A few further thoughts, which go beyond evidence from the case  
> studies themselves, and beyond, perhaps, what John C would want to  
> say.
>
> 1. The weaknesses observed above might be said to lie not in the  
> formative assessment process per se, but in the (chosen means of)  
> writing it up. But it is not easy to think of far less labour  
> intensive alternatives, once they become embedded in an  
> institutional system. Some form of authoritative report seems  
> necessary to meet even minimal demands of accountability. This  
> takes us onto the terrain of professional judgement, and reliance  
> on that, and also onto questions about accountability systems. I'm  
> sure Jay Derrick will want to come in here.
>
> 2. One theme which Kathryn Ecclestone has brought to our attention  
> is the relation between assessment and personal autonomy: how far  
> do formative assessment practices contribute to the development of  
> the personal autonomy of the learner, encouraging her to take  
> responsibility for her learning, to understand how she learns and  
> how she is most likely to progress? And how far might the outcome  
> only serve to inhibit or neglect autonomy, perhaps because  
> formative assessment is inexpertly practiced, or because these  
> practices are adhered to only mechanically, or because the  
> interests of formative assessment become subverted to the demands  
> of summative assessment?
>
> 3.  I think David is right to raise the question how far formative  
> assessment can be disentangled from the practices that make up good  
> teaching generally. Many items listed under 'strengths' would  
> appear in any initial teacher training programme. I think there is  
> truth in what John B says, that formative assessment is partly to  
> be characterised by reference to attitude: by the attitude of  
> looking at the teaching and learning process from the learners'  
> point of view, of drawing attention to how the learner is  
> progressing, and giving priority to how best to support her. But I  
> can hear teacher trainers say - and I have! - that ' we do all of  
> that anyway'. Perhaps much (not all) of what is new is less at the  
> level of general principle and more in the details we are  
> uncovering about how best to apply those principles in particular  
> contexts.  But I expect Kathryn will want to disagree with that?
>
> More soon.
>
> John Vorhaus
>
>
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
> > [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
> > Sent: 26 February 2008 06:00
> > To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> > Subject: [SpecialTopics 759] Formative assessment in adult
> > foundation skillsin England
> >
> > Colleagues,
> >
> > Although Janet Looney will still be answering the (very many)
> > questions I asked, and other questions from discussion
> > participants, let's also move on to the first set of case
> > studies, from England. I have asked John Vorhaus and John
> > Comings if they could:
> >
> > 1. give a short overview of the national adult basic skills
> > context in England, particularly noting any features or terms
> > of the context that may be unfamiliar to a U.S. audience and
> > that are important to understand the case studies;
> >
> > 2. describe the three case studies; and
> >
> > 3. describe what are the most interesting, significant
> > findings and also explain how the case studies might be a
> > good example of formative assessment.
> >
> > It would be helpful if, in describing teacher formative
> > assessment practices in England, you could describe or give
> > examples of what goes beyond usual good practice in teaching
> > and learning, what, in particular, is good practice in
> > formative assessment. That is, some may wonder if formative
> > assessment is just a different name for good teaching? Is it
> > really something new? Is it really a discrete set of
> > practices? If, as Black and Wiliam's research shows, it makes
> > a difference in students' learning in elementary and
> > secondary education, what about formative assessment makes
> > that difference? Why is formative assessment such a powerful
> > set of strategies, so effective?  I believe that some of our
> > subscribers are still trying to understand of these issues;
> > perhaps the case studies in England might shed some light on them.
> >
> > David J. Rosen
> > Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> > djrosen at comcast.net
> >
> >
> >
> > -------------------------------
> > National Institute for Literacy
> > Special Topics mailing list
> > SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> > To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please
> > go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> > Email delivered to j.vorhaus at ioe.ac.uk
> >
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to  
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
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From bcarmel at rocketmail.com  Tue Feb 26 17:29:18 2008
From: bcarmel at rocketmail.com (Bruce C)
Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 14:29:18 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [SpecialTopics 777] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller class
	sizes 'not cost effective
In-Reply-To: <729DD7C9-5734-427A-AF5D-49BD40556885@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <419719.69859.qm@web37902.mail.mud.yahoo.com>

Regarding small class size....
   
  Excuse my language, but regarding the comments of regarding class size attributed to Prof Dylan Wiliam, Deputy Director and Professor of Educational Assessment at the Institute of Education, University of London, I say ...
   
  "BALDERDASH!!! and HOGWASH!!!!" 
   
  I can't believe anyone who has been a teacher would ever say "...as long as pupils are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is generally possible with a class of 30." 
   
  Maybe this was taken out of context. Prof. Wiliam (yes it's only one "L"--I checked.) says some interesting things about formative assessment and personalized learning on this "Learning About Learning" website: 
   
  http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdylanwiliam.asp
   
  He does say a few wacky things--like that praise hurts students. 
   
  Prof. Wil.i.am. says that formative assessment "encourages teachers to take constant readings about where students are." He says it's important to do this "minute by minute, day by day."  That's why I can't believe this dude really thinks that class size doesn't matter. I think a teacher with 20 students in his/her class can get a better sense of where everyone is than a teacher with 30 students. 
  
Sure there may be things we can do that are cheaper than reducing class size...
   
  But so what?
   
  If that is how we define "cost effectiveness" why not TRIPLE class size and save tons of money? 
   
  You get my point, right? 
   
  from Bruce Carmel
   
   
   
   
   
  Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of 
the Institute of Education says, 

   
  
"David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net> wrote:
  Colleagues,

Tom Sticht spotted this on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site and sent 
it for our formative assessment discussion.

-------
Note from Tom Sticht:

This article about formative assessment appears in todays (2/25/08 
Education Guardian online.
-------

To see this story with its related links on the 
EducationGuardian.co.uk site, go to http://education.guardian.co.uk

Smaller class sizes 'not cost effective'
Anthea Lipsett
Monday February 25 2008
The Guardian

Reducing school class sizes in an attempt to raise pupil achievement 
is a waste of money for all but the youngest children, one of the 
country's leading experts on assessment said today.

Cutting class size by 30% gives children the equivalent of four extra 
months of learning a year, but costs around ?20,000 for each 
class every year, according to Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of 
the Institute of Education.

He said the more effective method of "formative assessment" - where 
teachers monitor their pupils' progress continuously and provide 
appropriate feedback - could provide eight extra months of 
educational development for only ?2,000 per classroom per year.

"It can therefore be 20 times as cost-effective as reducing class 
size in terms of pupil achievement," he told the annual Chartered 
London Teachers Conference today.

"Smaller classes do confer a benefit if pupils are unruly, because 
fewer pupils in a class means less disruption. But as long as pupils 
are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is 
generally possible with a class of 30.

"Smaller classes can also be more cost-effective for five to seven- 
year-olds, but research suggests the class size needs to be reduced 
to 15 or less," he said.

Wiliam added that investments in information communication technology 
have also shown a poor return. But international studies have 
confirmed that formative assessment can double the speed of pupil 
learning.

Some teachers use a "traffic light" system and ask pupils to hold up 
different coloured cards to show whether they have understood what 
they have been told. Red means "no", amber means "partly", and green 
"yes". Pupils are also encouraged to evaluate their own work and 
advise their classmates on how they can improve.

The English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish education departments 
have all provided varying degrees of backing for formative assessment.

After three years of research in both the UK and the US, Wiliam 
concluded that the approach would only take off properly if teachers 
work together in school-based groups to refine their classroom methods.

Wiliam and his co-researchers found that groups of eight to 10 
teachers who meet once a month for at least two years can be most 
effective. "It takes time to change teachers' ways of working, 
particularly if they have been in the classroom for many years," said 
Wiliam. "Simply telling teachers what to do doesn't work."

"For example, most teachers have heard about research from the 1980s 
which shows that if they wait three to five seconds after asking a 
question their pupils' performance improves because they have been 
given some time to think.

"Even so, many teachers are still allowing less than a second for 
pupils to respond. The conclusion we can draw from that is that 
knowing what to do is the easy part of teaching. Actually doing it is 
what's hard."

Wiliam told EducationGuardian.co.uk that teacher quality was key to 
any improvements.

"To reduce class size from 30 to 20 would need 150,000 more teachers 
and that would dilute the quality of teachers," he said.

"We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the classroom 
and we need to get better teachers into the profession."

Martin Johnson, acting deputy general secretary of the Association of 
Teachers and Lecturers, said the research should encourage the 
government to "put its money where its mouth is".

"Staff need to work together to learn how to teach more effectively, 
but schools will need more resources to do this. [Wiliam] reminds us 
that this would be very cost-effective.

"Schools have benefited hugely over the last decade from having more 
classroom based staff but much more training is needed to make their 
deployment fully effective.

"And while the government says it encourages assessment for learning, 
its testing policies have stolen teachers' self-confidence so new 
training must be provided and resourced.

"School staff desperately need a contractual entitlement to training 
which meets their individual needs."

Copyright Guardian News and Media Limited

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to bcarmel at rocketmail.com

       
---------------------------------
Never miss a thing.   Make Yahoo your homepage.
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From djrosen at comcast.net  Tue Feb 26 22:23:23 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 22:23:23 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 778]  Announcement-NAAL Data Set Training Seminar
References: <4062487BDB6029428A763CAEF4E1FE5B153833A4@wdcrobe2m03.ed.gov>
Message-ID: <9D6F0AB7-C1FF-4CE2-97D3-4EECD359FB86@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

I have been asked to post the announcement below by the National  
Institute for Literacy staff.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

> *********************************
>
> Using the National Assessment of Adult Literacy Data file and Tools  
> For
> Research, Secondary Analyses and Policy Development
>
>    NAAL Data Set Training June 2008
>
> Description:
>
> The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), in the U.S
> Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES), will
> sponsor a 2 1/2-day advanced studies seminar on the use of the  
> National
> Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) data files and tools for research
> and policy analyses. The 2003 NAAL measured the English literacy of
> America's adults living in households and prisons. Results are  
> reported
> in terms of scale score averages on three literacy scales: prose,
> document, and quantitative, as well as literacy levels that are
> described as Below Basic, Basic, Intermediate, and Proficient.
>
> For more information about NAAL and a list of available publications
> that can be downloaded or ordered, visit the survey website. See the
> links available below.
>
> Type:
>
> Workshop/Training & Technical Assistance
>
> Audience:
>
> This seminar is open to institutional researchers and planners,
> education practitioners, policymakers, and association members, as  
> well
> as faculty and advanced graduate students from colleges and  
> universities
> nationwide.
>
> Location:
>
> Academy for Educational Development (AED)
> 1825 Connecticut Avenue, NW
> Washington, DC 20009-5721
> (202) 884-8583
>
> Dates:
>
> June 25-27, 2008
>
> Organization:
>
> National Center for Education Statistics
>
> More Information:
>
> Register for this conference
> <http://ies.ed.gov/whatsnew/conferences/Register.aspx?id=314>
>
> NAAL Data Set Training Seminar Announcement
> <http://nces.ed.gov/whatsnew/conferences/PDF/ 
> NAAL2008trainingannouncemen
> t.pdf>
>
>
> <http://nces.ed.gov/whatsnew/conferences/PDF/ 
> NAAL2008trainingannouncemen
> t.pdf>  ( 267KB )
>
> For further information about NAAL, visit the study website
> <http://nces.ed.gov/NAAL>
>
>
> For help viewing PDF files, please click here
> <http://ies.ed.gov/help/techissues.asp#pdf> .
>
> Contacts:
> Vukovic, Gordana <mailto:gvukovic at sei2003.com>  from Synergy
> Enterprises, Inc. at (240) 485-1700
>
> Sponsors:
> National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) <http://nces.ed.gov/>
>

From john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz  Tue Feb 26 23:38:26 2008
From: john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz (John Benseman)
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 17:38:26 +1300
Subject: [SpecialTopics 779] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes
	'not cost effective
In-Reply-To: <419719.69859.qm@web37902.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <00a701c878fa$984c6640$0c00a8c0@critical1>

I don?t know the specific words that Dylan Wiliam uses about class size, but
I am guessing that what he says is that there is no authoritative research
that shows that class size is irrefutably related to student learning. This
is not to say that class size doesn?t matter, it merely says that the
research over many 100s of studies is inconclusive to date.

 

As I am sure that the great majority of people on this listserv will attest,
we all feel intuitively that class size DOES matter ? it?s just that there
is no research to back this conclusion. The jury, so to speak, is still out
on this dimension of teaching (as it is in many other areas).

 

The second point re saying that ?praise hurts students?: I couldn?t find the
specific reference, but again interpreting what I think Wiliam would say is
something along the lines of: just praising students for the sake of
praising does them little good. What is needed however is clear and
realistic feedback on where they are at in their learning. If that comes
with a dollop of praise, then that?s great, but praise per se is not
sufficient.

 

I think that we can fall in to a trap of thinking that learners invariably
want/need support (which they do at times), but they also need to be
challenged, which means that we need to give them realistic feedback on how
they are progressing (or not).

 

Regards, John

 

PS I am not a paid servant of Dylan Wiliam, but I am a fan of his research

 

John Benseman

*   john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz

*   641 9 627 1882  Cell  027 454 0683

* 52a Bolton St, Blockhouse Bay, Auckland 0600, NZ

  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Bruce C
Sent: Wednesday, 27 February 2008 11:29 a.m.
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 777] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes
'not cost effective

 

Regarding small class size....

 

Excuse my language, but regarding the comments of regarding class size
attributed to Prof Dylan Wiliam, Deputy Director and Professor of
Educational Assessment at the Institute of Education, University of London,
I say ...

 

"BALDERDASH!!! and HOGWASH!!!!" 

 

I can't believe anyone who has been a teacher would ever say "...as long as
pupils are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is
generally possible with a class of 30." 

 

Maybe this was taken out of context. Prof. Wiliam (yes it's only one "L"--I
checked.) says some interesting things about formative assessment and
personalized learning on this "Learning About Learning" website: 

 

http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdylanw
iliam.asp

 

He does say a few wacky things--like that praise hurts students. 

 

Prof. Wil.i.am. says that formative assessment "encourages teachers to take
constant readings about where students are." He says it's important to do
this "minute by minute, day by day."  That's why I can't believe this dude
really thinks that class size doesn't matter. I think a teacher with 20
students in his/her class can get a better sense of where everyone is than a
teacher with 30 students. 

Sure there may be things we can do that are cheaper than reducing class
size...

 

But so what?

 

If that is how we define "cost effectiveness" why not TRIPLE class size and
save tons of money? 

 

You get my point, right? 

 

from Bruce Carmel

 

 

 

 

 

Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of 
the Institute of Education says, 

 
<http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdylan
wiliam.asp>  

"David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net> wrote:

Colleagues,

Tom Sticht spotted this on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site and sent 
it for our formative assessment discussion.

-------
Note from Tom Sticht:

This article about formative assessment appears in todays (2/25/08 
Education Guardian online.
-------

To see this story with its related links on the 
EducationGuardian.co.uk site, go to http://education.guardian.co.uk

Smaller class sizes 'not cost effective'
Anthea Lipsett
Monday February 25 2008
The Guardian

Reducing school class sizes in an attempt to raise pupil achievement 
is a waste of money for all but the youngest children, one of the 
country's leading experts on assessment said today.

Cutting class size by 30% gives children the equivalent of four extra 
months of learning a year, but costs around ?20,000 for each 
class every year, according to Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of 
the Institute of Education.

He said the more effective method of "formative assessment" - where 
teachers monitor their pupils' progress continuously and provide 
appropriate feedback - could provide eight extra months of 
educational development for only ?2,000 per classroom per year.

"It can therefore be 20 times as cost-effective as reducing class 
size in terms of pupil achievement," he told the annual Chartered 
London Teachers Conference today.

"Smaller classes do confer a benefit if pupils are unruly, because 
fewer pupils in a class means less disruption. But as long as pupils 
are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is 
generally possible with a class of 30.

"Smaller classes can also be more cost-effective for five to seven- 
year-olds, but research suggests the class size needs to be reduced 
to 15 or less," he said.

Wiliam added that investments in information communication technology 
have also shown a poor return. But international studies have 
confirmed that formative assessment can double the speed of pupil 
learning.

Some teachers use a "traffic light" system and ask pupils to hold up 
different coloured cards to show whether they have understood what 
they have been told. Red means "no", amber means "partly", and green 
"yes". Pupils are also encouraged to evaluate their own work and 
advise their classmates on how they can improve.

The English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish education departments 
have all provided varying degrees of backing for formative assessment.

After three years of research in both the UK and the US, Wiliam 
concluded that the approach would only take off properly if teachers 
work together in school-based groups to refine their classroom methods.

Wiliam and his co-researchers found that groups of eight to 10 
teachers who meet once a month for at least two years can be most 
effective. "It takes time to change teachers' ways of working, 
particularly if they have been in the classroom for many years," said 
Wiliam. "Simply telling teachers what to do doesn't work."

"For example, most teachers have heard about research from the 1980s 
which shows that if they wait three to five seconds after asking a 
question their pupils' performance improves because they have been 
given some time to think.

"Even so, many teachers are still allowing less than a second for 
pupils to respond. The conclusion we can draw from that is that 
knowing what to do is the easy part of teaching. Actually doing it is 
what's hard."

Wiliam told EducationGuardian.co.uk that teacher quality was key to 
any improvements.

"To reduce class size from 30 to 20 would need 150,000 more teachers 
and that would dilute the quality of teachers," he said.

"We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the classroom 
and we need to get better teachers into the profession."

Martin Johnson, acting deputy general secretary of the Association of 
Teachers and Lecturers, said the research should encourage the 
government to "put its money where its mouth is".

"Staff need to work together to learn how to teach more effectively, 
but schools will need more resources to do this. [Wiliam] reminds us 
that this would be very cost-effective.

"Schools have benefited hugely over the last decade from having more 
classroom based staff but much more training is needed to make their 
deployment fully effective.

"And while the government says it encourages assessment for learning, 
its testing policies have stolen teachers' self-confidence so new 
training must be provided and resourced.

"School staff desperately need a contractual entitlement to training 
which meets their individual needs."

Copyright Guardian News and Media Limited

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to bcarmel at rocketmail.com

 

  

  _____  

Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo
<http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=51438/*http:/www.yahoo.com/r/hs>  your homepage.

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From djrosen at comcast.net  Wed Feb 27 09:18:35 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 09:18:35 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 780]  Formative Assessment Day Three;
	U.S. case Studies
Message-ID: <6F5015E4-4D3B-405D-A4C7-73054296BE23@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

The discussion on formative assessment is getting lively now. That's  
great.  Keep posting your questions and comments to any of the  
researchers or other discussion participants. Meanwhile, today we  
will also look at the case studies in the U.S. I would like John  
Comings (from the U.S.) and John Benseman (from New Zealand) to talk  
about what they found in the background research and the case studies  
in the U.S.

As we plunge into a discussion about the U.S. case studies, I hope  
you will take a look at them at:
http://www.oecd.org/document/ 
18/0,3343,en_2649_35845581_39972050_1_1_1_1,00.html
If this long link doesn't work for you, cut and paste it into your  
browser, or just try the short form of the web address:
http://tinyurl.com/2d3wyk

I have asked John Benseman and John Comings if they could:

1. give a short overview of the national adult literacy education  
context in the U.S. -- for our international subscribers, but also  
for those in the U.S.  -- particularly noting any features or terms  
of the context that are important to understand the case studies;

2. describe the case studies; and

3. describe what are the most interesting, significant findings and  
also explain how the case studies might be good examples of formative  
assessment.

I would be particularly interested in hearing observations from both  
researchers on what appears to be different and similar in formative  
assessment practices in the U.S. as compared with other countries.  
What can we in the U.S. learn about practice and policy from what is  
happening in New Zealand or the U.K., for example. Are there good  
practices that U.S. states teachers, one-on-one tutors, or programs   
should consider?

Tomorrow I would like to explore two areas with all the discussion  
participants: 1) formative assessment practices in other countries we  
haven't yet touched on -- for example Scotland, Germany, Canada, or  
other countries, and 2) policies that support and hinder formative  
assessment.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

From alison.sutton at criticalinsight.co.nz  Tue Feb 26 23:48:03 2008
From: alison.sutton at criticalinsight.co.nz (Alison Sutton)
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 17:48:03 +1300
Subject: [SpecialTopics 781] Re: Formative assessment in
	adultfoundationskills in England
In-Reply-To: <BLU129-DAV6AEFA681FE041CF539DD8CC190@phx.gbl>
Message-ID: <002801c878fb$f0341a50$0a00a8c0@Critical2>

Hi - Alison here, also from New Zealand and from the OECD project. One of
the key points about formative assessment is that it informs teachers'
understanding of what learners know; it usually does not lead to recording
anything but rather to changing what you teach next and how you teach it.
Its not about more paperwork - it is about more or different thinking about
teaching and what you see. 

 

In response to the query about whether you need to be a subject expert to
use formative assessment. John and I asked that question specifically when
we met Dylan Wiliam during the OECD project, because in New Zealand our
training and certification of adult literacy, language and numeracy teachers
is not yet strong. If formative assessment was an approach only for the well
trained, confident and skilled teachers it would not help us much. But he
argued that it's a good way to help newer, less experienced or less
supported teachers develop subject knowledge. 

 

 

Alison Sutton

Critical Insight

52a Bolton St, Blockhouse Bay Auckland 06000

New Zealand

+64 9 627 4415

+64 21 270 6804

alison.sutton at criticalinsight.co.nz

  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Cheryl Thornett
Sent: Wednesday, 27 February 2008 10:21 a.m.
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 776] Re: Formative assessment in
adultfoundationskills in England

 

Hi,

I'm coming at this from the perspective of an ESOL tutor in adult education.
Being called a tutor mainly means being paid less, I'm afraid.

The specialists have made some really good points. Formative assessment is
definitely a valuable part of teaching, but too many recording systems take
far too much of limited teaching time. 

Imagine, four hours per week, 12 or more regular attendees plus the
irregulars-I do need to teach, as well as record targets and attainments.
(And yes, I know half of you are rolling your eyes and saying 'Four whole
hours? Not even 20 in the class?') 

One of the problems for language teachers and learners is that typically, a
person learning another language may find it extremely hard to reflect on
their needs and learning, never mind put these into the language they are
learning and an unfamiliar set of terminology. Assessment activities need to
be meaningful to the student.

I keep a simple grid on the back of my lesson plans, with the main targets
for each lesson and the names of the students. This gives me a
quick-and-dirty record of who has actually done a particular piece of work
and usually includes a simple check or cross to show whether each managed at
the expected level. I can, if necessary, look back over these to get a
picture of missed lessons, or indications that someone is struggling or
sailing through. 

Our system requires that students write a short record and possibly a
comment at the end of each lesson, which we usually manage to do, and I try
to read these at intervals.

I generally comment informally when an activity shows real improvement, say,
in asking questions or putting words in alphabetical order. This is pretty
normal classroom practice, of course. I also, since I teach ESOL, ask
students to give a short talk in class at fairly regular intervals and to
write something such as a letter or report, based on our work for that
period, and also reflecting the formal exams which they have to take at some
stage. I give brief individual feedback on these as soon as possible, as
well as making more copious notes, and the feedback and notes reflect
individual needs and progress. I mainly teach multi-level classes, and I
find this works well, because students can participate at their own level,
or I can set different tasks. Before Christmas, for example, I asked L1/L2
students to give an account (2-3 minutes) of how to do something, with about
a week to prepare, and I asked them to write a formal letter, the topic
taken from past exam papers. We had worked as a group on various aspects of
formal letters and on language suitable for explaining or giving
instructions, among other areas. The lower level students wrote a letter
asking for help and advice, while the higher level students wrote letters of
complaint.

At the end of the first two terms of the year (3 terms in total), I
interview each student (5-10 minutes usually) and we discuss the student's
learning plan, how well they feel they have done and how well I feel they
have done, taking the assessment tasks into account, along with class work.
This is our formal, required formative review, and I base the next set of
Individual Learning Plans on this. There are some generic questions to
answer such as 'What have you achieved? What has been difficult? What do you
need to do next?. If students have moderate English literacy (certainly E3
and up), I ask them to write the answers in their own words after our
discussion. We do not have time for individual tutorials outside class
hours.

I have noticed that many commercial textbooks and some public materials now
include regular test-type activities, which may be called review, 'check
your learning', 'what can you do now?' or something similar. I find that
learners actually appreciate these, once they feel confident that they are
not really tests with grades, because it gives them a sense of ongoing
progress. I like them, if well-designed, for the same reason. While these
are not individuated, they can still show the individual's strengths or
weaknesses. They aren't all just tests of grammar, either.

And now, back to marking class work....

Cheryl Thornett
ESOL tutor
Birmingham (UK) Adult Education

 

----- Original Message ----- 

From: "David J. Rosen" < <mailto:djrosen at comcast.net> djrosen at comcast.net>

To: < <mailto:specialtopics at nifl.gov> specialtopics at nifl.gov>

Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 12:32 PM

Subject: [SpecialTopics 763] Re: Formative assessment in adult
foundationskills in England

 

John Vorhaus, and other English Colleagues,

One question that many U.S. teachers will have, I am sure, is how do  
tutors (teachers) cope with all the time required for summative  
assessments and reporting, and still manage time for formative  
assessment.  Is this a problem in England, or not? If it is, how do  
tutors do it?

Another question,  for all of our guests: from a professional  
development point of view, do you find that tutors who do formative  
assessment well have had a lot of experience and training? Do they  
tend to be full-time, and/or older? To what extent can good formative  
assessment practices be learned in professional development and  
practiced well by relatively new teachers?

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
 <mailto:djrosen at comcast.net> djrosen at comcast.net

On Feb 26, 2008, at 5:38 AM, John Vorhaus wrote:

> Dear Colleagues,
>
> Having given some of the background to adult basic skills in  
> England, here are a few words on the English case studies. At this  
> stage I have included only a general introduction and some thoughts  
> about the strengths and weaknesses of the formative assessment  
> practices observed. John may want to add to this, and I think he  
> may want to give details of each of the three sites visited. (If  
> not, I will later on today.)
>
> I am sure my three English colleagues will want to make contributions.
>
> Nomenclature
>
> Before I begin a word about nomenclature. In our case study report,  
> and below for ease of reference, we refer to 'adult basic skills'.  
> But:
>
> 1. 'Basic' has connotations many of us are unhappy with. One  
> alternative is 'adult literacy, language and numeracy'.
> 2. As Jan Eldred and others repeatedly and rightly say, the  
> differences between each of these three are so significant as to  
> raise the question whether we should treat them under a single  
> rubric. That is relevant to this discussion because we can't assume  
> that formative assessment practices found to be successful in a  
> literacy context will also or equally be found to be successful in  
> a numeracy context. Which takes us on to the question how far the  
> success of formative assessment practices are dependent on context.
>
> The Case Studies
>
> Three adult basic skills programmes were the subjects of the case  
> studies.  One is in London; one in the city of York (200 miles  
> north of London), and one is in the London Borough of Croydon (10  
> miles south of the centre of London). These three sites were picked  
> as exemplary programs by the England-based author. The choice of  
> these three programmes was based, in part, on the personal  
> experience of the author, but his selection was checked with others  
> who have a wide experience of programmes in England.  The choice  
> also was influenced by a desire to have a range of different types  
> of programmes and to have programmes that could be visited within a  
> limited time period.
>
> All of the programs provided inspection reports from the last visit  
> of teams from the Adult Learning Inspectorate (ALI). All three ALI  
> reports were positive.  Both instruction and management received a  
> positive rating on the ALI scale, usually receiving one of the top  
> two grades.  Programme leaders suggested two reasons why their  
> programmes were able to achieve and maintain a level of instruction  
> that would lead to being chosen as an exemplary programme. The  
> first was the quality of their teachers, and the second was their  
> staff's regular reflection focused on programme improvement.
>
> Since these were all exemplary programmes, we asked the Heads of  
> Department at each of the 3 sites about the factors that most  
> support good teaching and learning. Whilst there was not a  
> consensus, there was broad agreement that each of the following  
> were important, and in roughly this order:
>
> Well qualified, committed and enthusiastic tutors; staff with  
> substantial hours who are willing to attend meetings, training and  
> to generally 'go the extra mile'
> Regular feedback and reviews of learner progress
> Opportunities for continuing professional development
> Good resources, including e-learning resources; activities and  
> resources of interest and relevance to the learner
>
> The influence of these factors on good teaching and learning will  
> depend in part on the value each learner places on them. But  
> respondents agreed that well qualified, committed and enthusiastic  
> tutors help motivate and stimulate learners, inspiring them to do  
> their very best and helping them to overcome often long held  
> barriers to learning and personal success. Regular feedback and  
> reviews of learner progress are also extremely important, for this  
> is how learners will know whether they are heading in the right  
> direction. Constructive feedback is also invaluable at points when  
> learners are beginning to struggle, not only for the direct  
> assistance that the tutor is able to provide but also because  
> constructive on-going assessment promotes learners' motivation and  
> persistence. Formative assessment also provides an opportunity for  
> the tutors themselves to receive feedback on the teaching and  
> learning process, identifying changes that need to be made.
>
> Respondents agreed that activities and resources that are of  
> interest and relevance to the learner help engage the learner,  
> maintaining motivation and supporting the natural learning process.  
> Finally, there was general agreement that levels of funding and  
> frequent redefining of priorities are the factors that most  
> threaten good Skills for Life teaching and learning, together with  
> an increasing administrative burden.
>
> Because of the national character of the system, initial  
> assessment, instruction, formative assessment, and summative  
> assessment look similar in all three.  However, they are by no  
> means the same. Each programme uses different types of assessment;  
> teachers draw on their experience and training as well as their  
> knowledge of their learners to design courses and teaching  
> strategies that work best in their context; and learners have a  
> range of summative tests they can take to secure the same  
> qualification. In addition, different types of institutions  
> (nonprofit, further education college, and local government  
> programme) are featured in our case studies and different types of  
> classes (ESOL, numeracy, and adult literacy) were observed at each  
> site.
>
>
> Some strengths and weakness: observations
>
> Strengths
>
> A focus on small increments of learning - something that is  
> manageable for learners who may otherwise be overwhelmed by the  
> demands of a course.
> Learners and teachers are encouraged to reflect and modify learning  
> goals and aspirations.
> Formative assessment encourages teachers to support learners, and  
> to assist learners in learning how to learn.
> Teachers are able to bring their own experience and training to the  
> learning process.
> Formative assessment encourages dialogue between teacher and  
> learner, and amongst learners.
> Teachers are encouraged to understand how learners learn best, and  
> at what rate.
>
> Weaknesses
>
> The amount of time taken up in recording the process, time taken  
> away from instruction.
> Whilst formative assessment procedures are supportive of learning,  
> if a class meets two hours per week for 12 weeks, and a learner has  
> missed two classes, the total time-on-task is only 20 hours. Even  
> an hour taken out of this time could affect learning.
> Each formative assessment task, therefore, should be justified by  
> evidence that it is supportive to learning.  The time required of  
> tutors by the writing up of formative assessment activities takes  
> away from their preparation for instruction. This time should be  
> justified by its impact on learning.
>
> Comment
>
> A few further thoughts, which go beyond evidence from the case  
> studies themselves, and beyond, perhaps, what John C would want to  
> say.
>
> 1. The weaknesses observed above might be said to lie not in the  
> formative assessment process per se, but in the (chosen means of)  
> writing it up. But it is not easy to think of far less labour  
> intensive alternatives, once they become embedded in an  
> institutional system. Some form of authoritative report seems  
> necessary to meet even minimal demands of accountability. This  
> takes us onto the terrain of professional judgement, and reliance  
> on that, and also onto questions about accountability systems. I'm  
> sure Jay Derrick will want to come in here.
>
> 2. One theme which Kathryn Ecclestone has brought to our attention  
> is the relation between assessment and personal autonomy: how far  
> do formative assessment practices contribute to the development of  
> the personal autonomy of the learner, encouraging her to take  
> responsibility for her learning, to understand how she learns and  
> how she is most likely to progress? And how far might the outcome  
> only serve to inhibit or neglect autonomy, perhaps because  
> formative assessment is inexpertly practiced, or because these  
> practices are adhered to only mechanically, or because the  
> interests of formative assessment become subverted to the demands  
> of summative assessment?
>
> 3.  I think David is right to raise the question how far formative  
> assessment can be disentangled from the practices that make up good  
> teaching generally. Many items listed under 'strengths' would  
> appear in any initial teacher training programme. I think there is  
> truth in what John B says, that formative assessment is partly to  
> be characterised by reference to attitude: by the attitude of  
> looking at the teaching and learning process from the learners'  
> point of view, of drawing attention to how the learner is  
> progressing, and giving priority to how best to support her. But I  
> can hear teacher trainers say - and I have! - that ' we do all of  
> that anyway'. Perhaps much (not all) of what is new is less at the  
> level of general principle and more in the details we are  
> uncovering about how best to apply those principles in particular  
> contexts.  But I expect Kathryn will want to disagree with that?
>
> More soon.
>
> John Vorhaus
>
>
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From:  <mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov>
specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
> > [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
> > Sent: 26 February 2008 06:00
> > To:  <mailto:specialtopics at nifl.gov> specialtopics at nifl.gov
> > Subject: [SpecialTopics 759] Formative assessment in adult
> > foundation skillsin England
> >
> > Colleagues,
> >
> > Although Janet Looney will still be answering the (very many)
> > questions I asked, and other questions from discussion
> > participants, let's also move on to the first set of case
> > studies, from England. I have asked John Vorhaus and John
> > Comings if they could:
> >
> > 1. give a short overview of the national adult basic skills
> > context in England, particularly noting any features or terms
> > of the context that may be unfamiliar to a U.S. audience and
> > that are important to understand the case studies;
> >
> > 2. describe the three case studies; and
> >
> > 3. describe what are the most interesting, significant
> > findings and also explain how the case studies might be a
> > good example of formative assessment.
> >
> > It would be helpful if, in describing teacher formative
> > assessment practices in England, you could describe or give
> > examples of what goes beyond usual good practice in teaching
> > and learning, what, in particular, is good practice in
> > formative assessment. That is, some may wonder if formative
> > assessment is just a different name for good teaching? Is it
> > really something new? Is it really a discrete set of
> > practices? If, as Black and Wiliam's research shows, it makes
> > a difference in students' learning in elementary and
> > secondary education, what about formative assessment makes
> > that difference? Why is formative assessment such a powerful
> > set of strategies, so effective?  I believe that some of our
> > subscribers are still trying to understand of these issues;
> > perhaps the case studies in England might shed some light on them.
> >
> > David J. Rosen
> > Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> >  <mailto:djrosen at comcast.net> djrosen at comcast.net
> >
> >
> >
> > -------------------------------
> > National Institute for Literacy
> > Special Topics mailing list
> >  <mailto:SpecialTopics at nifl.gov> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> > To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please
> > go to  <http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics>
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> > Email delivered to  <mailto:j.vorhaus at ioe.ac.uk> j.vorhaus at ioe.ac.uk
> >
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
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From Janet.LOONEY at oecd.org  Wed Feb 27 04:59:46 2008
From: Janet.LOONEY at oecd.org (Janet.LOONEY at oecd.org)
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 10:59:46 +0100
Subject: [SpecialTopics 782] Re: Formative Assessment:
	doesteachercontentknowledge matter?
In-Reply-To: <20080226224332.C7AFD102811@bladez03.zfn.uni-bremen.de>
References: <227A8C8F337FB14CB1304302479F1B890D8A1FD1@EXCHANGEB.main.oecd.org>
	<20080226224332.C7AFD102811@bladez03.zfn.uni-bremen.de>
Message-ID: <227A8C8F337FB14CB1304302479F1B890D8E21FD@EXCHANGEB.main.oecd.org>

Colleagues - 

Good morning.  I wanted to continue with my answers to some of David's
initial questions regarding the OECD report findings, as well as to add to
the comments that have been made on issues of praise and time.

First - on the issue of praise, I think the issue is not that people
shouldn't receive praise, but rather, the kind of praise and the way in which
it is given matters.  More specifically, praise should be task-based, rather
than ego-based.  Learners - and particularly older learners - tend to
perceive praise based on ego ("you're a good student/good person, etc.") as
inauthentic, or even patronizing.  Praise such as :"you've done a really
great job on this task" (with specific comments on where the learners has
made progress, where he/she may still make improvements, with some
suggestions as to how) is usually much better received. Studies with younger
learners show that they make much more progress when receiving the latter
kind of feedback.

Second - on the issue of time - a couple of the other participants have made
a lot of specific and pragmatic suggestions as to how they, or instructors
they have observed, have managed to build formative assessment activities in
to their limited teaching time.  I might also add a couple findings from the
two OECD studies on formative assessment.  For example, instructors working
with younger learners found that, initially, they did spend more time helping
learners to develop skills for understanding the criteria used to assess
their work, working with them to understand how they could strengthen their
work, and to develop skills for peer- and self-assessment. Later, instructors
spent less time, as learners were ready to take over many tasks and to work
more independently.  Instructors also made deliberate decisions to cut back
on the amount of curriculum they would try to cover, so they could cover core
concepts more thoroughly.

In adult foundation skill classes, instructors also relied on some of these
same techniques, as well as work having learners work independently with ICT
learning programs. As adult learners are not able to spend significant
amounts of time in formal learning settings, these skills for independent
learning are vital.

Third - I'll return to David's initial set of questions.  David had asked
about the "steps of the learning process" identified in the OECD synthesis
report, as well as the report recommendations.  I'll give a brief outline of
the steps.  On the report recommendations, I'd be interested in participants'
reactions as to whether, and if yes, how, these recommendations could apply
in the US.

8. What are the steps (features?) of the learning journey? (the five steps)

The different literature reviews and case studies conducted for the OECD
study revealed a strong emphasis on the process of learning. We identified
several common elements, which  are delineated as the "steps of the learning
process":

1.	Diagnosis of learning needs, and establishment of learners'
motivations and goals.
2.	The development of strong relationships within the classroom, and
creation of "safe" environments for learning.
3.	The use of assessment to provide information on learning, and to be
used as feedback by learners and instructors to modify teaching and learning
activities.
4.	A focus on building learner autonomy, including skills for
self-assessment and for addressing the literacy and numeracy tasks of daily
life independently.
5.	Tracking of learner progress toward goals and recognition of
achievement.

Learning is not necessarily a linear process, however; instructors and
learners may be engaged in several steps of the process at any given time.
For example, the researchers and practitioners involved in the OECD study
stressed the importance of involving learners in decisions as to what they
will learn, and how, as an important step for setting relevant goals (step
1), as well as for developing autonomy (step 4). Learners and instructors
track progress toward goals on a regular basis, not just at the end of a unit
or course. The literature and case studies also highlight the combined
importance of the different elements - rather than discrete steps, practices
or tools - in promoting learner progress.

9. What are the study's conclusions?

The study identifies seven interrelated principles, which may serve as a
broad framework for strengthening policy and practice and for building the
evidence base.

1.) Promote active debate on the nature of teaching, learning and assessment.
Active debate inviting exchange among stakeholders and critical analysis of
evidence and ideas is vital to the process of change. It moves beyond simple
dissemination of tools or sharing of best practices, and places a stronger
focus on transformation of practice and of cultures of learning. This process
is essential if ideas are to gain any real traction in the sector.

2.) Strengthen professionalism. Effective teaching involves a complex mix of
subject-matter and pedagogical expertise, skills in assessment, as well as
softer skills. Countries need to continue in the current direction of
strengthening practice through more rigorous qualification and professional
development requirements. There should be a range of professional development
approaches, which allow instructors to deepen their skills in progressively
advanced courses. Instructors also need opportunities for peer support. 

3.) Balance structure and flexibility: formative assessment as a framework.
Well-designed tools and guidelines provide much-needed structure and enable
instructors to be more systematic in their practice. At the same time,
instructors need plenty of flexibility in order to adapt to the needs of
diverse learners. Ideally, formative assessment frameworks will provide the
right balance of structure and flexibility. This interactive approach to
assessment and adaptation of the teaching and learning process calls upon the
instructor's pedagogical and subject-knowledge, but also calls for a great
deal of creativity and adaptability. 

4.) Strengthen learner-centered approaches. The countries and programs
participating in this study promote "learner-centered" approaches to adult
LLN provision. Yet many aspects of adult LLN provision are still more
oriented to the needs of systems rather than learners. Some approaches which
could help to strengthen the focus on learner needs include: 

*	Instruction that fits learners' patterns of participation. When
learners cannot learn in classroom settings, they may continue through
self-study. Programs can support learners by helping them to design a plan
for self-study, and taking into account progress made when they return to the
classroom (See Comings, et al. work on learner persistence).

*	Portable portfolios as well as improved national databases to
register learners' progress toward goals over time and across programs
(whether through formal, informal or non-formal learning). 

*	A stronger focus on ensuring that formative and summative assessments
are grounded in real-life contexts related to the learner's goals. 

In addition, policy-makers and program leaders should consult regularly with
learners on their own views as to what they believe counts as a successful
outcome, and how well programs are serving their needs.

5.) Diversify and deepen approaches to assessment and program evaluation for
accountability. Given the range of stakeholder interests, no single approach
can satisfy all needs. Systems which use diverse, well-aligned measures of
learning processes as well as outcomes will be better able to manage
competing goals and interests - and to capture useful data. The mix of
approaches to measurement might draw upon current approaches:

*	A focus on outcomes. Outcomes that are relatively open allow learners
to demonstrate attainment drawing upon their own interests, a specific area
of study, or work-related tasks.

*	Targets. Targets based on recent trends, that focus on participation
(rather than attainment of qualifications) can help to keep the focus on
outreach and program accessibility. Local communities and individual
institutions may also set specific targets to improve services.

*	National reporting systems. National databases provide guidelines for
assessment, set out standards, and provide a nationally consistent means for
tracking and reporting on learner outcomes. Potentially, these systems may
also include details useful for identifying effective practices. 

*	Inspections and program self-evaluations. Inspections and program
self-evaluation are focused not only on program outcomes, but also the
process of teaching, learning and assessment. They provide a means to
consider how well programs are integrating formative assessment to diagnose
needs and shape teaching and learning, and to involve learners in determining
what they will learn and how.

6.) Devote the necessary resources: people, time and money. While this study
has not included any detailed discussion on funding within the adult LLN
sector, it has been concerned with providing insights that might guide more
effective investment of existing resources - including people, time and
money. It also suggests where additional resources might help to further
professionalize the field and improve outcomes. 

*	Countries need to closely examine pay and benefit conditions, as well
as career structures for advancement for instructors working in the adult LLN
sector. The sector is still far from having equivalent conditions as the
compulsory sector, although professionals in the two sectors are undertaking
similar work.

*	Instructors need pragmatic solutions such as effective ICT-based
learning, effective deployment of volunteer tutors, and peer learning to
address concerns about the time-intensive nature of individualized teaching
and formative assessment. A close look at how to cut back on paperwork may
also help.

*	While countries have made significant investments in the adult LLN
sector, it is still not enough to meet needs. Absent a significant new
infusion of funding, countries will need to choose between serving as many
learners as possible or raising quality for a smaller number of learners.
Likely, the latter strategy will be more effective for demonstrating the
worth of programs and attracting further investment.

7.) Strengthen the knowledge-base. The list of research needs is built on the
assumption that researchers in the field will need to broaden the range of
methodologies used and in particular to pay much greater attention to impact.

 

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Anke Grotl?schen
Sent: 26 February, 2008 11:43 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 775] Re: Formative Assessment:
doesteachercontentknowledge matter?

Well... hello David, Janet and everyone else - I just joined the discussion
- I thought that it takes place on the assessment-list - but the problem you
mention is very interesting for us in Germany as well. 

We currently prefer to co-operate with specialists on
subject-matter-teaching (so-called Fachdidaktik) and from special education,
because they know a lot about the steps of the acquisition of reading and
especially writing. On the other hand, they - our subject-matter-specialists
- know nothing about adults, and they appreciate the practitioner wisdom
from our colleagues at the German Adult Education Schools, the
"Volkshochschulen" who offer ABE training.

In a few words: Formative Assessment needs both strong subject matter skills
and clear adult education principles, I think. 

Best regards from Alisha, Claudia, Yvonne and Steffanie as well - all of
them just start as scientific employees in the area of ABE in Bremen,
Germany... 

Anke 

--

Prof. Dr. Anke Grotl?schen
Juniorprofessur f?r Lebenslanges Lernen
Universit?t Bremen
GERMANY

-----Urspr?ngliche Nachricht-----
Von: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
Im Auftrag von Janet.LOONEY at oecd.org
Gesendet: Dienstag, 26. Februar 2008 15:07
An: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Betreff: [SpecialTopics 769] Re: Formative Assessment: does
teachercontentknowledge matter?

You are absolutely right.  Instructors must have strong subject-matter
knowledge in order to identify the source of learner misconceptions, and to
develop appropriate responses. Skills and approaches will also vary by
subject-matter (pedagogical skills for teaching language are different than
those for teaching numeracy, and so on). 

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of David Rosen
Sent: 26 February, 2008 2:38 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 768] Formative Assessment: does teacher
contentknowledge matter?

 From Patricia Donovan:

David and All,

I've been reading the discussion entries and find them quite
interesting. I'm wondering how teacher content knowledge plays into
formative assessment. It seems to me that sufficient content knowledge
is a prerequisite to insightful formative assessment. In other words, if
I do not understand the knowledge underpinning the division of
fractions, for instance, it seems it would be difficult to assess
learner knowledge and to develop appropriate instructional responses.

Tricia Donovan

SABES "Training Leaders in Adult Basic Education"

Tricia Donovan, Ed.D.
SABES CRC
World Education
44 Farnsworth St.
Boston, MA 02210
617-482-9485 x3785
Fax 617-482-0617

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From comingjo at gse.harvard.edu  Wed Feb 27 09:01:09 2008
From: comingjo at gse.harvard.edu (John Comings)
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 09:01:09 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 783] Re: Formative assessment in adult foundation
	skills
In-Reply-To: <d52.259c566c.34f5b35c@aol.com>
References: <d52.259c566c.34f5b35c@aol.com>
Message-ID: <web-84491705@gse.harvard.edu>

John Vorhaus has covered the England case well. I'll add my personal observations.

When I was in England, I visted good programs and good teachers. They did complain about the time 
needed to follow the structured formative assessment. However, the formative assessmnet procedures 
ensured that teachers had an opportunity to assess the learning progress and needs of each student 
and to learn ways to contextualize instruction around the real and immediate demands for literacy 
and numeracy skills in the lives of students. The teachers I visited could and would have employed 
formative assessment without the mandated procedures, but less experienced teacher might benefit 
from the procedures. I thought it might be better to begin with mandaded procedures and then allow 
teachers to drop some or all of the procedures once they had integrated fomrative assessment into 
their practice.
John Comings
National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy
Harvard Graduate School of Education
7 Appian Way
Cambridge MA 02138
(617) 496-0516, voice
(617) 495-4811, fax
(617) 335-9839, mobile
john_comings at harvard.edu
http://ncsall.gse.harvard.edu

From comingjo at gse.harvard.edu  Wed Feb 27 09:11:24 2008
From: comingjo at gse.harvard.edu (John Comings)
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 09:11:24 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 784] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller
 classsizes	'not cost effective
In-Reply-To: <00a701c878fa$984c6640$0c00a8c0@critical1>
References: <00a701c878fa$984c6640$0c00a8c0@critical1>
Message-ID: <web-84492090@gse.harvard.edu>

Although there is no research that sets an optimal size for classes, research in
the K?12 system in the US has confirmed that smaller classes lead to greater student achievement
(Folger & Breda, 1989), though Grissmer (1999) and Slavin (1989) suggest that teacher
competence is more important. Students, therefore, may do better in a large class with a
well-trained teacher than in a small class with a poorly trained teacher. In a review of the
research on class size reduction, Buckingham (2003) concludes that, while there are
several studies that report a strong relationship between learning and class size, many of
these studies reveal methodological weaknesses (e.g., insufficient randomization, lack of
independent evaluations) that make their findings less than conclusive. Moreover,
Buckingham (2003) argues that, in the absence of consistent and convincing findings, the
reduction of class sizes from 25 to 20 students may not be worth the cost to public
schools. She points out, ?Research tells us that effective teaching is much more important
than the number of children in the classroom. It is therefore much wiser to invest in the
quality of teachers, rather than quantity? (p. 15).

Buckingham, J. (2003). Reflections on class size and teacher quality. Issue Analysis, 29A.
Retrieved February 24, 2006, from:
http://www.cis.org.au/IssueAnalysis/ia29a/IA29a.htm
Folger, J., & Breda, C. (1989). Evidence for Project STAR about class size and student
achievement. Peabody Journal of Education, 67(1), 17?33.
Grissmer, D. (1999). Conclusion?Class size effects: Assessing the evidence, its policy
implications, and future research agenda. Educational Evaluation and Policy
Analysis, 21(2), 231?248.
Slavin, R. E. (1989). Achievement effects of substantial reductions in class size. In R.
Slavin (Ed.), School and classroom organization (pp. 247?257). Hillsdale, NJ:
Erlbaum.

On Wed, 27 Feb 2008 17:38:26 +1300
  "John Benseman" <john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz> wrote:
> I don?t know the specific words that Dylan Wiliam uses about class size, but
> I am guessing that what he says is that there is no authoritative research
> that shows that class size is irrefutably related to student learning. This
> is not to say that class size doesn?t matter, it merely says that the
> research over many 100s of studies is inconclusive to date.
> 
> 
> 
> As I am sure that the great majority of people on this listserv will attest,
> we all feel intuitively that class size DOES matter ? it?s just that there
> is no research to back this conclusion. The jury, so to speak, is still out
> on this dimension of teaching (as it is in many other areas).
> 
> 
> 
> The second point re saying that ?praise hurts students?: I couldn?t find the
> specific reference, but again interpreting what I think Wiliam would say is
> something along the lines of: just praising students for the sake of
> praising does them little good. What is needed however is clear and
> realistic feedback on where they are at in their learning. If that comes
> with a dollop of praise, then that?s great, but praise per se is not
> sufficient.
> 
> 
> 
> I think that we can fall in to a trap of thinking that learners invariably
> want/need support (which they do at times), but they also need to be
> challenged, which means that we need to give them realistic feedback on how
> they are progressing (or not).
> 
> 
> 
> Regards, John
> 
> 
> 
> PS I am not a paid servant of Dylan Wiliam, but I am a fan of his research

> 
> 
> 
> John Benseman
> 
> *   john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz
> 
> *   641 9 627 1882  Cell  027 454 0683
> 
> * 52a Bolton St, Blockhouse Bay, Auckland 0600, NZ
> 
>  _____  
> 
>From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
> On Behalf Of Bruce C
> Sent: Wednesday, 27 February 2008 11:29 a.m.
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 777] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes
> 'not cost effective
> 
> 
> 
> Regarding small class size....
> 
> 
> 
> Excuse my language, but regarding the comments of regarding class size
> attributed to Prof Dylan Wiliam, Deputy Director and Professor of
> Educational Assessment at the Institute of Education, University of London,
> I say ...
> 
> 
> 
> "BALDERDASH!!! and HOGWASH!!!!" 
> 
> 
> 
> I can't believe anyone who has been a teacher would ever say "...as long as
> pupils are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is
> generally possible with a class of 30." 
> 
> 
> 
> Maybe this was taken out of context. Prof. Wiliam (yes it's only one "L"--I
> checked.) says some interesting things about formative assessment and
> personalized learning on this "Learning About Learning" website: 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdylanw
> iliam.asp
> 
> 
> 
> He does say a few wacky things--like that praise hurts students. 
> 
> 
> 
> Prof. Wil.i.am. says that formative assessment "encourages teachers to take
> constant readings about where students are." He says it's important to do
> this "minute by minute, day by day."  That's why I can't believe this dude
> really thinks that class size doesn't matter. I think a teacher with 20
> students in his/her class can get a better sense of where everyone is than a
> teacher with 30 students. 
> 
> 
> Sure there may be things we can do that are cheaper than reducing class
> size...
> 
> 
> 
> But so what?
> 
> 
> 
> If that is how we define "cost effectiveness" why not TRIPLE class size and
> save tons of money? 
> 
> 
> 
> You get my point, right? 
> 
> 
> 
> from Bruce Carmel
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of 
> the Institute of Education says, 
> 
> 
> <http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdylan
> wiliam.asp>  
> 
> 
> "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net> wrote:
> 
> Colleagues,
> 
> Tom Sticht spotted this on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site and sent 
> it for our formative assessment discussion.
> 
> -------
> Note from Tom Sticht:
> 
> This article about formative assessment appears in todays (2/25/08 
> Education Guardian online.
> -------
> 
> To see this story with its related links on the 
> EducationGuardian.co.uk site, go to http://education.guardian.co.uk
> 
> Smaller class sizes 'not cost effective'
> Anthea Lipsett
> Monday February 25 2008
> The Guardian
> 
> Reducing school class sizes in an attempt to raise pupil achievement 
> is a waste of money for all but the youngest children, one of the 
> country's leading experts on assessment said today.
> 
> Cutting class size by 30% gives children the equivalent of four extra 
> months of learning a year, but costs around ?20,000 for each 
> class every year, according to Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of 
> the Institute of Education.
> 
> He said the more effective method of "formative assessment" - where 
> teachers monitor their pupils' progress continuously and provide 
> appropriate feedback - could provide eight extra months of 
> educational development for only ?2,000 per classroom per year.
> 
> "It can therefore be 20 times as cost-effective as reducing class 
> size in terms of pupil achievement," he told the annual Chartered 
> London Teachers Conference today.
> 
> "Smaller classes do confer a benefit if pupils are unruly, because 
> fewer pupils in a class means less disruption. But as long as pupils 
> are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is 
> generally possible with a class of 30.
> 
> "Smaller classes can also be more cost-effective for five to seven- 
> year-olds, but research suggests the class size needs to be reduced 
> to 15 or less," he said.
> 
> Wiliam added that investments in information communication technology 
> have also shown a poor return. But international studies have 
> confirmed that formative assessment can double the speed of pupil 
> learning.
> 
> Some teachers use a "traffic light" system and ask pupils to hold up 
> different coloured cards to show whether they have understood what 
> they have been told. Red means "no", amber means "partly", and green 
> "yes". Pupils are also encouraged to evaluate their own work and 
> advise their classmates on how they can improve.
> 
> The English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish education departments 
> have all provided varying degrees of backing for formative assessment.
> 
> After three years of research in both the UK and the US, Wiliam 
> concluded that the approach would only take off properly if teachers 
> work together in school-based groups to refine their classroom methods.
> 
> Wiliam and his co-researchers found that groups of eight to 10 
> teachers who meet once a month for at least two years can be most 
> effective. "It takes time to change teachers' ways of working, 
> particularly if they have been in the classroom for many years," said 
> Wiliam. "Simply telling teachers what to do doesn't work."
> 
> "For example, most teachers have heard about research from the 1980s 
> which shows that if they wait three to five seconds after asking a 
> question their pupils' performance improves because they have been 
> given some time to think.
> 
> "Even so, many teachers are still allowing less than a second for 
> pupils to respond. The conclusion we can draw from that is that 
> knowing what to do is the easy part of teaching. Actually doing it is 
> what's hard."
> 
> Wiliam told EducationGuardian.co.uk that teacher quality was key to 
> any improvements.
> 
> "To reduce class size from 30 to 20 would need 150,000 more teachers 
> and that would dilute the quality of teachers," he said.
> 
> "We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the classroom 
> and we need to get better teachers into the profession."
> 
> Martin Johnson, acting deputy general secretary of the Association of 
> Teachers and Lecturers, said the research should encourage the 
> government to "put its money where its mouth is".
> 
> "Staff need to work together to learn how to teach more effectively, 
> but schools will need more resources to do this. [Wiliam] reminds us 
> that this would be very cost-effective.
> 
> "Schools have benefited hugely over the last decade from having more 
> classroom based staff but much more training is needed to make their 
> deployment fully effective.
> 
> "And while the government says it encourages assessment for learning, 
> its testing policies have stolen teachers' self-confidence so new 
> training must be provided and resourced.
> 
> "School staff desperately need a contractual entitlement to training 
> which meets their individual needs."
> 
> Copyright Guardian News and Media Limited
> 
> 
> 
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at comcast.net
> 
> 
> 
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to bcarmel at rocketmail.com
> 
> 
> 
>  
> 
>  _____  
> 
> Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo
> <http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=51438/*http:/www.yahoo.com/r/hs>  your homepage.
> 
> 

John Comings
National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy
Harvard Graduate School of Education
7 Appian Way
Cambridge MA 02138
(617) 496-0516, voice
(617) 495-4811, fax
(617) 335-9839, mobile
john_comings at harvard.edu
http://ncsall.gse.harvard.edu

From Matt.Davis at cityofbristol.ac.uk  Wed Feb 27 05:05:47 2008
From: Matt.Davis at cityofbristol.ac.uk (Matt Davis)
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 10:05:47 +0000
Subject: [SpecialTopics 785] Re: Formative assessment in
	adult	foundationskills in England
In-Reply-To: <BLU129-DAV6AEFA681FE041CF539DD8CC190@phx.gbl>
References: <FAD11274-766F-4C4F-890A-1D2E68A3F01C@comcast.net><949E22B7BCCFF2408271BAAA8166BF07033F2452@M3.ioead>
	<3ADC3456-97A0-40E3-99C5-9E14F6F6A777@comcast.net>
	<BLU129-DAV6AEFA681FE041CF539DD8CC190@phx.gbl>
Message-ID: <47C535FA.9039.005C.0@cityofbristol.ac.uk>

Hi,
 
I've just finished being an ESOL teacher, but suspect I could have kept going for longer if it hadn't been for Individual Learning Plans! It's interesting to see that Cheryl has developed her own method for 'coping' with these; I wonder if this was a personal strategy or an institutional one? I've discussed ILPs at length with lots of ESOL practitioners, and been responsible for verifying the use of them by a team of teachers, and I've yet to see an example of their use as genuine formative assessment.
 
Firstly, most seem to be written by the teachers with little involvement from the student. This is often accounted for by limited language skills, but equally the culture of ILPs is pretty unfathomable to many of the learners. Further to this, the requirement to translate what the learner wants into a SMART goal is pretty demanding for trained, professional native-speakers, so what goes on the form will always be removed from the original intention to some degree. 
 
Secondly, focussing on individual needs within a communal, class-focussed teaching environment seems destined to fail. Either individual learners are given the time to focus on their exclusive needs (impractical) or teachers offer goals which are subsets of the wider group aims, leading to a situation where learners sign an ILP to say that they intend to learn a particular part of the content of the course 'better' than the rest. Many tutors offer the learners a list of goals which are tangentially connected with the plan for that term, which are selected then 'achieved' as a separate strand to the course, but basically assessed summatively.
 
Thirdly, as Cheryl implied, the time pressures of Skills for Life (the current government agenda which covers ESOL, Literacy and Numeracy in the UK) admin are immense. There simply isn't any time to review, comment meaningfully or do any of the other things which make formative assessment effective. 
 
Finally, most teachers are familiar enough with either language acquisition theory or the experience of language learning to know that the synthetic, bricks in a wall view of language learning implicit to ILPs just isn't right. You can't 'achieve' an aspect of language at the end of a term.
 
Phew! Purgative. 
 
 
 
 
Matt Davis
Research and Development Manager
City of Bristol College
Bedminster (1.37)
0117 312 5557
07739 863 450

>>> "Cheryl Thornett" <cherylthornett at hotmail.com> 26/02/2008 21:20 >>>

Hi,
I?m coming at this from the perspective of an ESOL tutor in adult education. Being called a tutor mainly means being paid less, I?m afraid.
The specialists have made some really good points. Formative assessment is definitely a valuable part of teaching, but too many recording systems take far too much of limited teaching time. 
Imagine, four hours per week, 12 or more regular attendees plus the irregulars*I do need to teach, as well as record targets and attainments. (And yes, I know half of you are rolling your eyes and saying ?Four whole hours? Not even 20 in the class??) 
One of the problems for language teachers and learners is that typically, a person learning another language may find it extremely hard to reflect on their needs and learning, never mind put these into the language they are learning and an unfamiliar set of terminology. Assessment activities need to be meaningful to the student.
I keep a simple grid on the back of my lesson plans, with the main targets for each lesson and the names of the students. This gives me a quick-and-dirty record of who has actually done a particular piece of work and usually includes a simple check or cross to show whether each managed at the expected level. I can, if necessary, look back over these to get a picture of missed lessons, or indications that someone is struggling or sailing through. 
Our system requires that students write a short record and possibly a comment at the end of each lesson, which we usually manage to do, and I try to read these at intervals.
I generally comment informally when an activity shows real improvement, say, in asking questions or putting words in alphabetical order. This is pretty normal classroom practice, of course. I also, since I teach ESOL, ask students to give a short talk in class at fairly regular intervals and to write something such as a letter or report, based on our work for that period, and also reflecting the formal exams which they have to take at some stage. I give brief individual feedback on these as soon as possible, as well as making more copious notes, and the feedback and notes reflect individual needs and progress. I mainly teach multi-level classes, and I find this works well, because students can participate at their own level, or I can set different tasks. Before Christmas, for example, I asked L1/L2 students to give an account (2-3 minutes) of how to do something, with about a week to prepare, and I asked them to write a formal letter, the topic taken from past exam papers. We had worked as a group on various aspects of formal letters and on language suitable for explaining or giving instructions, among other areas. The lower level students wrote a letter asking for help and advice, while the higher level students wrote letters of complaint.
At the end of the first two terms of the year (3 terms in total), I interview each student (5-10 minutes usually) and we discuss the student?s learning plan, how well they feel they have done and how well I feel they have done, taking the assessment tasks into account, along with class work. This is our formal, required formative review, and I base the next set of Individual Learning Plans on this. There are some generic questions to answer such as ?What have you achieved? What has been difficult? What do you need to do next?. If students have moderate English literacy (certainly E3 and up), I ask them to write the answers in their own words after our discussion. We do not have time for individual tutorials outside class hours.
I have noticed that many commercial textbooks and some public materials now include regular test-type activities, which may be called review, ?check your learning?, ?what can you do now?? or something similar. I find that learners actually appreciate these, once they feel confident that they are not really tests with grades, because it gives them a sense of ongoing progress. I like them, if well-designed, for the same reason. While these are not individuated, they can still show the individual?s strengths or weaknesses. They aren?t all just tests of grammar, either.
And now, back to marking class work....
Cheryl Thornett
ESOL tutor
Birmingham (UK) Adult Education
 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net>
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 12:32 PM
Subject: [SpecialTopics 763] Re: Formative assessment in adult foundationskills in England

John Vorhaus, and other English Colleagues,

One question that many U.S. teachers will have, I am sure, is how do  
tutors (teachers) cope with all the time required for summative  
assessments and reporting, and still manage time for formative  
assessment.  Is this a problem in England, or not? If it is, how do  
tutors do it?

Another question,  for all of our guests: from a professional  
development point of view, do you find that tutors who do formative  
assessment well have had a lot of experience and training? Do they  
tend to be full-time, and/or older? To what extent can good formative  
assessment practices be learned in professional development and  
practiced well by relatively new teachers?

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net 

On Feb 26, 2008, at 5:38 AM, John Vorhaus wrote:

> Dear Colleagues,
>
> Having given some of the background to adult basic skills in  
> England, here are a few words on the English case studies. At this  
> stage I have included only a general introduction and some thoughts  
> about the strengths and weaknesses of the formative assessment  
> practices observed. John may want to add to this, and I think he  
> may want to give details of each of the three sites visited. (If  
> not, I will later on today.)
>
> I am sure my three English colleagues will want to make contributions.
>
> Nomenclature
>
> Before I begin a word about nomenclature. In our case study report,  
> and below for ease of reference, we refer to 'adult basic skills'.  
> But:
>
> 1. 'Basic' has connotations many of us are unhappy with. One  
> alternative is 'adult literacy, language and numeracy'.
> 2. As Jan Eldred and others repeatedly and rightly say, the  
> differences between each of these three are so significant as to  
> raise the question whether we should treat them under a single  
> rubric. That is relevant to this discussion because we can't assume  
> that formative assessment practices found to be successful in a  
> literacy context will also or equally be found to be successful in  
> a numeracy context. Which takes us on to the question how far the  
> success of formative assessment practices are dependent on context.
>
> The Case Studies
>
> Three adult basic skills programmes were the subjects of the case  
> studies.  One is in London; one in the city of York (200 miles  
> north of London), and one is in the London Borough of Croydon (10  
> miles south of the centre of London). These three sites were picked  
> as exemplary programs by the England-based author. The choice of  
> these three programmes was based, in part, on the personal  
> experience of the author, but his selection was checked with others  
> who have a wide experience of programmes in England.  The choice  
> also was influenced by a desire to have a range of different types  
> of programmes and to have programmes that could be visited within a  
> limited time period.
>
> All of the programs provided inspection reports from the last visit  
> of teams from the Adult Learning Inspectorate (ALI). All three ALI  
> reports were positive.  Both instruction and management received a  
> positive rating on the ALI scale, usually receiving one of the top  
> two grades.  Programme leaders suggested two reasons why their  
> programmes were able to achieve and maintain a level of instruction  
> that would lead to being chosen as an exemplary programme. The  
> first was the quality of their teachers, and the second was their  
> staff?s regular reflection focused on programme improvement.
>
> Since these were all exemplary programmes, we asked the Heads of  
> Department at each of the 3 sites about the factors that most  
> support good teaching and learning. Whilst there was not a  
> consensus, there was broad agreement that each of the following  
> were important, and in roughly this order:
>
> Well qualified, committed and enthusiastic tutors; staff with  
> substantial hours who are willing to attend meetings, training and  
> to generally ?go the extra mile?
> Regular feedback and reviews of learner progress
> Opportunities for continuing professional development
> Good resources, including e-learning resources; activities and  
> resources of interest and relevance to the learner
>
> The influence of these factors on good teaching and learning will  
> depend in part on the value each learner places on them. But  
> respondents agreed that well qualified, committed and enthusiastic  
> tutors help motivate and stimulate learners, inspiring them to do  
> their very best and helping them to overcome often long held  
> barriers to learning and personal success. Regular feedback and  
> reviews of learner progress are also extremely important, for this  
> is how learners will know whether they are heading in the right  
> direction. Constructive feedback is also invaluable at points when  
> learners are beginning to struggle, not only for the direct  
> assistance that the tutor is able to provide but also because  
> constructive on-going assessment promotes learners? motivation and  
> persistence. Formative assessment also provides an opportunity for  
> the tutors themselves to receive feedback on the teaching and  
> learning process, identifying changes that need to be made.
>
> Respondents agreed that activities and resources that are of  
> interest and relevance to the learner help engage the learner,  
> maintaining motivation and supporting the natural learning process.  
> Finally, there was general agreement that levels of funding and  
> frequent redefining of priorities are the factors that most  
> threaten good Skills for Life teaching and learning, together with  
> an increasing administrative burden.
>
> Because of the national character of the system, initial  
> assessment, instruction, formative assessment, and summative  
> assessment look similar in all three.  However, they are by no  
> means the same. Each programme uses different types of assessment;  
> teachers draw on their experience and training as well as their  
> knowledge of their learners to design courses and teaching  
> strategies that work best in their context; and learners have a  
> range of summative tests they can take to secure the same  
> qualification. In addition, different types of institutions  
> (nonprofit, further education college, and local government  
> programme) are featured in our case studies and different types of  
> classes (ESOL, numeracy, and adult literacy) were observed at each  
> site.
>
>
> Some strengths and weakness: observations
>
> Strengths
>
> A focus on small increments of learning * something that is  
> manageable for learners who may otherwise be overwhelmed by the  
> demands of a course.
> Learners and teachers are encouraged to reflect and modify learning  
> goals and aspirations.
> Formative assessment encourages teachers to support learners, and  
> to assist learners in learning how to learn.
> Teachers are able to bring their own experience and training to the  
> learning process.
> Formative assessment encourages dialogue between teacher and  
> learner, and amongst learners.
> Teachers are encouraged to understand how learners learn best, and  
> at what rate.
>
> Weaknesses
>
> The amount of time taken up in recording the process, time taken  
> away from instruction.
> Whilst formative assessment procedures are supportive of learning,  
> if a class meets two hours per week for 12 weeks, and a learner has  
> missed two classes, the total time-on-task is only 20 hours. Even  
> an hour taken out of this time could affect learning.
> Each formative assessment task, therefore, should be justified by  
> evidence that it is supportive to learning.  The time required of  
> tutors by the writing up of formative assessment activities takes  
> away from their preparation for instruction. This time should be  
> justified by its impact on learning.
>
> Comment
>
> A few further thoughts, which go beyond evidence from the case  
> studies themselves, and beyond, perhaps, what John C would want to  
> say.
>
> 1. The weaknesses observed above might be said to lie not in the  
> formative assessment process per se, but in the (chosen means of)  
> writing it up. But it is not easy to think of far less labour  
> intensive alternatives, once they become embedded in an  
> institutional system. Some form of authoritative report seems  
> necessary to meet even minimal demands of accountability. This  
> takes us onto the terrain of professional judgement, and reliance  
> on that, and also onto questions about accountability systems. I'm  
> sure Jay Derrick will want to come in here.
>
> 2. One theme which Kathryn Ecclestone has brought to our attention  
> is the relation between assessment and personal autonomy: how far  
> do formative assessment practices contribute to the development of  
> the personal autonomy of the learner, encouraging her to take  
> responsibility for her learning, to understand how she learns and  
> how she is most likely to progress? And how far might the outcome  
> only serve to inhibit or neglect autonomy, perhaps because  
> formative assessment is inexpertly practiced, or because these  
> practices are adhered to only mechanically, or because the  
> interests of formative assessment become subverted to the demands  
> of summative assessment?
>
> 3.  I think David is right to raise the question how far formative  
> assessment can be disentangled from the practices that make up good  
> teaching generally. Many items listed under 'strengths' would  
> appear in any initial teacher training programme. I think there is  
> truth in what John B says, that formative assessment is partly to  
> be characterised by reference to attitude: by the attitude of  
> looking at the teaching and learning process from the learners'  
> point of view, of drawing attention to how the learner is  
> progressing, and giving priority to how best to support her. But I  
> can hear teacher trainers say - and I have! - that ' we do all of  
> that anyway'. Perhaps much (not all) of what is new is less at the  
> level of general principle and more in the details we are  
> uncovering about how best to apply those principles in particular  
> contexts.  But I expect Kathryn will want to disagree with that?
>
> More soon.
>
> John Vorhaus
>
>
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov 
> > [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
> > Sent: 26 February 2008 06:00
> > To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
> > Subject: [SpecialTopics 759] Formative assessment in adult
> > foundation skillsin England
> >
> > Colleagues,
> >
> > Although Janet Looney will still be answering the (very many)
> > questions I asked, and other questions from discussion
> > participants, let's also move on to the first set of case
> > studies, from England. I have asked John Vorhaus and John
> > Comings if they could:
> >
> > 1. give a short overview of the national adult basic skills
> > context in England, particularly noting any features or terms
> > of the context that may be unfamiliar to a U.S. audience and
> > that are important to understand the case studies;
> >
> > 2. describe the three case studies; and
> >
> > 3. describe what are the most interesting, significant
> > findings and also explain how the case studies might be a
> > good example of formative assessment.
> >
> > It would be helpful if, in describing teacher formative
> > assessment practices in England, you could describe or give
> > examples of what goes beyond usual good practice in teaching
> > and learning, what, in particular, is good practice in
> > formative assessment. That is, some may wonder if formative
> > assessment is just a different name for good teaching? Is it
> > really something new? Is it really a discrete set of
> > practices? If, as Black and Wiliam's research shows, it makes
> > a difference in students' learning in elementary and
> > secondary education, what about formative assessment makes
> > that difference? Why is formative assessment such a powerful
> > set of strategies, so effective?  I believe that some of our
> > subscribers are still trying to understand of these issues;
> > perhaps the case studies in England might shed some light on them.
> >
> > David J. Rosen
> > Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> > djrosen at comcast.net 
> >
> >
> >
> > -------------------------------
> > National Institute for Literacy
> > Special Topics mailing list
> > SpecialTopics at nifl.gov 
> > To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please
> > go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics 
> > Email delivered to j.vorhaus at ioe.ac.uk 
> >
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov 
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to  
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics 
> Email delivered to djrosen at comcast.net 

-------------------------------
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From djrosen at comcast.net  Wed Feb 27 09:32:34 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 09:32:34 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 786] Re: Formative assessment in adult foundation
	skills in England
Message-ID: <38C3C2E3-8A3D-4846-A95B-E528136EABD5@comcast.net>

Forwarded to the discussion list for Kathryn Ecclestone.

From: "kathryn ecclestone" <kecclestone at brookes.ac.uk>
Date: February 27, 2008 6:56:29 AM EST
To: "John Vorhaus" <J.Vorhaus at ioe.ac.uk>
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 759] Formative assessment in adult  
foundation skills in England

Dear Colleagues

I'm not sure the best way for me to engage in the debate here, other  
than
to observe initially that formal procedures for formative assessment do
not comprise best practice, necessarily.... we need to explore how
formative assessment might be embedded in teaching (tho not in the
complacent 'we do this anyway' response that this claim often gets), or
adopted as special techniques or approaches within and outside  
'teaching'
and pressed on teachers and students as formal procedures which can  
sound
formative but actually not be so.

The cases from the IFA project shed light on these points and draw out
some important distinctions between the rhetoric of formative assessment
and the reality of observed practices, between instrumental and more
sustainable, or deeper, approaches and between formative assessment as
discernible methods or techniques and assessment as part of everyday
teaching and dialogue with students.

Kathryn

From tmechem at doe.mass.edu  Wed Feb 27 09:00:01 2008
From: tmechem at doe.mass.edu (Mechem, Thompson)
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 09:00:01 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 787] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller
	classsizes'not cost effective (Tom Mechem)
In-Reply-To: <00a701c878fa$984c6640$0c00a8c0@critical1>
Message-ID: <29CFEE83EDF92741BF0ED3F5D9BC7E876A4CD8@exchange2.doe.mass.edu>

If we all waited until we could prove everything in a court of law, we'd be even more doomed than we are presently. There's no question that smaller classes are needed for effective teaching and learning---just ask the teachers and just ask the students. Would R. Walker Willingham pay $30,000 a year to send his 14-year-old daughter Tiffany to St. Grottlesex if her European History class had 30 students instead of 12?
 
The point about praise is a tricky one. Certainly it doesn't do any good to tell someone she's smart if she doesn't believe it herself: you will only lose all credibility and trust. Yet our students need to know that we believe in them. It's like the advice we give parents: it's not enough to love your kids; they have to know that you love them. (Another untestable value of high literacy: you can get your point across.) It's not enough to believe in your students; they have to know you believe in them. However, as a wise man once said, "Self-confidence is bred of demonstrated ability." We can't just tell people they're smart; we have to create the educational environment by which they can come to know it for themselves. That's one of the intangible great things about the GED diploma: earning it proves to the student that she is smart. Though there are still lingering numbers of nattering nabobs of negativity who doubt the value of the GED process and the credential, one group that has no doubts are the students themselves.
 
Keep on rockin' in the free world (if there still is such a place).
 
 
Tom Mechem
GED State Chief Examiner
Massachusetts Department of Education
781-338-6621
"GED to Ph.D."

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]On Behalf Of John Benseman
Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 11:38 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 779] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes'not cost effective

I don't know the specific words that Dylan Wiliam uses about class size, but I am guessing that what he says is that there is no authoritative research that shows that class size is irrefutably related to student learning. This is not to say that class size doesn't matter, it merely says that the research over many 100s of studies is inconclusive to date.

 

As I am sure that the great majority of people on this listserv will attest, we all feel intuitively that class size DOES matter - it's just that there is no research to back this conclusion. The jury, so to speak, is still out on this dimension of teaching (as it is in many other areas).

 

The second point re saying that 'praise hurts students': I couldn't find the specific reference, but again interpreting what I think Wiliam would say is something along the lines of: just praising students for the sake of praising does them little good. What is needed however is clear and realistic feedback on where they are at in their learning. If that comes with a dollop of praise, then that's great, but praise per se is not sufficient.

 

I think that we can fall in to a trap of thinking that learners invariably want/need support (which they do at times), but they also need to be challenged, which means that we need to give them realistic feedback on how they are progressing (or not).

 

Regards, John

 

PS I am not a paid servant of Dylan Wiliam, but I am a fan of his research...

 

John Benseman

*   john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz

*   641 9 627 1882  Cell  027 454 0683

* 52a Bolton St, Blockhouse Bay, Auckland 0600, NZ

  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Bruce C
Sent: Wednesday, 27 February 2008 11:29 a.m.
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 777] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes 'not cost effective

 

Regarding small class size....

 

Excuse my language, but regarding the comments of regarding class size attributed to Prof Dylan Wiliam, Deputy Director and Professor of Educational Assessment at the Institute of Education, University of London, I say ...

 

"BALDERDASH!!! and HOGWASH!!!!" 

 

I can't believe anyone who has been a teacher would ever say "...as long as pupils are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is generally possible with a class of 30." 

 

Maybe this was taken out of context. Prof. Wiliam (yes it's only one "L"--I checked.) says some interesting things about formative assessment and personalized learning on this "Learning About Learning" website: 

 

http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdylanwiliam.asp

 

He does say a few wacky things--like that praise hurts students. 

 

Prof. Wil.i.am. says that formative assessment "encourages teachers to take constant readings about where students are." He says it's important to do this "minute by minute, day by day."  That's why I can't believe this dude really thinks that class size doesn't matter. I think a teacher with 20 students in his/her class can get a better sense of where everyone is than a teacher with 30 students. 

Sure there may be things we can do that are cheaper than reducing class size...

 

But so what?

 

If that is how we define "cost effectiveness" why not TRIPLE class size and save tons of money? 

 

You get my point, right? 

 

from Bruce Carmel

 

 

 

 

 

Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of 
the Institute of Education says, 

 <http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdylanwiliam.asp>  

"David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net> wrote:

Colleagues,

Tom Sticht spotted this on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site and sent 
it for our formative assessment discussion.

-------
Note from Tom Sticht:

This article about formative assessment appears in todays (2/25/08 
Education Guardian online.
-------

To see this story with its related links on the 
EducationGuardian.co.uk site, go to http://education.guardian.co.uk

Smaller class sizes 'not cost effective'
Anthea Lipsett
Monday February 25 2008
The Guardian

Reducing school class sizes in an attempt to raise pupil achievement 
is a waste of money for all but the youngest children, one of the 
country's leading experts on assessment said today.

Cutting class size by 30% gives children the equivalent of four extra 
months of learning a year, but costs around ?20,000 for each 
class every year, according to Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of 
the Institute of Education.

He said the more effective method of "formative assessment" - where 
teachers monitor their pupils' progress continuously and provide 
appropriate feedback - could provide eight extra months of 
educational development for only ?2,000 per classroom per year.

"It can therefore be 20 times as cost-effective as reducing class 
size in terms of pupil achievement," he told the annual Chartered 
London Teachers Conference today.

"Smaller classes do confer a benefit if pupils are unruly, because 
fewer pupils in a class means less disruption. But as long as pupils 
are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is 
generally possible with a class of 30.

"Smaller classes can also be more cost-effective for five to seven- 
year-olds, but research suggests the class size needs to be reduced 
to 15 or less," he said.

Wiliam added that investments in information communication technology 
have also shown a poor return. But international studies have 
confirmed that formative assessment can double the speed of pupil 
learning.

Some teachers use a "traffic light" system and ask pupils to hold up 
different coloured cards to show whether they have understood what 
they have been told. Red means "no", amber means "partly", and green 
"yes". Pupils are also encouraged to evaluate their own work and 
advise their classmates on how they can improve.

The English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish education departments 
have all provided varying degrees of backing for formative assessment.

After three years of research in both the UK and the US, Wiliam 
concluded that the approach would only take off properly if teachers 
work together in school-based groups to refine their classroom methods.

Wiliam and his co-researchers found that groups of eight to 10 
teachers who meet once a month for at least two years can be most 
effective. "It takes time to change teachers' ways of working, 
particularly if they have been in the classroom for many years," said 
Wiliam. "Simply telling teachers what to do doesn't work."

"For example, most teachers have heard about research from the 1980s 
which shows that if they wait three to five seconds after asking a 
question their pupils' performance improves because they have been 
given some time to think.

"Even so, many teachers are still allowing less than a second for 
pupils to respond. The conclusion we can draw from that is that 
knowing what to do is the easy part of teaching. Actually doing it is 
what's hard."

Wiliam told EducationGuardian.co.uk that teacher quality was key to 
any improvements.

"To reduce class size from 30 to 20 would need 150,000 more teachers 
and that would dilute the quality of teachers," he said.

"We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the classroom 
and we need to get better teachers into the profession."

Martin Johnson, acting deputy general secretary of the Association of 
Teachers and Lecturers, said the research should encourage the 
government to "put its money where its mouth is".

"Staff need to work together to learn how to teach more effectively, 
but schools will need more resources to do this. [Wiliam] reminds us 
that this would be very cost-effective.

"Schools have benefited hugely over the last decade from having more 
classroom based staff but much more training is needed to make their 
deployment fully effective.

"And while the government says it encourages assessment for learning, 
its testing policies have stolen teachers' self-confidence so new 
training must be provided and resourced.

"School staff desperately need a contractual entitlement to training 
which meets their individual needs."

Copyright Guardian News and Media Limited

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to bcarmel at rocketmail.com

 

  

  _____  

Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo  <http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=51438/*http:/www.yahoo.com/r/hs> your homepage. 

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From mschnec at localnet.com  Wed Feb 27 09:02:54 2008
From: mschnec at localnet.com (mary)
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 09:02:54 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 788] Re: Smaller classsizes
References: <419719.69859.qm@web37902.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <003d01c87949$7364d2a0$3558ca42@mschneckenburger>

I think Dylan Wiliam's point boiled down to "If you only have X dollars to spend you should spend them on getting formative assessment in the classroom because when compared to other reforms/improvements (which presumably included class size although I don't know that for a fact) formative assessment techniques made the biggest most powerful difference regardless of level or country when you compared statistics from many dozens of studies.

We all want smaller classes but if you can't afford both, do formative assessment first. It is possible to have a smaller class and not do formative assessment which then will not help those struggling students who most benefit from it. 

Regarding praise, there is good praise and bad praise.This is not a black white or intuitive issue. The North American formative assessment expert Anne Davies whose work I HIGHLY recommend, shows ways to give helpful praise. If you just say, "Great job" the student doesn't know necessarily what was great about it so as to be able to replicate it and additionally, sometimes students disbelieve such comments. Thus formative assessment experts say praise needs to be specific, like "I see you answered every question!" or whatever. 

For more on how praise can be problematic or even damaging, read "Punished by Rewards" by Alfie Kohn. 

 

Mary Schneckenburger

Program Coordinator

Literacy Volunteers-Androscoggin

60 Court St., Auburn, ME 04210

207 333 6601 X 1323

mschnec at juno.com

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Bruce C 
  To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
  Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 5:29 PM
  Subject: [SpecialTopics 777] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes 'not cost effective

  Regarding small class size....

  Excuse my language, but regarding the comments of regarding class size attributed to Prof Dylan Wiliam, Deputy Director and Professor of Educational Assessment at the Institute of Education, University of London, I say ...

  "BALDERDASH!!! and HOGWASH!!!!" 

  I can't believe anyone who has been a teacher would ever say "...as long as pupils are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is generally possible with a class of 30." 

  Maybe this was taken out of context. Prof. Wiliam (yes it's only one "L"--I checked.) says some interesting things about formative assessment and personalized learning on this "Learning About Learning" website: 

  http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdylanwiliam.asp

  He does say a few wacky things--like that praise hurts students. 

  Prof. Wil.i.am. says that formative assessment "encourages teachers to take constant readings about where students are." He says it's important to do this "minute by minute, day by day."  That's why I can't believe this dude really thinks that class size doesn't matter. I think a teacher with 20 students in his/her class can get a better sense of where everyone is than a teacher with 30 students. 

  Sure there may be things we can do that are cheaper than reducing class size...

  But so what?

  If that is how we define "cost effectiveness" why not TRIPLE class size and save tons of money? 

  You get my point, right? 

  from Bruce Carmel

  Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of 
  the Institute of Education says, 

  "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net> wrote:
    Colleagues,

    Tom Sticht spotted this on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site and sent 
    it for our formative assessment discussion.

    -------
    Note from Tom Sticht:

    This article about formative assessment appears in todays (2/25/08 
    Education Guardian online.
    -------

    To see this story with its related links on the 
    EducationGuardian.co.uk site, go to http://education.guardian.co.uk

    Smaller class sizes 'not cost effective'
    Anthea Lipsett
    Monday February 25 2008
    The Guardian

    Reducing school class sizes in an attempt to raise pupil achievement 
    is a waste of money for all but the youngest children, one of the 
    country's leading experts on assessment said today.

    Cutting class size by 30% gives children the equivalent of four extra 
    months of learning a year, but costs around ?20,000 for each 
    class every year, according to Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of 
    the Institute of Education.

    He said the more effective method of "formative assessment" - where 
    teachers monitor their pupils' progress continuously and provide 
    appropriate feedback - could provide eight extra months of 
    educational development for only ?2,000 per classroom per year.

    "It can therefore be 20 times as cost-effective as reducing class 
    size in terms of pupil achievement," he told the annual Chartered 
    London Teachers Conference today.

    "Smaller classes do confer a benefit if pupils are unruly, because 
    fewer pupils in a class means less disruption. But as long as pupils 
    are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is 
    generally possible with a class of 30.

    "Smaller classes can also be more cost-effective for five to seven- 
    year-olds, but research suggests the class size needs to be reduced 
    to 15 or less," he said.

    Wiliam added that investments in information communication technology 
    have also shown a poor return. But international studies have 
    confirmed that formative assessment can double the speed of pupil 
    learning.

    Some teachers use a "traffic light" system and ask pupils to hold up 
    different coloured cards to show whether they have understood what 
    they have been told. Red means "no", amber means "partly", and green 
    "yes". Pupils are also encouraged to evaluate their own work and 
    advise their classmates on how they can improve.

    The English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish education departments 
    have all provided varying degrees of backing for formative assessment.

    After three years of research in both the UK and the US, Wiliam 
    concluded that the approach would only take off properly if teachers 
    work together in school-based groups to refine their classroom methods.

    Wiliam and his co-researchers found that groups of eight to 10 
    teachers who meet once a month for at least two years can be most 
    effective. "It takes time to change teachers' ways of working, 
    particularly if they have been in the classroom for many years," said 
    Wiliam. "Simply telling teachers what to do doesn't work."

    "For example, most teachers have heard about research from the 1980s 
    which shows that if they wait three to five seconds after asking a 
    question their pupils' performance improves because they have been 
    given some time to think.

    "Even so, many teachers are still allowing less than a second for 
    pupils to respond. The conclusion we can draw from that is that 
    knowing what to do is the easy part of teaching. Actually doing it is 
    what's hard."

    Wiliam told EducationGuardian.co.uk that teacher quality was key to 
    any improvements.

    "To reduce class size from 30 to 20 would need 150,000 more teachers 
    and that would dilute the quality of teachers," he said.

    "We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the classroom 
    and we need to get better teachers into the profession."

    Martin Johnson, acting deputy general secretary of the Association of 
    Teachers and Lecturers, said the research should encourage the 
    government to "put its money where its mouth is".

    "Staff need to work together to learn how to teach more effectively, 
    but schools will need more resources to do this. [Wiliam] reminds us 
    that this would be very cost-effective.

    "Schools have benefited hugely over the last decade from having more 
    classroom based staff but much more training is needed to make their 
    deployment fully effective.

    "And while the government says it encourages assessment for learning, 
    its testing policies have stolen teachers' self-confidence so new 
    training must be provided and resourced.

    "School staff desperately need a contractual entitlement to training 
    which meets their individual needs."

    Copyright Guardian News and Media Limited

    David J. Rosen
    Special Topics Discussion Moderator
    djrosen at comcast.net

    -------------------------------
    National Institute for Literacy
    Special Topics mailing list
    SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
    To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
    Email delivered to bcarmel at rocketmail.com

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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From grotlueschen at uni-bremen.de  Wed Feb 27 09:21:47 2008
From: grotlueschen at uni-bremen.de (=?iso-8859-1?Q?Anke_Grotl=FCschen?=)
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 15:21:47 +0100
Subject: [SpecialTopics 789]  praise & class size
In-Reply-To: <00a701c878fa$984c6640$0c00a8c0@critical1>
Message-ID: <20080227142159.30B791028B9@bladez03.zfn.uni-bremen.de>

Dear fellows, 

 

praise is, as far as German research tells and as John B. says, good as long
as it provides detailed information about the quality of performance (i.e.
studies from Falko Rheinberg 1980). But there is more research on feedback
out there, I suppose?

 

Class size was a topic in (oh oh) PISA. There is no correlation between
Class size and Pisa Score. But of course this says nothing about the
teachers work load, headaches and so on. And the study was made in schools
which probably provide 90% frontal transmission. 

 

Best regards

Anke 

---

Anke Grotl?schen

Juniorprofessur f?r Lebenslanges Lernen

Universit?t Bremen

Fachbereich Erziehungswissenschaft

Institut f?r Erwachsenen-Bildungsforschung

Tel. 0421 218 3083

Fax 0421 218 7219

Mobil 0176 2384 7995

Bibliothekstr. 1

28359 Bremen

www.ifeb.uni-bremen.de

 

 

 

  _____  

Von: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
Im Auftrag von John Benseman
Gesendet: Mittwoch, 27. Februar 2008 05:38
An: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Betreff: [SpecialTopics 779] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller
classsizes'not cost effective

 

I don?t know the specific words that Dylan Wiliam uses about class size, but
I am guessing that what he says is that there is no authoritative research
that shows that class size is irrefutably related to student learning. This
is not to say that class size doesn?t matter, it merely says that the
research over many 100s of studies is inconclusive to date.

 

As I am sure that the great majority of people on this listserv will attest,
we all feel intuitively that class size DOES matter ? it?s just that there
is no research to back this conclusion. The jury, so to speak, is still out
on this dimension of teaching (as it is in many other areas).

 

The second point re saying that ?praise hurts students?: I couldn?t find the
specific reference, but again interpreting what I think Wiliam would say is
something along the lines of: just praising students for the sake of
praising does them little good. What is needed however is clear and
realistic feedback on where they are at in their learning. If that comes
with a dollop of praise, then that?s great, but praise per se is not
sufficient.

 

I think that we can fall in to a trap of thinking that learners invariably
want/need support (which they do at times), but they also need to be
challenged, which means that we need to give them realistic feedback on how
they are progressing (or not).

 

Regards, John

 

PS I am not a paid servant of Dylan Wiliam, but I am a fan of his research

 

John Benseman

*   john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz

*   641 9 627 1882  Cell  027 454 0683

* 52a Bolton St, Blockhouse Bay, Auckland 0600, NZ

  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Bruce C
Sent: Wednesday, 27 February 2008 11:29 a.m.
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 777] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes
'not cost effective

 

Regarding small class size....

 

Excuse my language, but regarding the comments of regarding class size
attributed to Prof Dylan Wiliam, Deputy Director and Professor of
Educational Assessment at the Institute of Education, University of London,
I say ...

 

"BALDERDASH!!! and HOGWASH!!!!" 

 

I can't believe anyone who has been a teacher would ever say "...as long as
pupils are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is
generally possible with a class of 30." 

 

Maybe this was taken out of context. Prof. Wiliam (yes it's only one "L"--I
checked.) says some interesting things about formative assessment and
personalized learning on this "Learning About Learning" website: 

 

http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdylanw
iliam.asp

 

He does say a few wacky things--like that praise hurts students. 

 

Prof. Wil.i.am. says that formative assessment "encourages teachers to take
constant readings about where students are." He says it's important to do
this "minute by minute, day by day."  That's why I can't believe this dude
really thinks that class size doesn't matter. I think a teacher with 20
students in his/her class can get a better sense of where everyone is than a
teacher with 30 students. 

Sure there may be things we can do that are cheaper than reducing class
size...

 

But so what?

 

If that is how we define "cost effectiveness" why not TRIPLE class size and
save tons of money? 

 

You get my point, right? 

 

from Bruce Carmel

 

 

 

 

 

Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of 
the Institute of Education says, 

 
<http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdylan
wiliam.asp>  

"David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net> wrote:

Colleagues,

Tom Sticht spotted this on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site and sent 
it for our formative assessment discussion.

-------
Note from Tom Sticht:

This article about formative assessment appears in todays (2/25/08 
Education Guardian online.
-------

To see this story with its related links on the 
EducationGuardian.co.uk site, go to http://education.guardian.co.uk

Smaller class sizes 'not cost effective'
Anthea Lipsett
Monday February 25 2008
The Guardian

Reducing school class sizes in an attempt to raise pupil achievement 
is a waste of money for all but the youngest children, one of the 
country's leading experts on assessment said today.

Cutting class size by 30% gives children the equivalent of four extra 
months of learning a year, but costs around ?20,000 for each 
class every year, according to Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of 
the Institute of Education.

He said the more effective method of "formative assessment" - where 
teachers monitor their pupils' progress continuously and provide 
appropriate feedback - could provide eight extra months of 
educational development for only ?2,000 per classroom per year.

"It can therefore be 20 times as cost-effective as reducing class 
size in terms of pupil achievement," he told the annual Chartered 
London Teachers Conference today.

"Smaller classes do confer a benefit if pupils are unruly, because 
fewer pupils in a class means less disruption. But as long as pupils 
are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is 
generally possible with a class of 30.

"Smaller classes can also be more cost-effective for five to seven- 
year-olds, but research suggests the class size needs to be reduced 
to 15 or less," he said.

Wiliam added that investments in information communication technology 
have also shown a poor return. But international studies have 
confirmed that formative assessment can double the speed of pupil 
learning.

Some teachers use a "traffic light" system and ask pupils to hold up 
different coloured cards to show whether they have understood what 
they have been told. Red means "no", amber means "partly", and green 
"yes". Pupils are also encouraged to evaluate their own work and 
advise their classmates on how they can improve.

The English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish education departments 
have all provided varying degrees of backing for formative assessment.

After three years of research in both the UK and the US, Wiliam 
concluded that the approach would only take off properly if teachers 
work together in school-based groups to refine their classroom methods.

Wiliam and his co-researchers found that groups of eight to 10 
teachers who meet once a month for at least two years can be most 
effective. "It takes time to change teachers' ways of working, 
particularly if they have been in the classroom for many years," said 
Wiliam. "Simply telling teachers what to do doesn't work."

"For example, most teachers have heard about research from the 1980s 
which shows that if they wait three to five seconds after asking a 
question their pupils' performance improves because they have been 
given some time to think.

"Even so, many teachers are still allowing less than a second for 
pupils to respond. The conclusion we can draw from that is that 
knowing what to do is the easy part of teaching. Actually doing it is 
what's hard."

Wiliam told EducationGuardian.co.uk that teacher quality was key to 
any improvements.

"To reduce class size from 30 to 20 would need 150,000 more teachers 
and that would dilute the quality of teachers," he said.

"We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the classroom 
and we need to get better teachers into the profession."

Martin Johnson, acting deputy general secretary of the Association of 
Teachers and Lecturers, said the research should encourage the 
government to "put its money where its mouth is".

"Staff need to work together to learn how to teach more effectively, 
but schools will need more resources to do this. [Wiliam] reminds us 
that this would be very cost-effective.

"Schools have benefited hugely over the last decade from having more 
classroom based staff but much more training is needed to make their 
deployment fully effective.

"And while the government says it encourages assessment for learning, 
its testing policies have stolen teachers' self-confidence so new 
training must be provided and resourced.

"School staff desperately need a contractual entitlement to training 
which meets their individual needs."

Copyright Guardian News and Media Limited

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to bcarmel at rocketmail.com

 

  

  _____  

Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo
<http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=51438/*http:/www.yahoo.com/r/hs>  your homepage.

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From kgotthardt at comcast.net  Wed Feb 27 09:31:22 2008
From: kgotthardt at comcast.net (Katherine)
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 09:31:22 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 790] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller
	classsizes	'not cost effective
In-Reply-To: <web-84492090@gse.harvard.edu>
References: <00a701c878fa$984c6640$0c00a8c0@critical1>
	<web-84492090@gse.harvard.edu>
Message-ID: <61FFF4E633744D45B4843C1374CE3806@OwnerPC>

Okay, so assuming the system has quality teachers and students are still 
struggling, can we assume the problem is most likely class size?  How do 
things like curriculum play into all this?

Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt
www.luxuriouschoices.net
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John Comings" <comingjo at gse.harvard.edu>
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 9:11 AM
Subject: [SpecialTopics 784] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes 
'not cost effective

Although there is no research that sets an optimal size for classes, 
research in
the K-12 system in the US has confirmed that smaller classes lead to greater 
student achievement
(Folger & Breda, 1989), though Grissmer (1999) and Slavin (1989) suggest 
that teacher
competence is more important. Students, therefore, may do better in a large 
class with a
well-trained teacher than in a small class with a poorly trained teacher. In 
a review of the
research on class size reduction, Buckingham (2003) concludes that, while 
there are
several studies that report a strong relationship between learning and class 
size, many of
these studies reveal methodological weaknesses (e.g., insufficient 
randomization, lack of
independent evaluations) that make their findings less than conclusive. 
Moreover,
Buckingham (2003) argues that, in the absence of consistent and convincing 
findings, the
reduction of class sizes from 25 to 20 students may not be worth the cost to 
public
schools. She points out, "Research tells us that effective teaching is much 
more important
than the number of children in the classroom. It is therefore much wiser to 
invest in the
quality of teachers, rather than quantity" (p. 15).

Buckingham, J. (2003). Reflections on class size and teacher quality. Issue 
Analysis, 29A.
Retrieved February 24, 2006, from:
http://www.cis.org.au/IssueAnalysis/ia29a/IA29a.htm
Folger, J., & Breda, C. (1989). Evidence for Project STAR about class size 
and student
achievement. Peabody Journal of Education, 67(1), 17-33.
Grissmer, D. (1999). Conclusion-Class size effects: Assessing the evidence, 
its policy
implications, and future research agenda. Educational Evaluation and Policy
Analysis, 21(2), 231-248.
Slavin, R. E. (1989). Achievement effects of substantial reductions in class 
size. In R.
Slavin (Ed.), School and classroom organization (pp. 247-257). Hillsdale, 
NJ:
Erlbaum.

On Wed, 27 Feb 2008 17:38:26 +1300
  "John Benseman" <john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz> wrote:
> I don't know the specific words that Dylan Wiliam uses about class size, 
> but
> I am guessing that what he says is that there is no authoritative research
> that shows that class size is irrefutably related to student learning. 
> This
> is not to say that class size doesn't matter, it merely says that the
> research over many 100s of studies is inconclusive to date.
>
>
>
> As I am sure that the great majority of people on this listserv will 
> attest,
> we all feel intuitively that class size DOES matter - it's just that there
> is no research to back this conclusion. The jury, so to speak, is still 
> out
> on this dimension of teaching (as it is in many other areas).
>
>
>
> The second point re saying that 'praise hurts students': I couldn't find 
> the
> specific reference, but again interpreting what I think Wiliam would say 
> is
> something along the lines of: just praising students for the sake of
> praising does them little good. What is needed however is clear and
> realistic feedback on where they are at in their learning. If that comes
> with a dollop of praise, then that's great, but praise per se is not
> sufficient.
>
>
>
> I think that we can fall in to a trap of thinking that learners invariably
> want/need support (which they do at times), but they also need to be
> challenged, which means that we need to give them realistic feedback on 
> how
> they are progressing (or not).
>
>
>
> Regards, John
>
>
>
> PS I am not a paid servant of Dylan Wiliam, but I am a fan of his 
> research.
>
>
>
> John Benseman
>
> *   john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz
>
> *   641 9 627 1882  Cell  027 454 0683
>
> * 52a Bolton St, Blockhouse Bay, Auckland 0600, NZ
>
>  _____
>
>From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov 
>[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
> On Behalf Of Bruce C
> Sent: Wednesday, 27 February 2008 11:29 a.m.
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 777] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller 
> classsizes
> 'not cost effective
>
>
>
> Regarding small class size....
>
>
>
> Excuse my language, but regarding the comments of regarding class size
> attributed to Prof Dylan Wiliam, Deputy Director and Professor of
> Educational Assessment at the Institute of Education, University of 
> London,
> I say ...
>
>
>
> "BALDERDASH!!! and HOGWASH!!!!"
>
>
>
> I can't believe anyone who has been a teacher would ever say "...as long 
> as
> pupils are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is
> generally possible with a class of 30."
>
>
>
> Maybe this was taken out of context. Prof. Wiliam (yes it's only one 
> "L"--I
> checked.) says some interesting things about formative assessment and
> personalized learning on this "Learning About Learning" website:
>
>
>
> http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdylanw
> iliam.asp
>
>
>
> He does say a few wacky things--like that praise hurts students.
>
>
>
> Prof. Wil.i.am. says that formative assessment "encourages teachers to 
> take
> constant readings about where students are." He says it's important to do
> this "minute by minute, day by day."  That's why I can't believe this dude
> really thinks that class size doesn't matter. I think a teacher with 20
> students in his/her class can get a better sense of where everyone is than 
> a
> teacher with 30 students.
>
>
> Sure there may be things we can do that are cheaper than reducing class
> size...
>
>
>
> But so what?
>
>
>
> If that is how we define "cost effectiveness" why not TRIPLE class size 
> and
> save tons of money?
>
>
>
> You get my point, right?
>
>
>
> from Bruce Carmel
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of
> the Institute of Education says,
>
>
> <http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdylan
> wiliam.asp>
>
>
> "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net> wrote:
>
> Colleagues,
>
> Tom Sticht spotted this on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site and sent
> it for our formative assessment discussion.
>
> -------
> Note from Tom Sticht:
>
> This article about formative assessment appears in todays (2/25/08
> Education Guardian online.
> -------
>
> To see this story with its related links on the
> EducationGuardian.co.uk site, go to http://education.guardian.co.uk
>
> Smaller class sizes 'not cost effective'
> Anthea Lipsett
> Monday February 25 2008
> The Guardian
>
> Reducing school class sizes in an attempt to raise pupil achievement
> is a waste of money for all but the youngest children, one of the
> country's leading experts on assessment said today.
>
> Cutting class size by 30% gives children the equivalent of four extra
> months of learning a year, but costs around ?20,000 for each
> class every year, according to Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of
> the Institute of Education.
>
> He said the more effective method of "formative assessment" - where
> teachers monitor their pupils' progress continuously and provide
> appropriate feedback - could provide eight extra months of
> educational development for only ?2,000 per classroom per year.
>
> "It can therefore be 20 times as cost-effective as reducing class
> size in terms of pupil achievement," he told the annual Chartered
> London Teachers Conference today.
>
> "Smaller classes do confer a benefit if pupils are unruly, because
> fewer pupils in a class means less disruption. But as long as pupils
> are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is
> generally possible with a class of 30.
>
> "Smaller classes can also be more cost-effective for five to seven-
> year-olds, but research suggests the class size needs to be reduced
> to 15 or less," he said.
>
> Wiliam added that investments in information communication technology
> have also shown a poor return. But international studies have
> confirmed that formative assessment can double the speed of pupil
> learning.
>
> Some teachers use a "traffic light" system and ask pupils to hold up
> different coloured cards to show whether they have understood what
> they have been told. Red means "no", amber means "partly", and green
> "yes". Pupils are also encouraged to evaluate their own work and
> advise their classmates on how they can improve.
>
> The English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish education departments
> have all provided varying degrees of backing for formative assessment.
>
> After three years of research in both the UK and the US, Wiliam
> concluded that the approach would only take off properly if teachers
> work together in school-based groups to refine their classroom methods.
>
> Wiliam and his co-researchers found that groups of eight to 10
> teachers who meet once a month for at least two years can be most
> effective. "It takes time to change teachers' ways of working,
> particularly if they have been in the classroom for many years," said
> Wiliam. "Simply telling teachers what to do doesn't work."
>
> "For example, most teachers have heard about research from the 1980s
> which shows that if they wait three to five seconds after asking a
> question their pupils' performance improves because they have been
> given some time to think.
>
> "Even so, many teachers are still allowing less than a second for
> pupils to respond. The conclusion we can draw from that is that
> knowing what to do is the easy part of teaching. Actually doing it is
> what's hard."
>
> Wiliam told EducationGuardian.co.uk that teacher quality was key to
> any improvements.
>
> "To reduce class size from 30 to 20 would need 150,000 more teachers
> and that would dilute the quality of teachers," he said.
>
> "We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the classroom
> and we need to get better teachers into the profession."
>
> Martin Johnson, acting deputy general secretary of the Association of
> Teachers and Lecturers, said the research should encourage the
> government to "put its money where its mouth is".
>
> "Staff need to work together to learn how to teach more effectively,
> but schools will need more resources to do this. [Wiliam] reminds us
> that this would be very cost-effective.
>
> "Schools have benefited hugely over the last decade from having more
> classroom based staff but much more training is needed to make their
> deployment fully effective.
>
> "And while the government says it encourages assessment for learning,
> its testing policies have stolen teachers' self-confidence so new
> training must be provided and resourced.
>
> "School staff desperately need a contractual entitlement to training
> which meets their individual needs."
>
> Copyright Guardian News and Media Limited
>
>
>
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at comcast.net
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to bcarmel at rocketmail.com
>
>
>
>
>
>  _____
>
> Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo
> <http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=51438/*http:/www.yahoo.com/r/hs>  your 
> homepage.
>
>

John Comings
National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy
Harvard Graduate School of Education
7 Appian Way
Cambridge MA 02138
(617) 496-0516, voice
(617) 495-4811, fax
(617) 335-9839, mobile
john_comings at harvard.edu
http://ncsall.gse.harvard.edu
-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to kgotthardt at comcast.net 

From marie.cora at hotspurpartners.com  Wed Feb 27 09:42:12 2008
From: marie.cora at hotspurpartners.com (Marie Cora)
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 09:42:12 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 791] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller
	classsizes'not cost effective
In-Reply-To: <00a701c878fa$984c6640$0c00a8c0@critical1>
Message-ID: <03dc01c8794e$f0c288f0$0202a8c0@LITNOW>

Hi everyone,
 
Great discussion, it?s so full and rich I don?t know where to begin.  My
apologies if what I say below has been noted already ? 
 
But I will second John?s comments re:  Dylan Wiliam.  I think that the
Education Guardian article below takes many of his points out of
context.  
 
Best to get it from the horse?s mouth I would say:  see Black and
Wiliam, Inside the Black Box:   Raising Standards through Classroom
Assessment at http://www.pdkintl.org/kappan/kbla9810.htm for starters. 
 
I get a ton out of his notion of Assessment FOR Learning versus
Assessment OF Learning.
 
Marie Cora
NIFL Assessment Discussion List Moderator
http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/discussions/discussions.html
 
 
 
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of John Benseman
Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 11:38 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 779] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller
classsizes'not cost effective
 
I don?t know the specific words that Dylan Wiliam uses about class size,
but I am guessing that what he says is that there is no authoritative
research that shows that class size is irrefutably related to student
learning. This is not to say that class size doesn?t matter, it merely
says that the research over many 100s of studies is inconclusive to
date.
 
As I am sure that the great majority of people on this listserv will
attest, we all feel intuitively that class size DOES matter ? it?s just
that there is no research to back this conclusion. The jury, so to
speak, is still out on this dimension of teaching (as it is in many
other areas).
 
The second point re saying that ?praise hurts students?: I couldn?t find
the specific reference, but again interpreting what I think Wiliam would
say is something along the lines of: just praising students for the sake
of praising does them little good. What is needed however is clear and
realistic feedback on where they are at in their learning. If that comes
with a dollop of praise, then that?s great, but praise per se is not
sufficient.
 
I think that we can fall in to a trap of thinking that learners
invariably want/need support (which they do at times), but they also
need to be challenged, which means that we need to give them realistic
feedback on how they are progressing (or not).
 
Regards, John
 
PS I am not a paid servant of Dylan Wiliam, but I am a fan of his
research

 
John Benseman
*   john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz
*   641 9 627 1882  Cell  027 454 0683
* 52a Bolton St, Blockhouse Bay, Auckland 0600, NZ
  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Bruce C
Sent: Wednesday, 27 February 2008 11:29 a.m.
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 777] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller
classsizes 'not cost effective
 
Regarding small class size....
 
Excuse my language, but regarding the comments of regarding class size
attributed to Prof Dylan Wiliam, Deputy Director and Professor of
Educational Assessment at the Institute of Education, University of
London, I say ...
 
"BALDERDASH!!! and HOGWASH!!!!" 
 
I can't believe anyone who has been a teacher would ever say "...as long
as pupils are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is
generally possible with a class of 30." 
 
Maybe this was taken out of context. Prof. Wiliam (yes it's only one
"L"--I checked.) says some interesting things about formative assessment
and personalized learning on this "Learning About Learning" website: 
 
http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdy
lanwiliam.asp
 
He does say a few wacky things--like that praise hurts students. 
 
Prof. Wil.i.am. says that formative assessment "encourages teachers to
take constant readings about where students are." He says it's important
to do this "minute by minute, day by day."  That's why I can't believe
this dude really thinks that class size doesn't matter. I think a
teacher with 20 students in his/her class can get a better sense of
where everyone is than a teacher with 30 students. 

Sure there may be things we can do that are cheaper than reducing class
size...
 
But so what?
 
If that is how we define "cost effectiveness" why not TRIPLE class size
and save tons of money? 
 
You get my point, right? 
 
from Bruce Carmel
 
 
 
 
 
Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of 
the Institute of Education says, 
 
<http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogd
ylanwiliam.asp>  

"David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net> wrote:
Colleagues,

Tom Sticht spotted this on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site and sent 
it for our formative assessment discussion.

-------
Note from Tom Sticht:

This article about formative assessment appears in todays (2/25/08 
Education Guardian online.
-------

To see this story with its related links on the 
EducationGuardian.co.uk site, go to http://education.guardian.co.uk

Smaller class sizes 'not cost effective'
Anthea Lipsett
Monday February 25 2008
The Guardian

Reducing school class sizes in an attempt to raise pupil achievement 
is a waste of money for all but the youngest children, one of the 
country's leading experts on assessment said today.

Cutting class size by 30% gives children the equivalent of four extra 
months of learning a year, but costs around ?20,000 for each 
class every year, according to Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of 
the Institute of Education.

He said the more effective method of "formative assessment" - where 
teachers monitor their pupils' progress continuously and provide 
appropriate feedback - could provide eight extra months of 
educational development for only ?2,000 per classroom per year.

"It can therefore be 20 times as cost-effective as reducing class 
size in terms of pupil achievement," he told the annual Chartered 
London Teachers Conference today.

"Smaller classes do confer a benefit if pupils are unruly, because 
fewer pupils in a class means less disruption. But as long as pupils 
are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is 
generally possible with a class of 30.

"Smaller classes can also be more cost-effective for five to seven- 
year-olds, but research suggests the class size needs to be reduced 
to 15 or less," he said.

Wiliam added that investments in information communication technology 
have also shown a poor return. But international studies have 
confirmed that formative assessment can double the speed of pupil 
learning.

Some teachers use a "traffic light" system and ask pupils to hold up 
different coloured cards to show whether they have understood what 
they have been told. Red means "no", amber means "partly", and green 
"yes". Pupils are also encouraged to evaluate their own work and 
advise their classmates on how they can improve.

The English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish education departments 
have all provided varying degrees of backing for formative assessment.

After three years of research in both the UK and the US, Wiliam 
concluded that the approach would only take off properly if teachers 
work together in school-based groups to refine their classroom methods.

Wiliam and his co-researchers found that groups of eight to 10 
teachers who meet once a month for at least two years can be most 
effective. "It takes time to change teachers' ways of working, 
particularly if they have been in the classroom for many years," said 
Wiliam. "Simply telling teachers what to do doesn't work."

"For example, most teachers have heard about research from the 1980s 
which shows that if they wait three to five seconds after asking a 
question their pupils' performance improves because they have been 
given some time to think.

"Even so, many teachers are still allowing less than a second for 
pupils to respond. The conclusion we can draw from that is that 
knowing what to do is the easy part of teaching. Actually doing it is 
what's hard."

Wiliam told EducationGuardian.co.uk that teacher quality was key to 
any improvements.

"To reduce class size from 30 to 20 would need 150,000 more teachers 
and that would dilute the quality of teachers," he said.

"We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the classroom 
and we need to get better teachers into the profession."

Martin Johnson, acting deputy general secretary of the Association of 
Teachers and Lecturers, said the research should encourage the 
government to "put its money where its mouth is".

"Staff need to work together to learn how to teach more effectively, 
but schools will need more resources to do this. [Wiliam] reminds us 
that this would be very cost-effective.

"Schools have benefited hugely over the last decade from having more 
classroom based staff but much more training is needed to make their 
deployment fully effective.

"And while the government says it encourages assessment for learning, 
its testing policies have stolen teachers' self-confidence so new 
training must be provided and resourced.

"School staff desperately need a contractual entitlement to training 
which meets their individual needs."

Copyright Guardian News and Media Limited

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
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Email delivered to bcarmel at rocketmail.com
 
  
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From Janet_Isserlis at brown.edu  Wed Feb 27 09:43:25 2008
From: Janet_Isserlis at brown.edu (Janet Isserlis)
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 09:43:25 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 792]  the praise thing
In-Reply-To: <29CFEE83EDF92741BF0ED3F5D9BC7E876A4CD8@exchange2.doe.mass.edu>
Message-ID: <C3EAE13D.1F82D%Janet_Isserlis@brown.edu>

I've not yet read the citation Bruce and Tom talk about, but I'm guessing it
has to do with empty praise.

Specific acknowledgement of gains made, progress achieved, to me, seems to
be meaningful when it helps a learner ? or friend, or colleague ? see
specifically what he or she has accomplished.  If, for example, a student
always said she couldn't write, but over time the entries in her dialogue
journal grew both in size and in accuracy ? that would be something to point
out to her as a positive gain.

This could even be couched as praise, but it would be specific and, one
hopes, have some usefulness to the learner.

I think others have said that praising everything just leads to a flattening
of all accomplishments (you have a pulse! that's great!).  This isn't what
we're talking about.

Think about it.  Who are the people that matter to you ? in your life? your
job? your family?
How do you feel about acknowledgement of your efforts within these spheres?

John Comings, et al, in their persistence work, speak about self-efficacy
(as opposed to self-esteem).  Seeing that one can accomplish a specific task
or set of tasks does, I would argue, lead to increased confidence.  Easier
to be present to learning with more, rather than less, confidence, it would
seem.

Janet Isserlis 
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From comingjo at gse.harvard.edu  Wed Feb 27 10:19:27 2008
From: comingjo at gse.harvard.edu (John Comings)
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 10:19:27 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 793] Re: Formative Assessment Day Three;
 U.S. case Studies
In-Reply-To: <6F5015E4-4D3B-405D-A4C7-73054296BE23@comcast.net>
References: <6F5015E4-4D3B-405D-A4C7-73054296BE23@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <7749242887136859B1DBC829@JCommings.ad.edc.org>

Though most readers of this listserve know the US system, the following 
gives a basic background for those who do not know the system.

In 1998, the government established the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) to 
consolidate more than 50 employment, training, and literacy programs into 
three block grants to states to be used for adult education and family 
literacy, disadvantaged youth, and adult employment and training.

In addition to its specific authorization of adult education services, WIA 
encourages the coordination of efforts across employment, training, and 
adult basic education programs.  This coordination is fostered by 
"one-stop" centres, local agencies within each state through which adults 
can gain access to an array of job training, education, and employment 
services. WIA's focus on preparing people for employment and on family 
literacy does not necessarily diminish the importance of services geared 
toward adults pursuing their education for other purposes, such as 
citizenship or personal improvement. However, these outcomes are considered 
secondary. The primary outcomes are learning gains, measured by 
standardized tests, and employment.

The basic skills component of WIA is funded through federal and state funds 
and administered by state agencies that fund programs that provide 
services. The proportion of state funding varies. WIA requires each state 
to match the federal share with at least 25% funding. However, most states 
match the federal share with an equal amount of funding. Only ten states 
greatly exceed the equal funding level, but since they include states with 
large populations, total state funding is almost three times the federal 
funding level. Total state and federal funding is around $2 billion per 
year.

Some programs follow a classroom format, some use one-on-one tutoring, and 
some combine the two approaches to instruction.  Many large programs are 
able to offer classes at different skill levels, while smaller programs can 
only offer a few classes that must accommodate a group of students who have 
a range of abilities.  Programs offer classes that range from a few to 20 
hours per week.  Some programs run in closed cycles of a few months to a 
year, while others have ongoing classes with open-entry admission that 
fills the seats of students who drop out.  Class sizes vary from small to 
large.  Classes are held in a variety of venues, including community 
centers, social service agencies, workplaces, libraries, prisons, community 
colleges, churches, and schools.  Most of these programs provide classes in 
basic skills (literacy and numeracy), English language, and high school 
equivalence.

The first level of basic skills instruction is provided to students with 
very poor reading skills, often described as below the fifth-grade level, 
equivalent to IALS Level 1.  Adults at this level may have learning 
disabilities that hinder their learning to decode the sounds of a word with 
the ease needed to read effectively.  Instruction at this level requires a 
teacher who is well trained and a student who has the motivation and time 
to work on basic reading skills.  Adults at this level usually need 
instruction in basic math as well.  LD diagnosis is expensive. Some younger 
participants were identified (but not necessarily tested) for LD when they 
were in school.

The second level of basic skills instruction is provided to students who do 
not have severe learning disabilities and who do not have significant 
problems with decoding.  Adults at this level read at between fifth- and 
eighth-grade levels, equivalent to IALS Level 2.  People at this level 
usually score low on tests of oral vocabulary and background knowledge and 
reading fluency (speed and accuracy).  This situation requires students to 
engage in a good deal of practice in reading, writing, and math and direct 
instruction that builds vocabulary and fluency

English language instruction is usually provided at beginning, 
intermediate, and advanced levels, though some programs have more than 
three levels of instruction.  These levels are assessed by tests that 
measure Student Performance Levels (SPL) (citation), which range from 0 to 
10.  Beginning classes usually serve adults who are in the range of SPL 0 
to 4.  Intermediate classes usually serve adults who are in the range of 
SPL 5 to 6, and advanced classes usually serve adults who are in the range 
of SPL 7 to 10.  This instruction begins with oral language development but 
eventually includes literacy and math in English as well.

The General Education Development Tests (GED) -- a set of five tests that 
measure writing skills, social studies, science, interpretation of 
literature and the arts, and math -- is the most common alternative way to 
earn a high school credential.  To pass the test, an adult must achieve a 
minimum total score and a minimum score on each of the five subject tests. 
The GED passing score is determined by testing high school graduates and 
setting the passing level at the point where 40% of high school graduates 
do not pass. However, each state determines whether or not passing the GED 
test qualifies as a high school diploma or an equivalence.  A newly revised 
version of the test was released in 2002.  The new test has a more explicit 
emphasis on cross-disciplinary skills, such as information processing, 
problem solving, and communication.  The math section demonstrates a 
greater emphasis on data analysis, statistics, and probability. Several 
other approaches to high school equivalence are available.

WIA allows states to design services in any way, except that instruction 
should be based on evidence from scientific research and states must meet 
goals defined by the National Reporting System (NRS). Scientific research 
is defined as studies that employ a rigorous methodology, particularly 
experimental or quasi-experimental, and have been peer reviewed. The NRS 
sets out three core indicators of performance:

1.	Demonstrated improvements in literacy skill levels in reading, writing 
and speaking English, numeracy, problem solving, English language 
acquisition, and other literacy skills. The benchmark is moving up one "NRS 
Level". There are six NRS Levels for ESOL and six for literacy and 
numeracy, each equivalent to two grade-level equivalents.  A student might 
be one point away from moving up a level or might be two complete grade 
levels away from moving up a level, but both transitions are considered 
sufficient improvement.
2.	Placement in, retention in, or completion of postsecondary education, 
training, unsubsidized employment, or career advancement; and
3.	Receipt of a GED or a recognized equivalent.
These indicators are operationalized through five basic core measures:

1.	Educational Gain?The percentage of adult learners in basic and English 
literacy programs who acquire the basic or English language skills needed 
(validated through standardized assessment) to complete the educational 
functioning level in which they were initially enrolled. These gains may be 
measured by any standardized test. To measure educational gain, the NRS 
established a hierarchy of six educational functioning levels, from 
beginning literacy through high school level completion, and six levels for 
English literacy, from beginning literacy level to high advanced, which 
represents skills sufficient to study for and pass the GED test. The levels 
are defined through reading, writing, numeracy and functional and workplace 
skills (and, for English literacy, speaking and listening skills) at each 
level.  Included for each level is a corresponding set of benchmarks on 
commonly used standardized assessments, such as the Test of Adult Basic 
Education (TABE) and the Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System 
(CASAS), as examples of how students functioning at each level would 
perform on these tests.
2.	High School Completion?The percentage of adult learners with a high 
school completion goal who earned a high school diploma or recognized 
equivalent.
3.	Entered Postsecondary Education?The percentage of adult learners who 
establish a goal to continue their education at the postsecondary level and 
who entered postsecondary education or training after program exit.
4.	Entered Employment?The percentage of unemployed adult learners (in the 
workforce) with an employment goal who obtained a job within one quarter 
after program exit.
5.	Retained Employment?The percentage of adult learners with a job 
retention goal who (a) entered employment within one quarter after exiting 
and (b) were still employed in the third quarter after program exit.

John Comings, Director
National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy
Harvard Graduate School of Education
7 Appian Way
Cambridge MA 02138
(617) 496-0516, voice
(617) 495-4811, fax
(617) 335-9839, mobile
john_comings at harvard.edu
http://ncsall.gse.harvard.edu

From cb.king at verizon.net  Wed Feb 27 10:09:38 2008
From: cb.king at verizon.net (Catherine B. King)
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 07:09:38 -0800
Subject: [SpecialTopics 794] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller
 classsizes'not cost effective
References: <00a701c878fa$984c6640$0c00a8c0@critical1>
Message-ID: <003301c87952$c594ed90$6501a8c0@YOUR85A8F7B8EC>

Hello John:

I appreciate the responses here to the research and writings about class size.

If I may add a note:  It's not "intuitive" for a teacher to know that, first, students commonly respond to individual teacher-attention in the classroom; that, second, for adults, such attention fosters an abiding sense of a personal connection with the teacher--a sense that it matters to the teacher that they are present; and third, that the larger the class, the less attention can be afforded to each student by the teacher.   

Teachers are intelligent beings--we need no research to understand the principles: 

(1) Limited time, plus specific teaching goals, equals finite teacher time that can be afforded students who may need and respond to regular individual attention and,   

(2)  in large "unruly" classes, even the rule-abiding students lose because teacher-time is spent dealing with unruly students, which also fosters a climate of defending against chaos, rather than a climate of learning.  

Of course, intelligent researchers know that having a smaller class, alone, does not guarantee a good climate of learning; nor does it guarantee that students will get the attention that may inspire their participation and further their development--because there are several other conditioning factors to consider besides class size, e.g., the further question of qualified hands-on teaching, which may or may not be present regardless of class size.  

(I know articles of such publications cannot show everything--as a critical factor in research, certainly intelligent researchers who understand the complexity of human beings and our learning situations don't think that the relationship between class size and student scores is a direct or simple one, with no other complex factors to consider?)

On the other hand, if (1 & 2) principles above are correct then, even if a good teacher is present, and all other factors are positive, individual needs cannot be filled regularly in larger classes.  

There is probably some research in K-12 literature that speaks of optimum class size for different age groups--I'll look around to see what's there.   

Catherine King
Adjunct Instructor
Department of Education

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: John Benseman 
  To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
  Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 8:38 PM
  Subject: [SpecialTopics 779] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes'not cost effective

  I don't know the specific words that Dylan Wiliam uses about class size, but I am guessing that what he says is that there is no authoritative research that shows that class size is irrefutably related to student learning. This is not to say that class size doesn't matter, it merely says that the research over many 100s of studies is inconclusive to date.

   

  As I am sure that the great majority of people on this listserv will attest, we all feel intuitively that class size DOES matter - it's just that there is no research to back this conclusion. The jury, so to speak, is still out on this dimension of teaching (as it is in many other areas).

   

  The second point re saying that 'praise hurts students': I couldn't find the specific reference, but again interpreting what I think Wiliam would say is something along the lines of: just praising students for the sake of praising does them little good. What is needed however is clear and realistic feedback on where they are at in their learning. If that comes with a dollop of praise, then that's great, but praise per se is not sufficient.

   

  I think that we can fall in to a trap of thinking that learners invariably want/need support (which they do at times), but they also need to be challenged, which means that we need to give them realistic feedback on how they are progressing (or not).

   

  Regards, John

   

  PS I am not a paid servant of Dylan Wiliam, but I am a fan of his research.

   

  John Benseman

  *   john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz

  (   641 9 627 1882  Cell  027 454 0683

  - 52a Bolton St, Blockhouse Bay, Auckland 0600, NZ

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Bruce C
  Sent: Wednesday, 27 February 2008 11:29 a.m.
  To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
  Subject: [SpecialTopics 777] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes 'not cost effective

   

  Regarding small class size....

   

  Excuse my language, but regarding the comments of regarding class size attributed to Prof Dylan Wiliam, Deputy Director and Professor of Educational Assessment at the Institute of Education, University of London, I say ...

   

  "BALDERDASH!!! and HOGWASH!!!!" 

   

  I can't believe anyone who has been a teacher would ever say "...as long as pupils are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is generally possible with a class of 30." 

   

  Maybe this was taken out of context. Prof. Wiliam (yes it's only one "L"--I checked.) says some interesting things about formative assessment and personalized learning on this "Learning About Learning" website: 

   

  http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdylanwiliam.asp

   

  He does say a few wacky things--like that praise hurts students. 

   

  Prof. Wil.i.am. says that formative assessment "encourages teachers to take constant readings about where students are." He says it's important to do this "minute by minute, day by day."  That's why I can't believe this dude really thinks that class size doesn't matter. I think a teacher with 20 students in his/her class can get a better sense of where everyone is than a teacher with 30 students. 

  Sure there may be things we can do that are cheaper than reducing class size...

   

  But so what?

   

  If that is how we define "cost effectiveness" why not TRIPLE class size and save tons of money? 

   

  You get my point, right? 

   

  from Bruce Carmel

   

   

   

   

   

  Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of 
  the Institute of Education says, 

   

  "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net> wrote:

    Colleagues,

    Tom Sticht spotted this on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site and sent 
    it for our formative assessment discussion.

    -------
    Note from Tom Sticht:

    This article about formative assessment appears in todays (2/25/08 
    Education Guardian online.
    -------

    To see this story with its related links on the 
    EducationGuardian.co.uk site, go to http://education.guardian.co.uk

    Smaller class sizes 'not cost effective'
    Anthea Lipsett
    Monday February 25 2008
    The Guardian

    Reducing school class sizes in an attempt to raise pupil achievement 
    is a waste of money for all but the youngest children, one of the 
    country's leading experts on assessment said today.

    Cutting class size by 30% gives children the equivalent of four extra 
    months of learning a year, but costs around ?20,000 for each 
    class every year, according to Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of 
    the Institute of Education.

    He said the more effective method of "formative assessment" - where 
    teachers monitor their pupils' progress continuously and provide 
    appropriate feedback - could provide eight extra months of 
    educational development for only ?2,000 per classroom per year.

    "It can therefore be 20 times as cost-effective as reducing class 
    size in terms of pupil achievement," he told the annual Chartered 
    London Teachers Conference today.

    "Smaller classes do confer a benefit if pupils are unruly, because 
    fewer pupils in a class means less disruption. But as long as pupils 
    are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is 
    generally possible with a class of 30.

    "Smaller classes can also be more cost-effective for five to seven- 
    year-olds, but research suggests the class size needs to be reduced 
    to 15 or less," he said.

    Wiliam added that investments in information communication technology 
    have also shown a poor return. But international studies have 
    confirmed that formative assessment can double the speed of pupil 
    learning.

    Some teachers use a "traffic light" system and ask pupils to hold up 
    different coloured cards to show whether they have understood what 
    they have been told. Red means "no", amber means "partly", and green 
    "yes". Pupils are also encouraged to evaluate their own work and 
    advise their classmates on how they can improve.

    The English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish education departments 
    have all provided varying degrees of backing for formative assessment.

    After three years of research in both the UK and the US, Wiliam 
    concluded that the approach would only take off properly if teachers 
    work together in school-based groups to refine their classroom methods.

    Wiliam and his co-researchers found that groups of eight to 10 
    teachers who meet once a month for at least two years can be most 
    effective. "It takes time to change teachers' ways of working, 
    particularly if they have been in the classroom for many years," said 
    Wiliam. "Simply telling teachers what to do doesn't work."

    "For example, most teachers have heard about research from the 1980s 
    which shows that if they wait three to five seconds after asking a 
    question their pupils' performance improves because they have been 
    given some time to think.

    "Even so, many teachers are still allowing less than a second for 
    pupils to respond. The conclusion we can draw from that is that 
    knowing what to do is the easy part of teaching. Actually doing it is 
    what's hard."

    Wiliam told EducationGuardian.co.uk that teacher quality was key to 
    any improvements.

    "To reduce class size from 30 to 20 would need 150,000 more teachers 
    and that would dilute the quality of teachers," he said.

    "We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the classroom 
    and we need to get better teachers into the profession."

    Martin Johnson, acting deputy general secretary of the Association of 
    Teachers and Lecturers, said the research should encourage the 
    government to "put its money where its mouth is".

    "Staff need to work together to learn how to teach more effectively, 
    but schools will need more resources to do this. [Wiliam] reminds us 
    that this would be very cost-effective.

    "Schools have benefited hugely over the last decade from having more 
    classroom based staff but much more training is needed to make their 
    deployment fully effective.

    "And while the government says it encourages assessment for learning, 
    its testing policies have stolen teachers' self-confidence so new 
    training must be provided and resourced.

    "School staff desperately need a contractual entitlement to training 
    which meets their individual needs."

    Copyright Guardian News and Media Limited

    David J. Rosen
    Special Topics Discussion Moderator
    djrosen at comcast.net

    -------------------------------
    National Institute for Literacy
    Special Topics mailing list
    SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
    To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
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From comingjo at gse.harvard.edu  Wed Feb 27 10:24:06 2008
From: comingjo at gse.harvard.edu (John Comings)
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 10:24:06 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 795] Re: Formative Assessment Day Three;
 U.S. case Studies
In-Reply-To: <6F5015E4-4D3B-405D-A4C7-73054296BE23@comcast.net>
References: <6F5015E4-4D3B-405D-A4C7-73054296BE23@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <9767ACB4F4A5B2C9495F1F3C@JCommings.ad.edc.org>

As far as the other two questions, I think the conclusions section of the 
US Case Study, that John Benseman wrote, provides a succinct answer:

This study of 14 literacy teachers in the states of California, Maryland 
and Massachusetts has shown that all of the teachers incorporate at least 
some elements of formative assessment in their teaching and many of the 
teachers used most of the formative elements reported. The teachers 
reported that they certainly understood the term formative assessment and 
its role in effective teaching, although people more commonly referred to 
'multiple assessments' or 'continuous improvement'.

There is little doubt that the use of standardised tests such as the CASAS 
and the TABE is a distinctive feature of American provision in comparison 
with other countries. These tests are ubiquitous and increasingly, the 
cornerstone of most programmes. One state administrator concluded her 
review of assessment procedures in her state by saying that the use of 
standardised assessment "has probably been the prime focus of what we have 
been doing" and that the main concern has been "getting everyone up to 
speed doing it."

While these tests are strongly tied into the funding requirements, they are 
also an integral part of teachers' assessment regimes for the review of 
learners' progress. They are certainly used for summative purposes, but 
also as formative strategies, where the results are used to accurately 
place students in classes, move them to new ones in relation to their 
progress and to plan future teaching sessions.

There were also a range of other formative assessment strategies observed 
in operation in these classrooms. Many of the teachers have designed their 
own assessment tools or use one developed by their centres. These tests 
tend to be used more for diagnostic purposes, showing up learners' specific 
difficulties in their literacy, numeracy skills, which again are used to 
inform and shape future teaching content. As one state administrator said, 
"In our system, you're always assessing."

In addition, there were also numerous examples of the sorts of formative 
assessment activities that have been identified in school-based research 
studies. These included mechanisms to help clarify and understand their 
learners' aims and to establish mutual criteria for monitoring success. In 
their teaching interactions, the teachers promoted and sustained effective 
classroom discussion, especially with the use of skilful questioning and 
providing feedback that helps their students to review their learning and 
move on to higher levels of literacy skills. Finally, the teachers were 
able to establish positive, supportive learning environments that reflected 
adult relationships and promoted students as owners of their own learning.

In sum, there was considerable evidence of 'pedagogies of engagement'.

John Comings, Director
National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy
Harvard Graduate School of Education
7 Appian Way
Cambridge MA 02138
(617) 496-0516, voice
(617) 495-4811, fax
(617) 335-9839, mobile
john_comings at harvard.edu
http://ncsall.gse.harvard.edu

From djrosen at comcast.net  Wed Feb 27 10:46:36 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 10:46:36 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 796] Re: Formative assessment in adult foundation
	skillsin England
Message-ID: <C7858738-A6FE-46C3-AA3D-B6DECA948D80@comcast.net>

Forwarded for Jan Eldred:

From: "Jan Eldred" <jan.eldred at niace.org.uk>
Date: February 27, 2008 9:57:27 AM EST
To: "John Vorhaus" <J.Vorhaus at ioe.ac.uk>, <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 759] Formative assessment in adult  
foundation skillsin England

This is a fascinating discourse....I've not been very active in it  
but have followed the work along the way, keen to learn and understand.

Much of John's [ John  Vorhaus'] analysis makes sense to me...the  
nomenclature, what's being learned from very different case studies
and what we seem to be understanding from observation.

some thoughts:

It strikes me that perhaps there isn't a tension between what we see  
as good teaching and learning and formative assessment but that  
perhaps what we're doing in our work is surfacing/highlighting/ 
pulling together those features of teaching and learning which are so  
implicit that teachers and learners aren't always aware of what they  
are, the impact and the significance of them.  Perhaps what we're  
describing as formative assessment is a series of on-programme  
assessment processes and activities which we're identifying,  
observing and describing because they appear to lead to the outcomes  
of learning we feel are of the highest order ie autonomy, learning to  
learn, achievement etc etc etc...

When teachers protest that they are doing them perhaps the difference  
is the consciousness, the planning, the awareness of what is being  
looked for in the process and the involvement of the learner in the  
process which is different.  So identifying something,naming it and  
indicating the value for learning justifies classifying it as  
something which is not just good teaching and learning.....but we  
would say that formative assessment is part of good teaching and  
learning.

Or am I rambling??
Do tell me!!

One small point, I'm a bit uncomfortable with the term  
instruction....unless it's used to describe particular pedagogical  
activities...

Jan

From cb.king at verizon.net  Wed Feb 27 11:20:01 2008
From: cb.king at verizon.net (Catherine B. King)
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 08:20:01 -0800
Subject: [SpecialTopics 797] Re: Formative assessment in adult
 foundationskillsin England
References: <C7858738-A6FE-46C3-AA3D-B6DECA948D80@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <00cf01c8795c$9b189210$6501a8c0@YOUR85A8F7B8EC>

Hello Jan:

In my view, you are not rambling.  If I may rephrase, you are describing the 
data field--learning, education, the teacher-student relationship, etc.  The 
closer we get in our research to the actual qualities of good teaching, the 
less tension we should experience.

Researchers are not studying something static or unhistorical.  Rather we 
are looking at something that is already on-going, that was operative long 
before any researcher came on the scene, and that is actually responsible 
for research communities having developed in the first place--education. 
Without it, we would have no research communities.

Thus, the research community (theory, etc.) takes up the reflective mode of 
human consciousness--but now as a separated and institutionalized function 
of a highly nuanced field--education.  But that community emerged from, was 
separated off from, and is now returning to, that same educational 
experience to understand it and to formalize what is essential to it.   Some 
researchers, however, do not seem to see themselves in this way.  Rather, we 
seem to have unnecessary conflict for many reasons--too many to develop 
here.

But education still is living and ongoing--and the data--teachers and 
students--still know when what we are doing works--when a student really 
understands something and needs no more help in that understanding.  Much 
that is essential to and experienced by the teacher-student is not captured 
in the research--especially in poorly grounded research.

>From my understanding of it (and from cognitional theory), the idea of 
formative assessments comes close to capturing what is already essential to 
the educational experience--thus, it resonates regularly with what teachers 
and students are already doing when we experience "It works."

We shouldn't be so surprised--and we wouldn't be--if we understood what I 
think you are trying to say--that our data field already holds within it the 
operating essentials that researchers are trying to tease out, rather than 
create and apply to something foreign to themselves, as if the data field 
were somewhere else besides already in the classroom.

In formative assessments, as well as for the idea of action research, 
teachers and researchers are returning the "ends" to the data (the 
student)--differentiating, formalizing, and naming what has always been 
common to good teaching--and with those assessments as being FOR the 
student--recognizing that the student is not the means, but the proper end 
of the process (their understanding), and not in the assessments, e.g., for 
funding streams.

Regards,

Catherine King

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net>
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 7:46 AM
Subject: [SpecialTopics 796] Re: Formative assessment in adult 
foundationskillsin England

> Forwarded for Jan Eldred:
>
> From: "Jan Eldred" <jan.eldred at niace.org.uk>
> Date: February 27, 2008 9:57:27 AM EST
> To: "John Vorhaus" <J.Vorhaus at ioe.ac.uk>, <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
> Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 759] Formative assessment in adult
> foundation skillsin England
>
> This is a fascinating discourse....I've not been very active in it
> but have followed the work along the way, keen to learn and understand.
>
> Much of John's [ John  Vorhaus'] analysis makes sense to me...the
> nomenclature, what's being learned from very different case studies
> and what we seem to be understanding from observation.
>
> some thoughts:
>
> It strikes me that perhaps there isn't a tension between what we see
> as good teaching and learning and formative assessment but that
> perhaps what we're doing in our work is surfacing/highlighting/
> pulling together those features of teaching and learning which are so
> implicit that teachers and learners aren't always aware of what they
> are, the impact and the significance of them.  Perhaps what we're
> describing as formative assessment is a series of on-programme
> assessment processes and activities which we're identifying,
> observing and describing because they appear to lead to the outcomes
> of learning we feel are of the highest order ie autonomy, learning to
> learn, achievement etc etc etc...
>
> When teachers protest that they are doing them perhaps the difference
> is the consciousness, the planning, the awareness of what is being
> looked for in the process and the involvement of the learner in the
> process which is different.  So identifying something,naming it and
> indicating the value for learning justifies classifying it as
> something which is not just good teaching and learning.....but we
> would say that formative assessment is part of good teaching and
> learning.
>
> Or am I rambling??
> Do tell me!!
>
> One small point, I'm a bit uncomfortable with the term
> instruction....unless it's used to describe particular pedagogical
> activities...
>
> Jan
>
>
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to cb.king at verizon.net
> 

From bcarmel at rocketmail.com  Wed Feb 27 12:01:19 2008
From: bcarmel at rocketmail.com (Bruce C)
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 09:01:19 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [SpecialTopics 798] Re: Smaller classsizes
In-Reply-To: <003d01c87949$7364d2a0$3558ca42@mschneckenburger>
Message-ID: <260900.50913.qm@web37907.mail.mud.yahoo.com>

 Regarding Prof. Wil.i.am and praise:
   
  I would summarize Wil.i.am's position regarding praise like this:  
  He says that vague, general praise does nothing to help students. It can confuse them about what is expected and make them focus on which students are getting the most praise in the classroom. He thinks it's better to give specific feedback that tells students what they need to improve. Then they know what to work on. I get that part, but I am not sure if Wil.i.am thinks it is also important to let students know the bigger picture of where they are at. If the only feedback I got was what needed to improve, I would not feel very good about school and my abilities to succeed. 
   
  I think it is important to note that Wil.i.am's research was done with children. One of the big differences between children and adults is that children go to school by default. It is "normal"  for children to be in school. Even though children may have doubts and fears about their abilities to learn, they are not at the same risk for dropping out as adults. 
   
  In Adult Literacy, one of our biggest concerns is retention. We cannot assume that most students will stay enrolled no matter what. I think students leave school for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it's the other pressures and responsibilities of life. Sometimes it's because they don't feel that they are making progress. Sometimes it's because school is a negative experience. So I praise students whenever possible. The praise needs to be honest and specific. I think they benefit from hearing that they are learning and succeeded. It may be something they have not heard much before. It's also a good way to build a positive relationship between teacher and student. I don't know if any research backs me up. 
   
  Bruce Carmel
  

mary <mschnec at localnet.com> wrote:
          I think Dylan Wiliam's point boiled down to "If you only have X dollars to spend you should spend them on getting formative assessment in the classroom because when compared to other reforms/improvements (which presumably included class size although I don't know that for a fact) formative assessment techniques made the biggest most powerful difference regardless of level or country when you compared statistics from many dozens of studies.
   
  We all want smaller classes but if you can't afford both, do formative assessment first. It is possible to have a smaller class and not do formative assessment which then will not help those struggling students who most benefit from it. 
   
  Regarding praise, there is good praise and bad praise.This is not a black white or intuitive issue. The North American formative assessment expert Anne Davies whose work I HIGHLY recommend, shows ways to give helpful praise. If you just say, "Great job" the student doesn't know necessarily what was great about it so as to be able to replicate it and additionally, sometimes students disbelieve such comments. Thus formative assessment experts say praise needs to be specific, like "I see you answered every question!" or whatever. 
   
  For more on how praise can be problematic or even damaging, read "Punished by Rewards" by Alfie Kohn. 
   
     
  Mary Schneckenburger
  Program Coordinator
  Literacy Volunteers-Androscoggin
  60 Court St., Auburn, ME 04210
  207 333 6601 X 1323
  mschnec at juno.com

    ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Bruce C 
  To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
  Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 5:29 PM
  Subject: [SpecialTopics 777] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes 'not cost effective
  

  Regarding small class size....
   
  Excuse my language, but regarding the comments of regarding class size attributed to Prof Dylan Wiliam, Deputy Director and Professor of Educational Assessment at the Institute of Education, University of London, I say ...
   
  "BALDERDASH!!! and HOGWASH!!!!" 
   
  I can't believe anyone who has been a teacher would ever say "...as long as pupils are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is generally possible with a class of 30." 
   
  Maybe this was taken out of context. Prof. Wiliam (yes it's only one "L"--I checked.) says some interesting things about formative assessment and personalized learning on this "Learning About Learning" website: 
   
  http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdylanwiliam.asp
   
  He does say a few wacky things--like that praise hurts students. 
   
  Prof. Wil.i.am. says that formative assessment "encourages teachers to take constant readings about where students are." He says it's important to do this "minute by minute, day by day."  That's why I can't believe this dude really thinks that class size doesn't matter. I think a teacher with 20 students in his/her class can get a better sense of where everyone is than a teacher with 30 students. 
  
Sure there may be things we can do that are cheaper than reducing class size...
   
  But so what?
   
  If that is how we define "cost effectiveness" why not TRIPLE class size and save tons of money? 
   
  You get my point, right? 
   
  from Bruce Carmel
   
   
   
   
   
  Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of 
the Institute of Education says, 

   
  
"David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net> wrote:
  Colleagues,

Tom Sticht spotted this on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site and sent 
it for our formative assessment discussion.

-------
Note from Tom Sticht:

This article about formative assessment appears in todays (2/25/08 
Education Guardian online.
-------

To see this story with its related links on the 
EducationGuardian.co.uk site, go to http://education.guardian.co.uk

Smaller class sizes 'not cost effective'
Anthea Lipsett
Monday February 25 2008
The Guardian

Reducing school class sizes in an attempt to raise pupil achievement 
is a waste of money for all but the youngest children, one of the 
country's leading experts on assessment said today.

Cutting class size by 30% gives children the equivalent of four extra 
months of learning a year, but costs around ?20,000 for each 
class every year, according to Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of 
the Institute of Education.

He said the more effective method of "formative assessment" - where 
teachers monitor their pupils' progress continuously and provide 
appropriate feedback - could provide eight extra months of 
educational development for only ?2,000 per classroom per year.

"It can therefore be 20 times as cost-effective as reducing class 
size in terms of pupil achievement," he told the annual Chartered 
London Teachers Conference today.

"Smaller classes do confer a benefit if pupils are unruly, because 
fewer pupils in a class means less disruption. But as long as pupils 
are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is 
generally possible with a class of 30.

"Smaller classes can also be more cost-effective for five to seven- 
year-olds, but research suggests the class size needs to be reduced 
to 15 or less," he said.

Wiliam added that investments in information communication technology 
have also shown a poor return. But international studies have 
confirmed that formative assessment can double the speed of pupil 
learning.

Some teachers use a "traffic light" system and ask pupils to hold up 
different coloured cards to show whether they have understood what 
they have been told. Red means "no", amber means "partly", and green 
"yes". Pupils are also encouraged to evaluate their own work and 
advise their classmates on how they can improve.

The English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish education departments 
have all provided varying degrees of backing for formative assessment.

After three years of research in both the UK and the US, Wiliam 
concluded that the approach would only take off properly if teachers 
work together in school-based groups to refine their classroom methods.

Wiliam and his co-researchers found that groups of eight to 10 
teachers who meet once a month for at least two years can be most 
effective. "It takes time to change teachers' ways of working, 
particularly if they have been in the classroom for many years," said 
Wiliam. "Simply telling teachers what to do doesn't work."

"For example, most teachers have heard about research from the 1980s 
which shows that if they wait three to five seconds after asking a 
question their pupils' performance improves because they have been 
given some time to think.

"Even so, many teachers are still allowing less than a second for 
pupils to respond. The conclusion we can draw from that is that 
knowing what to do is the easy part of teaching. Actually doing it is 
what's hard."

Wiliam told EducationGuardian.co.uk that teacher quality was key to 
any improvements.

"To reduce class size from 30 to 20 would need 150,000 more teachers 
and that would dilute the quality of teachers," he said.

"We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the classroom 
and we need to get better teachers into the profession."

Martin Johnson, acting deputy general secretary of the Association of 
Teachers and Lecturers, said the research should encourage the 
government to "put its money where its mouth is".

"Staff need to work together to learn how to teach more effectively, 
but schools will need more resources to do this. [Wiliam] reminds us 
that this would be very cost-effective.

"Schools have benefited hugely over the last decade from having more 
classroom based staff but much more training is needed to make their 
deployment fully effective.

"And while the government says it encourages assessment for learning, 
its testing policies have stolen teachers' self-confidence so new 
training must be provided and resourced.

"School staff desperately need a contractual entitlement to training 
which meets their individual needs."

Copyright Guardian News and Media Limited

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
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Email delivered to bcarmel at rocketmail.com

    
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From wrmuth at vcu.edu  Wed Feb 27 13:21:58 2008
From: wrmuth at vcu.edu (William R Muth/FS/VCU)
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 13:21:58 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 799] Re: Formative assessment in adult
	foundation	skillsin England
In-Reply-To: <C7858738-A6FE-46C3-AA3D-B6DECA948D80@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <OF9D2A43AA.BF0BD30E-ON852573FC.006388A6-852573FC.0064E2EE@vcu.edu>

Jan - This idea of making the tacit visible is similar to Chris Argyris & 
Donald A Sch?n's work on theory-in-use and the challenging work of helping 
adult practitioners come to terms with disconnects between their espoused 
beliefs and the  theories evident in actual practice. (When we say "I do 
that already" but in fact we actually do something else...) The classic 
work is: Argyris, C. & Scho?n, D. A. (1974). Theory in practice : 
increasing professional effectiveness. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
- Bill 

"David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net> 
Sent by: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
02/27/2008 11:17 AM
Please respond to
specialtopics at nifl.gov

To
specialtopics at nifl.gov
cc

Subject
[SpecialTopics 796] Re: Formative assessment in adult foundation skillsin 
England

Forwarded for Jan Eldred:

From: "Jan Eldred" <jan.eldred at niace.org.uk>
Date: February 27, 2008 9:57:27 AM EST
To: "John Vorhaus" <J.Vorhaus at ioe.ac.uk>, <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 759] Formative assessment in adult 
foundation skillsin England

This is a fascinating discourse....I've not been very active in it 
but have followed the work along the way, keen to learn and understand.

Much of John's [ John  Vorhaus'] analysis makes sense to me...the 
nomenclature, what's being learned from very different case studies
and what we seem to be understanding from observation.

some thoughts:

It strikes me that perhaps there isn't a tension between what we see 
as good teaching and learning and formative assessment but that 
perhaps what we're doing in our work is surfacing/highlighting/ 
pulling together those features of teaching and learning which are so 
implicit that teachers and learners aren't always aware of what they 
are, the impact and the significance of them.  Perhaps what we're 
describing as formative assessment is a series of on-programme 
assessment processes and activities which we're identifying, 
observing and describing because they appear to lead to the outcomes 
of learning we feel are of the highest order ie autonomy, learning to 
learn, achievement etc etc etc...

When teachers protest that they are doing them perhaps the difference 
is the consciousness, the planning, the awareness of what is being 
looked for in the process and the involvement of the learner in the 
process which is different.  So identifying something,naming it and 
indicating the value for learning justifies classifying it as 
something which is not just good teaching and learning.....but we 
would say that formative assessment is part of good teaching and 
learning.

Or am I rambling??
Do tell me!!

One small point, I'm a bit uncomfortable with the term 
instruction....unless it's used to describe particular pedagogical 
activities...

Jan

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to wrmuth at vcu.edu

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From psc3 at psu.edu  Wed Feb 27 14:02:05 2008
From: psc3 at psu.edu (Priscilla Carman)
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 14:02:05 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 800] Re: Formative assessment in adult
 foundationskillsin England
In-Reply-To: <00cf01c8795c$9b189210$6501a8c0@YOUR85A8F7B8EC>
References: <C7858738-A6FE-46C3-AA3D-B6DECA948D80@comcast.net>
	<00cf01c8795c$9b189210$6501a8c0@YOUR85A8F7B8EC>
Message-ID: <p06230901c3eb5d61b0e2@[128.118.130.108]>

Hello all, This discussion thread is interesting to me in the way it 
has begun to connect good teaching and learning.  I think many of the 
best teachers (in fact, most anyone who is truly expert at something) 
cannot always verbalize or articulate in research/education terms 
exactly what it is they are doing "that is working."  Often, the 
elements of an expert performance are so automatic and intuitive that 
they can't be readily remembered or quantified for those who want to 
name/identify them. I think this follows along with Jan's train of 
thought; there are probably many really good teachers who are using 
formative assessment everyday but don't think of their practices as 
assessment, probably because they have become so focused on 
high-stakes testing and assessment?
Best regards, Priscilla Carman

>Hello Jan:
>
>In my view, you are not rambling.  If I may rephrase, you are describing the
>data field--learning, education, the teacher-student relationship, etc.  The
>closer we get in our research to the actual qualities of good teaching, the
>less tension we should experience.
>
>Researchers are not studying something static or unhistorical.  Rather we
>are looking at something that is already on-going, that was operative long
>before any researcher came on the scene, and that is actually responsible
>for research communities having developed in the first place--education.
>Without it, we would have no research communities.
>
>Thus, the research community (theory, etc.) takes up the reflective mode of
>human consciousness--but now as a separated and institutionalized function
>of a highly nuanced field--education.  But that community emerged from, was
>separated off from, and is now returning to, that same educational
>experience to understand it and to formalize what is essential to it.   Some
>researchers, however, do not seem to see themselves in this way.  Rather, we
>seem to have unnecessary conflict for many reasons--too many to develop
>here.
>
>But education still is living and ongoing--and the data--teachers and
>students--still know when what we are doing works--when a student really
>understands something and needs no more help in that understanding.  Much
>that is essential to and experienced by the teacher-student is not captured
>in the research--especially in poorly grounded research.
>
>>From my understanding of it (and from cognitional theory), the idea of
>formative assessments comes close to capturing what is already essential to
>the educational experience--thus, it resonates regularly with what teachers
>and students are already doing when we experience "It works."
>
>We shouldn't be so surprised--and we wouldn't be--if we understood what I
>think you are trying to say--that our data field already holds within it the
>operating essentials that researchers are trying to tease out, rather than
>create and apply to something foreign to themselves, as if the data field
>were somewhere else besides already in the classroom.
>
>In formative assessments, as well as for the idea of action research,
>teachers and researchers are returning the "ends" to the data (the
>student)--differentiating, formalizing, and naming what has always been
>common to good teaching--and with those assessments as being FOR the
>student--recognizing that the student is not the means, but the proper end
>of the process (their understanding), and not in the assessments, e.g., for
>funding streams.
>
>Regards,
>
>Catherine King
>
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net>
>To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
>Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 7:46 AM
>Subject: [SpecialTopics 796] Re: Formative assessment in adult
>foundationskillsin England
>
>
>>  Forwarded for Jan Eldred:
>>
>>  From: "Jan Eldred" <jan.eldred at niace.org.uk>
>>  Date: February 27, 2008 9:57:27 AM EST
>>  To: "John Vorhaus" <J.Vorhaus at ioe.ac.uk>, <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
>>  Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 759] Formative assessment in adult
>  > foundation skillsin England
>>
>>  This is a fascinating discourse....I've not been very active in it
>>  but have followed the work along the way, keen to learn and understand.
>>
>>  Much of John's [ John  Vorhaus'] analysis makes sense to me...the
>>  nomenclature, what's being learned from very different case studies
>>  and what we seem to be understanding from observation.
>>
>>  some thoughts:
>>
>>  It strikes me that perhaps there isn't a tension between what we see
>>  as good teaching and learning and formative assessment but that
>>  perhaps what we're doing in our work is surfacing/highlighting/
>>  pulling together those features of teaching and learning which are so
>>  implicit that teachers and learners aren't always aware of what they
>>  are, the impact and the significance of them.  Perhaps what we're
>>  describing as formative assessment is a series of on-programme
>>  assessment processes and activities which we're identifying,
>>  observing and describing because they appear to lead to the outcomes
>>  of learning we feel are of the highest order ie autonomy, learning to
>>  learn, achievement etc etc etc...
>>
>>  When teachers protest that they are doing them perhaps the difference
>>  is the consciousness, the planning, the awareness of what is being
>>  looked for in the process and the involvement of the learner in the
>>  process which is different.  So identifying something,naming it and
>>  indicating the value for learning justifies classifying it as
>>  something which is not just good teaching and learning.....but we
>>  would say that formative assessment is part of good teaching and
>>  learning.
>>
>>  Or am I rambling??
>>  Do tell me!!
>>
>>  One small point, I'm a bit uncomfortable with the term
>>  instruction....unless it's used to describe particular pedagogical
>>  activities...
>>
>>  Jan
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>  -------------------------------
>>  National Institute for Literacy
>>  Special Topics mailing list
>>  SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
>>  To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
>>  http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
>>  Email delivered to cb.king at verizon.net
>>
>
>
>-------------------------------
>National Institute for Literacy
>Special Topics mailing list
>SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
>To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 
>http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
>Email delivered to psc3 at psu.edu

-- 
Priscilla S. Carman
Literacy Specialist
Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy
The Pennsylvania State University
208F Rackley Building
University Park, PA  16802-3202
PH: 814-865-1049     FX: 814-863-6108

From jpotter at gha.org  Wed Feb 27 13:47:27 2008
From: jpotter at gha.org (Jan Potter)
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 13:47:27 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 801] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk:
	Smallerclasssizes'not cost effective (Tom Mechem)
In-Reply-To: <29CFEE83EDF92741BF0ED3F5D9BC7E876A4CD8@exchange2.doe.mass.edu>
Message-ID: <FFE7C75CEE15B042B0453ABA750444DD70485B@email.gha.local>

I realize we are a bit off-task, but on the topic of "praise" - 

An interesting article in New York magazine on this topic  - by Po Bronson called "How Not to Talk to Your Kids" (here's a link:  http://nymag.com/news/features/27840/ ). In this article, Bronson talks

about research done by Carol Dweck (then of Columbia, now at Stanford) that suggests that praising a kid as being "smart" actually hurts their ongoing progress, ability, and perseverance when trying new

(especially intellectually challenging) things. The data suggest that praising *effort* gets dramatically better results.

 

The New York magazine article was quite an eye-opener for me.

 

It seems we are moving away from the "everybody gets a trophy" mentality these days.  The author's point was fascinating to me on the subject that a smart child would not take on challenging tasks.

 

Jan Potter, MSTC

Communications Specialist

Georgia Hospital Association

 

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Mechem, Thompson
Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 9:00 AM
To: john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz; specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 787] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smallerclasssizes'not cost effective (Tom Mechem)

 

If we all waited until we could prove everything in a court of law, we'd be even more doomed than we are presently. There's no question that smaller classes are needed for effective teaching and learning---just ask the teachers and just ask the students. Would R. Walker Willingham pay $30,000 a year to send his 14-year-old daughter Tiffany to St. Grottlesex if her European History class had 30 students instead of 12?

 

The point about praise is a tricky one. Certainly it doesn't do any good to tell someone she's smart if she doesn't believe it herself: you will only lose all credibility and trust. Yet our students need to know that we believe in them. It's like the advice we give parents: it's not enough to love your kids; they have to know that you love them. (Another untestable value of high literacy: you can get your point across.) It's not enough to believe in your students; they have to know you believe in them. However, as a wise man once said, "Self-confidence is bred of demonstrated ability." We can't just tell people they're smart; we have to create the educational environment by which they can come to know it for themselves. That's one of the intangible great things about the GED diploma: earning it proves to the student that she is smart. Though there are still lingering numbers of nattering nabobs of negativity who doubt the value of the GED process and the credential, one group that has no doubts are the students themselves.

 

Keep on rockin' in the free world (if there still is such a place).

 

 

Tom Mechem

GED State Chief Examiner

Massachusetts Department of Education

781-338-6621

"GED to Ph.D."

	-----Original Message-----
	From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]On Behalf Of John Benseman
	Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 11:38 PM
	To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
	Subject: [SpecialTopics 779] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes'not cost effective

	I don't know the specific words that Dylan Wiliam uses about class size, but I am guessing that what he says is that there is no authoritative research that shows that class size is irrefutably related to student learning. This is not to say that class size doesn't matter, it merely says that the research over many 100s of studies is inconclusive to date.

	 

	As I am sure that the great majority of people on this listserv will attest, we all feel intuitively that class size DOES matter - it's just that there is no research to back this conclusion. The jury, so to speak, is still out on this dimension of teaching (as it is in many other areas).

	 

	The second point re saying that 'praise hurts students': I couldn't find the specific reference, but again interpreting what I think Wiliam would say is something along the lines of: just praising students for the sake of praising does them little good. What is needed however is clear and realistic feedback on where they are at in their learning. If that comes with a dollop of praise, then that's great, but praise per se is not sufficient.

	 

	I think that we can fall in to a trap of thinking that learners invariably want/need support (which they do at times), but they also need to be challenged, which means that we need to give them realistic feedback on how they are progressing (or not).

	 

	Regards, John

	 

	PS I am not a paid servant of Dylan Wiliam, but I am a fan of his research...

	 

	John Benseman

	*   john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz

	*   641 9 627 1882  Cell  027 454 0683

	* 52a Bolton St, Blockhouse Bay, Auckland 0600, NZ

	
________________________________

	From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Bruce C
	Sent: Wednesday, 27 February 2008 11:29 a.m.
	To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
	Subject: [SpecialTopics 777] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes 'not cost effective

	 

	Regarding small class size....

	 

	Excuse my language, but regarding the comments of regarding class size attributed to Prof Dylan Wiliam, Deputy Director and Professor of Educational Assessment at the Institute of Education, University of London, I say ...

	 

	"BALDERDASH!!! and HOGWASH!!!!" 

	 

	I can't believe anyone who has been a teacher would ever say "...as long as pupils are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is generally possible with a class of 30." 

	 

	Maybe this was taken out of context. Prof. Wiliam (yes it's only one "L"--I checked.) says some interesting things about formative assessment and personalized learning on this "Learning About Learning" website: 

	 

	http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdylanwiliam.asp

	 

	He does say a few wacky things--like that praise hurts students. 

	 

	Prof. Wil.i.am. says that formative assessment "encourages teachers to take constant readings about where students are." He says it's important to do this "minute by minute, day by day."  That's why I can't believe this dude really thinks that class size doesn't matter. I think a teacher with 20 students in his/her class can get a better sense of where everyone is than a teacher with 30 students. 

	
	Sure there may be things we can do that are cheaper than reducing class size...

	 

	But so what?

	 

	If that is how we define "cost effectiveness" why not TRIPLE class size and save tons of money? 

	 

	You get my point, right? 

	 

	from Bruce Carmel

	 

	 

	 

	 

	 

	Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of 
	the Institute of Education says, 

	<http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdylanwiliam.asp>  

	
	"David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net> wrote:

		Colleagues,
		
		Tom Sticht spotted this on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site and sent 
		it for our formative assessment discussion.
		
		-------
		Note from Tom Sticht:
		
		This article about formative assessment appears in todays (2/25/08 
		Education Guardian online.
		-------
		
		To see this story with its related links on the 
		EducationGuardian.co.uk site, go to http://education.guardian.co.uk
		
		Smaller class sizes 'not cost effective'
		Anthea Lipsett
		Monday February 25 2008
		The Guardian
		
		Reducing school class sizes in an attempt to raise pupil achievement 
		is a waste of money for all but the youngest children, one of the 
		country's leading experts on assessment said today.
		
		Cutting class size by 30% gives children the equivalent of four extra 
		months of learning a year, but costs around ?20,000 for each 
		class every year, according to Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of 
		the Institute of Education.
		
		He said the more effective method of "formative assessment" - where 
		teachers monitor their pupils' progress continuously and provide 
		appropriate feedback - could provide eight extra months of 
		educational development for only ?2,000 per classroom per year.
		
		"It can therefore be 20 times as cost-effective as reducing class 
		size in terms of pupil achievement," he told the annual Chartered 
		London Teachers Conference today.
		
		"Smaller classes do confer a benefit if pupils are unruly, because 
		fewer pupils in a class means less disruption. But as long as pupils 
		are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is 
		generally possible with a class of 30.
		
		"Smaller classes can also be more cost-effective for five to seven- 
		year-olds, but research suggests the class size needs to be reduced 
		to 15 or less," he said.
		
		Wiliam added that investments in information communication technology 
		have also shown a poor return. But international studies have 
		confirmed that formative assessment can double the speed of pupil 
		learning.
		
		Some teachers use a "traffic light" system and ask pupils to hold up 
		different coloured cards to show whether they have understood what 
		they have been told. Red means "no", amber means "partly", and green 
		"yes". Pupils are also encouraged to evaluate their own work and 
		advise their classmates on how they can improve.
		
		The English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish education departments 
		have all provided varying degrees of backing for formative assessment.
		
		After three years of research in both the UK and the US, Wiliam 
		concluded that the approach would only take off properly if teachers 
		work together in school-based groups to refine their classroom methods.
		
		Wiliam and his co-researchers found that groups of eight to 10 
		teachers who meet once a month for at least two years can be most 
		effective. "It takes time to change teachers' ways of working, 
		particularly if they have been in the classroom for many years," said 
		Wiliam. "Simply telling teachers what to do doesn't work."
		
		"For example, most teachers have heard about research from the 1980s 
		which shows that if they wait three to five seconds after asking a 
		question their pupils' performance improves because they have been 
		given some time to think.
		
		"Even so, many teachers are still allowing less than a second for 
		pupils to respond. The conclusion we can draw from that is that 
		knowing what to do is the easy part of teaching. Actually doing it is 
		what's hard."
		
		Wiliam told EducationGuardian.co.uk that teacher quality was key to 
		any improvements.
		
		"To reduce class size from 30 to 20 would need 150,000 more teachers 
		and that would dilute the quality of teachers," he said.
		
		"We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the classroom 
		and we need to get better teachers into the profession."
		
		Martin Johnson, acting deputy general secretary of the Association of 
		Teachers and Lecturers, said the research should encourage the 
		government to "put its money where its mouth is".
		
		"Staff need to work together to learn how to teach more effectively, 
		but schools will need more resources to do this. [Wiliam] reminds us 
		that this would be very cost-effective.
		
		"Schools have benefited hugely over the last decade from having more 
		classroom based staff but much more training is needed to make their 
		deployment fully effective.
		
		"And while the government says it encourages assessment for learning, 
		its testing policies have stolen teachers' self-confidence so new 
		training must be provided and resourced.
		
		"School staff desperately need a contractual entitlement to training 
		which meets their individual needs."
		
		Copyright Guardian News and Media Limited
		
		
		
		David J. Rosen
		Special Topics Discussion Moderator
		djrosen at comcast.net
		
		
		
		-------------------------------
		National Institute for Literacy
		Special Topics mailing list
		SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
		To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
		Email delivered to bcarmel at rocketmail.com

	 

	  

	
________________________________

	Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage. <http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=51438/*http:/www.yahoo.com/r/hs>  

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From john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz  Wed Feb 27 16:59:52 2008
From: john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz (John Benseman)
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 10:59:52 +1300
Subject: [SpecialTopics 802] Re: Formative Assessment Day Three;
	U.S. case Studies
In-Reply-To: <9767ACB4F4A5B2C9495F1F3C@JCommings.ad.edc.org>
Message-ID: <00ae01c8798c$1942ce10$0c00a8c0@critical1>

Well, John C has provided most of what David asked us to do in relation to
the US case studies. Readers can see the full US report at:
http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/28/33/40046717.pdf 

 

The report contains more detail about the observations. For example, some
people have mentioned questioning - these are some of the questioning
strategies that I observed being used by the teachers in the study that
reflected a formative assessment approach.

 

*         Levels of questions: teachers pitched their questions at levels
that were both attainable, but also challenging.

 

*         Leaving reasonable wait-time for learners to respond to questions
so that they clearly understood that a response was expected from them and
would not be answered by the teacher.

 

*         Ensuring that the students 'did the work' by ensuring that they
answered the questions and not the teacher - "so is that sentence OK? -
anything that you would like to see changed with it?" (addressed to the
whole class).

 

*         Creating safe environments to ask questions: several instances
demonstrated that teachers were genuinely interested in hearing students'
responses - asking if anyone wanted anything explained further at the end of
a session, one teacher waited a reasonable time for responses (rather than
simply finishing the session without waiting for responses) and then when
one student asked for clarification about a topic, then spent some time
explaining it to the class.

 

*         Students were given realistic feedback on their answers along with
suggestions for reviewing why it was incorrect or incomplete - or additional
questions to elicit another response.

 

*         Promotion of critical thinking, for example by prompting students
to make fine distinctions between similar words (fixable and feasible).

 

*         'Tuning' of questions in response to learners' responses: teachers
often opened with a general, open question ("so what do you all think about
this?"), but then gradually focused their questioning both in relation to
more specific topics ("what do you think the writer is trying to do in this
chapter?") and also fine-tuning their questions in response to the learners'
responses ("you think that it's all about control in this case or something
else?").

 

*         There was quite a high level of student: student interaction in
most of the classes due at least in part to the amount of questions that
students asked each other, rather than being reliant on teacher-dominated
questioning.

 

*         Allowing for diversity of answers so that students received a
message that there are a number of ways to answer correctly.

 

One general point I would like to make in relation to what I observed: while
it is true that many teachers respond to this debate by saying "but I
already do that" I think we have growing evidence that many do not and that
most of us can do it better. There have been a number of observation studies
(both in the US and elsewhere) that clearly show for example that teachers
ask predominantly closed questions, wait less than 2 seconds for replies and
then often supply the answers themselves and so on (and that these
behaviours are different from what the teachers say they do). 

 

Many would say for example that they ask their learners at the conclusion of
a session if everyone understood what was taught, but this is often done
while everyone is packing up and heading for the door: the script here is,
'I am asking this question, but I don't really expect any of you to respond
to it'. The teacher I observed doing this, asked this question before the
'dismissal process' was underway and waited for some time for replies from
his learners (which one learner did and engaged in a conversation about what
he hadn't understood and involved the rest of the class) - there was a
'script' operating in this classroom that the question was genuine and it
was OK to seek further help or clarification. It is this sort of difference
that sets ordinary teachers apart from exemplary ones.

 

I'm enjoying the debates!

 

Regards, John

 

 

John Benseman

 

*   john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz

 

*   641 9 627 1882  Cell  027 454 0683

 

* 52a Bolton St, Blockhouse Bay, Auckland 0600, NZ

 

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From grotlueschen at uni-bremen.de  Wed Feb 27 16:21:03 2008
From: grotlueschen at uni-bremen.de (=?iso-8859-1?Q?Anke_Grotl=FCschen?=)
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 22:21:03 +0100
Subject: [SpecialTopics 803]  feedback by competent tutor
In-Reply-To: <260900.50913.qm@web37907.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <20080227212127.27FFB102876@bladez03.zfn.uni-bremen.de>

Bruce and all the others who discuss praise
 

 

(David, Janet and John (B/ C/ V), sorry for not directly starting on day
three, I?m not yet through with reading day one and two ? and by the way, I
liked your ?Good Morning? -  it?s 22:19h here:-)

 

Our ongoing studies suggest that people develop interest in a subject-matter
if they feel they can participate (in the literal meaning of the latin word:
pars capere).  Participation includes that they are somehow concerned with
the consequences of their activities. These consequences might be a good
relationship to a tutor or fellows. It might be the ability to drive a car,
to discuss news or to understand documents. 

 

So, if we want people to stay enrolled, we should think of what is their
reason to come into the class. German-language theory discusses ?Subject
Scientific Approaches? ? related to critical psychology, i.e. Holzkamp and
Action Theory, i.e. Vygotsky. Similar approaches are provided by John Dewey
(Interest and effort in Education, 1913). 

 

Regarding feedback, a small-scale qualitative study we did in 2003 about
e-learning finds that informative feedback is appreciated very much, when
provided by someone the students accept to be   competent   in his/her
subject-matter.  If not, they don?t even fulfil their tasks, because they
are not interested in his/her feedback (neither positive nor negative,
neither informative nor vague).

 

Best wishes, 

Anke

 

  _____  

Von: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
Im Auftrag von Bruce C
Gesendet: Mittwoch, 27. Februar 2008 18:01
An: mary; specialtopics at nifl.gov
Betreff: [SpecialTopics 798] Re: Smaller classsizes

 

 Regarding Prof. Wil.i.am and praise:

 

I would summarize Wil.i.am's position regarding praise like this:  

He says that vague, general praise does nothing to help students. It can
confuse them about what is expected and make them focus on which students
are getting the most praise in the classroom. He thinks it's better to give
specific feedback that tells students what they need to improve. Then they
know what to work on. I get that part, but I am not sure if Wil.i.am thinks
it is also important to let students know the bigger picture of where they
are at. If the only feedback I got was what needed to improve, I would not
feel very good about school and my abilities to succeed. 

 

I think it is important to note that Wil.i.am's research was done with
children. One of the big differences between children and adults is that
children go to school by default. It is "normal"  for children to be in
school. Even though children may have doubts and fears about their abilities
to learn, they are not at the same risk for dropping out as adults. 

 

In Adult Literacy, one of our biggest concerns is retention. We cannot
assume that most students will stay enrolled no matter what. I think
students leave school for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it's the other
pressures and responsibilities of life. Sometimes it's because they don't
feel that they are making progress. Sometimes it's because school is a
negative experience. So I praise students whenever possible. The praise
needs to be honest and specific. I think they benefit from hearing that they
are learning and succeeded. It may be something they have not heard much
before. It's also a good way to build a positive relationship between
teacher and student. I don't know if any research backs me up. 

 

Bruce Carmel

mary <mschnec at localnet.com> wrote:

I think Dylan Wiliam's point boiled down to "If you only have X dollars to
spend you should spend them on getting formative assessment in the classroom
because when compared to other reforms/improvements (which presumably
included class size although I don't know that for a fact) formative
assessment techniques made the biggest most powerful difference regardless
of level or country when you compared statistics from many dozens of
studies.

 

We all want smaller classes but if you can't afford both, do formative
assessment first. It is possible to have a smaller class and not do
formative assessment which then will not help those struggling students who
most benefit from it. 

 

Regarding praise, there is good praise and bad praise.This is not a black
white or intuitive issue. The North American formative assessment expert
Anne Davies whose work I HIGHLY recommend, shows ways to give helpful
praise. If you just say, "Great job" the student doesn't know necessarily
what was great about it so as to be able to replicate it and additionally,
sometimes students disbelieve such comments. Thus formative assessment
experts say praise needs to be specific, like "I see you answered every
question!" or whatever. 

 

For more on how praise can be problematic or even damaging, read "Punished
by Rewards" by Alfie Kohn. 

 

 

Mary Schneckenburger

Program Coordinator

Literacy Volunteers-Androscoggin

60 Court St., Auburn, ME 04210

207 333 6601 X 1323

mschnec at juno.com

----- Original Message ----- 

From: Bruce C <mailto:bcarmel at rocketmail.com>  

To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 

Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 5:29 PM

Subject: [SpecialTopics 777] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes
'not cost effective

 

Regarding small class size....

 

Excuse my language, but regarding the comments of regarding class size
attributed to Prof Dylan Wiliam, Deputy Director and Professor of
Educational Assessment at the Institute of Education, University of London,
I say ...

 

"BALDERDASH!!! and HOGWASH!!!!" 

 

I can't believe anyone who has been a teacher would ever say "...as long as
pupils are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is
generally possible with a class of 30." 

 

Maybe this was taken out of context. Prof. Wiliam (yes it's only one "L"--I
checked.) says some interesting things about formative assessment and
personalized learning on this "Learning About Learning" website: 

 

http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdylanw
iliam.asp

 

He does say a few wacky things--like that praise hurts students. 

 

Prof. Wil.i.am. says that formative assessment "encourages teachers to take
constant readings about where students are." He says it's important to do
this "minute by minute, day by day."  That's why I can't believe this dude
really thinks that class size doesn't matter. I think a teacher with 20
students in his/her class can get a better sense of where everyone is than a
teacher with 30 students. 

Sure there may be things we can do that are cheaper than reducing class
size...

 

But so what?

 

If that is how we define "cost effectiveness" why not TRIPLE class size and
save tons of money? 

 

You get my point, right? 

 

from Bruce Carmel

 

 

 

 

 

Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of 
the Institute of Education says, 

 
<http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdylan
wiliam.asp>  

"David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net> wrote:

Colleagues,

Tom Sticht spotted this on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site and sent 
it for our formative assessment discussion.

-------
Note from Tom Sticht:

This article about formative assessment appears in todays (2/25/08 
Education Guardian online.
-------

To see this story with its related links on the 
EducationGuardian.co.uk site, go to http://education.guardian.co.uk

Smaller class sizes 'not cost effective'
Anthea Lipsett
Monday February 25 2008
The Guardian

Reducing school class sizes in an attempt to raise pupil achievement 
is a waste of money for all but the youngest children, one of the 
country's leading experts on assessment said today.

Cutting class size by 30% gives children the equivalent of four extra 
months of learning a year, but costs around ?20,000 for each 
class every year, according to Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of 
the Institute of Education.

He said the more effective method of "formative assessment" - where 
teachers monitor their pupils' progress continuously and provide 
appropriate feedback - could provide eight extra months of 
educational development for only ?2,000 per classroom per year.

"It can therefore be 20 times as cost-effective as reducing class 
size in terms of pupil achievement," he told the annual Chartered 
London Teachers Conference today.

"Smaller classes do confer a benefit if pupils are unruly, because 
fewer pupils in a class means less disruption. But as long as pupils 
are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is 
generally possible with a class of 30.

"Smaller classes can also be more cost-effective for five to seven- 
year-olds, but research suggests the class size needs to be reduced 
to 15 or less," he said.

Wiliam added that investments in information communication technology 
have also shown a poor return. But international studies have 
confirmed that formative assessment can double the speed of pupil 
learning.

Some teachers use a "traffic light" system and ask pupils to hold up 
different coloured cards to show whether they have understood what 
they have been told. Red means "no", amber means "partly", and green 
"yes". Pupils are also encouraged to evaluate their own work and 
advise their classmates on how they can improve.

The English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish education departments 
have all provided varying degrees of backing for formative assessment.

After three years of research in both the UK and the US, Wiliam 
concluded that the approach would only take off properly if teachers 
work together in school-based groups to refine their classroom methods.

Wiliam and his co-researchers found that groups of eight to 10 
teachers who meet once a month for at least two years can be most 
effective. "It takes time to change teachers' ways of working, 
particularly if they have been in the classroom for many years," said 
Wiliam. "Simply telling teachers what to do doesn't work."

"For example, most teachers have heard about research from the 1980s 
which shows that if they wait three to five seconds after asking a 
question their pupils' performance improves because they have been 
given some time to think.

"Even so, many teachers are still allowing less than a second for 
pupils to respond. The conclusion we can draw from that is that 
knowing what to do is the easy part of teaching. Actually doing it is 
what's hard."

Wiliam told EducationGuardian.co.uk that teacher quality was key to 
any improvements.

"To reduce class size from 30 to 20 would need 150,000 more teachers 
and that would dilute the quality of teachers," he said.

"We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the classroom 
and we need to get better teachers into the profession."

Martin Johnson, acting deputy general secretary of the Association of 
Teachers and Lecturers, said the research should encourage the 
government to "put its money where its mouth is".

"Staff need to work together to learn how to teach more effectively, 
but schools will need more resources to do this. [Wiliam] reminds us 
that this would be very cost-effective.

"Schools have benefited hugely over the last decade from having more 
classroom based staff but much more training is needed to make their 
deployment fully effective.

"And while the government says it encourages assessment for learning, 
its testing policies have stolen teachers' self-confidence so new 
training must be provided and resourced.

"School staff desperately need a contractual entitlement to training 
which meets their individual needs."

Copyright Guardian News and Media Limited

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to bcarmel at rocketmail.com

 

  _____  

Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo
<http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=51438/*http:/www.yahoo.com/r/hs>  your homepage.

  _____  

-------------------------------
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From cherylthornett at hotmail.com  Wed Feb 27 13:27:04 2008
From: cherylthornett at hotmail.com (Cheryl Thornett)
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 18:27:04 -0000
Subject: [SpecialTopics 804] Re: Formative assessment
	inadult	foundationskills in England
References: <FAD11274-766F-4C4F-890A-1D2E68A3F01C@comcast.net><949E22B7BCCFF2408271BAAA8166BF07033F2452@M3.ioead><3ADC3456-97A0-40E3-99C5-9E14F6F6A777@comcast.net><BLU129-DAV6AEFA681FE041CF539DD8CC190@phx.gbl>
	<47C535FA.9039.005C.0@cityofbristol.ac.uk>
Message-ID: <BLU129-DAV59AD687861D9C37C7B82ECC1A0@phx.gbl>

I'm not sure how much longer I'm going to be an ESOL teacher, either.

Like many teachers within Skills for Life, I have had to adapt the requirements, to the extent of ditching the forms provided by my service for lesson plans and schemes of work. I am fortunate enough to work with mutually supportive colleagues; we get little or no support in these matters from the institution, beyond acknowledgement that we may use some of our own forms so long as we include all the required information. The record on the back of the lesson plan was a life-saving tip from another tutor years before Skills for Life, for example.

I've given up even trying to write SMART (ha!) targets as recommended by people who have never taught language; no one with authority to do anything about our centrally produced forms seems to be interested in devising forms for the benefit of students, rather than for administrators and inspectors. I'd be much happier with class targets for a term or even half-term, with students encouraged to write one or two personal targets if they are able, either chosen from the class targets or in addition to them. Even beginners could mark their personal choice if a list was read to them, and class targets can be discussed or even negotiated. (Of course, students often have the strange idea that their teacher should know best.)

Cheryl Thornett
ESOL tutor
Birmingham UK Adult Education

----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Matt Davis 
  To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
  Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 10:05 AM
  Subject: [SpecialTopics 785] Re: Formative assessment inadult foundationskills in England

  Hi,

  I've just finished being an ESOL teacher, but suspect I could have kept going for longer if it hadn't been for Individual Learning Plans! It's interesting to see that Cheryl has developed her own method for 'coping' with these; I wonder if this was a personal strategy or an institutional one? I've discussed ILPs at length with lots of ESOL practitioners, and been responsible for verifying the use of them by a team of teachers, and I've yet to see an example of their use as genuine formative assessment.

  Firstly, most seem to be written by the teachers with little involvement from the student. This is often accounted for by limited language skills, but equally the culture of ILPs is pretty unfathomable to many of the learners. Further to this, the requirement to translate what the learner wants into a SMART goal is pretty demanding for trained, professional native-speakers, so what goes on the form will always be removed from the original intention to some degree. 

  Secondly, focussing on individual needs within a communal, class-focussed teaching environment seems destined to fail. Either individual learners are given the time to focus on their exclusive needs (impractical) or teachers offer goals which are subsets of the wider group aims, leading to a situation where learners sign an ILP to say that they intend to learn a particular part of the content of the course 'better' than the rest. Many tutors offer the learners a list of goals which are tangentially connected with the plan for that term, which are selected then 'achieved' as a separate strand to the course, but basically assessed summatively.

  Thirdly, as Cheryl implied, the time pressures of Skills for Life (the current government agenda which covers ESOL, Literacy and Numeracy in the UK) admin are immense. There simply isn't any time to review, comment meaningfully or do any of the other things which make formative assessment effective. 

  Finally, most teachers are familiar enough with either language acquisition theory or the experience of language learning to know that the synthetic, bricks in a wall view of language learning implicit to ILPs just isn't right. You can't 'achieve' an aspect of language at the end of a term.

  Phew! Purgative. 

  Matt Davis
  Research and Development Manager
  City of Bristol College
  Bedminster (1.37)
  0117 312 5557
  07739 863 450

  >>> "Cheryl Thornett" <cherylthornett at hotmail.com> 26/02/2008 21:20 >>>

  Hi,

  I'm coming at this from the perspective of an ESOL tutor in adult education. Being called a tutor mainly means being paid less, I'm afraid.

  The specialists have made some really good points. Formative assessment is definitely a valuable part of teaching, but too many recording systems take far too much of limited teaching time. 

  Imagine, four hours per week, 12 or more regular attendees plus the irregulars-I do need to teach, as well as record targets and attainments. (And yes, I know half of you are rolling your eyes and saying 'Four whole hours? Not even 20 in the class?') 

  One of the problems for language teachers and learners is that typically, a person learning another language may find it extremely hard to reflect on their needs and learning, never mind put these into the language they are learning and an unfamiliar set of terminology. Assessment activities need to be meaningful to the student.

  I keep a simple grid on the back of my lesson plans, with the main targets for each lesson and the names of the students. This gives me a quick-and-dirty record of who has actually done a particular piece of work and usually includes a simple check or cross to show whether each managed at the expected level. I can, if necessary, look back over these to get a picture of missed lessons, or indications that someone is struggling or sailing through. 

  Our system requires that students write a short record and possibly a comment at the end of each lesson, which we usually manage to do, and I try to read these at intervals.

  I generally comment informally when an activity shows real improvement, say, in asking questions or putting words in alphabetical order. This is pretty normal classroom practice, of course. I also, since I teach ESOL, ask students to give a short talk in class at fairly regular intervals and to write something such as a letter or report, based on our work for that period, and also reflecting the formal exams which they have to take at some stage. I give brief individual feedback on these as soon as possible, as well as making more copious notes, and the feedback and notes reflect individual needs and progress. I mainly teach multi-level classes, and I find this works well, because students can participate at their own level, or I can set different tasks. Before Christmas, for example, I asked L1/L2 students to give an account (2-3 minutes) of how to do something, with about a week to prepare, and I asked them to write a formal letter, the topic taken from past exam papers. We had worked as a group on various aspects of formal letters and on language suitable for explaining or giving instructions, among other areas. The lower level students wrote a letter asking for help and advice, while the higher level students wrote letters of complaint.

  At the end of the first two terms of the year (3 terms in total), I interview each student (5-10 minutes usually) and we discuss the student's learning plan, how well they feel they have done and how well I feel they have done, taking the assessment tasks into account, along with class work. This is our formal, required formative review, and I base the next set of Individual Learning Plans on this. There are some generic questions to answer such as 'What have you achieved? What has been difficult? What do you need to do next?. If students have moderate English literacy (certainly E3 and up), I ask them to write the answers in their own words after our discussion. We do not have time for individual tutorials outside class hours.

  I have noticed that many commercial textbooks and some public materials now include regular test-type activities, which may be called review, 'check your learning', 'what can you do now?' or something similar. I find that learners actually appreciate these, once they feel confident that they are not really tests with grades, because it gives them a sense of ongoing progress. I like them, if well-designed, for the same reason. While these are not individuated, they can still show the individual's strengths or weaknesses. They aren't all just tests of grammar, either.

  And now, back to marking class work....

  Cheryl Thornett
  ESOL tutor
  Birmingham (UK) Adult Education

   

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net>
  To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
  Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 12:32 PM
  Subject: [SpecialTopics 763] Re: Formative assessment in adult foundationskills in England

  John Vorhaus, and other English Colleagues,

  One question that many U.S. teachers will have, I am sure, is how do  
  tutors (teachers) cope with all the time required for summative  
  assessments and reporting, and still manage time for formative  
  assessment.  Is this a problem in England, or not? If it is, how do  
  tutors do it?

  Another question,  for all of our guests: from a professional  
  development point of view, do you find that tutors who do formative  
  assessment well have had a lot of experience and training? Do they  
  tend to be full-time, and/or older? To what extent can good formative  
  assessment practices be learned in professional development and  
  practiced well by relatively new teachers?

  David J. Rosen
  Special Topics Discussion Moderator
  djrosen at comcast.net

  On Feb 26, 2008, at 5:38 AM, John Vorhaus wrote:

  > Dear Colleagues,
  >
  > Having given some of the background to adult basic skills in  
  > England, here are a few words on the English case studies. At this  
  > stage I have included only a general introduction and some thoughts  
  > about the strengths and weaknesses of the formative assessment  
  > practices observed. John may want to add to this, and I think he  
  > may want to give details of each of the three sites visited. (If  
  > not, I will later on today.)
  >
  > I am sure my three English colleagues will want to make contributions.
  >
  > Nomenclature
  >
  > Before I begin a word about nomenclature. In our case study report,  
  > and below for ease of reference, we refer to 'adult basic skills'.  
  > But:
  >
  > 1. 'Basic' has connotations many of us are unhappy with. One  
  > alternative is 'adult literacy, language and numeracy'.
  > 2. As Jan Eldred and others repeatedly and rightly say, the  
  > differences between each of these three are so significant as to  
  > raise the question whether we should treat them under a single  
  > rubric. That is relevant to this discussion because we can't assume  
  > that formative assessment practices found to be successful in a  
  > literacy context will also or equally be found to be successful in  
  > a numeracy context. Which takes us on to the question how far the  
  > success of formative assessment practices are dependent on context.
  >
  > The Case Studies
  >
  > Three adult basic skills programmes were the subjects of the case  
  > studies.  One is in London; one in the city of York (200 miles  
  > north of London), and one is in the London Borough of Croydon (10  
  > miles south of the centre of London). These three sites were picked  
  > as exemplary programs by the England-based author. The choice of  
  > these three programmes was based, in part, on the personal  
  > experience of the author, but his selection was checked with others  
  > who have a wide experience of programmes in England.  The choice  
  > also was influenced by a desire to have a range of different types  
  > of programmes and to have programmes that could be visited within a  
  > limited time period.
  >
  > All of the programs provided inspection reports from the last visit  
  > of teams from the Adult Learning Inspectorate (ALI). All three ALI  
  > reports were positive.  Both instruction and management received a  
  > positive rating on the ALI scale, usually receiving one of the top  
  > two grades.  Programme leaders suggested two reasons why their  
  > programmes were able to achieve and maintain a level of instruction  
  > that would lead to being chosen as an exemplary programme. The  
  > first was the quality of their teachers, and the second was their  
  > staff's regular reflection focused on programme improvement.
  >
  > Since these were all exemplary programmes, we asked the Heads of  
  > Department at each of the 3 sites about the factors that most  
  > support good teaching and learning. Whilst there was not a  
  > consensus, there was broad agreement that each of the following  
  > were important, and in roughly this order:
  >
  > Well qualified, committed and enthusiastic tutors; staff with  
  > substantial hours who are willing to attend meetings, training and  
  > to generally 'go the extra mile'
  > Regular feedback and reviews of learner progress
  > Opportunities for continuing professional development
  > Good resources, including e-learning resources; activities and  
  > resources of interest and relevance to the learner
  >
  > The influence of these factors on good teaching and learning will  
  > depend in part on the value each learner places on them. But  
  > respondents agreed that well qualified, committed and enthusiastic  
  > tutors help motivate and stimulate learners, inspiring them to do  
  > their very best and helping them to overcome often long held  
  > barriers to learning and personal success. Regular feedback and  
  > reviews of learner progress are also extremely important, for this  
  > is how learners will know whether they are heading in the right  
  > direction. Constructive feedback is also invaluable at points when  
  > learners are beginning to struggle, not only for the direct  
  > assistance that the tutor is able to provide but also because  
  > constructive on-going assessment promotes learners' motivation and  
  > persistence. Formative assessment also provides an opportunity for  
  > the tutors themselves to receive feedback on the teaching and  
  > learning process, identifying changes that need to be made.
  >
  > Respondents agreed that activities and resources that are of  
  > interest and relevance to the learner help engage the learner,  
  > maintaining motivation and supporting the natural learning process.  
  > Finally, there was general agreement that levels of funding and  
  > frequent redefining of priorities are the factors that most  
  > threaten good Skills for Life teaching and learning, together with  
  > an increasing administrative burden.
  >
  > Because of the national character of the system, initial  
  > assessment, instruction, formative assessment, and summative  
  > assessment look similar in all three.  However, they are by no  
  > means the same. Each programme uses different types of assessment;  
  > teachers draw on their experience and training as well as their  
  > knowledge of their learners to design courses and teaching  
  > strategies that work best in their context; and learners have a  
  > range of summative tests they can take to secure the same  
  > qualification. In addition, different types of institutions  
  > (nonprofit, further education college, and local government  
  > programme) are featured in our case studies and different types of  
  > classes (ESOL, numeracy, and adult literacy) were observed at each  
  > site.
  >
  >
  > Some strengths and weakness: observations
  >
  > Strengths
  >
  > A focus on small increments of learning - something that is  
  > manageable for learners who may otherwise be overwhelmed by the  
  > demands of a course.
  > Learners and teachers are encouraged to reflect and modify learning  
  > goals and aspirations.
  > Formative assessment encourages teachers to support learners, and  
  > to assist learners in learning how to learn.
  > Teachers are able to bring their own experience and training to the  
  > learning process.
  > Formative assessment encourages dialogue between teacher and  
  > learner, and amongst learners.
  > Teachers are encouraged to understand how learners learn best, and  
  > at what rate.
  >
  > Weaknesses
  >
  > The amount of time taken up in recording the process, time taken  
  > away from instruction.
  > Whilst formative assessment procedures are supportive of learning,  
  > if a class meets two hours per week for 12 weeks, and a learner has  
  > missed two classes, the total time-on-task is only 20 hours. Even  
  > an hour taken out of this time could affect learning.
  > Each formative assessment task, therefore, should be justified by  
  > evidence that it is supportive to learning.  The time required of  
  > tutors by the writing up of formative assessment activities takes  
  > away from their preparation for instruction. This time should be  
  > justified by its impact on learning.
  >
  > Comment
  >
  > A few further thoughts, which go beyond evidence from the case  
  > studies themselves, and beyond, perhaps, what John C would want to  
  > say.
  >
  > 1. The weaknesses observed above might be said to lie not in the  
  > formative assessment process per se, but in the (chosen means of)  
  > writing it up. But it is not easy to think of far less labour  
  > intensive alternatives, once they become embedded in an  
  > institutional system. Some form of authoritative report seems  
  > necessary to meet even minimal demands of accountability. This  
  > takes us onto the terrain of professional judgement, and reliance  
  > on that, and also onto questions about accountability systems. I'm  
  > sure Jay Derrick will want to come in here.
  >
  > 2. One theme which Kathryn Ecclestone has brought to our attention  
  > is the relation between assessment and personal autonomy: how far  
  > do formative assessment practices contribute to the development of  
  > the personal autonomy of the learner, encouraging her to take  
  > responsibility for her learning, to understand how she learns and  
  > how she is most likely to progress? And how far might the outcome  
  > only serve to inhibit or neglect autonomy, perhaps because  
  > formative assessment is inexpertly practiced, or because these  
  > practices are adhered to only mechanically, or because the  
  > interests of formative assessment become subverted to the demands  
  > of summative assessment?
  >
  > 3.  I think David is right to raise the question how far formative  
  > assessment can be disentangled from the practices that make up good  
  > teaching generally. Many items listed under 'strengths' would  
  > appear in any initial teacher training programme. I think there is  
  > truth in what John B says, that formative assessment is partly to  
  > be characterised by reference to attitude: by the attitude of  
  > looking at the teaching and learning process from the learners'  
  > point of view, of drawing attention to how the learner is  
  > progressing, and giving priority to how best to support her. But I  
  > can hear teacher trainers say - and I have! - that ' we do all of  
  > that anyway'. Perhaps much (not all) of what is new is less at the  
  > level of general principle and more in the details we are  
  > uncovering about how best to apply those principles in particular  
  > contexts.  But I expect Kathryn will want to disagree with that?
  >
  > More soon.
  >
  > John Vorhaus
  >
  >
  >
  >
  > > -----Original Message-----
  > > From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
  > > [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
  > > Sent: 26 February 2008 06:00
  > > To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
  > > Subject: [SpecialTopics 759] Formative assessment in adult
  > > foundation skillsin England
  > >
  > > Colleagues,
  > >
  > > Although Janet Looney will still be answering the (very many)
  > > questions I asked, and other questions from discussion
  > > participants, let's also move on to the first set of case
  > > studies, from England. I have asked John Vorhaus and John
  > > Comings if they could:
  > >
  > > 1. give a short overview of the national adult basic skills
  > > context in England, particularly noting any features or terms
  > > of the context that may be unfamiliar to a U.S. audience and
  > > that are important to understand the case studies;
  > >
  > > 2. describe the three case studies; and
  > >
  > > 3. describe what are the most interesting, significant
  > > findings and also explain how the case studies might be a
  > > good example of formative assessment.
  > >
  > > It would be helpful if, in describing teacher formative
  > > assessment practices in England, you could describe or give
  > > examples of what goes beyond usual good practice in teaching
  > > and learning, what, in particular, is good practice in
  > > formative assessment. That is, some may wonder if formative
  > > assessment is just a different name for good teaching? Is it
  > > really something new? Is it really a discrete set of
  > > practices? If, as Black and Wiliam's research shows, it makes
  > > a difference in students' learning in elementary and
  > > secondary education, what about formative assessment makes
  > > that difference? Why is formative assessment such a powerful
  > > set of strategies, so effective?  I believe that some of our
  > > subscribers are still trying to understand of these issues;
  > > perhaps the case studies in England might shed some light on them.
  > >
  > > David J. Rosen
  > > Special Topics Discussion Moderator
  > > djrosen at comcast.net
  > >
  > >
  > >
  > > -------------------------------
  > > National Institute for Literacy
  > > Special Topics mailing list
  > > SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
  > > To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please
  > > go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
  > > Email delivered to j.vorhaus at ioe.ac.uk
  > >
  >
  > -------------------------------
  > National Institute for Literacy
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From djrosen at comcast.net  Thu Feb 28 00:40:41 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 00:40:41 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 805]  Formative assessment in other countries
Message-ID: <47C64959.5060807@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

You can still ask questions or make comments on any of the case studies, 
or on Janet's overview, but today I would also like to invite OECD 
researchers from other countries to talk about their studies now, too. 
Please chime in.

What are some of the most interesting findings on how formative 
assessment is used in the classroom?
How are students actively involved -- if they are -- in setting the 
criteria, as well as in using the results of the assessments to improve 
their learning.
What policies have supported formative assessment?
What policies have hindered it?

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

From jay.derrick at blueyonder.co.uk  Thu Feb 28 05:31:04 2008
From: jay.derrick at blueyonder.co.uk (jay.derrick)
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 10:31:04 -0000
Subject: [SpecialTopics 806] Re: SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 19, Issue 18
References: <mailman.22861.1204176070.1030.specialtopics@nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <024a01c879f5$06881870$6401a8c0@DF01>

I'd like to comment on a number of recent points made in this discussion:

Like Priscilla, I'm glad the discussion has really begun to focus on
teaching and learning, though the class size exchanges have been
entertaining.  On praise, Bruce has raised important issues about the
differences between teaching adults and children.

I agree with Mary that there is good praise and bad praise, and I think the
same applies to feedback and questioning.  The OECD study and others have
more to say about the kinds of comments, feedback and questioning that
support learning.  There is also evidence about the value for learning
giving of grades and marks.

Teachers of adult basic skills have of course to try to ensure that students
aren't put off learning any more than they have been already.  But they do
have to challenge students too.  Many students love the comfortable friendly
atmosphere they generally find in adult literacy classes.  They may come
every week and spend hours doing homework, but they may still be resisting
the challenge of learning, spending all their time doing activities that
present them with no problems, or chatting, or generally using diverting
tactics.  The job of teachers is both to provide an atmosphere and class
culture that is comfortable and supportive, but also to challenge students
to attempt things that are outside their comfort zone, in short to take
risks, of getting things wrong, of feeling inadequate, etc.

This apparent paradox is at the heart of what basic education teachers have
to do, and in my experience it's very difficult if not impossible to get it
right all the time.  The ideas around formative assessment can help teachers
in this respect, but they too have to be prepared to take risks, in terms of
'letting the students do the work', encouraging student:student discussions,
and in giving constructive feedback on the task rather than on the person.
Our research strongly suggests that students don't mind critical feedback
(some even prefer it to simple praise) as long as it is constructive and
practical - it shows them what they need to practise to improve their work.
I certainly agree with Priscilla that many if not most teachers understand
this tacitly, but we think the value of research reports such as the OECD
one, is that they help make the craft skills of teachers more explicit, so
that they are supported to take the risks they need to take, and encouraged
to adopt the most effective approaches more often, and more systematically.

I'm very happy that the link has been made, via Jan and William's
contributions, between formative assessment ideas and the work of Argyris
and Schon.  The idea of making the tacit explicit is exactly how I see the
value of research work on effective pedagogical approaches.  I hope the work
will help adult education teachers realise that often their intuitive
feelings about the best approaches to planning their teaching are correct,
even if 'the system' doesn't seem to be supporting them.  A and G's work on
professional development fits neatly with the idea that good teachers have
sophisticated craft skills that take experience and collective professional
reflection, as well as training, to achieve.  This idea is undermined in my
view by technocratic policy approaches to teaching, such as we see in the
Skills for Life policy in England.

I would like to recommend a wonderful recent publication which bears on
these issues: 'The Craftsman' by the American sociologist Richard Sennett,
which although not specifically about the teaching profession, has a lot of
inspiring things to say about teaching and learning, looking at the
processes and conditions through which people have achieved the highest
level of craft skills in various fields, and how modern capitalism is
undermining the conditions in which craft skills can be developed through
work.

Jay Derrick
www.bluesky-learning.com

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <specialtopics-request at nifl.gov>
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2008 5:21 AM
Subject: SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 19, Issue 18

> Send SpecialTopics mailing list submissions to
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> Today's Topics:
>
>    1. [SpecialTopics 797] Re: Formative assessment in adult
>       foundationskillsin England (Catherine B. King)
>    2. [SpecialTopics 798] Re: Smaller classsizes (Bruce C)
>    3. [SpecialTopics 799] Re: Formative assessment in adult
>       foundation skillsin England (William R Muth/FS/VCU)
>    4. [SpecialTopics 800] Re: Formative assessment in adult
>       foundationskillsin England (Priscilla Carman)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 08:20:01 -0800
> From: "Catherine B. King" <cb.king at verizon.net>
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 797] Re: Formative assessment in adult
> foundationskillsin England
> To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
> Message-ID: <00cf01c8795c$9b189210$6501a8c0 at YOUR85A8F7B8EC>
> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset=iso-8859-1;
> reply-type=original
>
> Hello Jan:
>
> In my view, you are not rambling.  If I may rephrase, you are describing
the
> data field--learning, education, the teacher-student relationship, etc.
The
> closer we get in our research to the actual qualities of good teaching,
the
> less tension we should experience.
>
> Researchers are not studying something static or unhistorical.  Rather we
> are looking at something that is already on-going, that was operative long
> before any researcher came on the scene, and that is actually responsible
> for research communities having developed in the first place--education.
> Without it, we would have no research communities.
>
> Thus, the research community (theory, etc.) takes up the reflective mode
of
> human consciousness--but now as a separated and institutionalized function
> of a highly nuanced field--education.  But that community emerged from,
was
> separated off from, and is now returning to, that same educational
> experience to understand it and to formalize what is essential to it.
Some
> researchers, however, do not seem to see themselves in this way.  Rather,
we
> seem to have unnecessary conflict for many reasons--too many to develop
> here.
>
> But education still is living and ongoing--and the data--teachers and
> students--still know when what we are doing works--when a student really
> understands something and needs no more help in that understanding.  Much
> that is essential to and experienced by the teacher-student is not
captured
> in the research--especially in poorly grounded research.
>
> >From my understanding of it (and from cognitional theory), the idea of
> formative assessments comes close to capturing what is already essential
to
> the educational experience--thus, it resonates regularly with what
teachers
> and students are already doing when we experience "It works."
>
> We shouldn't be so surprised--and we wouldn't be--if we understood what I
> think you are trying to say--that our data field already holds within it
the
> operating essentials that researchers are trying to tease out, rather than
> create and apply to something foreign to themselves, as if the data field
> were somewhere else besides already in the classroom.
>
> In formative assessments, as well as for the idea of action research,
> teachers and researchers are returning the "ends" to the data (the
> student)--differentiating, formalizing, and naming what has always been
> common to good teaching--and with those assessments as being FOR the
> student--recognizing that the student is not the means, but the proper end
> of the process (their understanding), and not in the assessments, e.g.,
for
> funding streams.
>
> Regards,
>
> Catherine King
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net>
> To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
> Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 7:46 AM
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 796] Re: Formative assessment in adult
> foundationskillsin England
>
>
> > Forwarded for Jan Eldred:
> >
> > From: "Jan Eldred" <jan.eldred at niace.org.uk>
> > Date: February 27, 2008 9:57:27 AM EST
> > To: "John Vorhaus" <J.Vorhaus at ioe.ac.uk>, <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
> > Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 759] Formative assessment in adult
> > foundation skillsin England
> >
> > This is a fascinating discourse....I've not been very active in it
> > but have followed the work along the way, keen to learn and understand.
> >
> > Much of John's [ John  Vorhaus'] analysis makes sense to me...the
> > nomenclature, what's being learned from very different case studies
> > and what we seem to be understanding from observation.
> >
> > some thoughts:
> >
> > It strikes me that perhaps there isn't a tension between what we see
> > as good teaching and learning and formative assessment but that
> > perhaps what we're doing in our work is surfacing/highlighting/
> > pulling together those features of teaching and learning which are so
> > implicit that teachers and learners aren't always aware of what they
> > are, the impact and the significance of them.  Perhaps what we're
> > describing as formative assessment is a series of on-programme
> > assessment processes and activities which we're identifying,
> > observing and describing because they appear to lead to the outcomes
> > of learning we feel are of the highest order ie autonomy, learning to
> > learn, achievement etc etc etc...
> >
> > When teachers protest that they are doing them perhaps the difference
> > is the consciousness, the planning, the awareness of what is being
> > looked for in the process and the involvement of the learner in the
> > process which is different.  So identifying something,naming it and
> > indicating the value for learning justifies classifying it as
> > something which is not just good teaching and learning.....but we
> > would say that formative assessment is part of good teaching and
> > learning.
> >
> > Or am I rambling??
> > Do tell me!!
> >
> > One small point, I'm a bit uncomfortable with the term
> > instruction....unless it's used to describe particular pedagogical
> > activities...
> >
> > Jan
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > -------------------------------
> > National Institute for Literacy
> > Special Topics mailing list
> > SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> > To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> > http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> > Email delivered to cb.king at verizon.net
> >
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 09:01:19 -0800 (PST)
> From: Bruce C <bcarmel at rocketmail.com>
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 798] Re: Smaller classsizes
> To: mary <mschnec at localnet.com>, specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Message-ID: <260900.50913.qm at web37907.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
>  Regarding Prof. Wil.i.am and praise:
>
>   I would summarize Wil.i.am's position regarding praise like this:
>   He says that vague, general praise does nothing to help students. It can
confuse them about what is expected and make them focus on which students
are getting the most praise in the classroom. He thinks it's better to give
specific feedback that tells students what they need to improve. Then they
know what to work on. I get that part, but I am not sure if Wil.i.am thinks
it is also important to let students know the bigger picture of where they
are at. If the only feedback I got was what needed to improve, I would not
feel very good about school and my abilities to succeed.
>
>   I think it is important to note that Wil.i.am's research was done with
children. One of the big differences between children and adults is that
children go to school by default. It is "normal"  for children to be in
school. Even though children may have doubts and fears about their abilities
to learn, they are not at the same risk for dropping out as adults.
>
>   In Adult Literacy, one of our biggest concerns is retention. We cannot
assume that most students will stay enrolled no matter what. I think
students leave school for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it's the other
pressures and responsibilities of life. Sometimes it's because they don't
feel that they are making progress. Sometimes it's because school is a
negative experience. So I praise students whenever possible. The praise
needs to be honest and specific. I think they benefit from hearing that they
are learning and succeeded. It may be something they have not heard much
before. It's also a good way to build a positive relationship between
teacher and student. I don't know if any research backs me up.
>
>   Bruce Carmel
>
>
> mary <mschnec at localnet.com> wrote:
>           I think Dylan Wiliam's point boiled down to "If you only have X
dollars to spend you should spend them on getting formative assessment in
the classroom because when compared to other reforms/improvements (which
presumably included class size although I don't know that for a fact)
formative assessment techniques made the biggest most powerful difference
regardless of level or country when you compared statistics from many dozens
of studies.
>
>   We all want smaller classes but if you can't afford both, do formative
assessment first. It is possible to have a smaller class and not do
formative assessment which then will not help those struggling students who
most benefit from it.
>
>   Regarding praise, there is good praise and bad praise.This is not a
black white or intuitive issue. The North American formative assessment
expert Anne Davies whose work I HIGHLY recommend, shows ways to give helpful
praise. If you just say, "Great job" the student doesn't know necessarily
what was great about it so as to be able to replicate it and additionally,
sometimes students disbelieve such comments. Thus formative assessment
experts say praise needs to be specific, like "I see you answered every
question!" or whatever.
>
>   For more on how praise can be problematic or even damaging, read
"Punished by Rewards" by Alfie Kohn.
>
>
>   Mary Schneckenburger
>   Program Coordinator
>   Literacy Volunteers-Androscoggin
>   60 Court St., Auburn, ME 04210
>   207 333 6601 X 1323
>   mschnec at juno.com
>
>     ----- Original Message ----- 
>   From: Bruce C
>   To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
>   Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 5:29 PM
>   Subject: [SpecialTopics 777] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller
classsizes 'not cost effective
>
>
>   Regarding small class size....
>
>   Excuse my language, but regarding the comments of regarding class size
attributed to Prof Dylan Wiliam, Deputy Director and Professor of
Educational Assessment at the Institute of Education, University of London,
I say ...
>
>   "BALDERDASH!!! and HOGWASH!!!!"
>
>   I can't believe anyone who has been a teacher would ever say "...as long
as pupils are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is
generally possible with a class of 30."
>
>   Maybe this was taken out of context. Prof. Wiliam (yes it's only one
"L"--I checked.) says some interesting things about formative assessment and
personalized learning on this "Learning About Learning" website:
>
>
http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdylanwiliam.asp
>
>   He does say a few wacky things--like that praise hurts students.
>
>   Prof. Wil.i.am. says that formative assessment "encourages teachers to
take constant readings about where students are." He says it's important to
do this "minute by minute, day by day."  That's why I can't believe this
dude really thinks that class size doesn't matter. I think a teacher with 20
students in his/her class can get a better sense of where everyone is than a
teacher with 30 students.
>
> Sure there may be things we can do that are cheaper than reducing class
size...
>
>   But so what?
>
>   If that is how we define "cost effectiveness" why not TRIPLE class size
and save tons of money?
>
>   You get my point, right?
>
>   from Bruce Carmel
>
>
>
>
>
>   Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of
> the Institute of Education says,
>
>
>
> "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net> wrote:
>   Colleagues,
>
> Tom Sticht spotted this on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site and sent
> it for our formative assessment discussion.
>
> -------
> Note from Tom Sticht:
>
> This article about formative assessment appears in todays (2/25/08
> Education Guardian online.
> -------
>
> To see this story with its related links on the
> EducationGuardian.co.uk site, go to http://education.guardian.co.uk
>
> Smaller class sizes 'not cost effective'
> Anthea Lipsett
> Monday February 25 2008
> The Guardian
>
> Reducing school class sizes in an attempt to raise pupil achievement
> is a waste of money for all but the youngest children, one of the
> country's leading experts on assessment said today.
>
> Cutting class size by 30% gives children the equivalent of four extra
> months of learning a year, but costs around ?20,000 for each
> class every year, according to Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of
> the Institute of Education.
>
> He said the more effective method of "formative assessment" - where
> teachers monitor their pupils' progress continuously and provide
> appropriate feedback - could provide eight extra months of
> educational development for only ?2,000 per classroom per year.
>
> "It can therefore be 20 times as cost-effective as reducing class
> size in terms of pupil achievement," he told the annual Chartered
> London Teachers Conference today.
>
> "Smaller classes do confer a benefit if pupils are unruly, because
> fewer pupils in a class means less disruption. But as long as pupils
> are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is
> generally possible with a class of 30.
>
> "Smaller classes can also be more cost-effective for five to seven-
> year-olds, but research suggests the class size needs to be reduced
> to 15 or less," he said.
>
> Wiliam added that investments in information communication technology
> have also shown a poor return. But international studies have
> confirmed that formative assessment can double the speed of pupil
> learning.
>
> Some teachers use a "traffic light" system and ask pupils to hold up
> different coloured cards to show whether they have understood what
> they have been told. Red means "no", amber means "partly", and green
> "yes". Pupils are also encouraged to evaluate their own work and
> advise their classmates on how they can improve.
>
> The English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish education departments
> have all provided varying degrees of backing for formative assessment.
>
> After three years of research in both the UK and the US, Wiliam
> concluded that the approach would only take off properly if teachers
> work together in school-based groups to refine their classroom methods.
>
> Wiliam and his co-researchers found that groups of eight to 10
> teachers who meet once a month for at least two years can be most
> effective. "It takes time to change teachers' ways of working,
> particularly if they have been in the classroom for many years," said
> Wiliam. "Simply telling teachers what to do doesn't work."
>
> "For example, most teachers have heard about research from the 1980s
> which shows that if they wait three to five seconds after asking a
> question their pupils' performance improves because they have been
> given some time to think.
>
> "Even so, many teachers are still allowing less than a second for
> pupils to respond. The conclusion we can draw from that is that
> knowing what to do is the easy part of teaching. Actually doing it is
> what's hard."
>
> Wiliam told EducationGuardian.co.uk that teacher quality was key to
> any improvements.
>
> "To reduce class size from 30 to 20 would need 150,000 more teachers
> and that would dilute the quality of teachers," he said.
>
> "We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the classroom
> and we need to get better teachers into the profession."
>
> Martin Johnson, acting deputy general secretary of the Association of
> Teachers and Lecturers, said the research should encourage the
> government to "put its money where its mouth is".
>
> "Staff need to work together to learn how to teach more effectively,
> but schools will need more resources to do this. [Wiliam] reminds us
> that this would be very cost-effective.
>
> "Schools have benefited hugely over the last decade from having more
> classroom based staff but much more training is needed to make their
> deployment fully effective.
>
> "And while the government says it encourages assessment for learning,
> its testing policies have stolen teachers' self-confidence so new
> training must be provided and resourced.
>
> "School staff desperately need a contractual entitlement to training
> which meets their individual needs."
>
> Copyright Guardian News and Media Limited
>
>
>
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at comcast.net
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to bcarmel at rocketmail.com
>
>
> ---------------------------------
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>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to mschnec at localnet.com-------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to bcarmel at rocketmail.com
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>
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> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 13:21:58 -0500
> From: William R Muth/FS/VCU <wrmuth at vcu.edu>
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 799] Re: Formative assessment in adult
> foundation skillsin England
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Cc: specialtopics at nifl.gov, specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
> Message-ID:
> <OF9D2A43AA.BF0BD30E-ON852573FC.006388A6-852573FC.0064E2EE at vcu.edu>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> Jan - This idea of making the tacit visible is similar to Chris Argyris &
> Donald A Sch?n's work on theory-in-use and the challenging work of helping
> adult practitioners come to terms with disconnects between their espoused
> beliefs and the  theories evident in actual practice. (When we say "I do
> that already" but in fact we actually do something else...) The classic
> work is: Argyris, C. & Scho?n, D. A. (1974). Theory in practice :
> increasing professional effectiveness. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
> - Bill
>
>
>
>
> "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net>
> Sent by: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
> 02/27/2008 11:17 AM
> Please respond to
> specialtopics at nifl.gov
>
>
> To
> specialtopics at nifl.gov
> cc
>
> Subject
> [SpecialTopics 796] Re: Formative assessment in adult foundation skillsin
> England
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Forwarded for Jan Eldred:
>
> From: "Jan Eldred" <jan.eldred at niace.org.uk>
> Date: February 27, 2008 9:57:27 AM EST
> To: "John Vorhaus" <J.Vorhaus at ioe.ac.uk>, <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
> Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 759] Formative assessment in adult
> foundation skillsin England
>
> This is a fascinating discourse....I've not been very active in it
> but have followed the work along the way, keen to learn and understand.
>
> Much of John's [ John  Vorhaus'] analysis makes sense to me...the
> nomenclature, what's being learned from very different case studies
> and what we seem to be understanding from observation.
>
> some thoughts:
>
> It strikes me that perhaps there isn't a tension between what we see
> as good teaching and learning and formative assessment but that
> perhaps what we're doing in our work is surfacing/highlighting/
> pulling together those features of teaching and learning which are so
> implicit that teachers and learners aren't always aware of what they
> are, the impact and the significance of them.  Perhaps what we're
> describing as formative assessment is a series of on-programme
> assessment processes and activities which we're identifying,
> observing and describing because they appear to lead to the outcomes
> of learning we feel are of the highest order ie autonomy, learning to
> learn, achievement etc etc etc...
>
> When teachers protest that they are doing them perhaps the difference
> is the consciousness, the planning, the awareness of what is being
> looked for in the process and the involvement of the learner in the
> process which is different.  So identifying something,naming it and
> indicating the value for learning justifies classifying it as
> something which is not just good teaching and learning.....but we
> would say that formative assessment is part of good teaching and
> learning.
>
> Or am I rambling??
> Do tell me!!
>
> One small point, I'm a bit uncomfortable with the term
> instruction....unless it's used to describe particular pedagogical
> activities...
>
> Jan
>
>
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to wrmuth at vcu.edu
>
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> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 4
> Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 14:02:05 -0500
> From: Priscilla Carman <psc3 at psu.edu>
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 800] Re: Formative assessment in adult
> foundationskillsin England
> To: "Catherine B. King" <cb.king at verizon.net>, specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Message-ID: <p06230901c3eb5d61b0e2@[128.118.130.108]>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"
>
> Hello all, This discussion thread is interesting to me in the way it
> has begun to connect good teaching and learning.  I think many of the
> best teachers (in fact, most anyone who is truly expert at something)
> cannot always verbalize or articulate in research/education terms
> exactly what it is they are doing "that is working."  Often, the
> elements of an expert performance are so automatic and intuitive that
> they can't be readily remembered or quantified for those who want to
> name/identify them. I think this follows along with Jan's train of
> thought; there are probably many really good teachers who are using
> formative assessment everyday but don't think of their practices as
> assessment, probably because they have become so focused on
> high-stakes testing and assessment?
> Best regards, Priscilla Carman
>
> >Hello Jan:
> >
> >In my view, you are not rambling.  If I may rephrase, you are describing
the
> >data field--learning, education, the teacher-student relationship, etc.
The
> >closer we get in our research to the actual qualities of good teaching,
the
> >less tension we should experience.
> >
> >Researchers are not studying something static or unhistorical.  Rather we
> >are looking at something that is already on-going, that was operative
long
> >before any researcher came on the scene, and that is actually responsible
> >for research communities having developed in the first place--education.
> >Without it, we would have no research communities.
> >
> >Thus, the research community (theory, etc.) takes up the reflective mode
of
> >human consciousness--but now as a separated and institutionalized
function
> >of a highly nuanced field--education.  But that community emerged from,
was
> >separated off from, and is now returning to, that same educational
> >experience to understand it and to formalize what is essential to it.
Some
> >researchers, however, do not seem to see themselves in this way.  Rather,
we
> >seem to have unnecessary conflict for many reasons--too many to develop
> >here.
> >
> >But education still is living and ongoing--and the data--teachers and
> >students--still know when what we are doing works--when a student really
> >understands something and needs no more help in that understanding.  Much
> >that is essential to and experienced by the teacher-student is not
captured
> >in the research--especially in poorly grounded research.
> >
> >>From my understanding of it (and from cognitional theory), the idea of
> >formative assessments comes close to capturing what is already essential
to
> >the educational experience--thus, it resonates regularly with what
teachers
> >and students are already doing when we experience "It works."
> >
> >We shouldn't be so surprised--and we wouldn't be--if we understood what I
> >think you are trying to say--that our data field already holds within it
the
> >operating essentials that researchers are trying to tease out, rather
than
> >create and apply to something foreign to themselves, as if the data field
> >were somewhere else besides already in the classroom.
> >
> >In formative assessments, as well as for the idea of action research,
> >teachers and researchers are returning the "ends" to the data (the
> >student)--differentiating, formalizing, and naming what has always been
> >common to good teaching--and with those assessments as being FOR the
> >student--recognizing that the student is not the means, but the proper
end
> >of the process (their understanding), and not in the assessments, e.g.,
for
> >funding streams.
> >
> >Regards,
> >
> >Catherine King
> >
> >
> >
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net>
> >To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
> >Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 7:46 AM
> >Subject: [SpecialTopics 796] Re: Formative assessment in adult
> >foundationskillsin England
> >
> >
> >>  Forwarded for Jan Eldred:
> >>
> >>  From: "Jan Eldred" <jan.eldred at niace.org.uk>
> >>  Date: February 27, 2008 9:57:27 AM EST
> >>  To: "John Vorhaus" <J.Vorhaus at ioe.ac.uk>, <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
> >>  Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 759] Formative assessment in adult
> >  > foundation skillsin England
> >>
> >>  This is a fascinating discourse....I've not been very active in it
> >>  but have followed the work along the way, keen to learn and
understand.
> >>
> >>  Much of John's [ John  Vorhaus'] analysis makes sense to me...the
> >>  nomenclature, what's being learned from very different case studies
> >>  and what we seem to be understanding from observation.
> >>
> >>  some thoughts:
> >>
> >>  It strikes me that perhaps there isn't a tension between what we see
> >>  as good teaching and learning and formative assessment but that
> >>  perhaps what we're doing in our work is surfacing/highlighting/
> >>  pulling together those features of teaching and learning which are so
> >>  implicit that teachers and learners aren't always aware of what they
> >>  are, the impact and the significance of them.  Perhaps what we're
> >>  describing as formative assessment is a series of on-programme
> >>  assessment processes and activities which we're identifying,
> >>  observing and describing because they appear to lead to the outcomes
> >>  of learning we feel are of the highest order ie autonomy, learning to
> >>  learn, achievement etc etc etc...
> >>
> >>  When teachers protest that they are doing them perhaps the difference
> >>  is the consciousness, the planning, the awareness of what is being
> >>  looked for in the process and the involvement of the learner in the
> >>  process which is different.  So identifying something,naming it and
> >>  indicating the value for learning justifies classifying it as
> >>  something which is not just good teaching and learning.....but we
> >>  would say that formative assessment is part of good teaching and
> >>  learning.
> >>
> >>  Or am I rambling??
> >>  Do tell me!!
> >>
> >>  One small point, I'm a bit uncomfortable with the term
> >>  instruction....unless it's used to describe particular pedagogical
> >>  activities...
> >>
> >>  Jan
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>  -------------------------------
> >>  National Institute for Literacy
> >>  Special Topics mailing list
> >>  SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> >>  To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> >>  http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> >>  Email delivered to cb.king at verizon.net
> >>
> >
> >
> >-------------------------------
> >National Institute for Literacy
> >Special Topics mailing list
> >SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> >To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> >http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> >Email delivered to psc3 at psu.edu
>
>
> -- 
> Priscilla S. Carman
> Literacy Specialist
> Institute for the Study of Adult Literacy
> The Pennsylvania State University
> 208F Rackley Building
> University Park, PA  16802-3202
> PH: 814-865-1049     FX: 814-863-6108
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
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> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
>
> End of SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 19, Issue 18
> *********************************************
>
>

From frances.nehme at tiscali.co.uk  Thu Feb 28 06:35:45 2008
From: frances.nehme at tiscali.co.uk (Frances Nehme)
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 11:35:45 +0000
Subject: [SpecialTopics 807] Re: feedback by competent tutor
In-Reply-To: <20080227212127.27FFB102876@bladez03.zfn.uni-bremen.de>
Message-ID: <C3EC4D11.72D9%frances.nehme@tiscali.co.uk>

I absolutely agree with Anke?s points here.

One thing that has changed for the better in UK ESOL is that tired and
disillusioned tutors cannot hide behind the pretence that people come to
class mainly for social contact.
Anyone who has lived and tried to survive in a country where a different
language is spoken can understand that this is not why one enrols for
classes. 
The fact that learners are human beings and may use avoidance strategies
when things get challenging - strategies which get in the way of their
actual goals, should be understood by the tutor. It is our role, as
professionals to understand where the learner is aiming on arrival in our
classes and to keep them on track with their goals in sight (if anything -
raising their aspirations0 by giving honest and clear feedback and showing
the learner we know what we are doing, where they want to go and how to get
them there. 

As Anke says, if the learner has confidence that the tutor is competent ?
understands what the learner is aiming for, feedback and support, including
praise of a constructive and informative nature and non-negative
constructive criticism, will be welcomed.

The question of whether these things are written down, whether targets are
formally set and all the rest is a sticky area and I am aware that many
teachers are strongly opposed to formal record-keeping ? but busy teachers
must surely find it useful to have aide-memoire for  this purpose.
If the learner can forget their original goals, I?m sure the teacher can,
too. 
I found that learners like to see that teachers have records and are
organised ? one of the few complaints I used to get about teachers on my
team was that they were disorganised, forgot what had been said previously
and didn?t seem to differentiate between students in the class. In general,
learners prefer the opposite.

All the best
Frances

On 27/2/08 21:21, "Anke Grotl?schen" <grotlueschen at uni-bremen.de> wrote:

> Bruce and all the others who discuss praise?
>  
> (David, Janet and John (B/ C/ V), sorry for not directly starting on day
> three, I?m not yet through with reading day one and two ? and by the way, I
> liked your ?Good Morning? - ?it?s 22:19h here:-)
>  
> Our ongoing studies suggest that people develop interest in a subject-matter
> if they feel they can participate (in the literal meaning of the latin word:
> pars capere). ?Participation includes that they are somehow concerned with the
> consequences of their activities. These consequences might be a good
> relationship to a tutor or fellows. It might be the ability to drive a car, to
> discuss news or to understand documents.
>  
> So, if we want people to stay enrolled, we should think of what is their
> reason to come into the class. German-language theory discusses ?Subject
> Scientific Approaches? ? related to critical psychology, i.e. Holzkamp and
> Action Theory, i.e. Vygotsky. Similar approaches are provided by John Dewey
> (Interest and effort in Education, 1913).
>  
> Regarding feedback, a small-scale qualitative study we did in 2003 about
> e-learning finds that informative feedback is appreciated very much, when
> provided by someone the students accept to be ??competent ??in his/her
> subject-matter. ?If not, they don?t even fulfil their tasks, because they are
> not interested in his/her feedback (neither positive nor negative, neither
> informative nor vague).
>  
> Best wishes, 
> Anke
>  
> 
> 
> Von: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] Im
> Auftrag von Bruce C
> Gesendet: Mittwoch, 27. Februar 2008 18:01
> An: mary; specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Betreff: [SpecialTopics 798] Re: Smaller classsizes
>  
> 
>  Regarding Prof. Wil.i.am and praise:
> 
>  
> 
> I would summarize Wil.i.am's position regarding praise like this:
> 
> He says that vague, general praise does nothing to help students. It can
> confuse them about what is expected and make them focus on which students are
> getting the most praise in the classroom. He thinks it's better to give
> specific feedback that tells students what they need to improve. Then they
> know what to work on. I get that part, but I am not sure if Wil.i.am thinks it
> is also important to let students know the bigger picture of where they are
> at. If the only feedback I got was what needed to improve, I would not feel
> very good about school and my abilities to succeed.
> 
>  
> 
> I think it is important to note that Wil.i.am's research was done with
> children. One of the big differences between children and adults is that
> children go to school by default. It is "normal"  for children to be in
> school. Even though children may have doubts and fears about their abilities
> to learn, they are not at the same risk for dropping out as adults.
> 
>  
> 
> In Adult Literacy, one of our biggest concerns is retention. We cannot assume
> that most students will stay enrolled no matter what. I think students leave
> school for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it's the other pressures and
> responsibilities of life. Sometimes it's because they don't feel that they are
> making progress. Sometimes it's because school is a negative experience. So I
> praise students whenever possible. The praise needs to be honest and specific.
> I think they benefit from hearing that they are learning and succeeded. It may
> be something they have not heard much before. It's also a good way to build a
> positive relationship between teacher and student. I don't know if any
> research backs me up.
> 
>  
> 
> Bruce Carmel
> 
> 
> 
> mary <mschnec at localnet.com> wrote:
>> 
>> I think Dylan Wiliam's point boiled down to "If you only have X dollars to
>> spend you should spend them on getting formative assessment in the classroom
>> because when compared to other reforms/improvements (which presumably
>> included class size although I don't know that for a fact) formative
>> assessment techniques made the biggest most powerful difference regardless of
>> level or country when you compared statistics from many dozens of studies.
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> We all want smaller classes but if you can't afford both, do formative
>> assessment first. It is possible to have a smaller class and not do formative
>> assessment which then will not help those struggling students who most
>> benefit from it.
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> Regarding praise, there is good praise and bad praise.This is not a black
>> white or intuitive issue. The North American formative assessment expert Anne
>> Davies whose work I HIGHLY recommend, shows ways to give helpful praise. If
>> you just say, "Great job" the student doesn't know necessarily what was great
>> about it so as to be able to replicate it and additionally, sometimes
>> students disbelieve such comments. Thus formative assessment experts say
>> praise needs to be specific, like "I see you answered every question!" or
>> whatever. 
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> For more on how praise can be problematic or even damaging, read "Punished by
>> Rewards" by Alfie Kohn.
>> 
>>  
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> Mary Schneckenburger
>> 
>> Program Coordinator
>> 
>> Literacy Volunteers-Androscoggin
>> 
>> 60 Court St., Auburn, ME 04210
>> 
>> 207 333 6601 X 1323
>> 
>> mschnec at juno.com
>>> 
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> 
>>> From: Bruce C <mailto:bcarmel at rocketmail.com>
>>> 
>>> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
>>> 
>>> Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 5:29 PM
>>> 
>>> Subject: [SpecialTopics 777] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes
>>> 'not cost effective
>>> 
>>>  
>>> 
>>> Regarding small class size....
>>> 
>>>  
>>> 
>>> Excuse my language, but regarding the comments of regarding class size
>>> attributed to Prof Dylan Wiliam, Deputy Director and Professor of
>>> Educational Assessment at the Institute of Education, University of London,
>>> I say ...
>>> 
>>>  
>>> 
>>> "BALDERDASH!!! and HOGWASH!!!!"
>>> 
>>>  
>>> 
>>> I can't believe anyone who has been a teacher would ever say "...as long as
>>> pupils are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is
>>> generally possible with a class of 30."
>>> 
>>>  
>>> 
>>> Maybe this was taken out of context. Prof. Wiliam (yes it's only one "L"--I
>>> checked.) says some interesting things about formative assessment and
>>> personalized learning on this "Learning About Learning" website:
>>> 
>>>  
>>> 
>>> http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdylanw
>>> iliam.asp
>>> 
>>>  
>>> 
>>> He does say a few wacky things--like that praise hurts students.
>>> 
>>>  
>>> 
>>> Prof. Wil.i.am. says that formative assessment "encourages teachers to take
>>> constant readings about where students are." He says it's important to do
>>> this "minute by minute, day by day."  That's why I can't believe this dude
>>> really thinks that class size doesn't matter. I think a teacher with 20
>>> students in his/her class can get a better sense of where everyone is than a
>>> teacher with 30 students.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Sure there may be things we can do that are cheaper than reducing class
>>> size...
>>> 
>>>  
>>> 
>>> But so what?
>>> 
>>>  
>>> 
>>> If that is how we define "cost effectiveness" why not TRIPLE class size and
>>> save tons of money?
>>> 
>>>  
>>> 
>>> You get my point, right?
>>> 
>>>  
>>> 
>>> from Bruce Carmel
>>> 
>>>  
>>> 
>>>  
>>> 
>>>  
>>> 
>>>  
>>> 
>>>  
>>> 
>>> Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of
>>> the Institute of Education says,
>>> 
>>>  
>>> <http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdylan
>>> wiliam.asp>  
>>> 
>>> 
>>> "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net> wrote:
>>>> Colleagues,
>>>> 
>>>> Tom Sticht spotted this on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site and sent
>>>> it for our formative assessment discussion.
>>>> 
>>>> -------
>>>> Note from Tom Sticht:
>>>> 
>>>> This article about formative assessment appears in todays (2/25/08
>>>> Education Guardian online.
>>>> -------
>>>> 
>>>> To see this story with its related links on the
>>>> EducationGuardian.co.uk site, go to http://education.guardian.co.uk
>>>> 
>>>> Smaller class sizes 'not cost effective'
>>>> Anthea Lipsett
>>>> Monday February 25 2008
>>>> The Guardian
>>>> 
>>>> Reducing school class sizes in an attempt to raise pupil achievement
>>>> is a waste of money for all but the youngest children, one of the
>>>> country's leading experts on assessment said today.
>>>> 
>>>> Cutting class size by 30% gives children the equivalent of four extra
>>>> months of learning a year, but costs around ?20,000 for each
>>>> class every year, according to Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of
>>>> the Institute of Education.
>>>> 
>>>> He said the more effective method of "formative assessment" - where
>>>> teachers monitor their pupils' progress continuously and provide
>>>> appropriate feedback - could provide eight extra months of
>>>> educational development for only ?2,000 per classroom per year.
>>>> 
>>>> "It can therefore be 20 times as cost-effective as reducing class
>>>> size in terms of pupil achievement," he told the annual Chartered
>>>> London Teachers Conference today.
>>>> 
>>>> "Smaller classes do confer a benefit if pupils are unruly, because
>>>> fewer pupils in a class means less disruption. But as long as pupils
>>>> are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is
>>>> generally possible with a class of 30.
>>>> 
>>>> "Smaller classes can also be more cost-effective for five to seven-
>>>> year-olds, but research suggests the class size needs to be reduced
>>>> to 15 or less," he said.
>>>> 
>>>> Wiliam added that investments in information communication technology
>>>> have also shown a poor return. But international studies have
>>>> confirmed that formative assessment can double the speed of pupil
>>>> learning.
>>>> 
>>>> Some teachers use a "traffic light" system and ask pupils to hold up
>>>> different coloured cards to show whether they have understood what
>>>> they have been told. Red means "no", amber means "partly", and green
>>>> "yes". Pupils are also encouraged to evaluate their own work and
>>>> advise their classmates on how they can improve.
>>>> 
>>>> The English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish education departments
>>>> have all provided varying degrees of backing for formative assessment.
>>>> 
>>>> After three years of research in both the UK and the US, Wiliam
>>>> concluded that the approach would only take off properly if teachers
>>>> work together in school-based groups to refine their classroom methods.
>>>> 
>>>> Wiliam and his co-researchers found that groups of eight to 10
>>>> teachers who meet once a month for at least two years can be most
>>>> effective. "It takes time to change teachers' ways of working,
>>>> particularly if they have been in the classroom for many years," said
>>>> Wiliam. "Simply telling teachers what to do doesn't work."
>>>> 
>>>> "For example, most teachers have heard about research from the 1980s
>>>> which shows that if they wait three to five seconds after asking a
>>>> question their pupils' performance improves because they have been
>>>> given some time to think.
>>>> 
>>>> "Even so, many teachers are still allowing less than a second for
>>>> pupils to respond. The conclusion we can draw from that is that
>>>> knowing what to do is the easy part of teaching. Actually doing it is
>>>> what's hard."
>>>> 
>>>> Wiliam told EducationGuardian.co.uk that teacher quality was key to
>>>> any improvements.
>>>> 
>>>> "To reduce class size from 30 to 20 would need 150,000 more teachers
>>>> and that would dilute the quality of teachers," he said.
>>>> 
>>>> "We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the classroom
>>>> and we need to get better teachers into the profession."
>>>> 
>>>> Martin Johnson, acting deputy general secretary of the Association of
>>>> Teachers and Lecturers, said the research should encourage the
>>>> government to "put its money where its mouth is".
>>>> 
>>>> "Staff need to work together to learn how to teach more effectively,
>>>> but schools will need more resources to do this. [Wiliam] reminds us
>>>> that this would be very cost-effective.
>>>> 
>>>> "Schools have benefited hugely over the last decade from having more
>>>> classroom based staff but much more training is needed to make their
>>>> deployment fully effective.
>>>> 
>>>> "And while the government says it encourages assessment for learning,
>>>> its testing policies have stolen teachers' self-confidence so new
>>>> training must be provided and resourced.
>>>> 
>>>> "School staff desperately need a contractual entitlement to training
>>>> which meets their individual needs."
>>>> 
>>>> Copyright Guardian News and Media Limited
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> David J. Rosen
>>>> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
>>>> djrosen at comcast.net
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> -------------------------------
>>>> National Institute for Literacy
>>>> Special Topics mailing list
>>>> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
>>>> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
>>>> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
>>>> Email delivered to bcarmel at rocketmail.com
>>>  
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage.
>>> <http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=51438/*http:/www.yahoo.com/r/hs>
>>> 
>>> 
>>> -------------------------------
>>> National Institute for Literacy
>>> Special Topics mailing list
>>> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
>>> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
>>> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
>>> Email delivered to mschnec at localnet.com
>>> -------------------------------
>>> National Institute for Literacy
>>> Special Topics mailing list
>>> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
>>> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
>>> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
>>> Email delivered to bcarmel at rocketmail.com
>>>  
>>> ? 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search.
>>> <http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=51734/*http:/tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/ca
>>> tegory.php?category=shopping>
> 
> 
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to frances.nehme at tiscali.co.uk

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From kgotthardt at comcast.net  Thu Feb 28 07:29:16 2008
From: kgotthardt at comcast.net (Katherine)
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 07:29:16 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 808] Re: feedback by competent tutor
In-Reply-To: <20080227212127.27FFB102876@bladez03.zfn.uni-bremen.de>
References: <20080227212127.27FFB102876@bladez03.zfn.uni-bremen.de>
Message-ID: <470FCC1456824FCF9383D26A06564924@OwnerPC>

"Regarding feedback, a small-scale qualitative study we did in 2003 about e-learning finds that informative feedback is appreciated very much, when provided by someone the students accept to be   competent   in his/her subject-matter."

Yes!  Establishing credibility is one of the first requirements for successful teaching.  This is difficult to do in a system that does not support its teachers, however.  Administrative and systemic chaos spill into the classroom, often making it impossible for students to distinguish between instructor and institutional issues.

Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt
www.luxuriouschoices.net 
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Anke Grotl?schen 
  To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
  Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 4:21 PM
  Subject: [SpecialTopics 803] feedback by competent tutor

  Bruce and all the others who discuss praise. 

   

  (David, Janet and John (B/ C/ V), sorry for not directly starting on day three, I'm not yet through with reading day one and two - and by the way, I liked your "Good Morning" -  it's 22:19h here:-)

   

  Our ongoing studies suggest that people develop interest in a subject-matter if they feel they can participate (in the literal meaning of the latin word: pars capere).  Participation includes that they are somehow concerned with the consequences of their activities. These consequences might be a good relationship to a tutor or fellows. It might be the ability to drive a car, to discuss news or to understand documents. 

   

  So, if we want people to stay enrolled, we should think of what is their reason to come into the class. German-language theory discusses "Subject Scientific Approaches" - related to critical psychology, i.e. Holzkamp and Action Theory, i.e. Vygotsky. Similar approaches are provided by John Dewey (Interest and effort in Education, 1913). 

   

  Regarding feedback, a small-scale qualitative study we did in 2003 about e-learning finds that informative feedback is appreciated very much, when provided by someone the students accept to be   competent   in his/her subject-matter.  If not, they don't even fulfil their tasks, because they are not interested in his/her feedback (neither positive nor negative, neither informative nor vague).

   

  Best wishes, 

  Anke

   

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Von: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] Im Auftrag von Bruce C
  Gesendet: Mittwoch, 27. Februar 2008 18:01
  An: mary; specialtopics at nifl.gov
  Betreff: [SpecialTopics 798] Re: Smaller classsizes

   

   Regarding Prof. Wil.i.am and praise:

   

  I would summarize Wil.i.am's position regarding praise like this:  

  He says that vague, general praise does nothing to help students. It can confuse them about what is expected and make them focus on which students are getting the most praise in the classroom. He thinks it's better to give specific feedback that tells students what they need to improve. Then they know what to work on. I get that part, but I am not sure if Wil.i.am thinks it is also important to let students know the bigger picture of where they are at. If the only feedback I got was what needed to improve, I would not feel very good about school and my abilities to succeed. 

   

  I think it is important to note that Wil.i.am's research was done with children. One of the big differences between children and adults is that children go to school by default. It is "normal"  for children to be in school. Even though children may have doubts and fears about their abilities to learn, they are not at the same risk for dropping out as adults. 

   

  In Adult Literacy, one of our biggest concerns is retention. We cannot assume that most students will stay enrolled no matter what. I think students leave school for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it's the other pressures and responsibilities of life. Sometimes it's because they don't feel that they are making progress. Sometimes it's because school is a negative experience. So I praise students whenever possible. The praise needs to be honest and specific. I think they benefit from hearing that they are learning and succeeded. It may be something they have not heard much before. It's also a good way to build a positive relationship between teacher and student. I don't know if any research backs me up. 

   

  Bruce Carmel

  mary <mschnec at localnet.com> wrote:

    I think Dylan Wiliam's point boiled down to "If you only have X dollars to spend you should spend them on getting formative assessment in the classroom because when compared to other reforms/improvements (which presumably included class size although I don't know that for a fact) formative assessment techniques made the biggest most powerful difference regardless of level or country when you compared statistics from many dozens of studies.

     

    We all want smaller classes but if you can't afford both, do formative assessment first. It is possible to have a smaller class and not do formative assessment which then will not help those struggling students who most benefit from it. 

     

    Regarding praise, there is good praise and bad praise.This is not a black white or intuitive issue. The North American formative assessment expert Anne Davies whose work I HIGHLY recommend, shows ways to give helpful praise. If you just say, "Great job" the student doesn't know necessarily what was great about it so as to be able to replicate it and additionally, sometimes students disbelieve such comments. Thus formative assessment experts say praise needs to be specific, like "I see you answered every question!" or whatever. 

     

    For more on how praise can be problematic or even damaging, read "Punished by Rewards" by Alfie Kohn. 

     

     

    Mary Schneckenburger

    Program Coordinator

    Literacy Volunteers-Androscoggin

    60 Court St., Auburn, ME 04210

    207 333 6601 X 1323

    mschnec at juno.com

      ----- Original Message ----- 

      From: Bruce C 

      To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 

      Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 5:29 PM

      Subject: [SpecialTopics 777] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes 'not cost effective

       

      Regarding small class size....

       

      Excuse my language, but regarding the comments of regarding class size attributed to Prof Dylan Wiliam, Deputy Director and Professor of Educational Assessment at the Institute of Education, University of London, I say ...

       

      "BALDERDASH!!! and HOGWASH!!!!" 

       

      I can't believe anyone who has been a teacher would ever say "...as long as pupils are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is generally possible with a class of 30." 

       

      Maybe this was taken out of context. Prof. Wiliam (yes it's only one "L"--I checked.) says some interesting things about formative assessment and personalized learning on this "Learning About Learning" website: 

       

      http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdylanwiliam.asp

       

      He does say a few wacky things--like that praise hurts students. 

       

      Prof. Wil.i.am. says that formative assessment "encourages teachers to take constant readings about where students are." He says it's important to do this "minute by minute, day by day."  That's why I can't believe this dude really thinks that class size doesn't matter. I think a teacher with 20 students in his/her class can get a better sense of where everyone is than a teacher with 30 students. 

      Sure there may be things we can do that are cheaper than reducing class size...

       

      But so what?

       

      If that is how we define "cost effectiveness" why not TRIPLE class size and save tons of money? 

       

      You get my point, right? 

       

      from Bruce Carmel

       

       

       

       

       

      Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of 
      the Institute of Education says, 

       

      "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net> wrote:

        Colleagues,

        Tom Sticht spotted this on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site and sent 
        it for our formative assessment discussion.

        -------
        Note from Tom Sticht:

        This article about formative assessment appears in todays (2/25/08 
        Education Guardian online.
        -------

        To see this story with its related links on the 
        EducationGuardian.co.uk site, go to http://education.guardian.co.uk

        Smaller class sizes 'not cost effective'
        Anthea Lipsett
        Monday February 25 2008
        The Guardian

        Reducing school class sizes in an attempt to raise pupil achievement 
        is a waste of money for all but the youngest children, one of the 
        country's leading experts on assessment said today.

        Cutting class size by 30% gives children the equivalent of four extra 
        months of learning a year, but costs around ?20,000 for each 
        class every year, according to Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of 
        the Institute of Education.

        He said the more effective method of "formative assessment" - where 
        teachers monitor their pupils' progress continuously and provide 
        appropriate feedback - could provide eight extra months of 
        educational development for only ?2,000 per classroom per year.

        "It can therefore be 20 times as cost-effective as reducing class 
        size in terms of pupil achievement," he told the annual Chartered 
        London Teachers Conference today.

        "Smaller classes do confer a benefit if pupils are unruly, because 
        fewer pupils in a class means less disruption. But as long as pupils 
        are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is 
        generally possible with a class of 30.

        "Smaller classes can also be more cost-effective for five to seven- 
        year-olds, but research suggests the class size needs to be reduced 
        to 15 or less," he said.

        Wiliam added that investments in information communication technology 
        have also shown a poor return. But international studies have 
        confirmed that formative assessment can double the speed of pupil 
        learning.

        Some teachers use a "traffic light" system and ask pupils to hold up 
        different coloured cards to show whether they have understood what 
        they have been told. Red means "no", amber means "partly", and green 
        "yes". Pupils are also encouraged to evaluate their own work and 
        advise their classmates on how they can improve.

        The English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish education departments 
        have all provided varying degrees of backing for formative assessment.

        After three years of research in both the UK and the US, Wiliam 
        concluded that the approach would only take off properly if teachers 
        work together in school-based groups to refine their classroom methods.

        Wiliam and his co-researchers found that groups of eight to 10 
        teachers who meet once a month for at least two years can be most 
        effective. "It takes time to change teachers' ways of working, 
        particularly if they have been in the classroom for many years," said 
        Wiliam. "Simply telling teachers what to do doesn't work."

        "For example, most teachers have heard about research from the 1980s 
        which shows that if they wait three to five seconds after asking a 
        question their pupils' performance improves because they have been 
        given some time to think.

        "Even so, many teachers are still allowing less than a second for 
        pupils to respond. The conclusion we can draw from that is that 
        knowing what to do is the easy part of teaching. Actually doing it is 
        what's hard."

        Wiliam told EducationGuardian.co.uk that teacher quality was key to 
        any improvements.

        "To reduce class size from 30 to 20 would need 150,000 more teachers 
        and that would dilute the quality of teachers," he said.

        "We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the classroom 
        and we need to get better teachers into the profession."

        Martin Johnson, acting deputy general secretary of the Association of 
        Teachers and Lecturers, said the research should encourage the 
        government to "put its money where its mouth is".

        "Staff need to work together to learn how to teach more effectively, 
        but schools will need more resources to do this. [Wiliam] reminds us 
        that this would be very cost-effective.

        "Schools have benefited hugely over the last decade from having more 
        classroom based staff but much more training is needed to make their 
        deployment fully effective.

        "And while the government says it encourages assessment for learning, 
        its testing policies have stolen teachers' self-confidence so new 
        training must be provided and resourced.

        "School staff desperately need a contractual entitlement to training 
        which meets their individual needs."

        Copyright Guardian News and Media Limited

        David J. Rosen
        Special Topics Discussion Moderator
        djrosen at comcast.net

        -------------------------------
        National Institute for Literacy
        Special Topics mailing list
        SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
        To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
        Email delivered to bcarmel at rocketmail.com

       

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      Special Topics mailing list
      SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
      To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
      Email delivered to mschnec at localnet.com

      -------------------------------
      National Institute for Literacy
      Special Topics mailing list
      SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
      To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
      Email delivered to bcarmel at rocketmail.com

       

        

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From djrosen at comcast.net  Thu Feb 28 07:47:27 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 07:47:27 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 809]  Formative Assessment in Flanders, Belgium
Message-ID: <47C6AD5F.20802@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

As I mentioned when I introduced this discussion, I had the privilege of 
being one of the OECD researchers, looking at schools and programs 
where  formative assessment was used in the Flanders community of 
Belgium.  These case studies will be found on the OECD web site with the 
others. They are remarkable examples for many reasons. First, in both 
cases formative assessment was taking place -- in the case study in 
Hoboken, Antwerp by design -- in a a larger context of program 
development and transformation.  The principal of the Second Chance 
(adult) school in Hoboken, enabled by public policy that for the first 
time allowed schools like hers to directly award secondary diplomas, 
brought together a group of dedicated and talented (full-time) teachers 
and turned the school's focus from test preparation to learning.  The 
experiment is still in progress, and not all the teachers or all the 
students like the new model, but many do.. The fascinating thing to me 
was that the lever of change she chose was formative assessment.

Another study was a contextualized numeracy (math) basic skills program 
embedded in a vocational training center. The math teacher had an 
amazing number of formative assessment strategies in play, had a strong 
math background, and had designed a competency-based curriculum that 
could readily respond to the work-related and training-related purposes 
the trainees had in coming to the math lab. During the two-hour math 
sessions she dashed around madly from student to student making sure 
each person was on target, giving direct, concrete, helpful feedback. 
After each session, she sat down at a computer and quickly noted where 
each student was, what they might need to do next, what they had 
accomplished. She shared these notes with each student at the next 
session and also fired off shoprt reports to their vocational 
instructors and vocational counselors who could then also help to focus 
on learning opportunities in the training and counseling sessions. The 
counselors and vocational instructors (and, most important, the 
students) so appreciated this information that when funding for this new 
program ended they decided to take some of the funds for their 
vocational classes to use for the math lab -- a real vote in confidence 
for the value of this kind of teaching.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Leader (and researcher)
djrosen at comcast.net

From cheryl_diamond at msn.com  Thu Feb 28 08:30:33 2008
From: cheryl_diamond at msn.com (Cheryl Diamond)
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 08:30:33 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 810] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk:
	Smaller	classsizes'not cost effective
In-Reply-To: <03dc01c8794e$f0c288f0$0202a8c0@LITNOW>
References: <00a701c878fa$984c6640$0c00a8c0@critical1>
	<03dc01c8794e$f0c288f0$0202a8c0@LITNOW>
Message-ID: <BLU107-W249D0F7BC751980E626491F71B0@phx.gbl>

Hi, all
 
I read and watched the replies on this issue. Mixed reactions, as a current taxpayer and former teacher, I possess. I am sure that not everyone will accept what I have to say. However, my points should be taken from where they come.
 
Very hard to say that if you reduce class size you have a perfect solution. Some classes should be smaller but not all. You certainly do raise the price on education as no one seems to give up any monies. As a current taxpayer facing unending increases across the board, I  can say "ENOUGH". 
But as we all know it is not only the teachers' responsiblity. As a former teacher, I saw good and less good teachers. The same goes for parents and admin people. 
 
At least the article on class  size produced comment. As a voter who can see how the class size amendment got adopted, I would say we need to revisit the election with less special interest input. 
 
I am disappointed when 1)I don't have clerks who can't figure the exact amount I hand them, or 2)I hear that people haven't been reading  up on the issues or candidates, 3)or readership in a variety of media is down, and finally, 4) listen to high school graduates don't know what EPA means in our government. Yet, a teacher has a very full plate with the extra paperwork, etc., put on him/her. Less government interference and more qualitative parental interest would be tops on my list.
 
There is only so much money for education. It should be spent correctly on OUR students. I am truly aware of the immigration issues and how it has obliterated the budget process. Keep it simple as best we can.
 
Thanks, Cheryl Diamond

From: marie.cora at hotspurpartners.comTo: specialtopics at nifl.govDate: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 09:42:12 -0500Subject: [SpecialTopics 791] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes'not cost effective

Hi everyone,
 
Great discussion, it?s so full and rich I don?t know where to begin.  My apologies if what I say below has been noted already ? 
 
But I will second John?s comments re:  Dylan Wiliam.  I think that the Education Guardian article below takes many of his points out of context.  
 
Best to get it from the horse?s mouth I would say:  see Black and Wiliam, Inside the Black Box:   Raising Standards through Classroom Assessment at http://www.pdkintl.org/kappan/kbla9810.htm for starters. 
 
I get a ton out of his notion of Assessment FOR Learning versus Assessment OF Learning.
 
Marie Cora
NIFL Assessment Discussion List Moderator
http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/discussions/discussions.html
 
 
 
 
 
-----Original Message-----From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of John BensemanSent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 11:38 PMTo: specialtopics at nifl.govSubject: [SpecialTopics 779] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes'not cost effective
 
I don?t know the specific words that Dylan Wiliam uses about class size, but I am guessing that what he says is that there is no authoritative research that shows that class size is irrefutably related to student learning. This is not to say that class size doesn?t matter, it merely says that the research over many 100s of studies is inconclusive to date.
 
As I am sure that the great majority of people on this listserv will attest, we all feel intuitively that class size DOES matter ? it?s just that there is no research to back this conclusion. The jury, so to speak, is still out on this dimension of teaching (as it is in many other areas).
 
The second point re saying that ?praise hurts students?: I couldn?t find the specific reference, but again interpreting what I think Wiliam would say is something along the lines of: just praising students for the sake of praising does them little good. What is needed however is clear and realistic feedback on where they are at in their learning. If that comes with a dollop of praise, then that?s great, but praise per se is not sufficient.
 
I think that we can fall in to a trap of thinking that learners invariably want/need support (which they do at times), but they also need to be challenged, which means that we need to give them realistic feedback on how they are progressing (or not).
 
Regards, John
 
PS I am not a paid servant of Dylan Wiliam, but I am a fan of his research?
 

John Benseman
*   john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz
(   641 9 627 1882  Cell  027 454 0683

- 52a Bolton St, Blockhouse Bay, Auckland 0600, NZ

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Bruce CSent: Wednesday, 27 February 2008 11:29 a.m.To: specialtopics at nifl.govSubject: [SpecialTopics 777] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes 'not cost effective
 

Regarding small class size....

 

Excuse my language, but regarding the comments of regarding class size attributed to Prof Dylan Wiliam, Deputy Director and Professor of Educational Assessment at the Institute of Education, University of London, I say ...

 

"BALDERDASH!!! and HOGWASH!!!!" 

 

I can't believe anyone who has been a teacher would ever say "...as long as pupils are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is generally possible with a class of 30." 

 

Maybe this was taken out of context. Prof. Wiliam (yes it's only one "L"--I checked.) says some interesting things about formative assessment and personalized learning on this "Learning About Learning" website: 

 

http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdylanwiliam.asp

 

He does say a few wacky things--like that praise hurts students. 

 

Prof. Wil.i.am. says that formative assessment "encourages teachers to take constant readings about where students are." He says it's important to do this "minute by minute, day by day."  That's why I can't believe this dude really thinks that class size doesn't matter. I think a teacher with 20 students in his/her class can get a better sense of where everyone is than a teacher with 30 students. 

Sure there may be things we can do that are cheaper than reducing class size...

 

But so what?

 

If that is how we define "cost effectiveness" why not TRIPLE class size and save tons of money? 

 

You get my point, right? 

 

from Bruce Carmel

 

 

 

 

 

Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of the Institute of Education says, 

 

"David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net> wrote:

Colleagues,Tom Sticht spotted this on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site and sent it for our formative assessment discussion.-------Note from Tom Sticht:This article about formative assessment appears in todays (2/25/08 Education Guardian online.-------To see this story with its related links on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site, go to http://education.guardian.co.ukSmaller class sizes 'not cost effective'Anthea LipsettMonday February 25 2008The GuardianReducing school class sizes in an attempt to raise pupil achievement is a waste of money for all but the youngest children, one of the country's leading experts on assessment said today.Cutting class size by 30% gives children the equivalent of four extra months of learning a year, but costs around ?20,000 for each class every year, according to Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of the Institute of Education.He said the more effective method of "formative assessment" - where teachers monitor their pupils' progress continuously and provide appropriate feedback - could provide eight extra months of educational development for only ?2,000 per classroom per year."It can therefore be 20 times as cost-effective as reducing class size in terms of pupil achievement," he told the annual Chartered London Teachers Conference today."Smaller classes do confer a benefit if pupils are unruly, because fewer pupils in a class means less disruption. But as long as pupils are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is generally possible with a class of 30."Smaller classes can also be more cost-effective for five to seven- year-olds, but research suggests the class size needs to be reduced to 15 or less," he said.Wiliam added that investments in information communication technology have also shown a poor return. But international studies have confirmed that formative assessment can double the speed of pupil learning.Some teachers use a "traffic light" system and ask pupils to hold up different coloured cards to show whether they have understood what they have been told. Red means "no", amber means "partly", and green "yes". Pupils are also encouraged to evaluate their own work and advise their classmates on how they can improve.The English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish education departments have all provided varying degrees of backing for formative assessment.After three years of research in both the UK and the US, Wiliam concluded that the approach would only take off properly if teachers work together in school-based groups to refine their classroom methods.Wiliam and his co-researchers found that groups of eight to 10 teachers who meet once a month for at least two years can be most effective. "It takes time to change teachers' ways of working, particularly if they have been in the classroom for many years," said Wiliam. "Simply telling teachers what to do doesn't work.""For example, most teachers have heard about research from the 1980s which shows that if they wait three to five seconds after asking a question their pupils' performance improves because they have been given some time to think."Even so, many teachers are still allowing less than a second for pupils to respond. The conclusion we can draw from that is that knowing what to do is the easy part of teaching. Actually doing it is what's hard."Wiliam told EducationGuardian.co.uk that teacher quality was key to any improvements."To reduce class size from 30 to 20 would need 150,000 more teachers and that would dilute the quality of teachers," he said."We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the classroom and we need to get better teachers into the profession."Martin Johnson, acting deputy general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said the research should encourage the government to "put its money where its mouth is"."Staff need to work together to learn how to teach more effectively, but schools will need more resources to do this. [Wiliam] reminds us that this would be very cost-effective."Schools have benefited hugely over the last decade from having more classroom based staff but much more training is needed to make their deployment fully effective."And while the government says it encourages assessment for learning, its testing policies have stolen teachers' self-confidence so new training must be provided and resourced."School staff desperately need a contractual entitlement to training which meets their individual needs."Copyright Guardian News and Media LimitedDavid J. RosenSpecial Topics Discussion Moderatordjrosen at comcast.net-------------------------------National Institute for LiteracySpecial Topics mailing listSpecialTopics at nifl.govTo unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopicsEmail delivered to bcarmel at rocketmail.com
 
  

Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage. 
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From kgotthardt at comcast.net  Thu Feb 28 10:19:29 2008
From: kgotthardt at comcast.net (Katherine)
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 10:19:29 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 811] Re:
	EducationGuardian.co.uk:Smaller	classsizes'not cost effective
In-Reply-To: <BLU107-W249D0F7BC751980E626491F71B0@phx.gbl>
References: <00a701c878fa$984c6640$0c00a8c0@critical1><03dc01c8794e$f0c288f0$0202a8c0@LITNOW>
	<BLU107-W249D0F7BC751980E626491F71B0@phx.gbl>
Message-ID: <D402489AD67B461DB1F00E247EB9D217@OwnerPC>

Would you agree that having a class size of a 20 max would be reasonable and effective?

Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt
www.luxuriouschoices.net 
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Cheryl Diamond 
  To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
  Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2008 8:30 AM
  Subject: [SpecialTopics 810] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk:Smaller classsizes'not cost effective

  Hi, all
   
  I read and watched the replies on this issue. Mixed reactions, as a current taxpayer and former teacher, I possess. I am sure that not everyone will accept what I have to say. However, my points should be taken from where they come.
   
  Very hard to say that if you reduce class size you have a perfect solution. Some classes should be smaller but not all. You certainly do raise the price on education as no one seems to give up any monies. As a current taxpayer facing unending increases across the board, I  can say "ENOUGH". 
  But as we all know it is not only the teachers' responsiblity. As a former teacher, I saw good and less good teachers. The same goes for parents and admin people. 
   
  At least the article on class  size produced comment. As a voter who can see how the class size amendment got adopted, I would say we need to revisit the election with less special interest input. 
   
  I am disappointed when 1)I don't have clerks who can't figure the exact amount I hand them, or 2)I hear that people haven't been reading  up on the issues or candidates, 3)or readership in a variety of media is down, and finally, 4) listen to high school graduates don't know what EPA means in our government. Yet, a teacher has a very full plate with the extra paperwork, etc., put on him/her. Less government interference and more qualitative parental interest would be tops on my list.
   
  There is only so much money for education. It should be spent correctly on OUR students. I am truly aware of the immigration issues and how it has obliterated the budget process. Keep it simple as best we can.
   
  Thanks, Cheryl Diamond

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    From: marie.cora at hotspurpartners.com
    To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
    Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 09:42:12 -0500
    Subject: [SpecialTopics 791] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes'not cost effective

    Hi everyone,

    Great discussion, it?s so full and rich I don?t know where to begin.  My apologies if what I say below has been noted already ? 

    But I will second John?s comments re:  Dylan Wiliam.  I think that the Education Guardian article below takes many of his points out of context.  

    Best to get it from the horse?s mouth I would say:  see Black and Wiliam, Inside the Black Box:   Raising Standards through Classroom Assessment at http://www.pdkintl.org/kappan/kbla9810.htm for starters. 

    I get a ton out of his notion of Assessment FOR Learning versus Assessment OF Learning.

    Marie Cora

    NIFL Assessment Discussion List Moderator

    http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/discussions/discussions.html

    -----Original Message-----
    From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of John Benseman
    Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 11:38 PM
    To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
    Subject: [SpecialTopics 779] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes'not cost effective

    I don?t know the specific words that Dylan Wiliam uses about class size, but I am guessing that what he says is that there is no authoritative research that shows that class size is irrefutably related to student learning. This is not to say that class size doesn?t matter, it merely says that the research over many 100s of studies is inconclusive to date.

    As I am sure that the great majority of people on this listserv will attest, we all feel intuitively that class size DOES matter ? it?s just that there is no research to back this conclusion. The jury, so to speak, is still out on this dimension of teaching (as it is in many other areas).

    The second point re saying that ?praise hurts students?: I couldn?t find the specific reference, but again interpreting what I think Wiliam would say is something along the lines of: just praising students for the sake of praising does them little good. What is needed however is clear and realistic feedback on where they are at in their learning. If that comes with a dollop of praise, then that?s great, but praise per se is not sufficient.

    I think that we can fall in to a trap of thinking that learners invariably want/need support (which they do at times), but they also need to be challenged, which means that we need to give them realistic feedback on how they are progressing (or not).

    Regards, John

    PS I am not a paid servant of Dylan Wiliam, but I am a fan of his research?

    John Benseman

    *   john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz

    (   641 9 627 1882  Cell  027 454 0683

    - 52a Bolton St, Blockhouse Bay, Auckland 0600, NZ

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

    From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Bruce C
    Sent: Wednesday, 27 February 2008 11:29 a.m.
    To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
    Subject: [SpecialTopics 777] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes 'not cost effective

    Regarding small class size....

    Excuse my language, but regarding the comments of regarding class size attributed to Prof Dylan Wiliam, Deputy Director and Professor of Educational Assessment at the Institute of Education, University of London, I say ...

    "BALDERDASH!!! and HOGWASH!!!!" 

    I can't believe anyone who has been a teacher would ever say "...as long as pupils are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is generally possible with a class of 30." 

    Maybe this was taken out of context. Prof. Wiliam (yes it's only one "L"--I checked.) says some interesting things about formative assessment and personalized learning on this "Learning About Learning" website: 

    http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdylanwiliam.asp

    He does say a few wacky things--like that praise hurts students. 

    Prof. Wil.i.am. says that formative assessment "encourages teachers to take constant readings about where students are." He says it's important to do this "minute by minute, day by day."  That's why I can't believe this dude really thinks that class size doesn't matter. I think a teacher with 20 students in his/her class can get a better sense of where everyone is than a teacher with 30 students. 

    Sure there may be things we can do that are cheaper than reducing class size...

    But so what?

    If that is how we define "cost effectiveness" why not TRIPLE class size and save tons of money? 

    You get my point, right? 

    from Bruce Carmel

    Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of 
    the Institute of Education says, 

    "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net> wrote:

      Colleagues,

      Tom Sticht spotted this on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site and sent 
      it for our formative assessment discussion.

      -------
      Note from Tom Sticht:

      This article about formative assessment appears in todays (2/25/08 
      Education Guardian online.
      -------

      To see this story with its related links on the 
      EducationGuardian.co.uk site, go to http://education.guardian.co.uk

      Smaller class sizes 'not cost effective'
      Anthea Lipsett
      Monday February 25 2008
      The Guardian

      Reducing school class sizes in an attempt to raise pupil achievement 
      is a waste of money for all but the youngest children, one of the 
      country's leading experts on assessment said today.

      Cutting class size by 30% gives children the equivalent of four extra 
      months of learning a year, but costs around ?20,000 for each 
      class every year, according to Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of 
      the Institute of Education.

      He said the more effective method of "formative assessment" - where 
      teachers monitor their pupils' progress continuously and provide 
      appropriate feedback - could provide eight extra months of 
      educational development for only ?2,000 per classroom per year.

      "It can therefore be 20 times as cost-effective as reducing class 
      size in terms of pupil achievement," he told the annual Chartered 
      London Teachers Conference today.

      "Smaller classes do confer a benefit if pupils are unruly, because 
      fewer pupils in a class means less disruption. But as long as pupils 
      are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is 
      generally possible with a class of 30.

      "Smaller classes can also be more cost-effective for five to seven- 
      year-olds, but research suggests the class size needs to be reduced 
      to 15 or less," he said.

      Wiliam added that investments in information communication technology 
      have also shown a poor return. But international studies have 
      confirmed that formative assessment can double the speed of pupil 
      learning.

      Some teachers use a "traffic light" system and ask pupils to hold up 
      different coloured cards to show whether they have understood what 
      they have been told. Red means "no", amber means "partly", and green 
      "yes". Pupils are also encouraged to evaluate their own work and 
      advise their classmates on how they can improve.

      The English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish education departments 
      have all provided varying degrees of backing for formative assessment.

      After three years of research in both the UK and the US, Wiliam 
      concluded that the approach would only take off properly if teachers 
      work together in school-based groups to refine their classroom methods.

      Wiliam and his co-researchers found that groups of eight to 10 
      teachers who meet once a month for at least two years can be most 
      effective. "It takes time to change teachers' ways of working, 
      particularly if they have been in the classroom for many years," said 
      Wiliam. "Simply telling teachers what to do doesn't work."

      "For example, most teachers have heard about research from the 1980s 
      which shows that if they wait three to five seconds after asking a 
      question their pupils' performance improves because they have been 
      given some time to think.

      "Even so, many teachers are still allowing less than a second for 
      pupils to respond. The conclusion we can draw from that is that 
      knowing what to do is the easy part of teaching. Actually doing it is 
      what's hard."

      Wiliam told EducationGuardian.co.uk that teacher quality was key to 
      any improvements.

      "To reduce class size from 30 to 20 would need 150,000 more teachers 
      and that would dilute the quality of teachers," he said.

      "We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the classroom 
      and we need to get better teachers into the profession."

      Martin Johnson, acting deputy general secretary of the Association of 
      Teachers and Lecturers, said the research should encourage the 
      government to "put its money where its mouth is".

      "Staff need to work together to learn how to teach more effectively, 
      but schools will need more resources to do this. [Wiliam] reminds us 
      that this would be very cost-effective.

      "Schools have benefited hugely over the last decade from having more 
      classroom based staff but much more training is needed to make their 
      deployment fully effective.

      "And while the government says it encourages assessment for learning, 
      its testing policies have stolen teachers' self-confidence so new 
      training must be provided and resourced.

      "School staff desperately need a contractual entitlement to training 
      which meets their individual needs."

      Copyright Guardian News and Media Limited

      David J. Rosen
      Special Topics Discussion Moderator
      djrosen at comcast.net

      -------------------------------
      National Institute for Literacy
      Special Topics mailing list
      SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
      To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
      Email delivered to bcarmel at rocketmail.com

      

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  -------------------------------
  National Institute for Literacy
  Special Topics mailing list
  SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
  To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
  Email delivered to kgotthardt at comcast.net
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From Janet_Isserlis at brown.edu  Thu Feb 28 10:27:07 2008
From: Janet_Isserlis at brown.edu (Janet Isserlis)
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 10:27:07 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 812] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller
 classsizes'not cost effective
In-Reply-To: <BLU107-W249D0F7BC751980E626491F71B0@phx.gbl>
Message-ID: <C3EC3CFB.1F908%Janet_Isserlis@brown.edu>

Cheryl

Can you say more about what you mean by OUR students?

Janet

From: Cheryl Diamond <cheryl_diamond at msn.com>
Reply-To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 08:30:33 -0500
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 810] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller
classsizes'not cost effective

Hi, all
 
I read and watched the replies on this issue. Mixed reactions, as a current
taxpayer and former teacher, I possess. I am sure that not everyone will
accept what I have to say. However, my points should be taken from where
they come.
 
Very hard to say that if you reduce class size you have a perfect solution.
Some classes should be smaller but not all. You certainly do raise the price
on education as no one seems to give up any monies. As a current taxpayer
facing unending increases across the board, I  can say "ENOUGH".
But as we all know it is not only the teachers' responsiblity. As a former
teacher, I saw good and less good teachers. The same goes for parents and
admin people. 
 
At least the article on class  size produced comment. As a voter who can see
how the class size amendment got adopted, I would say we need to revisit the
election with less special interest input.
 
I am disappointed when 1)I don't have clerks who can't figure the exact
amount I hand them, or 2)I hear that people haven't been reading  up on the
issues or candidates, 3)or readership in a variety of media is down, and
finally, 4) listen to high school graduates don't know what EPA means in our
government. Yet, a teacher has a very full plate with the extra paperwork,
etc., put on him/her. Less government interference and more qualitative
parental interest would be tops on my list.
 
There is only so much money for education. It should be spent correctly on
OUR students. I am truly aware of the immigration issues and how it has
obliterated the budget process. Keep it simple as best we can.
 
Thanks, Cheryl Diamond

> 
> From: marie.cora at hotspurpartners.com
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 09:42:12 -0500
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 791] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller
> classsizes'not cost effective
> 
> Hi everyone,
> 
>  
> 
> Great discussion, it?s so full and rich I don?t know where to begin.  My
> apologies if what I say below has been noted already ?
> 
>  
> 
> But I will second John?s comments re:  Dylan Wiliam.  I think that the
> Education Guardian article below takes many of his points out of context.
> 
>  
> 
> Best to get it from the horse?s mouth I would say:  see Black and Wiliam,
> Inside the Black Box:   Raising Standards through Classroom Assessment at
> http://www.pdkintl.org/kappan/kbla9810.htm for starters.
> 
>  
> 
> I get a ton out of his notion of Assessment FOR Learning versus Assessment OF
> Learning.
> 
>  
> 
> Marie Cora
> 
> NIFL Assessment Discussion List Moderator
> 
> http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/discussions/discussions.html
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
> On Behalf Of John Benseman
> Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 11:38 PM
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 779] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller
> classsizes'not cost effective
> 
>  
> 
> I don?t know the specific words that Dylan Wiliam uses about class size, but I
> am guessing that what he says is that there is no authoritative research that
> shows that class size is irrefutably related to student learning. This is not
> to say that class size doesn?t matter, it merely says that the research over
> many 100s of studies is inconclusive to date.
> 
>  
> 
> As I am sure that the great majority of people on this listserv will attest,
> we all feel intuitively that class size DOES matter ? it?s just that there is
> no research to back this conclusion. The jury, so to speak, is still out on
> this dimension of teaching (as it is in many other areas).
> 
>  
> 
> The second point re saying that ?praise hurts students?: I couldn?t find the
> specific reference, but again interpreting what I think Wiliam would say is
> something along the lines of: just praising students for the sake of praising
> does them little good. What is needed however is clear and realistic feedback
> on where they are at in their learning. If that comes with a dollop of praise,
> then that?s great, but praise per se is not sufficient.
> 
>  
> 
> I think that we can fall in to a trap of thinking that learners invariably
> want/need support (which they do at times), but they also need to be
> challenged, which means that we need to give them realistic feedback on how
> they are progressing (or not).
> 
>  
> 
> Regards, John
> 
>  
> 
> PS I am not a paid servant of Dylan Wiliam, but I am a fan of his research?
> 
>  
> 
> John Benseman
> 
> *   john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz
> 
> (   641 9 627 1882  Cell  027 454 0683
> 
> - 52a Bolton St, Blockhouse Bay, Auckland 0600, NZ
> 
> 
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
> On Behalf Of Bruce C
> Sent: Wednesday, 27 February 2008 11:29 a.m.
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 777] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes
> 'not cost effective
> 
>  
> 
> Regarding small class size....
> 
>  
> 
> Excuse my language, but regarding the comments of regarding class size
> attributed to Prof Dylan Wiliam, Deputy Director and Professor of Educational
> Assessment at the Institute of Education, University of London, I say ...
> 
>  
> 
> "BALDERDASH!!! and HOGWASH!!!!"
> 
>  
> 
> I can't believe anyone who has been a teacher would ever say "...as long as
> pupils are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is generally
> possible with a class of 30."
> 
>  
> 
> Maybe this was taken out of context. Prof. Wiliam (yes it's only one "L"--I
> checked.) says some interesting things about formative assessment and
> personalized learning on this "Learning About Learning" website:
> 
>  
> 
> http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdylanwil
> iam.asp
> 
>  
> 
> He does say a few wacky things--like that praise hurts students.
> 
>  
> 
> Prof. Wil.i.am. says that formative assessment "encourages teachers to take
> constant readings about where students are." He says it's important to do this
> "minute by minute, day by day."  That's why I can't believe this dude really
> thinks that class size doesn't matter. I think a teacher with 20 students in
> his/her class can get a better sense of where everyone is than a teacher with
> 30 students. 
> 
> 
> Sure there may be things we can do that are cheaper than reducing class
> size...
> 
>  
> 
> But so what?
> 
>  
> 
> If that is how we define "cost effectiveness" why not TRIPLE class size and
> save tons of money?
> 
>  
> 
> You get my point, right?
> 
>  
> 
> from Bruce Carmel
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of
> the Institute of Education says,
> 
>  
> <http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdylanwi
> liam.asp>  
> 
> 
> "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net> wrote:
>> 
>> Colleagues,
>> 
>> Tom Sticht spotted this on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site and sent
>> it for our formative assessment discussion.
>> 
>> -------
>> Note from Tom Sticht:
>> 
>> This article about formative assessment appears in todays (2/25/08
>> Education Guardian online.
>> -------
>> 
>> To see this story with its related links on the
>> EducationGuardian.co.uk site, go to http://education.guardian.co.uk
>> 
>> Smaller class sizes 'not cost effective'
>> Anthea Lipsett
>> Monday February 25 2008
>> The Guardian
>> 
>> Reducing school class sizes in an attempt to raise pupil achievement
>> is a waste of money for all but the youngest children, one of the
>> country's leading experts on assessment said today.
>> 
>> Cutting class size by 30% gives children the equivalent of four extra
>> months of learning a year, but costs around ?20,000 for each
>> class every year, according to Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of
>> the Institute of Education.
>> 
>> He said the more effective method of "formative assessment" - where
>> teachers monitor their pupils' progress continuously and provide
>> appropriate feedback - could provide eight extra months of
>> educational development for only ?2,000 per classroom per year.
>> 
>> "It can therefore be 20 times as cost-effective as reducing class
>> size in terms of pupil achievement," he told the annual Chartered
>> London Teachers Conference today.
>> 
>> "Smaller classes do confer a benefit if pupils are unruly, because
>> fewer pupils in a class means less disruption. But as long as pupils
>> are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is
>> generally possible with a class of 30.
>> 
>> "Smaller classes can also be more cost-effective for five to seven-
>> year-olds, but research suggests the class size needs to be reduced
>> to 15 or less," he said.
>> 
>> Wiliam added that investments in information communication technology
>> have also shown a poor return. But international studies have
>> confirmed that formative assessment can double the speed of pupil
>> learning.
>> 
>> Some teachers use a "traffic light" system and ask pupils to hold up
>> different coloured cards to show whether they have understood what
>> they have been told. Red means "no", amber means "partly", and green
>> "yes". Pupils are also encouraged to evaluate their own work and
>> advise their classmates on how they can improve.
>> 
>> The English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish education departments
>> have all provided varying degrees of backing for formative assessment.
>> 
>> After three years of research in both the UK and the US, Wiliam
>> concluded that the approach would only take off properly if teachers
>> work together in school-based groups to refine their classroom methods.
>> 
>> Wiliam and his co-researchers found that groups of eight to 10
>> teachers who meet once a month for at least two years can be most
>> effective. "It takes time to change teachers' ways of working,
>> particularly if they have been in the classroom for many years," said
>> Wiliam. "Simply telling teachers what to do doesn't work."
>> 
>> "For example, most teachers have heard about research from the 1980s
>> which shows that if they wait three to five seconds after asking a
>> question their pupils' performance improves because they have been
>> given some time to think.
>> 
>> "Even so, many teachers are still allowing less than a second for
>> pupils to respond. The conclusion we can draw from that is that
>> knowing what to do is the easy part of teaching. Actually doing it is
>> what's hard."
>> 
>> Wiliam told EducationGuardian.co.uk that teacher quality was key to
>> any improvements.
>> 
>> "To reduce class size from 30 to 20 would need 150,000 more teachers
>> and that would dilute the quality of teachers," he said.
>> 
>> "We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the classroom
>> and we need to get better teachers into the profession."
>> 
>> Martin Johnson, acting deputy general secretary of the Association of
>> Teachers and Lecturers, said the research should encourage the
>> government to "put its money where its mouth is".
>> 
>> "Staff need to work together to learn how to teach more effectively,
>> but schools will need more resources to do this. [Wiliam] reminds us
>> that this would be very cost-effective.
>> 
>> "Schools have benefited hugely over the last decade from having more
>> classroom based staff but much more training is needed to make their
>> deployment fully effective.
>> 
>> "And while the government says it encourages assessment for learning,
>> its testing policies have stolen teachers' self-confidence so new
>> training must be provided and resourced.
>> 
>> "School staff desperately need a contractual entitlement to training
>> which meets their individual needs."
>> 
>> Copyright Guardian News and Media Limited
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> David J. Rosen
>> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
>> djrosen at comcast.net
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> -------------------------------
>> National Institute for Literacy
>> Special Topics mailing list
>> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
>> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
>> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
>> Email delivered to bcarmel at rocketmail.com
> 
>  
> 
>   
> 
> 
> Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage.
> <http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=51438/*http:/www.yahoo.com/r/hs>

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
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Email delivered to janet_isserlis at brown.edu

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From smithg at floridaliteracy.org  Thu Feb 28 11:09:05 2008
From: smithg at floridaliteracy.org (Greg Smith)
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 11:09:05 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 813] Re: the praise thing
In-Reply-To: <C3EAE13D.1F82D%Janet_Isserlis@brown.edu>
Message-ID: <01d101c87a24$3ef64f40$3202a8c0@floridaliteracy.org>

Our organization did a case study last year in which we looked at the
success factors in eight high achieving adult learners who were previously
enrolled in adult basic education, literacy and/or ESOL programs.   A number
of similarities emerged with regard to their backgrounds, personality
characteristics and adult education experiences.  
 
When asked to talk about their adult education experiences and what they
most liked about their learning environment, the students overwhelming
talked about their teachers - using adjectives such as caring, supportive,
enthusiastic, honest, and encouraging.  Several talked about how important
it was that their teachers believed in them and were willing to put in extra
time to help them succeed.  I'm sure praise was part of the equation, but it
was clear that it went much deeper than an occasional pat on the back.  
 
________________________________________
Gregory Smith
Executive Director
Florida Literacy Coalition, Inc.
Florida's Adult and Family Literacy Resource Center
(407) 246-7110
Fax: (407) 246-7104
www.floridaliteracy.org
 
  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Janet Isserlis
Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 9:43 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 792] the praise thing
 
I've not yet read the citation Bruce and Tom talk about, but I'm guessing it
has to do with empty praise.

Specific acknowledgement of gains made, progress achieved, to me, seems to
be meaningful when it helps a learner - or friend, or colleague - see
specifically what he or she has accomplished.  If, for example, a student
always said she couldn't write, but over time the entries in her dialogue
journal grew both in size and in accuracy - that would be something to point
out to her as a positive gain.

This could even be couched as praise, but it would be specific and, one
hopes, have some usefulness to the learner.

I think others have said that praising everything just leads to a flattening
of all accomplishments (you have a pulse! that's great!).  This isn't what
we're talking about.

Think about it.  Who are the people that matter to you - in your life? your
job? your family?
How do you feel about acknowledgement of your efforts within these spheres?

John Comings, et al, in their persistence work, speak about self-efficacy
(as opposed to self-esteem).  Seeing that one can accomplish a specific task
or set of tasks does, I would argue, lead to increased confidence.  Easier
to be present to learning with more, rather than less, confidence, it would
seem.

Janet Isserlis 
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From J.Vorhaus at ioe.ac.uk  Thu Feb 28 11:32:14 2008
From: J.Vorhaus at ioe.ac.uk (John Vorhaus)
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 16:32:14 -0000
Subject: [SpecialTopics 814] Re: the praise thing
In-Reply-To: <01d101c87a24$3ef64f40$3202a8c0@floridaliteracy.org>
References: <C3EAE13D.1F82D%Janet_Isserlis@brown.edu>
	<01d101c87a24$3ef64f40$3202a8c0@floridaliteracy.org>
Message-ID: <949E22B7BCCFF2408271BAAA8166BF07034B5EC6@M3.ioead>

That's of a piece with evidence gathered by NRDC from 5 studies of
teaching and learning in reading, writing, numeracy, ESOL and ICT. As
important as and closely bound up with the more technical aspects of
teaching practice and strategy were the qualities of patience, empathy
and belief in learners. Nor were the qualities always at the 'softer'
end: in custodial settings, for example, we found cohorts for whom
successful teaching and learning required on the part of the teacher a
capacity to elicit respect, maintain discipline etc. It's a familiar
point, that qualities and dispositions of teachers matter as much as
technical knowledge, but I agree with Greg Smith that this is the right
context in which to consider praise. 

________________________________

	From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Greg Smith
	Sent: 28 February 2008 16:09
	To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
	Subject: [SpecialTopics 813] Re: the praise thing
	
	
	Our organization did a case study last year in which we looked
at the success factors in eight high achieving adult learners who were
previously enrolled in adult basic education, literacy and/or ESOL
programs.   A number of similarities emerged with regard to their
backgrounds, personality characteristics and adult education
experiences.  
	 
	When asked to talk about their adult education experiences and
what they most liked about their learning environment, the students
overwhelming talked about their teachers - using adjectives such as
caring, supportive, enthusiastic, honest, and encouraging.  Several
talked about how important it was that their teachers believed in them
and were willing to put in extra time to help them succeed.  I'm sure
praise was part of the equation, but it was clear that it went much
deeper than an occasional pat on the back.  
	 
	________________________________________
	Gregory Smith
	Executive Director
	Florida Literacy Coalition, Inc.
	Florida's Adult and Family Literacy Resource Center
	(407) 246-7110
	Fax: (407) 246-7104
	www.floridaliteracy.org
	 
	
________________________________

	From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Janet Isserlis
	Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 9:43 AM
	To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
	Subject: [SpecialTopics 792] the praise thing
	 
	I've not yet read the citation Bruce and Tom talk about, but I'm
guessing it has to do with empty praise.
	
	Specific acknowledgement of gains made, progress achieved, to
me, seems to be meaningful when it helps a learner - or friend, or
colleague - see specifically what he or she has accomplished.  If, for
example, a student always said she couldn't write, but over time the
entries in her dialogue journal grew both in size and in accuracy - that
would be something to point out to her as a positive gain.
	
	This could even be couched as praise, but it would be specific
and, one hopes, have some usefulness to the learner.
	
	I think others have said that praising everything just leads to
a flattening of all accomplishments (you have a pulse! that's great!).
This isn't what we're talking about.
	
	Think about it.  Who are the people that matter to you - in your
life? your job? your family?
	How do you feel about acknowledgement of your efforts within
these spheres?
	
	John Comings, et al, in their persistence work, speak about
self-efficacy (as opposed to self-esteem).  Seeing that one can
accomplish a specific task or set of tasks does, I would argue, lead to
increased confidence.  Easier to be present to learning with more,
rather than less, confidence, it would seem.
	
	Janet Isserlis 
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From N.Hann at leedsmet.ac.uk  Thu Feb 28 11:37:38 2008
From: N.Hann at leedsmet.ac.uk (Hann, Naeema)
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 16:37:38 -0000
Subject: [SpecialTopics 815] Re: What is formative assessment
Message-ID: <B41C2A392356F940B76936030EECEFBA0D9274@leedsmet-exch1.leedsmet.ac.uk>

Hi! all, have been following this with great interest and have also
recommended this discussion to some colleagues.

Now then, in England, formative assessment has very much been a part of
Adult ESOL delivery for a long time. It has certainly been more visible
since Skills For Life came on board or rather Skills For Life took ESOL
on board. It is also included in teacher training programmes. It is of
course very effective in moving learners on and also, depending on the
teacher's approach, in getting learners to develop an increasing
awareness of their own role in their learning journey.

Best wishes,

Naeema 

Naeema B.Hann
PhD student
Leslie Silver International Faculty
Leeds Metropolitan University
Macaulay Hall
Headingley Campus
Leeds LS6 3QS
ph.+44+(0)113-812-3581 (direct)

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Debbie Yoho
Sent: 25 February 2008 20:14
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 752] Re: What is formative assessment

While is appears formative assessment is relatively an unknown idea in
adult education, it may be very familiar to educators trained for k-12.
As
an undergraduate secondary education major in 1971, I was carefully
taught
the difference between formative and summative assessments.  The
emphasis
for formative assessment was on teacher-developed assessment tools.  We
studied Robert Mager's structure for formulating objectives and
outcomes,
and were taught to create our own periodic assessments, oiften quite
informal,  keyed to those objectives.  One book that had a profound
impact
on my teaching practice was called CLASSROOM QUESTIONS.	 Alas, I cannot
remember the author and no longer have the book.  But the book showed
how
to structure questions by considering Bloom's Taxonomy.   If the title
rings a bell with anyone I'd love to be reminded of the author and
whether
or not it is still in print.  It was a slim volume, less than 100 pages.

Questions for our special topics guests:  is the foundational work of
Bloom
and Mager pertinent to how formative assessment was evaluated in the
OECD
studies, and are we talking mainly about teacher-made tools?

Deborah W. Yoho
director, Turning Pages
     (formerly the Greater Columbia Literacy Council)
a community service of Volunteers of America Carolinas
803-765-2555   Fax:  803-779-1657
PO Box 1447  Columbia, SC  29202
yohogclc at earthlink.net

> [Original Message]
> From: David J. Rosen <djrosen at comcast.net>
> To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
> Date: 2/25/2008 1:40:36 PM
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 751]  What is formative assessment
>
> Colleagues,
>
> A discussion list subscriber wrote to me offline: "David, I've never  
> heard of formative assessment in adult basic
> education.  What is it?" I think she may speak for many in the U.S.  
> who are subscribed to this discussion.
>
> I encourage those who are new to this concept -- or possibly just  
> this term -- to post your questions now, to ask  Janet and our other  
> guests about what formative assessment means. You might ask questions

> like "Does it mean that a teacher would......" or " ...that students  
> would...." or "Does it differ from summative assessment in that....."

> or however you like.
>
> While we await subscribers' questions, Janet could you give some more

> examples of formative assessment in adult foundation (basic) skills.
>
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at comcast.net
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to dwyoho at earthlink.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to n.hann at leedsmet.ac.uk

To view the terms under which this email is distributed, please go to http://disclaimer.leedsmet.ac.uk/email.htm

From daviauk at billings.k12.mt.us  Thu Feb 28 11:36:33 2008
From: daviauk at billings.k12.mt.us (Kathie Daviau)
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 09:36:33 -0700
Subject: [SpecialTopics 816] Re: the praise thing
In-Reply-To: <01d101c87a24$3ef64f40$3202a8c0@floridaliteracy.org>
References: <C3EAE13D.1F82D%Janet_Isserlis@brown.edu>
	<01d101c87a24$3ef64f40$3202a8c0@floridaliteracy.org>
Message-ID: <8728940CA8973249ABCFCF502B57BF220AE0EC59@exchange.billings.k12.mt.us>

According to the research, teacher praise is not essential to student
learning, and it seldom serves as a reinforcer for student behavior.
Teacher praise can serve a variety of other meaningful functions,
particularly since most teachers enjoy praising students and most
students appreciate some teacher praise, especially private praise.
Effective praise exhibits the qualities of contingency, specificity, and
sincerity.

Kathie Daviau

Billings, Montana

 

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Greg Smith
Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2008 9:09 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 813] Re: the praise thing

 

Our organization did a case study last year in which we looked at the
success factors in eight high achieving adult learners who were
previously enrolled in adult basic education, literacy and/or ESOL
programs.   A number of similarities emerged with regard to their
backgrounds, personality characteristics and adult education
experiences.  

 

When asked to talk about their adult education experiences and what they
most liked about their learning environment, the students overwhelming
talked about their teachers - using adjectives such as caring,
supportive, enthusiastic, honest, and encouraging.  Several talked about
how important it was that their teachers believed in them and were
willing to put in extra time to help them succeed.  I'm sure praise was
part of the equation, but it was clear that it went much deeper than an
occasional pat on the back.  

 

________________________________________

Gregory Smith

Executive Director

Florida Literacy Coalition, Inc.

Florida's Adult and Family Literacy Resource Center

(407) 246-7110

Fax: (407) 246-7104

www.floridaliteracy.org

 

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Janet Isserlis
Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 9:43 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 792] the praise thing

 

I've not yet read the citation Bruce and Tom talk about, but I'm
guessing it has to do with empty praise.

Specific acknowledgement of gains made, progress achieved, to me, seems
to be meaningful when it helps a learner - or friend, or colleague - see
specifically what he or she has accomplished.  If, for example, a
student always said she couldn't write, but over time the entries in her
dialogue journal grew both in size and in accuracy - that would be
something to point out to her as a positive gain.

This could even be couched as praise, but it would be specific and, one
hopes, have some usefulness to the learner.

I think others have said that praising everything just leads to a
flattening of all accomplishments (you have a pulse! that's great!).
This isn't what we're talking about.

Think about it.  Who are the people that matter to you - in your life?
your job? your family?
How do you feel about acknowledgement of your efforts within these
spheres?

John Comings, et al, in their persistence work, speak about
self-efficacy (as opposed to self-esteem).  Seeing that one can
accomplish a specific task or set of tasks does, I would argue, lead to
increased confidence.  Easier to be present to learning with more,
rather than less, confidence, it would seem.

Janet Isserlis 

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From patricia_donovan at worlded.org  Thu Feb 28 13:19:40 2008
From: patricia_donovan at worlded.org (Patricia Donovan)
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 13:19:40 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 817] Re: Formative Assessment in Flanders,	Belgium
Message-ID: <47C6B4ED020000AC00009451@bostongwia.jsi.com>

David,
In your outline of a successful math vocational program, I hear you saying that the formative assessment approach succeeded marvelously in a context where a) the teacher had strong content knowledge and b) the curriculum reflected student goals. I bring this up in an effort to emphasize that the feedback provided in the formative assessment cycle must be grounded in content knowledge, a challenge for many ABE numeracy/math teachers. We know from our work in Massachusetts that few ABE/ESOL teachers feel confident teaching mathematics. This in turn makes it difficult for them to offer constructive feedback in the assessment process, other than to show how they would solve the problem or to provide the answer from the "teacher's book." Little is gained by asking students to raise a red, green, or yellow card if one lacks the resources to create new learning approaches to a topic that raised a sea of red cards.

Improving adult basic education services for all students requires a serious investment in teacher education --  in content areas and in formative assessment techniques. Teachers can best assist students when they deeply comprehend the subjects they teach and use sound pedagogical practices. Of course, the most brilliant teachers in the world still need to be situated in programs that meet students' goals. The ways that goals focused on achieving credentials rather than deep-seated knowledge confound teachers is a subject for a different discussion.

Tricia

Tricia Donovan
SABES CRC
World Education
44 Farnsworth St.
Boston, MA 02210
617-482-9485
Fax 617-482-0617
>>> "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net> 02/28/08 7:47 AM >>>
Colleagues,

As I mentioned when I introduced this discussion, I had the privilege of 
being one of the OECD researchers, looking at schools and programs 
where  formative assessment was used in the Flanders community of 
Belgium.  These case studies will be found on the OECD web site with the 
others. They are remarkable examples for many reasons. First, in both 
cases formative assessment was taking place -- in the case study in 
Hoboken, Antwerp by design -- in a a larger context of program 
development and transformation.  The principal of the Second Chance 
(adult) school in Hoboken, enabled by public policy that for the first 
time allowed schools like hers to directly award secondary diplomas, 
brought together a group of dedicated and talented (full-time) teachers 
and turned the school's focus from test preparation to learning.  The 
experiment is still in progress, and not all the teachers or all the 
students like the new model, but many do.. The fascinating thing to me 
was that the lever of change she chose was formative assessment.

Another study was a contextualized numeracy (math) basic skills program 
embedded in a vocational training center. The math teacher had an 
amazing number of formative assessment strategies in play, had a strong 
math background, and had designed a competency-based curriculum that 
could readily respond to the work-related and training-related purposes 
the trainees had in coming to the math lab. During the two-hour math 
sessions she dashed around madly from student to student making sure 
each person was on target, giving direct, concrete, helpful feedback. 
After each session, she sat down at a computer and quickly noted where 
each student was, what they might need to do next, what they had 
accomplished. She shared these notes with each student at the next 
session and also fired off shoprt reports to their vocational 
instructors and vocational counselors who could then also help to focus 
on learning opportunities in the training and counseling sessions. The 
counselors and vocational instructors (and, most important, the 
students) so appreciated this information that when funding for this new 
program ended they decided to take some of the funds for their 
vocational classes to use for the math lab -- a real vote in confidence 
for the value of this kind of teaching.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Leader (and researcher)
djrosen at comcast.net
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Email delivered to pdonovan at worlded.org

From bcarmel at rocketmail.com  Thu Feb 28 12:08:49 2008
From: bcarmel at rocketmail.com (Bruce C)
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 09:08:49 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [SpecialTopics 818] Re: the class size thing
In-Reply-To: <949E22B7BCCFF2408271BAAA8166BF07034B5EC6@M3.ioead>
Message-ID: <676835.26967.qm@web37902.mail.mud.yahoo.com>

When we talk about cost-effectiveness of class size, what are we talking about?  Dylan Wil.i.am, who does research on British school children, says that reducing class size is expensive. But what are the positive outcomes we would expect from reduced class size?
   
  I keep thinking about a big study that Public/Private Ventures did with youth. They found that youth who met with mentors once a week for a year did not improve academically. However, "eighteen months later, [the youth]... had reduced first-time drug use by almost half and first-time alcohol use by a third, had cut school absenteeism by half, improved parental and peer relationships, and gave the youth confidence in doing their school work."
   
  I know that chidlren are different from adults, but I think there is something to be learned from that research. 
   
  If we were to evaluate the impact of class size on adult literacy students, we would want to look at basic skills improvement, of course. But I wonder if students in smaller classes or students who get some small group or one-on-one attention benefit in other ways. Do they stay enrolled longer? Have better attendance rates? Access other services such as counseling more frequently? Change their attitudes about educational institutions? Get more involved in their communities? Etc.... 
   
  From Bruce Carmel
   
  Quote retrieved from PPV web site February 26, 2008:
  http://www.ppv.org/ppv/publications/publications_description.asp?search_id=7&publication_id=111

       
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From bcarmel at rocketmail.com  Thu Feb 28 13:08:15 2008
From: bcarmel at rocketmail.com (Bruce C)
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 10:08:15 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [SpecialTopics 819] Re: the praise thing
In-Reply-To: <8728940CA8973249ABCFCF502B57BF220AE0EC59@exchange.billings.k12.mt.us>
Message-ID: <384427.67490.qm@web37902.mail.mud.yahoo.com>

Thanks for that Kathie. 
  What's the research you are citing? 
  Was it with children or adults? 
  I would hypothesize that it might be hard to measure the benefits of praise among children who are already doing well in school (although I believe they exist). I would further hypothesize that praise might have more of an impact on children who are struggliing academically, youth at-risk for dropping out, and adults who have not experienced success in educational settings. In all cases, I would suspect that praise needs to be specific and honest to matter. 
  from Bruce Carmel

Kathie Daviau <daviauk at billings.k12.mt.us> wrote:
        v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}  o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}  w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}  .shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}        st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) }                According to the research, teacher praise is not essential to student learning, and it seldom serves as a reinforcer for student behavior.  Teacher praise can serve a variety of other meaningful functions, particularly since most teachers enjoy praising students and most students appreciate some teacher praise, especially private praise.  Effective praise exhibits the qualities of contingency, specificity, and sincerity.
  Kathie Daviau
  Billings, Montana
   
      
---------------------------------
  
  From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Greg Smith
Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2008 9:09 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 813] Re: the praise thing

   
  Our organization did a case study last year in which we looked at the success factors in eight high achieving adult learners who were previously enrolled in adult basic education, literacy and/or ESOL programs.   A number of similarities emerged with regard to their backgrounds, personality characteristics and adult education experiences.  
   
  When asked to talk about their adult education experiences and what they most liked about their learning environment, the students overwhelming talked about their teachers - using adjectives such as caring, supportive, enthusiastic, honest, and encouraging.  Several talked about how important it was that their teachers believed in them and were willing to put in extra time to help them succeed.  I?m sure praise was part of the equation, but it was clear that it went much deeper than an occasional pat on the back.  
   
    ________________________________________
  Gregory Smith
  Executive Director
  Florida Literacy Coalition, Inc.
  Florida's Adult and Family Literacy Resource Center
  (407) 246-7110
  Fax: (407) 246-7104
  www.floridaliteracy.org
   

      
---------------------------------
  
  From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Janet Isserlis
Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 9:43 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 792] the praise thing

   
  I've not yet read the citation Bruce and Tom talk about, but I'm guessing it has to do with empty praise.

Specific acknowledgement of gains made, progress achieved, to me, seems to be meaningful when it helps a learner ? or friend, or colleague ? see specifically what he or she has accomplished.  If, for example, a student always said she couldn't write, but over time the entries in her dialogue journal grew both in size and in accuracy ? that would be something to point out to her as a positive gain.

This could even be couched as praise, but it would be specific and, one hopes, have some usefulness to the learner.

I think others have said that praising everything just leads to a flattening of all accomplishments (you have a pulse! that's great!).  This isn't what we're talking about.

Think about it.  Who are the people that matter to you ? in your life? your job? your family?
How do you feel about acknowledgement of your efforts within these spheres?

John Comings, et al, in their persistence work, speak about self-efficacy (as opposed to self-esteem).  Seeing that one can accomplish a specific task or set of tasks does, I would argue, lead to increased confidence.  Easier to be present to learning with more, rather than less, confidence, it would seem.

Janet Isserlis 

-------------------------------
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Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
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From grotlueschen at uni-bremen.de  Thu Feb 28 12:50:57 2008
From: grotlueschen at uni-bremen.de (=?iso-8859-1?Q?Anke_Grotl=FCschen?=)
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 18:50:57 +0100
Subject: [SpecialTopics 820]  smartness and effort
In-Reply-To: <FFE7C75CEE15B042B0453ABA750444DD70485B@email.gha.local>
Message-ID: <20080228175058.66B21102873@bladez03.zfn.uni-bremen.de>

Jan, 

 

These studies seem to rely on Albert Banduras idea of self-efficacy and
attribution of causes. I find it quite convincing (no idea whether I can
explain it correctly as I am an ESOL learner as well): 

 

People tend to attribute causes to things that happened. If you get good
grades, you can use 

a)       stable causes (I?m smart) 

b)       variable causes (I invested so much effort)

 

You can either attribute internal causes or external ones, which are outside
your ?locus of control?. The latter don?t motivate.

 

So, as you cannot change stable causes (smart vs. dumb), you wouldn?t be
motivated to improve, if you believe your success comes from stable
dispositions. But if you believe it is in your hand whether to change things
or not (effort vs. lazyness), you are motivated. So it is better to tell an
unsuccessful person, that it is his/her fault and in his/her control to do
better -  than to say it?s because of the difficulty of the task or his/her
dumbness.

 

So far about theory, I don?t know the empirical proof for this :-)

Thanks, 

Anke

  _____  

Von: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
Im Auftrag von Jan Potter
Gesendet: Mittwoch, 27. Februar 2008 19:47
An: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Betreff: [SpecialTopics 801] Re:
EducationGuardian.co.uk:Smallerclasssizes'not cost effective (Tom Mechem)

 

I realize we are a bit off-task, but on the topic of ?praise? - 

An interesting article in New York magazine on this topic  - by Po Bronson
called "How Not to Talk to Your Kids" (here's a link:
http://nymag.com/news/features/27840/ ). In this article, Bronson talks

about research done by Carol Dweck (then of Columbia, now at Stanford) that
suggests that praising a kid as being "smart" actually hurts their ongoing
progress, ability, and perseverance when trying new

(especially intellectually challenging) things. The data suggest that
praising *effort* gets dramatically better results.

 

The New York magazine article was quite an eye-opener for me.

 

It seems we are moving away from the ?everybody gets a trophy? mentality
these days.  The author?s point was fascinating to me on the subject that a
smart child would not take on challenging tasks.

 

Jan Potter, MSTC

Communications Specialist

Georgia Hospital Association

 

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Mechem, Thompson
Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 9:00 AM
To: john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz; specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 787] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk:
Smallerclasssizes'not cost effective (Tom Mechem)

 

If we all waited until we could prove everything in a court of law, we'd be
even more doomed than we are presently. There's no question that smaller
classes are needed for effective teaching and learning---just ask the
teachers and just ask the students. Would R. Walker Willingham pay $30,000 a
year to send his 14-year-old daughter Tiffany to St. Grottlesex if her
European History class had 30 students instead of 12?

 

The point about praise is a tricky one. Certainly it doesn't do any good to
tell someone she's smart if she doesn't believe it herself: you will only
lose all credibility and trust. Yet our students need to know that we
believe in them. It's like the advice we give parents: it's not enough to
love your kids; they have to know that you love them. (Another untestable
value of high literacy: you can get your point across.) It's not enough to
believe in your students; they have to know you believe in them. However, as
a wise man once said, "Self-confidence is bred of demonstrated ability." We
can't just tell people they're smart; we have to create the educational
environment by which they can come to know it for themselves. That's one of
the intangible great things about the GED diploma: earning it proves to the
student that she is smart. Though there are still lingering numbers of
nattering nabobs of negativity who doubt the value of the GED process and
the credential, one group that has no doubts are the students themselves.

 

Keep on rockin' in the free world (if there still is such a place).

 

 

Tom Mechem

GED State Chief Examiner

Massachusetts Department of Education

781-338-6621

"GED to Ph.D."

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]On Behalf Of John Benseman
Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 11:38 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 779] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller
classsizes'not cost effective

I don?t know the specific words that Dylan Wiliam uses about class size, but
I am guessing that what he says is that there is no authoritative research
that shows that class size is irrefutably related to student learning. This
is not to say that class size doesn?t matter, it merely says that the
research over many 100s of studies is inconclusive to date.

 

As I am sure that the great majority of people on this listserv will attest,
we all feel intuitively that class size DOES matter ? it?s just that there
is no research to back this conclusion. The jury, so to speak, is still out
on this dimension of teaching (as it is in many other areas).

 

The second point re saying that ?praise hurts students?: I couldn?t find the
specific reference, but again interpreting what I think Wiliam would say is
something along the lines of: just praising students for the sake of
praising does them little good. What is needed however is clear and
realistic feedback on where they are at in their learning. If that comes
with a dollop of praise, then that?s great, but praise per se is not
sufficient.

 

I think that we can fall in to a trap of thinking that learners invariably
want/need support (which they do at times), but they also need to be
challenged, which means that we need to give them realistic feedback on how
they are progressing (or not).

 

Regards, John

 

PS I am not a paid servant of Dylan Wiliam, but I am a fan of his research

 

John Benseman

*   john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz

*   641 9 627 1882  Cell  027 454 0683

* 52a Bolton St, Blockhouse Bay, Auckland 0600, NZ

  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Bruce C
Sent: Wednesday, 27 February 2008 11:29 a.m.
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 777] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes
'not cost effective

 

Regarding small class size....

 

Excuse my language, but regarding the comments of regarding class size
attributed to Prof Dylan Wiliam, Deputy Director and Professor of
Educational Assessment at the Institute of Education, University of London,
I say ...

 

"BALDERDASH!!! and HOGWASH!!!!" 

 

I can't believe anyone who has been a teacher would ever say "...as long as
pupils are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is
generally possible with a class of 30." 

 

Maybe this was taken out of context. Prof. Wiliam (yes it's only one "L"--I
checked.) says some interesting things about formative assessment and
personalized learning on this "Learning About Learning" website: 

 

http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdylanw
iliam.asp

 

He does say a few wacky things--like that praise hurts students. 

 

Prof. Wil.i.am. says that formative assessment "encourages teachers to take
constant readings about where students are." He says it's important to do
this "minute by minute, day by day."  That's why I can't believe this dude
really thinks that class size doesn't matter. I think a teacher with 20
students in his/her class can get a better sense of where everyone is than a
teacher with 30 students. 

Sure there may be things we can do that are cheaper than reducing class
size...

 

But so what?

 

If that is how we define "cost effectiveness" why not TRIPLE class size and
save tons of money? 

 

You get my point, right? 

 

from Bruce Carmel

 

 

 

 

 

Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of 
the Institute of Education says, 

 
<http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdylan
wiliam.asp>  

"David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net> wrote:

Colleagues,

Tom Sticht spotted this on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site and sent 
it for our formative assessment discussion.

-------
Note from Tom Sticht:

This article about formative assessment appears in todays (2/25/08 
Education Guardian online.
-------

To see this story with its related links on the 
EducationGuardian.co.uk site, go to http://education.guardian.co.uk

Smaller class sizes 'not cost effective'
Anthea Lipsett
Monday February 25 2008
The Guardian

Reducing school class sizes in an attempt to raise pupil achievement 
is a waste of money for all but the youngest children, one of the 
country's leading experts on assessment said today.

Cutting class size by 30% gives children the equivalent of four extra 
months of learning a year, but costs around ?20,000 for each 
class every year, according to Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of 
the Institute of Education.

He said the more effective method of "formative assessment" - where 
teachers monitor their pupils' progress continuously and provide 
appropriate feedback - could provide eight extra months of 
educational development for only ?2,000 per classroom per year.

"It can therefore be 20 times as cost-effective as reducing class 
size in terms of pupil achievement," he told the annual Chartered 
London Teachers Conference today.

"Smaller classes do confer a benefit if pupils are unruly, because 
fewer pupils in a class means less disruption. But as long as pupils 
are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is 
generally possible with a class of 30.

"Smaller classes can also be more cost-effective for five to seven- 
year-olds, but research suggests the class size needs to be reduced 
to 15 or less," he said.

Wiliam added that investments in information communication technology 
have also shown a poor return. But international studies have 
confirmed that formative assessment can double the speed of pupil 
learning.

Some teachers use a "traffic light" system and ask pupils to hold up 
different coloured cards to show whether they have understood what 
they have been told. Red means "no", amber means "partly", and green 
"yes". Pupils are also encouraged to evaluate their own work and 
advise their classmates on how they can improve.

The English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish education departments 
have all provided varying degrees of backing for formative assessment.

After three years of research in both the UK and the US, Wiliam 
concluded that the approach would only take off properly if teachers 
work together in school-based groups to refine their classroom methods.

Wiliam and his co-researchers found that groups of eight to 10 
teachers who meet once a month for at least two years can be most 
effective. "It takes time to change teachers' ways of working, 
particularly if they have been in the classroom for many years," said 
Wiliam. "Simply telling teachers what to do doesn't work."

"For example, most teachers have heard about research from the 1980s 
which shows that if they wait three to five seconds after asking a 
question their pupils' performance improves because they have been 
given some time to think.

"Even so, many teachers are still allowing less than a second for 
pupils to respond. The conclusion we can draw from that is that 
knowing what to do is the easy part of teaching. Actually doing it is 
what's hard."

Wiliam told EducationGuardian.co.uk that teacher quality was key to 
any improvements.

"To reduce class size from 30 to 20 would need 150,000 more teachers 
and that would dilute the quality of teachers," he said.

"We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the classroom 
and we need to get better teachers into the profession."

Martin Johnson, acting deputy general secretary of the Association of 
Teachers and Lecturers, said the research should encourage the 
government to "put its money where its mouth is".

"Staff need to work together to learn how to teach more effectively, 
but schools will need more resources to do this. [Wiliam] reminds us 
that this would be very cost-effective.

"Schools have benefited hugely over the last decade from having more 
classroom based staff but much more training is needed to make their 
deployment fully effective.

"And while the government says it encourages assessment for learning, 
its testing policies have stolen teachers' self-confidence so new 
training must be provided and resourced.

"School staff desperately need a contractual entitlement to training 
which meets their individual needs."

Copyright Guardian News and Media Limited

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

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From asyc2 at cam.ac.uk  Thu Feb 28 12:50:11 2008
From: asyc2 at cam.ac.uk (shinyiann chen)
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 17:50:11 +0000
Subject: [SpecialTopics 821] Re: Formative assessment in other countries
In-Reply-To: <47C64959.5060807@comcast.net>
References: <47C64959.5060807@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <BAY106-W2680CBBC8BC4D42CCB87A9A21B0@phx.gbl>

Dear colleagues and David, 
 
Thank you for the wonderful topic and lively discussions.  
 
My PhD thesis is about classroom assessment in language classrooms. The students I worked with were adult ESL learners in New York City. The focus of my research was on English oral proficiency. I am currently writing up my data-analysis chapters. For my project, I set up two treatment groups. One group of students received a set of ready-made criteria and the other created their own criteria as a class for oral proficiency. Two groups of students were comparable in terms of the distribution of students? age, first language (L1), and gender. I am exploring if these two treatments yield different effects on students? self-assessment outcomes, motivation for learning English, progress on oral proficiency, and interaction with one another during an oral task. When I proposed to carry out this study in 2004, I didn?t find any study that was designed to explore the effects of students? involvement in the development of assessment criteria on their performance. Is it still the case? 
 
I was wondering if any expert in the panel could comment on the role that transparency of learning objectives and criteria plays in formative assessment. In my study, even though teachers and I made the goals of classroom assessment clear to students, there were still students who believed that it was unnecessary for them to be involved in the assessment process because they believed that teachers know the best. Are there any studies designed to look at the relationship between successful implementation of formative assessment and students? learning styles or strategies? Perhaps, formative assessment doesn?t fit all? As for transparency of assessment criteria, is there any study designed to look at to what extent teachers or students are able to articulate assessment criteria for the ability in question? 
 
 
Many thanks in advance. 
Best wishes, 
Ann
> Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 00:40:41 -0500> From: djrosen at comcast.net> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov> Subject: [SpecialTopics 805] Formative assessment in other countries> > Colleagues,> > You can still ask questions or make comments on any of the case studies, > or on Janet's overview, but today I would also like to invite OECD > researchers from other countries to talk about their studies now, too. > Please chime in.> > What are some of the most interesting findings on how formative > assessment is used in the classroom?> How are students actively involved -- if they are -- in setting the > criteria, as well as in using the results of the assessments to improve > their learning.> What policies have supported formative assessment?> What policies have hindered it?> > David J. Rosen> Special Topics Discussion Moderator> djrosen at comcast.net> -------------------------------> National Institute for Literacy> Special Topics mailing list> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics> Email delivered to shinyiann at hotmail.com
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From mschnec at localnet.com  Thu Feb 28 14:44:03 2008
From: mschnec at localnet.com (mary)
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 14:44:03 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 822] Re: the praise thing
References: <384427.67490.qm@web37902.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <00a301c87a42$4639ea50$8d133045@mschneckenburger>

Again, with struggling learners, the effectiveness of the praise may largely depend on the quality or type of praise. It is common for struggling learners to tune out some kinds of praise because it doesn't fit with what they already believe about themselves. 

I have worked specifically with very challenged adults for about a quarter century. This population has a low self concept. If I say to one of them, Hey, great job on those fractions. I knew you could do it!" that student is as likely to think it was just luck or chance as she is to feel boosted by it. 

But if my praise takes the form of specific feedback such as, "You have found the common denominator for every single one of these today. Remember last week, you didn't know how to do it?" my comment is seen as more factual.

Mary Schneckenburger

Program Coordinator

Literacy Volunteers-Androscoggin

60 Court St., Auburn, ME 04210

207 333 6601 X 1323

mschnec at juno.com

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Bruce C 
  To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
  Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2008 1:08 PM
  Subject: [SpecialTopics 819] Re: the praise thing

  Thanks for that Kathie. 
  What's the research you are citing? 
  Was it with children or adults? 
  I would hypothesize that it might be hard to measure the benefits of praise among children who are already doing well in school (although I believe they exist). I would further hypothesize that praise might have more of an impact on children who are struggliing academically, youth at-risk for dropping out, and adults who have not experienced success in educational settings. In all cases, I would suspect that praise needs to be specific and honest to matter. 
  from Bruce Carmel

  Kathie Daviau <daviauk at billings.k12.mt.us> wrote:
    According to the research, teacher praise is not essential to student learning, and it seldom serves as a reinforcer for student behavior.  Teacher praise can serve a variety of other meaningful functions, particularly since most teachers enjoy praising students and most students appreciate some teacher praise, especially private praise.  Effective praise exhibits the qualities of contingency, specificity, and sincerity.
    Kathie Daviau
    Billings, Montana
     

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

    From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Greg Smith
    Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2008 9:09 AM
    To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
    Subject: [SpecialTopics 813] Re: the praise thing
     
    Our organization did a case study last year in which we looked at the success factors in eight high achieving adult learners who were previously enrolled in adult basic education, literacy and/or ESOL programs.   A number of similarities emerged with regard to their backgrounds, personality characteristics and adult education experiences.  
     
    When asked to talk about their adult education experiences and what they most liked about their learning environment, the students overwhelming talked about their teachers - using adjectives such as caring, supportive, enthusiastic, honest, and encouraging.  Several talked about how important it was that their teachers believed in them and were willing to put in extra time to help them succeed.  I'm sure praise was part of the equation, but it was clear that it went much deeper than an occasional pat on the back.  
     
    ________________________________________
    Gregory Smith
    Executive Director
    Florida Literacy Coalition, Inc.
    Florida's Adult and Family Literacy Resource Center
    (407) 246-7110
    Fax: (407) 246-7104
    www.floridaliteracy.org
     

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

    From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Janet Isserlis
    Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 9:43 AM
    To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
    Subject: [SpecialTopics 792] the praise thing
     
    I've not yet read the citation Bruce and Tom talk about, but I'm guessing it has to do with empty praise.

    Specific acknowledgement of gains made, progress achieved, to me, seems to be meaningful when it helps a learner - or friend, or colleague - see specifically what he or she has accomplished.  If, for example, a student always said she couldn't write, but over time the entries in her dialogue journal grew both in size and in accuracy - that would be something to point out to her as a positive gain.

    This could even be couched as praise, but it would be specific and, one hopes, have some usefulness to the learner.

    I think others have said that praising everything just leads to a flattening of all accomplishments (you have a pulse! that's great!).  This isn't what we're talking about.

    Think about it.  Who are the people that matter to you - in your life? your job? your family?
    How do you feel about acknowledgement of your efforts within these spheres?

    John Comings, et al, in their persistence work, speak about self-efficacy (as opposed to self-esteem).  Seeing that one can accomplish a specific task or set of tasks does, I would argue, lead to increased confidence.  Easier to be present to learning with more, rather than less, confidence, it would seem.

    Janet Isserlis 
    -------------------------------
    National Institute for Literacy
    Special Topics mailing list
    SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
    To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
    Email delivered to bcarmel at rocketmail.com

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From frances.nehme at tiscali.co.uk  Thu Feb 28 11:53:54 2008
From: frances.nehme at tiscali.co.uk (Frances Nehme)
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 16:53:54 +0000
Subject: [SpecialTopics 823] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller
 classsizes'not cost effective
In-Reply-To: <BLU107-W249D0F7BC751980E626491F71B0@phx.gbl>
Message-ID: <C3EC97A2.72FB%frances.nehme@tiscali.co.uk>

I?m not quite sure what you are implying, Cheryl.

It may just be the way you have expressed yourself, but I?m confused about
what exactly you are saying in the last sentence but one.
How ?correctly? ? and who are ?OUR? students? and what is the ?it? that ?has
obliterated the budget process?? How has it done so?

My first impression is a bit scary, but I?m hoping I have mis-read your
intentions here

Thanks
Frances

On 28/2/08 13:30, "Cheryl Diamond" <cheryl_diamond at msn.com> wrote:

> Hi, all
>  
> I read and watched the replies on this issue. Mixed reactions, as a current
> taxpayer and former teacher, I possess. I am sure that not everyone will
> accept what I have to say. However, my points should be taken from where they
> come.
>  
> Very hard to say that if you reduce class size you have a perfect solution.
> Some classes should be smaller but not all. You certainly do raise the price
> on education as no one seems to give up any monies. As a current taxpayer
> facing unending increases across the board, I  can say "ENOUGH".
> But as we all know it is not only the teachers' responsiblity. As a former
> teacher, I saw good and less good teachers. The same goes for parents and
> admin people. 
>  
> At least the article on class  size produced comment. As a voter who can see
> how the class size amendment got adopted, I would say we need to revisit the
> election with less special interest input.
>  
> I am disappointed when 1)I don't have clerks who can't figure the exact amount
> I hand them, or 2)I hear that people haven't been reading  up on the issues or
> candidates, 3)or readership in a variety of media is down, and finally, 4)
> listen to high school graduates don't know what EPA means in our government.
> Yet, a teacher has a very full plate with the extra paperwork, etc., put on
> him/her. Less government interference and more qualitative parental interest
> would be tops on my list.
>  
> There is only so much money for education. It should be spent correctly on OUR
> students. I am truly aware of the immigration issues and how it has
> obliterated the budget process. Keep it simple as best we can.
>  
> Thanks, Cheryl Diamond
> 
> 
>> 
>> From: marie.cora at hotspurpartners.com
>> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
>> Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 09:42:12 -0500
>> Subject: [SpecialTopics 791] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller
>> classsizes'not cost effective
>> 
>> Hi everyone,
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> Great discussion, it?s so full and rich I don?t know where to begin.  My
>> apologies if what I say below has been noted already ?
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> But I will second John?s comments re:  Dylan Wiliam.  I think that the
>> Education Guardian article below takes many of his points out of context.
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> Best to get it from the horse?s mouth I would say:  see Black and Wiliam,
>> Inside the Black Box:   Raising Standards through Classroom Assessment at
>> http://www.pdkintl.org/kappan/kbla9810.htm for starters.
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> I get a ton out of his notion of Assessment FOR Learning versus Assessment OF
>> Learning.
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> Marie Cora
>> 
>> NIFL Assessment Discussion List Moderator
>> 
>> http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/discussions/discussions.html
>> 
>>  
>> 
>>  
>> 
>>  
>> 
>>  
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
>> On Behalf Of John Benseman
>> Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 11:38 PM
>> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
>> Subject: [SpecialTopics 779] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller
>> classsizes'not cost effective
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> I don?t know the specific words that Dylan Wiliam uses about class size, but
>> I am guessing that what he says is that there is no authoritative research
>> that shows that class size is irrefutably related to student learning. This
>> is not to say that class size doesn?t matter, it merely says that the
>> research over many 100s of studies is inconclusive to date.
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> As I am sure that the great majority of people on this listserv will attest,
>> we all feel intuitively that class size DOES matter ? it?s just that there is
>> no research to back this conclusion. The jury, so to speak, is still out on
>> this dimension of teaching (as it is in many other areas).
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> The second point re saying that ?praise hurts students?: I couldn?t find the
>> specific reference, but again interpreting what I think Wiliam would say is
>> something along the lines of: just praising students for the sake of praising
>> does them little good. What is needed however is clear and realistic feedback
>> on where they are at in their learning. If that comes with a dollop of
>> praise, then that?s great, but praise per se is not sufficient.
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> I think that we can fall in to a trap of thinking that learners invariably
>> want/need support (which they do at times), but they also need to be
>> challenged, which means that we need to give them realistic feedback on how
>> they are progressing (or not).
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> Regards, John
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> PS I am not a paid servant of Dylan Wiliam, but I am a fan of his research?
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> John Benseman
>> 
>> *   john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz
>> 
>> (   641 9 627 1882  Cell  027 454 0683
>> 
>> - 52a Bolton St, Blockhouse Bay, Auckland 0600, NZ
>> 
>> 
>> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
>> On Behalf Of Bruce C
>> Sent: Wednesday, 27 February 2008 11:29 a.m.
>> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
>> Subject: [SpecialTopics 777] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes
>> 'not cost effective
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> Regarding small class size....
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> Excuse my language, but regarding the comments of regarding class size
>> attributed to Prof Dylan Wiliam, Deputy Director and Professor of Educational
>> Assessment at the Institute of Education, University of London, I say ...
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> "BALDERDASH!!! and HOGWASH!!!!"
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> I can't believe anyone who has been a teacher would ever say "...as long as
>> pupils are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is generally
>> possible with a class of 30."
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> Maybe this was taken out of context. Prof. Wiliam (yes it's only one "L"--I
>> checked.) says some interesting things about formative assessment and
>> personalized learning on this "Learning About Learning" website:
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdylanwi
>> liam.asp
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> He does say a few wacky things--like that praise hurts students.
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> Prof. Wil.i.am. says that formative assessment "encourages teachers to take
>> constant readings about where students are." He says it's important to do
>> this "minute by minute, day by day."  That's why I can't believe this dude
>> really thinks that class size doesn't matter. I think a teacher with 20
>> students in his/her class can get a better sense of where everyone is than a
>> teacher with 30 students.
>> 
>> 
>> Sure there may be things we can do that are cheaper than reducing class
>> size...
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> But so what?
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> If that is how we define "cost effectiveness" why not TRIPLE class size and
>> save tons of money?
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> You get my point, right?
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> from Bruce Carmel
>> 
>>  
>> 
>>  
>> 
>>  
>> 
>>  
>> 
>>  
>> 
>> Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of
>> the Institute of Education says,
>> 
>>  
>> <http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdylanw
>> iliam.asp>  
>> 
>> 
>> "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Colleagues,
>>> 
>>> Tom Sticht spotted this on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site and sent
>>> it for our formative assessment discussion.
>>> 
>>> -------
>>> Note from Tom Sticht:
>>> 
>>> This article about formative assessment appears in todays (2/25/08
>>> Education Guardian online.
>>> -------
>>> 
>>> To see this story with its related links on the
>>> EducationGuardian.co.uk site, go to http://education.guardian.co.uk
>>> 
>>> Smaller class sizes 'not cost effective'
>>> Anthea Lipsett
>>> Monday February 25 2008
>>> The Guardian
>>> 
>>> Reducing school class sizes in an attempt to raise pupil achievement
>>> is a waste of money for all but the youngest children, one of the
>>> country's leading experts on assessment said today.
>>> 
>>> Cutting class size by 30% gives children the equivalent of four extra
>>> months of learning a year, but costs around ?20,000 for each
>>> class every year, according to Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of
>>> the Institute of Education.
>>> 
>>> He said the more effective method of "formative assessment" - where
>>> teachers monitor their pupils' progress continuously and provide
>>> appropriate feedback - could provide eight extra months of
>>> educational development for only ?2,000 per classroom per year.
>>> 
>>> "It can therefore be 20 times as cost-effective as reducing class
>>> size in terms of pupil achievement," he told the annual Chartered
>>> London Teachers Conference today.
>>> 
>>> "Smaller classes do confer a benefit if pupils are unruly, because
>>> fewer pupils in a class means less disruption. But as long as pupils
>>> are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is
>>> generally possible with a class of 30.
>>> 
>>> "Smaller classes can also be more cost-effective for five to seven-
>>> year-olds, but research suggests the class size needs to be reduced
>>> to 15 or less," he said.
>>> 
>>> Wiliam added that investments in information communication technology
>>> have also shown a poor return. But international studies have
>>> confirmed that formative assessment can double the speed of pupil
>>> learning.
>>> 
>>> Some teachers use a "traffic light" system and ask pupils to hold up
>>> different coloured cards to show whether they have understood what
>>> they have been told. Red means "no", amber means "partly", and green
>>> "yes". Pupils are also encouraged to evaluate their own work and
>>> advise their classmates on how they can improve.
>>> 
>>> The English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish education departments
>>> have all provided varying degrees of backing for formative assessment.
>>> 
>>> After three years of research in both the UK and the US, Wiliam
>>> concluded that the approach would only take off properly if teachers
>>> work together in school-based groups to refine their classroom methods.
>>> 
>>> Wiliam and his co-researchers found that groups of eight to 10
>>> teachers who meet once a month for at least two years can be most
>>> effective. "It takes time to change teachers' ways of working,
>>> particularly if they have been in the classroom for many years," said
>>> Wiliam. "Simply telling teachers what to do doesn't work."
>>> 
>>> "For example, most teachers have heard about research from the 1980s
>>> which shows that if they wait three to five seconds after asking a
>>> question their pupils' performance improves because they have been
>>> given some time to think.
>>> 
>>> "Even so, many teachers are still allowing less than a second for
>>> pupils to respond. The conclusion we can draw from that is that
>>> knowing what to do is the easy part of teaching. Actually doing it is
>>> what's hard."
>>> 
>>> Wiliam told EducationGuardian.co.uk that teacher quality was key to
>>> any improvements.
>>> 
>>> "To reduce class size from 30 to 20 would need 150,000 more teachers
>>> and that would dilute the quality of teachers," he said.
>>> 
>>> "We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the classroom
>>> and we need to get better teachers into the profession."
>>> 
>>> Martin Johnson, acting deputy general secretary of the Association of
>>> Teachers and Lecturers, said the research should encourage the
>>> government to "put its money where its mouth is".
>>> 
>>> "Staff need to work together to learn how to teach more effectively,
>>> but schools will need more resources to do this. [Wiliam] reminds us
>>> that this would be very cost-effective.
>>> 
>>> "Schools have benefited hugely over the last decade from having more
>>> classroom based staff but much more training is needed to make their
>>> deployment fully effective.
>>> 
>>> "And while the government says it encourages assessment for learning,
>>> its testing policies have stolen teachers' self-confidence so new
>>> training must be provided and resourced.
>>> 
>>> "School staff desperately need a contractual entitlement to training
>>> which meets their individual needs."
>>> 
>>> Copyright Guardian News and Media Limited
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> David J. Rosen
>>> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
>>> djrosen at comcast.net
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> -------------------------------
>>> National Institute for Literacy
>>> Special Topics mailing list
>>> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
>>> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
>>> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
>>> Email delivered to bcarmel at rocketmail.com
>> 
>>  
>> 
>>   
>> 
>> 
>> Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage.
>> <http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=51438/*http:/www.yahoo.com/r/hs>
> 
> 
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to frances.nehme at tiscali.co.uk

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From abtom at mindspring.com  Thu Feb 28 12:53:41 2008
From: abtom at mindspring.com (A Tom)
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 12:53:41 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 824] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk:
	Smaller	classsizes'not cost effective
In-Reply-To: <BLU107-W249D0F7BC751980E626491F71B0@phx.gbl>
References: <00a701c878fa$984c6640$0c00a8c0@critical1>
	<03dc01c8794e$f0c288f0$0202a8c0@LITNOW>
	<BLU107-W249D0F7BC751980E626491F71B0@phx.gbl>
Message-ID: <95B55931-FBC9-4D3A-BCD4-6C2522E92125@mindspring.com>

On Feb 28, 2008, at 8:30 AM, Cheryl Diamond wrote:

> Hi, all
>
> I read and watched the replies on this issue. Mixed reactions, as a  
> current taxpayer and former teacher, I possess. I am sure that not  
> everyone will accept what I have to say. However, my points should  
> be taken from where they come.
>
> Very hard to say that if you reduce class size you have a perfect  
> solution. Some classes should be smaller but not all. You certainly  
> do raise the price on education as no one seems to give up any  
> monies. As a current taxpayer facing unending increases across the  
> board, I  can say "ENOUGH".
> But as we all know it is not only the teachers' responsiblity. As a  
> former teacher, I saw good and less good teachers. The same goes  
> for parents and admin people.
>
> At least the article on class  size produced comment. As a voter  
> who can see how the class size amendment got adopted, I would say  
> we need to revisit the election with less special interest input.
>
> I am disappointed when 1)I don't have clerks who can't figure the  
> exact amount I hand them, or 2)I hear that people haven't been  
> reading  up on the issues or candidates, 3)or readership in a  
> variety of media is down, and finally, 4) listen to high school  
> graduates don't know what EPA means in our government. Yet, a  
> teacher has a very full plate with the extra paperwork, etc., put  
> on him/her. Less government interference and more qualitative  
> parental interest would be tops on my list.
>
> There is only so much money for education. It should be spent  
> correctly on OUR students. I am truly aware of the immigration  
> issues and how it has obliterated the budget process. Keep it  
> simple as best we can.
>
> Thanks, Cheryl Diamond
>
>
> From: marie.cora at hotspurpartners.com
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 09:42:12 -0500
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 791] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller  
> classsizes'not cost effective
>
> Hi everyone,
>
>
> Great discussion, it?s so full and rich I don?t know where to  
> begin.  My apologies if what I say below has been noted already ?
>
>
> But I will second John?s comments re:  Dylan Wiliam.  I think that  
> the Education Guardian article below takes many of his points out  
> of context.
>
>
> Best to get it from the horse?s mouth I would say:  see Black and  
> Wiliam, Inside the Black Box:   Raising Standards through Classroom  
> Assessment at http://www.pdkintl.org/kappan/kbla9810.htm for starters.
>
>
> I get a ton out of his notion of Assessment FOR Learning versus  
> Assessment OF Learning.
>
>
> Marie Cora
>
> NIFL Assessment Discussion List Moderator
>
> http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/discussions/discussions.html
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics- 
> bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of John Benseman
> Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 11:38 PM
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 779] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller  
> classsizes'not cost effective
>
>
> I don?t know the specific words that Dylan Wiliam uses about class  
> size, but I am guessing that what he says is that there is no  
> authoritative research that shows that class size is irrefutably  
> related to student learning. This is not to say that class size  
> doesn?t matter, it merely says that the research over many 100s of  
> studies is inconclusive to date.
>
>
> As I am sure that the great majority of people on this listserv  
> will attest, we all feel intuitively that class size DOES matter ?  
> it?s just that there is no research to back this conclusion. The  
> jury, so to speak, is still out on this dimension of teaching (as  
> it is in many other areas).
>
>
> The second point re saying that ?praise hurts students?: I couldn?t  
> find the specific reference, but again interpreting what I think  
> Wiliam would say is something along the lines of: just praising  
> students for the sake of praising does them little good. What is  
> needed however is clear and realistic feedback on where they are at  
> in their learning. If that comes with a dollop of praise, then  
> that?s great, but praise per se is not sufficient.
>
>
> I think that we can fall in to a trap of thinking that learners  
> invariably want/need support (which they do at times), but they  
> also need to be challenged, which means that we need to give them  
> realistic feedback on how they are progressing (or not).
>
>
> Regards, John
>
>
> PS I am not a paid servant of Dylan Wiliam, but I am a fan of his  
> research?
>
>
> John Benseman
>
> *   john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz
>
> (   641 9 627 1882  Cell  027 454 0683
>
> - 52a Bolton St, Blockhouse Bay, Auckland 0600, NZ
>
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics- 
> bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Bruce C
> Sent: Wednesday, 27 February 2008 11:29 a.m.
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 777] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller  
> classsizes 'not cost effective
>
>
> Regarding small class size....
>
>
> Excuse my language, but regarding the comments of regarding class  
> size attributed to Prof Dylan Wiliam, Deputy Director and Professor  
> of Educational Assessment at the Institute of Education, University  
> of London, I say ...
>
>
> "BALDERDASH!!! and HOGWASH!!!!"
>
>
> I can't believe anyone who has been a teacher would ever say "...as  
> long as pupils are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class  
> of 20 is generally possible with a class of 30."
>
>
> Maybe this was taken out of context. Prof. Wiliam (yes it's only  
> one "L"--I checked.) says some interesting things about formative  
> assessment and personalized learning on this "Learning About  
> Learning" website:
>
>
> http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/ 
> biogdylanwiliam.asp
>
>
> He does say a few wacky things--like that praise hurts students.
>
>
> Prof. Wil.i.am. says that formative assessment "encourages teachers  
> to take constant readings about where students are." He says it's  
> important to do this "minute by minute, day by day."  That's why I  
> can't believe this dude really thinks that class size doesn't  
> matter. I think a teacher with 20 students in his/her class can get  
> a better sense of where everyone is than a teacher with 30 students.
>
>
> Sure there may be things we can do that are cheaper than reducing  
> class size...
>
>
> But so what?
>
>
> If that is how we define "cost effectiveness" why not TRIPLE class  
> size and save tons of money?
>
>
> You get my point, right?
>
>
> from Bruce Carmel
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of
> the Institute of Education says,
>
>
>
>
> "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net> wrote:
>
> Colleagues,
>
> Tom Sticht spotted this on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site and sent
> it for our formative assessment discussion.
>
> -------
> Note from Tom Sticht:
>
> This article about formative assessment appears in todays (2/25/08
> Education Guardian online.
> -------
>
> To see this story with its related links on the
> EducationGuardian.co.uk site, go to http://education.guardian.co.uk
>
> Smaller class sizes 'not cost effective'
> Anthea Lipsett
> Monday February 25 2008
> The Guardian
>
> Reducing school class sizes in an attempt to raise pupil achievement
> is a waste of money for all but the youngest children, one of the
> country's leading experts on assessment said today.
>
> Cutting class size by 30% gives children the equivalent of four extra
> months of learning a year, but costs around ?20,000 for each
> class every year, according to Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of
> the Institute of Education.
>
> He said the more effective method of "formative assessment" - where
> teachers monitor their pupils' progress continuously and provide
> appropriate feedback - could provide eight extra months of
> educational development for only ?2,000 per classroom per year.
>
> "It can therefore be 20 times as cost-effective as reducing class
> size in terms of pupil achievement," he told the annual Chartered
> London Teachers Conference today.
>
> "Smaller classes do confer a benefit if pupils are unruly, because
> fewer pupils in a class means less disruption. But as long as pupils
> are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is
> generally possible with a class of 30.
>
> "Smaller classes can also be more cost-effective for five to seven-
> year-olds, but research suggests the class size needs to be reduced
> to 15 or less," he said.
>
> Wiliam added that investments in information communication technology
> have also shown a poor return. But international studies have
> confirmed that formative assessment can double the speed of pupil
> learning.
>
> Some teachers use a "traffic light" system and ask pupils to hold up
> different coloured cards to show whether they have understood what
> they have been told. Red means "no", amber means "partly", and green
> "yes". Pupils are also encouraged to evaluate their own work and
> advise their classmates on how they can improve.
>
> The English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish education departments
> have all provided varying degrees of backing for formative assessment.
>
> After three years of research in both the UK and the US, Wiliam
> concluded that the approach would only take off properly if teachers
> work together in school-based groups to refine their classroom  
> methods.
>
> Wiliam and his co-researchers found that groups of eight to 10
> teachers who meet once a month for at least two years can be most
> effective. "It takes time to change teachers' ways of working,
> particularly if they have been in the classroom for many years," said
> Wiliam. "Simply telling teachers what to do doesn't work."
>
> "For example, most teachers have heard about research from the 1980s
> which shows that if they wait three to five seconds after asking a
> question their pupils' performance improves because they have been
> given some time to think.
>
> "Even so, many teachers are still allowing less than a second for
> pupils to respond. The conclusion we can draw from that is that
> knowing what to do is the easy part of teaching. Actually doing it is
> what's hard."
>
> Wiliam told EducationGuardian.co.uk that teacher quality was key to
> any improvements.
>
> "To reduce class size from 30 to 20 would need 150,000 more teachers
> and that would dilute the quality of teachers," he said.
>
> "We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the classroom
> and we need to get better teachers into the profession."
>
> Martin Johnson, acting deputy general secretary of the Association of
> Teachers and Lecturers, said the research should encourage the
> government to "put its money where its mouth is".
>
> "Staff need to work together to learn how to teach more effectively,
> but schools will need more resources to do this. [Wiliam] reminds us
> that this would be very cost-effective.
>
> "Schools have benefited hugely over the last decade from having more
> classroom based staff but much more training is needed to make their
> deployment fully effective.
>
> "And while the government says it encourages assessment for learning,
> its testing policies have stolen teachers' self-confidence so new
> training must be provided and resourced.
>
> "School staff desperately need a contractual entitlement to training
> which meets their individual needs."
>
> Copyright Guardian News and Media Limited
>
>
>
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at comcast.net
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to  
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to bcarmel at rocketmail.com
>
>
>
> Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage.
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to  
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to abtom at mindspring.com

From djrosen at comcast.net  Thu Feb 28 23:04:56 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 23:04:56 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 825] Last day of discussion on formative assessment
Message-ID: <B22A8AA4-E274-4C56-9E06-A031A497D06C@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

Friday, February 29th, is the last day of our discussion on formative  
assessment. If you haven't done so yet, Friday is the day to "leap"  
into the conversation. If you have remaining questions or comments  
for our guests, please ask them early in the day so that there might  
be time for our guests to reply. If our guests -- and others who have  
done research on formative assessment -- would like to add anything  
or emphasize any key points, now is the time to do that.

I would like to encourage those who have particularly good examples  
of formative assessment in adult education classrooms to be sure to  
mention them, whether you are a researcher, practitioner or both.

I would also like to encourage Janet and others who participated in  
the What Works study to comment on how policy supports or hinders  
formative assessment. Perhaps provide a specific example or two.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

From cherylthornett at hotmail.com  Fri Feb 29 05:25:31 2008
From: cherylthornett at hotmail.com (Cheryl Thornett)
Date: Fri, 29 Feb 2008 10:25:31 -0000
Subject: [SpecialTopics 826] Re: Last day of discussion on formative
	assessment
References: <B22A8AA4-E274-4C56-9E06-A031A497D06C@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <BLU129-DAV1353B57E543BB07EAACC0ECC140@phx.gbl>

Writing again not as an expert or researcher, but as a practising ESOL 
teacher, I would like to stress that 'formative' and 'assessment' are 
equally important parts of the procedure. This can include day-to-day 
classroom work, if it feeds into further work, but I find students respond 
well to specific assessment tasks, such as writing a note or giving a short 
talk on an agreed subject. (Paired conversations or role plays and small 
group discussions also work well.) I like to give communicative and grammar 
and vocabulary assessments. Paper-based assessment tasks can be part of a 
portfolio or other student record; we don't have a practical way of doing 
the same with oral communications, beyond written records.

 Where students have anxiety problems or have past negative experiences, 
perhaps  the word 'assessment' should be avoided, and  steps taken to avoid 
creating unnecessary anxiety--a very shy student can speak just to the 
teacher, instead of to the whole class, for example, or the written 
communication can either be tailored to a particular student or assessed 
against their personal current level. The task needs to be meaningful to the 
learner and feedback on their achievement and the next step/s is essential, 
even if this is short and informal. I think it also helps, eventually, to 
reduce anxiety levels about testing procedures. Some good points have been 
made here about effective praise, and of course, we all want to be positive 
but honest in discussing weaknesses or lack of achievement.

I believe my local colleagues in Skills for Life numeracy have similar 
procedures, including practical assessments such as weighing and measuring, 
making change and so forth.

Newer teachers, in particular, need support  with considerations such as the 
frequency of assessments, the size of steps they measure, the degree of 
formality and recording procedures. Managers and administrators really need 
to consult with practitioners about what is truly do-able, rather than 
imposing procedures and paperwork which are not. This is particularly true 
when said managers and administrators have been out of the classroom for 
many years, or have never been classroom teachers. I doubt I am the only one 
who feels far more receptive to ideas which come from other teachers.

I really appreciate these opportunities to learn and to share. Thanks, 
David, and thanks, NIFL.

Cheryl Thornett
ESOL tutor
Birmingham  UK Adult Education

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net>
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Sent: Friday, February 29, 2008 4:04 AM
Subject: [SpecialTopics 825] Last day of discussion on formative assessment

> Colleagues,
>
> Friday, February 29th, is the last day of our discussion on formative
> assessment. If you haven't done so yet, Friday is the day to "leap"
> into the conversation. If you have remaining questions or comments
> for our guests, please ask them early in the day so that there might
> be time for our guests to reply. If our guests -- and others who have
> done research on formative assessment -- would like to add anything
> or emphasize any key points, now is the time to do that.
>
> I would like to encourage those who have particularly good examples
> of formative assessment in adult education classrooms to be sure to
> mention them, whether you are a researcher, practitioner or both.
>
> I would also like to encourage Janet and others who participated in
> the What Works study to comment on how policy supports or hinders
> formative assessment. Perhaps provide a specific example or two.
>
>
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at comcast.net
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to cherylthornett at hotmail.com
> 

From carroll.collins at neklsvt.org  Fri Feb 29 10:44:03 2008
From: carroll.collins at neklsvt.org (carroll.collins at neklsvt.org)
Date: Fri, 29 Feb 2008 10:44:03 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 827] Re: Last day of discussion on
	formative	assessment
In-Reply-To: <B22A8AA4-E274-4C56-9E06-A031A497D06C@comcast.net>
References: <B22A8AA4-E274-4C56-9E06-A031A497D06C@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <20080229104403.xfswolqaas88swc0@webmail.neklsvt.org>

Quoting "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net>:

> Colleagues,
>
> Friday, February 29th, is the last day of our discussion on formative
> assessment. If you haven't done so yet, Friday is the day to "leap"
> into the conversation. If you have remaining questions or comments
> for our guests, please ask them early in the day so that there might
> be time for our guests to reply. If our guests -- and others who have
> done research on formative assessment -- would like to add anything
> or emphasize any key points, now is the time to do that.
>
> I would like to encourage those who have particularly good examples
> of formative assessment in adult education classrooms to be sure to
> mention them, whether you are a researcher, practitioner or both.
>
> I would also like to encourage Janet and others who participated in
> the What Works study to comment on how policy supports or hinders
> formative assessment. Perhaps provide a specific example or two.
>
>
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at comcast.net
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to   
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to carroll.collins at neklsvt.org
>

Greetings David and all,

I have been following this weeks discussion with great interest. Here  
in Vermont we have been focusing on "learner persistence" and how we  
might improve it.  We have a number of adult learners who enroll with  
our learning programs, but fail to follow through on their stated  
learning objectives.

It has occurred to me that if we designed learning plans, curricula,  
and courses that allowed the participants to experience progress in  
increments that were meaningful and useful to them, this might  
contribute to their remaining in the program and completing their  
goals.  Formative assessments that are built into the learning plans  
seem to be an effective way to promote learner persistence by giving  
the learner a sense of what they've already accomplished and what must  
still be mastered in order to succeed in their efforts.

Carroll Collins
Community Learning Teacher
Northeast Kingdom Learning Services
St. Johnsbury Adult Learning Center
364 Railroad Street
St. Johnsbury, VT 05819
(802) 748-5624

From Ron.Vorp at fldoe.org  Fri Feb 29 08:32:57 2008
From: Ron.Vorp at fldoe.org (Vorp, Ron)
Date: Fri, 29 Feb 2008 08:32:57 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 828] Re: What is formative assessment
In-Reply-To: <B41C2A392356F940B76936030EECEFBA0D9274@leedsmet-exch1.leedsmet.ac.uk>
References: <B41C2A392356F940B76936030EECEFBA0D9274@leedsmet-exch1.leedsmet.ac.uk>
Message-ID: <96E135649F1AD048AA6FF8CBC598C23E0B506103@MAIL1.FLDOE.INT>

Good morning,
A follow up to "what is formative assessment'
I was completely ignorant of formative assessment prior to this
discussion, and have learned from, and enjoyed following, this
discussion. I do have a question regarding formative.
It seems that formative assessment is summative assessment being done
more frequently. It's as if there is a continuum between the two. By
that I mean assessment is done to assessment more specific skills. An
example might be assessing whether a student has addition skills before
you try to teach that student division. Remember of course that division
requires subtraction. Formative assessment does not assess learning
styles, it is not diagnostic in the sense that the WISC-R or WAIS is.

Am I completely off base here?

Thank you.

Ron Vorp
850 245-9035
Budget, Accountability, and Research
Division of Workforce Development
325 W. Gaines St
Tallahassee, FL 32399

   

 

Please take a few minutes to provide feedback on the quality of service you received from our staff. The Department of Education values your feedback as a customer. Commissioner of Education Dr. Eric J. Smith is committed to continuously assessing and improving the level and quality of services provided to you.Simply use the link below.  Thank you in advance for completing the survey.
 

http://data.fldoe.org/cs/default.cfm?staff=Ron.Vorp at fldoe.org|08:32:57%20Fri%2029%20Feb%202008
 

 -----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Hann, Naeema
Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2008 11:38 AM
To: dwyoho at earthlink.net; specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 815] Re: What is formative assessment

Hi! all, have been following this with great interest and have also
recommended this discussion to some colleagues.

Now then, in England, formative assessment has very much been a part of
Adult ESOL delivery for a long time. It has certainly been more visible
since Skills For Life came on board or rather Skills For Life took ESOL
on board. It is also included in teacher training programmes. It is of
course very effective in moving learners on and also, depending on the
teacher's approach, in getting learners to develop an increasing
awareness of their own role in their learning journey.

Best wishes,

Naeema 

Naeema B.Hann
PhD student
Leslie Silver International Faculty
Leeds Metropolitan University
Macaulay Hall
Headingley Campus
Leeds LS6 3QS
ph.+44+(0)113-812-3581 (direct)

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Debbie Yoho
Sent: 25 February 2008 20:14
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 752] Re: What is formative assessment

While is appears formative assessment is relatively an unknown idea in
adult education, it may be very familiar to educators trained for k-12.
As
an undergraduate secondary education major in 1971, I was carefully
taught the difference between formative and summative assessments.  The
emphasis for formative assessment was on teacher-developed assessment
tools.  We studied Robert Mager's structure for formulating objectives
and outcomes, and were taught to create our own periodic assessments,
oiften quite informal,  keyed to those objectives.  One book that had a
profound impact
on my teaching practice was called CLASSROOM QUESTIONS.	 Alas, I cannot
remember the author and no longer have the book.  But the book showed
how
to structure questions by considering Bloom's Taxonomy.   If the title
rings a bell with anyone I'd love to be reminded of the author and
whether or not it is still in print.  It was a slim volume, less than
100 pages.

Questions for our special topics guests:  is the foundational work of
Bloom and Mager pertinent to how formative assessment was evaluated in
the OECD studies, and are we talking mainly about teacher-made tools?

Deborah W. Yoho
director, Turning Pages
     (formerly the Greater Columbia Literacy Council) a community
service of Volunteers of America Carolinas
803-765-2555   Fax:  803-779-1657
PO Box 1447  Columbia, SC  29202
yohogclc at earthlink.net

> [Original Message]
> From: David J. Rosen <djrosen at comcast.net>
> To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
> Date: 2/25/2008 1:40:36 PM
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 751]  What is formative assessment
>
> Colleagues,
>
> A discussion list subscriber wrote to me offline: "David, I've never 
> heard of formative assessment in adult basic education.  What is it?" 
> I think she may speak for many in the U.S.
> who are subscribed to this discussion.
>
> I encourage those who are new to this concept -- or possibly just this

> term -- to post your questions now, to ask  Janet and our other guests

> about what formative assessment means. You might ask questions

> like "Does it mean that a teacher would......" or " ...that students 
> would...." or "Does it differ from summative assessment in that....."

> or however you like.
>
> While we await subscribers' questions, Janet could you give some more

> examples of formative assessment in adult foundation (basic) skills.
>
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at comcast.net
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to dwyoho at earthlink.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
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SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to n.hann at leedsmet.ac.uk

To view the terms under which this email is distributed, please go to
http://disclaimer.leedsmet.ac.uk/email.htm
-------------------------------
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Email delivered to ron.vorp at fldoe.org

From jpotter at gha.org  Fri Feb 29 11:27:21 2008
From: jpotter at gha.org (Jan Potter)
Date: Fri, 29 Feb 2008 11:27:21 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 829] Re: smartness and effort
In-Reply-To: <20080228175058.66B21102873@bladez03.zfn.uni-bremen.de>
Message-ID: <FFE7C75CEE15B042B0453ABA750444DD704879@email.gha.local>

I appreciate the comments.  I think the bottom line is that if we praise a child by telling them how smart they are, then there is nothing that they can actually do to improve (and, in some cases, the child might actually do less since, after all, they are smart and decide they don't need to work any more).  Obviously, the other side is a bad idea (telling someone that they are not smart or dumb).

 

The author's position is that by praising effort you are praising something that is within your control.  I guess that I would personally separate this from the idea of remarking on the difficulty of the task.  To be told that "you did really well and I know this was really hard" is very reinforcing to me personally.

 

I also wonder if there is a learning style issue here.  Does someone perform better with verbal praise or with getting a good grade, for example.  We can say that both would apply but if you hear a teacher always telling her students how well they do, you might not buy it personally.

 

I have certainly seen in my own students that if they are praised in writing, they tend to participate in class better in the future.

 

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Anke Grotl?schen
Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2008 12:51 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 820] smartness and effort

 

Jan, 

 

These studies seem to rely on Albert Banduras idea of self-efficacy and attribution of causes. I find it quite convincing (no idea whether I can explain it correctly as I am an ESOL learner as well): 

 

People tend to attribute causes to things that happened. If you get good grades, you can use 

a)       stable causes (I'm smart) 

b)       variable causes (I invested so much effort)

 

You can either attribute internal causes or external ones, which are outside your "locus of control". The latter don't motivate.

 

So, as you cannot change stable causes (smart vs. dumb), you wouldn't be motivated to improve, if you believe your success comes from stable dispositions. But if you believe it is in your hand whether to change things or not (effort vs. lazyness), you are motivated. So it is better to tell an unsuccessful person, that it is his/her fault and in his/her control to do better -  than to say it's because of the difficulty of the task or his/her dumbness.

 

So far about theory, I don't know the empirical proof for this :-)

Thanks, 

Anke

________________________________

Von: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] Im Auftrag von Jan Potter
Gesendet: Mittwoch, 27. Februar 2008 19:47
An: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Betreff: [SpecialTopics 801] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk:Smallerclasssizes'not cost effective (Tom Mechem)

 

I realize we are a bit off-task, but on the topic of "praise" - 

An interesting article in New York magazine on this topic  - by Po Bronson called "How Not to Talk to Your Kids" (here's a link:  http://nymag.com/news/features/27840/ ). In this article, Bronson talks

about research done by Carol Dweck (then of Columbia, now at Stanford) that suggests that praising a kid as being "smart" actually hurts their ongoing progress, ability, and perseverance when trying new

(especially intellectually challenging) things. The data suggest that praising *effort* gets dramatically better results.

 

The New York magazine article was quite an eye-opener for me.

 

It seems we are moving away from the "everybody gets a trophy" mentality these days.  The author's point was fascinating to me on the subject that a smart child would not take on challenging tasks.

 

Jan Potter, MSTC

Communications Specialist

Georgia Hospital Association

 

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Mechem, Thompson
Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 9:00 AM
To: john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz; specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 787] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smallerclasssizes'not cost effective (Tom Mechem)

 

If we all waited until we could prove everything in a court of law, we'd be even more doomed than we are presently. There's no question that smaller classes are needed for effective teaching and learning---just ask the teachers and just ask the students. Would R. Walker Willingham pay $30,000 a year to send his 14-year-old daughter Tiffany to St. Grottlesex if her European History class had 30 students instead of 12?

 

The point about praise is a tricky one. Certainly it doesn't do any good to tell someone she's smart if she doesn't believe it herself: you will only lose all credibility and trust. Yet our students need to know that we believe in them. It's like the advice we give parents: it's not enough to love your kids; they have to know that you love them. (Another untestable value of high literacy: you can get your point across.) It's not enough to believe in your students; they have to know you believe in them. However, as a wise man once said, "Self-confidence is bred of demonstrated ability." We can't just tell people they're smart; we have to create the educational environment by which they can come to know it for themselves. That's one of the intangible great things about the GED diploma: earning it proves to the student that she is smart. Though there are still lingering numbers of nattering nabobs of negativity who doubt the value of the GED process and the credential, one group that has no doubts are the students themselves.

 

Keep on rockin' in the free world (if there still is such a place).

 

 

Tom Mechem

GED State Chief Examiner

Massachusetts Department of Education

781-338-6621

"GED to Ph.D."

	-----Original Message-----
	From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]On Behalf Of John Benseman
	Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 11:38 PM
	To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
	Subject: [SpecialTopics 779] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes'not cost effective

	I don't know the specific words that Dylan Wiliam uses about class size, but I am guessing that what he says is that there is no authoritative research that shows that class size is irrefutably related to student learning. This is not to say that class size doesn't matter, it merely says that the research over many 100s of studies is inconclusive to date.

	 

	As I am sure that the great majority of people on this listserv will attest, we all feel intuitively that class size DOES matter - it's just that there is no research to back this conclusion. The jury, so to speak, is still out on this dimension of teaching (as it is in many other areas).

	 

	The second point re saying that 'praise hurts students': I couldn't find the specific reference, but again interpreting what I think Wiliam would say is something along the lines of: just praising students for the sake of praising does them little good. What is needed however is clear and realistic feedback on where they are at in their learning. If that comes with a dollop of praise, then that's great, but praise per se is not sufficient.

	 

	I think that we can fall in to a trap of thinking that learners invariably want/need support (which they do at times), but they also need to be challenged, which means that we need to give them realistic feedback on how they are progressing (or not).

	 

	Regards, John

	 

	PS I am not a paid servant of Dylan Wiliam, but I am a fan of his research...

	 

	John Benseman

	*   john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz

	*   641 9 627 1882  Cell  027 454 0683

	* 52a Bolton St, Blockhouse Bay, Auckland 0600, NZ

	
________________________________

	From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Bruce C
	Sent: Wednesday, 27 February 2008 11:29 a.m.
	To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
	Subject: [SpecialTopics 777] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes 'not cost effective

	 

	Regarding small class size....

	 

	Excuse my language, but regarding the comments of regarding class size attributed to Prof Dylan Wiliam, Deputy Director and Professor of Educational Assessment at the Institute of Education, University of London, I say ...

	 

	"BALDERDASH!!! and HOGWASH!!!!" 

	 

	I can't believe anyone who has been a teacher would ever say "...as long as pupils are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is generally possible with a class of 30." 

	 

	Maybe this was taken out of context. Prof. Wiliam (yes it's only one "L"--I checked.) says some interesting things about formative assessment and personalized learning on this "Learning About Learning" website: 

	 

	http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdylanwiliam.asp

	 

	He does say a few wacky things--like that praise hurts students. 

	 

	Prof. Wil.i.am. says that formative assessment "encourages teachers to take constant readings about where students are." He says it's important to do this "minute by minute, day by day."  That's why I can't believe this dude really thinks that class size doesn't matter. I think a teacher with 20 students in his/her class can get a better sense of where everyone is than a teacher with 30 students. 

	
	Sure there may be things we can do that are cheaper than reducing class size...

	 

	But so what?

	 

	If that is how we define "cost effectiveness" why not TRIPLE class size and save tons of money? 

	 

	You get my point, right? 

	 

	from Bruce Carmel

	 

	 

	 

	 

	 

	Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of 
	the Institute of Education says, 

	<http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdylanwiliam.asp>  

	
	"David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net> wrote:

		Colleagues,
		
		Tom Sticht spotted this on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site and sent 
		it for our formative assessment discussion.
		
		-------
		Note from Tom Sticht:
		
		This article about formative assessment appears in todays (2/25/08 
		Education Guardian online.
		-------
		
		To see this story with its related links on the 
		EducationGuardian.co.uk site, go to http://education.guardian.co.uk
		
		Smaller class sizes 'not cost effective'
		Anthea Lipsett
		Monday February 25 2008
		The Guardian
		
		Reducing school class sizes in an attempt to raise pupil achievement 
		is a waste of money for all but the youngest children, one of the 
		country's leading experts on assessment said today.
		
		Cutting class size by 30% gives children the equivalent of four extra 
		months of learning a year, but costs around ?20,000 for each 
		class every year, according to Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of 
		the Institute of Education.
		
		He said the more effective method of "formative assessment" - where 
		teachers monitor their pupils' progress continuously and provide 
		appropriate feedback - could provide eight extra months of 
		educational development for only ?2,000 per classroom per year.
		
		"It can therefore be 20 times as cost-effective as reducing class 
		size in terms of pupil achievement," he told the annual Chartered 
		London Teachers Conference today.
		
		"Smaller classes do confer a benefit if pupils are unruly, because 
		fewer pupils in a class means less disruption. But as long as pupils 
		are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is 
		generally possible with a class of 30.
		
		"Smaller classes can also be more cost-effective for five to seven- 
		year-olds, but research suggests the class size needs to be reduced 
		to 15 or less," he said.
		
		Wiliam added that investments in information communication technology 
		have also shown a poor return. But international studies have 
		confirmed that formative assessment can double the speed of pupil 
		learning.
		
		Some teachers use a "traffic light" system and ask pupils to hold up 
		different coloured cards to show whether they have understood what 
		they have been told. Red means "no", amber means "partly", and green 
		"yes". Pupils are also encouraged to evaluate their own work and 
		advise their classmates on how they can improve.
		
		The English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish education departments 
		have all provided varying degrees of backing for formative assessment.
		
		After three years of research in both the UK and the US, Wiliam 
		concluded that the approach would only take off properly if teachers 
		work together in school-based groups to refine their classroom methods.
		
		Wiliam and his co-researchers found that groups of eight to 10 
		teachers who meet once a month for at least two years can be most 
		effective. "It takes time to change teachers' ways of working, 
		particularly if they have been in the classroom for many years," said 
		Wiliam. "Simply telling teachers what to do doesn't work."
		
		"For example, most teachers have heard about research from the 1980s 
		which shows that if they wait three to five seconds after asking a 
		question their pupils' performance improves because they have been 
		given some time to think.
		
		"Even so, many teachers are still allowing less than a second for 
		pupils to respond. The conclusion we can draw from that is that 
		knowing what to do is the easy part of teaching. Actually doing it is 
		what's hard."
		
		Wiliam told EducationGuardian.co.uk that teacher quality was key to 
		any improvements.
		
		"To reduce class size from 30 to 20 would need 150,000 more teachers 
		and that would dilute the quality of teachers," he said.
		
		"We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the classroom 
		and we need to get better teachers into the profession."
		
		Martin Johnson, acting deputy general secretary of the Association of 
		Teachers and Lecturers, said the research should encourage the 
		government to "put its money where its mouth is".
		
		"Staff need to work together to learn how to teach more effectively, 
		but schools will need more resources to do this. [Wiliam] reminds us 
		that this would be very cost-effective.
		
		"Schools have benefited hugely over the last decade from having more 
		classroom based staff but much more training is needed to make their 
		deployment fully effective.
		
		"And while the government says it encourages assessment for learning, 
		its testing policies have stolen teachers' self-confidence so new 
		training must be provided and resourced.
		
		"School staff desperately need a contractual entitlement to training 
		which meets their individual needs."
		
		Copyright Guardian News and Media Limited
		
		
		
		David J. Rosen
		Special Topics Discussion Moderator
		djrosen at comcast.net
		
		
		
		-------------------------------
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		Email delivered to bcarmel at rocketmail.com

	 

	  

	
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From Janet.LOONEY at oecd.org  Fri Feb 29 12:09:11 2008
From: Janet.LOONEY at oecd.org (Janet.LOONEY at oecd.org)
Date: Fri, 29 Feb 2008 18:09:11 +0100
Subject: [SpecialTopics 830] Re: Last day of discussion
	onformative	assessment
In-Reply-To: <20080229104403.xfswolqaas88swc0@webmail.neklsvt.org>
References: <B22A8AA4-E274-4C56-9E06-A031A497D06C@comcast.net>
	<20080229104403.xfswolqaas88swc0@webmail.neklsvt.org>
Message-ID: <227A8C8F337FB14CB1304302479F1B890D968FA9@EXCHANGEB.main.oecd.org>

Thank you David for organizing a very lively and interesting discussion.
I've found it really interesting to read about different concerns, to see
readers' different approaches to explaining the concept of formative
assessment and how it can be integrated into regular practice.

Now to get to David's question as to how policy helps of hinders formative
assessment.  I would select the top barriers as:

 1.) Targets for numbers of learners to earn qualifications - this is
particularly challenging if the targets are not tied to trends in a local
area, do not reflect learner goals (not all learners want to earn
qualifications), and so on.

 2.)  Poorly designed, standardized summative tests.  Summative tests are not
necessarily bad. We learned that, contrary to expectations, learners often
want to take tests, so long as they have opportunities and support to
practice for those tests.  But if tests are poorly designed (for example,
testing rote memory rather than problem-solving skills), or are the sole
measure of learner progress, then instructors are much more likely to "teach
to the test".  This is particularly true when instructors are held
accountable for learner success on such tests.  

David Rosen might discuss how Flemish Belgium has changed its system so that
learners are no longer required to travel to Brussels to take the "official
certification test".  

Scotland allows learners to show how they have attained skills using very
open evidence requirements - such as giving a short speech on a topic of
their choice, and meeting established criteria.

3.)  Poor working conditions for instructors, including few opportunities for
instructor professional development - leading to high turn-over, instructors
having to piece together several part-time jobs, and consequently few
opportunities for schools/programs to build cohesive teaching teams, or
provide opportunities to learn from each other. 

This was a major challenge in several of the countries included in the OECD
report. Certainly, there are full-time instructors working in adult
foundation skill programs, but we found only a few examples of programs that
supported more than a few core instructors on a full-time basis.  

Those policies that support formative assessment:

1.) High profile policies and innovation projects promoting formative
assessment - Most notably, Scotland's Adult Literacy and Numeracy program
promotes the principle of learner "self-determination".  This means that
learners negotiate their goals for learning with programs and instructors,
and may even negotiate how they will reach those goals.  Policy leaders have
played an important role in promoting new ways to think about teaching and
learning.

In general, though, formative assessment is only beginning to get
policy-level attention in adult foundation skill learning.

2.)  Guidelines and tools - 

Norway has participated in a European Grundtvig grant to develop the "I Can"
portfolio for Norwegian as a Second Language.  Learners are able to keep
track of the competencies they are developing, and to see what they still
need to learn.  The portfolio is based on models in Ireland and the
Netherlands.

A number of countries provide guidelines for instructors, promoting different
formative assessment practices.

The programs we visited for this study had developed a variety of tools to
track learner progress.  

As others have warned, however, there is some danger that these tools can be
used in an mechanistic/instrumental fashion - merely substituting for
summative tests rather than serving as tools to guide learners toward deeper
and more independent learning.

3.) Accountability systems that draw upon diverse sources of information,
rather than a few narrow measures.  

4.)  Strong support for instructor professional development (see above!).

This is something of a rushed list, and I have much more to say, but
unfortunately it is the end of the day on Friday in Paris.  I invite other
participants to chime in with their own opinions and examples).  Also, please
visit www.oecd.org/edu/whatworks for free access to case studies, country
background reports on policies, and reviews of research related to this
study.

Janet

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of carroll.collins at neklsvt.org
Sent: 29 February, 2008 4:44 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 827] Re: Last day of discussion onformative
assessment

Quoting "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net>:

> Colleagues,
>
> Friday, February 29th, is the last day of our discussion on formative
> assessment. If you haven't done so yet, Friday is the day to "leap"
> into the conversation. If you have remaining questions or comments
> for our guests, please ask them early in the day so that there might
> be time for our guests to reply. If our guests -- and others who have
> done research on formative assessment -- would like to add anything
> or emphasize any key points, now is the time to do that.
>
> I would like to encourage those who have particularly good examples
> of formative assessment in adult education classrooms to be sure to
> mention them, whether you are a researcher, practitioner or both.
>
> I would also like to encourage Janet and others who participated in
> the What Works study to comment on how policy supports or hinders
> formative assessment. Perhaps provide a specific example or two.
>
>
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at comcast.net
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to   
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to carroll.collins at neklsvt.org
>

Greetings David and all,

I have been following this weeks discussion with great interest. Here  
in Vermont we have been focusing on "learner persistence" and how we  
might improve it.  We have a number of adult learners who enroll with  
our learning programs, but fail to follow through on their stated  
learning objectives.

It has occurred to me that if we designed learning plans, curricula,  
and courses that allowed the participants to experience progress in  
increments that were meaningful and useful to them, this might  
contribute to their remaining in the program and completing their  
goals.  Formative assessments that are built into the learning plans  
seem to be an effective way to promote learner persistence by giving  
the learner a sense of what they've already accomplished and what must  
still be mastered in order to succeed in their efforts.

Carroll Collins
Community Learning Teacher
Northeast Kingdom Learning Services
St. Johnsbury Adult Learning Center
364 Railroad Street
St. Johnsbury, VT 05819
(802) 748-5624

-------------------------------
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Email delivered to janet.looney at oecd.org

From selover200 at comcast.net  Fri Feb 29 12:28:47 2008
From: selover200 at comcast.net (selover200 at comcast.net)
Date: Fri, 29 Feb 2008 17:28:47 +0000
Subject: [SpecialTopics 831] Re: check lists for students
Message-ID: <022920081728.23578.47C840CF0000216400005C1A2215551724CFCFCD9D0A9001040A9C@comcast.net>

Greetings to all--

I have not had a chance to read all of the postings yet, but as a new teacher of ESL, I have been searching for checklists of standards or competencies so that my students can document their own progress, and to encourage them to take a more active roll in their own education, such as: What do I need to learn next? 

Since most of the ESL courses in the country have similar competencies or standards, do we not have these checklists in place?? 

With adults, learner persistence needs to come from within the students. We cannot require them to attend. 
Many of our adult learners were not successful as students the first time around, or they never had the opportunity to continue their education beyond 3rd to 6th grade. Therefore, they do not always know how to direct their own education or how to learn. 

Many of them view education as something that is done to them, rather than something that they are able to and need to actively pursue and work on. They do not know how to educate themselves, therefore, it is our job to teach them how to actively learn English and what ever else they want to learn. 

Recently, I took a course that made me realize that assessments were necessary to guide our instruction appropriately, beyond the quarterly CASAS tests. Formative assessments can be both a teaching mechanism as well as an assessment that guides both the student and the teacher. 

For new teachers, more explicit guidelines and examples of how to design formative assessments within lesson plans are needed. 

If you or your schools have existing plans that have formative assessments, I would love to hear more about them. I currently teach a Mulit-level ESL class, with most of my students in the Beg. Literacy to low Intermediate levels. 

Thank you for the great discussions.
Linda Selover

 
> 
> Greetings David and all,
> 
> I have been following this weeks discussion with great interest. Here  
> in Vermont we have been focusing on "learner persistence" and how we  
> might improve it.  We have a number of adult learners who enroll with  
> our learning programs, but fail to follow through on their stated  
> learning objectives.
> 
> It has occurred to me that if we designed learning plans, curricula,  
> and courses that allowed the participants to experience progress in  
> increments that were meaningful and useful to them, this might  
> contribute to their remaining in the program and completing their  
> goals.  Formative assessments that are built into the learning plans  
> seem to be an effective way to promote learner persistence by giving  
> the learner a sense of what they've already accomplished and what must  
> still be mastered in order to succeed in their efforts.
> 
> Carroll Collins
> Community Learning Teacher
> Northeast Kingdom Learning Services
> St. Johnsbury Adult Learning Center
> 364 Railroad Street
> St. Johnsbury, VT 05819
> (802) 748-5624
> 
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to selover200 at comcast.net

From selover200 at comcast.net  Fri Feb 29 13:44:49 2008
From: selover200 at comcast.net (selover200 at comcast.net)
Date: Fri, 29 Feb 2008 18:44:49 +0000
Subject: [SpecialTopics 832] Re: instead of praise
Message-ID: <022920081844.18547.47C852A0000EB82B000048732215551724CFCFCD9D0A9001040A9C@comcast.net>

Hello to all- 

Praise can stimulate  a very negative response in the person being praised, 
unless that person's self-image is already high or positive. 

Have any of you  attended workshops by the Love and Logic Institute in Colorado?  
They are geared to teachers of K-12 and parents, but their ideas can be applied 
to adult learners. I wish I could find my copy of "Teaching with Love and Logic" 
by Jim Fay, to give you some direct quotes, but I will try to explain it. 

Jim Fay, Charles Fay, and Foster Kline have some enlightenling things to say 
about praise. The first time that I heard them, I realized that I had seen it 
play out with students, and I had wondered what was going on at the time. 

Self-esteem cannot be built up from the outside. If the student's level of 
self-esteem is low or their self-image is negative, then praise cannot be heard 
or accepted. 
If the comments (praise) do not match the self-image, then the 
speaker must be crazy, or not telling the truth, so the student will discount 
it. The student's view of self must be maintained, so the praiser is the crazy 
one. 

In fact, if their self-image is really low or negative, they will have to show 
the praiser how wrong they are by destroying their work, or they might stop 
trying, or they might deliberately not do something the next time, just to show 
that the teacher had better not begin to expect too much of them. 

Therefore, praise can have a very negative affect on a person who has a low or 
negative self-image. 

I had a 3rd grader in China, whose only comment about his work was always "No 
good, no good!" and when I praised something that he had done very well, he 
destroyed it.  This was before I heard about Jim Fay's ideas, and I felt really 
bad and I wondered how I could get through to this child. 

Jim explains that for the person to accept the positive message, they need to 
voice it themselves. 

The way that he suggests doing it is to ask a multiple choice question:  How did 
you get the right answer? 

Did you copy,  did you guess, are you getting smarter, or did you work and learn 
something?   
Thereby forcing the person to make a choice that is positive.  (You can learn by 
copying, and you can get "smarter" by working and learning.  I am not linking 
smart directly to g) 

When they have accomplished a task, you can ask "How does it feel to finish 
this, or to accomplish this? Again, trying to elicit a positive response from 
the student.  

The more times that you can guide the person (student, child, adult) to voice a 
positive response about their efforts to learn, the more they will build their 
own self-image and self-esteem. 

Jim Fay explains it much better in his books and CDs. What he proposes for 
children will work with adults. Conversely, enticements and rewards that won't 
work with adults, will not work with children either. I am still trying to 
remember to ask instead of telling students. 

Check out the Love and Logic website, http://www.loveandlogic.com/

Linda Selover

 
 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "Jan Potter" <jpotter at gha.org>
> I appreciate the comments.  I think the bottom line is that if we praise a 
child 
> by telling them how smart they are, then there is nothing that they can 
actually 
> do to improve (and, in some cases, the child might actually do less since, 
after 
> all, they are smart and decide they don't need to work any more).  Obviously, 
> the other side is a bad idea (telling someone that they are not smart or 
dumb).
> 
>  
> 
> The author's position is that by praising effort you are praising something 
that 
> is within your control.  I guess that I would personally separate this from 
the 
> idea of remarking on the difficulty of the task.  To be told that "you did 
> really well and I know this was really hard" is very reinforcing to me 
> personally.
> 
>  
> 
> I also wonder if there is a learning style issue here.  Does someone perform 
> better with verbal praise or with getting a good grade, for example.  We can 
say 
> that both would apply but if you hear a teacher always telling her students 
how 
> well they do, you might not buy it personally.
> 
>  
> 
> I have certainly seen in my own students that if they are praised in writing, 
> they tend to participate in class better in the future.
> 
>  
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] 
On 
> Behalf Of Anke Grotl?schen
> Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2008 12:51 PM
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 820] smartness and effort
> 
>  
> 
> Jan, 
> 
>  
> 
> These studies seem to rely on Albert Banduras idea of self-efficacy and 
> attribution of causes. I find it quite convincing (no idea whether I can 
explain 
> it correctly as I am an ESOL learner as well): 
> 
>  
> 
> People tend to attribute causes to things that happened. If you get good 
grades, 
> you can use 
> 
> a)       stable causes (I'm smart) 
> 
> b)       variable causes (I invested so much effort)
> 
>  
> 
> You can either attribute internal causes or external ones, which are outside 
> your "locus of control". The latter don't motivate.
> 
>  
> 
> So, as you cannot change stable causes (smart vs. dumb), you wouldn't be 
> motivated to improve, if you believe your success comes from stable 
> dispositions. But if you believe it is in your hand whether to change things 
or 
> not (effort vs. lazyness), you are motivated. So it is better to tell an 
> unsuccessful person, that it is his/her fault and in his/her control to do 
> better -  than to say it's because of the difficulty of the task or his/her 
> dumbness.
> 
>  
> 
> So far about theory, I don't know the empirical proof for this :-)
> 
> Thanks, 
> 
> Anke
> 
> ________________________________
> 
> Von: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] Im 
> Auftrag von Jan Potter
> Gesendet: Mittwoch, 27. Februar 2008 19:47
> An: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Betreff: [SpecialTopics 801] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk:Smallerclasssizes'not 
> cost effective (Tom Mechem)
> 
>  
> 
> I realize we are a bit off-task, but on the topic of "praise" - 
> 
> An interesting article in New York magazine on this topic  - by Po Bronson 
> called "How Not to Talk to Your Kids" (here's a link:  
> http://nymag.com/news/features/27840/ ). In this article, Bronson talks
> 
> about research done by Carol Dweck (then of Columbia, now at Stanford) that 
> suggests that praising a kid as being "smart" actually hurts their ongoing 
> progress, ability, and perseverance when trying new
> 
> (especially intellectually challenging) things. The data suggest that praising 
> *effort* gets dramatically better results.
> 
>  
> 
> The New York magazine article was quite an eye-opener for me.
> 
>  
> 
> It seems we are moving away from the "everybody gets a trophy" mentality these 
> days.  The author's point was fascinating to me on the subject that a smart 
> child would not take on challenging tasks.
> 
>  
> 
> Jan Potter, MSTC
> 
> Communications Specialist
> 
> Georgia Hospital Association
> 
>  
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] 
On 
> Behalf Of Mechem, Thompson
> Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 9:00 AM
> To: john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz; specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 787] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: 
Smallerclasssizes'not 
> cost effective (Tom Mechem)
> 
>  
> 
> If we all waited until we could prove everything in a court of law, we'd be 
even 
> more doomed than we are presently. There's no question that smaller classes 
are 
> needed for effective teaching and learning---just ask the teachers and just 
ask 
> the students. Would R. Walker Willingham pay $30,000 a year to send his 
> 14-year-old daughter Tiffany to St. Grottlesex if her European History class 
had 
> 30 students instead of 12?
> 
>  
> 
> The point about praise is a tricky one. Certainly it doesn't do any good to 
tell 
> someone she's smart if she doesn't believe it herself: you will only lose all 
> credibility and trust. Yet our students need to know that we believe in them. 
> It's like the advice we give parents: it's not enough to love your kids; they 
> have to know that you love them. (Another untestable value of high literacy: 
you 
> can get your point across.) It's not enough to believe in your students; they 
> have to know you believe in them. However, as a wise man once said, 
> "Self-confidence is bred of demonstrated ability." We can't just tell people 
> they're smart; we have to create the educational environment by which they can 
> come to know it for themselves. That's one of the intangible great things 
about 
> the GED diploma: earning it proves to the student that she is smart. Though 
> there are still lingering numbers of nattering nabobs of negativity who doubt 
> the value of the GED process and the credential, one group that has no doubts 
> are the students themselves.
> 
>  
> 
> Keep on rockin' in the free world (if there still is such a place).
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> Tom Mechem
> 
> GED State Chief Examiner
> 
> Massachusetts Department of Education
> 
> 781-338-6621
> 
> "GED to Ph.D."
> 
> 	-----Original Message-----
> 	From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov 
> [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]On Behalf Of John Benseman
> 	Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 11:38 PM
> 	To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> 	Subject: [SpecialTopics 779] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller 
> classsizes'not cost effective
> 
> 	I don't know the specific words that Dylan Wiliam uses about class size, 
> but I am guessing that what he says is that there is no authoritative research 
> that shows that class size is irrefutably related to student learning. This is 
> not to say that class size doesn't matter, it merely says that the research 
over 
> many 100s of studies is inconclusive to date.
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	As I am sure that the great majority of people on this listserv will 
> attest, we all feel intuitively that class size DOES matter - it's just that 
> there is no research to back this conclusion. The jury, so to speak, is still 
> out on this dimension of teaching (as it is in many other areas).
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	The second point re saying that 'praise hurts students': I couldn't find 
> the specific reference, but again interpreting what I think Wiliam would say 
is 
> something along the lines of: just praising students for the sake of praising 
> does them little good. What is needed however is clear and realistic feedback 
on 
> where they are at in their learning. If that comes with a dollop of praise, 
then 
> that's great, but praise per se is not sufficient.
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	I think that we can fall in to a trap of thinking that learners 
> invariably want/need support (which they do at times), but they also need to 
be 
> challenged, which means that we need to give them realistic feedback on how 
they 
> are progressing (or not).
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	Regards, John
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	PS I am not a paid servant of Dylan Wiliam, but I am a fan of his 
> research...
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	John Benseman
> 
> 	*   john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz
> 
> 	*   641 9 627 1882  Cell  027 454 0683
> 
> 	* 52a Bolton St, Blockhouse Bay, Auckland 0600, NZ
> 
> 	
> ________________________________
> 
> 
> 	From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov 
> [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Bruce C
> 	Sent: Wednesday, 27 February 2008 11:29 a.m.
> 	To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> 	Subject: [SpecialTopics 777] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller 
> classsizes 'not cost effective
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	Regarding small class size....
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	Excuse my language, but regarding the comments of regarding class size 
> attributed to Prof Dylan Wiliam, Deputy Director and Professor of Educational 
> Assessment at the Institute of Education, University of London, I say ...
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	"BALDERDASH!!! and HOGWASH!!!!" 
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	I can't believe anyone who has been a teacher would ever say "...as long 
> as pupils are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is 
generally 
> possible with a class of 30." 
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	Maybe this was taken out of context. Prof. Wiliam (yes it's only one 
> "L"--I checked.) says some interesting things about formative assessment and 
> personalized learning on this "Learning About Learning" website: 
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdy
> lanwiliam.asp
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	He does say a few wacky things--like that praise hurts students. 
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	Prof. Wil.i.am. says that formative assessment "encourages teachers to 
> take constant readings about where students are." He says it's important to do 
> this "minute by minute, day by day."  That's why I can't believe this dude 
> really thinks that class size doesn't matter. I think a teacher with 20 
students 
> in his/her class can get a better sense of where everyone is than a teacher 
with 
> 30 students. 
> 
> 	
> 	Sure there may be things we can do that are cheaper than reducing class 
> size...
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	But so what?
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	If that is how we define "cost effectiveness" why not TRIPLE class size 
> and save tons of money? 
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	You get my point, right? 
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	from Bruce Carmel
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of 
> 	the Institute of Education says, 
> 
> 	<http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogd
> ylanwiliam.asp>  
> 
> 	
> 	"David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net> wrote:
> 
> 		Colleagues,
> 		
> 		Tom Sticht spotted this on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site and 
> sent 
> 		it for our formative assessment discussion.
> 		
> 		-------
> 		Note from Tom Sticht:
> 		
> 		This article about formative assessment appears in todays 
> (2/25/08 
> 		Education Guardian online.
> 		-------
> 		
> 		To see this story with its related links on the 
> 		EducationGuardian.co.uk site, go to 
> http://education.guardian.co.uk
> 		
> 		Smaller class sizes 'not cost effective'
> 		Anthea Lipsett
> 		Monday February 25 2008
> 		The Guardian
> 		
> 		Reducing school class sizes in an attempt to raise pupil 
> achievement 
> 		is a waste of money for all but the youngest children, one of 
> the 
> 		country's leading experts on assessment said today.
> 		
> 		Cutting class size by 30% gives children the equivalent of four 
> extra 
> 		months of learning a year, but costs around ?20,000 for each 
> 		class every year, according to Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy 
> director of 
> 		the Institute of Education.
> 		
> 		He said the more effective method of "formative assessment" - 
> where 
> 		teachers monitor their pupils' progress continuously and provide 
> 		appropriate feedback - could provide eight extra months of 
> 		educational development for only ?2,000 per classroom per year.
> 		
> 		"It can therefore be 20 times as cost-effective as reducing 
> class 
> 		size in terms of pupil achievement," he told the annual 
> Chartered 
> 		London Teachers Conference today.
> 		
> 		"Smaller classes do confer a benefit if pupils are unruly, 
> because 
> 		fewer pupils in a class means less disruption. But as long as 
> pupils 
> 		are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is 
> 		generally possible with a class of 30.
> 		
> 		"Smaller classes can also be more cost-effective for five to 
> seven- 
> 		year-olds, but research suggests the class size needs to be 
> reduced 
> 		to 15 or less," he said.
> 		
> 		Wiliam added that investments in information communication 
> technology 
> 		have also shown a poor return. But international studies have 
> 		confirmed that formative assessment can double the speed of 
> pupil 
> 		learning.
> 		
> 		Some teachers use a "traffic light" system and ask pupils to 
> hold up 
> 		different coloured cards to show whether they have understood 
> what 
> 		they have been told. Red means "no", amber means "partly", and 
> green 
> 		"yes". Pupils are also encouraged to evaluate their own work and 
> 		advise their classmates on how they can improve.
> 		
> 		The English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish education 
> departments 
> 		have all provided varying degrees of backing for formative 
> assessment.
> 		
> 		After three years of research in both the UK and the US, Wiliam 
> 		concluded that the approach would only take off properly if 
> teachers 
> 		work together in school-based groups to refine their classroom 
> methods.
> 		
> 		Wiliam and his co-researchers found that groups of eight to 10 
> 		teachers who meet once a month for at least two years can be 
> most 
> 		effective. "It takes time to change teachers' ways of working, 
> 		particularly if they have been in the classroom for many years," 
> said 
> 		Wiliam. "Simply telling teachers what to do doesn't work."
> 		
> 		"For example, most teachers have heard about research from the 
> 1980s 
> 		which shows that if they wait three to five seconds after asking 
> a 
> 		question their pupils' performance improves because they have 
> been 
> 		given some time to think.
> 		
> 		"Even so, many teachers are still allowing less than a second 
> for 
> 		pupils to respond. The conclusion we can draw from that is that 
> 		knowing what to do is the easy part of teaching. Actually doing 
> it is 
> 		what's hard."
> 		
> 		Wiliam told EducationGuardian.co.uk that teacher quality was key 
> to 
> 		any improvements.
> 		
> 		"To reduce class size from 30 to 20 would need 150,000 more 
> teachers 
> 		and that would dilute the quality of teachers," he said.
> 		
> 		"We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the 
> classroom 
> 		and we need to get better teachers into the profession."
> 		
> 		Martin Johnson, acting deputy general secretary of the 
> Association of 
> 		Teachers and Lecturers, said the research should encourage the 
> 		government to "put its money where its mouth is".
> 		
> 		"Staff need to work together to learn how to teach more 
> effectively, 
> 		but schools will need more resources to do this. [Wiliam] 
> reminds us 
> 		that this would be very cost-effective.
> 		
> 		"Schools have benefited hugely over the last decade from having 
> more 
> 		classroom based staff but much more training is needed to make 
> their 
> 		deployment fully effective.
> 		
> 		"And while the government says it encourages assessment for 
> learning, 
> 		its testing policies have stolen teachers' self-confidence so 
> new 
> 		training must be provided and resourced.
> 		
> 		"School staff desperately need a contractual entitlement to 
> training 
> 		which meets their individual needs."
> 		
> 		Copyright Guardian News and Media Limited
> 		
> 		
> 		
> 		David J. Rosen
> 		Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> 		djrosen at comcast.net
> 		
> 		
> 		
> 		-------------------------------
> 		National Institute for Literacy
> 		Special Topics mailing list
> 		SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> 		To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go 
> to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> 		Email delivered to bcarmel at rocketmail.com
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	  
> 
> 	
> ________________________________
> 
> 
> 	Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage. 
> <http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=51438/*http:/www.yahoo.com/r/hs>  
> 
> 

From SEwert at fas.edu  Fri Feb 29 15:25:28 2008
From: SEwert at fas.edu (Steve Ewert)
Date: Fri, 29 Feb 2008 12:25:28 -0800
Subject: [SpecialTopics 833]  Formative Assessment
In-Reply-To: <mailman.24529.1204303848.1030.specialtopics@nifl.gov>
References: <mailman.24529.1204303848.1030.specialtopics@nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <37E27EAC319870439379BF42DD12767E01A28CFD@fas-exch-01.FAS.ADS>

I have been one of many readers enjoying the discussion on-line as much
as I could, given a limited amount of time to read through all the
material. 

I have been surprised that no one has referenced a large body of work
done in the United States in our K-12 system on Formative Assessments.
We as teachers at Fresno Adult School have been given several books to
read and discuss by Douglas Reeves, ("Ahead of the Curve"), and Richard
DuFour ("On Common Ground"), just to name two.  Their work and writings
strongly concur with the things people have been saying here.  We are
working on taking these principles and applying them to adult education.

As a practitioner teaching a lower level ABE class, I have found that
using assessments in a formative manner has given me clearer vision of
what the class is actually learning, as opposed to what I am teaching.
Sometimes, to my chagrin, there is a high level of disconnect and I need
to rethink what I am doing as a teacher.  Other times the students have
caught what I have taught and we go on our merry way.

Since we are open-entry/open-exit, we have more freedom to expand our
teaching time of various subjects until we feel certain the students
have mastered the material.  For me, this has meant that I now think
about using the assessments to inform me about areas for additional
study instead of just plowing on through the curriculum as I had done to
a certain degree before.

We are working at forming Professional Learning Communities here among
the staff and it was interesting to see them being described without
using that specific term.

I hope we can re-visit this subject in the future as more and more adult
schools begin using formative assessments to see what the results may
be.

Steven Ewert
Fresno Adult School Instructor
Fresno, CA

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of
specialtopics-request at nifl.gov
Sent: Friday, February 29, 2008 8:51 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 19, Issue 29

Send SpecialTopics mailing list submissions to
	specialtopics at nifl.gov

To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
	http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
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When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
than "Re: Contents of SpecialTopics digest..."

Today's Topics:

   1. [SpecialTopics 824] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk:	Smaller
      classsizes'not cost effective (A Tom)
   2. [SpecialTopics 825] Last day of discussion on formative
      assessment (David J. Rosen)
   3. [SpecialTopics 826] Re: Last day of discussion on formative
      assessment (Cheryl Thornett)
   4. [SpecialTopics 827] Re: Last day of discussion on	formative
      assessment (carroll.collins at neklsvt.org)
   5. [SpecialTopics 828] Re: What is formative assessment (Vorp, Ron)
   6. [SpecialTopics 829] Re: smartness and effort (Jan Potter)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 12:53:41 -0500
From: A Tom <abtom at mindspring.com>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 824] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk:	Smaller
	classsizes'not cost effective
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Message-ID: <95B55931-FBC9-4D3A-BCD4-6C2522E92125 at mindspring.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=WINDOWS-1252; delsp=yes;
	format=flowed

On Feb 28, 2008, at 8:30 AM, Cheryl Diamond wrote:

> Hi, all
>
> I read and watched the replies on this issue. Mixed reactions, as a  
> current taxpayer and former teacher, I possess. I am sure that not  
> everyone will accept what I have to say. However, my points should  
> be taken from where they come.
>
> Very hard to say that if you reduce class size you have a perfect  
> solution. Some classes should be smaller but not all. You certainly  
> do raise the price on education as no one seems to give up any  
> monies. As a current taxpayer facing unending increases across the  
> board, I  can say "ENOUGH".
> But as we all know it is not only the teachers' responsiblity. As a  
> former teacher, I saw good and less good teachers. The same goes  
> for parents and admin people.
>
> At least the article on class  size produced comment. As a voter  
> who can see how the class size amendment got adopted, I would say  
> we need to revisit the election with less special interest input.
>
> I am disappointed when 1)I don't have clerks who can't figure the  
> exact amount I hand them, or 2)I hear that people haven't been  
> reading  up on the issues or candidates, 3)or readership in a  
> variety of media is down, and finally, 4) listen to high school  
> graduates don't know what EPA means in our government. Yet, a  
> teacher has a very full plate with the extra paperwork, etc., put  
> on him/her. Less government interference and more qualitative  
> parental interest would be tops on my list.
>
> There is only so much money for education. It should be spent  
> correctly on OUR students. I am truly aware of the immigration  
> issues and how it has obliterated the budget process. Keep it  
> simple as best we can.
>
> Thanks, Cheryl Diamond
>
>
> From: marie.cora at hotspurpartners.com
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 09:42:12 -0500
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 791] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller  
> classsizes'not cost effective
>
> Hi everyone,
>
>
> Great discussion, it?s so full and rich I don?t know where to  
> begin.  My apologies if what I say below has been noted already ?
>
>
> But I will second John?s comments re:  Dylan Wiliam.  I think that  
> the Education Guardian article below takes many of his points out  
> of context.
>
>
> Best to get it from the horse?s mouth I would say:  see Black and  
> Wiliam, Inside the Black Box:   Raising Standards through Classroom  
> Assessment at http://www.pdkintl.org/kappan/kbla9810.htm for starters.
>
>
> I get a ton out of his notion of Assessment FOR Learning versus  
> Assessment OF Learning.
>
>
> Marie Cora
>
> NIFL Assessment Discussion List Moderator
>
> http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/discussions/discussions.html
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics- 
> bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of John Benseman
> Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 11:38 PM
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 779] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller  
> classsizes'not cost effective
>
>
> I don?t know the specific words that Dylan Wiliam uses about class  
> size, but I am guessing that what he says is that there is no  
> authoritative research that shows that class size is irrefutably  
> related to student learning. This is not to say that class size  
> doesn?t matter, it merely says that the research over many 100s of  
> studies is inconclusive to date.
>
>
> As I am sure that the great majority of people on this listserv  
> will attest, we all feel intuitively that class size DOES matter ?  
> it?s just that there is no research to back this conclusion. The  
> jury, so to speak, is still out on this dimension of teaching (as  
> it is in many other areas).
>
>
> The second point re saying that ?praise hurts students?: I couldn?t  
> find the specific reference, but again interpreting what I think  
> Wiliam would say is something along the lines of: just praising  
> students for the sake of praising does them little good. What is  
> needed however is clear and realistic feedback on where they are at  
> in their learning. If that comes with a dollop of praise, then  
> that?s great, but praise per se is not sufficient.
>
>
> I think that we can fall in to a trap of thinking that learners  
> invariably want/need support (which they do at times), but they  
> also need to be challenged, which means that we need to give them  
> realistic feedback on how they are progressing (or not).
>
>
> Regards, John
>
>
> PS I am not a paid servant of Dylan Wiliam, but I am a fan of his  
> research?
>
>
> John Benseman
>
> *   john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz
>
> (   641 9 627 1882  Cell  027 454 0683
>
> - 52a Bolton St, Blockhouse Bay, Auckland 0600, NZ
>
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics- 
> bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Bruce C
> Sent: Wednesday, 27 February 2008 11:29 a.m.
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 777] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller  
> classsizes 'not cost effective
>
>
> Regarding small class size....
>
>
> Excuse my language, but regarding the comments of regarding class  
> size attributed to Prof Dylan Wiliam, Deputy Director and Professor  
> of Educational Assessment at the Institute of Education, University  
> of London, I say ...
>
>
> "BALDERDASH!!! and HOGWASH!!!!"
>
>
> I can't believe anyone who has been a teacher would ever say "...as  
> long as pupils are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class  
> of 20 is generally possible with a class of 30."
>
>
> Maybe this was taken out of context. Prof. Wiliam (yes it's only  
> one "L"--I checked.) says some interesting things about formative  
> assessment and personalized learning on this "Learning About  
> Learning" website:
>
>
> http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/ 
> biogdylanwiliam.asp
>
>
> He does say a few wacky things--like that praise hurts students.
>
>
> Prof. Wil.i.am. says that formative assessment "encourages teachers  
> to take constant readings about where students are." He says it's  
> important to do this "minute by minute, day by day."  That's why I  
> can't believe this dude really thinks that class size doesn't  
> matter. I think a teacher with 20 students in his/her class can get  
> a better sense of where everyone is than a teacher with 30 students.
>
>
> Sure there may be things we can do that are cheaper than reducing  
> class size...
>
>
> But so what?
>
>
> If that is how we define "cost effectiveness" why not TRIPLE class  
> size and save tons of money?
>
>
> You get my point, right?
>
>
> from Bruce Carmel
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of
> the Institute of Education says,
>
>
>
>
> "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net> wrote:
>
> Colleagues,
>
> Tom Sticht spotted this on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site and sent
> it for our formative assessment discussion.
>
> -------
> Note from Tom Sticht:
>
> This article about formative assessment appears in todays (2/25/08
> Education Guardian online.
> -------
>
> To see this story with its related links on the
> EducationGuardian.co.uk site, go to http://education.guardian.co.uk
>
> Smaller class sizes 'not cost effective'
> Anthea Lipsett
> Monday February 25 2008
> The Guardian
>
> Reducing school class sizes in an attempt to raise pupil achievement
> is a waste of money for all but the youngest children, one of the
> country's leading experts on assessment said today.
>
> Cutting class size by 30% gives children the equivalent of four extra
> months of learning a year, but costs around ?20,000 for each
> class every year, according to Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of
> the Institute of Education.
>
> He said the more effective method of "formative assessment" - where
> teachers monitor their pupils' progress continuously and provide
> appropriate feedback - could provide eight extra months of
> educational development for only ?2,000 per classroom per year.
>
> "It can therefore be 20 times as cost-effective as reducing class
> size in terms of pupil achievement," he told the annual Chartered
> London Teachers Conference today.
>
> "Smaller classes do confer a benefit if pupils are unruly, because
> fewer pupils in a class means less disruption. But as long as pupils
> are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is
> generally possible with a class of 30.
>
> "Smaller classes can also be more cost-effective for five to seven-
> year-olds, but research suggests the class size needs to be reduced
> to 15 or less," he said.
>
> Wiliam added that investments in information communication technology
> have also shown a poor return. But international studies have
> confirmed that formative assessment can double the speed of pupil
> learning.
>
> Some teachers use a "traffic light" system and ask pupils to hold up
> different coloured cards to show whether they have understood what
> they have been told. Red means "no", amber means "partly", and green
> "yes". Pupils are also encouraged to evaluate their own work and
> advise their classmates on how they can improve.
>
> The English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish education departments
> have all provided varying degrees of backing for formative assessment.
>
> After three years of research in both the UK and the US, Wiliam
> concluded that the approach would only take off properly if teachers
> work together in school-based groups to refine their classroom  
> methods.
>
> Wiliam and his co-researchers found that groups of eight to 10
> teachers who meet once a month for at least two years can be most
> effective. "It takes time to change teachers' ways of working,
> particularly if they have been in the classroom for many years," said
> Wiliam. "Simply telling teachers what to do doesn't work."
>
> "For example, most teachers have heard about research from the 1980s
> which shows that if they wait three to five seconds after asking a
> question their pupils' performance improves because they have been
> given some time to think.
>
> "Even so, many teachers are still allowing less than a second for
> pupils to respond. The conclusion we can draw from that is that
> knowing what to do is the easy part of teaching. Actually doing it is
> what's hard."
>
> Wiliam told EducationGuardian.co.uk that teacher quality was key to
> any improvements.
>
> "To reduce class size from 30 to 20 would need 150,000 more teachers
> and that would dilute the quality of teachers," he said.
>
> "We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the classroom
> and we need to get better teachers into the profession."
>
> Martin Johnson, acting deputy general secretary of the Association of
> Teachers and Lecturers, said the research should encourage the
> government to "put its money where its mouth is".
>
> "Staff need to work together to learn how to teach more effectively,
> but schools will need more resources to do this. [Wiliam] reminds us
> that this would be very cost-effective.
>
> "Schools have benefited hugely over the last decade from having more
> classroom based staff but much more training is needed to make their
> deployment fully effective.
>
> "And while the government says it encourages assessment for learning,
> its testing policies have stolen teachers' self-confidence so new
> training must be provided and resourced.
>
> "School staff desperately need a contractual entitlement to training
> which meets their individual needs."
>
> Copyright Guardian News and Media Limited
>
>
>
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at comcast.net
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to  
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to bcarmel at rocketmail.com
>
>
>
> Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage.
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to  
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to abtom at mindspring.com

------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 23:04:56 -0500
From: "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 825] Last day of discussion on formative
	assessment
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Message-ID: <B22A8AA4-E274-4C56-9E06-A031A497D06C at comcast.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed

Colleagues,

Friday, February 29th, is the last day of our discussion on formative  
assessment. If you haven't done so yet, Friday is the day to "leap"  
into the conversation. If you have remaining questions or comments  
for our guests, please ask them early in the day so that there might  
be time for our guests to reply. If our guests -- and others who have  
done research on formative assessment -- would like to add anything  
or emphasize any key points, now is the time to do that.

I would like to encourage those who have particularly good examples  
of formative assessment in adult education classrooms to be sure to  
mention them, whether you are a researcher, practitioner or both.

I would also like to encourage Janet and others who participated in  
the What Works study to comment on how policy supports or hinders  
formative assessment. Perhaps provide a specific example or two.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

------------------------------

Message: 3
Date: Fri, 29 Feb 2008 10:25:31 -0000
From: "Cheryl Thornett" <cherylthornett at hotmail.com>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 826] Re: Last day of discussion on formative
	assessment
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <BLU129-DAV1353B57E543BB07EAACC0ECC140 at phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
	reply-type=original

Writing again not as an expert or researcher, but as a practising ESOL 
teacher, I would like to stress that 'formative' and 'assessment' are 
equally important parts of the procedure. This can include day-to-day 
classroom work, if it feeds into further work, but I find students
respond 
well to specific assessment tasks, such as writing a note or giving a
short 
talk on an agreed subject. (Paired conversations or role plays and small

group discussions also work well.) I like to give communicative and
grammar 
and vocabulary assessments. Paper-based assessment tasks can be part of
a 
portfolio or other student record; we don't have a practical way of
doing 
the same with oral communications, beyond written records.

 Where students have anxiety problems or have past negative experiences,

perhaps  the word 'assessment' should be avoided, and  steps taken to
avoid 
creating unnecessary anxiety--a very shy student can speak just to the 
teacher, instead of to the whole class, for example, or the written 
communication can either be tailored to a particular student or assessed

against their personal current level. The task needs to be meaningful to
the 
learner and feedback on their achievement and the next step/s is
essential, 
even if this is short and informal. I think it also helps, eventually,
to 
reduce anxiety levels about testing procedures. Some good points have
been 
made here about effective praise, and of course, we all want to be
positive 
but honest in discussing weaknesses or lack of achievement.

I believe my local colleagues in Skills for Life numeracy have similar 
procedures, including practical assessments such as weighing and
measuring, 
making change and so forth.

Newer teachers, in particular, need support  with considerations such as
the 
frequency of assessments, the size of steps they measure, the degree of 
formality and recording procedures. Managers and administrators really
need 
to consult with practitioners about what is truly do-able, rather than 
imposing procedures and paperwork which are not. This is particularly
true 
when said managers and administrators have been out of the classroom for

many years, or have never been classroom teachers. I doubt I am the only
one 
who feels far more receptive to ideas which come from other teachers.

I really appreciate these opportunities to learn and to share. Thanks, 
David, and thanks, NIFL.

Cheryl Thornett
ESOL tutor
Birmingham  UK Adult Education

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net>
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Sent: Friday, February 29, 2008 4:04 AM
Subject: [SpecialTopics 825] Last day of discussion on formative
assessment

> Colleagues,
>
> Friday, February 29th, is the last day of our discussion on formative
> assessment. If you haven't done so yet, Friday is the day to "leap"
> into the conversation. If you have remaining questions or comments
> for our guests, please ask them early in the day so that there might
> be time for our guests to reply. If our guests -- and others who have
> done research on formative assessment -- would like to add anything
> or emphasize any key points, now is the time to do that.
>
> I would like to encourage those who have particularly good examples
> of formative assessment in adult education classrooms to be sure to
> mention them, whether you are a researcher, practitioner or both.
>
> I would also like to encourage Janet and others who participated in
> the What Works study to comment on how policy supports or hinders
> formative assessment. Perhaps provide a specific example or two.
>
>
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at comcast.net
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to cherylthornett at hotmail.com
> 

------------------------------

Message: 4
Date: Fri, 29 Feb 2008 10:44:03 -0500
From: carroll.collins at neklsvt.org
Subject: [SpecialTopics 827] Re: Last day of discussion on
formative
	assessment
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Message-ID: <20080229104403.xfswolqaas88swc0 at webmail.neklsvt.org>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset=ISO-8859-1;	DelSp="Yes";
	format="flowed"

Quoting "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net>:

> Colleagues,
>
> Friday, February 29th, is the last day of our discussion on formative
> assessment. If you haven't done so yet, Friday is the day to "leap"
> into the conversation. If you have remaining questions or comments
> for our guests, please ask them early in the day so that there might
> be time for our guests to reply. If our guests -- and others who have
> done research on formative assessment -- would like to add anything
> or emphasize any key points, now is the time to do that.
>
> I would like to encourage those who have particularly good examples
> of formative assessment in adult education classrooms to be sure to
> mention them, whether you are a researcher, practitioner or both.
>
> I would also like to encourage Janet and others who participated in
> the What Works study to comment on how policy supports or hinders
> formative assessment. Perhaps provide a specific example or two.
>
>
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at comcast.net
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to   
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to carroll.collins at neklsvt.org
>

Greetings David and all,

I have been following this weeks discussion with great interest. Here  
in Vermont we have been focusing on "learner persistence" and how we  
might improve it.  We have a number of adult learners who enroll with  
our learning programs, but fail to follow through on their stated  
learning objectives.

It has occurred to me that if we designed learning plans, curricula,  
and courses that allowed the participants to experience progress in  
increments that were meaningful and useful to them, this might  
contribute to their remaining in the program and completing their  
goals.  Formative assessments that are built into the learning plans  
seem to be an effective way to promote learner persistence by giving  
the learner a sense of what they've already accomplished and what must  
still be mastered in order to succeed in their efforts.

Carroll Collins
Community Learning Teacher
Northeast Kingdom Learning Services
St. Johnsbury Adult Learning Center
364 Railroad Street
St. Johnsbury, VT 05819
(802) 748-5624

------------------------------

Message: 5
Date: Fri, 29 Feb 2008 08:32:57 -0500
From: "Vorp, Ron" <Ron.Vorp at fldoe.org>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 828] Re: What is formative assessment
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <96E135649F1AD048AA6FF8CBC598C23E0B506103 at MAIL1.FLDOE.INT>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="us-ascii"

Good morning,
A follow up to "what is formative assessment'
I was completely ignorant of formative assessment prior to this
discussion, and have learned from, and enjoyed following, this
discussion. I do have a question regarding formative.
It seems that formative assessment is summative assessment being done
more frequently. It's as if there is a continuum between the two. By
that I mean assessment is done to assessment more specific skills. An
example might be assessing whether a student has addition skills before
you try to teach that student division. Remember of course that division
requires subtraction. Formative assessment does not assess learning
styles, it is not diagnostic in the sense that the WISC-R or WAIS is.

Am I completely off base here?

Thank you.

Ron Vorp
850 245-9035
Budget, Accountability, and Research
Division of Workforce Development
325 W. Gaines St
Tallahassee, FL 32399

   

 

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you received from our staff. The Department of Education values your
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committed to continuously assessing and improving the level and quality
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http://data.fldoe.org/cs/default.cfm?staff=Ron.Vorp at fldoe.org|08:32:57%2
0Fri%2029%20Feb%202008
 

 -----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Hann, Naeema
Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2008 11:38 AM
To: dwyoho at earthlink.net; specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 815] Re: What is formative assessment

Hi! all, have been following this with great interest and have also
recommended this discussion to some colleagues.

Now then, in England, formative assessment has very much been a part of
Adult ESOL delivery for a long time. It has certainly been more visible
since Skills For Life came on board or rather Skills For Life took ESOL
on board. It is also included in teacher training programmes. It is of
course very effective in moving learners on and also, depending on the
teacher's approach, in getting learners to develop an increasing
awareness of their own role in their learning journey.

Best wishes,

Naeema 

Naeema B.Hann
PhD student
Leslie Silver International Faculty
Leeds Metropolitan University
Macaulay Hall
Headingley Campus
Leeds LS6 3QS
ph.+44+(0)113-812-3581 (direct)

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Debbie Yoho
Sent: 25 February 2008 20:14
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 752] Re: What is formative assessment

While is appears formative assessment is relatively an unknown idea in
adult education, it may be very familiar to educators trained for k-12.
As
an undergraduate secondary education major in 1971, I was carefully
taught the difference between formative and summative assessments.  The
emphasis for formative assessment was on teacher-developed assessment
tools.  We studied Robert Mager's structure for formulating objectives
and outcomes, and were taught to create our own periodic assessments,
oiften quite informal,  keyed to those objectives.  One book that had a
profound impact
on my teaching practice was called CLASSROOM QUESTIONS.	 Alas, I cannot
remember the author and no longer have the book.  But the book showed
how
to structure questions by considering Bloom's Taxonomy.   If the title
rings a bell with anyone I'd love to be reminded of the author and
whether or not it is still in print.  It was a slim volume, less than
100 pages.

Questions for our special topics guests:  is the foundational work of
Bloom and Mager pertinent to how formative assessment was evaluated in
the OECD studies, and are we talking mainly about teacher-made tools?

Deborah W. Yoho
director, Turning Pages
     (formerly the Greater Columbia Literacy Council) a community
service of Volunteers of America Carolinas
803-765-2555   Fax:  803-779-1657
PO Box 1447  Columbia, SC  29202
yohogclc at earthlink.net

> [Original Message]
> From: David J. Rosen <djrosen at comcast.net>
> To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
> Date: 2/25/2008 1:40:36 PM
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 751]  What is formative assessment
>
> Colleagues,
>
> A discussion list subscriber wrote to me offline: "David, I've never 
> heard of formative assessment in adult basic education.  What is it?" 
> I think she may speak for many in the U.S.
> who are subscribed to this discussion.
>
> I encourage those who are new to this concept -- or possibly just this

> term -- to post your questions now, to ask  Janet and our other guests

> about what formative assessment means. You might ask questions

> like "Does it mean that a teacher would......" or " ...that students 
> would...." or "Does it differ from summative assessment in that....."

> or however you like.
>
> While we await subscribers' questions, Janet could you give some more

> examples of formative assessment in adult foundation (basic) skills.
>
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at comcast.net
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to dwyoho at earthlink.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
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To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
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Email delivered to n.hann at leedsmet.ac.uk

To view the terms under which this email is distributed, please go to
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-------------------------------
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SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
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Email delivered to ron.vorp at fldoe.org

------------------------------

Message: 6
Date: Fri, 29 Feb 2008 11:27:21 -0500
From: "Jan Potter" <jpotter at gha.org>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 829] Re: smartness and effort
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <FFE7C75CEE15B042B0453ABA750444DD704879 at email.gha.local>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

I appreciate the comments.  I think the bottom line is that if we praise
a child by telling them how smart they are, then there is nothing that
they can actually do to improve (and, in some cases, the child might
actually do less since, after all, they are smart and decide they don't
need to work any more).  Obviously, the other side is a bad idea
(telling someone that they are not smart or dumb).

 

The author's position is that by praising effort you are praising
something that is within your control.  I guess that I would personally
separate this from the idea of remarking on the difficulty of the task.
To be told that "you did really well and I know this was really hard" is
very reinforcing to me personally.

 

I also wonder if there is a learning style issue here.  Does someone
perform better with verbal praise or with getting a good grade, for
example.  We can say that both would apply but if you hear a teacher
always telling her students how well they do, you might not buy it
personally.

 

I have certainly seen in my own students that if they are praised in
writing, they tend to participate in class better in the future.

 

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Anke Grotl?schen
Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2008 12:51 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 820] smartness and effort

 

Jan, 

 

These studies seem to rely on Albert Banduras idea of self-efficacy and
attribution of causes. I find it quite convincing (no idea whether I can
explain it correctly as I am an ESOL learner as well): 

 

People tend to attribute causes to things that happened. If you get good
grades, you can use 

a)       stable causes (I'm smart) 

b)       variable causes (I invested so much effort)

 

You can either attribute internal causes or external ones, which are
outside your "locus of control". The latter don't motivate.

 

So, as you cannot change stable causes (smart vs. dumb), you wouldn't be
motivated to improve, if you believe your success comes from stable
dispositions. But if you believe it is in your hand whether to change
things or not (effort vs. lazyness), you are motivated. So it is better
to tell an unsuccessful person, that it is his/her fault and in his/her
control to do better -  than to say it's because of the difficulty of
the task or his/her dumbness.

 

So far about theory, I don't know the empirical proof for this :-)

Thanks, 

Anke

________________________________

Von: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] Im Auftrag von Jan Potter
Gesendet: Mittwoch, 27. Februar 2008 19:47
An: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Betreff: [SpecialTopics 801] Re:
EducationGuardian.co.uk:Smallerclasssizes'not cost effective (Tom
Mechem)

 

I realize we are a bit off-task, but on the topic of "praise" - 

An interesting article in New York magazine on this topic  - by Po
Bronson called "How Not to Talk to Your Kids" (here's a link:
http://nymag.com/news/features/27840/ ). In this article, Bronson talks

about research done by Carol Dweck (then of Columbia, now at Stanford)
that suggests that praising a kid as being "smart" actually hurts their
ongoing progress, ability, and perseverance when trying new

(especially intellectually challenging) things. The data suggest that
praising *effort* gets dramatically better results.

 

The New York magazine article was quite an eye-opener for me.

 

It seems we are moving away from the "everybody gets a trophy" mentality
these days.  The author's point was fascinating to me on the subject
that a smart child would not take on challenging tasks.

 

Jan Potter, MSTC

Communications Specialist

Georgia Hospital Association

 

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Mechem, Thompson
Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 9:00 AM
To: john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz; specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 787] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk:
Smallerclasssizes'not cost effective (Tom Mechem)

 

If we all waited until we could prove everything in a court of law, we'd
be even more doomed than we are presently. There's no question that
smaller classes are needed for effective teaching and learning---just
ask the teachers and just ask the students. Would R. Walker Willingham
pay $30,000 a year to send his 14-year-old daughter Tiffany to St.
Grottlesex if her European History class had 30 students instead of 12?

 

The point about praise is a tricky one. Certainly it doesn't do any good
to tell someone she's smart if she doesn't believe it herself: you will
only lose all credibility and trust. Yet our students need to know that
we believe in them. It's like the advice we give parents: it's not
enough to love your kids; they have to know that you love them. (Another
untestable value of high literacy: you can get your point across.) It's
not enough to believe in your students; they have to know you believe in
them. However, as a wise man once said, "Self-confidence is bred of
demonstrated ability." We can't just tell people they're smart; we have
to create the educational environment by which they can come to know it
for themselves. That's one of the intangible great things about the GED
diploma: earning it proves to the student that she is smart. Though
there are still lingering numbers of nattering nabobs of negativity who
doubt the value of the GED process and the credential, one group
 
  that has no doubts are the students themselves.

 

Keep on rockin' in the free world (if there still is such a place).

 

 

Tom Mechem

GED State Chief Examiner

Massachusetts Department of Education

781-338-6621

"GED to Ph.D."

	-----Original Message-----
	From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]On Behalf Of John Benseman
	Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 11:38 PM
	To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
	Subject: [SpecialTopics 779] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk:
Smaller classsizes'not cost effective

	I don't know the specific words that Dylan Wiliam uses about
class size, but I am guessing that what he says is that there is no
authoritative research that shows that class size is irrefutably related
to student learning. This is not to say that class size doesn't matter,
it merely says that the research over many 100s of studies is
inconclusive to date.

	 

	As I am sure that the great majority of people on this listserv
will attest, we all feel intuitively that class size DOES matter - it's
just that there is no research to back this conclusion. The jury, so to
speak, is still out on this dimension of teaching (as it is in many
other areas).

	 

	The second point re saying that 'praise hurts students': I
couldn't find the specific reference, but again interpreting what I
think Wiliam would say is something along the lines of: just praising
students for the sake of praising does them little good. What is needed
however is clear and realistic feedback on where they are at in their
learning. If that comes with a dollop of praise, then that's great, but
praise per se is not sufficient.

	 

	I think that we can fall in to a trap of thinking that learners
invariably want/need support (which they do at times), but they also
need to be challenged, which means that we need to give them realistic
feedback on how they are progressing (or not).

	 

	Regards, John

	 

	PS I am not a paid servant of Dylan Wiliam, but I am a fan of
his research...

	 

	John Benseman

	*   john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz

	*   641 9 627 1882  Cell  027 454 0683

	* 52a Bolton St, Blockhouse Bay, Auckland 0600, NZ

	
________________________________

	From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Bruce C
	Sent: Wednesday, 27 February 2008 11:29 a.m.
	To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
	Subject: [SpecialTopics 777] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk:
Smaller classsizes 'not cost effective

	 

	Regarding small class size....

	 

	Excuse my language, but regarding the comments of regarding
class size attributed to Prof Dylan Wiliam, Deputy Director and
Professor of Educational Assessment at the Institute of Education,
University of London, I say ...

	 

	"BALDERDASH!!! and HOGWASH!!!!" 

	 

	I can't believe anyone who has been a teacher would ever say
"...as long as pupils are well-behaved, then what you can do with a
class of 20 is generally possible with a class of 30." 

	 

	Maybe this was taken out of context. Prof. Wiliam (yes it's only
one "L"--I checked.) says some interesting things about formative
assessment and personalized learning on this "Learning About Learning"
website: 

	 

	
http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdy
lanwiliam.asp

	 

	He does say a few wacky things--like that praise hurts students.

	 

	Prof. Wil.i.am. says that formative assessment "encourages
teachers to take constant readings about where students are." He says
it's important to do this "minute by minute, day by day."  That's why I
can't believe this dude really thinks that class size doesn't matter. I
think a teacher with 20 students in his/her class can get a better sense
of where everyone is than a teacher with 30 students. 

	
	Sure there may be things we can do that are cheaper than
reducing class size...

	 

	But so what?

	 

	If that is how we define "cost effectiveness" why not TRIPLE
class size and save tons of money? 

	 

	You get my point, right? 

	 

	from Bruce Carmel

	 

	 

	 

	 

	 

	Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of 
	the Institute of Education says, 

	
<http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogd
ylanwiliam.asp>  

	
	"David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net> wrote:

		Colleagues,
		
		Tom Sticht spotted this on the EducationGuardian.co.uk
site and sent 
		it for our formative assessment discussion.
		
		-------
		Note from Tom Sticht:
		
		This article about formative assessment appears in
todays (2/25/08 
		Education Guardian online.
		-------
		
		To see this story with its related links on the 
		EducationGuardian.co.uk site, go to
http://education.guardian.co.uk
		
		Smaller class sizes 'not cost effective'
		Anthea Lipsett
		Monday February 25 2008
		The Guardian
		
		Reducing school class sizes in an attempt to raise pupil
achievement 
		is a waste of money for all but the youngest children,
one of the 
		country's leading experts on assessment said today.
		
		Cutting class size by 30% gives children the equivalent
of four extra 
		months of learning a year, but costs around ?20,000 for
each 
		class every year, according to Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy
director of 
		the Institute of Education.
		
		He said the more effective method of "formative
assessment" - where 
		teachers monitor their pupils' progress continuously and
provide 
		appropriate feedback - could provide eight extra months
of 
		educational development for only ?2,000 per classroom
per year.
		
		"It can therefore be 20 times as cost-effective as
reducing class 
		size in terms of pupil achievement," he told the annual
Chartered 
		London Teachers Conference today.
		
		"Smaller classes do confer a benefit if pupils are
unruly, because 
		fewer pupils in a class means less disruption. But as
long as pupils 
		are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of
20 is 
		generally possible with a class of 30.
		
		"Smaller classes can also be more cost-effective for
five to seven- 
		year-olds, but research suggests the class size needs to
be reduced 
		to 15 or less," he said.
		
		Wiliam added that investments in information
communication technology 
		have also shown a poor return. But international studies
have 
		confirmed that formative assessment can double the speed
of pupil 
		learning.
		
		Some teachers use a "traffic light" system and ask
pupils to hold up 
		different coloured cards to show whether they have
understood what 
		they have been told. Red means "no", amber means
"partly", and green 
		"yes". Pupils are also encouraged to evaluate their own
work and 
		advise their classmates on how they can improve.
		
		The English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish
education departments 
		have all provided varying degrees of backing for
formative assessment.
		
		After three years of research in both the UK and the US,
Wiliam 
		concluded that the approach would only take off properly
if teachers 
		work together in school-based groups to refine their
classroom methods.
		
		Wiliam and his co-researchers found that groups of eight
to 10 
		teachers who meet once a month for at least two years
can be most 
		effective. "It takes time to change teachers' ways of
working, 
		particularly if they have been in the classroom for many
years," said 
		Wiliam. "Simply telling teachers what to do doesn't
work."
		
		"For example, most teachers have heard about research
from the 1980s 
		which shows that if they wait three to five seconds
after asking a 
		question their pupils' performance improves because they
have been 
		given some time to think.
		
		"Even so, many teachers are still allowing less than a
second for 
		pupils to respond. The conclusion we can draw from that
is that 
		knowing what to do is the easy part of teaching.
Actually doing it is 
		what's hard."
		
		Wiliam told EducationGuardian.co.uk that teacher quality
was key to 
		any improvements.
		
		"To reduce class size from 30 to 20 would need 150,000
more teachers 
		and that would dilute the quality of teachers," he said.
		
		"We need to change what teachers do day in day out in
the classroom 
		and we need to get better teachers into the profession."
		
		Martin Johnson, acting deputy general secretary of the
Association of 
		Teachers and Lecturers, said the research should
encourage the 
		government to "put its money where its mouth is".
		
		"Staff need to work together to learn how to teach more
effectively, 
		but schools will need more resources to do this.
[Wiliam] reminds us 
		that this would be very cost-effective.
		
		"Schools have benefited hugely over the last decade from
having more 
		classroom based staff but much more training is needed
to make their 
		deployment fully effective.
		
		"And while the government says it encourages assessment
for learning, 
		its testing policies have stolen teachers'
self-confidence so new 
		training must be provided and resourced.
		
		"School staff desperately need a contractual entitlement
to training 
		which meets their individual needs."
		
		Copyright Guardian News and Media Limited
		
		
		
		David J. Rosen
		Special Topics Discussion Moderator
		djrosen at comcast.net
		
		
		
		-------------------------------
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End of SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 19, Issue 29
*********************************************

From cherylthornett at hotmail.com  Fri Feb 29 15:35:22 2008
From: cherylthornett at hotmail.com (Cheryl Thornett)
Date: Fri, 29 Feb 2008 20:35:22 -0000
Subject: [SpecialTopics 834] Re: check lists for students
References: <022920081728.23578.47C840CF0000216400005C1A2215551724CFCFCD9D0A9001040A9C@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <BLU129-DAV3FEA6F621BE5832E30A26CC140@phx.gbl>

Anyone who is interested can look at the online version of the UK National 
Curricula for ESOL, Literacy and Numeracy, with some associated material and 
support for teachers, including the competencies for each skill at each 
level.

http://www.dfes.gov.uk/curriculum_esol/
http://www.dfes.gov.uk/curriculum_literacy/
http://www.dfes.gov.uk/curriculum_numeracy/

Cheryl Thornett
ESOL tutor
Birmingham UK Adult Education

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <selover200 at comcast.net>
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Sent: Friday, February 29, 2008 5:28 PM
Subject: [SpecialTopics 831] Re: check lists for students

> Greetings to all--
>
> I have not had a chance to read all of the postings yet, but as a new 
> teacher of ESL, I have been searching for checklists of standards or 
> competencies so that my students can document their own progress, and to 
> encourage them to take a more active roll in their own education, such as: 
> What do I need to learn next?
>
> Since most of the ESL courses in the country have similar competencies or 
> standards, do we not have these checklists in place??
>
> With adults, learner persistence needs to come from within the students. 
> We cannot require them to attend.
> Many of our adult learners were not successful as students the first time 
> around, or they never had the opportunity to continue their education 
> beyond 3rd to 6th grade. Therefore, they do not always know how to direct 
> their own education or how to learn.
>
> Many of them view education as something that is done to them, rather than 
> something that they are able to and need to actively pursue and work on. 
> They do not know how to educate themselves, therefore, it is our job to 
> teach them how to actively learn English and what ever else they want to 
> learn.
>
> Recently, I took a course that made me realize that assessments were 
> necessary to guide our instruction appropriately, beyond the quarterly 
> CASAS tests. Formative assessments can be both a teaching mechanism as 
> well as an assessment that guides both the student and the teacher.
>
> For new teachers, more explicit guidelines and examples of how to design 
> formative assessments within lesson plans are needed.
>
> If you or your schools have existing plans that have formative 
> assessments, I would love to hear more about them. I currently teach a 
> Mulit-level ESL class, with most of my students in the Beg. Literacy to 
> low Intermediate levels.
>
> Thank you for the great discussions.
> Linda Selover
>
>
>
>>

From mcnutt at utk.edu  Fri Feb 29 16:00:54 2008
From: mcnutt at utk.edu (McNutt Jr, William R)
Date: Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:00:54 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 835] Re: instead of praise
In-Reply-To: <022920081844.18547.47C852A0000EB82B000048732215551724CFCFCD9D0A9001040A9C@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <0913EC48F2B05C4FBE4878BAFCABBFEC01BB17E1@KFSVS2.utk.tennessee.edu>

I do know that when encouraging a new learned, your should never declare the content to be "easy."  If they self-designate as "stupid," when they find the "easy" task to be challenging or impossible, it re-enforces the damaged self-image.  Instead, I say "I know that you can do this."

Bill

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of selover200 at comcast.net
Sent: Friday, February 29, 2008 1:45 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 832] Re: instead of praise

Hello to all- 

Praise can stimulate  a very negative response in the person being praised, 
unless that person's self-image is already high or positive. 

Have any of you  attended workshops by the Love and Logic Institute in Colorado?  
They are geared to teachers of K-12 and parents, but their ideas can be applied 
to adult learners. I wish I could find my copy of "Teaching with Love and Logic" 
by Jim Fay, to give you some direct quotes, but I will try to explain it. 

Jim Fay, Charles Fay, and Foster Kline have some enlightenling things to say 
about praise. The first time that I heard them, I realized that I had seen it 
play out with students, and I had wondered what was going on at the time. 

Self-esteem cannot be built up from the outside. If the student's level of 
self-esteem is low or their self-image is negative, then praise cannot be heard 
or accepted. 
If the comments (praise) do not match the self-image, then the 
speaker must be crazy, or not telling the truth, so the student will discount 
it. The student's view of self must be maintained, so the praiser is the crazy 
one. 

In fact, if their self-image is really low or negative, they will have to show 
the praiser how wrong they are by destroying their work, or they might stop 
trying, or they might deliberately not do something the next time, just to show 
that the teacher had better not begin to expect too much of them. 

Therefore, praise can have a very negative affect on a person who has a low or 
negative self-image. 

I had a 3rd grader in China, whose only comment about his work was always "No 
good, no good!" and when I praised something that he had done very well, he 
destroyed it.  This was before I heard about Jim Fay's ideas, and I felt really 
bad and I wondered how I could get through to this child. 

Jim explains that for the person to accept the positive message, they need to 
voice it themselves. 

The way that he suggests doing it is to ask a multiple choice question:  How did 
you get the right answer? 

Did you copy,  did you guess, are you getting smarter, or did you work and learn 
something?   
Thereby forcing the person to make a choice that is positive.  (You can learn by 
copying, and you can get "smarter" by working and learning.  I am not linking 
smart directly to g) 

When they have accomplished a task, you can ask "How does it feel to finish 
this, or to accomplish this? Again, trying to elicit a positive response from 
the student.  

The more times that you can guide the person (student, child, adult) to voice a 
positive response about their efforts to learn, the more they will build their 
own self-image and self-esteem. 

Jim Fay explains it much better in his books and CDs. What he proposes for 
children will work with adults. Conversely, enticements and rewards that won't 
work with adults, will not work with children either. I am still trying to 
remember to ask instead of telling students. 

Check out the Love and Logic website, http://www.loveandlogic.com/

Linda Selover

 
 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "Jan Potter" <jpotter at gha.org>
> I appreciate the comments.  I think the bottom line is that if we praise a 
child 
> by telling them how smart they are, then there is nothing that they can 
actually 
> do to improve (and, in some cases, the child might actually do less since, 
after 
> all, they are smart and decide they don't need to work any more).  Obviously, 
> the other side is a bad idea (telling someone that they are not smart or 
dumb).
> 
>  
> 
> The author's position is that by praising effort you are praising something 
that 
> is within your control.  I guess that I would personally separate this from 
the 
> idea of remarking on the difficulty of the task.  To be told that "you did 
> really well and I know this was really hard" is very reinforcing to me 
> personally.
> 
>  
> 
> I also wonder if there is a learning style issue here.  Does someone perform 
> better with verbal praise or with getting a good grade, for example.  We can 
say 
> that both would apply but if you hear a teacher always telling her students 
how 
> well they do, you might not buy it personally.
> 
>  
> 
> I have certainly seen in my own students that if they are praised in writing, 
> they tend to participate in class better in the future.
> 
>  
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] 
On 
> Behalf Of Anke Grotl?schen
> Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2008 12:51 PM
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 820] smartness and effort
> 
>  
> 
> Jan, 
> 
>  
> 
> These studies seem to rely on Albert Banduras idea of self-efficacy and 
> attribution of causes. I find it quite convincing (no idea whether I can 
explain 
> it correctly as I am an ESOL learner as well): 
> 
>  
> 
> People tend to attribute causes to things that happened. If you get good 
grades, 
> you can use 
> 
> a)       stable causes (I'm smart) 
> 
> b)       variable causes (I invested so much effort)
> 
>  
> 
> You can either attribute internal causes or external ones, which are outside 
> your "locus of control". The latter don't motivate.
> 
>  
> 
> So, as you cannot change stable causes (smart vs. dumb), you wouldn't be 
> motivated to improve, if you believe your success comes from stable 
> dispositions. But if you believe it is in your hand whether to change things 
or 
> not (effort vs. lazyness), you are motivated. So it is better to tell an 
> unsuccessful person, that it is his/her fault and in his/her control to do 
> better -  than to say it's because of the difficulty of the task or his/her 
> dumbness.
> 
>  
> 
> So far about theory, I don't know the empirical proof for this :-)
> 
> Thanks, 
> 
> Anke
> 
> ________________________________
> 
> Von: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] Im 
> Auftrag von Jan Potter
> Gesendet: Mittwoch, 27. Februar 2008 19:47
> An: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Betreff: [SpecialTopics 801] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk:Smallerclasssizes'not 
> cost effective (Tom Mechem)
> 
>  
> 
> I realize we are a bit off-task, but on the topic of "praise" - 
> 
> An interesting article in New York magazine on this topic  - by Po Bronson 
> called "How Not to Talk to Your Kids" (here's a link:  
> http://nymag.com/news/features/27840/ ). In this article, Bronson talks
> 
> about research done by Carol Dweck (then of Columbia, now at Stanford) that 
> suggests that praising a kid as being "smart" actually hurts their ongoing 
> progress, ability, and perseverance when trying new
> 
> (especially intellectually challenging) things. The data suggest that praising 
> *effort* gets dramatically better results.
> 
>  
> 
> The New York magazine article was quite an eye-opener for me.
> 
>  
> 
> It seems we are moving away from the "everybody gets a trophy" mentality these 
> days.  The author's point was fascinating to me on the subject that a smart 
> child would not take on challenging tasks.
> 
>  
> 
> Jan Potter, MSTC
> 
> Communications Specialist
> 
> Georgia Hospital Association
> 
>  
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] 
On 
> Behalf Of Mechem, Thompson
> Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 9:00 AM
> To: john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz; specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 787] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: 
Smallerclasssizes'not 
> cost effective (Tom Mechem)
> 
>  
> 
> If we all waited until we could prove everything in a court of law, we'd be 
even 
> more doomed than we are presently. There's no question that smaller classes 
are 
> needed for effective teaching and learning---just ask the teachers and just 
ask 
> the students. Would R. Walker Willingham pay $30,000 a year to send his 
> 14-year-old daughter Tiffany to St. Grottlesex if her European History class 
had 
> 30 students instead of 12?
> 
>  
> 
> The point about praise is a tricky one. Certainly it doesn't do any good to 
tell 
> someone she's smart if she doesn't believe it herself: you will only lose all 
> credibility and trust. Yet our students need to know that we believe in them. 
> It's like the advice we give parents: it's not enough to love your kids; they 
> have to know that you love them. (Another untestable value of high literacy: 
you 
> can get your point across.) It's not enough to believe in your students; they 
> have to know you believe in them. However, as a wise man once said, 
> "Self-confidence is bred of demonstrated ability." We can't just tell people 
> they're smart; we have to create the educational environment by which they can 
> come to know it for themselves. That's one of the intangible great things 
about 
> the GED diploma: earning it proves to the student that she is smart. Though 
> there are still lingering numbers of nattering nabobs of negativity who doubt 
> the value of the GED process and the credential, one group that has no doubts 
> are the students themselves.
> 
>  
> 
> Keep on rockin' in the free world (if there still is such a place).
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> Tom Mechem
> 
> GED State Chief Examiner
> 
> Massachusetts Department of Education
> 
> 781-338-6621
> 
> "GED to Ph.D."
> 
> 	-----Original Message-----
> 	From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov 
> [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]On Behalf Of John Benseman
> 	Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 11:38 PM
> 	To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> 	Subject: [SpecialTopics 779] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller 
> classsizes'not cost effective
> 
> 	I don't know the specific words that Dylan Wiliam uses about class size, 
> but I am guessing that what he says is that there is no authoritative research 
> that shows that class size is irrefutably related to student learning. This is 
> not to say that class size doesn't matter, it merely says that the research 
over 
> many 100s of studies is inconclusive to date.
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	As I am sure that the great majority of people on this listserv will 
> attest, we all feel intuitively that class size DOES matter - it's just that 
> there is no research to back this conclusion. The jury, so to speak, is still 
> out on this dimension of teaching (as it is in many other areas).
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	The second point re saying that 'praise hurts students': I couldn't find 
> the specific reference, but again interpreting what I think Wiliam would say 
is 
> something along the lines of: just praising students for the sake of praising 
> does them little good. What is needed however is clear and realistic feedback 
on 
> where they are at in their learning. If that comes with a dollop of praise, 
then 
> that's great, but praise per se is not sufficient.
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	I think that we can fall in to a trap of thinking that learners 
> invariably want/need support (which they do at times), but they also need to 
be 
> challenged, which means that we need to give them realistic feedback on how 
they 
> are progressing (or not).
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	Regards, John
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	PS I am not a paid servant of Dylan Wiliam, but I am a fan of his 
> research...
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	John Benseman
> 
> 	*   john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz
> 
> 	*   641 9 627 1882  Cell  027 454 0683
> 
> 	* 52a Bolton St, Blockhouse Bay, Auckland 0600, NZ
> 
> 	
> ________________________________
> 
> 
> 	From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov 
> [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Bruce C
> 	Sent: Wednesday, 27 February 2008 11:29 a.m.
> 	To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> 	Subject: [SpecialTopics 777] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller 
> classsizes 'not cost effective
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	Regarding small class size....
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	Excuse my language, but regarding the comments of regarding class size 
> attributed to Prof Dylan Wiliam, Deputy Director and Professor of Educational 
> Assessment at the Institute of Education, University of London, I say ...
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	"BALDERDASH!!! and HOGWASH!!!!" 
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	I can't believe anyone who has been a teacher would ever say "...as long 
> as pupils are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is 
generally 
> possible with a class of 30." 
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	Maybe this was taken out of context. Prof. Wiliam (yes it's only one 
> "L"--I checked.) says some interesting things about formative assessment and 
> personalized learning on this "Learning About Learning" website: 
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdy
> lanwiliam.asp
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	He does say a few wacky things--like that praise hurts students. 
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	Prof. Wil.i.am. says that formative assessment "encourages teachers to 
> take constant readings about where students are." He says it's important to do 
> this "minute by minute, day by day."  That's why I can't believe this dude 
> really thinks that class size doesn't matter. I think a teacher with 20 
students 
> in his/her class can get a better sense of where everyone is than a teacher 
with 
> 30 students. 
> 
> 	
> 	Sure there may be things we can do that are cheaper than reducing class 
> size...
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	But so what?
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	If that is how we define "cost effectiveness" why not TRIPLE class size 
> and save tons of money? 
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	You get my point, right? 
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	from Bruce Carmel
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of 
> 	the Institute of Education says, 
> 
> 	<http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogd
> ylanwiliam.asp>  
> 
> 	
> 	"David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net> wrote:
> 
> 		Colleagues,
> 		
> 		Tom Sticht spotted this on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site and 
> sent 
> 		it for our formative assessment discussion.
> 		
> 		-------
> 		Note from Tom Sticht:
> 		
> 		This article about formative assessment appears in todays 
> (2/25/08 
> 		Education Guardian online.
> 		-------
> 		
> 		To see this story with its related links on the 
> 		EducationGuardian.co.uk site, go to 
> http://education.guardian.co.uk
> 		
> 		Smaller class sizes 'not cost effective'
> 		Anthea Lipsett
> 		Monday February 25 2008
> 		The Guardian
> 		
> 		Reducing school class sizes in an attempt to raise pupil 
> achievement 
> 		is a waste of money for all but the youngest children, one of 
> the 
> 		country's leading experts on assessment said today.
> 		
> 		Cutting class size by 30% gives children the equivalent of four 
> extra 
> 		months of learning a year, but costs around ?20,000 for each 
> 		class every year, according to Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy 
> director of 
> 		the Institute of Education.
> 		
> 		He said the more effective method of "formative assessment" - 
> where 
> 		teachers monitor their pupils' progress continuously and provide 
> 		appropriate feedback - could provide eight extra months of 
> 		educational development for only ?2,000 per classroom per year.
> 		
> 		"It can therefore be 20 times as cost-effective as reducing 
> class 
> 		size in terms of pupil achievement," he told the annual 
> Chartered 
> 		London Teachers Conference today.
> 		
> 		"Smaller classes do confer a benefit if pupils are unruly, 
> because 
> 		fewer pupils in a class means less disruption. But as long as 
> pupils 
> 		are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is 
> 		generally possible with a class of 30.
> 		
> 		"Smaller classes can also be more cost-effective for five to 
> seven- 
> 		year-olds, but research suggests the class size needs to be 
> reduced 
> 		to 15 or less," he said.
> 		
> 		Wiliam added that investments in information communication 
> technology 
> 		have also shown a poor return. But international studies have 
> 		confirmed that formative assessment can double the speed of 
> pupil 
> 		learning.
> 		
> 		Some teachers use a "traffic light" system and ask pupils to 
> hold up 
> 		different coloured cards to show whether they have understood 
> what 
> 		they have been told. Red means "no", amber means "partly", and 
> green 
> 		"yes". Pupils are also encouraged to evaluate their own work and 
> 		advise their classmates on how they can improve.
> 		
> 		The English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish education 
> departments 
> 		have all provided varying degrees of backing for formative 
> assessment.
> 		
> 		After three years of research in both the UK and the US, Wiliam 
> 		concluded that the approach would only take off properly if 
> teachers 
> 		work together in school-based groups to refine their classroom 
> methods.
> 		
> 		Wiliam and his co-researchers found that groups of eight to 10 
> 		teachers who meet once a month for at least two years can be 
> most 
> 		effective. "It takes time to change teachers' ways of working, 
> 		particularly if they have been in the classroom for many years," 
> said 
> 		Wiliam. "Simply telling teachers what to do doesn't work."
> 		
> 		"For example, most teachers have heard about research from the 
> 1980s 
> 		which shows that if they wait three to five seconds after asking 
> a 
> 		question their pupils' performance improves because they have 
> been 
> 		given some time to think.
> 		
> 		"Even so, many teachers are still allowing less than a second 
> for 
> 		pupils to respond. The conclusion we can draw from that is that 
> 		knowing what to do is the easy part of teaching. Actually doing 
> it is 
> 		what's hard."
> 		
> 		Wiliam told EducationGuardian.co.uk that teacher quality was key 
> to 
> 		any improvements.
> 		
> 		"To reduce class size from 30 to 20 would need 150,000 more 
> teachers 
> 		and that would dilute the quality of teachers," he said.
> 		
> 		"We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the 
> classroom 
> 		and we need to get better teachers into the profession."
> 		
> 		Martin Johnson, acting deputy general secretary of the 
> Association of 
> 		Teachers and Lecturers, said the research should encourage the 
> 		government to "put its money where its mouth is".
> 		
> 		"Staff need to work together to learn how to teach more 
> effectively, 
> 		but schools will need more resources to do this. [Wiliam] 
> reminds us 
> 		that this would be very cost-effective.
> 		
> 		"Schools have benefited hugely over the last decade from having 
> more 
> 		classroom based staff but much more training is needed to make 
> their 
> 		deployment fully effective.
> 		
> 		"And while the government says it encourages assessment for 
> learning, 
> 		its testing policies have stolen teachers' self-confidence so 
> new 
> 		training must be provided and resourced.
> 		
> 		"School staff desperately need a contractual entitlement to 
> training 
> 		which meets their individual needs."
> 		
> 		Copyright Guardian News and Media Limited
> 		
> 		
> 		
> 		David J. Rosen
> 		Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> 		djrosen at comcast.net
> 		
> 		
> 		
> 		-------------------------------
> 		National Institute for Literacy
> 		Special Topics mailing list
> 		SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> 		To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go 
> to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> 		Email delivered to bcarmel at rocketmail.com
> 
> 	 
> 
> 	  
> 
> 	
> ________________________________
> 
> 
> 	Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage. 
> <http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=51438/*http:/www.yahoo.com/r/hs>  
> 
> 

From JURMO at ucc.edu  Fri Feb 29 16:05:18 2008
From: JURMO at ucc.edu (JURMO at ucc.edu)
Date: Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:05:18 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 836] Re: Last day of discussion on
	formativeassessment
In-Reply-To: <BLU129-DAV1353B57E543BB07EAACC0ECC140@phx.gbl>
Message-ID: <355865D6A500D84D960A0083B5FFF71F03D86AA8@crexc02.campus.ucc.edu>

The idea of using assessment as a tool to help learners continually
gauge their progress and adjust their goals and learning strategies has
been around for some time in the adult basic education field.  Starting
in the 1980s, advocates of learner centered, participatory adult basic
education developed forms of alternative assessments for adult learners
which were borrowed from socio-linguistics, K-12 education, and other
sources.  

These alternative practices included dialogue journals, portfolio
assessment, and other mechanisms in which learners were encouraged to
document and think about what they were learning and -- with the help of
instructors (and sometimes fellow learners) -- adjust what learners and
instructors were doing.  This approach was designed to enhance learner
progress toward relevant goals and to help learners take active
ownership for the learning process.   The Equipped for the Future
systems reform initiative emphasized this "continuous improvement" role
for assessment, to help keep activities relevant and effective for
learners.   

Some practitioners in the workplace basic education slice of the adult
basic education field merged such a view of adult education with the
"continuous  improvement" approach to organizational development.  The
result was the creation of collaborative models of worker education in
which stakeholders (employers, educators, learners, union
representatives) in a given workplace worked together to set program
goals, plan activities, and continually monitor progress and adjust
program activities, to ensure that relevant goals were being met.  

These approaches to program planning, learner assessment, and program
evaluation  intentionally promote assessment and evaluation as tools for
building stakeholder (including learner) understanding of, investment
in, and strengthening of the program. "Assessment" was thus much more
than a test done to learners by someone else at the end of the program.

Paul Jurmo, Ed.D.
Dean, Economic Development and Continuing Education
Union County College
12-24 West Jersey Street
Elizabeth, NJ  07202
908-659-5103 telephone  
908-965-6010 fax
Jurmo at ucc.edu 

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Cheryl Thornett
Sent: Friday, February 29, 2008 5:26 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 826] Re: Last day of discussion on
formativeassessment

Writing again not as an expert or researcher, but as a practising ESOL
teacher, I would like to stress that 'formative' and 'assessment' are
equally important parts of the procedure. This can include day-to-day
classroom work, if it feeds into further work, but I find students
respond well to specific assessment tasks, such as writing a note or
giving a short talk on an agreed subject. (Paired conversations or role
plays and small group discussions also work well.) I like to give
communicative and grammar and vocabulary assessments. Paper-based
assessment tasks can be part of a portfolio or other student record; we
don't have a practical way of doing the same with oral communications,
beyond written records.

 Where students have anxiety problems or have past negative experiences,
perhaps  the word 'assessment' should be avoided, and  steps taken to
avoid creating unnecessary anxiety--a very shy student can speak just to
the teacher, instead of to the whole class, for example, or the written
communication can either be tailored to a particular student or assessed
against their personal current level. The task needs to be meaningful to
the learner and feedback on their achievement and the next step/s is
essential, even if this is short and informal. I think it also helps,
eventually, to reduce anxiety levels about testing procedures. Some good
points have been made here about effective praise, and of course, we all
want to be positive but honest in discussing weaknesses or lack of
achievement.

I believe my local colleagues in Skills for Life numeracy have similar
procedures, including practical assessments such as weighing and
measuring, making change and so forth.

Newer teachers, in particular, need support  with considerations such as
the frequency of assessments, the size of steps they measure, the degree
of formality and recording procedures. Managers and administrators
really need to consult with practitioners about what is truly do-able,
rather than imposing procedures and paperwork which are not. This is
particularly true when said managers and administrators have been out of
the classroom for many years, or have never been classroom teachers. I
doubt I am the only one who feels far more receptive to ideas which come
from other teachers.

I really appreciate these opportunities to learn and to share. Thanks,
David, and thanks, NIFL.

Cheryl Thornett
ESOL tutor
Birmingham  UK Adult Education

----- Original Message -----
From: "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net>
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Sent: Friday, February 29, 2008 4:04 AM
Subject: [SpecialTopics 825] Last day of discussion on formative
assessment

> Colleagues,
>
> Friday, February 29th, is the last day of our discussion on formative
> assessment. If you haven't done so yet, Friday is the day to "leap"
> into the conversation. If you have remaining questions or comments
> for our guests, please ask them early in the day so that there might
> be time for our guests to reply. If our guests -- and others who have
> done research on formative assessment -- would like to add anything
> or emphasize any key points, now is the time to do that.
>
> I would like to encourage those who have particularly good examples
> of formative assessment in adult education classrooms to be sure to
> mention them, whether you are a researcher, practitioner or both.
>
> I would also like to encourage Janet and others who participated in
> the What Works study to comment on how policy supports or hinders
> formative assessment. Perhaps provide a specific example or two.
>
>
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at comcast.net
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to cherylthornett at hotmail.com
> 

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to jurmo at ucc.edu

From cseifert at lovetoread.org  Thu Feb 28 18:41:07 2008
From: cseifert at lovetoread.org (Cathie Seifert)
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 16:41:07 -0700
Subject: [SpecialTopics 837] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller
	classsizes'not cost effective
In-Reply-To: <32B6459C7FD240E9BCD74E301739540E@OwnerPC>
References: <mailman.19819.1203958441.1030.specialtopics@nifl.gov><729DD7C9-5734-427A-AF5D-49BD40556885@comcast.net>
	<32B6459C7FD240E9BCD74E301739540E@OwnerPC>
Message-ID: <00f301c87a63$66d00940$6401a8c0@lovetoread.local>

I was disappointed to hear about the problems in Virginia.  I have not
taught there since 1989, but when I taught there we had POS instead of SOL,
and I found them to be worthwhile because they were designed to test only
what we had to teach and I could keep track of who still needed to learn
what and who had really mastered what.  Luckily for me and for the students,
this had nothing to do with No Child Left Behind or Merit Pay and was just
very helpful to keeping me and the students on track.  The way I used the
tests I would say was formative assessment; when students were tested at the
start and end of the school year, I would say they were used as summative
assessments.

Cathie

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Katherine
Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 5:56 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 767] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller
classsizes'not cost effective

No hold on : )

"We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the classroom
and we need to get better teachers into the profession."

In the United States (in my state of Virginia and in other states) we have 
Standards of Learning tests.  These tests require teachers to feed material 
to students at break-neck speed with little time for formative assessment 
other than constant testing.  Because of class sizes and the state 
requirements (which spill into national requirements via the "No Child Left 
Behind" act), teachers have VERY little time to address questions from 
students who really have NOT understood the material.  Several times I have 
heard the complaint, "I had a question but the teacher didn't have time to 
answer it."

SOL scores in Virginia directly impact funding, and often negatively. 
Qualified and quality teachers are forced to teach to the test.  To boot, 
the states are cutting school funding, as is our county.  We have 
over-crowding in, I would guess-timate, just about ALL of our county schools

which to me clearly indicates unbalanced priorities.  We have students in 
TRAILERS attempting to learn in unstable environments because of 
over-crowding.  How does this cost us?

Drop outs.  SOL failure.  Discipline problems.  Increased administrative 
time addressing issues that could be taken care of in the classroom IF it 
was manageable.  Failure to identify and properly address possible learning 
disabilities.  And as we know, students who fail in K-12 have a harder time 
contributing to the economy if and when they graduate.  This spills over 
into poverty and unemployment rates.  It's all connected, and most 
bureaucrats don't see it.  They think short-term, from budget year to budget

year with no thought of the future for the schools or the community.

So.....add up all the numbers from the above, and I KNOW they won't match 
those in this article.

How are our public schools supposed to survive in such an environment?

Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt
www.luxuriouschoices.net
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net>
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Sent: Monday, February 25, 2008 5:14 PM
Subject: [SpecialTopics 756] EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller class 
sizes'not cost effective

> Colleagues,
>
> Tom Sticht spotted this on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site and sent
> it for our formative assessment discussion.
>
> -------
> Note from Tom Sticht:
>
> This article about formative assessment appears in todays (2/25/08
> Education Guardian online.
> -------
>
> To see this story with its related links on the
> EducationGuardian.co.uk site, go to http://education.guardian.co.uk
>
> Smaller class sizes 'not cost effective'
> Anthea Lipsett
> Monday February 25 2008
> The Guardian
>
> Reducing school class sizes in an attempt to raise pupil achievement
> is a waste of money for all but the youngest children, one of the
> country's leading experts on assessment said today.
>
> Cutting class size by 30% gives children the equivalent of four extra
> months of learning a year, but costs around &#163;20,000 for each
> class every year, according to Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of
> the Institute of Education.
>
> He said the more effective method of "formative assessment" - where
> teachers monitor their pupils' progress continuously and provide
> appropriate feedback - could provide eight extra months of
> educational development for only &#163;2,000 per classroom per year.
>
> "It can therefore be 20 times as cost-effective as reducing class
> size in terms of pupil achievement," he told the annual Chartered
> London Teachers Conference today.
>
> "Smaller classes do confer a benefit if pupils are unruly, because
> fewer pupils in a class means less disruption. But as long as pupils
> are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is
> generally possible with a class of 30.
>
> "Smaller classes can also be more cost-effective for five to seven-
> year-olds, but research suggests the class size needs to be reduced
> to 15 or less," he said.
>
> Wiliam added that investments in information communication technology
> have also shown a poor return. But international studies have
> confirmed that formative assessment can double the speed of pupil
> learning.
>
> Some teachers use a "traffic light" system and ask pupils to hold up
> different coloured cards to show whether they have understood what
> they have been told. Red means "no", amber means "partly", and green
> "yes". Pupils are also encouraged to evaluate their own work and
> advise their classmates on how they can improve.
>
> The English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish education departments
> have all provided varying degrees of backing for formative assessment.
>
> After three years of research in both the UK and the US, Wiliam
> concluded that the approach would only take off properly if teachers
> work together in school-based groups to refine their classroom methods.
>
> Wiliam and his co-researchers found that groups of eight to 10
> teachers who meet once a month for at least two years can be most
> effective. "It takes time to change teachers' ways of working,
> particularly if they have been in the classroom for many years," said
> Wiliam. "Simply telling teachers what to do doesn't work."
>
> "For example, most teachers have heard about research from the 1980s
> which shows that if they wait three to five seconds after asking a
> question their pupils' performance improves because they have been
> given some time to think.
>
> "Even so, many teachers are still allowing less than a second for
> pupils to respond. The conclusion we can draw from that is that
> knowing what to do is the easy part of teaching. Actually doing it is
> what's hard."
>
> Wiliam told EducationGuardian.co.uk that teacher quality was key to
> any improvements.
>
> "To reduce class size from 30 to 20 would need 150,000 more teachers
> and that would dilute the quality of teachers," he said.
>
> "We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the classroom
> and we need to get better teachers into the profession."
>
> Martin Johnson, acting deputy general secretary of the Association of
> Teachers and Lecturers, said the research should encourage the
> government to "put its money where its mouth is".
>
> "Staff need to work together to learn how to teach more effectively,
> but schools will need more resources to do this. [Wiliam] reminds us
> that this would be very cost-effective.
>
> "Schools have benefited hugely over the last decade from having more
> classroom based staff but much more training is needed to make their
> deployment fully effective.
>
> "And while the government says it encourages assessment for learning,
> its testing policies have stolen teachers' self-confidence so new
> training must be provided and resourced.
>
> "School staff desperately need a contractual entitlement to training
> which meets their individual needs."
>
> Copyright Guardian News and Media Limited
>
>
>
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at comcast.net
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to kgotthardt at comcast.net 

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to cseifert at lovetoread.org

From djrosen at comcast.net  Fri Feb 29 20:07:07 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Fri, 29 Feb 2008 20:07:07 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 838] Formative Assessment Discussion Coming to a
	close
Message-ID: <AA2B656D-1B53-47C2-B3E8-1A91D83F9091@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

This has been a fabulous discussion. Guest researchers, practitioners  
and other participants have provided some terrific examples and  
challenges for us all to think about. Although the discussion is now  
coming to a close, on March 10th I will re-open it briefly for those  
who need some time to read and reflect and who might have more to say  
about formative assessment. Our guests are welcome to join us then if  
they are available, but we will understand if they cannot be.

On March 17th we will begin a new topic, transition from corrections  
education to community education. Please join us for that discussion.

I want to express my deep appreciation to our guests: Janet Looney,  
John Vorhaus, John Benseman and John Comings. I also want to thank  
our colleagues from England, Scotland, Germany, New Zealand and other  
countries who joined a Special Topics discussion for the first time.  
I hope you will join us again.

For those who do not wish to stay subscribed for the next discussion,  
you can un-subscribe by going to

http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics

In a few weeks the discussion will be posted on a National Institute  
for Literacy Web page, as well as on the Adult Literacy Education  
Wiki. When it is ready I will post an announcement here. Meanwhile,  
you will find an archive of all the messages, beginning with message  
743, at http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

From djrosen at comcast.net  Sun Mar  9 20:30:52 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2008 20:30:52 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 839]  Your formative assessment reflections;
	corrections transition discussion coming up
Message-ID: <28A46878-8D67-41F5-9515-2CE44FEE57AC@comcast.net>

Dear Colleague,

I will be posting some of the messages I received after our formative  
assessment discussion ended on February 29th. I would also like to  
invite you to share your reflections on that discussion if you wish.  
Consider, for example:

? Has your understanding of formative assessment grown or changed?

? Were there specific examples that were described that you want to  
know more about, perhaps try out in your own teaching?

? What were other "takeaways" from the discussion for you as a  
practitioner or researcher?

Beginning on March 17th, we will have a discussion about transition  
from corrections education to community education.  Our guests  
include Dr. Carolyn Buser, Steve Schwalb, John Gordon, and Dr.  
Stephen Steurer.
I hope you will join us for this discussion. You will find background  
information on our esteemed guests below.

You will find a previous discussion on corrections education,  
Corrections Education, Family Literacy and Transition to Community  
Education.  archived at
http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Summary%2C_Questions_1
3:_Issues_of_Recidivism_and_Public_Support_for_CE

or, for short,

http://tinyurl.com/2k9xbd

  Please pass on this announcement to your colleagues who may be  
interested in the discussion

They can subscribe to the corrections transition discussion by going to

http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics

They can unsubscribe after the discussion by going to the same web  
page or, if they prefer, they can stay subscribed for the next  
discussion.

Also, please think about -- and send me -- your questions for our  
guests. I will compile these later this week.

Corrections Discussion Guests

Carolyn (Cay) Buser
Cay Buser joined the United States Department of Education in May of  
2006 as an adult education program specialist with duties as the  
Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) liaison with  
correctional education.  Dr. Buser works with the Western States to  
assist them in the administration of adult education grants.  She  
also is the national resource for coordination with correctional  
education programs and adult education grants.

Prior to her federal appointment, Dr. Buser was director of  
correctional education for the Maryland State Department of  
Education.  Her responsibilities entailed management of the education  
and library programs in Maryland?s adult and juvenile correctional  
systems.  She provided direct support to Maryland?s Educational  
Coordinating Council for Correctional Institutions, the ?school  
board? for correctional education headed by the State Superintendent  
of Schools with the State Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional  
Services as a member.

Dr. Buser has been an active member of the Correctional Education  
Association serving as a regional director and is currently on the  
editorial board of the Journal of Correctional Education.  Her  
academic background includes a master?s degree in special education  
and a doctorate in educational policy and administration.  Dr. Buser  
taught English in public middle and high schools in the Midwest, and  
in community colleges in Maryland.  She taught for seven years in  
Maryland?s correctional education program and served as a principal  
in three correctional settings before her appointment as director of  
the State program.

Steve Schwalb
Steve Schwalb has served as President and CEO of Pioneer Human  
Services since April, 2007. Prior to that, Steve had a 33-year career  
in the field of corrections.

After receiving his B.A. degree in Business Administration from the  
University of Washington, he began his corrections career as a  
Personnel Management Specialist trainee with the Federal Bureau of  
Prisons.  He subsequently held various positions of additional  
responsibility, including Personnel Director, Chief of Internal  
Affairs, Warden, Deputy Regional Director and Assistant Director.

In the latter position, Steve was responsible for nationwide  
oversight of the education, vocational training, recreation,  
parenting, transition preparation, citizen volunteers and industrial  
work programs.  Serving in the role of Chief Operating Officer of  
Federal Prison Industries, Inc., he oversaw over 100 factories that  
employ 21,000 inmates and 1,400 staff, and that generated $800  
million in annual sales.

In the mid-1980?s, Steve served as Associate Superintendent and  
Program Manager with the Washington State Department of Corrections,  
and as Director of the King County Jail in Seattle.

During his federal career, Steve was appointed by the President to  
the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely  
Disabled, and served as chairman for four of his twelve years on the  
committee.

John Gordon
John has worked at the Fortune Society since 2001, first as Director  
of its Education program and more recently as an Associate President  
of Programs. The Fortune Society works with people after they?ve come  
home from prison or jail. Their Education program serves 200-300  
students per year; they offer classes in Adult Basic Education, ESOL,  
and computer skills. Many students are on probation or parole; others  
are mandated by the courts to one of Fortune?s Alternatives to  
Incarceration programs; some are no longer under any criminal justice  
supervision.
Before coming to the Fortune Society, John worked for 16 years as  
Teacher-Director of the Open Book, a community based literacy program  
in Brooklyn, NY. At the Open Book, some of his central concerns  
revolved around developing student leadership and student  
participation in program decision-making; publishing student writing  
and oral histories, and welfare and literacy issues. He published  
several articles on these topics as well as More Than a Job:  A  
Curriculum on Work and Society (New Readers Press). He is an active  
participant in the New York City Coalition for Adult Literacy.

The Fortune Society was founded in 1967 with two main goals: (1) to  
educate the public about prisons, criminal justice issues, and the  
root causes of crime and (2) to provide support for people as they  
come home from prison. Fortune serves over 3,000 former prisoners a  
year, offering education, career development, counseling, substance  
abuse treatment, housing, health services, and alternatives to  
incarceration. It continues to play a strong role in advocating for  
criminal justice and prison reform.

Stephen J. Steurer, Ph.D.

Steve is the  Executive Director of the Correctional Education  
Association, a professional organization of educators who work in  
prisons, jails and juvenile settings.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

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From cheryl_diamond at msn.com  Fri Feb 29 22:24:41 2008
From: cheryl_diamond at msn.com (Cheryl Diamond)
Date: Fri, 29 Feb 2008 22:24:41 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 840] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller
 classsizes'not cost effective
In-Reply-To: <C3EC3CFB.1F908%Janet_Isserlis@brown.edu>
References: <BLU107-W249D0F7BC751980E626491F71B0@phx.gbl>
	<C3EC3CFB.1F908%Janet_Isserlis@brown.edu>
Message-ID: <BLU107-W389C9BFF5878689CC7F452F7150@phx.gbl>

Janet, 
By OUR students, I mean our students who are American citizens. In another Florida county with which I have experience,  the bill for educating undocumented students was outstandingly high as was the cost of medical care. I do feel sympathy for the undocumented; however, the costs are out of sight as they are in other parts of the country.
Cheryl

Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 10:27:07 -0500From: Janet_Isserlis at brown.eduTo: specialtopics at nifl.govSubject: [SpecialTopics 812] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes'not cost effective
CherylCan you say more about what you mean by OUR students?Janet

From: Cheryl Diamond <cheryl_diamond at msn.com>Reply-To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 08:30:33 -0500To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>Subject: [SpecialTopics 810] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes'not cost effectiveHi, all I read and watched the replies on this issue. Mixed reactions, as a current taxpayer and former teacher, I possess. I am sure that not everyone will accept what I have to say. However, my points should be taken from where they come. Very hard to say that if you reduce class size you have a perfect solution. Some classes should be smaller but not all. You certainly do raise the price on education as no one seems to give up any monies. As a current taxpayer facing unending increases across the board, I  can say "ENOUGH". But as we all know it is not only the teachers' responsiblity. As a former teacher, I saw good and less good teachers. The same goes for parents and admin people.  At least the article on class  size produced comment. As a voter who can see how the class size amendment got adopted, I would say we need to revisit the election with less special interest input. I am disappointed when 1)I don't have clerks who can't figure the exact amount I hand them, or 2)I hear that people haven't been reading  up on the issues or candidates, 3)or readership in a variety of media is down, and finally, 4) listen to high school graduates don't know what EPA means in our government. Yet, a teacher has a very full plate with the extra paperwork, etc., put on him/her. Less government interference and more qualitative parental interest would be tops on my list. There is only so much money for education. It should be spent correctly on OUR students. I am truly aware of the immigration issues and how it has obliterated the budget process. Keep it simple as best we can. Thanks, Cheryl Diamond

From: marie.cora at hotspurpartners.comTo: specialtopics at nifl.govDate: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 09:42:12 -0500Subject: [SpecialTopics 791] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes'not cost effectiveHi everyone,Great discussion, it?s so full and rich I don?t know where to begin.  My apologies if what I say below has been noted already ? But I will second John?s comments re:  Dylan Wiliam.  I think that the Education Guardian article below takes many of his points out of context.  Best to get it from the horse?s mouth I would say:  see Black and Wiliam, Inside the Black Box:   Raising Standards through Classroom Assessment at http://www.pdkintl.org/kappan/kbla9810.htm for starters. I get a ton out of his notion of Assessment FOR Learning versus Assessment OF Learning.Marie CoraNIFL Assessment Discussion List Moderatorhttp://www.nifl.gov/lincs/discussions/discussions.html-----Original Message-----From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of John BensemanSent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 11:38 PMTo: specialtopics at nifl.govSubject: [SpecialTopics 779] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes'not cost effectiveI don?t know the specific words that Dylan Wiliam uses about class size, but I am guessing that what he says is that there is no authoritative research that shows that class size is irrefutably related to student learning. This is not to say that class size doesn?t matter, it merely says that the research over many 100s of studies is inconclusive to date.As I am sure that the great majority of people on this listserv will attest, we all feel intuitively that class size DOES matter ? it?s just that there is no research to back this conclusion. The jury, so to speak, is still out on this dimension of teaching (as it is in many other areas).The second point re saying that ?praise hurts students?: I couldn?t find the specific reference, but again interpreting what I think Wiliam would say is something along the lines of: just praising students for the sake of praising does them little good. What is needed however is clear and realistic feedback on where they are at in their learning. If that comes with a dollop of praise, then that?s great, but praise per se is not sufficient.I think that we can fall in to a trap of thinking that learners invariably want/need support (which they do at times), but they also need to be challenged, which means that we need to give them realistic feedback on how they are progressing (or not).Regards, JohnPS I am not a paid servant of Dylan Wiliam, but I am a fan of his research?John Benseman*   john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz(   641 9 627 1882  Cell  027 454 0683- 52a Bolton St, Blockhouse Bay, Auckland 0600, NZ

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Bruce CSent: Wednesday, 27 February 2008 11:29 a.m.To: specialtopics at nifl.govSubject: [SpecialTopics 777] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes 'not cost effectiveRegarding small class size....Excuse my language, but regarding the comments of regarding class size attributed to Prof Dylan Wiliam, Deputy Director and Professor of Educational Assessment at the Institute of Education, University of London, I say ..."BALDERDASH!!! and HOGWASH!!!!" I can't believe anyone who has been a teacher would ever say "...as long as pupils are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is generally possible with a class of 30." Maybe this was taken out of context. Prof. Wiliam (yes it's only one "L"--I checked.) says some interesting things about formative assessment and personalized learning on this "Learning About Learning" website: http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdylanwiliam.aspHe does say a few wacky things--like that praise hurts students. Prof. Wil.i.am. says that formative assessment "encourages teachers to take constant readings about where students are." He says it's important to do this "minute by minute, day by day."  That's why I can't believe this dude really thinks that class size doesn't matter. I think a teacher with 20 students in his/her class can get a better sense of where everyone is than a teacher with 30 students. Sure there may be things we can do that are cheaper than reducing class size...But so what?If that is how we define "cost effectiveness" why not TRIPLE class size and save tons of money? You get my point, right? from Bruce CarmelProf Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of the Institute of Education says, <http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdylanwiliam.asp>  "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net> wrote:
Colleagues,Tom Sticht spotted this on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site and sent it for our formative assessment discussion.-------Note from Tom Sticht:This article about formative assessment appears in todays (2/25/08 Education Guardian online.-------To see this story with its related links on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site, go to http://education.guardian.co.ukSmaller class sizes 'not cost effective'Anthea LipsettMonday February 25 2008The GuardianReducing school class sizes in an attempt to raise pupil achievement is a waste of money for all but the youngest children, one of the country's leading experts on assessment said today.Cutting class size by 30% gives children the equivalent of four extra months of learning a year, but costs around ?20,000 for each class every year, according to Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of the Institute of Education.He said the more effective method of "formative assessment" - where teachers monitor their pupils' progress continuously and provide appropriate feedback - could provide eight extra months of educational development for only ?2,000 per classroom per year."It can therefore be 20 times as cost-effective as reducing class size in terms of pupil achievement," he told the annual Chartered London Teachers Conference today."Smaller classes do confer a benefit if pupils are unruly, because fewer pupils in a class means less disruption. But as long as pupils are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is generally possible with a class of 30."Smaller classes can also be more cost-effective for five to seven- year-olds, but research suggests the class size needs to be reduced to 15 or less," he said.Wiliam added that investments in information communication technology have also shown a poor return. But international studies have confirmed that formative assessment can double the speed of pupil learning.Some teachers use a "traffic light" system and ask pupils to hold up different coloured cards to show whether they have understood what they have been told. Red means "no", amber means "partly", and green "yes". Pupils are also encouraged to evaluate their own work and advise their classmates on how they can improve.The English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish education departments have all provided varying degrees of backing for formative assessment.After three years of research in both the UK and the US, Wiliam concluded that the approach would only take off properly if teachers work together in school-based groups to refine their classroom methods.Wiliam and his co-researchers found that groups of eight to 10 teachers who meet once a month for at least two years can be most effective. "It takes time to change teachers' ways of working, particularly if they have been in the classroom for many years," said Wiliam. "Simply telling teachers what to do doesn't work.""For example, most teachers have heard about research from the 1980s which shows that if they wait three to five seconds after asking a question their pupils' performance improves because they have been given some time to think."Even so, many teachers are still allowing less than a second for pupils to respond. The conclusion we can draw from that is that knowing what to do is the easy part of teaching. Actually doing it is what's hard."Wiliam told EducationGuardian.co.uk that teacher quality was key to any improvements."To reduce class size from 30 to 20 would need 150,000 more teachers and that would dilute the quality of teachers," he said."We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the classroom and we need to get better teachers into the profession."Martin Johnson, acting deputy general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said the research should encourage the government to "put its money where its mouth is"."Staff need to work together to learn how to teach more effectively, but schools will need more resources to do this. [Wiliam] reminds us that this would be very cost-effective."Schools have benefited hugely over the last decade from having more classroom based staff but much more training is needed to make their deployment fully effective."And while the government says it encourages assessment for learning, its testing policies have stolen teachers' self-confidence so new training must be provided and resourced."School staff desperately need a contractual entitlement to training which meets their individual needs."Copyright Guardian News and Media LimitedDavid J. RosenSpecial Topics Discussion Moderatordjrosen at comcast.net-------------------------------National Institute for LiteracySpecial Topics mailing listSpecialTopics at nifl.govTo unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopicsEmail delivered to bcarmel at rocketmail.com 

Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage. <http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=51438/*http:/www.yahoo.com/r/hs>  

-------------------------------National Institute for LiteracySpecial Topics mailing listSpecialTopics at nifl.govTo unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopicsEmail delivered to janet_isserlis at brown.edu
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From cheryl_diamond at msn.com  Fri Feb 29 22:27:15 2008
From: cheryl_diamond at msn.com (Cheryl Diamond)
Date: Fri, 29 Feb 2008 22:27:15 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 841] Re:
	EducationGuardian.co.uk:Smaller	classsizes'not cost effective
In-Reply-To: <D402489AD67B461DB1F00E247EB9D217@OwnerPC>
References: <00a701c878fa$984c6640$0c00a8c0@critical1><03dc01c8794e$f0c288f0$0202a8c0@LITNOW>
	<BLU107-W249D0F7BC751980E626491F71B0@phx.gbl> 
	<D402489AD67B461DB1F00E247EB9D217@OwnerPC>
Message-ID: <BLU107-W729EE0F7C976466A4012CF7150@phx.gbl>

Katherine,
For which grades? So, if one more student comes to that particular class, a whole other teacher has to be hired? 
Cheryl

From: kgotthardt at comcast.netTo: specialtopics at nifl.govDate: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 10:19:29 -0500Subject: [SpecialTopics 811] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk:Smaller classsizes'not cost effective

Would you agree that having a class size of a 20 max would be reasonable and effective?
 
Katherine Mercurio Gotthardtwww.luxuriouschoices.net 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Cheryl Diamond 
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2008 8:30 AM
Subject: [SpecialTopics 810] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk:Smaller classsizes'not cost effective
Hi, all I read and watched the replies on this issue. Mixed reactions, as a current taxpayer and former teacher, I possess. I am sure that not everyone will accept what I have to say. However, my points should be taken from where they come. Very hard to say that if you reduce class size you have a perfect solution. Some classes should be smaller but not all. You certainly do raise the price on education as no one seems to give up any monies. As a current taxpayer facing unending increases across the board, I  can say "ENOUGH". But as we all know it is not only the teachers' responsiblity. As a former teacher, I saw good and less good teachers. The same goes for parents and admin people.  At least the article on class  size produced comment. As a voter who can see how the class size amendment got adopted, I would say we need to revisit the election with less special interest input.  I am disappointed when 1)I don't have clerks who can't figure the exact amount I hand them, or 2)I hear that people haven't been reading  up on the issues or candidates, 3)or readership in a variety of media is down, and finally, 4) listen to high school graduates don't know what EPA means in our government. Yet, a teacher has a very full plate with the extra paperwork, etc., put on him/her. Less government interference and more qualitative parental interest would be tops on my list. There is only so much money for education. It should be spent correctly on OUR students. I am truly aware of the immigration issues and how it has obliterated the budget process. Keep it simple as best we can. Thanks, Cheryl Diamond

From: marie.cora at hotspurpartners.comTo: specialtopics at nifl.govDate: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 09:42:12 -0500Subject: [SpecialTopics 791] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes'not cost effective

Hi everyone,
 
Great discussion, it?s so full and rich I don?t know where to begin.  My apologies if what I say below has been noted already ? 
 
But I will second John?s comments re:  Dylan Wiliam.  I think that the Education Guardian article below takes many of his points out of context.  
 
Best to get it from the horse?s mouth I would say:  see Black and Wiliam, Inside the Black Box:   Raising Standards through Classroom Assessment at http://www.pdkintl.org/kappan/kbla9810.htm for starters. 
 
I get a ton out of his notion of Assessment FOR Learning versus Assessment OF Learning.
 
Marie Cora
NIFL Assessment Discussion List Moderator
http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/discussions/discussions.html
 
 
 
 
 
-----Original Message-----From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of John BensemanSent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 11:38 PMTo: specialtopics at nifl.govSubject: [SpecialTopics 779] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes'not cost effective
 
I don?t know the specific words that Dylan Wiliam uses about class size, but I am guessing that what he says is that there is no authoritative research that shows that class size is irrefutably related to student learning. This is not to say that class size doesn?t matter, it merely says that the research over many 100s of studies is inconclusive to date.
 
As I am sure that the great majority of people on this listserv will attest, we all feel intuitively that class size DOES matter ? it?s just that there is no research to back this conclusion. The jury, so to speak, is still out on this dimension of teaching (as it is in many other areas).
 
The second point re saying that ?praise hurts students?: I couldn?t find the specific reference, but again interpreting what I think Wiliam would say is something along the lines of: just praising students for the sake of praising does them little good. What is needed however is clear and realistic feedback on where they are at in their learning. If that comes with a dollop of praise, then that?s great, but praise per se is not sufficient.
 
I think that we can fall in to a trap of thinking that learners invariably want/need support (which they do at times), but they also need to be challenged, which means that we need to give them realistic feedback on how they are progressing (or not).
 
Regards, John
 
PS I am not a paid servant of Dylan Wiliam, but I am a fan of his research?
 

John Benseman
*   john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz
(   641 9 627 1882  Cell  027 454 0683

- 52a Bolton St, Blockhouse Bay, Auckland 0600, NZ

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Bruce CSent: Wednesday, 27 February 2008 11:29 a.m.To: specialtopics at nifl.govSubject: [SpecialTopics 777] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes 'not cost effective
 

Regarding small class size....

 

Excuse my language, but regarding the comments of regarding class size attributed to Prof Dylan Wiliam, Deputy Director and Professor of Educational Assessment at the Institute of Education, University of London, I say ...

 

"BALDERDASH!!! and HOGWASH!!!!" 

 

I can't believe anyone who has been a teacher would ever say "...as long as pupils are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is generally possible with a class of 30." 

 

Maybe this was taken out of context. Prof. Wiliam (yes it's only one "L"--I checked.) says some interesting things about formative assessment and personalized learning on this "Learning About Learning" website: 

 

http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdylanwiliam.asp

 

He does say a few wacky things--like that praise hurts students. 

 

Prof. Wil.i.am. says that formative assessment "encourages teachers to take constant readings about where students are." He says it's important to do this "minute by minute, day by day."  That's why I can't believe this dude really thinks that class size doesn't matter. I think a teacher with 20 students in his/her class can get a better sense of where everyone is than a teacher with 30 students. 

Sure there may be things we can do that are cheaper than reducing class size...

 

But so what?

 

If that is how we define "cost effectiveness" why not TRIPLE class size and save tons of money? 

 

You get my point, right? 

 

from Bruce Carmel

 

 

 

 

 

Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of the Institute of Education says, 

 

"David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net> wrote:

Colleagues,Tom Sticht spotted this on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site and sent it for our formative assessment discussion.-------Note from Tom Sticht:This article about formative assessment appears in todays (2/25/08 Education Guardian online.-------To see this story with its related links on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site, go to http://education.guardian.co.ukSmaller class sizes 'not cost effective'Anthea LipsettMonday February 25 2008The GuardianReducing school class sizes in an attempt to raise pupil achievement is a waste of money for all but the youngest children, one of the country's leading experts on assessment said today.Cutting class size by 30% gives children the equivalent of four extra months of learning a year, but costs around ?20,000 for each class every year, according to Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of the Institute of Education.He said the more effective method of "formative assessment" - where teachers monitor their pupils' progress continuously and provide appropriate feedback - could provide eight extra months of educational development for only ?2,000 per classroom per year."It can therefore be 20 times as cost-effective as reducing class size in terms of pupil achievement," he told the annual Chartered London Teachers Conference today."Smaller classes do confer a benefit if pupils are unruly, because fewer pupils in a class means less disruption. But as long as pupils are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is generally possible with a class of 30."Smaller classes can also be more cost-effective for five to seven- year-olds, but research suggests the class size needs to be reduced to 15 or less," he said.Wiliam added that investments in information communication technology have also shown a poor return. But international studies have confirmed that formative assessment can double the speed of pupil learning.Some teachers use a "traffic light" system and ask pupils to hold up different coloured cards to show whether they have understood what they have been told. Red means "no", amber means "partly", and green "yes". Pupils are also encouraged to evaluate their own work and advise their classmates on how they can improve.The English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish education departments have all provided varying degrees of backing for formative assessment.After three years of research in both the UK and the US, Wiliam concluded that the approach would only take off properly if teachers work together in school-based groups to refine their classroom methods.Wiliam and his co-researchers found that groups of eight to 10 teachers who meet once a month for at least two years can be most effective. "It takes time to change teachers' ways of working, particularly if they have been in the classroom for many years," said Wiliam. "Simply telling teachers what to do doesn't work.""For example, most teachers have heard about research from the 1980s which shows that if they wait three to five seconds after asking a question their pupils' performance improves because they have been given some time to think."Even so, many teachers are still allowing less than a second for pupils to respond. The conclusion we can draw from that is that knowing what to do is the easy part of teaching. Actually doing it is what's hard."Wiliam told EducationGuardian.co.uk that teacher quality was key to any improvements."To reduce class size from 30 to 20 would need 150,000 more teachers and that would dilute the quality of teachers," he said."We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the classroom and we need to get better teachers into the profession."Martin Johnson, acting deputy general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said the research should encourage the government to "put its money where its mouth is"."Staff need to work together to learn how to teach more effectively, but schools will need more resources to do this. [Wiliam] reminds us that this would be very cost-effective."Schools have benefited hugely over the last decade from having more classroom based staff but much more training is needed to make their deployment fully effective."And while the government says it encourages assessment for learning, its testing policies have stolen teachers' self-confidence so new training must be provided and resourced."School staff desperately need a contractual entitlement to training which meets their individual needs."Copyright Guardian News and Media LimitedDavid J. RosenSpecial Topics Discussion Moderatordjrosen at comcast.net-------------------------------National Institute for LiteracySpecial Topics mailing listSpecialTopics at nifl.govTo unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopicsEmail delivered to bcarmel at rocketmail.com
 
  

Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage. 

-------------------------------National Institute for LiteracySpecial Topics mailing listSpecialTopics at nifl.govTo unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopicsEmail delivered to kgotthardt at comcast.net
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From J.Vorhaus at ioe.ac.uk  Mon Mar  3 10:56:17 2008
From: J.Vorhaus at ioe.ac.uk (John Vorhaus)
Date: Mon, 3 Mar 2008 15:56:17 -0000
Subject: [SpecialTopics 842] Re: Formative Assessment Discussion Coming to
	aclose
In-Reply-To: <AA2B656D-1B53-47C2-B3E8-1A91D83F9091@comcast.net>
References: <AA2B656D-1B53-47C2-B3E8-1A91D83F9091@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <949E22B7BCCFF2408271BAAA8166BF07034B6309@M3.ioead>

Dear David, 

And many thanks to you David for organising this and overseeing a really
stimulating exchange. 

Best wishes to you and all, 

John  

> -----Original Message-----
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov 
> [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
> Sent: 01 March 2008 01:07
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 838] Formative Assessment Discussion 
> Coming to aclose
> 
> Colleagues,
> 
> This has been a fabulous discussion. Guest researchers, 
> practitioners and other participants have provided some 
> terrific examples and challenges for us all to think about. 
> Although the discussion is now coming to a close, on March 
> 10th I will re-open it briefly for those who need some time 
> to read and reflect and who might have more to say about 
> formative assessment. Our guests are welcome to join us then 
> if they are available, but we will understand if they cannot be.
> 
> On March 17th we will begin a new topic, transition from 
> corrections education to community education. Please join us 
> for that discussion.
> 
> I want to express my deep appreciation to our guests: Janet 
> Looney, John Vorhaus, John Benseman and John Comings. I also 
> want to thank our colleagues from England, Scotland, Germany, 
> New Zealand and other countries who joined a Special Topics 
> discussion for the first time.  
> I hope you will join us again.
> 
> For those who do not wish to stay subscribed for the next 
> discussion, you can un-subscribe by going to
> 
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
> 
> In a few weeks the discussion will be posted on a National 
> Institute for Literacy Web page, as well as on the Adult 
> Literacy Education Wiki. When it is ready I will post an 
> announcement here. Meanwhile, you will find an archive of all 
> the messages, beginning with message 743, at 
> http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html
> 
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at comcast.net
> 
> 
> 
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please 
> go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to j.vorhaus at ioe.ac.uk
> 

From kgotthardt at comcast.net  Sat Mar  1 08:35:25 2008
From: kgotthardt at comcast.net (Katherine)
Date: Sat, 1 Mar 2008 08:35:25 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 843] Re: instead of praise
In-Reply-To: <022920081844.18547.47C852A0000EB82B000048732215551724CFCFCD9D0A9001040A9C@comcast.net>
References: <022920081844.18547.47C852A0000EB82B000048732215551724CFCFCD9D0A9001040A9C@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <D40A275415894163975C695D92ACA05D@OwnerPC>

Yes!  One thing that really gets adult and children motivated is to SHOW 
them their progress.  Adults have a hard time seeing slow progress, and so 
do children. For example in K-12, report cards don't often illustrate any 
progress, especially  if grades have fallen over the course of a term.

One thing I do for my kids is to make sure they SEE progress.  For example, 
when my daughter is reading aloud, I say things like, "WOW!  Remember last 
year when you couldn't read that?  That's awesome progress!"  She beams 
because she DOES remember and is motivated to continue on.

Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt
www.luxuriouschoices.net
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <selover200 at comcast.net>
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Sent: Friday, February 29, 2008 1:44 PM
Subject: [SpecialTopics 832] Re: instead of praise

> Hello to all-
>
> Praise can stimulate  a very negative response in the person being 
> praised,
> unless that person's self-image is already high or positive.
>
> Have any of you  attended workshops by the Love and Logic Institute in 
> Colorado?
> They are geared to teachers of K-12 and parents, but their ideas can be 
> applied
> to adult learners. I wish I could find my copy of "Teaching with Love and 
> Logic"
> by Jim Fay, to give you some direct quotes, but I will try to explain it.
>
> Jim Fay, Charles Fay, and Foster Kline have some enlightenling things to 
> say
> about praise. The first time that I heard them, I realized that I had seen 
> it
> play out with students, and I had wondered what was going on at the time.
>
> Self-esteem cannot be built up from the outside. If the student's level of
> self-esteem is low or their self-image is negative, then praise cannot be 
> heard
> or accepted.
> If the comments (praise) do not match the self-image, then the
> speaker must be crazy, or not telling the truth, so the student will 
> discount
> it. The student's view of self must be maintained, so the praiser is the 
> crazy
> one.
>
> In fact, if their self-image is really low or negative, they will have to 
> show
> the praiser how wrong they are by destroying their work, or they might 
> stop
> trying, or they might deliberately not do something the next time, just to 
> show
> that the teacher had better not begin to expect too much of them.
>
> Therefore, praise can have a very negative affect on a person who has a 
> low or
> negative self-image.
>
> I had a 3rd grader in China, whose only comment about his work was always 
> "No
> good, no good!" and when I praised something that he had done very well, 
> he
> destroyed it.  This was before I heard about Jim Fay's ideas, and I felt 
> really
> bad and I wondered how I could get through to this child.
>
>
> Jim explains that for the person to accept the positive message, they need 
> to
> voice it themselves.
>
> The way that he suggests doing it is to ask a multiple choice question: 
> How did
> you get the right answer?
>
> Did you copy,  did you guess, are you getting smarter, or did you work and 
> learn
> something?
> Thereby forcing the person to make a choice that is positive.  (You can 
> learn by
> copying, and you can get "smarter" by working and learning.  I am not 
> linking
> smart directly to g)
>
> When they have accomplished a task, you can ask "How does it feel to 
> finish
> this, or to accomplish this? Again, trying to elicit a positive response 
> from
> the student.
>
> The more times that you can guide the person (student, child, adult) to 
> voice a
> positive response about their efforts to learn, the more they will build 
> their
> own self-image and self-esteem.
>
> Jim Fay explains it much better in his books and CDs. What he proposes for
> children will work with adults. Conversely, enticements and rewards that 
> won't
> work with adults, will not work with children either. I am still trying to
> remember to ask instead of telling students.
>
> Check out the Love and Logic website, http://www.loveandlogic.com/
>
> Linda Selover
>
>
>
>
> -------------- Original message ----------------------
> From: "Jan Potter" <jpotter at gha.org>
>> I appreciate the comments.  I think the bottom line is that if we praise 
>> a
> child
>> by telling them how smart they are, then there is nothing that they can
> actually
>> do to improve (and, in some cases, the child might actually do less 
>> since,
> after
>> all, they are smart and decide they don't need to work any more). 
>> Obviously,
>> the other side is a bad idea (telling someone that they are not smart or
> dumb).
>>
>>
>>
>> The author's position is that by praising effort you are praising 
>> something
> that
>> is within your control.  I guess that I would personally separate this 
>> from
> the
>> idea of remarking on the difficulty of the task.  To be told that "you 
>> did
>> really well and I know this was really hard" is very reinforcing to me
>> personally.
>>
>>
>>
>> I also wonder if there is a learning style issue here.  Does someone 
>> perform
>> better with verbal praise or with getting a good grade, for example.  We 
>> can
> say
>> that both would apply but if you hear a teacher always telling her 
>> students
> how
>> well they do, you might not buy it personally.
>>
>>
>>
>> I have certainly seen in my own students that if they are praised in 
>> writing,
>> they tend to participate in class better in the future.
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov 
>> [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
> On
>> Behalf Of Anke Grotl?schen
>> Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2008 12:51 PM
>> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
>> Subject: [SpecialTopics 820] smartness and effort
>>
>>
>>
>> Jan,
>>
>>
>>
>> These studies seem to rely on Albert Banduras idea of self-efficacy and
>> attribution of causes. I find it quite convincing (no idea whether I can
> explain
>> it correctly as I am an ESOL learner as well):
>>
>>
>>
>> People tend to attribute causes to things that happened. If you get good
> grades,
>> you can use
>>
>> a)       stable causes (I'm smart)
>>
>> b)       variable causes (I invested so much effort)
>>
>>
>>
>> You can either attribute internal causes or external ones, which are 
>> outside
>> your "locus of control". The latter don't motivate.
>>
>>
>>
>> So, as you cannot change stable causes (smart vs. dumb), you wouldn't be
>> motivated to improve, if you believe your success comes from stable
>> dispositions. But if you believe it is in your hand whether to change 
>> things
> or
>> not (effort vs. lazyness), you are motivated. So it is better to tell an
>> unsuccessful person, that it is his/her fault and in his/her control to 
>> do
>> better -  than to say it's because of the difficulty of the task or 
>> his/her
>> dumbness.
>>
>>
>>
>> So far about theory, I don't know the empirical proof for this :-)
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Anke
>>
>> ________________________________
>>
>> Von: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov 
>> [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] Im
>> Auftrag von Jan Potter
>> Gesendet: Mittwoch, 27. Februar 2008 19:47
>> An: specialtopics at nifl.gov
>> Betreff: [SpecialTopics 801] Re: 
>> EducationGuardian.co.uk:Smallerclasssizes'not
>> cost effective (Tom Mechem)
>>
>>
>>
>> I realize we are a bit off-task, but on the topic of "praise" -
>>
>> An interesting article in New York magazine on this topic  - by Po 
>> Bronson
>> called "How Not to Talk to Your Kids" (here's a link:
>> http://nymag.com/news/features/27840/ ). In this article, Bronson talks
>>
>> about research done by Carol Dweck (then of Columbia, now at Stanford) 
>> that
>> suggests that praising a kid as being "smart" actually hurts their 
>> ongoing
>> progress, ability, and perseverance when trying new
>>
>> (especially intellectually challenging) things. The data suggest that 
>> praising
>> *effort* gets dramatically better results.
>>
>>
>>
>> The New York magazine article was quite an eye-opener for me.
>>
>>
>>
>> It seems we are moving away from the "everybody gets a trophy" mentality 
>> these
>> days.  The author's point was fascinating to me on the subject that a 
>> smart
>> child would not take on challenging tasks.
>>
>>
>>
>> Jan Potter, MSTC
>>
>> Communications Specialist
>>
>> Georgia Hospital Association
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov 
>> [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
> On
>> Behalf Of Mechem, Thompson
>> Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 9:00 AM
>> To: john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz; specialtopics at nifl.gov
>> Subject: [SpecialTopics 787] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk:
> Smallerclasssizes'not
>> cost effective (Tom Mechem)
>>
>>
>>
>> If we all waited until we could prove everything in a court of law, we'd 
>> be
> even
>> more doomed than we are presently. There's no question that smaller 
>> classes
> are
>> needed for effective teaching and learning---just ask the teachers and 
>> just
> ask
>> the students. Would R. Walker Willingham pay $30,000 a year to send his
>> 14-year-old daughter Tiffany to St. Grottlesex if her European History 
>> class
> had
>> 30 students instead of 12?
>>
>>
>>
>> The point about praise is a tricky one. Certainly it doesn't do any good 
>> to
> tell
>> someone she's smart if she doesn't believe it herself: you will only lose 
>> all
>> credibility and trust. Yet our students need to know that we believe in 
>> them.
>> It's like the advice we give parents: it's not enough to love your kids; 
>> they
>> have to know that you love them. (Another untestable value of high 
>> literacy:
> you
>> can get your point across.) It's not enough to believe in your students; 
>> they
>> have to know you believe in them. However, as a wise man once said,
>> "Self-confidence is bred of demonstrated ability." We can't just tell 
>> people
>> they're smart; we have to create the educational environment by which 
>> they can
>> come to know it for themselves. That's one of the intangible great things
> about
>> the GED diploma: earning it proves to the student that she is smart. 
>> Though
>> there are still lingering numbers of nattering nabobs of negativity who 
>> doubt
>> the value of the GED process and the credential, one group that has no 
>> doubts
>> are the students themselves.
>>
>>
>>
>> Keep on rockin' in the free world (if there still is such a place).
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Tom Mechem
>>
>> GED State Chief Examiner
>>
>> Massachusetts Department of Education
>>
>> 781-338-6621
>>
>> "GED to Ph.D."
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
>> [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]On Behalf Of John Benseman
>> Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 11:38 PM
>> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
>> Subject: [SpecialTopics 779] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller
>> classsizes'not cost effective
>>
>> I don't know the specific words that Dylan Wiliam uses about class size,
>> but I am guessing that what he says is that there is no authoritative 
>> research
>> that shows that class size is irrefutably related to student learning. 
>> This is
>> not to say that class size doesn't matter, it merely says that the 
>> research
> over
>> many 100s of studies is inconclusive to date.
>>
>>
>>
>> As I am sure that the great majority of people on this listserv will
>> attest, we all feel intuitively that class size DOES matter - it's just 
>> that
>> there is no research to back this conclusion. The jury, so to speak, is 
>> still
>> out on this dimension of teaching (as it is in many other areas).
>>
>>
>>
>> The second point re saying that 'praise hurts students': I couldn't find
>> the specific reference, but again interpreting what I think Wiliam would 
>> say
> is
>> something along the lines of: just praising students for the sake of 
>> praising
>> does them little good. What is needed however is clear and realistic 
>> feedback
> on
>> where they are at in their learning. If that comes with a dollop of 
>> praise,
> then
>> that's great, but praise per se is not sufficient.
>>
>>
>>
>> I think that we can fall in to a trap of thinking that learners
>> invariably want/need support (which they do at times), but they also need 
>> to
> be
>> challenged, which means that we need to give them realistic feedback on 
>> how
> they
>> are progressing (or not).
>>
>>
>>
>> Regards, John
>>
>>
>>
>> PS I am not a paid servant of Dylan Wiliam, but I am a fan of his
>> research...
>>
>>
>>
>> John Benseman
>>
>> *   john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz
>>
>> *   641 9 627 1882  Cell  027 454 0683
>>
>> * 52a Bolton St, Blockhouse Bay, Auckland 0600, NZ
>>
>>
>> ________________________________
>>
>>
>> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
>> [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Bruce C
>> Sent: Wednesday, 27 February 2008 11:29 a.m.
>> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
>> Subject: [SpecialTopics 777] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller
>> classsizes 'not cost effective
>>
>>
>>
>> Regarding small class size....
>>
>>
>>
>> Excuse my language, but regarding the comments of regarding class size
>> attributed to Prof Dylan Wiliam, Deputy Director and Professor of 
>> Educational
>> Assessment at the Institute of Education, University of London, I say ...
>>
>>
>>
>> "BALDERDASH!!! and HOGWASH!!!!"
>>
>>
>>
>> I can't believe anyone who has been a teacher would ever say "...as long
>> as pupils are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is
> generally
>> possible with a class of 30."
>>
>>
>>
>> Maybe this was taken out of context. Prof. Wiliam (yes it's only one
>> "L"--I checked.) says some interesting things about formative assessment 
>> and
>> personalized learning on this "Learning About Learning" website:
>>
>>
>>
>> http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdy
>> lanwiliam.asp
>>
>>
>>
>> He does say a few wacky things--like that praise hurts students.
>>
>>
>>
>> Prof. Wil.i.am. says that formative assessment "encourages teachers to
>> take constant readings about where students are." He says it's important 
>> to do
>> this "minute by minute, day by day."  That's why I can't believe this 
>> dude
>> really thinks that class size doesn't matter. I think a teacher with 20
> students
>> in his/her class can get a better sense of where everyone is than a 
>> teacher
> with
>> 30 students.
>>
>>
>> Sure there may be things we can do that are cheaper than reducing class
>> size...
>>
>>
>>
>> But so what?
>>
>>
>>
>> If that is how we define "cost effectiveness" why not TRIPLE class size
>> and save tons of money?
>>
>>
>>
>> You get my point, right?
>>
>>
>>
>> from Bruce Carmel
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of
>> the Institute of Education says,
>>
>> <http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogd
>> ylanwiliam.asp>
>>
>>
>> "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net> wrote:
>>
>> Colleagues,
>>
>> Tom Sticht spotted this on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site and
>> sent
>> it for our formative assessment discussion.
>>
>> -------
>> Note from Tom Sticht:
>>
>> This article about formative assessment appears in todays
>> (2/25/08
>> Education Guardian online.
>> -------
>>
>> To see this story with its related links on the
>> EducationGuardian.co.uk site, go to
>> http://education.guardian.co.uk
>>
>> Smaller class sizes 'not cost effective'
>> Anthea Lipsett
>> Monday February 25 2008
>> The Guardian
>>
>> Reducing school class sizes in an attempt to raise pupil
>> achievement
>> is a waste of money for all but the youngest children, one of
>> the
>> country's leading experts on assessment said today.
>>
>> Cutting class size by 30% gives children the equivalent of four
>> extra
>> months of learning a year, but costs around ?20,000 for each
>> class every year, according to Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy
>> director of
>> the Institute of Education.
>>
>> He said the more effective method of "formative assessment" -
>> where
>> teachers monitor their pupils' progress continuously and provide
>> appropriate feedback - could provide eight extra months of
>> educational development for only ?2,000 per classroom per year.
>>
>> "It can therefore be 20 times as cost-effective as reducing
>> class
>> size in terms of pupil achievement," he told the annual
>> Chartered
>> London Teachers Conference today.
>>
>> "Smaller classes do confer a benefit if pupils are unruly,
>> because
>> fewer pupils in a class means less disruption. But as long as
>> pupils
>> are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is
>> generally possible with a class of 30.
>>
>> "Smaller classes can also be more cost-effective for five to
>> seven-
>> year-olds, but research suggests the class size needs to be
>> reduced
>> to 15 or less," he said.
>>
>> Wiliam added that investments in information communication
>> technology
>> have also shown a poor return. But international studies have
>> confirmed that formative assessment can double the speed of
>> pupil
>> learning.
>>
>> Some teachers use a "traffic light" system and ask pupils to
>> hold up
>> different coloured cards to show whether they have understood
>> what
>> they have been told. Red means "no", amber means "partly", and
>> green
>> "yes". Pupils are also encouraged to evaluate their own work and
>> advise their classmates on how they can improve.
>>
>> The English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish education
>> departments
>> have all provided varying degrees of backing for formative
>> assessment.
>>
>> After three years of research in both the UK and the US, Wiliam
>> concluded that the approach would only take off properly if
>> teachers
>> work together in school-based groups to refine their classroom
>> methods.
>>
>> Wiliam and his co-researchers found that groups of eight to 10
>> teachers who meet once a month for at least two years can be
>> most
>> effective. "It takes time to change teachers' ways of working,
>> particularly if they have been in the classroom for many years,"
>> said
>> Wiliam. "Simply telling teachers what to do doesn't work."
>>
>> "For example, most teachers have heard about research from the
>> 1980s
>> which shows that if they wait three to five seconds after asking
>> a
>> question their pupils' performance improves because they have
>> been
>> given some time to think.
>>
>> "Even so, many teachers are still allowing less than a second
>> for
>> pupils to respond. The conclusion we can draw from that is that
>> knowing what to do is the easy part of teaching. Actually doing
>> it is
>> what's hard."
>>
>> Wiliam told EducationGuardian.co.uk that teacher quality was key
>> to
>> any improvements.
>>
>> "To reduce class size from 30 to 20 would need 150,000 more
>> teachers
>> and that would dilute the quality of teachers," he said.
>>
>> "We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the
>> classroom
>> and we need to get better teachers into the profession."
>>
>> Martin Johnson, acting deputy general secretary of the
>> Association of
>> Teachers and Lecturers, said the research should encourage the
>> government to "put its money where its mouth is".
>>
>> "Staff need to work together to learn how to teach more
>> effectively,
>> but schools will need more resources to do this. [Wiliam]
>> reminds us
>> that this would be very cost-effective.
>>
>> "Schools have benefited hugely over the last decade from having
>> more
>> classroom based staff but much more training is needed to make
>> their
>> deployment fully effective.
>>
>> "And while the government says it encourages assessment for
>> learning,
>> its testing policies have stolen teachers' self-confidence so
>> new
>> training must be provided and resourced.
>>
>> "School staff desperately need a contractual entitlement to
>> training
>> which meets their individual needs."
>>
>> Copyright Guardian News and Media Limited
>>
>>
>>
>> David J. Rosen
>> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
>> djrosen at comcast.net
>>
>>
>>
>> -------------------------------
>> National Institute for Literacy
>> Special Topics mailing list
>> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
>> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go
>> to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
>> Email delivered to bcarmel at rocketmail.com
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ________________________________
>>
>>
>> Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage.
>> <http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=51438/*http:/www.yahoo.com/r/hs>
>>
>>
>
>
>
>

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to kgotthardt at comcast.net 

From kgotthardt at comcast.net  Sat Mar  1 09:49:12 2008
From: kgotthardt at comcast.net (Katherine)
Date: Sat, 1 Mar 2008 09:49:12 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 844] Re: Formative Assessment Discussion Coming to
	aclose
In-Reply-To: <AA2B656D-1B53-47C2-B3E8-1A91D83F9091@comcast.net>
References: <AA2B656D-1B53-47C2-B3E8-1A91D83F9091@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <21DECE213C4648B2ACDEB2A934DDC7AE@OwnerPC>

Thank you for the global perspective, the articles and feedback!

Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt
www.luxuriouschoices.net
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net>
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Sent: Friday, February 29, 2008 8:07 PM
Subject: [SpecialTopics 838] Formative Assessment Discussion Coming to 
aclose

> Colleagues,
>
> This has been a fabulous discussion. Guest researchers, practitioners
> and other participants have provided some terrific examples and
> challenges for us all to think about. Although the discussion is now
> coming to a close, on March 10th I will re-open it briefly for those
> who need some time to read and reflect and who might have more to say
> about formative assessment. Our guests are welcome to join us then if
> they are available, but we will understand if they cannot be.
>
> On March 17th we will begin a new topic, transition from corrections
> education to community education. Please join us for that discussion.
>
> I want to express my deep appreciation to our guests: Janet Looney,
> John Vorhaus, John Benseman and John Comings. I also want to thank
> our colleagues from England, Scotland, Germany, New Zealand and other
> countries who joined a Special Topics discussion for the first time.
> I hope you will join us again.
>
> For those who do not wish to stay subscribed for the next discussion,
> you can un-subscribe by going to
>
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
>
> In a few weeks the discussion will be posted on a National Institute
> for Literacy Web page, as well as on the Adult Literacy Education
> Wiki. When it is ready I will post an announcement here. Meanwhile,
> you will find an archive of all the messages, beginning with message
> 743, at http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html
>
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at comcast.net
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to kgotthardt at comcast.net 

From kgotthardt at comcast.net  Sat Mar  1 09:51:52 2008
From: kgotthardt at comcast.net (Katherine)
Date: Sat, 1 Mar 2008 09:51:52 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 845] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk:
	Smallerclasssizes'not cost effective
In-Reply-To: <00f301c87a63$66d00940$6401a8c0@lovetoread.local>
References: <mailman.19819.1203958441.1030.specialtopics@nifl.gov><729DD7C9-5734-427A-AF5D-49BD40556885@comcast.net><32B6459C7FD240E9BCD74E301739540E@OwnerPC>
	<00f301c87a63$66d00940$6401a8c0@lovetoread.local>
Message-ID: <F82C50E1839F432799E8C4A984FFF51D@OwnerPC>

I have elementary school kids, and I feel like they are CONSTANTLY being 
tested...unit tests, curriculum tests, SOL prep tests...sheesh.  Isn't there 
another way to show progress?

Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt
www.luxuriouschoices.net
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Cathie Seifert" <cseifert at lovetoread.org>
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2008 6:41 PM
Subject: [SpecialTopics 837] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: 
Smallerclasssizes'not cost effective

>I was disappointed to hear about the problems in Virginia.  I have not
> taught there since 1989, but when I taught there we had POS instead of 
> SOL,
> and I found them to be worthwhile because they were designed to test only
> what we had to teach and I could keep track of who still needed to learn
> what and who had really mastered what.  Luckily for me and for the 
> students,
> this had nothing to do with No Child Left Behind or Merit Pay and was just
> very helpful to keeping me and the students on track.  The way I used the
> tests I would say was formative assessment; when students were tested at 
> the
> start and end of the school year, I would say they were used as summative
> assessments.
>
> Cathie
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov 
> [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
> On Behalf Of Katherine
> Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 5:56 AM
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 767] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller
> classsizes'not cost effective
>
> No hold on : )
>
> "We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the classroom
> and we need to get better teachers into the profession."
>
> In the United States (in my state of Virginia and in other states) we have
> Standards of Learning tests.  These tests require teachers to feed 
> material
> to students at break-neck speed with little time for formative assessment
> other than constant testing.  Because of class sizes and the state
> requirements (which spill into national requirements via the "No Child 
> Left
> Behind" act), teachers have VERY little time to address questions from
> students who really have NOT understood the material.  Several times I 
> have
> heard the complaint, "I had a question but the teacher didn't have time to
> answer it."
>
> SOL scores in Virginia directly impact funding, and often negatively.
> Qualified and quality teachers are forced to teach to the test.  To boot,
> the states are cutting school funding, as is our county.  We have
> over-crowding in, I would guess-timate, just about ALL of our county 
> schools
>
> which to me clearly indicates unbalanced priorities.  We have students in
> TRAILERS attempting to learn in unstable environments because of
> over-crowding.  How does this cost us?
>
> Drop outs.  SOL failure.  Discipline problems.  Increased administrative
> time addressing issues that could be taken care of in the classroom IF it
> was manageable.  Failure to identify and properly address possible 
> learning
> disabilities.  And as we know, students who fail in K-12 have a harder 
> time
> contributing to the economy if and when they graduate.  This spills over
> into poverty and unemployment rates.  It's all connected, and most
> bureaucrats don't see it.  They think short-term, from budget year to 
> budget
>
> year with no thought of the future for the schools or the community.
>
> So.....add up all the numbers from the above, and I KNOW they won't match
> those in this article.
>
> How are our public schools supposed to survive in such an environment?
>
> Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt
> www.luxuriouschoices.net
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net>
> To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
> Sent: Monday, February 25, 2008 5:14 PM
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 756] EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller class
> sizes'not cost effective
>
>
>> Colleagues,
>>
>> Tom Sticht spotted this on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site and sent
>> it for our formative assessment discussion.
>>
>> -------
>> Note from Tom Sticht:
>>
>> This article about formative assessment appears in todays (2/25/08
>> Education Guardian online.
>> -------
>>
>> To see this story with its related links on the
>> EducationGuardian.co.uk site, go to http://education.guardian.co.uk
>>
>> Smaller class sizes 'not cost effective'
>> Anthea Lipsett
>> Monday February 25 2008
>> The Guardian
>>
>> Reducing school class sizes in an attempt to raise pupil achievement
>> is a waste of money for all but the youngest children, one of the
>> country's leading experts on assessment said today.
>>
>> Cutting class size by 30% gives children the equivalent of four extra
>> months of learning a year, but costs around &#163;20,000 for each
>> class every year, according to Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of
>> the Institute of Education.
>>
>> He said the more effective method of "formative assessment" - where
>> teachers monitor their pupils' progress continuously and provide
>> appropriate feedback - could provide eight extra months of
>> educational development for only &#163;2,000 per classroom per year.
>>
>> "It can therefore be 20 times as cost-effective as reducing class
>> size in terms of pupil achievement," he told the annual Chartered
>> London Teachers Conference today.
>>
>> "Smaller classes do confer a benefit if pupils are unruly, because
>> fewer pupils in a class means less disruption. But as long as pupils
>> are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is
>> generally possible with a class of 30.
>>
>> "Smaller classes can also be more cost-effective for five to seven-
>> year-olds, but research suggests the class size needs to be reduced
>> to 15 or less," he said.
>>
>> Wiliam added that investments in information communication technology
>> have also shown a poor return. But international studies have
>> confirmed that formative assessment can double the speed of pupil
>> learning.
>>
>> Some teachers use a "traffic light" system and ask pupils to hold up
>> different coloured cards to show whether they have understood what
>> they have been told. Red means "no", amber means "partly", and green
>> "yes". Pupils are also encouraged to evaluate their own work and
>> advise their classmates on how they can improve.
>>
>> The English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish education departments
>> have all provided varying degrees of backing for formative assessment.
>>
>> After three years of research in both the UK and the US, Wiliam
>> concluded that the approach would only take off properly if teachers
>> work together in school-based groups to refine their classroom methods.
>>
>> Wiliam and his co-researchers found that groups of eight to 10
>> teachers who meet once a month for at least two years can be most
>> effective. "It takes time to change teachers' ways of working,
>> particularly if they have been in the classroom for many years," said
>> Wiliam. "Simply telling teachers what to do doesn't work."
>>
>> "For example, most teachers have heard about research from the 1980s
>> which shows that if they wait three to five seconds after asking a
>> question their pupils' performance improves because they have been
>> given some time to think.
>>
>> "Even so, many teachers are still allowing less than a second for
>> pupils to respond. The conclusion we can draw from that is that
>> knowing what to do is the easy part of teaching. Actually doing it is
>> what's hard."
>>
>> Wiliam told EducationGuardian.co.uk that teacher quality was key to
>> any improvements.
>>
>> "To reduce class size from 30 to 20 would need 150,000 more teachers
>> and that would dilute the quality of teachers," he said.
>>
>> "We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the classroom
>> and we need to get better teachers into the profession."
>>
>> Martin Johnson, acting deputy general secretary of the Association of
>> Teachers and Lecturers, said the research should encourage the
>> government to "put its money where its mouth is".
>>
>> "Staff need to work together to learn how to teach more effectively,
>> but schools will need more resources to do this. [Wiliam] reminds us
>> that this would be very cost-effective.
>>
>> "Schools have benefited hugely over the last decade from having more
>> classroom based staff but much more training is needed to make their
>> deployment fully effective.
>>
>> "And while the government says it encourages assessment for learning,
>> its testing policies have stolen teachers' self-confidence so new
>> training must be provided and resourced.
>>
>> "School staff desperately need a contractual entitlement to training
>> which meets their individual needs."
>>
>> Copyright Guardian News and Media Limited
>>
>>
>>
>> David J. Rosen
>> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
>> djrosen at comcast.net
>>
>>
>>
>> -------------------------------
>> National Institute for Literacy
>> Special Topics mailing list
>> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
>> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
>> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
>> Email delivered to kgotthardt at comcast.net
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to cseifert at lovetoread.org
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to kgotthardt at comcast.net 

From Janet_Isserlis at brown.edu  Sun Mar  9 20:38:25 2008
From: Janet_Isserlis at brown.edu (Isserlis, Janet)
Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2008 20:38:25 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 846] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller
	classsizes'not cost effective
References: <BLU107-W249D0F7BC751980E626491F71B0@phx.gbl><C3EC3CFB.1F908%Janet_Isserlis@brown.edu>
	<BLU107-W389C9BFF5878689CC7F452F7150@phx.gbl>
Message-ID: <20EC1BB15C09F340A09A79FA1DBF970602403E6D@MAIL3.AD.Brown.Edu>

Cheryl and all

A considerable number of people are in this country - both with and without documentation, and are working very hard to keep body and soul together, to support families, to make contributions to communities.
Most ESOL students are not (yet) American citizens. Our job, as I understand it, is to enable adults to connect to the learning opportunities they need in order to attain self sufficiency, to meet the goals they name and the goals they discover to be obtainable as isolation decreases and learning increases.

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Cheryl Diamond
Sent: Fri 2/29/2008 10:24 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 840] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes'not cost effective
 

Janet, 
By OUR students, I mean our students who are American citizens. In another Florida county with which I have experience,  the bill for educating undocumented students was outstandingly high as was the cost of medical care. I do feel sympathy for the undocumented; however, the costs are out of sight as they are in other parts of the country.
Cheryl

Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 10:27:07 -0500From: Janet_Isserlis at brown.eduTo: specialtopics at nifl.govSubject: [SpecialTopics 812] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes'not cost effective
CherylCan you say more about what you mean by OUR students?Janet

From: Cheryl Diamond <cheryl_diamond at msn.com>Reply-To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2008 08:30:33 -0500To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>Subject: [SpecialTopics 810] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes'not cost effectiveHi, all I read and watched the replies on this issue. Mixed reactions, as a current taxpayer and former teacher, I possess. I am sure that not everyone will accept what I have to say. However, my points should be taken from where they come. Very hard to say that if you reduce class size you have a perfect solution. Some classes should be smaller but not all. You certainly do raise the price on education as no one seems to give up any monies. As a current taxpayer facing unending increases across the board, I  can say "ENOUGH". But as we all know it is not only the teachers' responsiblity. As a former teacher, I saw good and less good teachers. The same goes for parents and admin people.  At least the article on class  size produced comment. As a voter who can see how the class size amendment got adopted, I would say we need to revisit the election with less special interest input. I am disappointed when 1)I don't have clerks who can't figure the exact amount I hand them, or 2)I hear that people haven't been reading  up on the issues or candidates, 3)or readership in a variety of media is down, and finally, 4) listen to high school graduates don't know what EPA means in our government. Yet, a teacher has a very full plate with the extra paperwork, etc., put on him/her. Less government interference and more qualitative parental interest would be tops on my list. There is only so much money for education. It should be spent correctly on OUR students. I am truly aware of the immigration issues and how it has obliterated the budget process. Keep it simple as best we can. Thanks, Cheryl Diamond

From: marie.cora at hotspurpartners.comTo: specialtopics at nifl.govDate: Wed, 27 Feb 2008 09:42:12 -0500Subject: [SpecialTopics 791] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes'not cost effectiveHi everyone,Great discussion, it's so full and rich I don't know where to begin.  My apologies if what I say below has been noted already - But I will second John's comments re:  Dylan Wiliam.  I think that the Education Guardian article below takes many of his points out of context.  Best to get it from the horse's mouth I would say:  see Black and Wiliam, Inside the Black Box:   Raising Standards through Classroom Assessment at http://www.pdkintl.org/kappan/kbla9810.htm for starters. I get a ton out of his notion of Assessment FOR Learning versus Assessment OF Learning.Marie CoraNIFL Assessment Discussion List Moderatorhttp://www.nifl.gov/lincs/discussions/discussions.html-----Original Message-----From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of John BensemanSent: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 11:38 PMTo: specialtopics at nifl.govSubject: [SpecialTopics 779] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes'not cost effectiveI don't know the specific words that Dylan Wiliam uses about class size, but I am guessing that what he says is that there is no authoritative research that shows that class size is irrefutably related to student learning. This is not to say that class size doesn't matter, it merely says that the research over many 100s of studies is inconclusive to date.As I am sure that the great majority of people on this listserv will attest, we all feel intuitively that class size DOES matter - it's just that there is no research to back this conclusion. The jury, so to speak, is still out on this dimension of teaching (as it is in many other areas).The second point re saying that 'praise hurts students': I couldn't find the specific reference, but again interpreting what I think Wiliam would say is something along the lines of: just praising students for the sake of praising does them little good. What is needed however is clear and realistic feedback on where they are at in their learning. If that comes with a dollop of praise, then that's great, but praise per se is not sufficient.I think that we can fall in to a trap of thinking that learners invariably want/need support (which they do at times), but they also need to be challenged, which means that we need to give them realistic feedback on how they are progressing (or not).Regards, JohnPS I am not a paid servant of Dylan Wiliam, but I am a fan of his research.John Benseman*   john.benseman at criticalinsight.co.nz(   641 9 627 1882  Cell  027 454 0683- 52a Bolton St, Blockhouse Bay, Auckland 0600, NZ

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Bruce CSent: Wednesday, 27 February 2008 11:29 a.m.To: specialtopics at nifl.govSubject: [SpecialTopics 777] Re: EducationGuardian.co.uk: Smaller classsizes 'not cost effectiveRegarding small class size....Excuse my language, but regarding the comments of regarding class size attributed to Prof Dylan Wiliam, Deputy Director and Professor of Educational Assessment at the Institute of Education, University of London, I say ..."BALDERDASH!!! and HOGWASH!!!!" I can't believe anyone who has been a teacher would ever say "...as long as pupils are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is generally possible with a class of 30." Maybe this was taken out of context. Prof. Wiliam (yes it's only one "L"--I checked.) says some interesting things about formative assessment and personalized learning on this "Learning About Learning" website: http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdylanwiliam.aspHe does say a few wacky things--like that praise hurts students. Prof. Wil.i.am. says that formative assessment "encourages teachers to take constant readings about where students are." He says it's important to do this "minute by minute, day by day."  That's why I can't believe this dude really thinks that class size doesn't matter. I think a teacher with 20 students in his/her class can get a better sense of where everyone is than a teacher with 30 students. Sure there may be things we can do that are cheaper than reducing class size...But so what?If that is how we define "cost effectiveness" why not TRIPLE class size and save tons of money? You get my point, right? from Bruce CarmelProf Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of the Institute of Education says, <http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningaboutlearning/aboutlal/biogs/biogdylanwiliam.asp>  "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net> wrote:
Colleagues,Tom Sticht spotted this on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site and sent it for our formative assessment discussion.-------Note from Tom Sticht:This article about formative assessment appears in todays (2/25/08 Education Guardian online.-------To see this story with its related links on the EducationGuardian.co.uk site, go to http://education.guardian.co.ukSmaller class sizes 'not cost effective'Anthea LipsettMonday February 25 2008The GuardianReducing school class sizes in an attempt to raise pupil achievement is a waste of money for all but the youngest children, one of the country's leading experts on assessment said today.Cutting class size by 30% gives children the equivalent of four extra months of learning a year, but costs around ?20,000 for each class every year, according to Prof Dylan Wiliam, deputy director of the Institute of Education.He said the more effective method of "formative assessment" - where teachers monitor their pupils' progress continuously and provide appropriate feedback - could provide eight extra months of educational development for only ?2,000 per classroom per year."It can therefore be 20 times as cost-effective as reducing class size in terms of pupil achievement," he told the annual Chartered London Teachers Conference today."Smaller classes do confer a benefit if pupils are unruly, because fewer pupils in a class means less disruption. But as long as pupils are well-behaved, then what you can do with a class of 20 is generally possible with a class of 30."Smaller classes can also be more cost-effective for five to seven- year-olds, but research suggests the class size needs to be reduced to 15 or less," he said.Wiliam added that investments in information communication technology have also shown a poor return. But international studies have confirmed that formative assessment can double the speed of pupil learning.Some teachers use a "traffic light" system and ask pupils to hold up different coloured cards to show whether they have understood what they have been told. Red means "no", amber means "partly", and green "yes". Pupils are also encouraged to evaluate their own work and advise their classmates on how they can improve.The English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish education departments have all provided varying degrees of backing for formative assessment.After three years of research in both the UK and the US, Wiliam concluded that the approach would only take off properly if teachers work together in school-based groups to refine their classroom methods.Wiliam and his co-researchers found that groups of eight to 10 teachers who meet once a month for at least two years can be most effective. "It takes time to change teachers' ways of working, particularly if they have been in the classroom for many years," said Wiliam. "Simply telling teachers what to do doesn't work.""For example, most teachers have heard about research from the 1980s which shows that if they wait three to five seconds after asking a question their pupils' performance improves because they have been given some time to think."Even so, many teachers are still allowing less than a second for pupils to respond. The conclusion we can draw from that is that knowing what to do is the easy part of teaching. Actually doing it is what's hard."Wiliam told EducationGuardian.co.uk that teacher quality was key to any improvements."To reduce class size from 30 to 20 would need 150,000 more teachers and that would dilute the quality of teachers," he said."We need to change what teachers do day in day out in the classroom and we need to get better teachers into the profession."Martin Johnson, acting deputy general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said the research should encourage the government to "put its money where its mouth is"."Staff need to work together to learn how to teach more effectively, but schools will need more resources to do this. [Wiliam] reminds us that this would be very cost-effective."Schools have benefited hugely over the last decade from having more classroom based staff but much more training is needed to make their deployment fully effective."And while the government says it encourages assessment for learning, its testing policies have stolen teachers' self-confidence so new training must be provided and resourced."School staff desperately need a contractual entitlement to training which meets their individual needs."Copyright Guardian News and Media LimitedDavid J. RosenSpecial Topics Discussion Moderatordjrosen at comcast.net-------------------------------National Institute for LiteracySpecial Topics mailing listSpecialTopics at nifl.govTo unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopicsEmail delivered to bcarmel at rocketmail.com 

Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage. <http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=51438/*http:/www.yahoo.com/r/hs>  

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From djrosen at comcast.net  Fri Mar 14 09:20:04 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (djrosen at comcast.net)
Date: Fri, 14 Mar 2008 13:20:04 +0000
Subject: [SpecialTopics 847] Transition from corrections to community
	education: some readings
Message-ID: <031420081320.3678.47DA7B840003F62F00000E5E2216557996020A9C019D060B@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

In preparation for our discussion beginning Monday, March 17th, on transition from corrections education to community education, our guests have suggested the following readings:

The Urban Institute's web site at
http://www.urban.org/justice/index.cfm 
has a complete list of its publications, most of which are online.  Of particular interest may be those that highlight individual state reports in the multi-state Returning Home project.
http://tinyurl.com/2cm7jp
These are all accessible online.  

Taylor Stoehr's articles.  There are a number on the Changing Lives Through Literature web site:
http://cltl.umassd.edu/IssuesClassroom3.cfm
"Enforcing the Rules" is especially recommended.

The topic of prison location/release location will also be useful to the discussion.  There are several articles listed on the Urban Institute?s re-entry mapping pages, several from 2004.  
http://tinyurl.com/2687ma

These two books have a lot to offer:  Joan Petersilia's "When
Prisoners Come Home: Parole and Prisoner Reentry" Oxford University
Press 2003, and Jeremy Travis' "But They All Come Back: Facing the
Challenges of Prisoner Reentry" Urban Institute Press 2005.

Also, see http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/181413.pdf for a paper by Jeremy Travis on this topic.

As mentioned earlier, here?s the link to the Correctional Education, Family Literacy and Transitions discussion that were hosted here  in September 2006:   
http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Corrections_Education#2._Correctional_Ed.2C_Family_Literacy_.26_Transition--On-Line_Discussion.2C_September_2006   or, for short, 
http://tinyurl.com/yrzwlk

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

From djrosen at comcast.net  Mon Mar 17 08:58:45 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Mon, 17 Mar 2008 08:58:45 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 848]  Corrections to Community Education
Message-ID: <B8EF368B-4571-4F3E-AA28-DE00D4451F56@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

This week our special topic is Transition from Corrections Education  
to Community Education. I would like to welcome our guests Dr.  
Carolyn Buser, Steve Schwalb,  John Gordon and Dr. Stephen J.  
Steurer. You will find background information on them below as well  
as some readings they have suggested.

I will be posting some questions, but I hope you will also post your  
questions. To begin, I would like to refer to some recent remarks by  
Jeremy Travis, the President of John Jay College of Criminal Justice,  
to a gathering of U.S. mayors in New York City on February 28th,  
2008. I would also like to invite our guests to react to these  
remarks and to add other information that provides the background for  
this transition issue, that helps us to understand why education, and  
transition from corrections education to community education is such  
an important issue.

??over the past generation we have quadrupled the per capita rate of
incarceration in this country.  Every year since 1972 ? in times of  
war and times of peace;
in good economic times, in bad economic times; when crime was going  
up and crime was
going down ? we have put more people in prison.  We also tend to  
forget that, with the
exception of those few who die in prison, they will all come back.

This year, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics,  
approximately 700,000
individuals will leave our nation?s prisons, well over four times the  
number who made a
similar journey thirty years ago.  Ninety percent of them are men; a  
majority are men of
color; in every state, they typically go back to a small number of  
urban neighborhoods,
neighborhoods that are struggling with poor schools, weak labor  
markets, substandard
housing, and inadequate health care.  As a nation, we have in essence  
asked these hard-
pressed communities to take on the enormous additional responsibility  
of reintegrating
record numbers of their family members who have been sent off to  
prison and return
home, typically with significant service needs, often without  
supportive social networks.?
( http://tinyurl.com/2glxlj )

Background on Discussion Guests

Carolyn (Cay) Buser
Cay Buser joined the United States Department of Education in May of  
2006 as an adult education program specialist with duties as the  
Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) liaison with  
correctional education.  Dr. Buser works with the Western States to  
assist them in the administration of adult education grants.  She  
also is the national resource for coordination with correctional  
education programs and adult education grants.

Prior to her federal appointment, Dr. Buser was director of  
correctional education for the Maryland State Department of  
Education.  Her responsibilities entailed management of the education  
and library programs in Maryland?s adult and juvenile correctional  
systems.  She provided direct support to Maryland?s Educational  
Coordinating Council for Correctional Institutions, the ?school  
board? for correctional education headed by the State Superintendent  
of Schools with the State Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional  
Services as a member.

Dr. Buser has been an active member of the Correctional Education  
Association serving as a regional director and is currently on the  
editorial board of the Journal of Correctional Education.  Her  
academic background includes a master?s degree in special education  
and a doctorate in educational policy and administration.  Dr. Buser  
taught English in public middle and high schools in the Midwest, and  
in community colleges in Maryland.  She taught for seven years in  
Maryland?s correctional education program and served as a principal  
in three correctional settings before her appointment as director of  
the State program.

Steve Schwalb
Steve Schwalb has served as President and CEO of Pioneer Human  
Services since April, 2007. Prior to that, Steve had a 33-year career  
in the field of corrections.

After receiving his B.A. degree in Business Administration from the  
University of Washington, he began his corrections career as a  
Personnel Management Specialist trainee with the Federal Bureau of  
Prisons.  He subsequently held various positions of additional  
responsibility, including Personnel Director, Chief of Internal  
Affairs, Warden, Deputy Regional Director and Assistant Director.

In the latter position, Steve was responsible for nationwide  
oversight of the education, vocational training, recreation,  
parenting, transition preparation, citizen volunteers and industrial  
work programs.  Serving in the role of Chief Operating Officer of  
Federal Prison Industries, Inc., he oversaw over 100 factories that  
employ 21,000 inmates and 1,400 staff, and that generated $800  
million in annual sales.

In the mid-1980?s, Steve served as Associate Superintendent and  
Program Manager with the Washington State Department of Corrections,  
and as Director of the King County Jail in Seattle.

During his federal career, Steve was appointed by the President to  
the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely  
Disabled, and served as chairman for four of his twelve years on the  
committee.

John Gordon
John has worked at the Fortune Society since 2001, first as Director  
of its Education program and more recently as an Associate President  
of Programs. The Fortune Society works with people after they?ve come  
home from prison or jail. Their Education program serves 200-300  
students per year; they offer classes in Adult Basic Education, ESOL,  
and computer skills. Many students are on probation or parole; others  
are mandated by the courts to one of Fortune?s Alternatives to  
Incarceration programs; some are no longer under any criminal justice  
supervision.
Before coming to the Fortune Society, John worked for 16 years as  
Teacher-Director of the Open Book, a community based literacy program  
in Brooklyn, NY. At the Open Book, some of his central concerns  
revolved around developing student leadership and student  
participation in program decision-making; publishing student writing  
and oral histories, and welfare and literacy issues. He published  
several articles on these topics as well as More Than a Job:  A  
Curriculum on Work and Society (New Readers Press). He is an active  
participant in the New York City Coalition for Adult Literacy.
The Fortune Society was founded in 1967 with two main goals: (1) to  
educate the public about prisons, criminal justice issues, and the  
root causes of crime and (2) to provide support for people as they  
come home from prison. Fortune serves over 3,000 former prisoners a  
year, offering education, career development, counseling, substance  
abuse treatment, housing, health services, and alternatives to  
incarceration. It continues to play a strong role in advocating for  
criminal justice and prison reform.

Stephen J. Steurer, Ph.D.
Steve is the  Executive Director of the Correctional Education  
Association, a professional organization of educators who work in  
prisons, jails and juvenile settings.

Our guests have suggested the following readings:

The Urban Institute's web site at
http://www.urban.org/justice/index.cfm
has a complete list of its publications, most of which are online. Of  
particular interest may be those that highlight individual state  
reports in the multi-state Returning Home project.
http://tinyurl.com/2cm7jp
These are all accessible online.

Taylor Stoehr's articles. There are a number on the Changing Lives  
Through Literature web site:
http://cltl.umassd.edu/IssuesClassroom3.cfm
"Enforcing the Rules" is especially recommended.

The topic of prison location/release location will also be useful to  
the discussion. There are several articles listed on the Urban  
Institute?s re-entry mapping pages, several from 2004.
http://tinyurl.com/2687ma

These two books have a lot to offer: Joan Petersilia's "When
Prisoners Come Home: Parole and Prisoner Reentry" Oxford University
Press 2003, and Jeremy Travis' "But They All Come Back: Facing the
Challenges of Prisoner Reentry" Urban Institute Press 2005.

Also, see http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/181413.pdf for a paper  
by Jeremy Travis on this topic.

As mentioned earlier, here?s the link to the Correctional Education,  
Family Literacy and Transitions discussion that were hosted here in  
September 2006:
http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/ 
Corrections_Education#2._Correctional_Ed.2C_Family_Literacy_. 
26_Transition--On-Line_Discussion.2C_September_2006 or, for short,
http://tinyurl.com/yrzwlk

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

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From Gary.Upham at maine.gov  Mon Mar 17 08:34:26 2008
From: Gary.Upham at maine.gov (Upham, Gary)
Date: Mon, 17 Mar 2008 08:34:26 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 849]  Posting
In-Reply-To: <mailman.0.1205754459.23145.specialtopics@nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <4CB17D33C0F89345847A40593C9EB8EBE5DA53@SOM-TEAQASMAIL2.som.w2k.state.me.us>

Gary Upham
Maine State Prison Principal

I have been the Principal of the Maine State Prison for the past year
and a half.  It has not taken me long to identify that much of this
population has special education needs.  However I have tried,
unsuccessfully, to pull in resources appropriate for identification and
strategies to work with my inmates.  Funding is a major issue as well as
current staffing, which is affected by funding.  How do I deal with a
major need under these conditions?

From Carolyn.Buser at ed.gov  Mon Mar 17 09:50:08 2008
From: Carolyn.Buser at ed.gov (Buser, Carolyn)
Date: Mon, 17 Mar 2008 09:50:08 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 850] Re: Corrections to Community Education
Message-ID: <EFB4E73A48DFC544B8FAB0950A5E29030E5FCE@wdcrobe2m05.ed.gov>

            Good morning.  Jeremy Travis and the Urban Institute have been
drawing the attention of professionals and the general public to the issues
surrounding reentry for a number of years.  The excellent reentry roundtable
series will continue in New York City next month and feature participants
from areas affecting reentry and transition, as well as persons who have
successfully made their own transition.  The recent report from the Pew
Charitable Trust seems to have captured the interest of the general public.
The statistics the report presents are astonishing.  More than one in every
one hundred adults is now confined in an American jail or prison.  The
incidence of incarceration is disproportionately levied across minority and
male communities with one in thirty men between the ages of 20 and 34 in
jail or prison, and one in nine men of color between those same ages is
incarcerated.  As Jeremy Travis points out, almost all of these people will
return to society.   Many of them will return to neighborhoods already
strapped to provide basic social services to residents who have not been
incarcerated.  The task of facilitating reentry to ensure humane and hopeful
solutions for persons, neighborhoods, and country is daunting.  The task can
only be addressed in its whole.  Preparation for reentry must begin when a
person first enters a prison and continue through release and well beyond -
engaging police, the courts, the correctional system, correctional
education, community agencies, families, community educational systems, and
the business community.  Persons released from incarceration can use skills
learned in prison to revitalize their communities.  Returning persons can be
a resource if there is the will to equip them to be so.    

 

  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 8:59 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 848] Corrections to Community Education

 

Colleagues,

 

This week our special topic is Transition from Corrections Education to
Community Education. I would like to welcome our guests Dr. Carolyn Buser,
Steve Schwalb,  John Gordon and Dr. Stephen J. Steurer. You will find
background information on them below as well as some readings they have
suggested.

 

I will be posting some questions, but I hope you will also post your
questions. To begin, I would like to refer to some recent remarks by Jeremy
Travis, the President of John Jay College of Criminal Justice, to a
gathering of U.S. mayors in New York City on February 28th, 2008. I would
also like to invite our guests to react to these remarks and to add other
information that provides the background for this transition issue, that
helps us to understand why education, and transition from corrections
education to community education is such an important issue.

 

"...over the past generation we have quadrupled the per capita rate of 

incarceration in this country.  Every year since 1972 - in times of war and
times of peace; 

in good economic times, in bad economic times; when crime was going up and
crime was 

going down - we have put more people in prison.  We also tend to forget
that, with the 

exception of those few who die in prison, they will all come back.   

 

This year, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, approximately
700,000 

individuals will leave our nation's prisons, well over four times the number
who made a 

similar journey thirty years ago.  Ninety percent of them are men; a
majority are men of 

color; in every state, they typically go back to a small number of urban
neighborhoods, 

neighborhoods that are struggling with poor schools, weak labor markets,
substandard 

housing, and inadequate health care.  As a nation, we have in essence asked
these hard- 

pressed communities to take on the enormous additional responsibility of
reintegrating 

record numbers of their family members who have been sent off to prison and
return 

home, typically with significant service needs, often without supportive
social networks."  

( http://tinyurl.com/2glxlj )

 

Background on Discussion Guests

 

Carolyn (Cay) Buser

Cay Buser joined the United States Department of Education in May of 2006 as
an adult education program specialist with duties as the Adult Education and
Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) liaison with correctional education.  Dr. Buser
works with the Western States to assist them in the administration of adult
education grants.  She also is the national resource for coordination with
correctional education programs and adult education grants.

 

Prior to her federal appointment, Dr. Buser was director of correctional
education for the Maryland State Department of Education.  Her
responsibilities entailed management of the education and library programs
in Maryland's adult and juvenile correctional systems.  She provided direct
support to Maryland's Educational Coordinating Council for Correctional
Institutions, the "school board" for correctional education headed by the
State Superintendent of Schools with the State Secretary of Public Safety
and Correctional Services as a member.

 

Dr. Buser has been an active member of the Correctional Education
Association serving as a regional director and is currently on the editorial
board of the Journal of Correctional Education.  Her academic background
includes a master's degree in special education and a doctorate in
educational policy and administration.  Dr. Buser taught English in public
middle and high schools in the Midwest, and in community colleges in
Maryland.  She taught for seven years in Maryland's correctional education
program and served as a principal in three correctional settings before her
appointment as director of the State program.

 

Steve Schwalb

Steve Schwalb has served as President and CEO of Pioneer Human Services
since April, 2007. Prior to that, Steve had a 33-year career in the field of
corrections.  

 

After receiving his B.A. degree in Business Administration from the
University of Washington, he began his corrections career as a Personnel
Management Specialist trainee with the Federal Bureau of Prisons.  He
subsequently held various positions of additional responsibility, including
Personnel Director, Chief of Internal Affairs, Warden, Deputy Regional
Director and Assistant Director. 

 

In the latter position, Steve was responsible for nationwide oversight of
the education, vocational training, recreation, parenting, transition
preparation, citizen volunteers and industrial work programs.  Serving in
the role of Chief Operating Officer of Federal Prison Industries, Inc., he
oversaw over 100 factories that employ 21,000 inmates and 1,400 staff, and
that generated $800 million in annual sales.

 

In the mid-1980's, Steve served as Associate Superintendent and Program
Manager with the Washington State Department of Corrections, and as Director
of the King County Jail in Seattle. 

 

During his federal career, Steve was appointed by the President to the
Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled, and
served as chairman for four of his twelve years on the committee.

 

John Gordon

John has worked at the Fortune Society since 2001, first as Director of its
Education program and more recently as an Associate President of Programs.
The Fortune Society works with people after they've come home from prison or
jail. Their Education program serves 200-300 students per year; they offer
classes in Adult Basic Education, ESOL, and computer skills. Many students
are on probation or parole; others are mandated by the courts to one of
Fortune's Alternatives to Incarceration programs; some are no longer under
any criminal justice supervision.

Before coming to the Fortune Society, John worked for 16 years as
Teacher-Director of the Open Book, a community based literacy program in
Brooklyn, NY. At the Open Book, some of his central concerns revolved around
developing student leadership and student participation in program
decision-making; publishing student writing and oral histories, and welfare
and literacy issues. He published several articles on these topics as well
as More Than a Job:  A Curriculum on Work and Society (New Readers Press).
He is an active participant in the New York City Coalition for Adult
Literacy.

The Fortune Society was founded in 1967 with two main goals: (1) to educate
the public about prisons, criminal justice issues, and the root causes of
crime and (2) to provide support for people as they come home from prison.
Fortune serves over 3,000 former prisoners a year, offering education,
career development, counseling, substance abuse treatment, housing, health
services, and alternatives to incarceration. It continues to play a strong
role in advocating for criminal justice and prison reform.

 

Stephen J. Steurer, Ph.D.

Steve is the  Executive Director of the Correctional Education Association,
a professional organization of educators who work in prisons, jails and
juvenile settings.

 

 

Our guests have suggested the following readings:

 

The Urban Institute's web site at

http://www.urban.org/justice/index.cfm

has a complete list of its publications, most of which are online. Of
particular interest may be those that highlight individual state reports in
the multi-state Returning Home project.

http://tinyurl.com/2cm7jp

These are all accessible online.

 

Taylor Stoehr's articles. There are a number on the Changing Lives Through
Literature web site:

http://cltl.umassd.edu/IssuesClassroom3.cfm

"Enforcing the Rules" is especially recommended.

 

The topic of prison location/release location will also be useful to the
discussion. There are several articles listed on the Urban Institute's
re-entry mapping pages, several from 2004.

http://tinyurl.com/2687ma

 

These two books have a lot to offer: Joan Petersilia's "When

Prisoners Come Home: Parole and Prisoner Reentry" Oxford University

Press 2003, and Jeremy Travis' "But They All Come Back: Facing the

Challenges of Prisoner Reentry" Urban Institute Press 2005.

 

Also, see http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/181413.pdf for a paper by
Jeremy Travis on this topic.

 

As mentioned earlier, here's the link to the Correctional Education, Family
Literacy and Transitions discussion that were hosted here in September 2006:

http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Corrections_Education#2._Correctional
_Ed.2C_Family_Literacy_.26_Transition--On-Line_Discussion.2C_September_2006
or, for short,

http://tinyurl.com/yrzwlk

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

djrosen at comcast.net

 

 

 

 

-------------- next part --------------
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From david at collings.com  Mon Mar 17 10:15:15 2008
From: david at collings.com (David Collings)
Date: Mon, 17 Mar 2008 10:15:15 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 851] Re: Corrections to Community Education
In-Reply-To: <B8EF368B-4571-4F3E-AA28-DE00D4451F56@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <20080317141523.1BC8061CF9@nb-201.win.net>

This morning (3/17/08) the Louisville Courier-Journal reported the following
front-page story:
 
"Rising prison numbers worry Ky.
 Officials will meet today to consider solutions
 
Alarmed by Kentucky's exploding prison population -- and fast-rising costs --
state Justice Secretary J. Michael Brown has called a meeting today of the state
Criminal Justice Council to take up the issue and find some solutions. 
 
..."I think it is extremely urgent," said state Senate Majority leader Dan
Kelly, R-Springfield.
 
He said the state needs to find more humane ways to deal with minor offenders
who aren't dangerous and may need treatment for mental illness or drug
addiction.
 
"Fortunately, the cost is attracting some attention to the humanity," Kelly
said.
 
Kentucky's prison population is rising at the fastest rate in the nation,
according to a report last month by the Pew Center on the States, a nonpartisan
Washington research and policy group. Kentucky currently has about 22,600 felony
offenders in jail or prison, and this year's state corrections budget is about
$431 million -- compared with about 3,700 inmates in 1980 and a budget of $30
million. "
 
To our panel of guests:
 
Given this rare opportunity for change in the Kentucky penal system, what
information might I offer the Criminal Justice Council, which would bring new
light to the role of education -- especially adult education?
 
David Collings
 

  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On
Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 8:59 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 848] Corrections to Community Education

Colleagues,

This week our special topic is Transition from Corrections Education to
Community Education. I would like to welcome our guests Dr. Carolyn Buser, Steve
Schwalb,  John Gordon and Dr. Stephen J. Steurer. You will find background
information on them below as well as some readings they have suggested.

I will be posting some questions, but I hope you will also post your questions.
To begin, I would like to refer to some recent remarks by Jeremy Travis, the
President of John Jay College of Criminal Justice, to a gathering of U.S. mayors
in New York City on February 28th, 2008. I would also like to invite our guests
to react to these remarks and to add other information that provides the
background for this transition issue, that helps us to understand why education,
and transition from corrections education to community education is such an
important issue.

".over the past generation we have quadrupled the per capita rate of 
incarceration in this country.  Every year since 1972 - in times of war and
times of peace; 
in good economic times, in bad economic times; when crime was going up and crime
was 
going down - we have put more people in prison.  We also tend to forget that,
with the 
exception of those few who die in prison, they will all come back.   
 
This year, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, approximately 700,000 
individuals will leave our nation's prisons, well over four times the number who
made a 
similar journey thirty years ago.  Ninety percent of them are men; a majority
are men of 
color; in every state, they typically go back to a small number of urban
neighborhoods, 
neighborhoods that are struggling with poor schools, weak labor markets,
substandard 
housing, and inadequate health care.  As a nation, we have in essence asked
these hard- 
pressed communities to take on the enormous additional responsibility of
reintegrating 
record numbers of their family members who have been sent off to prison and
return 
home, typically with significant service needs, often without supportive social
networks."  
( http://tinyurl.com/2glxlj )

Background on Discussion Guests

Carolyn (Cay) Buser
Cay Buser joined the United States Department of Education in May of 2006 as an
adult education program specialist with duties as the Adult Education and Family
Literacy Act (AEFLA) liaison with correctional education.  Dr. Buser works with
the Western States to assist them in the administration of adult education
grants.  She also is the national resource for coordination with correctional
education programs and adult education grants.
 
Prior to her federal appointment, Dr. Buser was director of correctional
education for the Maryland State Department of Education.  Her responsibilities
entailed management of the education and library programs in Maryland's adult
and juvenile correctional systems.  She provided direct support to Maryland's
Educational Coordinating Council for Correctional Institutions, the "school
board" for correctional education headed by the State Superintendent of Schools
with the State Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services as a member.
 
Dr. Buser has been an active member of the Correctional Education Association
serving as a regional director and is currently on the editorial board of the
Journal of Correctional Education.  Her academic background includes a master's
degree in special education and a doctorate in educational policy and
administration.  Dr. Buser taught English in public middle and high schools in
the Midwest, and in community colleges in Maryland.  She taught for seven years
in Maryland's correctional education program and served as a principal in three
correctional settings before her appointment as director of the State program.

Steve Schwalb
Steve Schwalb has served as President and CEO of Pioneer Human Services since
April, 2007. Prior to that, Steve had a 33-year career in the field of
corrections.  

After receiving his B.A. degree in Business Administration from the University
of Washington, he began his corrections career as a Personnel Management
Specialist trainee with the Federal Bureau of Prisons.  He subsequently held
various positions of additional responsibility, including Personnel Director,
Chief of Internal Affairs, Warden, Deputy Regional Director and Assistant
Director. 
 
In the latter position, Steve was responsible for nationwide oversight of the
education, vocational training, recreation, parenting, transition preparation,
citizen volunteers and industrial work programs.  Serving in the role of Chief
Operating Officer of Federal Prison Industries, Inc., he oversaw over 100
factories that employ 21,000 inmates and 1,400 staff, and that generated $800
million in annual sales.
 
In the mid-1980's, Steve served as Associate Superintendent and Program Manager
with the Washington State Department of Corrections, and as Director of the King
County Jail in Seattle. 
 
During his federal career, Steve was appointed by the President to the Committee
for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled, and served as
chairman for four of his twelve years on the committee.
 
John Gordon
John has worked at the Fortune Society since 2001, first as Director of its
Education program and more recently as an Associate President of Programs. The
Fortune Society works with people after they've come home from prison or jail.
Their Education program serves 200-300 students per year; they offer classes in
Adult Basic Education, ESOL, and computer skills. Many students are on probation
or parole; others are mandated by the courts to one of Fortune's Alternatives to
Incarceration programs; some are no longer under any criminal justice
supervision.
Before coming to the Fortune Society, John worked for 16 years as
Teacher-Director of the Open Book, a community based literacy program in
Brooklyn, NY. At the Open Book, some of his central concerns revolved around
developing student leadership and student participation in program
decision-making; publishing student writing and oral histories, and welfare and
literacy issues. He published several articles on these topics as well as More
Than a Job:  A Curriculum on Work and Society (New Readers Press). He is an
active participant in the New York City Coalition for Adult Literacy.
The Fortune Society was founded in 1967 with two main goals: (1) to educate the
public about prisons, criminal justice issues, and the root causes of crime and
(2) to provide support for people as they come home from prison. Fortune serves
over 3,000 former prisoners a year, offering education, career development,
counseling, substance abuse treatment, housing, health services, and
alternatives to incarceration. It continues to play a strong role in advocating
for criminal justice and prison reform.

Stephen J. Steurer, Ph.D.
Steve is the  Executive Director of the Correctional Education Association, a
professional organization of educators who work in prisons, jails and juvenile
settings.

Our guests have suggested the following readings:

The Urban Institute's web site at
http://www.urban.org/justice/index.cfm
has a complete list of its publications, most of which are online. Of particular
interest may be those that highlight individual state reports in the multi-state
Returning Home project.
http://tinyurl.com/2cm7jp
These are all accessible online.

Taylor Stoehr's articles. There are a number on the Changing Lives Through
Literature web site:
http://cltl.umassd.edu/IssuesClassroom3.cfm
"Enforcing the Rules" is especially recommended.

The topic of prison location/release location will also be useful to the
discussion. There are several articles listed on the Urban Institute's re-entry
mapping pages, several from 2004.
http://tinyurl.com/2687ma

These two books have a lot to offer: Joan Petersilia's "When
Prisoners Come Home: Parole and Prisoner Reentry" Oxford University
Press 2003, and Jeremy Travis' "But They All Come Back: Facing the
Challenges of Prisoner Reentry" Urban Institute Press 2005.

Also, see http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/181413.pdf for a paper by Jeremy
Travis on this topic.

As mentioned earlier, here's the link to the Correctional Education, Family
Literacy and Transitions discussion that were hosted here in September 2006:
http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Corrections_Education#2._Correctional_Ed.
2C_Family_Literacy_.26_Transition--On-Line_Discussion.2C_September_2006 or, for
short,
http://tinyurl.com/yrzwlk

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------- next part --------------
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From Carolyn.Buser at ed.gov  Mon Mar 17 11:21:24 2008
From: Carolyn.Buser at ed.gov (Buser, Carolyn)
Date: Mon, 17 Mar 2008 11:21:24 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 852] Re: Corrections to Community Education
Message-ID: <EFB4E73A48DFC544B8FAB0950A5E29030E5FD0@wdcrobe2m05.ed.gov>

            David - I have always found that the statistics on the children
of inmates have had a positive effect on the merits of correctional
education.  The Bureau of Justice Statistics 2000 report on Incarcerated
Parents and their Children states that 2.1% of the minor children in the
United States had at least one parent in prison on any given day.  Over the
course of childhood, over ten million children have lived with the stigma of
absent and incarcerated parents.  You can find or estimate that number in
Kentucky and than talk about the educational level of the parent being the
major determining factor in the educational level of the child.
Additionally, of course, are the studies that link correctional education
with a reduction in recidivism.  The Three State Recidivism Study, sponsored
by the Correctional Education Association and the United States Department
of Education, was encouraging in terms of reduction of both numbers of
recidivists and tax dollars spent on corrections.  The most effective
educational plan for reducing recidivism from that study involved inmate
students who participated in occupational training programs and then were
employed in that trade area upon release.  However, even the slightest
involvement in an education program resulted in a reduction in recidivism
according to that study.  Steve Aos et.al. in the 2001 paper for the
Washington State Institute for Public Policy present a compelling chart
listing the cost benefit of various prison programs.  In-prison vocational
education is listed as the best value returning $7.13 for each dollar spent.
Thirteen offender programs are reviewed, and in-prison adult basic education
ranks fifth, saving $5.65 for each dollar spent.  Those are numbers that
State governments find persuasive.  I would also recommend the Journal of
Correctional Education and other resources of the Correctional Education
Association.  Cay

 

  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of David Collings
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 10:15 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 851] Re: Corrections to Community Education

 

This morning (3/17/08) the Louisville Courier-Journal reported the following
front-page story:

 

"Rising prison numbers worry Ky.
 Officials will meet today to consider solutions

 

Alarmed by Kentucky's exploding prison population -- and fast-rising costs
-- state Justice Secretary J. Michael Brown has called a meeting today of
the state Criminal Justice Council to take up the issue and find some
solutions. 

 

..."I think it is extremely urgent," said state Senate Majority leader Dan
Kelly, R-Springfield.

 

He said the state needs to find more humane ways to deal with minor
offenders who aren't dangerous and may need treatment for mental illness or
drug addiction.

 

"Fortunately, the cost is attracting some attention to the humanity," Kelly
said.

 

Kentucky's prison population is rising at the fastest rate in the nation,
according to a report last month by the Pew Center on the States, a
nonpartisan Washington research and policy group. Kentucky currently has
about 22,600 felony offenders in jail or prison, and this year's state
corrections budget is about $431 million -- compared with about 3,700
inmates in 1980 and a budget of $30 million. "

 

To our panel of guests:

 

Given this rare opportunity for change in the Kentucky penal system, what
information might I offer the Criminal Justice Council, which would bring
new light to the role of education -- especially adult education?

 

David Collings

 

 

	
  _____  

	From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
	Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 8:59 AM
	To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
	Subject: [SpecialTopics 848] Corrections to Community Education

	Colleagues,

	 

	This week our special topic is Transition from Corrections Education
to Community Education. I would like to welcome our guests Dr. Carolyn
Buser, Steve Schwalb,  John Gordon and Dr. Stephen J. Steurer. You will find
background information on them below as well as some readings they have
suggested.

	 

	I will be posting some questions, but I hope you will also post your
questions. To begin, I would like to refer to some recent remarks by Jeremy
Travis, the President of John Jay College of Criminal Justice, to a
gathering of U.S. mayors in New York City on February 28th, 2008. I would
also like to invite our guests to react to these remarks and to add other
information that provides the background for this transition issue, that
helps us to understand why education, and transition from corrections
education to community education is such an important issue.

	 

	"...over the past generation we have quadrupled the per capita rate
of 

	incarceration in this country.  Every year since 1972 - in times of
war and times of peace; 

	in good economic times, in bad economic times; when crime was going
up and crime was 

	going down - we have put more people in prison.  We also tend to
forget that, with the 

	exception of those few who die in prison, they will all come back.

	 

	This year, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics,
approximately 700,000 

	individuals will leave our nation's prisons, well over four times
the number who made a 

	similar journey thirty years ago.  Ninety percent of them are men; a
majority are men of 

	color; in every state, they typically go back to a small number of
urban neighborhoods, 

	neighborhoods that are struggling with poor schools, weak labor
markets, substandard 

	housing, and inadequate health care.  As a nation, we have in
essence asked these hard- 

	pressed communities to take on the enormous additional
responsibility of reintegrating 

	record numbers of their family members who have been sent off to
prison and return 

	home, typically with significant service needs, often without
supportive social networks."  

	( http://tinyurl.com/2glxlj )

	 

	Background on Discussion Guests

	 

	Carolyn (Cay) Buser

	Cay Buser joined the United States Department of Education in May of
2006 as an adult education program specialist with duties as the Adult
Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) liaison with correctional
education.  Dr. Buser works with the Western States to assist them in the
administration of adult education grants.  She also is the national resource
for coordination with correctional education programs and adult education
grants.

	 

	Prior to her federal appointment, Dr. Buser was director of
correctional education for the Maryland State Department of Education.  Her
responsibilities entailed management of the education and library programs
in Maryland's adult and juvenile correctional systems.  She provided direct
support to Maryland's Educational Coordinating Council for Correctional
Institutions, the "school board" for correctional education headed by the
State Superintendent of Schools with the State Secretary of Public Safety
and Correctional Services as a member.

	 

	Dr. Buser has been an active member of the Correctional Education
Association serving as a regional director and is currently on the editorial
board of the Journal of Correctional Education.  Her academic background
includes a master's degree in special education and a doctorate in
educational policy and administration.  Dr. Buser taught English in public
middle and high schools in the Midwest, and in community colleges in
Maryland.  She taught for seven years in Maryland's correctional education
program and served as a principal in three correctional settings before her
appointment as director of the State program.

	 

	Steve Schwalb

	Steve Schwalb has served as President and CEO of Pioneer Human
Services since April, 2007. Prior to that, Steve had a 33-year career in the
field of corrections.  

	 

	After receiving his B.A. degree in Business Administration from the
University of Washington, he began his corrections career as a Personnel
Management Specialist trainee with the Federal Bureau of Prisons.  He
subsequently held various positions of additional responsibility, including
Personnel Director, Chief of Internal Affairs, Warden, Deputy Regional
Director and Assistant Director. 

	 

	In the latter position, Steve was responsible for nationwide
oversight of the education, vocational training, recreation, parenting,
transition preparation, citizen volunteers and industrial work programs.
Serving in the role of Chief Operating Officer of Federal Prison Industries,
Inc., he oversaw over 100 factories that employ 21,000 inmates and 1,400
staff, and that generated $800 million in annual sales.

	 

	In the mid-1980's, Steve served as Associate Superintendent and
Program Manager with the Washington State Department of Corrections, and as
Director of the King County Jail in Seattle. 

	 

	During his federal career, Steve was appointed by the President to
the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled,
and served as chairman for four of his twelve years on the committee.

	 

	John Gordon

	John has worked at the Fortune Society since 2001, first as Director
of its Education program and more recently as an Associate President of
Programs. The Fortune Society works with people after they've come home from
prison or jail. Their Education program serves 200-300 students per year;
they offer classes in Adult Basic Education, ESOL, and computer skills. Many
students are on probation or parole; others are mandated by the courts to
one of Fortune's Alternatives to Incarceration programs; some are no longer
under any criminal justice supervision.

	Before coming to the Fortune Society, John worked for 16 years as
Teacher-Director of the Open Book, a community based literacy program in
Brooklyn, NY. At the Open Book, some of his central concerns revolved around
developing student leadership and student participation in program
decision-making; publishing student writing and oral histories, and welfare
and literacy issues. He published several articles on these topics as well
as More Than a Job:  A Curriculum on Work and Society (New Readers Press).
He is an active participant in the New York City Coalition for Adult
Literacy.

	The Fortune Society was founded in 1967 with two main goals: (1) to
educate the public about prisons, criminal justice issues, and the root
causes of crime and (2) to provide support for people as they come home from
prison. Fortune serves over 3,000 former prisoners a year, offering
education, career development, counseling, substance abuse treatment,
housing, health services, and alternatives to incarceration. It continues to
play a strong role in advocating for criminal justice and prison reform.

	 

	Stephen J. Steurer, Ph.D.

	Steve is the  Executive Director of the Correctional Education
Association, a professional organization of educators who work in prisons,
jails and juvenile settings.

	 

	 

	Our guests have suggested the following readings:

	 

	The Urban Institute's web site at

	http://www.urban.org/justice/index.cfm

	has a complete list of its publications, most of which are online.
Of particular interest may be those that highlight individual state reports
in the multi-state Returning Home project.

	http://tinyurl.com/2cm7jp

	These are all accessible online.

	 

	Taylor Stoehr's articles. There are a number on the Changing Lives
Through Literature web site:

	http://cltl.umassd.edu/IssuesClassroom3.cfm

	"Enforcing the Rules" is especially recommended.

	 

	The topic of prison location/release location will also be useful to
the discussion. There are several articles listed on the Urban Institute's
re-entry mapping pages, several from 2004.

	http://tinyurl.com/2687ma

	 

	These two books have a lot to offer: Joan Petersilia's "When

	Prisoners Come Home: Parole and Prisoner Reentry" Oxford University

	Press 2003, and Jeremy Travis' "But They All Come Back: Facing the

	Challenges of Prisoner Reentry" Urban Institute Press 2005.

	 

	Also, see http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/181413.pdf for a paper
by Jeremy Travis on this topic.

	 

	As mentioned earlier, here's the link to the Correctional Education,
Family Literacy and Transitions discussion that were hosted here in
September 2006:

	
http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Corrections_Education#2._Correctional
_Ed.2C_Family_Literacy_.26_Transition--On-Line_Discussion.2C_September_2006
or, for short,

	http://tinyurl.com/yrzwlk

	 

	David J. Rosen

	Special Topics Discussion Moderator

	djrosen at comcast.net

	 

	 

	 

	 

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From bonniesophia at sbcglobal.net  Mon Mar 17 17:09:00 2008
From: bonniesophia at sbcglobal.net (Bonnie Odiorne)
Date: Mon, 17 Mar 2008 14:09:00 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [SpecialTopics 853] Re: Posting
Message-ID: <666752.21371.qm@web83302.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>

Gary,
You might call on Literacy Volunteers (now ProLiteracy USA) or some other community-based literacy adult education organization. I once trained a group of tutors who had already been recruited by someone (clergy, chaplain?) at the prison, in a "safe" area outside the high security areas. I insisted, and the director agreed, that if I was going to send tutors into this facility, that I should go in too, and I did. It was a revelation. This was a long time ago, and I really should follow up on whether or not the program is still functioning. I know of labyrinth facilitators that want to do prison work, and while that's not on the topic of educational needs, it could be a way of unlocking, as it were, some means of expressioin that might allow the incarcerated to learn. I've also done a tutor training with a halfway house transition facility, where the staff wanted the training because they saw education as such a great need in the female population they
 were serving. Dru rehabilitatioin facilities have also requested trainings. So there are lots of avenues that could be followed, at differing entry/exit points of the system.
Best regards,
Bonnie Odiorne, Ph.D.

----- Original Message ----
From: "Upham, Gary" <Gary.Upham at maine.gov>
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 8:34:26 AM
Subject: [SpecialTopics 849] Posting

Gary Upham
Maine State Prison Principal

I have been the Principal of the Maine State Prison for the past year
and a half.  It has not taken me long to identify that much of this
population has special education needs.  However I have tried,
unsuccessfully, to pull in resources appropriate for identification and
strategies to work with my inmates.  Funding is a major issue as well as
current staffing, which is affected by funding.  How do I deal with a
major need under these conditions?

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to bonniesophia at sbcglobal.net
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From SSteurer at ceanational.org  Mon Mar 17 18:05:48 2008
From: SSteurer at ceanational.org (Steve Steurer)
Date: Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:05:48 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 854] Re: Posting
In-Reply-To: <666752.21371.qm@web83302.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
References: <666752.21371.qm@web83302.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <C3685E8CDEECC046905D5C1F9AF949520B30CA@ceaoffice.CEANATIONAL.local>

Gary, Bonnie,

 

CEA has just spent two years developing and piloting a peer tutoring
program in Ohio in the state prison system.   I was the project
consultant.  (My background is reading and special education and I spent
30 years working in Maryland, the last 20 as academic coordinator for
the school system in the prisons.)   The association I now manage, the
Correctional Education Association, is beginning to market this peer
tutoring program at several levels.  First, we will sell a DVD and CD
which contains the entire tutor training program booklet.   If you can
find a volunteer or a retired teacher who has been involved with adult
basic education or literacy they would be able to use this resource
right away.   The materials for the teacher and the student can be
printed right from the CD.   CEA will also be involved with additional
activities such as recommending consultants to train staff and also make
CEUs and college credits available through Ashland University in Ohio.

 

I don't know if this can help but the costs will be quite reasonable.

 

Steve

Stephen Steurer Ph.D.,

Executive Director

Correctional Education Association

8182 Lark Brown Road  Suite 202

Elkridge, MD  21075

Tel: 443-459-3081

Fax: 443-459-3088

www.ceanational.org

"Transforming Lives Through Education"

 

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Bonnie Odiorne
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 5:09 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 853] Re: Posting

 

Gary,

You might call on Literacy Volunteers (now ProLiteracy USA) or some
other community-based literacy adult education organization. I once
trained a group of tutors who had already been recruited by someone
(clergy, chaplain?) at the prison, in a "safe" area outside the high
security areas. I insisted, and the director agreed, that if I was going
to send tutors into this facility, that I should go in too, and I did.
It was a revelation. This was a long time ago, and I really should
follow up on whether or not the program is still functioning. I know of
labyrinth facilitators that want to do prison work, and while that's not
on the topic of educational needs, it could be a way of unlocking, as it
were, some means of expressioin that might allow the incarcerated to
learn. I've also done a tutor training with a halfway house transition
facility, where the staff wanted the training because they saw education
as such a great need in the female population they were serving. Dru
rehabilitatioin facilities have also requested trainings. So there are
lots of avenues that could be followed, at differing entry/exit points
of the system.

Best regards,

Bonnie Odiorne, Ph.D.

 

----- Original Message ----
From: "Upham, Gary" <Gary.Upham at maine.gov>
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 8:34:26 AM
Subject: [SpecialTopics 849] Posting

Gary Upham
Maine State Prison Principal

I have been the Principal of the Maine State Prison for the past year
and a half.  It has not taken me long to identify that much of this
population has special education needs.  However I have tried,
unsuccessfully, to pull in resources appropriate for identification and
strategies to work with my inmates.  Funding is a major issue as well as
current staffing, which is affected by funding.  How do I deal with a
major need under these conditions?

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to bonniesophia at sbcglobal.net

 

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From jgordon at fortunesociety.org  Mon Mar 17 17:53:50 2008
From: jgordon at fortunesociety.org (John Gordon)
Date: Mon, 17 Mar 2008 17:53:50 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 855] Re: Posting
In-Reply-To: <4CB17D33C0F89345847A40593C9EB8EBE5DA53@SOM-TEAQASMAIL2.som.w2k.state.me.us>
References: <mailman.0.1205754459.23145.specialtopics@nifl.gov>
	<4CB17D33C0F89345847A40593C9EB8EBE5DA53@SOM-TEAQASMAIL2.som.w2k.state.me.us>
Message-ID: <25AB4DBCECBD574F8A8EE92F47848BBD0125A3E7@mail2.fortunesociety.internal>

Hi Gary,

I'd like to respond to your questions, but I need a little more
information. Could you give a few more details about your situation?
Specifically, 
- What does it mean to be Principal of the Maine State Prison? Is that
one institution or many? Is it principal of a school within a prison? 
- What kind of education goes on there? Literacy? GED? High School? Do
you have volunteer tutors or professional staff? 
- When you say much of the population has special education needs, what
are you seeing that tells you that?

Best,
John Gordon
The Fortune Society

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Upham, Gary
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 8:34 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 849] Posting

Gary Upham
Maine State Prison Principal

I have been the Principal of the Maine State Prison for the past year
and a half.  It has not taken me long to identify that much of this
population has special education needs.  However I have tried,
unsuccessfully, to pull in resources appropriate for identification and
strategies to work with my inmates.  Funding is a major issue as well as
current staffing, which is affected by funding.  How do I deal with a
major need under these conditions?

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to jgordon at fortunesociety.org

From jgordon at fortunesociety.org  Mon Mar 17 18:48:14 2008
From: jgordon at fortunesociety.org (John Gordon)
Date: Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:48:14 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 856] Re: Corrections to Community Education
In-Reply-To: <20080317141523.1BC8061CF9@nb-201.win.net>
References: <B8EF368B-4571-4F3E-AA28-DE00D4451F56@comcast.net>
	<20080317141523.1BC8061CF9@nb-201.win.net>
Message-ID: <25AB4DBCECBD574F8A8EE92F47848BBD0125A40B@mail2.fortunesociety.internal>

David, 
 
You wrote: 
"Kentucky's prison population is rising at the fastest rate in the
nation, according to a report last month by the Pew Center on the
States, a nonpartisan Washington research and policy group. Kentucky
currently has about 22,600 felony offenders in jail or prison, and this
year's state corrections budget is about $431 million -- compared with
about 3,700 inmates in 1980 and a budget of $30 million. "
 
To our panel of guests:
 
Given this rare opportunity for change in the Kentucky penal system,
what information might I offer the Criminal Justice Council, which would
bring new light to the role of education -- especially adult education?"
 
Here at the Fortune Society, we work exclusively with people coming home
from prison or jail or otherwise involved with the criminal justice
system. Each year roughly 3,000 people come through our doors. 200-300
of them become involved in our education program; another 700
participate in our job readiness/job placement program. Many who are
recently released come for help with immediate crisis needs. They may be
homeless or need to get into a drug treatment program. As Jeremy Travis
remarked, they bring all those needs back to their communities. Wouldn't
it be better if many of them never went to prison in the first place?
 
At Fortune we run four Alternatives to Incarceration (ATI) programs. In
our ATI programs, we work with people who have pled guilty to a felony
but have not yet been sentenced. As an alternative to prison time. the
judge (and the DA) offers them the alternative of coming to a program at
Fortune (among other places) for six months or more. While here their
cases remain open before the court, and we submit monthly reports on
their attendance, participation, etc. If, at the end of their mandated
period, the judge views their participation as positive, he/she
sentences them to probation and they don't have to do any hard time. If
they fail to attend regularly, get re-arrested, or otherwise fail to
satisfy the judge, they may be sentenced to hard time. 
 
A study of New York programs in 2002 looking at "jail displacement"
tried to calculate how much jail time was avoided by the ATI programs
working with individuals with felony convictions. The study found that
the programs saved from 116 to 200 days jail time per defendant.
Kentucky seems to be spending approximately $19,070 per inmate each year
($431 million correction budget for 22,600 inmates). At those rates, if
just 500 people per year were in placed in an alternative to
incarceration program, the state would save $9.5 million. 
 
Many of the students in our education program come through our ATI
programs. Working with them presents definite challenges. Since, for the
most part, they haven't done significant prison time, they are closer to
the streets and to the behaviors that got them in trouble in the first
place. Many of them (at least at first) don't want to be here, so those
that make their way to our classrooms don't always embrace the
educational process with the enthusiasm that many of us in adult
education have come to expect. No one likes to be mandated, even if it
is to a good thing. Still, we have had some significant success working
with these (mostly younger and mostly male) students. But maybe that's a
topic for another post. This one is already too long.
 
john

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David Collings
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 10:15 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 851] Re: Corrections to Community Education

This morning (3/17/08) the Louisville Courier-Journal reported the
following front-page story:
 
"Rising prison numbers worry Ky.
 Officials will meet today to consider solutions
 
Alarmed by Kentucky's exploding prison population -- and fast-rising
costs -- state Justice Secretary J. Michael Brown has called a meeting
today of the state Criminal Justice Council to take up the issue and
find some solutions. 
 
..."I think it is extremely urgent," said state Senate Majority leader
Dan Kelly, R-Springfield.
 
He said the state needs to find more humane ways to deal with minor
offenders who aren't dangerous and may need treatment for mental illness
or drug addiction.
 
"Fortunately, the cost is attracting some attention to the humanity,"
Kelly said.
 
Kentucky's prison population is rising at the fastest rate in the
nation, according to a report last month by the Pew Center on the
States, a nonpartisan Washington research and policy group. Kentucky
currently has about 22,600 felony offenders in jail or prison, and this
year's state corrections budget is about $431 million -- compared with
about 3,700 inmates in 1980 and a budget of $30 million. "
 
To our panel of guests:
 
Given this rare opportunity for change in the Kentucky penal system,
what information might I offer the Criminal Justice Council, which would
bring new light to the role of education -- especially adult education?
 
David Collings
 

________________________________

	From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
	Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 8:59 AM
	To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
	Subject: [SpecialTopics 848] Corrections to Community Education
	
	
	Colleagues,

	This week our special topic is Transition from Corrections
Education to Community Education. I would like to welcome our guests Dr.
Carolyn Buser, Steve Schwalb,  John Gordon and Dr. Stephen J. Steurer.
You will find background information on them below as well as some
readings they have suggested.

	I will be posting some questions, but I hope you will also post
your questions. To begin, I would like to refer to some recent remarks
by Jeremy Travis, the President of John Jay College of Criminal Justice,
to a gathering of U.S. mayors in New York City on February 28th, 2008. I
would also like to invite our guests to react to these remarks and to
add other information that provides the background for this transition
issue, that helps us to understand why education, and transition from
corrections education to community education is such an important issue.
	
	
	"...over the past generation we have quadrupled the per capita
rate of 
	incarceration in this country.  Every year since 1972 - in times
of war and times of peace; 
	in good economic times, in bad economic times; when crime was
going up and crime was 
	going down - we have put more people in prison.  We also tend to
forget that, with the 
	exception of those few who die in prison, they will all come
back.   
	 
	This year, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics,
approximately 700,000 
	individuals will leave our nation's prisons, well over four
times the number who made a 
	similar journey thirty years ago.  Ninety percent of them are
men; a majority are men of 
	color; in every state, they typically go back to a small number
of urban neighborhoods, 
	neighborhoods that are struggling with poor schools, weak labor
markets, substandard 
	housing, and inadequate health care.  As a nation, we have in
essence asked these hard- 
	pressed communities to take on the enormous additional
responsibility of reintegrating 
	record numbers of their family members who have been sent off to
prison and return 
	home, typically with significant service needs, often without
supportive social networks."  
	( http://tinyurl.com/2glxlj )

	Background on Discussion Guests

	Carolyn (Cay) Buser
	Cay Buser joined the United States Department of Education in
May of 2006 as an adult education program specialist with duties as the
Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) liaison with
correctional education.  Dr. Buser works with the Western States to
assist them in the administration of adult education grants.  She also
is the national resource for coordination with correctional education
programs and adult education grants.
	 
	Prior to her federal appointment, Dr. Buser was director of
correctional education for the Maryland State Department of Education.
Her responsibilities entailed management of the education and library
programs in Maryland's adult and juvenile correctional systems.  She
provided direct support to Maryland's Educational Coordinating Council
for Correctional Institutions, the "school board" for correctional
education headed by the State Superintendent of Schools with the State
Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services as a member.
	 
	Dr. Buser has been an active member of the Correctional
Education Association serving as a regional director and is currently on
the editorial board of the Journal of Correctional Education.  Her
academic background includes a master's degree in special education and
a doctorate in educational policy and administration.  Dr. Buser taught
English in public middle and high schools in the Midwest, and in
community colleges in Maryland.  She taught for seven years in
Maryland's correctional education program and served as a principal in
three correctional settings before her appointment as director of the
State program.

	Steve Schwalb
	Steve Schwalb has served as President and CEO of Pioneer Human
Services since April, 2007. Prior to that, Steve had a 33-year career in
the field of corrections.  

	After receiving his B.A. degree in Business Administration from
the University of Washington, he began his corrections career as a
Personnel Management Specialist trainee with the Federal Bureau of
Prisons.  He subsequently held various positions of additional
responsibility, including Personnel Director, Chief of Internal Affairs,
Warden, Deputy Regional Director and Assistant Director. 
	 
	In the latter position, Steve was responsible for nationwide
oversight of the education, vocational training, recreation, parenting,
transition preparation, citizen volunteers and industrial work programs.
Serving in the role of Chief Operating Officer of Federal Prison
Industries, Inc., he oversaw over 100 factories that employ 21,000
inmates and 1,400 staff, and that generated $800 million in annual
sales.
	 
	In the mid-1980's, Steve served as Associate Superintendent and
Program Manager with the Washington State Department of Corrections, and
as Director of the King County Jail in Seattle. 
	 
	During his federal career, Steve was appointed by the President
to the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely
Disabled, and served as chairman for four of his twelve years on the
committee.
	 
	John Gordon
	John has worked at the Fortune Society since 2001, first as
Director of its Education program and more recently as an Associate
President of Programs. The Fortune Society works with people after
they've come home from prison or jail. Their Education program serves
200-300 students per year; they offer classes in Adult Basic Education,
ESOL, and computer skills. Many students are on probation or parole;
others are mandated by the courts to one of Fortune's Alternatives to
Incarceration programs; some are no longer under any criminal justice
supervision.
	Before coming to the Fortune Society, John worked for 16 years
as Teacher-Director of the Open Book, a community based literacy program
in Brooklyn, NY. At the Open Book, some of his central concerns revolved
around developing student leadership and student participation in
program decision-making; publishing student writing and oral histories,
and welfare and literacy issues. He published several articles on these
topics as well as More Than a Job:  A Curriculum on Work and Society
(New Readers Press). He is an active participant in the New York City
Coalition for Adult Literacy.
	The Fortune Society was founded in 1967 with two main goals: (1)
to educate the public about prisons, criminal justice issues, and the
root causes of crime and (2) to provide support for people as they come
home from prison. Fortune serves over 3,000 former prisoners a year,
offering education, career development, counseling, substance abuse
treatment, housing, health services, and alternatives to incarceration.
It continues to play a strong role in advocating for criminal justice
and prison reform.

	Stephen J. Steurer, Ph.D.
	Steve is the  Executive Director of the Correctional Education
Association, a professional organization of educators who work in
prisons, jails and juvenile settings.

	Our guests have suggested the following readings:

	The Urban Institute's web site at
	http://www.urban.org/justice/index.cfm
	has a complete list of its publications, most of which are
online. Of particular interest may be those that highlight individual
state reports in the multi-state Returning Home project.
	http://tinyurl.com/2cm7jp
	These are all accessible online.

	Taylor Stoehr's articles. There are a number on the Changing
Lives Through Literature web site:
	http://cltl.umassd.edu/IssuesClassroom3.cfm
	"Enforcing the Rules" is especially recommended.

	The topic of prison location/release location will also be
useful to the discussion. There are several articles listed on the Urban
Institute's re-entry mapping pages, several from 2004.
	http://tinyurl.com/2687ma

	These two books have a lot to offer: Joan Petersilia's "When
	Prisoners Come Home: Parole and Prisoner Reentry" Oxford
University
	Press 2003, and Jeremy Travis' "But They All Come Back: Facing
the
	Challenges of Prisoner Reentry" Urban Institute Press 2005.

	Also, see http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/181413.pdf for a
paper by Jeremy Travis on this topic.

	As mentioned earlier, here's the link to the Correctional
Education, Family Literacy and Transitions discussion that were hosted
here in September 2006:
	
http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Corrections_Education#2._Correcti
onal_Ed.2C_Family_Literacy_.26_Transition--On-Line_Discussion.2C_Septemb
er_2006 or, for short,
	http://tinyurl.com/yrzwlk

	David J. Rosen
	Special Topics Discussion Moderator
	djrosen at comcast.net

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From djrosen at comcast.net  Mon Mar 17 19:12:21 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Mon, 17 Mar 2008 19:12:21 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 857] From corrections education to community
	education
Message-ID: <7FF86790-F332-4D29-8DB4-763C4712066B@comcast.net>

For all our guests:

When an inmate who has been in an education program inside a state  
corrections institution or county jail and is released, what needs to  
happen for him or her to connect to and stick with a community-based  
education program? Do these events need to happen immediately mon  
release or can they be phased in over time after housing, shelter,  
counseling and job needs are met? Are you aware of any exemplary  
models of connections between inside education and community based  
education programs? Can you tell us about them? What can community- 
based education programs do to partner with corrections education  
programs that release inmates back to their communities?

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

From bsatchel at gccnj.edu  Mon Mar 17 19:44:05 2008
From: bsatchel at gccnj.edu (Satchell, Brigette)
Date: Mon, 17 Mar 2008 19:44:05 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 858] Re: From corrections education to
	communityeducation
References: <7FF86790-F332-4D29-8DB4-763C4712066B@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <3EBCA373D30BC7459CEC7C919E30CC5608ED86E0@gcc-exch.gcc.gccnj.edu>

Greetings,
 
We currently work with our county correctional department to provide adult education and GED testing within the local facilities. Once the inmates are released, they can immediately transition to  the adult education programs at our local community college and can assess employment assistance, training, and counseling services  through our local One Stop Career Center. Our local One Stop Career Center is a primary partner of our program at the correctional facilities. Inmates register as a customer of the One Stop Career Center System and are able to access the services immediately upon release. Through our collaborative partnerships, we have hosted an onsite service/job fair to be proactive with assisting the inmates with preparing for opportunities upon their release
 
We must keep in mind that while education is key. Housing and employment are top priorities for inmates. Finding employers that are willing to hire former inmates and finding housing for them are major concerns.
 
Brigette Satchell
Assistant Dean, Programs and Instruction
Gloucester County College
Phone (856) 468-5000 ext. 6226/5510
Fax (856) 468-7023
 
" Intelligence plus character- that is the true goal of education"- Dr. Martin Luther King 

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David J. Rosen
Sent: Mon 3/17/2008 7:12 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 857] From corrections education to communityeducation

For all our guests:

When an inmate who has been in an education program inside a state 
corrections institution or county jail and is released, what needs to 
happen for him or her to connect to and stick with a community-based 
education program? Do these events need to happen immediately mon 
release or can they be phased in over time after housing, shelter, 
counseling and job needs are met? Are you aware of any exemplary 
models of connections between inside education and community based 
education programs? Can you tell us about them? What can community-
based education programs do to partner with corrections education 
programs that release inmates back to their communities?

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to bsatchel at gccnj.edu

From kgotthardt at comcast.net  Tue Mar 18 06:47:04 2008
From: kgotthardt at comcast.net (Katherine)
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2008 06:47:04 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 859] Re: Corrections to Community Education
	Questions to Panel
In-Reply-To: <EFB4E73A48DFC544B8FAB0950A5E29030E5FD0@wdcrobe2m05.ed.gov>
References: <EFB4E73A48DFC544B8FAB0950A5E29030E5FD0@wdcrobe2m05.ed.gov>
Message-ID: <6CE19CB49B33484582039B696B5CA3AD@OwnerPC>

Dear Panel Members:

Thank you for an interesting and enlightening discussion on this topic.  Having worked in career based higher education, I have met several students trying to re-enter society through more traditional programs.  The results were not what they should have been.  I have never worked in a purely community based program or in correctional institutions. 

Here are my questions, then:

1.  What do you see as the main differences between career educational programs through public or private postsecondary institutions and community education programs?  How do these differences account for the success or failure of students in these programs?

2.  What spectrum of crimes have these students committed?  What are the most common?  How does the severity of the crime relate to their outcomes in community educational programs and subsequent attempts to find employment...or does it?

3.  Does anyone here have statistical information (similar to what Carolyn offers) on prisons in the state of Virginia?  If not, does anyone know where I could find this information?

Again, thank you for this discussion.  

Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt
www.luxuriouschoices.net 
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Buser, Carolyn 
  To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
  Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 11:21 AM
  Subject: [SpecialTopics 852] Re: Corrections to Community Education

              David - I have always found that the statistics on the children of inmates have had a positive effect on the merits of correctional education.  The Bureau of Justice Statistics 2000 report on Incarcerated Parents and their Children states that 2.1% of the minor children in the United States had at least one parent in prison on any given day.  Over the course of childhood, over ten million children have lived with the stigma of absent and incarcerated parents.  You can find or estimate that number in Kentucky and than talk about the educational level of the parent being the major determining factor in the educational level of the child.  Additionally, of course, are the studies that link correctional education with a reduction in recidivism.  The Three State Recidivism Study, sponsored by the Correctional Education Association and the United States Department of Education, was encouraging in terms of reduction of both numbers of recidivists and tax dollars spent on corrections.  The most effective educational plan for reducing recidivism from that study involved inmate students who participated in occupational training programs and then were employed in that trade area upon release.  However, even the slightest involvement in an education program resulted in a reduction in recidivism according to that study.  Steve Aos et.al. in the 2001 paper for the Washington State Institute for Public Policy present a compelling chart listing the cost benefit of various prison programs.  In-prison vocational education is listed as the best value returning $7.13 for each dollar spent.  Thirteen offender programs are reviewed, and in-prison adult basic education ranks fifth, saving $5.65 for each dollar spent.  Those are numbers that State governments find persuasive.  I would also recommend the Journal of Correctional Education and other resources of the Correctional Education Association.  Cay

   

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David Collings
  Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 10:15 AM
  To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
  Subject: [SpecialTopics 851] Re: Corrections to Community Education

   

  This morning (3/17/08) the Louisville Courier-Journal reported the following front-page story:

   

  "Rising prison numbers worry Ky.
   Officials will meet today to consider solutions

   

  Alarmed by Kentucky's exploding prison population -- and fast-rising costs -- state Justice Secretary J. Michael Brown has called a meeting today of the state Criminal Justice Council to take up the issue and find some solutions. 

   

  ..."I think it is extremely urgent," said state Senate Majority leader Dan Kelly, R-Springfield.

   

  He said the state needs to find more humane ways to deal with minor offenders who aren't dangerous and may need treatment for mental illness or drug addiction.

   

  "Fortunately, the cost is attracting some attention to the humanity," Kelly said.

   

  Kentucky's prison population is rising at the fastest rate in the nation, according to a report last month by the Pew Center on the States, a nonpartisan Washington research and policy group. Kentucky currently has about 22,600 felony offenders in jail or prison, and this year's state corrections budget is about $431 million -- compared with about 3,700 inmates in 1980 and a budget of $30 million. "

   

  To our panel of guests:

   

  Given this rare opportunity for change in the Kentucky penal system, what information might I offer the Criminal Justice Council, which would bring new light to the role of education -- especially adult education?

   

  David Collings

   

   

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

    From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
    Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 8:59 AM
    To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
    Subject: [SpecialTopics 848] Corrections to Community Education

    Colleagues,

     

    This week our special topic is Transition from Corrections Education to Community Education. I would like to welcome our guests Dr. Carolyn Buser, Steve Schwalb,  John Gordon and Dr. Stephen J. Steurer. You will find background information on them below as well as some readings they have suggested.

     

    I will be posting some questions, but I hope you will also post your questions. To begin, I would like to refer to some recent remarks by Jeremy Travis, the President of John Jay College of Criminal Justice, to a gathering of U.S. mayors in New York City on February 28th, 2008. I would also like to invite our guests to react to these remarks and to add other information that provides the background for this transition issue, that helps us to understand why education, and transition from corrections education to community education is such an important issue.

     

    ".over the past generation we have quadrupled the per capita rate of 

    incarceration in this country.  Every year since 1972 - in times of war and times of peace; 

    in good economic times, in bad economic times; when crime was going up and crime was 

    going down - we have put more people in prison.  We also tend to forget that, with the 

    exception of those few who die in prison, they will all come back.   

     

    This year, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, approximately 700,000 

    individuals will leave our nation's prisons, well over four times the number who made a 

    similar journey thirty years ago.  Ninety percent of them are men; a majority are men of 

    color; in every state, they typically go back to a small number of urban neighborhoods, 

    neighborhoods that are struggling with poor schools, weak labor markets, substandard 

    housing, and inadequate health care.  As a nation, we have in essence asked these hard- 

    pressed communities to take on the enormous additional responsibility of reintegrating 

    record numbers of their family members who have been sent off to prison and return 

    home, typically with significant service needs, often without supportive social networks."  

    ( http://tinyurl.com/2glxlj )

     

    Background on Discussion Guests

     

    Carolyn (Cay) Buser

    Cay Buser joined the United States Department of Education in May of 2006 as an adult education program specialist with duties as the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) liaison with correctional education.  Dr. Buser works with the Western States to assist them in the administration of adult education grants.  She also is the national resource for coordination with correctional education programs and adult education grants.

     

    Prior to her federal appointment, Dr. Buser was director of correctional education for the Maryland State Department of Education.  Her responsibilities entailed management of the education and library programs in Maryland's adult and juvenile correctional systems.  She provided direct support to Maryland's Educational Coordinating Council for Correctional Institutions, the "school board" for correctional education headed by the State Superintendent of Schools with the State Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services as a member.

     

    Dr. Buser has been an active member of the Correctional Education Association serving as a regional director and is currently on the editorial board of the Journal of Correctional Education.  Her academic background includes a master's degree in special education and a doctorate in educational policy and administration.  Dr. Buser taught English in public middle and high schools in the Midwest, and in community colleges in Maryland.  She taught for seven years in Maryland's correctional education program and served as a principal in three correctional settings before her appointment as director of the State program.

     

    Steve Schwalb

    Steve Schwalb has served as President and CEO of Pioneer Human Services since April, 2007. Prior to that, Steve had a 33-year career in the field of corrections.  

     

    After receiving his B.A. degree in Business Administration from the University of Washington, he began his corrections career as a Personnel Management Specialist trainee with the Federal Bureau of Prisons.  He subsequently held various positions of additional responsibility, including Personnel Director, Chief of Internal Affairs, Warden, Deputy Regional Director and Assistant Director. 

     

    In the latter position, Steve was responsible for nationwide oversight of the education, vocational training, recreation, parenting, transition preparation, citizen volunteers and industrial work programs.  Serving in the role of Chief Operating Officer of Federal Prison Industries, Inc., he oversaw over 100 factories that employ 21,000 inmates and 1,400 staff, and that generated $800 million in annual sales.

     

    In the mid-1980's, Steve served as Associate Superintendent and Program Manager with the Washington State Department of Corrections, and as Director of the King County Jail in Seattle. 

     

    During his federal career, Steve was appointed by the President to the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled, and served as chairman for four of his twelve years on the committee.

     

    John Gordon

    John has worked at the Fortune Society since 2001, first as Director of its Education program and more recently as an Associate President of Programs. The Fortune Society works with people after they've come home from prison or jail. Their Education program serves 200-300 students per year; they offer classes in Adult Basic Education, ESOL, and computer skills. Many students are on probation or parole; others are mandated by the courts to one of Fortune's Alternatives to Incarceration programs; some are no longer under any criminal justice supervision.

    Before coming to the Fortune Society, John worked for 16 years as Teacher-Director of the Open Book, a community based literacy program in Brooklyn, NY. At the Open Book, some of his central concerns revolved around developing student leadership and student participation in program decision-making; publishing student writing and oral histories, and welfare and literacy issues. He published several articles on these topics as well as More Than a Job:  A Curriculum on Work and Society (New Readers Press). He is an active participant in the New York City Coalition for Adult Literacy.

    The Fortune Society was founded in 1967 with two main goals: (1) to educate the public about prisons, criminal justice issues, and the root causes of crime and (2) to provide support for people as they come home from prison. Fortune serves over 3,000 former prisoners a year, offering education, career development, counseling, substance abuse treatment, housing, health services, and alternatives to incarceration. It continues to play a strong role in advocating for criminal justice and prison reform.

     

    Stephen J. Steurer, Ph.D.

    Steve is the  Executive Director of the Correctional Education Association, a professional organization of educators who work in prisons, jails and juvenile settings.

     

     

    Our guests have suggested the following readings:

     

    The Urban Institute's web site at

    http://www.urban.org/justice/index.cfm

    has a complete list of its publications, most of which are online. Of particular interest may be those that highlight individual state reports in the multi-state Returning Home project.

    http://tinyurl.com/2cm7jp

    These are all accessible online.

     

    Taylor Stoehr's articles. There are a number on the Changing Lives Through Literature web site:

    http://cltl.umassd.edu/IssuesClassroom3.cfm

    "Enforcing the Rules" is especially recommended.

     

    The topic of prison location/release location will also be useful to the discussion. There are several articles listed on the Urban Institute's re-entry mapping pages, several from 2004.

    http://tinyurl.com/2687ma

     

    These two books have a lot to offer: Joan Petersilia's "When

    Prisoners Come Home: Parole and Prisoner Reentry" Oxford University

    Press 2003, and Jeremy Travis' "But They All Come Back: Facing the

    Challenges of Prisoner Reentry" Urban Institute Press 2005.

     

    Also, see http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/181413.pdf for a paper by Jeremy Travis on this topic.

     

    As mentioned earlier, here's the link to the Correctional Education, Family Literacy and Transitions discussion that were hosted here in September 2006:

    http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Corrections_Education#2._Correctional_Ed.2C_Family_Literacy_.26_Transition--On-Line_Discussion.2C_September_2006 or, for short,

    http://tinyurl.com/yrzwlk

     

    David J. Rosen

    Special Topics Discussion Moderator

    djrosen at comcast.net

     

     

     

     

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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From djrosen at comcast.net  Tue Mar 18 06:58:28 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2008 06:58:28 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 860]  Our discussion guest, Steve Schwalb
References: <04bb01c88896$c953c7a2$0a12a8c0@phs.com>
Message-ID: <7B47AE87-1403-4DCD-B2E0-58CE3039EED1@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

One of our discussion guests, Steve Schwalb, contacted me to let us  
know that he is on travel through Wednesday afternoon. Although he  
has his laptop with him it isn't connecting to the Internet,  so it  
may be Wednesday evening before he can join the discussion.  He sends  
his  apologies.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

From kridolfino at mercercounty.org  Tue Mar 18 08:19:49 2008
From: kridolfino at mercercounty.org (Ridolfino, Kiel)
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2008 08:19:49 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 861] Re: From corrections education
	tocommunityeducation
In-Reply-To: <3EBCA373D30BC7459CEC7C919E30CC5608ED86E0@gcc-exch.gcc.gccnj.edu>
Message-ID: <209CED477D22BE4CB989190F935442850B092B67@MAIL2.Mercer.ad>

Brigette,
I am an ABE/ESL teacher at Mercer County Correction Center where our
education department consists of myself, two other teachers, and our
program coordinator.  With the expansion of our program and the success
of our GED students, we are now looking to incorporate college courses
in our program.  We have been trying to connect with local community
colleges with not much avail.  I was wondering if you could shed some
light on the topic and explain what your college does for your county
correction center and how it was established as a program.  Thank you
for your time!

Kiel Ridolfino
ESL/ABE Teacher
Mercer County Correction Center
(609) 583 - 3545 ext. 2226
kridolfino at mercercounty.org
-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Satchell, Brigette
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 7:44 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov; specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 858] Re: From corrections education
tocommunityeducation

Greetings,
 
We currently work with our county correctional department to provide
adult education and GED testing within the local facilities. Once the
inmates are released, they can immediately transition to  the adult
education programs at our local community college and can assess
employment assistance, training, and counseling services  through our
local One Stop Career Center. Our local One Stop Career Center is a
primary partner of our program at the correctional facilities. Inmates
register as a customer of the One Stop Career Center System and are able
to access the services immediately upon release. Through our
collaborative partnerships, we have hosted an onsite service/job fair to
be proactive with assisting the inmates with preparing for opportunities
upon their release
 
We must keep in mind that while education is key. Housing and employment
are top priorities for inmates. Finding employers that are willing to
hire former inmates and finding housing for them are major concerns.
 
Brigette Satchell
Assistant Dean, Programs and Instruction
Gloucester County College
Phone (856) 468-5000 ext. 6226/5510
Fax (856) 468-7023
 
" Intelligence plus character- that is the true goal of education"- Dr.
Martin Luther King 

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David J. Rosen
Sent: Mon 3/17/2008 7:12 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 857] From corrections education to
communityeducation

For all our guests:

When an inmate who has been in an education program inside a state 
corrections institution or county jail and is released, what needs to 
happen for him or her to connect to and stick with a community-based 
education program? Do these events need to happen immediately mon 
release or can they be phased in over time after housing, shelter, 
counseling and job needs are met? Are you aware of any exemplary 
models of connections between inside education and community based 
education programs? Can you tell us about them? What can community-
based education programs do to partner with corrections education 
programs that release inmates back to their communities?

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
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Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to bsatchel at gccnj.edu

-------------------------------
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Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to kridolfino at mercercounty.org

From Carolyn.Buser at ed.gov  Tue Mar 18 08:28:32 2008
From: Carolyn.Buser at ed.gov (Buser, Carolyn)
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2008 08:28:32 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 862] Re: Corrections to Community EducationQuestions
	to Panel
Message-ID: <EFB4E73A48DFC544B8FAB0950A5E29030E5FD7@wdcrobe2m05.ed.gov>

            Katherine - You can find Virginia's reentry programs report
on-line at www.dcjs.virginia.gov/research  This lengthy document, published
in October of 2007, contains on overview of other States' reentry programs
as well as information on Virginia's statewide reentry initiatives.   There
is discussion of programs run by public safety agencies as well as
information on Virginia's Offender Reentry and Transition Services Program
(ORTS).   There are some statistics in the report, and a chapter on the
contributions of correctional education, but no detailed cost analysis.
Perhaps the resources identified at the Criminal Justice Service's Division
of Policy, Planning and Research might be able to provide more details, or
be persuaded to begin collecting that type of data.

 

Carolyn Buser

Adult Education Program Specialist

United States Department of Education

Division of Adult Education and Literacy

202-245-6697  carolyn.buser at ed.gov

 

  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Katherine
Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 6:47 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 859] Re: Corrections to Community EducationQuestions
to Panel

 

Dear Panel Members:

 

Thank you for an interesting and enlightening discussion on this topic.
Having worked in career based higher education, I have met several students
trying to re-enter society through more traditional programs.  The results
were not what they should have been.  I have never worked in a purely
community based program or in correctional institutions. 

 

Here are my questions, then:

 

1.  What do you see as the main differences between career educational
programs through public or private postsecondary institutions and community
education programs?  How do these differences account for the success or
failure of students in these programs?

 

2.  What spectrum of crimes have these students committed?  What are the
most common?  How does the severity of the crime relate to their outcomes in
community educational programs and subsequent attempts to find
employment...or does it?

 

3.  Does anyone here have statistical information (similar to what Carolyn
offers) on prisons in the state of Virginia?  If not, does anyone know where
I could find this information?

 

Again, thank you for this discussion.  

 

Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt
www.luxuriouschoices.net 

	----- Original Message ----- 

	From: Buser, Carolyn <mailto:Carolyn.Buser at ed.gov>  

	To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 

	Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 11:21 AM

	Subject: [SpecialTopics 852] Re: Corrections to Community Education

	 

	            David - I have always found that the statistics on the
children of inmates have had a positive effect on the merits of correctional
education.  The Bureau of Justice Statistics 2000 report on Incarcerated
Parents and their Children states that 2.1% of the minor children in the
United States had at least one parent in prison on any given day.  Over the
course of childhood, over ten million children have lived with the stigma of
absent and incarcerated parents.  You can find or estimate that number in
Kentucky and than talk about the educational level of the parent being the
major determining factor in the educational level of the child.
Additionally, of course, are the studies that link correctional education
with a reduction in recidivism.  The Three State Recidivism Study, sponsored
by the Correctional Education Association and the United States Department
of Education, was encouraging in terms of reduction of both numbers of
recidivists and tax dollars spent on corrections.  The most effective
educational plan for reducing recidivism from that study involved inmate
students who participated in occupational training programs and then were
employed in that trade area upon release.  However, even the slightest
involvement in an education program resulted in a reduction in recidivism
according to that study.  Steve Aos et.al. in the 2001 paper for the
Washington State Institute for Public Policy present a compelling chart
listing the cost benefit of various prison programs.  In-prison vocational
education is listed as the best value returning $7.13 for each dollar spent.
Thirteen offender programs are reviewed, and in-prison adult basic education
ranks fifth, saving $5.65 for each dollar spent.  Those are numbers that
State governments find persuasive.  I would also recommend the Journal of
Correctional Education and other resources of the Correctional Education
Association.  Cay

	 

	
  _____  

	From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David Collings
	Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 10:15 AM
	To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
	Subject: [SpecialTopics 851] Re: Corrections to Community Education

	 

	This morning (3/17/08) the Louisville Courier-Journal reported the
following front-page story:

	 

	"Rising prison numbers worry Ky.
	 Officials will meet today to consider solutions

	 

	Alarmed by Kentucky's exploding prison population -- and fast-rising
costs -- state Justice Secretary J. Michael Brown has called a meeting today
of the state Criminal Justice Council to take up the issue and find some
solutions. 

	 

	..."I think it is extremely urgent," said state Senate Majority
leader Dan Kelly, R-Springfield.

	 

	He said the state needs to find more humane ways to deal with minor
offenders who aren't dangerous and may need treatment for mental illness or
drug addiction.

	 

	"Fortunately, the cost is attracting some attention to the
humanity," Kelly said.

	 

	Kentucky's prison population is rising at the fastest rate in the
nation, according to a report last month by the Pew Center on the States, a
nonpartisan Washington research and policy group. Kentucky currently has
about 22,600 felony offenders in jail or prison, and this year's state
corrections budget is about $431 million -- compared with about 3,700
inmates in 1980 and a budget of $30 million. "

	 

	To our panel of guests:

	 

	Given this rare opportunity for change in the Kentucky penal system,
what information might I offer the Criminal Justice Council, which would
bring new light to the role of education -- especially adult education?

	 

	David Collings

	 

	 

		
  _____  

		From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
		Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 8:59 AM
		To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
		Subject: [SpecialTopics 848] Corrections to Community
Education

		Colleagues,

		 

		This week our special topic is Transition from Corrections
Education to Community Education. I would like to welcome our guests Dr.
Carolyn Buser, Steve Schwalb,  John Gordon and Dr. Stephen J. Steurer. You
will find background information on them below as well as some readings they
have suggested.

		 

		I will be posting some questions, but I hope you will also
post your questions. To begin, I would like to refer to some recent remarks
by Jeremy Travis, the President of John Jay College of Criminal Justice, to
a gathering of U.S. mayors in New York City on February 28th, 2008. I would
also like to invite our guests to react to these remarks and to add other
information that provides the background for this transition issue, that
helps us to understand why education, and transition from corrections
education to community education is such an important issue.

		 

		"...over the past generation we have quadrupled the per
capita rate of 

		incarceration in this country.  Every year since 1972 - in
times of war and times of peace; 

		in good economic times, in bad economic times; when crime
was going up and crime was 

		going down - we have put more people in prison.  We also
tend to forget that, with the 

		exception of those few who die in prison, they will all come
back.   

		 

		This year, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics,
approximately 700,000 

		individuals will leave our nation's prisons, well over four
times the number who made a 

		similar journey thirty years ago.  Ninety percent of them
are men; a majority are men of 

		color; in every state, they typically go back to a small
number of urban neighborhoods, 

		neighborhoods that are struggling with poor schools, weak
labor markets, substandard 

		housing, and inadequate health care.  As a nation, we have
in essence asked these hard- 

		pressed communities to take on the enormous additional
responsibility of reintegrating 

		record numbers of their family members who have been sent
off to prison and return 

		home, typically with significant service needs, often
without supportive social networks."  

		( http://tinyurl.com/2glxlj )

		 

		Background on Discussion Guests

		 

		Carolyn (Cay) Buser

		Cay Buser joined the United States Department of Education
in May of 2006 as an adult education program specialist with duties as the
Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) liaison with correctional
education.  Dr. Buser works with the Western States to assist them in the
administration of adult education grants.  She also is the national resource
for coordination with correctional education programs and adult education
grants.

		 

		Prior to her federal appointment, Dr. Buser was director of
correctional education for the Maryland State Department of Education.  Her
responsibilities entailed management of the education and library programs
in Maryland's adult and juvenile correctional systems.  She provided direct
support to Maryland's Educational Coordinating Council for Correctional
Institutions, the "school board" for correctional education headed by the
State Superintendent of Schools with the State Secretary of Public Safety
and Correctional Services as a member.

		 

		Dr. Buser has been an active member of the Correctional
Education Association serving as a regional director and is currently on the
editorial board of the Journal of Correctional Education.  Her academic
background includes a master's degree in special education and a doctorate
in educational policy and administration.  Dr. Buser taught English in
public middle and high schools in the Midwest, and in community colleges in
Maryland.  She taught for seven years in Maryland's correctional education
program and served as a principal in three correctional settings before her
appointment as director of the State program.

		 

		Steve Schwalb

		Steve Schwalb has served as President and CEO of Pioneer
Human Services since April, 2007. Prior to that, Steve had a 33-year career
in the field of corrections.  

		 

		After receiving his B.A. degree in Business Administration
from the University of Washington, he began his corrections career as a
Personnel Management Specialist trainee with the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
He subsequently held various positions of additional responsibility,
including Personnel Director, Chief of Internal Affairs, Warden, Deputy
Regional Director and Assistant Director. 

		 

		In the latter position, Steve was responsible for nationwide
oversight of the education, vocational training, recreation, parenting,
transition preparation, citizen volunteers and industrial work programs.
Serving in the role of Chief Operating Officer of Federal Prison Industries,
Inc., he oversaw over 100 factories that employ 21,000 inmates and 1,400
staff, and that generated $800 million in annual sales.

		 

		In the mid-1980's, Steve served as Associate Superintendent
and Program Manager with the Washington State Department of Corrections, and
as Director of the King County Jail in Seattle. 

		 

		During his federal career, Steve was appointed by the
President to the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or
Severely Disabled, and served as chairman for four of his twelve years on
the committee.

		 

		John Gordon

		John has worked at the Fortune Society since 2001, first as
Director of its Education program and more recently as an Associate
President of Programs. The Fortune Society works with people after they've
come home from prison or jail. Their Education program serves 200-300
students per year; they offer classes in Adult Basic Education, ESOL, and
computer skills. Many students are on probation or parole; others are
mandated by the courts to one of Fortune's Alternatives to Incarceration
programs; some are no longer under any criminal justice supervision.

		Before coming to the Fortune Society, John worked for 16
years as Teacher-Director of the Open Book, a community based literacy
program in Brooklyn, NY. At the Open Book, some of his central concerns
revolved around developing student leadership and student participation in
program decision-making; publishing student writing and oral histories, and
welfare and literacy issues. He published several articles on these topics
as well as More Than a Job:  A Curriculum on Work and Society (New Readers
Press). He is an active participant in the New York City Coalition for Adult
Literacy.

		The Fortune Society was founded in 1967 with two main goals:
(1) to educate the public about prisons, criminal justice issues, and the
root causes of crime and (2) to provide support for people as they come home
from prison. Fortune serves over 3,000 former prisoners a year, offering
education, career development, counseling, substance abuse treatment,
housing, health services, and alternatives to incarceration. It continues to
play a strong role in advocating for criminal justice and prison reform.

		 

		Stephen J. Steurer, Ph.D.

		Steve is the  Executive Director of the Correctional
Education Association, a professional organization of educators who work in
prisons, jails and juvenile settings.

		 

		 

		Our guests have suggested the following readings:

		 

		The Urban Institute's web site at

		http://www.urban.org/justice/index.cfm

		has a complete list of its publications, most of which are
online. Of particular interest may be those that highlight individual state
reports in the multi-state Returning Home project.

		http://tinyurl.com/2cm7jp

		These are all accessible online.

		 

		Taylor Stoehr's articles. There are a number on the Changing
Lives Through Literature web site:

		http://cltl.umassd.edu/IssuesClassroom3.cfm

		"Enforcing the Rules" is especially recommended.

		 

		The topic of prison location/release location will also be
useful to the discussion. There are several articles listed on the Urban
Institute's re-entry mapping pages, several from 2004.

		http://tinyurl.com/2687ma

		 

		These two books have a lot to offer: Joan Petersilia's "When

		Prisoners Come Home: Parole and Prisoner Reentry" Oxford
University

		Press 2003, and Jeremy Travis' "But They All Come Back:
Facing the

		Challenges of Prisoner Reentry" Urban Institute Press 2005.

		 

		Also, see http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/181413.pdf for
a paper by Jeremy Travis on this topic.

		 

		As mentioned earlier, here's the link to the Correctional
Education, Family Literacy and Transitions discussion that were hosted here
in September 2006:

	
http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Corrections_Education#2._Correctional
_Ed.2C_Family_Literacy_.26_Transition--On-Line_Discussion.2C_September_2006
or, for short,

		http://tinyurl.com/yrzwlk

		 

		David J. Rosen

		Special Topics Discussion Moderator

		djrosen at comcast.net

		 

		 

		 

		 

	
  _____  

	-------------------------------
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	SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
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From deiswv at yahoo.com  Tue Mar 18 09:29:33 2008
From: deiswv at yahoo.com (Denise McIntire)
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2008 06:29:33 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [SpecialTopics 863] Re: Posting
In-Reply-To: <666752.21371.qm@web83302.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <438872.58430.qm@web51611.mail.re2.yahoo.com>

Bonnie and all that follow,
  I am the Ex. Dir. of a very small family literacy program in West Virginia.  We are a volunteer literacy program as oppossed to a Dept. of Ed. funded adult basic education program.  We have been offering a program since 06 for corrections facilities that works with incarcerated adults for 8 weeks per session.  Our job is to keep that bond connected between parent and child and also the child's education stressing the importance of literacy for all ages as well as the caregivers responsible for the children until the family can be reunited.  Yes, dollars are limited for all of the needs our society needs especially issues dealing with literacy.  Please, help with the message of supporting the entire family along with the educational and workforce training.  Most of the women we have worked with have spent their entire lives in the system whether due to parental units away from them as children and the cycle repeats over and over from generation to generation.  Our program
 is still too new to have created any empirical evidence as of yet but according to inmates and families alike, we are making a difference one family at a time.    

Bonnie Odiorne <bonniesophia at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
          Gary,
  You might call on Literacy Volunteers (now ProLiteracy USA) or some other community-based literacy adult education organization. I once trained a group of tutors who had already been recruited by someone (clergy, chaplain?) at the prison, in a "safe" area outside the high security areas. I insisted, and the director agreed, that if I was going to send tutors into this facility, that I should go in too, and I did. It was a revelation. This was a long time ago, and I really should follow up on whether or not the program is still functioning. I know of labyrinth facilitators that want to do prison work, and while that's not on the topic of educational needs, it could be a way of unlocking, as it were, some means of expressioin that might allow the incarcerated to learn. I've also done a tutor training with a halfway house transition facility, where the staff wanted the training because they saw education as such a great need in the female population they were serving. Dru
 rehabilitatioin facilities have also requested trainings. So there are lots of avenues that could be followed, at differing entry/exit points of the system.
  Best regards,
  Bonnie Odiorne, Ph.D.
  

  ----- Original Message ----
From: "Upham, Gary" <Gary.Upham at maine.gov>
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 8:34:26 AM
Subject: [SpecialTopics 849] Posting

Gary Upham
Maine State Prison Principal

I have been the Principal of the Maine State Prison for the past year
and a half.  It has not taken me long to identify that much of this
population has special education needs.  However I have tried,
unsuccessfully, to pull in resources appropriate for identification and
strategies to work with my inmates.  Funding is a major issue as well as
current staffing, which is affected by funding.  How do I deal with a
major need under these conditions?

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to bonniesophia at sbcglobal.net

-------------------------------
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From shannum at literacy-council.org  Tue Mar 18 10:55:12 2008
From: shannum at literacy-council.org (Stephen Hannum)
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2008 09:55:12 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 864] Re: From corrections education to
	communityeducation
In-Reply-To: <7FF86790-F332-4D29-8DB4-763C4712066B@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <6gvfio$48r8dv@rrcs-agw-01.hrndva.rr.com>

Last fall, after several months of planning, The Literacy Council in
Birmingham was a sponsor of the "Community Opportunities Fair". The
"Community Opportunities Fair" was a one-day resource fair that allowed
Birmingham agencies and organizations the opportunity to provide re-entry
and adjustment information for persons who had been involved in the criminal
justice system.

There were nearly 50 agencies who participated in the "Community
Opportunities Fair" representing:
.	Counseling
.	Day care
.	Drug/alcohol counseling
.	Education/Literacy
.	Financial management
.	Heath care
.	Housing
.	Job training
.	Transportation 

Over 300 people attended and plans are already underway for repeating the
event again this fall.

There are obvious limitations to any "one shot" activity but the comments
that we received from participating agencies and from the large group of
parolees and others who attended were overwhelming.

Steve Hannum
Provider Services Manager
The Literacy Council

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 6:12 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 857] From corrections education to
communityeducation

For all our guests:

When an inmate who has been in an education program inside a state  
corrections institution or county jail and is released, what needs to  
happen for him or her to connect to and stick with a community-based  
education program? Do these events need to happen immediately mon  
release or can they be phased in over time after housing, shelter,  
counseling and job needs are met? Are you aware of any exemplary  
models of connections between inside education and community based  
education programs? Can you tell us about them? What can community- 
based education programs do to partner with corrections education  
programs that release inmates back to their communities?

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to shannum at literacy-council.org

From ktracey at cait.org  Tue Mar 18 10:34:05 2008
From: ktracey at cait.org (Kathy Olesen-Tracey)
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2008 09:34:05 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: [SpecialTopics 865] Re: Posting
In-Reply-To: <12699588.141205850805284.JavaMail.root@vanadium.sys.ma.cait.org>
Message-ID: <9989191.161205850845984.JavaMail.root@vanadium.sys.ma.cait.org>

Denise, 
I attended an adult education conference in Illinois several years ago and learned about a program called "Reading from the Inside Out". I don't recall many of the details, so if anyone here has heard of it -please share. 

Essentially, the program video taped parents reading a story to their child and provide the child with the book and the video tape so the child can experience their parent reading to them. 

Has anyone heard about a project like this? 
Kathy Olesen-Tracey 
-- 
Center for the Application of Information Technologies 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Denise McIntire" <deiswv at yahoo.com> 
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 8:29:33 AM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central 
Subject: [SpecialTopics 863] Re: Posting 

Bonnie and all that follow, 
I am the Ex. Dir. of a very small family literacy program in West Virginia. We are a volunteer literacy program as oppossed to a Dept. of Ed. funded adult basic education program. We have been offering a program since 06 for corrections facilities that works with incarcerated adults for 8 weeks per session. Our job is to keep that bond connected between parent and child and also the child's education stressing the importance of literacy for all ages as well as the caregivers responsible for the children until the family can be reunited. Yes, dollars are limited for all of the needs our society needs especially issues dealing with literacy. Please, help with the message of supporting the entire family along with the educational and workforce training. Most of the women we have worked with have spent their entire lives in the system whether due to parental units away from them as children and the cycle repeats over and over from generation to generation. Our program is still too new to have created any empirical evidence as of yet but according to inmates and families alike, we are making a difference one family at a time. 

Bonnie Odiorne <bonniesophia at sbcglobal.net> wrote: 

Gary, 
You might call on Literacy Volunteers (now ProLiteracy USA) or some other community-based literacy adult education organization. I once trained a group of tutors who had already been recruited by someone (clergy, chaplain?) at the prison, in a "safe" area outside the high security areas. I insisted, and the director agreed, that if I was going to send tutors into this facility, that I should go in too, and I did. It was a revelation. This was a long time ago, and I really should follow up on whether or not the program is still functioning. I know of labyrinth facilitators that want to do prison work, and while that's not on the topic of educational needs, it could be a way of unlocking, as it were, some means of expressioin that might allow the incarcerated to learn. I've also done a tutor training with a halfway house transition facility, where the staff wanted the training because they saw education as such a great need in the female population they were serving. Dru rehabilitatioin facilities have also requested trainings. So there are lots of avenues that could be followed, at differing entry/exit points of the system. 
Best regards, 
Bonnie Odiorne, Ph.D. 

----- Original Message ---- 
From: "Upham, Gary" <Gary.Upham at maine.gov> 
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 8:34:26 AM 
Subject: [SpecialTopics 849] Posting 

Gary Upham 
Maine State Prison Principal 

I have been the Principal of the Maine State Prison for the past year 
and a half. It has not taken me long to identify that much of this 
population has special education needs. However I have tried, 
unsuccessfully, to pull in resources appropriate for identification and 
strategies to work with my inmates. Funding is a major issue as well as 
current staffing, which is affected by funding. How do I deal with a 
major need under these conditions? 

------------------------------- 
National Institute for Literacy 
Special Topics mailing list 
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov 
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics 
Email delivered to bonniesophia at sbcglobal.net 

------------------------------- 
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Special Topics mailing list 
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov 
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics 
Email delivered to deiswv at yahoo.com 

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------------------------------- National Institute for Literacy Special Topics mailing list SpecialTopics at nifl.gov To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics Email delivered to ktracey at cait.org
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From djrosen at comcast.net  Tue Mar 18 12:19:22 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2008 12:19:22 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 866] Re: Reading from the Inside Out
In-Reply-To: <9989191.161205850845984.JavaMail.root@vanadium.sys.ma.cait.org>
References: <9989191.161205850845984.JavaMail.root@vanadium.sys.ma.cait.org>
Message-ID: <B70CF7F2-B74B-49A4-8BAC-D5A4A50E43D6@comcast.net>

Kathy and others,

A free video about the project you described will be found at
http://www.isbe.net/video/teachers_videos.htm

It is described as follows:

The Storybook Program: Reading from the Inside Out (21:02)
The Storybook Program keeps families in touch through reading. County  
jail inmates become positive reading role models as they share  
stories with their children by mail. This program has motivated many  
inmates to enroll in adult education and life skills classes offered  
in the correctional setting.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

On Mar 18, 2008, at 10:34 AM, Kathy Olesen-Tracey wrote:

> Denise,
> I attended an adult education conference in Illinois several years  
> ago and learned about a program called "Reading from the Inside  
> Out". I don't recall many of the details, so if anyone here has  
> heard of it -please share.
>
> Essentially, the program video taped parents reading a story to  
> their child and provide the child with the book and the video tape  
> so the child can experience their parent reading to them.
>
> Has anyone heard about a project like this?
> Kathy Olesen-Tracey
> --
> Center for the Application of Information Technologies
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Denise McIntire" <deiswv at yahoo.com>
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 8:29:33 AM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 863] Re: Posting
>
> Bonnie and all that follow,
> I am the Ex. Dir. of a very small family literacy program in West  
> Virginia.  We are a volunteer literacy program as oppossed to a  
> Dept. of Ed. funded adult basic education program.  We have been  
> offering a program since 06 for corrections facilities that works  
> with incarcerated adults for 8 weeks per session.  Our job is to  
> keep that bond connected between parent and child and also the  
> child's education stressing the importance of literacy for all ages  
> as well as the caregivers responsible for the children until the  
> family can be reunited.  Yes, dollars are limited for all of the  
> needs our society needs especially issues dealing with literacy.   
> Please, help with the message of supporting the entire family along  
> with the educational and workforce training.  Most of the women we  
> have worked with have spent their entire lives in the system  
> whether due to parental units away from them as children and the  
> cycle repeats over and over from generation to generation.  Our  
> program is still too new to have created any empirical evidence as  
> of yet but according to inmates and families alike, we are making a  
> difference one family at a time.
>
> Bonnie Odiorne <bonniesophia at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> Gary,
> You might call on Literacy Volunteers (now ProLiteracy USA) or some  
> other community-based literacy adult education organization. I once  
> trained a group of tutors who had already been recruited by someone  
> (clergy, chaplain?) at the prison, in a "safe" area outside the  
> high security areas. I insisted, and the director agreed, that if I  
> was going to send tutors into this facility, that I should go in  
> too, and I did. It was a revelation. This was a long time ago, and  
> I really should follow up on whether or not the program is still  
> functioning. I know of labyrinth facilitators that want to do  
> prison work, and while that's not on the topic of educational  
> needs, it could be a way of unlocking, as it were, some means of  
> expressioin that might allow the incarcerated to learn. I've also  
> done a tutor training with a halfway house transition facility,  
> where the staff wanted the training because they saw education as  
> such a great need in the female population they were serving. Dru  
> rehabilitatioin facilities have also requested trainings. So there  
> are lots of avenues that could be followed, at differing entry/exit  
> points of the system.
> Best regards,
> Bonnie Odiorne, Ph.D.
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: "Upham, Gary" <Gary.Upham at maine.gov>
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 8:34:26 AM
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 849] Posting
>
> Gary Upham
> Maine State Prison Principal
>
> I have been the Principal of the Maine State Prison for the past year
> and a half.  It has not taken me long to identify that much of this
> population has special education needs.  However I have tried,
> unsuccessfully, to pull in resources appropriate for identification  
> and
> strategies to work with my inmates.  Funding is a major issue as  
> well as
> current staffing, which is affected by funding.  How do I deal with a
> major need under these conditions?
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to  
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to bonniesophia at sbcglobal.net
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to  
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to deiswv at yahoo.com
>
> Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo!  
> Search.
> ------------------------------- National Institute for Literacy  
> Special Topics mailing list SpecialTopics at nifl.gov To unsubscribe  
> or change your subscription settings, please go to http:// 
> www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics Email delivered to  
> ktracey at cait.org
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
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From deiswv at yahoo.com  Tue Mar 18 14:37:05 2008
From: deiswv at yahoo.com (Denise McIntire)
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2008 11:37:05 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [SpecialTopics 867] Re: Posting
In-Reply-To: <9989191.161205850845984.JavaMail.root@vanadium.sys.ma.cait.org>
Message-ID: <66300.6679.qm@web51606.mail.re2.yahoo.com>

Kathy, Yes, indeed we do a similiar program using DVD's.  But we take it one step more.  We include companion books, work age appropriate activities, very large toys and for 9-15 yr old kids, include cookbooks, cooking equipment, aprons, etc.  We work with ages 0 - 15 and if any are older, they receive magazine subscriptions of their choice.  We also send home art supplies weekly as well.  We educate the parents on various issues including nutrition, media literacy, parental involvement, etc.  Again, it is working.  If you know of any funding available for us, please let me know.  Happy spring to all.
Kathy Olesen-Tracey <ktracey at cait.org> wrote:    p { margin: 0; }    body { font-family: 'Arial'; font-size: 12pt; color: #000000}  Denise,
I attended an adult education conference in Illinois several years ago and learned about a program called "Reading from the Inside Out". I don't recall many of the details, so if anyone here has heard of it -please share.  

Essentially, the program video taped parents reading a story to their child and provide the child with the book and the video tape so the child can experience their parent reading to them. 

Has anyone heard about a project like this?
Kathy Olesen-Tracey
--
Center for the Application of Information Technologies

----- Original Message -----
From: "Denise McIntire" <deiswv at yahoo.com>
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 8:29:33 AM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central
Subject: [SpecialTopics 863] Re: Posting

  Bonnie and all that follow,
  I am the Ex. Dir. of a very small family literacy program in West Virginia.  We are a volunteer literacy program as oppossed to a Dept. of Ed. funded adult basic education program.  We have been offering a program since 06 for corrections facilities that works with incarcerated adults for 8 weeks per session.  Our job is to keep that bond connected between parent and child and also the child's education stressing the importance of literacy for all ages as well as the caregivers responsible for the children until the family can be reunited.  Yes, dollars are limited for all of the needs our society needs especially issues dealing with literacy.  Please, help with the message of supporting the entire family along with the educational and workforce training.  Most of the women we have worked with have spent their entire lives in the system whether due to parental units away from them as children and the cycle repeats over and over from generation to generation.  Our program
 is still too new to have created any empirical evidence as of yet but according to inmates and families alike, we are making a difference one family at a time.    

Bonnie Odiorne <bonniesophia at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
          Gary,
  You might call on Literacy Volunteers (now ProLiteracy USA) or some other community-based literacy adult education organization. I once trained a group of tutors who had already been recruited by someone (clergy, chaplain?) at the prison, in a "safe" area outside the high security areas. I insisted, and the director agreed, that if I was going to send tutors into this facility, that I should go in too, and I did. It was a revelation. This was a long time ago, and I really should follow up on whether or not the program is still functioning. I know of labyrinth facilitators that want to do prison work, and while that's not on the topic of educational needs, it could be a way of unlocking, as it were, some means of expressioin that might allow the incarcerated to learn. I've also done a tutor training with a halfway house transition facility, where the staff wanted the training because they saw education as such a great need in the female population they were serving. Dru
 rehabilitatioin facilities have also requested trainings. So there are lots of avenues that could be followed, at differing entry/exit points of the system.
  Best regards,
  Bonnie Odiorne, Ph.D.
  

  ----- Original Message ----
From: "Upham, Gary" <Gary.Upham at maine.gov>
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 8:34:26 AM
Subject: [SpecialTopics 849] Posting

Gary Upham
Maine State Prison Principal

I have been the Principal of the Maine State Prison for the past year
and a half.  It has not taken me long to identify that much of this
population has special education needs.  However I have tried,
unsuccessfully, to pull in resources appropriate for identification and
strategies to work with my inmates.  Funding is a major issue as well as
current staffing, which is affected by funding.  How do I deal with a
major need under these conditions?

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to bonniesophia at sbcglobal.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to deiswv at yahoo.com
  
  
---------------------------------
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From djrosen at comcast.net  Tue Mar 18 17:25:54 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2008 17:25:54 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 868]  Re-Entry Initiatives
Message-ID: <874922EF-BF7C-4935-82D1-3EE22D2D3D53@comcast.net>

Posted for Fran Tracy-Mumford by David J. Rosen

From: Fran Mumford [fmumford at msde.state.md.us]
Sent: Tue 3/18/2008 1:28 PM
Subject: Re-Entry Initiatives

Diana Bailey, Maryland's Program Coordinator for transition and  
employment at the MD State Department of Education Correctional  
Education program, has done a tremendous job in leading transition to  
the community services within each state prison facility and  
coordinated with the Department of Labor.  She plans "Career Fairs"  
with workshops for offenders who are within 18 months of release.

CAREER FAIR.  During the career fair, critical contacts from the  
community present in mini-workshops throughout the day.  One stop  
counselors are part of the presentations.  Employers give "tips" for  
seeking employment in their field.  HR people sit one-on-one in a job  
interview with inmates within 6 months of release.  Each interview is  
sensitively critiqued. Colleges are represented to encourage  
participation giving information about their job training or degree  
programs. Goodwill and other non-profits participate. Money  
management, finding a place to live, and where to get a hot meal are  
other topics. These events are wildly successful as a means of  
transitioning individuals back into the community

TRANSITION PROGRAM STUDENT CERTIFICATES.  One of the Correctional  
Education program standards of accountability is for a component of  
the program that provides Transition program completion  
certificates.  Last year more than 3,000 certificates were issued to  
students statewide.  The four components of the student certificate  
are (I believe I got this right): career awareness, career  
exploration, employability skills, and career planning.  Students are  
assigned to this class for a minimum of 6 weeks.

ONE STOP FOR OFFENDER RE-ENTRY.  A one stop has been designated by  
the Dept of Labor for re-entering offenders. It was created in the  
Baltimore Metropolitan area where more than 80% are re-entering the  
community.

TRANSITION CHECKLIST.  A checklist of transition skills has been  
created and is placed in the student's file.  This is used to guide  
instruction and inform the student and program about the skills  
completed and those to be completed before release.

LIBRARY CAREER RESOURCE CENTER.  The library in each state facility  
has a career resource center stocked with information about careers.   
Any inmate can assess this information.

Her program is quite impressive.  I didn't address other aspects of  
transition such as: money management, establishing credit, family  
living, parenting, etc. as other topics included in her programs.  To  
contact Diana, you can reach her at the address listed above.

Dr. Fran Tracy-Mumford
Academic Program Coordinator
Correctional Education
Maryland State Department of Education
200 W. Baltimore Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
410.767.0732

David J. Rosen
djrosen at comcast.net

From Geriteaches22963 at aol.com  Tue Mar 18 17:21:47 2008
From: Geriteaches22963 at aol.com (Geriteaches22963 at aol.com)
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2008 17:21:47 EDT
Subject: [SpecialTopics 869] Re: From corrections education to community
	education
Message-ID: <c39.293a7732.35118c6b@aol.com>

As the SPED coordinator, we work directly with a transition specialist to  
determine which community-based programs are available to meet the continuing  
needs of the students.  We write transitional goals, prepare a Summary of  
Performance, provide agency names, but I do not place the calls for them,  so I 
assume this may not happen immediately.  Occasionally, I will get  calls from 
released inmates for more information which I can provide.
Geri Hayden
Department of Correctional Education
SPED/504 Coordinator
Virginia
 
 
In a message dated 3/17/2008 6:13:32 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
djrosen at comcast.net writes:

For all  our guests:

When an inmate who has been in an education program inside  a state  
corrections institution or county jail and is released, what  needs to  
happen for him or her to connect to and stick with a  community-based  
education program? Do these events need to happen  immediately mon  
release or can they be phased in over time after  housing, shelter,  
counseling and job needs are met? Are you aware of  any exemplary  
models of connections between inside education and  community based  
education programs? Can you tell us about them? What  can community- 
based education programs do to partner with corrections  education  
programs that release inmates back to their  communities?

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion  Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

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From radams at ric.edu  Tue Mar 18 17:26:41 2008
From: radams at ric.edu (Adams, Robin)
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2008 17:26:41 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 870]  Prison Education to Community Education
Message-ID: <AB3C05321BA8094381D12CDBF6878199D04AF8@mailsvr1.RICOL.EDU>

Hi All:

I'm interested in hearing about significant research findings on the topic of successful transitions from prison education to community education programs as well as any best practices that might have been discovered.  If anyone has anything to share regarding those two aspects of the topic, I'd be most appreciative. 

Robin Adams 
RI Adult Education Professional Development Center 
600 Mt. Pleasant Avenue, Builiding 30 
Providence, RI 02908 
(401) 456-2830 

From Geriteaches22963 at aol.com  Tue Mar 18 17:27:29 2008
From: Geriteaches22963 at aol.com (Geriteaches22963 at aol.com)
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2008 17:27:29 EDT
Subject: [SpecialTopics 871] Re: Corrections to Community Education
	Questions to P...
Message-ID: <d1d.1dddc2b3.35118dc1@aol.com>

To answer your first question, I feel that our vocational programs provide  
the best opportunity to transition to work, which they need.  Many of our  
programs though, require a GED (some do not).  I find that many of my  students 
who are close in getting their GED enroll in community programs fairly  soon.
 
To respond to your second question, the crimes vary in great degree.   Many 
of these felonies prohibit certain jobs the ex-offender previously held, so  
seeking employment is quite a challenge.
I am not sure about statistics in Virginia, though it would be interesting  
to see.
Geri Hayden
SPED/504 Coordinator
VA Department of Correctional Education
 
 
 
In a message dated 3/18/2008 6:01:53 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
kgotthardt at comcast.net writes:

Dear Panel Members:
 
Thank you for an interesting and enlightening  discussion on this topic.  
Having worked in career based higher  education, I have met several students 
trying to re-enter society through more  traditional programs.  The results were 
not what they should have  been.  I have never worked in a purely community 
based program or in  correctional institutions. 
 
Here are my questions, then:
 
1.  What do you see as the main differences  between career educational 
programs through public or private postsecondary  institutions and community 
education programs?  How do these differences  account for the success or failure of 
students in these programs?
 
2.  What spectrum of crimes have these  students committed?  What are the 
most common?  How does the  severity of the crime relate to their outcomes in 
community educational  programs and subsequent attempts to find employment...or 
does it?
 
3.  Does anyone here have statistical  information (similar to what Carolyn 
offers) on prisons in the state of  Virginia?  If not, does anyone know where I 
could find this  information?
 
Again, thank you for this discussion.   

Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt
_www.luxuriouschoices.net_ (http://www.luxuriouschoices.net/)  

----- Original Message ----- 
From:  _Buser, Carolyn_ (mailto:Carolyn.Buser at ed.gov)  
To: _specialtopics at nifl.gov_ (mailto:specialtopics at nifl.gov)  
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 11:21  AM
Subject: [SpecialTopics 852] Re:  Corrections to Community Education

David ? I have always found that the statistics on the children of inmates  
have had a positive effect on the merits of correctional education.   The 
Bureau of Justice Statistics 2000 report on Incarcerated Parents and  their 
Children states that 2.1% of the minor children in the  United  States had at least 
one parent in prison on  any given day.  Over the course of childhood, over ten 
million children  have lived with the stigma of absent and incarcerated 
parents.  You can  find or estimate that number in Kentucky and than talk about the 
 educational level of the parent being the major determining factor in the  
educational level of the child.  Additionally, of course, are the  studies that 
link correctional education with a reduction in  recidivism.  The Three State 
Recidivism Study, sponsored by the  Correctional Education Association and 
the United States Department of  Education, was encouraging in terms of 
reduction of both numbers of  recidivists and tax dollars spent on corrections.  The 
most effective  educational plan for reducing recidivism from that study 
involved inmate  students who participated in occupational training programs and 
then were  employed in that trade area upon release.  However, even the slightest 
 involvement in an education program resulted in a reduction in recidivism  
according to that study.  Steve Aos et.al. in the 2001 paper for the  
Washington State Institute for Public Policy present a compelling chart  listing the 
cost benefit of various prison programs.  In-prison  vocational education is 
listed as the best value returning $7.13 for each  dollar spent.  Thirteen 
offender programs are reviewed, and in-prison  adult basic education ranks fifth, 
saving $5.65 for each dollar spent.   Those are numbers that State governments 
find persuasive.  I would also  recommend the Journal of Correctional Education 
and other resources of the  Correctional Education Association.  Cay 
 
  
____________________________________
 
From:  specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] 
 On Behalf Of David  Collings
Sent: Monday,  March 17, 2008 10:15 AM
To:  specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 851] Re:  Corrections to Community Education
This  morning (3/17/08) the Louisville Courier-Journal reported the following 
 front-page story: 
 

 
"Rising  prison numbers worry Ky.
Officials will meet today to  consider solutions
 

 
Alarmed  by Kentucky's exploding prison population -- and fast-rising costs 
-- state  Justice Secretary J. Michael Brown has called a meeting today of the 
state  Criminal Justice Council to take up the issue and find some solutions.  
 

 
..."I  think it is extremely urgent," said state Senate Majority leader Dan 
Kelly,  R-Springfield.
 

 
He said  the state needs to find more humane ways to deal with minor 
offenders who  aren't dangerous and may need treatment for mental illness or drug  
addiction.
 

 
"Fortunately,  the cost is attracting some attention to the humanity," Kelly  
said.
 

 
Kentucky's prison population is  rising at the fastest rate in the nation, 
according to a report last month  by the Pew Center on the States, a nonpartisan 
Washington research  and policy group. Kentucky currently has about 22,600 
felony  offenders in jail or prison, and this year's state corrections budget is 
 about $431 million -- compared with about 3,700 inmates in 1980 and a budget 
 of $30 million. "
 

 
To our  panel of guests:
 

 
Given  this rare opportunity for change in the Kentucky penal system,  what 
information might I offer the Criminal Justice Council, which  would bring new 
light to the role of education -- especially adult  education?
 

 
David  Collings
 

  
____________________________________
 
From:  specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] 
 On Behalf Of David J.  Rosen
Sent: Monday, March  17, 2008 8:59 AM
To:  specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 848]  Corrections to Community Education 
 
Colleagues,
 

 
This week our special topic is Transition from  Corrections Education to 
Community Education. I would like to welcome our  guests Dr. Carolyn Buser, Steve 
Schwalb,  John Gordon and  Dr. Stephen J. Steurer. You will find background 
information on  them below as well as some readings they have  suggested.
 

 
I will be posting some questions, but I hope you  will also post your 
questions. To begin, I would like to refer to some  recent remarks by Jeremy Travis, 
the President of John Jay College of  Criminal Justice, to a gathering of U.S. 
mayors in New York City on  February 28th, 2008. I would also like to invite 
our guests to react to  these remarks and to add other information that 
provides the background  for this transition issue, that helps us to understand why 
education, and  transition from corrections education to community education 
is such an  important issue.
 

 
??over the past generation we have quadrupled the  per capita rate of 
 
incarceration in this country.  Every year  since 1972 ? in times of war and 
times of peace;  
 
in good economic times, in bad economic times;  when crime was going up and 
crime was 
 
going down ? we have put more people in  prison.  We also tend to forget 
that, with the  
 
exception of those few who die in prison, they  will all come back.   
 

 
This year, according to the Bureau of Justice  Statistics, approximately 
700,000 
 
individuals will leave our nation?s prisons, well  over four times the number 
who made a 
 
similar journey thirty years ago.  Ninety  percent of them are men; a 
majority are men of  
 
color; in every state, they typically go back to a  small number of urban 
neighborhoods, 
 
neighborhoods that are struggling with poor  schools, weak labor markets, 
substandard  
 
housing, and inadequate health care.  As a  nation, we have in essence asked 
these hard-  
 
pressed communities to take on the enormous  additional responsibility of 
reintegrating  
 
record numbers of their family members who have  been sent off to prison and 
return 
 
home, typically with significant service needs,  often without supportive 
social networks.?  
 
( _http://tinyurl.com/2glxlj_ (http://tinyurl.com/2glxlj)   )
 

 
 
Background on Discussion  Guests
 

 
Carolyn (Cay)  Buser
 
Cay Buser joined the United States Department of  Education in May of 2006 as 
an adult education program specialist with  duties as the Adult Education and 
Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) liaison with  correctional education.  Dr. Buser 
works with the Western States to  assist them in the administration of adult 
education grants.  She  also is the national resource for coordination with 
correctional education  programs and adult education grants.
 

 
Prior to her federal appointment, Dr. Buser was  director of correctional 
education for the Maryland State Department of  Education.  Her responsibilities 
entailed management of the education  and library programs in Maryland?s adult 
and juvenile  correctional systems.  She provided direct support to Maryland?
s  Educational Coordinating Council for Correctional Institutions, the  ?
school board? for correctional education headed by the State  Superintendent of 
Schools with the State Secretary of Public Safety and  Correctional Services as a 
member.
 

 
Dr. Buser has been an active member of the  Correctional Education 
Association serving as a regional director and is  currently on the editorial board of 
the Journal of Correctional  Education.  Her academic background includes a 
master?s degree in  special education and a doctorate in educational policy and  
administration.  Dr. Buser taught English in public middle and high  schools 
in the Midwest, and in community colleges in Maryland.  She  taught for seven 
years in Maryland?s correctional education  program and served as a principal 
in three correctional settings before  her appointment as director of the State 
 program.
 

 
Steve  Schwalb
 
Steve Schwalb has served as President and CEO of  Pioneer Human Services 
since April, 2007. Prior to that, Steve had a  33-year career in the field of  
corrections.  
 

 
After receiving his B.A. degree in Business  Administration from the 
University of Washington, he began his corrections  career as a Personnel Management 
Specialist trainee with the Federal  Bureau of Prisons.  He subsequently held 
various positions of  additional responsibility, including Personnel Director, 
Chief of Internal  Affairs, Warden, Deputy Regional Director and Assistant  
Director. 
 

 
In the latter position, Steve was responsible for  nationwide oversight of 
the education, vocational training, recreation,  parenting, transition 
preparation, citizen volunteers and industrial work  programs.  Serving in the role of 
Chief Operating Officer of Federal  Prison Industries, Inc., he oversaw over 
100 factories that employ 21,000  inmates and 1,400 staff, and that generated 
$800 million in annual  sales.
 

 
In the mid-1980?s, Steve served as Associate  Superintendent and Program 
Manager with the Washington State Department of  Corrections, and as Director of 
the King County Jail in  Seattle. 
 

 
During his federal career, Steve was appointed by  the President to the 
Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or  Severely Disabled, and served 
as chairman for four of his twelve years on  the committee.
 

 
John  Gordon
 
John has worked at the Fortune Society since 2001,  first as Director of its 
Education program and more recently as an  Associate President of Programs. 
The Fortune Society works with people  after they?ve come home from prison or 
jail. Their Education program  serves 200-300 students per year; they offer 
classes in Adult Basic  Education, ESOL, and computer skills. Many students are on 
probation or  parole; others are mandated by the courts to one of Fortune?s 
Alternatives  to Incarceration programs; some are no longer under any criminal 
justice  supervision.
 
Before coming to the Fortune Society, John worked  for 16 years as 
Teacher-Director of the Open Book, a community based  literacy program in Brooklyn, NY. 
At the Open Book, some of his  central concerns revolved around developing 
student leadership and student  participation in program decision-making; 
publishing student writing and  oral histories, and welfare and literacy issues. He 
published several  articles on these topics as well as More Than a Job:  A 
Curriculum on  Work and Society (New Readers Press). He is an active  participant 
in the New York City Coalition for Adult  Literacy.
 
The Fortune Society was founded in 1967 with two  main goals: (1) to educate 
the public about prisons, criminal justice  issues, and the root causes of 
crime and (2) to provide support for people  as they come home from prison. 
Fortune serves over 3,000 former prisoners  a year, offering education, career 
development, counseling, substance  abuse treatment, housing, health services, and 
alternatives to  incarceration. It continues to play a strong role in 
advocating for  criminal justice and prison reform.
 

 
Stephen J. Steurer,  Ph.D.
 
Steve is the  Executive Director of the  Correctional Education Association, 
a professional organization of  educators who work in prisons, jails and 
juvenile  settings.
 

 

 
 
Our guests have suggested the  following readings:
 

 
The Urban Institute's web site  at
 
_http://www.urban.org/justice/index.cfm_ 
(http://www.urban.org/justice/index.cfm) 
 
has a complete list of its publications, most of  which are online. Of 
particular interest may be those that highlight  individual state reports in the 
multi-state Returning Home  project.
 
_http://tinyurl.com/2cm7jp_ (http://tinyurl.com/2cm7jp) 
 
These are all accessible  online.
 

 
Taylor Stoehr's articles. There are a number on  the Changing Lives Through  
Literature web site:
 
_http://cltl.umassd.edu/IssuesClassroom3.cfm_ 
(http://cltl.umassd.edu/IssuesClassroom3.cfm) 
 
"Enforcing the Rules" is especially  recommended.
 

 
The topic of prison location/release location will  also be useful to the 
discussion. There are several articles listed on the  Urban Institute?s re-entry 
mapping pages, several from  2004.
 
_http://tinyurl.com/2687ma_ (http://tinyurl.com/2687ma) 
 

 
These two books have a lot to offer: Joan  Petersilia's "When
 
Prisoners Come Home: Parole and Prisoner Reentry"  Oxford  University
 
Press 2003, and Jeremy Travis' "But They All Come  Back: Facing the
 
Challenges of Prisoner Reentry" Urban Institute  Press 2005.
 

 
Also, see _http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/181413.pdf_ 
(http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/181413.pdf)   for a paper by Jeremy Travis on this  topic.
 

 
As mentioned earlier, here?s the link to the  Correctional Education, Family 
Literacy and Transitions discussion that  were hosted here in September 2006:
 
_http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Corrections_Education#2._Correctional_
Ed.2C_Family_Literacy_.26_Transition--On-Line_Discussion.2C_September_2006_ 
(http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Corrections_Education#2._Correctional_Ed
.2C_Family_Literacy_.26_Transition--On-Line_Discussion.2C_September_2006)   
or, for short,
 
_http://tinyurl.com/yrzwlk_ (http://tinyurl.com/yrzwlk) 
 

 
David J. Rosen
 
Special Topics Discussion  Moderator
 
djrosen at  comcast.net
 

 
 

 
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From wrmuth at vcu.edu  Tue Mar 18 17:47:30 2008
From: wrmuth at vcu.edu (William R Muth/FS/VCU)
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2008 17:47:30 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 872] Re: Posting
In-Reply-To: <66300.6679.qm@web51606.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <OFE83CC412.63C6496D-ON85257410.0076361D-85257410.0077B22B@vcu.edu>

Denise (and all),
I work with Hope House DC, an organization that provides storybook reading 
programs in 14 federal prisons (and supports other programs like video 
conferencing and summer camps that bring children of prisoners together 
with their incarcerated parents.)  Here is a link to the website:  
http://hopehousedc.org/index.php

We've had some feedback that younger children's experiences may be quite 
different than the older one's. For example some of the older kids (10 - 
11 year olds) said they enjoyed listening to their fathers' voices, but 
did not engage with the books. (Sometimes this may be because the books 
were no longer picture books, and thus, the kids could follow along 
without the book.) Also, we sometimes do video taping of the books, and, 
again, this seems to add both a great additional attraction (actually 
being able to see their fathers' faces) but also a distraction from the 
book itself.

I realize that the primary purpose of the program is to build/maintain 
family connections, but we also hope that children will remain enthused as 
readers, yes? I was wondering if you, or any others following this 
discussion have had similar experiences, and any insights about how to 
approach these issues.
Thanks!
Bill Muth

Denise McIntire <deiswv at yahoo.com> 
Sent by: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
03/18/2008 05:27 PM
Please respond to
specialtopics at nifl.gov

To
specialtopics at nifl.gov
cc

Subject
[SpecialTopics 867] Re: Posting

Kathy, Yes, indeed we do a similiar program using DVD's.  But we take it 
one step more.  We include companion books, work age appropriate 
activities, very large toys and for 9-15 yr old kids, include cookbooks, 
cooking equipment, aprons, etc.  We work with ages 0 - 15 and if any are 
older, they receive magazine subscriptions of their choice.  We also send 
home art supplies weekly as well.  We educate the parents on various 
issues including nutrition, media literacy, parental involvement, etc. 
Again, it is working.  If you know of any funding available for us, please 
let me know.  Happy spring to all.
Kathy Olesen-Tracey <ktracey at cait.org> wrote: 
 Denise,
I attended an adult education conference in Illinois several years ago and 
learned about a program called "Reading from the Inside Out". I don't 
recall many of the details, so if anyone here has heard of it -please 
share. 

Essentially, the program video taped parents reading a story to their 
child and provide the child with the book and the video tape so the child 
can experience their parent reading to them. 

Has anyone heard about a project like this?
Kathy Olesen-Tracey
--
Center for the Application of Information Technologies

----- Original Message -----
From: "Denise McIntire" <deiswv at yahoo.com>
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 8:29:33 AM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central
Subject: [SpecialTopics 863] Re: Posting

Bonnie and all that follow,
I am the Ex. Dir. of a very small family literacy program in West 
Virginia.  We are a volunteer literacy program as oppossed to a Dept. of 
Ed. funded adult basic education program.  We have been offering a program 
since 06 for corrections facilities that works with incarcerated adults 
for 8 weeks per session.  Our job is to keep that bond connected between 
parent and child and also the child's education stressing the importance 
of literacy for all ages as well as the caregivers responsible for the 
children until the family can be reunited.  Yes, dollars are limited for 
all of the needs our society needs especially issues dealing with 
literacy.  Please, help with the message of supporting the entire family 
along with the educational and workforce training.  Most of the women we 
have worked with have spent their entire lives in the system whether due 
to parental units away from them as children and the cycle repeats over 
and over from generation to generation.  Our program is still too new to 
have created any empirical evidence as of yet but according to inmates and 
families alike, we are making a difference one family at a time. 

Bonnie Odiorne <bonniesophia at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
Gary,
You might call on Literacy Volunteers (now ProLiteracy USA) or some other 
community-based literacy adult education organization. I once trained a 
group of tutors who had already been recruited by someone (clergy, 
chaplain?) at the prison, in a "safe" area outside the high security 
areas. I insisted, and the director agreed, that if I was going to send 
tutors into this facility, that I should go in too, and I did. It was a 
revelation. This was a long time ago, and I really should follow up on 
whether or not the program is still functioning. I know of labyrinth 
facilitators that want to do prison work, and while that's not on the 
topic of educational needs, it could be a way of unlocking, as it were, 
some means of expressioin that might allow the incarcerated to learn. I've 
also done a tutor training with a halfway house transition facility, where 
the staff wanted the training because they saw education as such a great 
need in the female population they were serving. Dru rehabilitatioin 
facilities have also requested trainings. So there are lots of avenues 
that could be followed, at differing entry/exit points of the system.
Best regards,
Bonnie Odiorne, Ph.D.

----- Original Message ----
From: "Upham, Gary" <Gary.Upham at maine.gov>
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 8:34:26 AM
Subject: [SpecialTopics 849] Posting

Gary Upham
Maine State Prison Principal

I have been the Principal of the Maine State Prison for the past year
and a half.  It has not taken me long to identify that much of this
population has special education needs.  However I have tried,
unsuccessfully, to pull in resources appropriate for identification and
strategies to work with my inmates.  Funding is a major issue as well as
current staffing, which is affected by funding.  How do I deal with a
major need under these conditions?

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From djrosen at comcast.net  Tue Mar 18 18:13:30 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2008 18:13:30 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 873]  Discussion archived
Message-ID: <EC5A1470-4A77-4F03-BE9D-AC1EA3318A21@comcast.net>

Colleagues who have just joined the discussion,

Welcome. The discussion began Monday morning. You can catch up by  
going to the archive at http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/ 
2008/date.html
beginning with message 847.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

From SYNSOL at cableone.net  Tue Mar 18 18:20:41 2008
From: SYNSOL at cableone.net (Bill Anthony)
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2008 17:20:41 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 874] Re: From corrections education to
	communityeducation
References: <c39.293a7732.35118c6b@aol.com>
Message-ID: <00a201c88946$4d721fa0$6501a8c0@BillHP>

David Rosen,  

Regarding your question below --

I was involved with Federal Correctional Education for some 25 years.  I believe we did a relatively good job of preparing inmates for release with GED, Vocational. counseling and Pre Release programs.  But, we did not do a particularly good job of "handing inmates off"  to the appropriate community education resources.  Many years ago we had release furloughs for lesser security inmates to allow them to connect with release plans in their release community.  Given increasing security concerns and the increase of Half Way Houses or Community Treatment Centers I believe we lost a step.  We began turning people over to halfway houses with no direct contact and probably very poor procedures for delivery of institutional education records to the half way houses. 

The half way houses were often just an interim step between prison and final relief destination.  They helped in getting jobs, clothing tools , and rent money; but they ultimatley had to also "hand off" many ot their clients to a final release area many miles away. 

We can take some solace in the fact that, as a federal instituion,  we were releasing inmates all over the country and a personal handoff to local resources was particularly difficult.  State Prisons should have it a little easier and county jails should be able to actually maintain personal contacts with community resources.  But I think a real key is to be able to provide personal connections to community resources.  In a county jail situation it would seem that it might be possible for direct relationships among prison staff and county educational resources .  I'm sure the issue of privacy concerns might be raised but it would seem inmates would have the right to waive such concerns.

I also believe that there are a number of availabe education resources that qualify as  "Lifelong Learning" resources.   That is,  we can provide resources in the prison that can be continued on the streets.  If we train the inmates to use a system such as the Public Broadcasting, Educational TV, and Literacy Link materials for GED and Workplace Skills;  the inmates can continue to use the same resources on their own after release and possibly get help from community Adult Education programs where necessary.  I know the computer security issues in higher security prisons but, we are really at the point where we need to find ways to give inmates the skills to use internet resources.   Can we hook inmates up with more internet resources that can go with them where ever they go and whenever their schedule permits?  Use of this type of resources can also help improve "Family Literacy".  I suspect we all know that many inmate families could use educational help also.  

Bill Anthony
SYNSOL at cableone.net

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

For all our guests:

When an inmate who has been in an education program inside a state  
corrections institution or county jail and is released, what needs to  
happen for him or her to connect to and stick with a community-based  
education program? Do these events need to happen immediately mon  
release or can they be phased in over time after housing, shelter,  
counseling and job needs are met? Are you aware of any exemplary  
models of connections between inside education and community based  
education programs? Can you tell us about them? What can community- 
based education programs do to partner with corrections education  
programs that release inmates back to their communities?

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

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From sklaty at cville.k12.in.us  Tue Mar 18 18:36:00 2008
From: sklaty at cville.k12.in.us (Klaty, Sharon)
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2008 18:36:00 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 875] Re: Corrections to Community Education
In-Reply-To: <EFB4E73A48DFC544B8FAB0950A5E29030E5FCE@wdcrobe2m05.ed.gov>
References: <EFB4E73A48DFC544B8FAB0950A5E29030E5FCE@wdcrobe2m05.ed.gov>
Message-ID: <E127BBFE2719D54580E9651B704C89C00AE011724B@CVILLEMAIL.cville.local>

It was my intention to be part of this to gain knowledge and "listen in".  However, this message prompts my comment.  In community education there needs to be the education that goes beyond the academic/work skills.  Maybe this is part of the community education.  I am talking about the "soft skills".  Are the "soft skills" being taught?  Such things as attitude, attendance, punctuality, honesty, dependability, teamwork, listening skills........  From personal experience:  a family member in the last three years decided to give three different people a chance.  They had knowledge, skills and were fairly intelligent.  The last one's employment ended a couple of weeks ago.  One could not keep personal problems at home.  Another's attendance was poor.  Another helped himself to some expensive tools.  You get the picture.  Yes, these people can be a good resource if they have the right skills.  Employers don't mind training the employees if they have these.

________________________________
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Buser, Carolyn
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 9:50 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 850] Re: Corrections to Community Education

            Good morning.  Jeremy Travis and the Urban Institute have been drawing the attention of professionals and the general public to the issues surrounding reentry for a number of years.  The excellent reentry roundtable series will continue in New York City next month and feature participants from areas affecting reentry and transition, as well as persons who have successfully made their own transition.  The recent report from the Pew Charitable Trust seems to have captured the interest of the general public.  The statistics the report presents are astonishing.  More than one in every one hundred adults is now confined in an American jail or prison.  The incidence of incarceration is disproportionately levied across minority and male communities with one in thirty men between the ages of 20 and 34 in jail or prison, and one in nine men of color between those same ages is incarcerated.  As Jeremy Travis points out, almost all of these people will return to society.   Many of them will return to neighborhoods already strapped to provide basic social services to residents who have not been incarcerated.  The task of facilitating reentry to ensure humane and hopeful solutions for persons, neighborhoods, and country is daunting.  The task can only be addressed in its whole.  Preparation for reentry must begin when a person first enters a prison and continue through release and well beyond - engaging police, the courts, the correctional system, correctional education, community agencies, families, community educational systems, and the business community.  Persons released from incarceration can use skills learned in prison to revitalize their communities.  Returning persons can be a resource if there is the will to equip them to be so.

________________________________
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 8:59 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 848] Corrections to Community Education

Colleagues,

This week our special topic is Transition from Corrections Education to Community Education. I would like to welcome our guests Dr. Carolyn Buser, Steve Schwalb,  John Gordon and Dr. Stephen J. Steurer. You will find background information on them below as well as some readings they have suggested.

I will be posting some questions, but I hope you will also post your questions. To begin, I would like to refer to some recent remarks by Jeremy Travis, the President of John Jay College of Criminal Justice, to a gathering of U.S. mayors in New York City on February 28th, 2008. I would also like to invite our guests to react to these remarks and to add other information that provides the background for this transition issue, that helps us to understand why education, and transition from corrections education to community education is such an important issue.

"...over the past generation we have quadrupled the per capita rate of
incarceration in this country.  Every year since 1972 - in times of war and times of peace;
in good economic times, in bad economic times; when crime was going up and crime was
going down - we have put more people in prison.  We also tend to forget that, with the
exception of those few who die in prison, they will all come back.

This year, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, approximately 700,000
individuals will leave our nation's prisons, well over four times the number who made a
similar journey thirty years ago.  Ninety percent of them are men; a majority are men of
color; in every state, they typically go back to a small number of urban neighborhoods,
neighborhoods that are struggling with poor schools, weak labor markets, substandard
housing, and inadequate health care.  As a nation, we have in essence asked these hard-
pressed communities to take on the enormous additional responsibility of reintegrating
record numbers of their family members who have been sent off to prison and return
home, typically with significant service needs, often without supportive social networks."
( http://tinyurl.com/2glxlj )

Background on Discussion Guests

Carolyn (Cay) Buser
Cay Buser joined the United States Department of Education in May of 2006 as an adult education program specialist with duties as the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) liaison with correctional education.  Dr. Buser works with the Western States to assist them in the administration of adult education grants.  She also is the national resource for coordination with correctional education programs and adult education grants.

Prior to her federal appointment, Dr. Buser was director of correctional education for the Maryland State Department of Education.  Her responsibilities entailed management of the education and library programs in Maryland's adult and juvenile correctional systems.  She provided direct support to Maryland's Educational Coordinating Council for Correctional Institutions, the "school board" for correctional education headed by the State Superintendent of Schools with the State Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services as a member.

Dr. Buser has been an active member of the Correctional Education Association serving as a regional director and is currently on the editorial board of the Journal of Correctional Education.  Her academic background includes a master's degree in special education and a doctorate in educational policy and administration.  Dr. Buser taught English in public middle and high schools in the Midwest, and in community colleges in Maryland.  She taught for seven years in Maryland's correctional education program and served as a principal in three correctional settings before her appointment as director of the State program.

Steve Schwalb
Steve Schwalb has served as President and CEO of Pioneer Human Services since April, 2007. Prior to that, Steve had a 33-year career in the field of corrections.

After receiving his B.A. degree in Business Administration from the University of Washington, he began his corrections career as a Personnel Management Specialist trainee with the Federal Bureau of Prisons.  He subsequently held various positions of additional responsibility, including Personnel Director, Chief of Internal Affairs, Warden, Deputy Regional Director and Assistant Director.

In the latter position, Steve was responsible for nationwide oversight of the education, vocational training, recreation, parenting, transition preparation, citizen volunteers and industrial work programs.  Serving in the role of Chief Operating Officer of Federal Prison Industries, Inc., he oversaw over 100 factories that employ 21,000 inmates and 1,400 staff, and that generated $800 million in annual sales.

In the mid-1980's, Steve served as Associate Superintendent and Program Manager with the Washington State Department of Corrections, and as Director of the King County Jail in Seattle.

During his federal career, Steve was appointed by the President to the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled, and served as chairman for four of his twelve years on the committee.

John Gordon
John has worked at the Fortune Society since 2001, first as Director of its Education program and more recently as an Associate President of Programs. The Fortune Society works with people after they've come home from prison or jail. Their Education program serves 200-300 students per year; they offer classes in Adult Basic Education, ESOL, and computer skills. Many students are on probation or parole; others are mandated by the courts to one of Fortune's Alternatives to Incarceration programs; some are no longer under any criminal justice supervision.
Before coming to the Fortune Society, John worked for 16 years as Teacher-Director of the Open Book, a community based literacy program in Brooklyn, NY. At the Open Book, some of his central concerns revolved around developing student leadership and student participation in program decision-making; publishing student writing and oral histories, and welfare and literacy issues. He published several articles on these topics as well as More Than a Job:  A Curriculum on Work and Society (New Readers Press). He is an active participant in the New York City Coalition for Adult Literacy.
The Fortune Society was founded in 1967 with two main goals: (1) to educate the public about prisons, criminal justice issues, and the root causes of crime and (2) to provide support for people as they come home from prison. Fortune serves over 3,000 former prisoners a year, offering education, career development, counseling, substance abuse treatment, housing, health services, and alternatives to incarceration. It continues to play a strong role in advocating for criminal justice and prison reform.

Stephen J. Steurer, Ph.D.
Steve is the  Executive Director of the Correctional Education Association, a professional organization of educators who work in prisons, jails and juvenile settings.

Our guests have suggested the following readings:

The Urban Institute's web site at
http://www.urban.org/justice/index.cfm
has a complete list of its publications, most of which are online. Of particular interest may be those that highlight individual state reports in the multi-state Returning Home project.
http://tinyurl.com/2cm7jp
These are all accessible online.

Taylor Stoehr's articles. There are a number on the Changing Lives Through Literature web site:
http://cltl.umassd.edu/IssuesClassroom3.cfm
"Enforcing the Rules" is especially recommended.

The topic of prison location/release location will also be useful to the discussion. There are several articles listed on the Urban Institute's re-entry mapping pages, several from 2004.
http://tinyurl.com/2687ma

These two books have a lot to offer: Joan Petersilia's "When
Prisoners Come Home: Parole and Prisoner Reentry" Oxford University
Press 2003, and Jeremy Travis' "But They All Come Back: Facing the
Challenges of Prisoner Reentry" Urban Institute Press 2005.

Also, see http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/181413.pdf for a paper by Jeremy Travis on this topic.

As mentioned earlier, here's the link to the Correctional Education, Family Literacy and Transitions discussion that were hosted here in September 2006:
http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Corrections_Education#2._Correctional_Ed.2C_Family_Literacy_.26_Transition--On-Line_Discussion.2C_September_2006 or, for short,
http://tinyurl.com/yrzwlk

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

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From jgordon at fortunesociety.org  Tue Mar 18 18:18:39 2008
From: jgordon at fortunesociety.org (John Gordon)
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2008 18:18:39 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 876] Re: From corrections education to
	communityeducation
In-Reply-To: <7FF86790-F332-4D29-8DB4-763C4712066B@comcast.net>
References: <7FF86790-F332-4D29-8DB4-763C4712066B@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <25AB4DBCECBD574F8A8EE92F47848BBD01291C30@mail2.fortunesociety.internal>

David,

Our experience is that a successful transition from a prison education
program to a community based program is difficult. There are so many
things that have to happen:

- First, as you surmised, so many people "coming home" have multiple
issues that need to get addressed before they can focus on education -
most importantly, housing and employment. Some folks do come home with a
place to live, but many do not and end up in shelters. And even for
those who do have a place to go, the place is often a couch in their
friend's or aunt's apartment. 

Employment is also critical, particularly for people on parole.
Employment is usually mandated for parolees. If they don't find a job,
they run the risk of getting locked up again. Needless to say, finding a
job is difficult, particularly in this day and age when so much of our
personal information is available to every potential employer on the
internet. 

I believe it helps if people land in a place that 
- offers wraparound services, so that people can come to the doors and
find employment services, supportive housing or housing referrals,
education, and transitional counseling in the same place. 
- has staff members who have been incarcerated themselves. They are more
likely to be able to understand and relate to what the newly released
student is going through. 

However, I don't believe people coming home have to be in programs
specifically designed for the formerly incarcerated. What matters most
is that we have caring, empathetic staff who don't make summary
judgments about people based on their past experiences. I'm sure that
many, if not most, adult education programs already serve people who
have been incarcerated - perhaps without knowing it.

john 

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 7:12 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 857] From corrections education to
communityeducation

For all our guests:

When an inmate who has been in an education program inside a state
corrections institution or county jail and is released, what needs to
happen for him or her to connect to and stick with a community-based
education program? Do these events need to happen immediately mon
release or can they be phased in over time after housing, shelter,
counseling and job needs are met? Are you aware of any exemplary models
of connections between inside education and community based education
programs? Can you tell us about them? What can community- based
education programs do to partner with corrections education programs
that release inmates back to their communities?

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to jgordon at fortunesociety.org

From jgordon at fortunesociety.org  Tue Mar 18 18:36:57 2008
From: jgordon at fortunesociety.org (John Gordon)
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2008 18:36:57 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 877] Re: From corrections education
	tocommunityeducation
In-Reply-To: <6gvfio$48r8dv@rrcs-agw-01.hrndva.rr.com>
References: <7FF86790-F332-4D29-8DB4-763C4712066B@comcast.net>
	<6gvfio$48r8dv@rrcs-agw-01.hrndva.rr.com>
Message-ID: <25AB4DBCECBD574F8A8EE92F47848BBD01291C34@mail2.fortunesociety.internal>

A little more on this topic. 

I think the larger problem is continuity and long term stability. It is
relatively easy for people to make initial connections to employment
services and other programs when they get out. Many service providers
make regular presentations at parole and probation offices, for example.
And it's not necessarily that difficult (with some support) for newly
released folks to find a first job. But finding a job that pays well
enough to support yourself (and often some children) is a different
matter. This is one reason why people really need at minimum a high
school diploma. 

We know that one of the key factors promoting successful reentry is
having social and family supports around you. Unfortunately, many people
come home owing thousands of dollars in child support - a debt that they
accumulated while in prison. This works against family re-unification. 

Here in New York, a large percentage of the people who get jobs after
getting out of prison lose them within 3 months or a year. In our career
development program at the Fortune Society, a lot of our work goes into
"re-placing" people in employment. If people don't have the long term
support of both family and an organization like ours, there's a good
chance they'll wind up on the street again.

john

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Stephen Hannum
Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 10:55 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 864] Re: From corrections education
tocommunityeducation

Last fall, after several months of planning, The Literacy Council in
Birmingham was a sponsor of the "Community Opportunities Fair". The
"Community Opportunities Fair" was a one-day resource fair that allowed
Birmingham agencies and organizations the opportunity to provide
re-entry and adjustment information for persons who had been involved in
the criminal justice system.

There were nearly 50 agencies who participated in the "Community
Opportunities Fair" representing:
.	Counseling
.	Day care
.	Drug/alcohol counseling
.	Education/Literacy
.	Financial management
.	Heath care
.	Housing
.	Job training
.	Transportation 

Over 300 people attended and plans are already underway for repeating
the event again this fall.

There are obvious limitations to any "one shot" activity but the
comments that we received from participating agencies and from the large
group of parolees and others who attended were overwhelming.

Steve Hannum
Provider Services Manager
The Literacy Council

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 6:12 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 857] From corrections education to
communityeducation

For all our guests:

When an inmate who has been in an education program inside a state
corrections institution or county jail and is released, what needs to
happen for him or her to connect to and stick with a community-based
education program? Do these events need to happen immediately mon
release or can they be phased in over time after housing, shelter,
counseling and job needs are met? Are you aware of any exemplary models
of connections between inside education and community based education
programs? Can you tell us about them? What can community- based
education programs do to partner with corrections education programs
that release inmates back to their communities?

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to shannum at literacy-council.org
-------------------------------
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Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to jgordon at fortunesociety.org

From kgotthardt at comcast.net  Tue Mar 18 19:02:11 2008
From: kgotthardt at comcast.net (Katherine)
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2008 19:02:11 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 878] Re: Re-Entry Initiatives
In-Reply-To: <874922EF-BF7C-4935-82D1-3EE22D2D3D53@comcast.net>
References: <874922EF-BF7C-4935-82D1-3EE22D2D3D53@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <B7C4BA7ACF1D4D5E9320B56DE7B5794F@OwnerPC>

Wow!  This sounds like a comprehensive program.  Thank you for providing 
specifics on workshops, classes and resources.

Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt
www.luxuriouschoices.net
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net>
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 5:25 PM
Subject: [SpecialTopics 868] Re-Entry Initiatives

> Posted for Fran Tracy-Mumford by David J. Rosen
>
> From: Fran Mumford [fmumford at msde.state.md.us]
> Sent: Tue 3/18/2008 1:28 PM
> Subject: Re-Entry Initiatives
>
> Diana Bailey, Maryland's Program Coordinator for transition and
> employment at the MD State Department of Education Correctional
> Education program, has done a tremendous job in leading transition to
> the community services within each state prison facility and
> coordinated with the Department of Labor.  She plans "Career Fairs"
> with workshops for offenders who are within 18 months of release.
>
> CAREER FAIR.  During the career fair, critical contacts from the
> community present in mini-workshops throughout the day.  One stop
> counselors are part of the presentations.  Employers give "tips" for
> seeking employment in their field.  HR people sit one-on-one in a job
> interview with inmates within 6 months of release.  Each interview is
> sensitively critiqued. Colleges are represented to encourage
> participation giving information about their job training or degree
> programs. Goodwill and other non-profits participate. Money
> management, finding a place to live, and where to get a hot meal are
> other topics. These events are wildly successful as a means of
> transitioning individuals back into the community
>
> TRANSITION PROGRAM STUDENT CERTIFICATES.  One of the Correctional
> Education program standards of accountability is for a component of
> the program that provides Transition program completion
> certificates.  Last year more than 3,000 certificates were issued to
> students statewide.  The four components of the student certificate
> are (I believe I got this right): career awareness, career
> exploration, employability skills, and career planning.  Students are
> assigned to this class for a minimum of 6 weeks.
>
> ONE STOP FOR OFFENDER RE-ENTRY.  A one stop has been designated by
> the Dept of Labor for re-entering offenders. It was created in the
> Baltimore Metropolitan area where more than 80% are re-entering the
> community.
>
> TRANSITION CHECKLIST.  A checklist of transition skills has been
> created and is placed in the student's file.  This is used to guide
> instruction and inform the student and program about the skills
> completed and those to be completed before release.
>
> LIBRARY CAREER RESOURCE CENTER.  The library in each state facility
> has a career resource center stocked with information about careers.
> Any inmate can assess this information.
>
> Her program is quite impressive.  I didn't address other aspects of
> transition such as: money management, establishing credit, family
> living, parenting, etc. as other topics included in her programs.  To
> contact Diana, you can reach her at the address listed above.
>
> Dr. Fran Tracy-Mumford
> Academic Program Coordinator
> Correctional Education
> Maryland State Department of Education
> 200 W. Baltimore Street
> Baltimore, Maryland 21201
> 410.767.0732
>
>
>
>
>
>
> David J. Rosen
> djrosen at comcast.net
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to kgotthardt at comcast.net 

From kgotthardt at comcast.net  Tue Mar 18 19:04:29 2008
From: kgotthardt at comcast.net (Katherine)
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2008 19:04:29 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 879] Re: Corrections to Community EducationQuestions
	to P...
In-Reply-To: <d1d.1dddc2b3.35118dc1@aol.com>
References: <d1d.1dddc2b3.35118dc1@aol.com>
Message-ID: <43FE607E490B40A7AE99950DF03A8735@OwnerPC>

Thank you, Geri.  Can you give me some examples of the kinds of felonies that would keep these folks out of particular industries?  

Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt
www.luxuriouschoices.net 
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Geriteaches22963 at aol.com 
  To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
  Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 5:27 PM
  Subject: [SpecialTopics 871] Re: Corrections to Community EducationQuestions to P...

  To answer your first question, I feel that our vocational programs provide the best opportunity to transition to work, which they need.  Many of our programs though, require a GED (some do not).  I find that many of my students who are close in getting their GED enroll in community programs fairly soon.

  To respond to your second question, the crimes vary in great degree.  Many of these felonies prohibit certain jobs the ex-offender previously held, so seeking employment is quite a challenge.
  I am not sure about statistics in Virginia, though it would be interesting to see.
  Geri Hayden
  SPED/504 Coordinator
  VA Department of Correctional Education

  In a message dated 3/18/2008 6:01:53 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, kgotthardt at comcast.net writes:
    Dear Panel Members:

    Thank you for an interesting and enlightening discussion on this topic.  Having worked in career based higher education, I have met several students trying to re-enter society through more traditional programs.  The results were not what they should have been.  I have never worked in a purely community based program or in correctional institutions. 

    Here are my questions, then:

    1.  What do you see as the main differences between career educational programs through public or private postsecondary institutions and community education programs?  How do these differences account for the success or failure of students in these programs?

    2.  What spectrum of crimes have these students committed?  What are the most common?  How does the severity of the crime relate to their outcomes in community educational programs and subsequent attempts to find employment...or does it?

    3.  Does anyone here have statistical information (similar to what Carolyn offers) on prisons in the state of Virginia?  If not, does anyone know where I could find this information?

    Again, thank you for this discussion.  

    Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt
    www.luxuriouschoices.net 
      ----- Original Message ----- 
      From: Buser, Carolyn 
      To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
      Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 11:21 AM
      Subject: [SpecialTopics 852] Re: Corrections to Community Education

                  David ? I have always found that the statistics on the children of inmates have had a positive effect on the merits of correctional education.  The Bureau of Justice Statistics 2000 report on Incarcerated Parents and their Children states that 2.1% of the minor children in the United States had at least one parent in prison on any given day.  Over the course of childhood, over ten million children have lived with the stigma of absent and incarcerated parents.  You can find or estimate that number in Kentucky and than talk about the educational level of the parent being the major determining factor in the educational level of the child.  Additionally, of course, are the studies that link correctional education with a reduction in recidivism.  The Three State Recidivism Study, sponsored by the Correctional Education Association and the United States Department of Education, was encouraging in terms of reduction of both numbers of recidivists and tax dollars spent on corrections.  The most effective educational plan for reducing recidivism from that study involved inmate students who participated in occupational training programs and then were employed in that trade area upon release.  However, even the slightest involvement in an education program resulted in a reduction in recidivism according to that study.  Steve Aos et.al. in the 2001 paper for the Washington State Institute for Public Policy present a compelling chart listing the cost benefit of various prison programs.  In-prison vocational education is listed as the best value returning $7.13 for each dollar spent.  Thirteen offender programs are reviewed, and in-prison adult basic education ranks fifth, saving $5.65 for each dollar spent.  Those are numbers that State governments find persuasive.  I would also recommend the Journal of Correctional Education and other resources of the Correctional Education Association.  Cay

       

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

      From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David Collings
      Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 10:15 AM
      To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
      Subject: [SpecialTopics 851] Re: Corrections to Community Education

       

      This morning (3/17/08) the Louisville Courier-Journal reported the following front-page story:

       

      "Rising prison numbers worry Ky.
       Officials will meet today to consider solutions

       

      Alarmed by Kentucky's exploding prison population -- and fast-rising costs -- state Justice Secretary J. Michael Brown has called a meeting today of the state Criminal Justice Council to take up the issue and find some solutions. 

       

      ..."I think it is extremely urgent," said state Senate Majority leader Dan Kelly, R-Springfield.

       

      He said the state needs to find more humane ways to deal with minor offenders who aren't dangerous and may need treatment for mental illness or drug addiction.

       

      "Fortunately, the cost is attracting some attention to the humanity," Kelly said.

       

      Kentucky's prison population is rising at the fastest rate in the nation, according to a report last month by the Pew Center on the States, a nonpartisan Washington research and policy group. Kentucky currently has about 22,600 felony offenders in jail or prison, and this year's state corrections budget is about $431 million -- compared with about 3,700 inmates in 1980 and a budget of $30 million. "

       

      To our panel of guests:

       

      Given this rare opportunity for change in the Kentucky penal system, what information might I offer the Criminal Justice Council, which would bring new light to the role of education -- especially adult education?

       

      David Collings

       

       

------------------------------------------------------------------------

        From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
        Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 8:59 AM
        To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
        Subject: [SpecialTopics 848] Corrections to Community Education

        Colleagues,

         

        This week our special topic is Transition from Corrections Education to Community Education. I would like to welcome our guests Dr. Carolyn Buser, Steve Schwalb,  John Gordon and Dr. Stephen J. Steurer. You will find background information on them below as well as some readings they have suggested.

         

        I will be posting some questions, but I hope you will also post your questions. To begin, I would like to refer to some recent remarks by Jeremy Travis, the President of John Jay College of Criminal Justice, to a gathering of U.S. mayors in New York City on February 28th, 2008. I would also like to invite our guests to react to these remarks and to add other information that provides the background for this transition issue, that helps us to understand why education, and transition from corrections education to community education is such an important issue.

         

        ??over the past generation we have quadrupled the per capita rate of 

        incarceration in this country.  Every year since 1972 ? in times of war and times of peace; 

        in good economic times, in bad economic times; when crime was going up and crime was 

        going down ? we have put more people in prison.  We also tend to forget that, with the 

        exception of those few who die in prison, they will all come back.   

         

        This year, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, approximately 700,000 

        individuals will leave our nation?s prisons, well over four times the number who made a 

        similar journey thirty years ago.  Ninety percent of them are men; a majority are men of 

        color; in every state, they typically go back to a small number of urban neighborhoods, 

        neighborhoods that are struggling with poor schools, weak labor markets, substandard 

        housing, and inadequate health care.  As a nation, we have in essence asked these hard- 

        pressed communities to take on the enormous additional responsibility of reintegrating 

        record numbers of their family members who have been sent off to prison and return 

        home, typically with significant service needs, often without supportive social networks.?  

        ( http://tinyurl.com/2glxlj )

         

        Background on Discussion Guests

         

        Carolyn (Cay) Buser

        Cay Buser joined the United States Department of Education in May of 2006 as an adult education program specialist with duties as the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) liaison with correctional education.  Dr. Buser works with the Western States to assist them in the administration of adult education grants.  She also is the national resource for coordination with correctional education programs and adult education grants.

         

        Prior to her federal appointment, Dr. Buser was director of correctional education for the Maryland State Department of Education.  Her responsibilities entailed management of the education and library programs in Maryland?s adult and juvenile correctional systems.  She provided direct support to Maryland?s Educational Coordinating Council for Correctional Institutions, the ?school board? for correctional education headed by the State Superintendent of Schools with the State Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services as a member.

         

        Dr. Buser has been an active member of the Correctional Education Association serving as a regional director and is currently on the editorial board of the Journal of Correctional Education.  Her academic background includes a master?s degree in special education and a doctorate in educational policy and administration.  Dr. Buser taught English in public middle and high schools in the Midwest, and in community colleges in Maryland.  She taught for seven years in Maryland?s correctional education program and served as a principal in three correctional settings before her appointment as director of the State program.

         

        Steve Schwalb

        Steve Schwalb has served as President and CEO of Pioneer Human Services since April, 2007. Prior to that, Steve had a 33-year career in the field of corrections.  

         

        After receiving his B.A. degree in Business Administration from the University of Washington, he began his corrections career as a Personnel Management Specialist trainee with the Federal Bureau of Prisons.  He subsequently held various positions of additional responsibility, including Personnel Director, Chief of Internal Affairs, Warden, Deputy Regional Director and Assistant Director. 

         

        In the latter position, Steve was responsible for nationwide oversight of the education, vocational training, recreation, parenting, transition preparation, citizen volunteers and industrial work programs.  Serving in the role of Chief Operating Officer of Federal Prison Industries, Inc., he oversaw over 100 factories that employ 21,000 inmates and 1,400 staff, and that generated $800 million in annual sales.

         

        In the mid-1980?s, Steve served as Associate Superintendent and Program Manager with the Washington State Department of Corrections, and as Director of the King County Jail in Seattle. 

         

        During his federal career, Steve was appointed by the President to the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled, and served as chairman for four of his twelve years on the committee.

         

        John Gordon

        John has worked at the Fortune Society since 2001, first as Director of its Education program and more recently as an Associate President of Programs. The Fortune Society works with people after they?ve come home from prison or jail. Their Education program serves 200-300 students per year; they offer classes in Adult Basic Education, ESOL, and computer skills. Many students are on probation or parole; others are mandated by the courts to one of Fortune?s Alternatives to Incarceration programs; some are no longer under any criminal justice supervision.

        Before coming to the Fortune Society, John worked for 16 years as Teacher-Director of the Open Book, a community based literacy program in Brooklyn, NY. At the Open Book, some of his central concerns revolved around developing student leadership and student participation in program decision-making; publishing student writing and oral histories, and welfare and literacy issues. He published several articles on these topics as well as More Than a Job:  A Curriculum on Work and Society (New Readers Press). He is an active participant in the New York City Coalition for Adult Literacy.

        The Fortune Society was founded in 1967 with two main goals: (1) to educate the public about prisons, criminal justice issues, and the root causes of crime and (2) to provide support for people as they come home from prison. Fortune serves over 3,000 former prisoners a year, offering education, career development, counseling, substance abuse treatment, housing, health services, and alternatives to incarceration. It continues to play a strong role in advocating for criminal justice and prison reform.

         

        Stephen J. Steurer, Ph.D.

        Steve is the  Executive Director of the Correctional Education Association, a professional organization of educators who work in prisons, jails and juvenile settings.

         

         

        Our guests have suggested the following readings:

         

        The Urban Institute's web site at

        http://www.urban.org/justice/index.cfm

        has a complete list of its publications, most of which are online. Of particular interest may be those that highlight individual state reports in the multi-state Returning Home project.

        http://tinyurl.com/2cm7jp

        These are all accessible online.

         

        Taylor Stoehr's articles. There are a number on the Changing Lives Through Literature web site:

        http://cltl.umassd.edu/IssuesClassroom3.cfm

        "Enforcing the Rules" is especially recommended.

         

        The topic of prison location/release location will also be useful to the discussion. There are several articles listed on the Urban Institute?s re-entry mapping pages, several from 2004.

        http://tinyurl.com/2687ma

         

        These two books have a lot to offer: Joan Petersilia's "When

        Prisoners Come Home: Parole and Prisoner Reentry" Oxford University

        Press 2003, and Jeremy Travis' "But They All Come Back: Facing the

        Challenges of Prisoner Reentry" Urban Institute Press 2005.

         

        Also, see http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/181413.pdf for a paper by Jeremy Travis on this topic.

         

        As mentioned earlier, here?s the link to the Correctional Education, Family Literacy and Transitions discussion that were hosted here in September 2006:

        http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Corrections_Education#2._Correctional_Ed.2C_Family_Literacy_.26_Transition--On-Line_Discussion.2C_September_2006 or, for short,

        http://tinyurl.com/yrzwlk

         

        David J. Rosen

        Special Topics Discussion Moderator

        djrosen at comcast.net

         

         

         

         

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From lwiener at llfinc.org  Tue Mar 18 19:28:50 2008
From: lwiener at llfinc.org (Louise Wiener)
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2008 19:28:50 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 880] Re: Posting
In-Reply-To: <438872.58430.qm@web51611.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <C405C872.4E16%lwiener@llfinc.org>

Dear Denise,

I was really touched by the story of your efforts.  LLF has developed parent
involvement materials for parents of 3 to 5 year olds. (There?s always a
little flex on both ends but that is who we designed for)  We have never
used them in a correctional environment.  One set of materials, designed for
home-based programs, might be useful for parents of young children.  The
advantage is that the program provides a variety of ?hunt? activities and a
family portfolio or scrapbook for children to put their interpretations of
specific questions.  It might be a useful way to help the parents feel in
charge and let the children create things to bring to visits.

This use  is far from our original vision, but if you want to explore
further, contact me separately and we?ll see what we can provide you for you
to test with your population.

Good luck with your important work,  Louise Wiener  (lwiener at LLFinc.org)

On 3/18/08 9:29 AM, "Denise McIntire" <deiswv at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Bonnie and all that follow,
>   
> I am the Ex. Dir. of a very small family literacy program in West Virginia.
> We are a volunteer literacy program as oppossed to a Dept. of Ed. funded adult
> basic education program.  We have been offering a program since 06 for
> corrections facilities that works with incarcerated adults for 8 weeks per
> session.  Our job is to keep that bond connected between parent and child and
> also the child's education stressing the importance of literacy for all ages
> as well as the caregivers responsible for the children until the family can be
> reunited.  Yes, dollars are limited for all of the needs our society needs
> especially issues dealing with literacy.  Please, help with the message of
> supporting the entire family along with the educational and workforce
> training.  Most of the women we have worked with have spent their entire lives
> in the system whether due to parental units away from them as children and the
> cycle repeats over and over from generation to generation.  Our program is
> still too new to have created any empirical evidence as of yet but according
> to inmates and families alike, we are making a difference one family at a
> time.    
> 
> Bonnie Odiorne <bonniesophia at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>   
>>       
>>   
>> Gary,
>>   
>> You might call on Literacy Volunteers (now ProLiteracy USA) or some other
>> community-based literacy adult education organization. I once trained a group
>> of tutors who had already been recruited by someone (clergy, chaplain?) at
>> the prison, in a "safe" area outside the high security areas. I insisted, and
>> the director agreed, that if I was going to send tutors into this facility,
>> that I should go in too, and I did. It was a revelation. This was a long time
>> ago, and I really should follow up on whether or not the program is still
>> functioning. I know of labyrinth facilitators that want to do prison work,
>> and while that's not on the topic of educational needs, it could be a way of
>> unlocking, as it were, some means of expressioin that might allow the
>> incarcerated to learn. I've also done a tutor training with a halfway house
>> transition facility, where the staff wanted the training because they saw
>> education as such a great need in the female population they were serving.
>> Dru rehabilitatioin facilities have also requested trainings. So there are
>> lots of avenues that could be followed, at differing entry/exit points of the
>> system.
>>   
>> Best regards,
>>   
>> Bonnie Odiorne, Ph.D.
>>   
>> 
>> 
>>   
>> ----- Original Message ----
>> From: "Upham, Gary" <Gary.Upham at maine.gov>
>> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
>> Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 8:34:26 AM
>> Subject: [SpecialTopics 849] Posting
>> 
>> Gary Upham
>> Maine State Prison Principal
>> 
>> I have been the Principal of the Maine State Prison for the past year
>> and a half.  It has not taken me long to identify that much of this
>> population has special education needs.  However I have tried,
>> unsuccessfully, to pull in resources appropriate for identification and
>> strategies to work with my inmates.  Funding is a major issue as well as
>> current staffing, which is affected by funding.  How do I deal with a
>> major need under these conditions?
>> 
>> 
>> -------------------------------
>> National Institute for Literacy
>> Special Topics mailing list
>> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
>> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
>> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
>> Email delivered to bonniesophia at sbcglobal.net
>> 
>> -------------------------------
>> National Institute for Literacy
>> Special Topics mailing list
>> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
>> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
>> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
>> Email delivered to deiswv at yahoo.com
> 
> 
>   
> 
> Looking for last minute shopping deals?  Find them fast with Yahoo! Search.
> <http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=51734/*http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/cat
> egory.php?category=shopping>
> 
> -------------------------------
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> Special Topics mailing list
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> Email delivered to lwiener at llfinc.org

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From mtate at sbctc.edu  Tue Mar 18 19:31:42 2008
From: mtate at sbctc.edu (Michael Tate)
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2008 16:31:42 -0700
Subject: [SpecialTopics 881] Re: Posting
In-Reply-To: <OFE83CC412.63C6496D-ON85257410.0076361D-85257410.0077B22B@vcu.edu>
References: <66300.6679.qm@web51606.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
	<OFE83CC412.63C6496D-ON85257410.0076361D-85257410.0077B22B@vcu.edu>
Message-ID: <0CA6C79FCB4AC642A77B76C17A4316EE02C7861B@exch-1.sbctc2.local>

I supervised a project that developed  the Reintegration Skills
curriculum in the mid-1990s.  It is based on a Freirean problem-posing
approach that used photos of reintegration situations as what Freire
called "codes".  

 

Codes are used to convey a problem, issue, world view to allow us to
analyze social norms to demystify the world we live in.  The photos
begin discussion, reading and writing activities that allow those just
released or about to be released to deal with the situations they are or
may face.  You should get some training on  or  at least read about how
to facilitate a group process on codes 

 

The curriculum is still  in a draft (but attractive) state with some
typos and grammatical problems that we were never able to get additional
funding to correct.  

 

It was developed with recently released inmates, so it very much
represents their feelings and points of view, which may be challenging
or even unsettling to some.  It may not be suitable for every lock-up.
I think those in community programs would find some, if not all the
curriculum to be very powerful, helpful activities.

 

I can share a pdf file of it on request.

 

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of William R
Muth/FS/VCU
Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 2:48 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Cc: specialtopics at nifl.gov; specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 872] Re: Posting

 

Denise (and all), 
I work with Hope House DC, an organization that provides storybook
reading programs in 14 federal prisons (and supports other programs like
video conferencing and summer camps that bring children of prisoners
together with their incarcerated parents.)  Here is a link to the
website:  http://hopehousedc.org/index.php
<http://hopehousedc.org/index.php> 
We've had some feedback that younger children's experiences may be quite
different than the older one's. For example some of the older kids (10 -
11 year olds) said they enjoyed listening to their fathers' voices, but
did not engage with the books. (Sometimes this may be because the books
were no longer picture books, and thus, the kids could follow along
without the book.) Also, we sometimes do video taping of the books, and,
again, this seems to add both a great additional attraction (actually
being able to see their fathers' faces) but also a distraction from the
book itself. 

I realize that the primary purpose of the program is to build/maintain
family connections, but we also hope that children will remain enthused
as readers, yes? I was wondering if you, or any others following this
discussion have had similar experiences, and any insights about how to
approach these issues. 
Thanks! 
Bill Muth 

Denise McIntire <deiswv at yahoo.com> 
Sent by: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov 

03/18/2008 05:27 PM 

Please respond to
specialtopics at nifl.gov

To

specialtopics at nifl.gov 

cc

	
Subject

[SpecialTopics 867] Re: Posting

 

		

Kathy, Yes, indeed we do a similiar program using DVD's.  But we take it
one step more.  We include companion books, work age appropriate
activities, very large toys and for 9-15 yr old kids, include cookbooks,
cooking equipment, aprons, etc.  We work with ages 0 - 15 and if any are
older, they receive magazine subscriptions of their choice.  We also
send home art supplies weekly as well.  We educate the parents on
various issues including nutrition, media literacy, parental
involvement, etc.  Again, it is working.  If you know of any funding
available for us, please let me know.  Happy spring to all.
Kathy Olesen-Tracey <ktracey at cait.org> wrote: 
 Denise,
I attended an adult education conference in Illinois several years ago
and learned about a program called "Reading from the Inside Out". I
don't recall many of the details, so if anyone here has heard of it
-please share.  

Essentially, the program video taped parents reading a story to their
child and provide the child with the book and the video tape so the
child can experience their parent reading to them. 

Has anyone heard about a project like this?
Kathy Olesen-Tracey
--
Center for the Application of Information Technologies

----- Original Message -----
From: "Denise McIntire" <deiswv at yahoo.com>
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 8:29:33 AM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central
Subject: [SpecialTopics 863] Re: Posting

Bonnie and all that follow, 
I am the Ex. Dir. of a very small family literacy program in West
Virginia.  We are a volunteer literacy program as oppossed to a Dept. of
Ed. funded adult basic education program.  We have been offering a
program since 06 for corrections facilities that works with incarcerated
adults for 8 weeks per session.  Our job is to keep that bond connected
between parent and child and also the child's education stressing the
importance of literacy for all ages as well as the caregivers
responsible for the children until the family can be reunited.  Yes,
dollars are limited for all of the needs our society needs especially
issues dealing with literacy.  Please, help with the message of
supporting the entire family along with the educational and workforce
training.  Most of the women we have worked with have spent their entire
lives in the system whether due to parental units away from them as
children and the cycle repeats over and over from generation to
generation.  Our program is still too new to have created any empirical
evidence as of yet but according to inmates and families alike, we are
making a difference one family at a time.    

Bonnie Odiorne <bonniesophia at sbcglobal.net> wrote: 
Gary, 
You might call on Literacy Volunteers (now ProLiteracy USA) or some
other community-based literacy adult education organization. I once
trained a group of tutors who had already been recruited by someone
(clergy, chaplain?) at the prison, in a "safe" area outside the high
security areas. I insisted, and the director agreed, that if I was going
to send tutors into this facility, that I should go in too, and I did.
It was a revelation. This was a long time ago, and I really should
follow up on whether or not the program is still functioning. I know of
labyrinth facilitators that want to do prison work, and while that's not
on the topic of educational needs, it could be a way of unlocking, as it
were, some means of expressioin that might allow the incarcerated to
learn. I've also done a tutor training with a halfway house transition
facility, where the staff wanted the training because they saw education
as such a great need in the female population they were serving. Dru
rehabilitatioin facilities have also requested trainings. So there are
lots of avenues that could be followed, at differing entry/exit points
of the system. 
Best regards, 
Bonnie Odiorne, Ph.D. 

----- Original Message ----
From: "Upham, Gary" <Gary.Upham at maine.gov>
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 8:34:26 AM
Subject: [SpecialTopics 849] Posting

Gary Upham
Maine State Prison Principal

I have been the Principal of the Maine State Prison for the past year
and a half.  It has not taken me long to identify that much of this
population has special education needs.  However I have tried,
unsuccessfully, to pull in resources appropriate for identification and
strategies to work with my inmates.  Funding is a major issue as well as
current staffing, which is affected by funding.  How do I deal with a
major need under these conditions?

-------------------------------
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From djrosen at comcast.net  Tue Mar 18 19:43:49 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2008 19:43:49 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 882] Building and sustaining personal relationships
	for good referrals
In-Reply-To: <00a201c88946$4d721fa0$6501a8c0@BillHP>
References: <c39.293a7732.35118c6b@aol.com>
	<00a201c88946$4d721fa0$6501a8c0@BillHP>
Message-ID: <704D6E3D-7711-49D6-9836-0448EDD5A7E1@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

Bill Anthony points to the importance of personal connections to  
community resources. I wonder if our guest experts -- and other  
participants -- have examples of state or county corrections  
institutions and community-based institutions where personal  
relationships have been built and sustained over time so that a  
referral phone call or an email about an inmate who is being released  
results in a warm welcome to the community-based education program,  
perhaps as part of a number of community services (housing,  
employment, health  care, counseling) provided on release.

If so, what enables these relationships? What sustains them? What  
undermines them?

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

On Mar 18, 2008, at 6:20 PM, Bill Anthony wrote:
> David Rosen,
>
> Regarding your question below --
>
> I was involved with Federal Correctional Education for some 25  
> years.  I believe we did a relatively good job of preparing inmates  
> for release with GED, Vocational. counseling and Pre Release  
> programs.  But, we did not do a particularly good job of "handing  
> inmates off"  to the appropriate community education resources.   
> Many years ago we had release furloughs for lesser security inmates  
> to allow them to connect with release plans in their release  
> community.  Given increasing security concerns and the increase of  
> Half Way Houses or Community Treatment Centers I believe we lost a  
> step.  We began turning people over to halfway houses with no  
> direct contact and probably very poor procedures for delivery of  
> institutional education records to the half way houses.
>
> The half way houses were often just an interim step between prison  
> and final relief destination.  They helped in getting jobs,  
> clothing tools , and rent money; but they ultimatley had to also  
> "hand off" many ot their clients to a final release area many miles  
> away.
>
> We can take some solace in the fact that, as a federal instituion,   
> we were releasing inmates all over the country and a personal  
> handoff to local resources was particularly difficult.  State  
> Prisons should have it a little easier and county jails should be  
> able to actually maintain personal contacts with community  
> resources.  But I think a real key is to be able to provide  
> personal connections to community resources.  In a county jail  
> situation it would seem that it might be possible for direct  
> relationships among prison staff and county educational  
> resources .  I'm sure the issue of privacy concerns might be raised  
> but it would seem inmates would have the right to waive such concerns.
>
> I also believe that there are a number of availabe education  
> resources that qualify as  "Lifelong Learning" resources.   That  
> is,  we can provide resources in the prison that can be continued  
> on the streets.  If we train the inmates to use a system such as  
> the Public Broadcasting, Educational TV, and Literacy Link  
> materials for GED and Workplace Skills;  the inmates can continue  
> to use the same resources on their own after release and possibly  
> get help from community Adult Education programs where necessary.   
> I know the computer security issues in higher security prisons but,  
> we are really at the point where we need to find ways to give  
> inmates the skills to use internet resources.   Can we hook inmates  
> up with more internet resources that can go with them where ever  
> they go and whenever their schedule permits?  Use of this type of  
> resources can also help improve "Family Literacy".  I suspect we  
> all know that many inmate families could use educational help also.
>
>
> Bill Anthony
> SYNSOL at cableone.net
>
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>
> For all our guests:
>
> When an inmate who has been in an education program inside a state
> corrections institution or county jail and is released, what needs to
> happen for him or her to connect to and stick with a community-based
> education program? Do these events need to happen immediately mon
> release or can they be phased in over time after housing, shelter,
> counseling and job needs are met? Are you aware of any exemplary
> models of connections between inside education and community based
> education programs? Can you tell us about them? What can community-
> based education programs do to partner with corrections education
> programs that release inmates back to their communities?
>
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at comcast.net
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to  
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to djrosen at comcast.net

David J. Rosen
djrosen at comcast.net

From djrosen at comcast.net  Tue Mar 18 20:37:19 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2008 20:37:19 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 883]  Virginia's Correctional Education Programs
Message-ID: <77E88D6B-F8A9-448F-94E6-9161BBD59E80@comcast.net>

Posted for Gwynne Cunningham by David J. Rosen

From: 	Gwynne.Cunningham at dce.virginia.gov
Subject: 	[SpecialTopics 862] Re: Corrections to Community Education  
Questions to Panel
Date: 	March 18, 2008 8:21:40 PM EDT

Hi Michelle (and Carolyn, David, and Katherine),

Thanks for forwarding the discussion from the National Institute of  
Literacy's special topic "Transition from Corrections Education to  
Community Education" listserv. I am not currently a member of this  
listserv; and appreciate you sharing the information re: joining. I  
am copying the folks (David, Carolyn, and Katherine) who had written  
in to this listserv with questions about Virginia's correctional  
education programs, as they may be interested in the attached  
information.

Virginia Tech completed an outcomes study (see attached) on  
incarcerated students who complete career and technical education  
(vocational) programs with the Virginia Department of Correctional  
Education. This report concluded that CTE program completers had  
statistically significant lower recidivism rates and post-release  
employment success than their matched comparison non-participants.

The listserv discussion noted a lack of funding information for  
correctional education in Virginia. Below is our state budget  
allocation for the current biennium (07-09) for correctional  
education. It should be noted that these figures reflect funding for  
both youth and adult correctional facilities, and adult community  
corrections programs. The allocation includes funding for a wide  
array of correctional education programs, including academic, career  
and technical education, apprenticeship, transition, parenting, and  
cognitive education programs.

We are in the process of finalizing a benefit-cost analysis for our  
career and technical education programs. I would be happy to share  
this report upon its completion with anyone who is interested. We  
have also done an outcomes study for incarcerated students who  
participate in grant-funded college programs in Virginia; I'd be  
happy to share this report a well. We are at present exploring the  
possibility of performing similar research for students who  
participate in our adult basic education and GED programs, though it  
will be some time before this report is completed.

Please let me know if you would like any additional information on  
Virginia's correctional education programs.

Sincerely,
Gwynne Cunningham
Director of Specialized Programs
Virginia Department of Correctional Education
________________________________________________________________________ 
___________________________________

Virginia Department of Correctional Education: State Budget  
Allocation for the 07- 09 Biennium

                                                                         
             FY07-08                  FY08-09

Adult Community Instructional Services               
$1,103,603             $1,103,603

Youth Instructional Services (Academic)            
$15,556,478            $15,657,244

Career and Technical Education (Vocational)

     Services for Youth and Adults                         
$15,396,646           $17,972,279

Adult Instructional Services (Academic)               
$9,556,858             $11,831,106

Instructional Leadership and Support Services     
$9,749,677               $9,929,727

                                                                         
               ___________          ____________

                                                           TOTAL      
$51,363,262            $56,493,959

Fund Sources:                                                        
FY07-08                    FY08-09

General Fund                                                       
$49,123,838              $54,254,535

Federal Trust                                                          
$2,239,424                $2,239,424

From bsatchel at gccnj.edu  Tue Mar 18 20:55:42 2008
From: bsatchel at gccnj.edu (Satchell, Brigette)
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2008 20:55:42 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 885] Re: From corrections
	educationtocommunityeducation
References: <209CED477D22BE4CB989190F935442850B092B67@MAIL2.Mercer.ad>
Message-ID: <3EBCA373D30BC7459CEC7C919E30CC5608ED86FD@gcc-exch.gcc.gccnj.edu>

Hi Kiel,
Gloucester County College provides GED preparation courses for our county correctional facilities. Our local Workforce Investment Board and Economic Development provide the funding for these services. If you are having difficulties connecting with the local community college, I would encourage you to become a member of the Mercer County Workforce Investment Board's Literacy Committee/Council.
 
Brigette Satchell
Assistant Dean, Programs and Instruction
Gloucester County College
Phone (856) 468-5000 ext. 6226/5510
Fax (856) 468-7023
 
" Intelligence plus character- that is the true goal of education"- Dr. Martin Luther King 

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Ridolfino, Kiel
Sent: Tue 3/18/2008 8:19 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 861] Re: From corrections educationtocommunityeducation

Brigette,
I am an ABE/ESL teacher at Mercer County Correction Center where our
education department consists of myself, two other teachers, and our
program coordinator.  With the expansion of our program and the success
of our GED students, we are now looking to incorporate college courses
in our program.  We have been trying to connect with local community
colleges with not much avail.  I was wondering if you could shed some
light on the topic and explain what your college does for your county
correction center and how it was established as a program.  Thank you
for your time!

Kiel Ridolfino
ESL/ABE Teacher
Mercer County Correction Center
(609) 583 - 3545 ext. 2226
kridolfino at mercercounty.org
-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Satchell, Brigette
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 7:44 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov; specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 858] Re: From corrections education
tocommunityeducation

Greetings,

We currently work with our county correctional department to provide
adult education and GED testing within the local facilities. Once the
inmates are released, they can immediately transition to  the adult
education programs at our local community college and can assess
employment assistance, training, and counseling services  through our
local One Stop Career Center. Our local One Stop Career Center is a
primary partner of our program at the correctional facilities. Inmates
register as a customer of the One Stop Career Center System and are able
to access the services immediately upon release. Through our
collaborative partnerships, we have hosted an onsite service/job fair to
be proactive with assisting the inmates with preparing for opportunities
upon their release

We must keep in mind that while education is key. Housing and employment
are top priorities for inmates. Finding employers that are willing to
hire former inmates and finding housing for them are major concerns.

Brigette Satchell
Assistant Dean, Programs and Instruction
Gloucester County College
Phone (856) 468-5000 ext. 6226/5510
Fax (856) 468-7023

" Intelligence plus character- that is the true goal of education"- Dr.
Martin Luther King

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David J. Rosen
Sent: Mon 3/17/2008 7:12 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 857] From corrections education to
communityeducation

For all our guests:

When an inmate who has been in an education program inside a state
corrections institution or county jail and is released, what needs to
happen for him or her to connect to and stick with a community-based
education program? Do these events need to happen immediately mon
release or can they be phased in over time after housing, shelter,
counseling and job needs are met? Are you aware of any exemplary
models of connections between inside education and community based
education programs? Can you tell us about them? What can community-
based education programs do to partner with corrections education
programs that release inmates back to their communities?

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to bsatchel at gccnj.edu

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to kridolfino at mercercounty.org
-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to bsatchel at gccnj.edu

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From SSteurer at ceanational.org  Tue Mar 18 22:41:21 2008
From: SSteurer at ceanational.org (Steve Steurer)
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2008 22:41:21 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 884] Re: Building and sustaining personal
	relationshipsfor good referrals
In-Reply-To: <704D6E3D-7711-49D6-9836-0448EDD5A7E1@comcast.net>
References: <c39.293a7732.35118c6b@aol.com><00a201c88946$4d721fa0$6501a8c0@BillHP>
	<704D6E3D-7711-49D6-9836-0448EDD5A7E1@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <C3685E8CDEECC046905D5C1F9AF949520B316E@ceaoffice.CEANATIONAL.local>

I have been reading the various excellent emails about correctional education and community education and looking for an opportunity to make a brief but important and unique comment.  So here goes.  One of the things that has surprised me is how no one has talked about the one of the most impotant recent legislative achievements on Capitol Hill.  Last week, March 12th, the Senate passed the Second Chance Act.  The House had done so earlier.  Now the fight is on for appropriations to back it up.  The Bush administration has backed the Second Chance Act for some time.   Ironically, the name of the bill comes from one of President Bush's state of the union speeches.  How long has it been that Democrats and Republicans have come together to support correctional programming instead of correctional institution building and longer sentences?  Is this some kind of watershed?

If the Second Chance Act receives decent funding it could be one of the most important pieces of legislation to build the prison to community connection and to help inmates who have received education and training while incarcerated to make the transition to community and a positive life.

On March 12th CEA sponsored a trip to Capitol Hill from its CEA Leadership Forum in Annapolis.  Gene Guerrero, who works for the Open Society Institute, has worked tirelessly leading the campaign for passage of this act.  He spoke to correctional educators at a midday meeting in the Rayburn House Office Building.  He noted that Senator Shelby of Alabama was holding up the bill in the Senate.  Two of our delegates, John Stewart and Susan McKee of Alabama, went directly to Shelby's office, found him and, apparently, helped convince him to support the Second Chance Act.  He removed his hold and the Senate passed the bill the same night.  CEA is proud to have played a role in passing the Second Chance Act.

I would like to hear what our participants think of the possible impact of this new federal effort.

Steve
Stephen Steurer Ph.D.,
Executive Director
Correctional Education Association
8182 Lark Brown Road? Suite 202
Elkridge, MD? 21075
Tel: 443-459-3081
Fax: 443-459-3088
www.ceanational.org
"Transforming Lives Through Education"

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 7:44 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 882] Building and sustaining personal relationshipsfor good referrals

Colleagues,

Bill Anthony points to the importance of personal connections to  
community resources. I wonder if our guest experts -- and other  
participants -- have examples of state or county corrections  
institutions and community-based institutions where personal  
relationships have been built and sustained over time so that a  
referral phone call or an email about an inmate who is being released  
results in a warm welcome to the community-based education program,  
perhaps as part of a number of community services (housing,  
employment, health  care, counseling) provided on release.

If so, what enables these relationships? What sustains them? What  
undermines them?

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

On Mar 18, 2008, at 6:20 PM, Bill Anthony wrote:
> David Rosen,
>
> Regarding your question below --
>
> I was involved with Federal Correctional Education for some 25  
> years.  I believe we did a relatively good job of preparing inmates  
> for release with GED, Vocational. counseling and Pre Release  
> programs.  But, we did not do a particularly good job of "handing  
> inmates off"  to the appropriate community education resources.   
> Many years ago we had release furloughs for lesser security inmates  
> to allow them to connect with release plans in their release  
> community.  Given increasing security concerns and the increase of  
> Half Way Houses or Community Treatment Centers I believe we lost a  
> step.  We began turning people over to halfway houses with no  
> direct contact and probably very poor procedures for delivery of  
> institutional education records to the half way houses.
>
> The half way houses were often just an interim step between prison  
> and final relief destination.  They helped in getting jobs,  
> clothing tools , and rent money; but they ultimatley had to also  
> "hand off" many ot their clients to a final release area many miles  
> away.
>
> We can take some solace in the fact that, as a federal instituion,   
> we were releasing inmates all over the country and a personal  
> handoff to local resources was particularly difficult.  State  
> Prisons should have it a little easier and county jails should be  
> able to actually maintain personal contacts with community  
> resources.  But I think a real key is to be able to provide  
> personal connections to community resources.  In a county jail  
> situation it would seem that it might be possible for direct  
> relationships among prison staff and county educational  
> resources .  I'm sure the issue of privacy concerns might be raised  
> but it would seem inmates would have the right to waive such concerns.
>
> I also believe that there are a number of availabe education  
> resources that qualify as  "Lifelong Learning" resources.   That  
> is,  we can provide resources in the prison that can be continued  
> on the streets.  If we train the inmates to use a system such as  
> the Public Broadcasting, Educational TV, and Literacy Link  
> materials for GED and Workplace Skills;  the inmates can continue  
> to use the same resources on their own after release and possibly  
> get help from community Adult Education programs where necessary.   
> I know the computer security issues in higher security prisons but,  
> we are really at the point where we need to find ways to give  
> inmates the skills to use internet resources.   Can we hook inmates  
> up with more internet resources that can go with them where ever  
> they go and whenever their schedule permits?  Use of this type of  
> resources can also help improve "Family Literacy".  I suspect we  
> all know that many inmate families could use educational help also.
>
>
> Bill Anthony
> SYNSOL at cableone.net
>
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>
> For all our guests:
>
> When an inmate who has been in an education program inside a state
> corrections institution or county jail and is released, what needs to
> happen for him or her to connect to and stick with a community-based
> education program? Do these events need to happen immediately mon
> release or can they be phased in over time after housing, shelter,
> counseling and job needs are met? Are you aware of any exemplary
> models of connections between inside education and community based
> education programs? Can you tell us about them? What can community-
> based education programs do to partner with corrections education
> programs that release inmates back to their communities?
>
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at comcast.net
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to  
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to djrosen at comcast.net

David J. Rosen
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to ssteurer at ceanational.org

From cimel at ldawa.org  Tue Mar 18 21:49:26 2008
From: cimel at ldawa.org (Cyd Imel)
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2008 18:49:26 -0700
Subject: [SpecialTopics 886] Re: Corrections to Community Education
In-Reply-To: <E127BBFE2719D54580E9651B704C89C00AE011724B@CVILLEMAIL.cville.local>
References: <EFB4E73A48DFC544B8FAB0950A5E29030E5FCE@wdcrobe2m05.ed.gov>
	<E127BBFE2719D54580E9651B704C89C00AE011724B@CVILLEMAIL.cville.local>
Message-ID: <!&!AAAAAAAAAAAYAAAAAAAAALWertL+/LJGlvSrKC4ZWEzCgAAAEAAAAMR1SU8wJqxAp/l6Ig9rKoIBAAAAAA==@ldawa.org>

Sharon (and all)
The Learning Disabilities Association of Washington State does the
pre-employment "soft skills".  We have been doing out Choices Program since
1989.  Preparing offenders for the work place.  Your absolutely right that
employers do not mind training for the "hard skill", however they tell us
the lack of soft skills gets employees fired.  Our program has been very
successful.  We track the participant for two years after they finish the
program and have a 49% REDUCTION IN OFFENSE RATES.
Contact me if you want more information.  
 
Cyd Imel
Executive Director
Learning Disabilities Association of Washington
16315 NE 87th Street Suite B-4
Redmond, WA. 98052
425-882-0820 ext  #1 
cimel at ldawa.org
www.ldawa.org
 
"What do we live for, if not to make the world less difficult for each
other?"      Mary Ann Evans
 
 

Learning Disabiltities Association of WA 
helps put the pieces together 
to change lives.
 
 
  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Klaty, Sharon
Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 3:36 PM
To: 'specialtopics at nifl.gov'
Subject: [SpecialTopics 875] Re: Corrections to Community Education
 
It was my intention to be part of this to gain knowledge and "listen in".
However, this message prompts my comment.  In community education there
needs to be the education that goes beyond the academic/work skills.  Maybe
this is part of the community education.  I am talking about the "soft
skills".  Are the "soft skills" being taught?  Such things as attitude,
attendance, punctuality, honesty, dependability, teamwork, listening
skills........  From personal experience:  a family member in the last three
years decided to give three different people a chance.  They had knowledge,
skills and were fairly intelligent.  The last one's employment ended a
couple of weeks ago.  One could not keep personal problems at home.
Another's attendance was poor.  Another helped himself to some expensive
tools.  You get the picture.  Yes, these people can be a good resource if
they have the right skills.  Employers don't mind training the employees if
they have these.
 
  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Buser, Carolyn
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 9:50 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 850] Re: Corrections to Community Education
            Good morning.  Jeremy Travis and the Urban Institute have been
drawing the attention of professionals and the general public to the issues
surrounding reentry for a number of years.  The excellent reentry roundtable
series will continue in New York City next month and feature participants
from areas affecting reentry and transition, as well as persons who have
successfully made their own transition.  The recent report from the Pew
Charitable Trust seems to have captured the interest of the general public.
The statistics the report presents are astonishing.  More than one in every
one hundred adults is now confined in an American jail or prison.  The
incidence of incarceration is disproportionately levied across minority and
male communities with one in thirty men between the ages of 20 and 34 in
jail or prison, and one in nine men of color between those same ages is
incarcerated.  As Jeremy Travis points out, almost all of these people will
return to society.   Many of them will return to neighborhoods already
strapped to provide basic social services to residents who have not been
incarcerated.  The task of facilitating reentry to ensure humane and hopeful
solutions for persons, neighborhoods, and country is daunting.  The task can
only be addressed in its whole.  Preparation for reentry must begin when a
person first enters a prison and continue through release and well beyond -
engaging police, the courts, the correctional system, correctional
education, community agencies, families, community educational systems, and
the business community.  Persons released from incarceration can use skills
learned in prison to revitalize their communities.  Returning persons can be
a resource if there is the will to equip them to be so.    
 
  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 8:59 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 848] Corrections to Community Education
 
Colleagues,
 
This week our special topic is Transition from Corrections Education to
Community Education. I would like to welcome our guests Dr. Carolyn Buser,
Steve Schwalb,  John Gordon and Dr. Stephen J. Steurer. You will find
background information on them below as well as some readings they have
suggested.
 
I will be posting some questions, but I hope you will also post your
questions. To begin, I would like to refer to some recent remarks by Jeremy
Travis, the President of John Jay College of Criminal Justice, to a
gathering of U.S. mayors in New York City on February 28th, 2008. I would
also like to invite our guests to react to these remarks and to add other
information that provides the background for this transition issue, that
helps us to understand why education, and transition from corrections
education to community education is such an important issue.
 
".over the past generation we have quadrupled the per capita rate of 
incarceration in this country.  Every year since 1972 - in times of war and
times of peace; 
in good economic times, in bad economic times; when crime was going up and
crime was 
going down - we have put more people in prison.  We also tend to forget
that, with the 
exception of those few who die in prison, they will all come back.   
 
This year, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, approximately
700,000 
individuals will leave our nation's prisons, well over four times the number
who made a 
similar journey thirty years ago.  Ninety percent of them are men; a
majority are men of 
color; in every state, they typically go back to a small number of urban
neighborhoods, 
neighborhoods that are struggling with poor schools, weak labor markets,
substandard 
housing, and inadequate health care.  As a nation, we have in essence asked
these hard- 
pressed communities to take on the enormous additional responsibility of
reintegrating 
record numbers of their family members who have been sent off to prison and
return 
home, typically with significant service needs, often without supportive
social networks."  
( http://tinyurl.com/2glxlj )
 
Background on Discussion Guests
 
Carolyn (Cay) Buser
Cay Buser joined the United States Department of Education in May of 2006 as
an adult education program specialist with duties as the Adult Education and
Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) liaison with correctional education.  Dr. Buser
works with the Western States to assist them in the administration of adult
education grants.  She also is the national resource for coordination with
correctional education programs and adult education grants.
 
Prior to her federal appointment, Dr. Buser was director of correctional
education for the Maryland State Department of Education.  Her
responsibilities entailed management of the education and library programs
in Maryland's adult and juvenile correctional systems.  She provided direct
support to Maryland's Educational Coordinating Council for Correctional
Institutions, the "school board" for correctional education headed by the
State Superintendent of Schools with the State Secretary of Public Safety
and Correctional Services as a member.
 
Dr. Buser has been an active member of the Correctional Education
Association serving as a regional director and is currently on the editorial
board of the Journal of Correctional Education.  Her academic background
includes a master's degree in special education and a doctorate in
educational policy and administration.  Dr. Buser taught English in public
middle and high schools in the Midwest, and in community colleges in
Maryland.  She taught for seven years in Maryland's correctional education
program and served as a principal in three correctional settings before her
appointment as director of the State program.
 
Steve Schwalb
Steve Schwalb has served as President and CEO of Pioneer Human Services
since April, 2007. Prior to that, Steve had a 33-year career in the field of
corrections.  
 
After receiving his B.A. degree in Business Administration from the
University of Washington, he began his corrections career as a Personnel
Management Specialist trainee with the Federal Bureau of Prisons.  He
subsequently held various positions of additional responsibility, including
Personnel Director, Chief of Internal Affairs, Warden, Deputy Regional
Director and Assistant Director. 
 
In the latter position, Steve was responsible for nationwide oversight of
the education, vocational training, recreation, parenting, transition
preparation, citizen volunteers and industrial work programs.  Serving in
the role of Chief Operating Officer of Federal Prison Industries, Inc., he
oversaw over 100 factories that employ 21,000 inmates and 1,400 staff, and
that generated $800 million in annual sales.
 
In the mid-1980's, Steve served as Associate Superintendent and Program
Manager with the Washington State Department of Corrections, and as Director
of the King County Jail in Seattle. 
 
During his federal career, Steve was appointed by the President to the
Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled, and
served as chairman for four of his twelve years on the committee.
 
John Gordon
John has worked at the Fortune Society since 2001, first as Director of its
Education program and more recently as an Associate President of Programs.
The Fortune Society works with people after they've come home from prison or
jail. Their Education program serves 200-300 students per year; they offer
classes in Adult Basic Education, ESOL, and computer skills. Many students
are on probation or parole; others are mandated by the courts to one of
Fortune's Alternatives to Incarceration programs; some are no longer under
any criminal justice supervision.
Before coming to the Fortune Society, John worked for 16 years as
Teacher-Director of the Open Book, a community based literacy program in
Brooklyn, NY. At the Open Book, some of his central concerns revolved around
developing student leadership and student participation in program
decision-making; publishing student writing and oral histories, and welfare
and literacy issues. He published several articles on these topics as well
as More Than a Job:  A Curriculum on Work and Society (New Readers Press).
He is an active participant in the New York City Coalition for Adult
Literacy.
The Fortune Society was founded in 1967 with two main goals: (1) to educate
the public about prisons, criminal justice issues, and the root causes of
crime and (2) to provide support for people as they come home from prison.
Fortune serves over 3,000 former prisoners a year, offering education,
career development, counseling, substance abuse treatment, housing, health
services, and alternatives to incarceration. It continues to play a strong
role in advocating for criminal justice and prison reform.
 
Stephen J. Steurer, Ph.D.
Steve is the  Executive Director of the Correctional Education Association,
a professional organization of educators who work in prisons, jails and
juvenile settings.
 
 
Our guests have suggested the following readings:
 
The Urban Institute's web site at
http://www.urban.org/justice/index.cfm
has a complete list of its publications, most of which are online. Of
particular interest may be those that highlight individual state reports in
the multi-state Returning Home project.
http://tinyurl.com/2cm7jp
These are all accessible online.
 
Taylor Stoehr's articles. There are a number on the Changing Lives Through
Literature web site:
http://cltl.umassd.edu/IssuesClassroom3.cfm
"Enforcing the Rules" is especially recommended.
 
The topic of prison location/release location will also be useful to the
discussion. There are several articles listed on the Urban Institute's
re-entry mapping pages, several from 2004.
http://tinyurl.com/2687ma
 
These two books have a lot to offer: Joan Petersilia's "When
Prisoners Come Home: Parole and Prisoner Reentry" Oxford University
Press 2003, and Jeremy Travis' "But They All Come Back: Facing the
Challenges of Prisoner Reentry" Urban Institute Press 2005.
 
Also, see http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/181413.pdf for a paper by
Jeremy Travis on this topic.
 
As mentioned earlier, here's the link to the Correctional Education, Family
Literacy and Transitions discussion that were hosted here in September 2006:
http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Corrections_Education#2._Correctional
_Ed.2C_Family_Literacy_.26_Transition--On-Line_Discussion.2C_September_2006
or, for short,
http://tinyurl.com/yrzwlk
 
David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net
 
 
 
 
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From kgotthardt at comcast.net  Wed Mar 19 06:15:15 2008
From: kgotthardt at comcast.net (Katherine)
Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2008 06:15:15 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 887] Re: Building and sustaining
	personalrelationshipsfor good referrals
In-Reply-To: <C3685E8CDEECC046905D5C1F9AF949520B316E@ceaoffice.CEANATIONAL.local>
References: <c39.293a7732.35118c6b@aol.com><00a201c88946$4d721fa0$6501a8c0@BillHP><704D6E3D-7711-49D6-9836-0448EDD5A7E1@comcast.net>
	<C3685E8CDEECC046905D5C1F9AF949520B316E@ceaoffice.CEANATIONAL.local>
Message-ID: <E77E28C64D37442B97C211C372F4ADB9@OwnerPC>

Steve, for those of us out of the Capitol Hill loop, could you please 
explain what the Second Chance Act is and does?

Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt
www.luxuriouschoices.net
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Steurer" <SSteurer at ceanational.org>
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 10:41 PM
Subject: [SpecialTopics 884] Re: Building and sustaining 
personalrelationshipsfor good referrals

I have been reading the various excellent emails about correctional 
education and community education and looking for an opportunity to make a 
brief but important and unique comment.  So here goes.  One of the things 
that has surprised me is how no one has talked about the one of the most 
impotant recent legislative achievements on Capitol Hill.  Last week, March 
12th, the Senate passed the Second Chance Act.  The House had done so 
earlier.  Now the fight is on for appropriations to back it up.  The Bush 
administration has backed the Second Chance Act for some time.   Ironically, 
the name of the bill comes from one of President Bush's state of the union 
speeches.  How long has it been that Democrats and Republicans have come 
together to support correctional programming instead of correctional 
institution building and longer sentences?  Is this some kind of watershed?

If the Second Chance Act receives decent funding it could be one of the most 
important pieces of legislation to build the prison to community connection 
and to help inmates who have received education and training while 
incarcerated to make the transition to community and a positive life.

On March 12th CEA sponsored a trip to Capitol Hill from its CEA Leadership 
Forum in Annapolis.  Gene Guerrero, who works for the Open Society 
Institute, has worked tirelessly leading the campaign for passage of this 
act.  He spoke to correctional educators at a midday meeting in the Rayburn 
House Office Building.  He noted that Senator Shelby of Alabama was holding 
up the bill in the Senate.  Two of our delegates, John Stewart and Susan 
McKee of Alabama, went directly to Shelby's office, found him and, 
apparently, helped convince him to support the Second Chance Act.  He 
removed his hold and the Senate passed the bill the same night.  CEA is 
proud to have played a role in passing the Second Chance Act.

I would like to hear what our participants think of the possible impact of 
this new federal effort.

Steve
Stephen Steurer Ph.D.,
Executive Director
Correctional Education Association
8182 Lark Brown Road Suite 202
Elkridge, MD 21075
Tel: 443-459-3081
Fax: 443-459-3088
www.ceanational.org
"Transforming Lives Through Education"

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] 
On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 7:44 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 882] Building and sustaining personal 
relationshipsfor good referrals

Colleagues,

Bill Anthony points to the importance of personal connections to
community resources. I wonder if our guest experts -- and other
participants -- have examples of state or county corrections
institutions and community-based institutions where personal
relationships have been built and sustained over time so that a
referral phone call or an email about an inmate who is being released
results in a warm welcome to the community-based education program,
perhaps as part of a number of community services (housing,
employment, health  care, counseling) provided on release.

If so, what enables these relationships? What sustains them? What
undermines them?

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

On Mar 18, 2008, at 6:20 PM, Bill Anthony wrote:
> David Rosen,
>
> Regarding your question below --
>
> I was involved with Federal Correctional Education for some 25
> years.  I believe we did a relatively good job of preparing inmates
> for release with GED, Vocational. counseling and Pre Release
> programs.  But, we did not do a particularly good job of "handing
> inmates off"  to the appropriate community education resources.
> Many years ago we had release furloughs for lesser security inmates
> to allow them to connect with release plans in their release
> community.  Given increasing security concerns and the increase of
> Half Way Houses or Community Treatment Centers I believe we lost a
> step.  We began turning people over to halfway houses with no
> direct contact and probably very poor procedures for delivery of
> institutional education records to the half way houses.
>
> The half way houses were often just an interim step between prison
> and final relief destination.  They helped in getting jobs,
> clothing tools , and rent money; but they ultimatley had to also
> "hand off" many ot their clients to a final release area many miles
> away.
>
> We can take some solace in the fact that, as a federal instituion,
> we were releasing inmates all over the country and a personal
> handoff to local resources was particularly difficult.  State
> Prisons should have it a little easier and county jails should be
> able to actually maintain personal contacts with community
> resources.  But I think a real key is to be able to provide
> personal connections to community resources.  In a county jail
> situation it would seem that it might be possible for direct
> relationships among prison staff and county educational
> resources .  I'm sure the issue of privacy concerns might be raised
> but it would seem inmates would have the right to waive such concerns.
>
> I also believe that there are a number of availabe education
> resources that qualify as  "Lifelong Learning" resources.   That
> is,  we can provide resources in the prison that can be continued
> on the streets.  If we train the inmates to use a system such as
> the Public Broadcasting, Educational TV, and Literacy Link
> materials for GED and Workplace Skills;  the inmates can continue
> to use the same resources on their own after release and possibly
> get help from community Adult Education programs where necessary.
> I know the computer security issues in higher security prisons but,
> we are really at the point where we need to find ways to give
> inmates the skills to use internet resources.   Can we hook inmates
> up with more internet resources that can go with them where ever
> they go and whenever their schedule permits?  Use of this type of
> resources can also help improve "Family Literacy".  I suspect we
> all know that many inmate families could use educational help also.
>
>
> Bill Anthony
> SYNSOL at cableone.net
>
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>
> For all our guests:
>
> When an inmate who has been in an education program inside a state
> corrections institution or county jail and is released, what needs to
> happen for him or her to connect to and stick with a community-based
> education program? Do these events need to happen immediately mon
> release or can they be phased in over time after housing, shelter,
> counseling and job needs are met? Are you aware of any exemplary
> models of connections between inside education and community based
> education programs? Can you tell us about them? What can community-
> based education programs do to partner with corrections education
> programs that release inmates back to their communities?
>
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at comcast.net
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to djrosen at comcast.net

David J. Rosen
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to ssteurer at ceanational.org
-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to kgotthardt at comcast.net 

From djrosen at comcast.net  Wed Mar 19 07:21:17 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2008 07:21:17 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 888]  Supporting program continuity
In-Reply-To: <00a201c88946$4d721fa0$6501a8c0@BillHP>
References: <c39.293a7732.35118c6b@aol.com>
	<00a201c88946$4d721fa0$6501a8c0@BillHP>
Message-ID: <B1E4AC8C-F125-4F4E-84D1-1A01A555FF1F@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

On Mar 18, 2008, at 6:20 PM, Bill Anthony wrote:

>  I also believe that there are a number of available education  
> resources that qualify as  "Lifelong Learning" resources.   That  
> is,  we can provide resources in the prison that can be continued  
> on the streets.  If we train the inmates to use a system such as  
> the Public Broadcasting, Educational TV, and Literacy Link  
> materials for GED and Workplace Skills;  the inmates can continue  
> to use the same resources on their own after release and possibly  
> get help from community Adult Education programs where necessary.   
> I know the computer security issues in higher security prisons but,  
> we are really at the point where we need to find ways to give  
> inmates the skills to use internet resources.   Can we hook inmates  
> up with more internet resources that can go with them where ever  
> they go and whenever their schedule permits?  Use of this type of  
> resources can also help improve "Family Literacy".  I suspect we  
> all know that many inmate families could use educational help also.

Thanks, Bill, for raising the issue of program continuity.

I have several questions for our guests and for other participants:

1.  Are there good examples of collaborations or partnerships between  
corrections and community education programs  where they both use the  
same online learning, videos, or software. If so, could you describe  
these programs?

2. In a previous discussion here on corrections education we learned  
that there is at least one corrections program where inmates can --  
under careful supervision by teachers -- use the Internet.  Are there  
others? Is this a trend?

3. Are there examples where corrections education programs have taken  
online options (online software or education web sites for example)  
and brought them inside as stand-alone (not Internet connected) options.

4. Are there other examples of corrections family literacy programs?  
In our previous discussion here,
http://tinyurl.com/2bh52a
for example, Cay Buser mentioned that Maryland has some good  
examples. Cay, could you elaborate on that? Bill Muth, in the same  
discussion, mentioned programs in D.C., Virginia, New York and  
Connecticut. Other programs were mentioned as well.  I wonder if any  
of these corrections family literacy programs facilitate the  
transition from corrections to community. If so, how do they do this?

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

From jbfitz at optonline.net  Wed Mar 19 09:28:59 2008
From: jbfitz at optonline.net (jbfitz at optonline.net)
Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2008 13:28:59 +0000 (GMT)
Subject: [SpecialTopics 889] Re: Posting
In-Reply-To: <9989191.161205850845984.JavaMail.root@vanadium.sys.ma.cait.org>
References: <12699588.141205850805284.JavaMail.root@vanadium.sys.ma.cait.org>
	<9989191.161205850845984.JavaMail.root@vanadium.sys.ma.cait.org>
Message-ID: <e7dea071fa16.47e1151b@optonline.net>

Denise, Kathy and others remind us that inmates about to be released are not only re-integrating into the community and workplace but also into their families.  Recognizing this, many education programs in prisons have attempted to support inmates' role as parents with some form of family literacy program to help inmates who are also parents to establish or maintain positive connections to their children through literacy and at the same time address the role they will play in their children's education upon release. Often, these education programs (like other family literacy programs) have found that connection to family is a particularly strong motivator.  As a consultant in the family literacy field, I have come across many family literacy/family education programs in correctional education, some more successful than others. For many reasons, it is a difficult program to run successfully in an incarcerated setting. It is particularly difficult to document program success because inmates do not usually maintain contact with programs after release (when the successes become apparent). The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy has funded several family literacy programs in correctional settings, among them"Breaking Barriers with Books" in the Oshkosh(Wisconsin) Correctional Institution and a program at the Jamesville Correctional facility in Jamesville, NY (near Syracuse) run by the Onondaga/Cortland/Madison Board of CooperativeEducation (OCM BOCES) which developed a guidebook for implementing family literacy programs in incarcerated settings.  The Jamesville program links inmates with the local Even Start Family Literacy program.  Family Literacy in prisons has also been a special  initiative of the federal Even Start Family Literacy program.  Many county and state correctional facilities throughout NY state have implemented family literacy programs. I think the intergenerational nature of both incarceration and literacy make family literacy/family education a critically important area for correctional education to address when planning for inmate transition back into the community.
 
Jessica Fitzpatrick,
Early Childhood/Family Literacy Consultant
jbfitz at optonline.net
 
 
Original Message -----
From: Kathy Olesen-Tracey 
Date: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 12:03 pm
Subject: [SpecialTopics 865] Re: Posting
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov

> Denise, 
> I attended an adult education conference in Illinois several 
> years ago and learned about a program called "Reading from the 
> Inside Out". I don't recall many of the details, so if anyone 
> here has heard of it -please share. 
> 
> Essentially, the program video taped parents reading a story to 
> their child and provide the child with the book and the video 
> tape so the child can experience their parent reading to them. 
> 
> Has anyone heard about a project like this? 
> Kathy Olesen-Tracey 
> -- 
> Center for the Application of Information Technologies 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Denise McIntire" 
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
> Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 8:29:33 AM GMT -06:00 US/Canada 
> Central 
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 863] Re: Posting 
> 
> 
> Bonnie and all that follow, 
> I am the Ex. Dir. of a very small family literacy program in 
> West Virginia. We are a volunteer literacy program as oppossed 
> to a Dept. of Ed. funded adult basic education program. We have 
> been offering a program since 06 for corrections facilities that 
> works with incarcerated adults for 8 weeks per session. Our job 
> is to keep that bond connected between parent and child and also 
> the child's education stressing the importance of literacy for 
> all ages as well as the caregivers responsible for the children 
> until the family can be reunited. Yes, dollars are limited for 
> all of the needs our society needs especially issues dealing 
> with literacy. Please, help with the message of supporting the 
> entire family along with the educational and workforce training. 
> Most of the women we have worked with have spent their entire 
> lives in the system whether due to parental units away from them 
> as children and the cycle repeats over and over from generation 
> to generation. Our program is still too new to have created any 
> empirical evidence as of yet but according to inmates and 
> families alike, we are making a difference one family at a time. 
> 
> Bonnie Odiorne wrote: 
> 
> 
> 
> Gary, 
> You might call on Literacy Volunteers (now ProLiteracy USA) or 
> some other community-based literacy adult education 
> organization. I once trained a group of tutors who had already 
> been recruited by someone (clergy, chaplain?) at the prison, in 
> a "safe" area outside the high security areas. I insisted, and 
> the director agreed, that if I was going to send tutors into 
> this facility, that I should go in too, and I did. It was a 
> revelation. This was a long time ago, and I really should follow 
> up on whether or not the program is still functioning. I know of 
> labyrinth facilitators that want to do prison work, and while 
> that's not on the topic of educational needs, it could be a way 
> of unlocking, as it were, some means of expressioin that might 
> allow the incarcerated to learn. I've also done a tutor training 
> with a halfway house transition facility, where the staff wanted 
> the training because they saw education as such a great need in 
> the female population they were serving. Dru rehabilitatioin 
> facilities have also requested trainings. So there are lots of 
> avenues that could be followed, at differing entry/exit points 
> of the system. 
> Best regards, 
> Bonnie Odiorne, Ph.D. 
> 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ---- 
> From: "Upham, Gary" 
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
> Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 8:34:26 AM 
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 849] Posting 
> 
> Gary Upham 
> Maine State Prison Principal 
> 
> I have been the Principal of the Maine State Prison for the past 
> year 
> and a half. It has not taken me long to identify that much of 
> this 
> population has special education needs. However I have tried, 
> unsuccessfully, to pull in resources appropriate for 
> identification and 
> strategies to work with my inmates. Funding is a major issue as 
> well as 
> current staffing, which is affected by funding. How do I deal 
> with a 
> major need under these conditions? 
> 
> 
> ------------------------------- 
> National Institute for Literacy 
> Special Topics mailing list 
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov 
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go 
> to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics 
> Email delivered to bonniesophia at sbcglobal.net 
> 
> ------------------------------- 
> National Institute for Literacy 
> Special Topics mailing list 
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov 
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go 
> to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics 
> Email delivered to deiswv at yahoo.com 
> 
> 
> 
> Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with 
> Yahoo! Search. 
> ------------------------------- National Institute for Literacy 
> Special Topics mailing list SpecialTopics at nifl.gov To 
> unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics Email 
> delivered to ktracey at cait.org
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From SSteurer at ceanational.org  Wed Mar 19 07:49:33 2008
From: SSteurer at ceanational.org (Steve Steurer)
Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2008 07:49:33 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 890] Re: Building and
	sustainingpersonalrelationshipsfor good referrals
In-Reply-To: <E77E28C64D37442B97C211C372F4ADB9@OwnerPC>
References: <c39.293a7732.35118c6b@aol.com><00a201c88946$4d721fa0$6501a8c0@BillHP><704D6E3D-7711-49D6-9836-0448EDD5A7E1@comcast.net><C3685E8CDEECC046905D5C1F9AF949520B316E@ceaoffice.CEANATIONAL.local>
	<E77E28C64D37442B97C211C372F4ADB9@OwnerPC>
Message-ID: <C3685E8CDEECC046905D5C1F9AF949520B3170@ceaoffice.CEANATIONAL.local>

Katherine,

I will let Fran Tracy-Mumford, our legislative special interest group chair respond to that.  Frankly, I am so surprised that there has been no discussion of this important piece of legislation.   There are so many correctional associations out there working to get this passed.  It makes me wonder how many of the people involved in this discussion are members of national associations like CEA?   

Steve
Stephen Steurer Ph.D.,
Executive Director
Correctional Education Association
8182 Lark Brown Road? Suite 202
Elkridge, MD? 21075
Tel: 443-459-3081
Fax: 443-459-3088
www.ceanational.org
"Transforming Lives Through Education"

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Katherine
Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2008 6:15 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 887] Re: Building and sustainingpersonalrelationshipsfor good referrals

Steve, for those of us out of the Capitol Hill loop, could you please 
explain what the Second Chance Act is and does?

Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt
www.luxuriouschoices.net
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Steurer" <SSteurer at ceanational.org>
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 10:41 PM
Subject: [SpecialTopics 884] Re: Building and sustaining 
personalrelationshipsfor good referrals

I have been reading the various excellent emails about correctional 
education and community education and looking for an opportunity to make a 
brief but important and unique comment.  So here goes.  One of the things 
that has surprised me is how no one has talked about the one of the most 
impotant recent legislative achievements on Capitol Hill.  Last week, March 
12th, the Senate passed the Second Chance Act.  The House had done so 
earlier.  Now the fight is on for appropriations to back it up.  The Bush 
administration has backed the Second Chance Act for some time.   Ironically, 
the name of the bill comes from one of President Bush's state of the union 
speeches.  How long has it been that Democrats and Republicans have come 
together to support correctional programming instead of correctional 
institution building and longer sentences?  Is this some kind of watershed?

If the Second Chance Act receives decent funding it could be one of the most 
important pieces of legislation to build the prison to community connection 
and to help inmates who have received education and training while 
incarcerated to make the transition to community and a positive life.

On March 12th CEA sponsored a trip to Capitol Hill from its CEA Leadership 
Forum in Annapolis.  Gene Guerrero, who works for the Open Society 
Institute, has worked tirelessly leading the campaign for passage of this 
act.  He spoke to correctional educators at a midday meeting in the Rayburn 
House Office Building.  He noted that Senator Shelby of Alabama was holding 
up the bill in the Senate.  Two of our delegates, John Stewart and Susan 
McKee of Alabama, went directly to Shelby's office, found him and, 
apparently, helped convince him to support the Second Chance Act.  He 
removed his hold and the Senate passed the bill the same night.  CEA is 
proud to have played a role in passing the Second Chance Act.

I would like to hear what our participants think of the possible impact of 
this new federal effort.

Steve
Stephen Steurer Ph.D.,
Executive Director
Correctional Education Association
8182 Lark Brown Road Suite 202
Elkridge, MD 21075
Tel: 443-459-3081
Fax: 443-459-3088
www.ceanational.org
"Transforming Lives Through Education"

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] 
On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 7:44 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 882] Building and sustaining personal 
relationshipsfor good referrals

Colleagues,

Bill Anthony points to the importance of personal connections to
community resources. I wonder if our guest experts -- and other
participants -- have examples of state or county corrections
institutions and community-based institutions where personal
relationships have been built and sustained over time so that a
referral phone call or an email about an inmate who is being released
results in a warm welcome to the community-based education program,
perhaps as part of a number of community services (housing,
employment, health  care, counseling) provided on release.

If so, what enables these relationships? What sustains them? What
undermines them?

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

On Mar 18, 2008, at 6:20 PM, Bill Anthony wrote:
> David Rosen,
>
> Regarding your question below --
>
> I was involved with Federal Correctional Education for some 25
> years.  I believe we did a relatively good job of preparing inmates
> for release with GED, Vocational. counseling and Pre Release
> programs.  But, we did not do a particularly good job of "handing
> inmates off"  to the appropriate community education resources.
> Many years ago we had release furloughs for lesser security inmates
> to allow them to connect with release plans in their release
> community.  Given increasing security concerns and the increase of
> Half Way Houses or Community Treatment Centers I believe we lost a
> step.  We began turning people over to halfway houses with no
> direct contact and probably very poor procedures for delivery of
> institutional education records to the half way houses.
>
> The half way houses were often just an interim step between prison
> and final relief destination.  They helped in getting jobs,
> clothing tools , and rent money; but they ultimatley had to also
> "hand off" many ot their clients to a final release area many miles
> away.
>
> We can take some solace in the fact that, as a federal instituion,
> we were releasing inmates all over the country and a personal
> handoff to local resources was particularly difficult.  State
> Prisons should have it a little easier and county jails should be
> able to actually maintain personal contacts with community
> resources.  But I think a real key is to be able to provide
> personal connections to community resources.  In a county jail
> situation it would seem that it might be possible for direct
> relationships among prison staff and county educational
> resources .  I'm sure the issue of privacy concerns might be raised
> but it would seem inmates would have the right to waive such concerns.
>
> I also believe that there are a number of availabe education
> resources that qualify as  "Lifelong Learning" resources.   That
> is,  we can provide resources in the prison that can be continued
> on the streets.  If we train the inmates to use a system such as
> the Public Broadcasting, Educational TV, and Literacy Link
> materials for GED and Workplace Skills;  the inmates can continue
> to use the same resources on their own after release and possibly
> get help from community Adult Education programs where necessary.
> I know the computer security issues in higher security prisons but,
> we are really at the point where we need to find ways to give
> inmates the skills to use internet resources.   Can we hook inmates
> up with more internet resources that can go with them where ever
> they go and whenever their schedule permits?  Use of this type of
> resources can also help improve "Family Literacy".  I suspect we
> all know that many inmate families could use educational help also.
>
>
> Bill Anthony
> SYNSOL at cableone.net
>
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>
> For all our guests:
>
> When an inmate who has been in an education program inside a state
> corrections institution or county jail and is released, what needs to
> happen for him or her to connect to and stick with a community-based
> education program? Do these events need to happen immediately mon
> release or can they be phased in over time after housing, shelter,
> counseling and job needs are met? Are you aware of any exemplary
> models of connections between inside education and community based
> education programs? Can you tell us about them? What can community-
> based education programs do to partner with corrections education
> programs that release inmates back to their communities?
>
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at comcast.net
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to djrosen at comcast.net

David J. Rosen
djrosen at comcast.net

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From melkins at dclibraries.org  Wed Mar 19 11:17:27 2008
From: melkins at dclibraries.org (Molly Elkins)
Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2008 09:17:27 -0600
Subject: [SpecialTopics 891] Re: Posting
In-Reply-To: <9989191.161205850845984.JavaMail.root@vanadium.sys.ma.cait.org>
References: <12699588.141205850805284.JavaMail.root@vanadium.sys.ma.cait.org>
	<9989191.161205850845984.JavaMail.root@vanadium.sys.ma.cait.org>
Message-ID: <002301c889d4$60e6ce30$be070a0a@dpld.org>

In our local jail we have a program called Read A Book. The inmates can sign
up to read a book aloud into a cassette player. The cassette and the book
are sent to the child. I think it would be nice to have a DVD so the kids
could see their loved one too- but you know how technology is. 

 

Anyway, the books are donated by the library and other local organizations.
We try to ensure that the books are new and in good condition. 

 

A volunteer from the library sits in with the inmates as they read to do
paperwork with them and to ensure that they aren't passing along
inappropriate information. The inmates must sign a document stating that
there are no restraining orders keeping them from communicating with that
child. 

 

I've sat in on some of these recording sessions, when our volunteer was ill,
and wow. It was really meaningful. The inmates love it too. 

 

Thank you,

 

Molly Elkins
Literacy Specialist
Douglas County Libraries
Phillip S. Miller Library
  100 S. Wilcox Street
  Castle Rock CO 80104
  Map
<http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?country=US&addtohistory=&formtype=addr
ess&searchtype=address&cat=&address=100%20S%20Wilcox%20St&city=Castle%20Rock
&state=CO&zipcode=80104%2d1911&search=Get%2bMap> 
Direct Phone: (303)688-7646

Alt Phone: (303) 791-READ

Fax: (303) 688-7655
Email: melkins at dclibraries.org
Web: www.DouglasCountyLibraries.org <http://www.douglascountylibraries.org/>

  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Kathy Olesen-Tracey
Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 8:34 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 865] Re: Posting

 

Denise,
I attended an adult education conference in Illinois several years ago and
learned about a program called "Reading from the Inside Out". I don't recall
many of the details, so if anyone here has heard of it -please share.  

Essentially, the program video taped parents reading a story to their child
and provide the child with the book and the video tape so the child can
experience their parent reading to them. 

Has anyone heard about a project like this?
Kathy Olesen-Tracey
--
Center for the Application of Information Technologies

----- Original Message -----
From: "Denise McIntire" <deiswv at yahoo.com>
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 8:29:33 AM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central
Subject: [SpecialTopics 863] Re: Posting

Bonnie and all that follow,

I am the Ex. Dir. of a very small family literacy program in West Virginia.
We are a volunteer literacy program as oppossed to a Dept. of Ed. funded
adult basic education program.  We have been offering a program since 06 for
corrections facilities that works with incarcerated adults for 8 weeks per
session.  Our job is to keep that bond connected between parent and child
and also the child's education stressing the importance of literacy for all
ages as well as the caregivers responsible for the children until the family
can be reunited.  Yes, dollars are limited for all of the needs our society
needs especially issues dealing with literacy.  Please, help with the
message of supporting the entire family along with the educational and
workforce training.  Most of the women we have worked with have spent their
entire lives in the system whether due to parental units away from them as
children and the cycle repeats over and over from generation to generation.
Our program is still too new to have created any empirical evidence as of
yet but according to inmates and families alike, we are making a difference
one family at a time.    

Bonnie Odiorne <bonniesophia at sbcglobal.net> wrote:

Gary,

You might call on Literacy Volunteers (now ProLiteracy USA) or some other
community-based literacy adult education organization. I once trained a
group of tutors who had already been recruited by someone (clergy,
chaplain?) at the prison, in a "safe" area outside the high security areas.
I insisted, and the director agreed, that if I was going to send tutors into
this facility, that I should go in too, and I did. It was a revelation. This
was a long time ago, and I really should follow up on whether or not the
program is still functioning. I know of labyrinth facilitators that want to
do prison work, and while that's not on the topic of educational needs, it
could be a way of unlocking, as it were, some means of expressioin that
might allow the incarcerated to learn. I've also done a tutor training with
a halfway house transition facility, where the staff wanted the training
because they saw education as such a great need in the female population
they were serving. Dru rehabilitatioin facilities have also requested
trainings. So there are lots of avenues that could be followed, at differing
entry/exit points of the system.

Best regards,

Bonnie Odiorne, Ph.D.

 

----- Original Message ----
From: "Upham, Gary" <Gary.Upham at maine.gov>
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 8:34:26 AM
Subject: [SpecialTopics 849] Posting

Gary Upham
Maine State Prison Principal

I have been the Principal of the Maine State Prison for the past year
and a half.  It has not taken me long to identify that much of this
population has special education needs.  However I have tried,
unsuccessfully, to pull in resources appropriate for identification and
strategies to work with my inmates.  Funding is a major issue as well as
current staffing, which is affected by funding.  How do I deal with a
major need under these conditions?

-------------------------------
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SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to bonniesophia at sbcglobal.net

 

-------------------------------
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Email delivered to deiswv at yahoo.com

 

  _____  

Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search.
<http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=51734/*http:/tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/ca
tegory.php?category=shopping> 
------------------------------- National Institute for Literacy Special
Topics mailing list SpecialTopics at nifl.gov To unsubscribe or change your
subscription settings, please go to
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From melkins at dclibraries.org  Wed Mar 19 11:17:27 2008
From: melkins at dclibraries.org (Molly Elkins)
Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2008 09:17:27 -0600
Subject: [SpecialTopics 892] Re: Posting
In-Reply-To: <4CB17D33C0F89345847A40593C9EB8EBE5DA53@SOM-TEAQASMAIL2.som.w2k.state.me.us>
References: <mailman.0.1205754459.23145.specialtopics@nifl.gov>
	<4CB17D33C0F89345847A40593C9EB8EBE5DA53@SOM-TEAQASMAIL2.som.w2k.state.me.us>
Message-ID: <002b01c889d4$61606b00$be070a0a@dpld.org>

Have you contacted your local library to see if they are able to collaborate
with you, partner, or support any kinds of educational programs with you? 

Thank you,
 
Molly Elkins
Literacy Specialist
Douglas County Libraries
Phillip S. Miller Library
  100 S. Wilcox Street
  Castle Rock CO 80104
  Map
Direct Phone: (303)688-7646
Alt Phone: (303) 791-READ
Fax: (303) 688-7655
Email: melkins at dclibraries.org
Web: www.DouglasCountyLibraries.org

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Upham, Gary
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 6:34 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 849] Posting

Gary Upham
Maine State Prison Principal

I have been the Principal of the Maine State Prison for the past year
and a half.  It has not taken me long to identify that much of this
population has special education needs.  However I have tried,
unsuccessfully, to pull in resources appropriate for identification and
strategies to work with my inmates.  Funding is a major issue as well as
current staffing, which is affected by funding.  How do I deal with a
major need under these conditions?

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to melkins at dclibraries.org

From Bill.Newman at consultant.ousd.k12.ca.us  Wed Mar 19 11:51:06 2008
From: Bill.Newman at consultant.ousd.k12.ca.us (Bill Newman)
Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2008 08:51:06 -0700
Subject: [SpecialTopics 893] Re: Corrections to Community Education
References: <EFB4E73A48DFC544B8FAB0950A5E29030E5FCE@wdcrobe2m05.ed.gov>
	<E127BBFE2719D54580E9651B704C89C00AE011724B@CVILLEMAIL.cville.local>
Message-ID: <DF200144D8E63B4C8103FD98B9656D845067C0@OUSD-EMAIL.ousdnet>

Excellent point.  
 
 
 
 
 
 

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Klaty, Sharon
Sent: Tue 3/18/2008 3:36 PM
To: 'specialtopics at nifl.gov'
Subject: [SpecialTopics 875] Re: Corrections to Community Education

It was my intention to be part of this to gain knowledge and "listen in".  However, this message prompts my comment.  In community education there needs to be the education that goes beyond the academic/work skills.  Maybe this is part of the community education.  I am talking about the "soft skills".  Are the "soft skills" being taught?  Such things as attitude, attendance, punctuality, honesty, dependability, teamwork, listening skills........  From personal experience:  a family member in the last three years decided to give three different people a chance.  They had knowledge, skills and were fairly intelligent.  The last one's employment ended a couple of weeks ago.  One could not keep personal problems at home.  Another's attendance was poor.  Another helped himself to some expensive tools.  You get the picture.  Yes, these people can be a good resource if they have the right skills.  Employers don't mind training the employees if they have these.

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Buser, Carolyn
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 9:50 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 850] Re: Corrections to Community Education

            Good morning.  Jeremy Travis and the Urban Institute have been drawing the attention of professionals and the general public to the issues surrounding reentry for a number of years.  The excellent reentry roundtable series will continue in New York City next month and feature participants from areas affecting reentry and transition, as well as persons who have successfully made their own transition.  The recent report from the Pew Charitable Trust seems to have captured the interest of the general public.  The statistics the report presents are astonishing.  More than one in every one hundred adults is now confined in an American jail or prison.  The incidence of incarceration is disproportionately levied across minority and male communities with one in thirty men between the ages of 20 and 34 in jail or prison, and one in nine men of color between those same ages is incarcerated.  As Jeremy Travis points out, almost all of these people will return to society.   Many of them will return to neighborhoods already strapped to provide basic social services to residents who have not been incarcerated.  The task of facilitating reentry to ensure humane and hopeful solutions for persons, neighborhoods, and country is daunting.  The task can only be addressed in its whole.  Preparation for reentry must begin when a person first enters a prison and continue through release and well beyond - engaging police, the courts, the correctional system, correctional education, community agencies, families, community educational systems, and the business community.  Persons released from incarceration can use skills learned in prison to revitalize their communities.  Returning persons can be a resource if there is the will to equip them to be so.    

 

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 8:59 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 848] Corrections to Community Education

 

Colleagues,

 

This week our special topic is Transition from Corrections Education to Community Education. I would like to welcome our guests Dr. Carolyn Buser, Steve Schwalb,  John Gordon and Dr. Stephen J. Steurer. You will find background information on them below as well as some readings they have suggested.

 

I will be posting some questions, but I hope you will also post your questions. To begin, I would like to refer to some recent remarks by Jeremy Travis, the President of John Jay College of Criminal Justice, to a gathering of U.S. mayors in New York City on February 28th, 2008. I would also like to invite our guests to react to these remarks and to add other information that provides the background for this transition issue, that helps us to understand why education, and transition from corrections education to community education is such an important issue.

 

"...over the past generation we have quadrupled the per capita rate of 

incarceration in this country.  Every year since 1972 - in times of war and times of peace; 

in good economic times, in bad economic times; when crime was going up and crime was 

going down - we have put more people in prison.  We also tend to forget that, with the 

exception of those few who die in prison, they will all come back.   

 

This year, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, approximately 700,000 

individuals will leave our nation's prisons, well over four times the number who made a 

similar journey thirty years ago.  Ninety percent of them are men; a majority are men of 

color; in every state, they typically go back to a small number of urban neighborhoods, 

neighborhoods that are struggling with poor schools, weak labor markets, substandard 

housing, and inadequate health care.  As a nation, we have in essence asked these hard- 

pressed communities to take on the enormous additional responsibility of reintegrating 

record numbers of their family members who have been sent off to prison and return 

home, typically with significant service needs, often without supportive social networks."  

( http://tinyurl.com/2glxlj )

 

Background on Discussion Guests

 

Carolyn (Cay) Buser

Cay Buser joined the United States Department of Education in May of 2006 as an adult education program specialist with duties as the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act (AEFLA) liaison with correctional education.  Dr. Buser works with the Western States to assist them in the administration of adult education grants.  She also is the national resource for coordination with correctional education programs and adult education grants.

 

Prior to her federal appointment, Dr. Buser was director of correctional education for the Maryland State Department of Education.  Her responsibilities entailed management of the education and library programs in Maryland's adult and juvenile correctional systems.  She provided direct support to Maryland's Educational Coordinating Council for Correctional Institutions, the "school board" for correctional education headed by the State Superintendent of Schools with the State Secretary of Public Safety and Correctional Services as a member.

 

Dr. Buser has been an active member of the Correctional Education Association serving as a regional director and is currently on the editorial board of the Journal of Correctional Education.  Her academic background includes a master's degree in special education and a doctorate in educational policy and administration.  Dr. Buser taught English in public middle and high schools in the Midwest, and in community colleges in Maryland.  She taught for seven years in Maryland's correctional education program and served as a principal in three correctional settings before her appointment as director of the State program.

 

Steve Schwalb

Steve Schwalb has served as President and CEO of Pioneer Human Services since April, 2007. Prior to that, Steve had a 33-year career in the field of corrections.  

 

After receiving his B.A. degree in Business Administration from the University of Washington, he began his corrections career as a Personnel Management Specialist trainee with the Federal Bureau of Prisons.  He subsequently held various positions of additional responsibility, including Personnel Director, Chief of Internal Affairs, Warden, Deputy Regional Director and Assistant Director. 

 

In the latter position, Steve was responsible for nationwide oversight of the education, vocational training, recreation, parenting, transition preparation, citizen volunteers and industrial work programs.  Serving in the role of Chief Operating Officer of Federal Prison Industries, Inc., he oversaw over 100 factories that employ 21,000 inmates and 1,400 staff, and that generated $800 million in annual sales.

 

In the mid-1980's, Steve served as Associate Superintendent and Program Manager with the Washington State Department of Corrections, and as Director of the King County Jail in Seattle. 

 

During his federal career, Steve was appointed by the President to the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled, and served as chairman for four of his twelve years on the committee.

 

John Gordon

John has worked at the Fortune Society since 2001, first as Director of its Education program and more recently as an Associate President of Programs. The Fortune Society works with people after they've come home from prison or jail. Their Education program serves 200-300 students per year; they offer classes in Adult Basic Education, ESOL, and computer skills. Many students are on probation or parole; others are mandated by the courts to one of Fortune's Alternatives to Incarceration programs; some are no longer under any criminal justice supervision.

Before coming to the Fortune Society, John worked for 16 years as Teacher-Director of the Open Book, a community based literacy program in Brooklyn, NY. At the Open Book, some of his central concerns revolved around developing student leadership and student participation in program decision-making; publishing student writing and oral histories, and welfare and literacy issues. He published several articles on these topics as well as More Than a Job:  A Curriculum on Work and Society (New Readers Press). He is an active participant in the New York City Coalition for Adult Literacy.

The Fortune Society was founded in 1967 with two main goals: (1) to educate the public about prisons, criminal justice issues, and the root causes of crime and (2) to provide support for people as they come home from prison. Fortune serves over 3,000 former prisoners a year, offering education, career development, counseling, substance abuse treatment, housing, health services, and alternatives to incarceration. It continues to play a strong role in advocating for criminal justice and prison reform.

 

Stephen J. Steurer, Ph.D.

Steve is the  Executive Director of the Correctional Education Association, a professional organization of educators who work in prisons, jails and juvenile settings.

 

 

Our guests have suggested the following readings:

 

The Urban Institute's web site at

http://www.urban.org/justice/index.cfm

has a complete list of its publications, most of which are online. Of particular interest may be those that highlight individual state reports in the multi-state Returning Home project.

http://tinyurl.com/2cm7jp

These are all accessible online.

 

Taylor Stoehr's articles. There are a number on the Changing Lives Through Literature web site:

http://cltl.umassd.edu/IssuesClassroom3.cfm

"Enforcing the Rules" is especially recommended.

 

The topic of prison location/release location will also be useful to the discussion. There are several articles listed on the Urban Institute's re-entry mapping pages, several from 2004.

http://tinyurl.com/2687ma

 

These two books have a lot to offer: Joan Petersilia's "When

Prisoners Come Home: Parole and Prisoner Reentry" Oxford University

Press 2003, and Jeremy Travis' "But They All Come Back: Facing the

Challenges of Prisoner Reentry" Urban Institute Press 2005.

 

Also, see http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/181413.pdf for a paper by Jeremy Travis on this topic.

 

As mentioned earlier, here's the link to the Correctional Education, Family Literacy and Transitions discussion that were hosted here in September 2006:

http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Corrections_Education#2._Correctional_Ed.2C_Family_Literacy_.26_Transition--On-Line_Discussion.2C_September_2006 or, for short,

http://tinyurl.com/yrzwlk

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

djrosen at comcast.net

 

 

 

 

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From gshirley at msde.state.md.us  Wed Mar 19 12:41:42 2008
From: gshirley at msde.state.md.us (Glennor Shirley)
Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2008 12:41:42 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 894]  FW:   Supporting program continuity
Message-ID: <2433CF3169B9054193EB844AC38230CC0A6B9313@msebex1.msde.net>

 

Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 888] Supporting program continuity

Maryland Correctional Libraries and Lifelong learning.

The Maryland Correctional Education Library introduced Family Literacy @
Your Library, a literacy program that linked prisoners, their children,
and caregivers with learning opportunities within the prison, but more
importantly to community resources outside the prison.

Inmates were taught how to select and read children's literature, and
how to present stories.  Once per month the children and their
caregivers visited the prison and the joint reading and discussion take
place.  

To link the children with their local libraries, we invited the public
librarians to visit the prison and conduct stories hours to the group
during a family literacy event.  (We have a cd rom highlighting one of
the programs taken in 2005)

Enoch Pratt Free Library has conducted 2 programs in the public library
for ex offenders.  At this program, ex offenders, community providers
and the library coordinator all participated.

During the Career Fairs conducted at Maryland Prisons by the Transition
coordinator, a librarian from Enoch Pratt Free Library does a live
demonstration of the online resources and databases that are available
for use for any residents of the community. Resources included the job
and career centers, computers, the various databases, and access to the
Internet that were free to community residents.  The resources also
included GED in print and on line.

In 2007 we purchased a mobile unit that will go to preleases centers.
The unit will provide a combination of print and electronic resources
and have live demonstration of databases that are on the unit, that are
also available on the databases in some public libraries.

See websites: for a photograph of one of the children's programs and the
mobile unit.  http://ce.msde.state.md.us/library/reentry07.htm

http://prisonlibrarian.blogspot.com

Glennor Shirley  

Library Coordinator
Maryland State Department of Education
Correctional Education Libraries
200 West Baltimore Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
Tel. 410 767 0493; Fax. 410 333 2239
email: gshirley at msde.state.md.us
http://ce.msde.state.md.us/library/libraries.htm

 

From garinderknecht at dmacc.edu  Wed Mar 19 13:02:40 2008
From: garinderknecht at dmacc.edu (Rinderknecht, Gail A.)
Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2008 12:02:40 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 895] Re: Posting
References: <9989191.161205850845984.JavaMail.root@vanadium.sys.ma.cait.org>
Message-ID: <F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B8084@ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>

We have a program called "Storybook" which is run by the recreation department at Newton Correctional Facility.  The population at this facility is all male and at one site is medium security and at the other site is minimum security.  The men can choose a book which is appropriate for the age of their child and read it on tape.  The book and the tape are then sent to the child.  The men seem to enjoy keeping in touch with their children in this manner and many of them take advantage of this program.  I am not sure how it is funded, although I do know that the men have jobs where they earn money that they can spend on different things;  I do believe they are required to pay a nominal fee for this just so they will feel that they are earning something for their children.  The books are new, and of course, the titles and stories are approved by the DOC.

Gail Rinderknecht
Des Moines Area Community College
ABE/GED Instructor
Newton Correctional Facility
Newton, IA

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Kathy Olesen-Tracey
Sent: Tue 3/18/2008 9:34 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 865] Re: Posting
 
Denise, 
I attended an adult education conference in Illinois several years ago and learned about a program called "Reading from the Inside Out". I don't recall many of the details, so if anyone here has heard of it -please share. 

Essentially, the program video taped parents reading a story to their child and provide the child with the book and the video tape so the child can experience their parent reading to them. 

Has anyone heard about a project like this? 
Kathy Olesen-Tracey 
-- 
Center for the Application of Information Technologies 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Denise McIntire" <deiswv at yahoo.com> 
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 8:29:33 AM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central 
Subject: [SpecialTopics 863] Re: Posting 

Bonnie and all that follow, 
I am the Ex. Dir. of a very small family literacy program in West Virginia. We are a volunteer literacy program as oppossed to a Dept. of Ed. funded adult basic education program. We have been offering a program since 06 for corrections facilities that works with incarcerated adults for 8 weeks per session. Our job is to keep that bond connected between parent and child and also the child's education stressing the importance of literacy for all ages as well as the caregivers responsible for the children until the family can be reunited. Yes, dollars are limited for all of the needs our society needs especially issues dealing with literacy. Please, help with the message of supporting the entire family along with the educational and workforce training. Most of the women we have worked with have spent their entire lives in the system whether due to parental units away from them as children and the cycle repeats over and over from generation to generation. Our program is still too new to have created any empirical evidence as of yet but according to inmates and families alike, we are making a difference one family at a time. 

Bonnie Odiorne <bonniesophia at sbcglobal.net> wrote: 

Gary, 
You might call on Literacy Volunteers (now ProLiteracy USA) or some other community-based literacy adult education organization. I once trained a group of tutors who had already been recruited by someone (clergy, chaplain?) at the prison, in a "safe" area outside the high security areas. I insisted, and the director agreed, that if I was going to send tutors into this facility, that I should go in too, and I did. It was a revelation. This was a long time ago, and I really should follow up on whether or not the program is still functioning. I know of labyrinth facilitators that want to do prison work, and while that's not on the topic of educational needs, it could be a way of unlocking, as it were, some means of expressioin that might allow the incarcerated to learn. I've also done a tutor training with a halfway house transition facility, where the staff wanted the training because they saw education as such a great need in the female population they were serving. Dru rehabilitatioin facilities have also requested trainings. So there are lots of avenues that could be followed, at differing entry/exit points of the system. 
Best regards, 
Bonnie Odiorne, Ph.D. 

----- Original Message ---- 
From: "Upham, Gary" <Gary.Upham at maine.gov> 
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 8:34:26 AM 
Subject: [SpecialTopics 849] Posting 

Gary Upham 
Maine State Prison Principal 

I have been the Principal of the Maine State Prison for the past year 
and a half. It has not taken me long to identify that much of this 
population has special education needs. However I have tried, 
unsuccessfully, to pull in resources appropriate for identification and 
strategies to work with my inmates. Funding is a major issue as well as 
current staffing, which is affected by funding. How do I deal with a 
major need under these conditions? 

------------------------------- 
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Special Topics mailing list 
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov 
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics 
Email delivered to bonniesophia at sbcglobal.net 

------------------------------- 
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Special Topics mailing list 
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov 
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Email delivered to deiswv at yahoo.com 

Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. 
------------------------------- National Institute for Literacy Special Topics mailing list SpecialTopics at nifl.gov To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics Email delivered to ktracey at cait.org

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From garinderknecht at dmacc.edu  Wed Mar 19 13:37:04 2008
From: garinderknecht at dmacc.edu (Rinderknecht, Gail A.)
Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2008 12:37:04 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 896] Re: From corrections education to
	communityeducation
References: <c39.293a7732.35118c6b@aol.com>
Message-ID: <F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B8085@ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>

Transition is just now being more thoroughly addressed in Iowa.  As a GED/ABE instructor in a male facility, I have always helped the men fill out FAFSA forms when they near release and/or completion of their GED.  I keep current catalogs from the community colleges as well as the addresses for information for all colleges in Iowa.  Of course now FAFSA is going "paperless" and prefers to have applications completed online.  We, however, are not yet at the point where we allow inmates internet access, so I do have to continually request hard copies in order to keep them on hand.  For some reason, they won't send out for than 20 or 25 at a time.  At this point in time, staff is not allowed to have personal contact with the men for 18 months following their release, but this is changing, at least for some of the counselors, as the need for transition is being explored.

Personally, I see so much optimism among the men as they finish their GED...indeed, as they complete each test, that I believe directing them and helping them acquire more education and skills upon release is necessary. 

I taught special education at the high school level for 16 years before being hired by Des Moines Area Community College to work at the Newton Correctional Facility.  As I believed while teaching teenagers with mild disabilities, and I still believe, that many learning difficulties are caused by depression.  As a person who has suffered from severe recurring depression, I discovered that my own abilities to think and plan were significantly disrupted by my bouts with depression.  This was confirmed when I underwent treatment in a special program at the University of Iowa Psychiatric Clinic.  At that time I was basically unemployable, and while undergoing tests, found my IQ had dropped to 85;  my normal IQ has always been in the mid-130's.  I could not think let alone learn.  I couldn't follow the story line of a television show; I could not read a book.  This was a revelation to me and should be to most teachers which is why I post it here.  

In Newton we know that nearly 60% of our population has "dual diagnosis" which literally means that we have a lot of mentally ill people in the system.  This should not come as a surprise to anyone involved in corrections, but it may be significant to someone new to the field of corrections education.   If I see a student "spacing off" a lot, I will often inquire privately about what they are feeling and if there is any way that I can help.  Usually I end up referring them to the staff psychologist with a memo about my observations and conversation with the individual.  It's not that I think everyone needs to medicated, but I do believe that if a true diagnosis of depression or other mental illness is determined by a professional, that need must be met before learning can take place.  Then, of course, upon release, the men must be able to continue to access medication and psychiatric help if needed.  This is often a huge stumbling block for them because of the costs involved.  It is helpful here to note that many pharmacies are coming onboard with the $4 generic prescription for medications which does include many psychotropic drugs.  It is often amazing to find that many health professionals are not aware of these programs.

Gail Rinderknecht
DMACC
Newton Correctional Facility
Newton, IA

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Geriteaches22963 at aol.com
Sent: Tue 3/18/2008 4:21 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 869] Re: From corrections education to communityeducation
 
As the SPED coordinator, we work directly with a transition specialist to  
determine which community-based programs are available to meet the continuing  
needs of the students.  We write transitional goals, prepare a Summary of  
Performance, provide agency names, but I do not place the calls for them,  so I 
assume this may not happen immediately.  Occasionally, I will get  calls from 
released inmates for more information which I can provide.
Geri Hayden
Department of Correctional Education
SPED/504 Coordinator
Virginia
 
 
In a message dated 3/17/2008 6:13:32 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
djrosen at comcast.net writes:

For all  our guests:

When an inmate who has been in an education program inside  a state  
corrections institution or county jail and is released, what  needs to  
happen for him or her to connect to and stick with a  community-based  
education program? Do these events need to happen  immediately mon  
release or can they be phased in over time after  housing, shelter,  
counseling and job needs are met? Are you aware of  any exemplary  
models of connections between inside education and  community based  
education programs? Can you tell us about them? What  can community- 
based education programs do to partner with corrections  education  
programs that release inmates back to their  communities?

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion  Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National  Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing  list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription  settings, please go to  
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to  geriteaches22963 at aol.com

**************Create a Home Theater Like the Pros. Watch the video on AOL 
Home.      
(http://home.aol.com/diy/home-improvement-eric-stromer?video=15?ncid=aolhom00030000000001)

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From garinderknecht at dmacc.edu  Wed Mar 19 14:01:25 2008
From: garinderknecht at dmacc.edu (Rinderknecht, Gail A.)
Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2008 13:01:25 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 897] Re: Posting
References: <C405C872.4E16%lwiener@llfinc.org>
Message-ID: <F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B8086@ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>

As things stand in Iowa, a child would not be allowed to bring a "scrapbook" in to an incarcerated parent.  Stickers and glue and indeed, just paper, can be impregnated with drugs, so all of these things are "contraband."  At this point, we even have to inspect diapers for hidden drugs.  Even photographs are scrutinized for gang signs. People who are not directly involved in corrections have no idea of the security risks involved with what may seem like obvious and mundane ways of helping parents and children remain in contact while a parent is incarcerated.

Gail Rinderknecht
DMACC
Newton Correctional Facility
Newton, IA
 

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Louise Wiener
Sent: Tue 3/18/2008 6:28 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 880] Re: Posting
 
Dear Denise,

I was really touched by the story of your efforts.  LLF has developed parent
involvement materials for parents of 3 to 5 year olds. (There?s always a
little flex on both ends but that is who we designed for)  We have never
used them in a correctional environment.  One set of materials, designed for
home-based programs, might be useful for parents of young children.  The
advantage is that the program provides a variety of ?hunt? activities and a
family portfolio or scrapbook for children to put their interpretations of
specific questions.  It might be a useful way to help the parents feel in
charge and let the children create things to bring to visits.

This use  is far from our original vision, but if you want to explore
further, contact me separately and we?ll see what we can provide you for you
to test with your population.

Good luck with your important work,  Louise Wiener  (lwiener at LLFinc.org)

On 3/18/08 9:29 AM, "Denise McIntire" <deiswv at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Bonnie and all that follow,
>   
> I am the Ex. Dir. of a very small family literacy program in West Virginia.
> We are a volunteer literacy program as oppossed to a Dept. of Ed. funded adult
> basic education program.  We have been offering a program since 06 for
> corrections facilities that works with incarcerated adults for 8 weeks per
> session.  Our job is to keep that bond connected between parent and child and
> also the child's education stressing the importance of literacy for all ages
> as well as the caregivers responsible for the children until the family can be
> reunited.  Yes, dollars are limited for all of the needs our society needs
> especially issues dealing with literacy.  Please, help with the message of
> supporting the entire family along with the educational and workforce
> training.  Most of the women we have worked with have spent their entire lives
> in the system whether due to parental units away from them as children and the
> cycle repeats over and over from generation to generation.  Our program is
> still too new to have created any empirical evidence as of yet but according
> to inmates and families alike, we are making a difference one family at a
> time.    
> 
> Bonnie Odiorne <bonniesophia at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>   
>>       
>>   
>> Gary,
>>   
>> You might call on Literacy Volunteers (now ProLiteracy USA) or some other
>> community-based literacy adult education organization. I once trained a group
>> of tutors who had already been recruited by someone (clergy, chaplain?) at
>> the prison, in a "safe" area outside the high security areas. I insisted, and
>> the director agreed, that if I was going to send tutors into this facility,
>> that I should go in too, and I did. It was a revelation. This was a long time
>> ago, and I really should follow up on whether or not the program is still
>> functioning. I know of labyrinth facilitators that want to do prison work,
>> and while that's not on the topic of educational needs, it could be a way of
>> unlocking, as it were, some means of expressioin that might allow the
>> incarcerated to learn. I've also done a tutor training with a halfway house
>> transition facility, where the staff wanted the training because they saw
>> education as such a great need in the female population they were serving.
>> Dru rehabilitatioin facilities have also requested trainings. So there are
>> lots of avenues that could be followed, at differing entry/exit points of the
>> system.
>>   
>> Best regards,
>>   
>> Bonnie Odiorne, Ph.D.
>>   
>> 
>> 
>>   
>> ----- Original Message ----
>> From: "Upham, Gary" <Gary.Upham at maine.gov>
>> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
>> Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 8:34:26 AM
>> Subject: [SpecialTopics 849] Posting
>> 
>> Gary Upham
>> Maine State Prison Principal
>> 
>> I have been the Principal of the Maine State Prison for the past year
>> and a half.  It has not taken me long to identify that much of this
>> population has special education needs.  However I have tried,
>> unsuccessfully, to pull in resources appropriate for identification and
>> strategies to work with my inmates.  Funding is a major issue as well as
>> current staffing, which is affected by funding.  How do I deal with a
>> major need under these conditions?
>> 
>> 
>> -------------------------------
>> National Institute for Literacy
>> Special Topics mailing list
>> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
>> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
>> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
>> Email delivered to bonniesophia at sbcglobal.net
>> 
>> -------------------------------
>> National Institute for Literacy
>> Special Topics mailing list
>> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
>> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
>> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
>> Email delivered to deiswv at yahoo.com
> 
> 
>   
> 
> Looking for last minute shopping deals?  Find them fast with Yahoo! Search.
> <http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=51734/*http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/cat
> egory.php?category=shopping>
> 
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to lwiener at llfinc.org

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From garinderknecht at dmacc.edu  Wed Mar 19 14:22:27 2008
From: garinderknecht at dmacc.edu (Rinderknecht, Gail A.)
Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2008 13:22:27 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 898] Re: Building and sustaining personal
	relationshipsfor good referrals
References: <c39.293a7732.35118c6b@aol.com><00a201c88946$4d721fa0$6501a8c0@BillHP>
	<704D6E3D-7711-49D6-9836-0448EDD5A7E1@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B8087@ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>

The most successful program in Iowa was recently terminated.  Men who completed the program had the lowest rate of recidivism.  But it was faith based: Christian.  It was not a mandated program.  It was completely voluntary.  The men could choose to participate in the program or not.  It did not cost the state extra, in fact, it cost the state less because the counselors were paid by an outside group.  The state paid for housing, correctional officers, food, medical, etc, but all program costs were paid by the Prison Fellowship...the Innerchange Faith Initiative.  All of the men in the program were in one housing unit where they could support one another and receive support. This program allowed men to renew or establish a faith in God.  Outside church groups would send in trained volunteers to be mentors who would then help the men transition back into their communities.  But because it was a religious based program within a state-run institution it came up against the separation of church and state.  And so it has been discontinued.

Gail Rinderknecht
DMACC
Newton Correctional Facility
Newton, IA

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David J. Rosen
Sent: Tue 3/18/2008 6:43 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 882] Building and sustaining personal relationshipsfor good referrals
 
Colleagues,

Bill Anthony points to the importance of personal connections to  
community resources. I wonder if our guest experts -- and other  
participants -- have examples of state or county corrections  
institutions and community-based institutions where personal  
relationships have been built and sustained over time so that a  
referral phone call or an email about an inmate who is being released  
results in a warm welcome to the community-based education program,  
perhaps as part of a number of community services (housing,  
employment, health  care, counseling) provided on release.

If so, what enables these relationships? What sustains them? What  
undermines them?

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

On Mar 18, 2008, at 6:20 PM, Bill Anthony wrote:
> David Rosen,
>
> Regarding your question below --
>
> I was involved with Federal Correctional Education for some 25  
> years.  I believe we did a relatively good job of preparing inmates  
> for release with GED, Vocational. counseling and Pre Release  
> programs.  But, we did not do a particularly good job of "handing  
> inmates off"  to the appropriate community education resources.   
> Many years ago we had release furloughs for lesser security inmates  
> to allow them to connect with release plans in their release  
> community.  Given increasing security concerns and the increase of  
> Half Way Houses or Community Treatment Centers I believe we lost a  
> step.  We began turning people over to halfway houses with no  
> direct contact and probably very poor procedures for delivery of  
> institutional education records to the half way houses.
>
> The half way houses were often just an interim step between prison  
> and final relief destination.  They helped in getting jobs,  
> clothing tools , and rent money; but they ultimatley had to also  
> "hand off" many ot their clients to a final release area many miles  
> away.
>
> We can take some solace in the fact that, as a federal instituion,   
> we were releasing inmates all over the country and a personal  
> handoff to local resources was particularly difficult.  State  
> Prisons should have it a little easier and county jails should be  
> able to actually maintain personal contacts with community  
> resources.  But I think a real key is to be able to provide  
> personal connections to community resources.  In a county jail  
> situation it would seem that it might be possible for direct  
> relationships among prison staff and county educational  
> resources .  I'm sure the issue of privacy concerns might be raised  
> but it would seem inmates would have the right to waive such concerns.
>
> I also believe that there are a number of availabe education  
> resources that qualify as  "Lifelong Learning" resources.   That  
> is,  we can provide resources in the prison that can be continued  
> on the streets.  If we train the inmates to use a system such as  
> the Public Broadcasting, Educational TV, and Literacy Link  
> materials for GED and Workplace Skills;  the inmates can continue  
> to use the same resources on their own after release and possibly  
> get help from community Adult Education programs where necessary.   
> I know the computer security issues in higher security prisons but,  
> we are really at the point where we need to find ways to give  
> inmates the skills to use internet resources.   Can we hook inmates  
> up with more internet resources that can go with them where ever  
> they go and whenever their schedule permits?  Use of this type of  
> resources can also help improve "Family Literacy".  I suspect we  
> all know that many inmate families could use educational help also.
>
>
> Bill Anthony
> SYNSOL at cableone.net
>
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>
> For all our guests:
>
> When an inmate who has been in an education program inside a state
> corrections institution or county jail and is released, what needs to
> happen for him or her to connect to and stick with a community-based
> education program? Do these events need to happen immediately mon
> release or can they be phased in over time after housing, shelter,
> counseling and job needs are met? Are you aware of any exemplary
> models of connections between inside education and community based
> education programs? Can you tell us about them? What can community-
> based education programs do to partner with corrections education
> programs that release inmates back to their communities?
>
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at comcast.net
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to  
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to djrosen at comcast.net

David J. Rosen
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to garinderknecht at dmacc.edu

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From wrmuth at vcu.edu  Wed Mar 19 13:29:24 2008
From: wrmuth at vcu.edu (William R Muth/FS/VCU)
Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2008 13:29:24 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 899] Re: Supporting program continuity
In-Reply-To: <B1E4AC8C-F125-4F4E-84D1-1A01A555FF1F@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <OF5E074CE2.0C61F45F-ON85257411.005D738E-85257411.00601225@vcu.edu>

David, 
In your e-mail regarding family literacy programs you asked "I wonder if 
any of these corrections family literacy programs facilitate the 
transition from corrections to community. If so, how do they do this?"

Hope House DC hosts a number of ongoing activities to support caregivers 
and children while fathers are in prison. For example, once a month HH 
takes the children to outings (museums, bowling, movies, sports 
events...). HH also has occasional dinners for caregivers, raises funds 
for holiday gifts, conducts writing workshops twice a year (the children 
have published two books of poetry), and, of course maintains three main 
programs--storybook reading (books on tape), video conferencing, and 
summer camp. 

When the father is released from prison the family remains part of the 
hope House community. Once of the fathers now sits on the HH board, and, 
as the children grow up, they are often brought back as HH summer camp 
counselors.

Bill Anthony (a mentor of mine from many moons past) put his finger on a 
potent, yet vexing, issue - the personal support networks for prisoners 
and their families. I have no doubt that HH has succeeded in keeping 
almost all of the so called "at-risk" children in the program from 
entering the criminal justice system because of the personal relationships 
the fathers, children, caregivers and even prison wardens and education 
staff have with Carol Fennelly. Carol is the HH founder and a social 
activist in DC. Before launching HH she founded, managed and lived on the 
premises of the largest homeless shelter in DC. Thus she has known many of 
the families involved in HH from their prior stays at the shelter. 

While I do not believe that you have to be a civic superstar like Carol to 
create these personal networks, personal connections from inside to 
outside have to be cultivated over time, and require almost unimaginable 
perseverance.

I have an article on the father-child video conferencing program if anyone 
is interested. 
Bill
 

"David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net> 
Sent by: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
03/19/2008 07:23 AM
Please respond to
specialtopics at nifl.gov

To
specialtopics at nifl.gov
cc

Subject
[SpecialTopics 888]  Supporting program continuity

Colleagues,

On Mar 18, 2008, at 6:20 PM, Bill Anthony wrote:

>  I also believe that there are a number of available education 
> resources that qualify as  "Lifelong Learning" resources.   That 
> is,  we can provide resources in the prison that can be continued 
> on the streets.  If we train the inmates to use a system such as 
> the Public Broadcasting, Educational TV, and Literacy Link 
> materials for GED and Workplace Skills;  the inmates can continue 
> to use the same resources on their own after release and possibly 
> get help from community Adult Education programs where necessary. 
> I know the computer security issues in higher security prisons but, 
> we are really at the point where we need to find ways to give 
> inmates the skills to use internet resources.   Can we hook inmates 
> up with more internet resources that can go with them where ever 
> they go and whenever their schedule permits?  Use of this type of 
> resources can also help improve "Family Literacy".  I suspect we 
> all know that many inmate families could use educational help also.

Thanks, Bill, for raising the issue of program continuity.

I have several questions for our guests and for other participants:

1.  Are there good examples of collaborations or partnerships between 
corrections and community education programs  where they both use the 
same online learning, videos, or software. If so, could you describe 
these programs?

2. In a previous discussion here on corrections education we learned 
that there is at least one corrections program where inmates can -- 
under careful supervision by teachers -- use the Internet.  Are there 
others? Is this a trend?

3. Are there examples where corrections education programs have taken 
online options (online software or education web sites for example) 
and brought them inside as stand-alone (not Internet connected) options.

4. Are there other examples of corrections family literacy programs? 
In our previous discussion here,
http://tinyurl.com/2bh52a
for example, Cay Buser mentioned that Maryland has some good 
examples. Cay, could you elaborate on that? Bill Muth, in the same 
discussion, mentioned programs in D.C., Virginia, New York and 
Connecticut. Other programs were mentioned as well.  I wonder if any 
of these corrections family literacy programs facilitate the 
transition from corrections to community. If so, how do they do this?

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

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From jgordon at fortunesociety.org  Wed Mar 19 17:26:07 2008
From: jgordon at fortunesociety.org (John Gordon)
Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2008 17:26:07 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 900] Re: Building and sustaining personal
	relationshipsfor good referrals
In-Reply-To: <704D6E3D-7711-49D6-9836-0448EDD5A7E1@comcast.net>
References: <c39.293a7732.35118c6b@aol.com><00a201c88946$4d721fa0$6501a8c0@BillHP>
	<704D6E3D-7711-49D6-9836-0448EDD5A7E1@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <25AB4DBCECBD574F8A8EE92F47848BBD012920BA@mail2.fortunesociety.internal>

David wrote: 

"Bill Anthony points to the importance of personal connections to
community resources. I wonder if our guest experts -- and other
participants -- have examples of state or county corrections
institutions and community-based institutions where personal
relationships have been built and sustained over time so that a referral
phone call or an email about an inmate who is being released results in
a warm welcome to the community-based education program, perhaps as part
of a number of community services (housing, employment, health  care,
counseling) provided on release. If so, what enables these
relationships? What sustains them? What undermines them?"

The Fortune Society has recently begun (with funding from the NYC Dept.
of Correction) a Discharge Planning Initiative at Rikers Island, New
York City's main jail. We meet people on the island and work with them
while they are incarcerated to develop a "Discharge Plan" and put in
place the needed supports before they are released. On the day of their
release, we pick them at the facility and give them a ride to their
destination (usually Fortune). Here, we get them set up for the services
they need (housing, drug treatment, education, etc.) and then stay in
touch with them for at least the next 90 days if possible. This
continuity makes a tremendous difference.

There are several other programs here in New York that have built
similar relationships, but without that institutional connection the
sheer number of people being released makes it difficult to maintain
relationships with staff on the inside. Still, many agencies do visit
and make presentations at Rikers. Unfortunately, the state prisons are
for the most part so far away and remote from New York City where the
majority of inmates are from, that the visits and phone calls that would
support those staff-to-staff relationships are very hard to build.

John Gordon

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 7:44 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 882] Building and sustaining personal
relationshipsfor good referrals

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

On Mar 18, 2008, at 6:20 PM, Bill Anthony wrote:
> David Rosen,
>
> Regarding your question below --
>
> I was involved with Federal Correctional Education for some 25 years.

> I believe we did a relatively good job of preparing inmates for 
> release with GED, Vocational. counseling and Pre Release programs.  
> But, we did not do a particularly good job of "handing
> inmates off"  to the appropriate community education resources.   
> Many years ago we had release furloughs for lesser security inmates to

> allow them to connect with release plans in their release community.  
> Given increasing security concerns and the increase of Half Way Houses

> or Community Treatment Centers I believe we lost a step.  We began 
> turning people over to halfway houses with no direct contact and 
> probably very poor procedures for delivery of institutional education 
> records to the half way houses.
>
> The half way houses were often just an interim step between prison and

> final relief destination.  They helped in getting jobs, clothing tools

> , and rent money; but they ultimatley had to also "hand off" many ot 
> their clients to a final release area many miles away.
>
> We can take some solace in the fact that, as a federal instituion,   
> we were releasing inmates all over the country and a personal handoff 
> to local resources was particularly difficult.  State Prisons should 
> have it a little easier and county jails should be able to actually 
> maintain personal contacts with community resources.  But I think a 
> real key is to be able to provide personal connections to community 
> resources.  In a county jail situation it would seem that it might be 
> possible for direct relationships among prison staff and county 
> educational resources .  I'm sure the issue of privacy concerns might 
> be raised but it would seem inmates would have the right to waive such

> concerns.
>
> I also believe that there are a number of availabe education  
> resources that qualify as  "Lifelong Learning" resources.   That  
> is,  we can provide resources in the prison that can be continued on 
> the streets.  If we train the inmates to use a system such as the 
> Public Broadcasting, Educational TV, and Literacy Link materials for 
> GED and Workplace Skills;  the inmates can continue to use the same 
> resources on their own after release and possibly
> get help from community Adult Education programs where necessary.   
> I know the computer security issues in higher security prisons but, we

> are really at the point where we need to find ways to give
> inmates the skills to use internet resources.   Can we hook inmates  
> up with more internet resources that can go with them where ever they 
> go and whenever their schedule permits?  Use of this type of resources

> can also help improve "Family Literacy".  I suspect we all know that 
> many inmate families could use educational help also.
>
>
> Bill Anthony
> SYNSOL at cableone.net
>
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>
> For all our guests:
>
> When an inmate who has been in an education program inside a state 
> corrections institution or county jail and is released, what needs to 
> happen for him or her to connect to and stick with a community-based 
> education program? Do these events need to happen immediately mon 
> release or can they be phased in over time after housing, shelter, 
> counseling and job needs are met? Are you aware of any exemplary 
> models of connections between inside education and community based 
> education programs? Can you tell us about them? What can community- 
> based education programs do to partner with corrections education 
> programs that release inmates back to their communities?
>
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at comcast.net
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to djrosen at comcast.net

David J. Rosen
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
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Email delivered to jgordon at fortunesociety.org

From cimel at ldawa.org  Wed Mar 19 22:34:58 2008
From: cimel at ldawa.org (Cyd Imel)
Date: Wed, 19 Mar 2008 19:34:58 -0700
Subject: [SpecialTopics 901] Re: Posting
In-Reply-To: <F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B8084@ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>
References: <9989191.161205850845984.JavaMail.root@vanadium.sys.ma.cait.org>
	<F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B8084@ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>
Message-ID: <!&!AAAAAAAAAAAYAAAAAAAAALWertL+/LJGlvSrKC4ZWEzCgAAAEAAAANBA00T137lAoAwF2QzgWDQBAAAAAA==@ldawa.org>

What happens in the prisons and jail when the inmate cannot read?  Do you
have programs to address this issue?

Cyd Imel
Executive Director
Learning Disabilities Association of Washington
16315 NE 87th Street Suite B-4
Redmond, WA. 98052
425-882-0820 ext  #1 
cimel at ldawa.org
www.ldawa.org
 
"What do we live for, if not to make the world less difficult for each
other?"      Mary Ann Evans
 
 

Learning Disabiltities Association of WA 
helps put the pieces together 
to change lives.
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Rinderknecht, Gail A.
Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2008 10:03 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 895] Re: Posting

We have a program called "Storybook" which is run by the recreation
department at Newton Correctional Facility.  The population at this facility
is all male and at one site is medium security and at the other site is
minimum security.  The men can choose a book which is appropriate for the
age of their child and read it on tape.  The book and the tape are then sent
to the child.  The men seem to enjoy keeping in touch with their children in
this manner and many of them take advantage of this program.  I am not sure
how it is funded, although I do know that the men have jobs where they earn
money that they can spend on different things;  I do believe they are
required to pay a nominal fee for this just so they will feel that they are
earning something for their children.  The books are new, and of course, the
titles and stories are approved by the DOC.

Gail Rinderknecht
Des Moines Area Community College
ABE/GED Instructor
Newton Correctional Facility
Newton, IA

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Kathy Olesen-Tracey
Sent: Tue 3/18/2008 9:34 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 865] Re: Posting
 
Denise, 
I attended an adult education conference in Illinois several years ago and
learned about a program called "Reading from the Inside Out". I don't recall
many of the details, so if anyone here has heard of it -please share. 

Essentially, the program video taped parents reading a story to their child
and provide the child with the book and the video tape so the child can
experience their parent reading to them. 

Has anyone heard about a project like this? 
Kathy Olesen-Tracey 
-- 
Center for the Application of Information Technologies 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Denise McIntire" <deiswv at yahoo.com> 
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 8:29:33 AM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central 
Subject: [SpecialTopics 863] Re: Posting 

Bonnie and all that follow, 
I am the Ex. Dir. of a very small family literacy program in West Virginia.
We are a volunteer literacy program as oppossed to a Dept. of Ed. funded
adult basic education program. We have been offering a program since 06 for
corrections facilities that works with incarcerated adults for 8 weeks per
session. Our job is to keep that bond connected between parent and child and
also the child's education stressing the importance of literacy for all ages
as well as the caregivers responsible for the children until the family can
be reunited. Yes, dollars are limited for all of the needs our society needs
especially issues dealing with literacy. Please, help with the message of
supporting the entire family along with the educational and workforce
training. Most of the women we have worked with have spent their entire
lives in the system whether due to parental units away from them as children
and the cycle repeats over and over from generation to generation. Our
program is still too new to have created any empirical evidence as of yet
but according to inmates and families alike, we are making a difference one
family at a time. 

Bonnie Odiorne <bonniesophia at sbcglobal.net> wrote: 

Gary, 
You might call on Literacy Volunteers (now ProLiteracy USA) or some other
community-based literacy adult education organization. I once trained a
group of tutors who had already been recruited by someone (clergy,
chaplain?) at the prison, in a "safe" area outside the high security areas.
I insisted, and the director agreed, that if I was going to send tutors into
this facility, that I should go in too, and I did. It was a revelation. This
was a long time ago, and I really should follow up on whether or not the
program is still functioning. I know of labyrinth facilitators that want to
do prison work, and while that's not on the topic of educational needs, it
could be a way of unlocking, as it were, some means of expressioin that
might allow the incarcerated to learn. I've also done a tutor training with
a halfway house transition facility, where the staff wanted the training
because they saw education as such a great need in the female population
they were serving. Dru rehabilitatioin facilities have also requested
trainings. So there are lots of avenues that could be followed, at differing
entry/exit points of the system. 
Best regards, 
Bonnie Odiorne, Ph.D. 

----- Original Message ---- 
From: "Upham, Gary" <Gary.Upham at maine.gov> 
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 8:34:26 AM 
Subject: [SpecialTopics 849] Posting 

Gary Upham 
Maine State Prison Principal 

I have been the Principal of the Maine State Prison for the past year 
and a half. It has not taken me long to identify that much of this 
population has special education needs. However I have tried, 
unsuccessfully, to pull in resources appropriate for identification and 
strategies to work with my inmates. Funding is a major issue as well as 
current staffing, which is affected by funding. How do I deal with a 
major need under these conditions? 

------------------------------- 
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Email delivered to bonniesophia at sbcglobal.net 

------------------------------- 
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Email delivered to deiswv at yahoo.com 

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------------------------------- National Institute for Literacy Special
Topics mailing list SpecialTopics at nifl.gov To unsubscribe or change your
subscription settings, please go to
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ktracey at cait.org

From djrosen at comcast.net  Thu Mar 20 07:47:33 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 07:47:33 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 902] Programs to address when the inmate cannot read
Message-ID: <116088A8-084C-46D7-9104-C31184F63460@comcast.net>

Posted on behalf of John Nally

From: "Nally, John" <Jnally at idoc.IN.gov>
Date: March 20, 2008 7:20:41 AM EDT
To: <cimel at ldawa.org>, <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 901] Re: Posting

Good morning,

To encourage non-reading adults in Indiana prisons we have provided an
incentive:  Those that that hit our literacy benchmarks are provided a
183-day time reduction.

Thanks.
John Nally
Indiana

-----Original Message-----

Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2008 10:35 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov

What happens in the prisons and jail when the inmate cannot read?  Do
you have programs to address this issue?

Cyd Imel
Executive Director
Learning Disabilities Association of Washington
16315 NE 87th Street Suite B-4
Redmond, WA. 98052
425-882-0820 ext  #1
cimel at ldawa.org
www.ldawa.org

"What do we live for, if not to make the world less difficult for each
other?"      Mary Ann Evans

Learning Disabiltities Association of WA
helps put the pieces together
to change lives.

From John.Linton at ed.gov  Thu Mar 20 08:04:12 2008
From: John.Linton at ed.gov (Linton, John)
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 08:04:12 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 903] Re: From corrections education to
	communityeducation
Message-ID: <BEBF16B91CE3AD4EBBC71AE4F11428620F5F1BFA@wdcrobe2m02.ed.gov>

Maybe Gail and others would be interested in this new resource:  "Back to
School -- A Guide to Continuing Your Education After Prison."  It is
intended to assist prisoners who are planning for educational participation
post release.  

(While the content of this guide has been completed and is fully available
at the web site below, a version with more professional graphics is still
under development.  When fully complete, we will be inviting State
correctional education programs to augment this resource with State specific
information and to incorporate it in pre-release programming.)

"Back to School" is available at:
http://www.jjay.cuny.edu/centersInstitutes/pri/BacktoSchool.pdf

Also -- Thanks Gail for your important and self disclosing comments on
mental health.  You mention "dual diagnosis," and I think you mean drug
abusing and mentally ill?  We hear so much about the connections between
drug abuse and prison, but the mental illness side of this gets less
attention.  Certainly some involvement with illegal drugs stems from
attempts by people who are suffering from mental illness to self medicate.
I suspect some drug abusers might not have known how to access legitimate
help for their distress.  Maybe health education in prison could assist some
people to avoid re-involvement with illegal drugs and crime...   

John Linton

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Rinderknecht, Gail A.
Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2008 1:37 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 869] Re: From corrections education to
communityeducation

Transition is just now being more thoroughly addressed in Iowa.  As a
GED/ABE instructor in a male facility, I have always helped the men fill out
FAFSA forms when they near release and/or completion of their GED.  I keep
current catalogs from the community colleges as well as the addresses for
information for all colleges in Iowa.  Of course now FAFSA is going
"paperless" and prefers to have applications completed online.  We, however,
are not yet at the point where we allow inmates internet access, so I do
have to continually request hard copies in order to keep them on hand.  For
some reason, they won't send out for than 20 or 25 at a time.  At this point
in time, staff is not allowed to have personal contact with the men for 18
months following their release, but this is changing, at least for some of
the counselors, as the need for transition is being explored.

Personally, I see so much optimism among the men as they finish their
GED...indeed, as they complete each test, that I believe directing them and
helping them acquire more education and skills upon release is necessary. 

I taught special education at the high school level for 16 years before
being hired by Des Moines Area Community College to work at the Newton
Correctional Facility.  As I believed while teaching teenagers with mild
disabilities, and I still believe, that many learning difficulties are
caused by depression.  As a person who has suffered from severe recurring
depression, I discovered that my own abilities to think and plan were
significantly disrupted by my bouts with depression.  This was confirmed
when I underwent treatment in a special program at the University of Iowa
Psychiatric Clinic.  At that time I was basically unemployable, and while
undergoing tests, found my IQ had dropped to 85;  my normal IQ has always
been in the mid-130's.  I could not think let alone learn.  I couldn't
follow the story line of a television show; I could not read a book.  This
was a revelation to me and should be to most teachers which is why I post it
here.  

In Newton we know that nearly 60% of our population has "dual diagnosis"
which literally means that we have a lot of mentally ill people in the
system.  This should not come as a surprise to anyone involved in
corrections, but it may be significant to someone new to the field of
corrections education.   If I see a student "spacing off" a lot, I will
often inquire privately about what they are feeling and if there is any way
that I can help.  Usually I end up referring them to the staff psychologist
with a memo about my observations and conversation with the individual.
It's not that I think everyone needs to medicated, but I do believe that if
a true diagnosis of depression or other mental illness is determined by a
professional, that need must be met before learning can take place.  Then,
of course, upon release, the men must be able to continue to access
medication and psychiatric help if needed.  This is often a huge stumbling
block for them because of the costs involved.  It is helpful here to note
that many pharmacies are coming onboard with the $4 generic prescription for
medications which does include many psychotropic drugs.  It is often amazing
to find that many health professionals are not aware of these programs.

Gail Rinderknecht
DMACC
Newton Correctional Facility
Newton, IA

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Geriteaches22963 at aol.com
Sent: Tue 3/18/2008 4:21 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 869] Re: From corrections education to
communityeducation
 
As the SPED coordinator, we work directly with a transition specialist to
determine which community-based programs are available to meet the
continuing needs of the students.  We write transitional goals, prepare a
Summary of Performance, provide agency names, but I do not place the calls
for them,  so I assume this may not happen immediately.  Occasionally, I
will get  calls from released inmates for more information which I can
provide.
Geri Hayden
Department of Correctional Education
SPED/504 Coordinator
Virginia
 
 
In a message dated 3/17/2008 6:13:32 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
djrosen at comcast.net writes:

For all  our guests:

When an inmate who has been in an education program inside  a state
corrections institution or county jail and is released, what  needs to
happen for him or her to connect to and stick with a  community-based
education program? Do these events need to happen  immediately mon release
or can they be phased in over time after  housing, shelter, counseling and
job needs are met? Are you aware of  any exemplary models of connections
between inside education and  community based education programs? Can you
tell us about them? What  can community- based education programs do to
partner with corrections  education programs that release inmates back to
their  communities?

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion  Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National  Institute for Literacy
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SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription  settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to  geriteaches22963 at aol.com

**************Create a Home Theater Like the Pros. Watch the video on AOL 
Home.      
(http://home.aol.com/diy/home-improvement-eric-stromer?video=15?ncid=aolhom0
0030000000001)

From alcdgg at langate.gsu.edu  Thu Mar 20 08:27:34 2008
From: alcdgg at langate.gsu.edu (Daphne Greenberg)
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 08:27:34 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 904] Re: Programs to address when the inmate	cannot
	read
Message-ID: <47E21FF6020000310004CA55@mailsrv4.gsu.edu>

John,
Thanks for sharing this with us. How are the benchmarks determined, and what if an inmate tries very hard (however that would be best defined in your setting-some examples may be attending all instructional sessions, actively engaging during the instruction, handing in homework, etc), but does not meet the benchmarks?
Daphne

>>> "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net> 03/20/08 7:47 AM >>>
Posted on behalf of John Nally

From: "Nally, John" <Jnally at idoc.IN.gov>
Date: March 20, 2008 7:20:41 AM EDT
To: <cimel at ldawa.org>, <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 901] Re: Posting

Good morning,

To encourage non-reading adults in Indiana prisons we have provided an
incentive:  Those that that hit our literacy benchmarks are provided a
183-day time reduction.

Thanks.
John Nally
Indiana

-----Original Message-----

Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2008 10:35 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov

What happens in the prisons and jail when the inmate cannot read?  Do
you have programs to address this issue?

Cyd Imel
Executive Director
Learning Disabilities Association of Washington
16315 NE 87th Street Suite B-4
Redmond, WA. 98052
425-882-0820 ext  #1
cimel at ldawa.org
www.ldawa.org

"What do we live for, if not to make the world less difficult for each
other?"      Mary Ann Evans

Learning Disabiltities Association of WA
helps put the pieces together
to change lives.

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to dgreenberg at gsu.edu

From Patricia.Kueckelhan at doc.mo.gov  Thu Mar 20 08:37:00 2008
From: Patricia.Kueckelhan at doc.mo.gov (Kueckelhan, Patricia)
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 07:37:00 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 905] Re: Building and sustaining
	personalrelationshipsfor good referrals
In-Reply-To: <25AB4DBCECBD574F8A8EE92F47848BBD012920BA@mail2.fortunesociety.internal>
Message-ID: <507C34A089B0CA4B9DA3D98D7A85FDEE096D4D@EXCHVS73.mx.state.mo.us>

Hello all,  

This is the first time I have put my two cents worth in these
discussion.  I have always enjoyed reading and learning how we are so
alike and different at the same time.  I am the Literacy Coordinator for
the Department of Corrections in Missouri.  As some of you may be aware,
education is mandatory for offenders in Missouri with some exclusions.  
Because of mandatory education we have a staff of over 300 including
vocational and education teachers, liberians, and administrative staff.
In our education department we provide essential life skills (ES/LS) as
a mandatory course along with the GED course program. All offenders
preparing to leave must complete the ES/LS program. 
One of my key jobs is to train offenders to be peer tutors. These tutors
have been an invaluable part of the education process.
We are also involved in a state wide process called the Missouri Reentry
Process.  This is a means to insure that all offenders are preparing to
reenter into society the moment they enter the institutions.  For more
information on MRP visit: http://www.doc.mo.gov/

Patty Kueckelhan
Literacy Coordinator
MO Department of Corrections 

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of John Gordon
Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2008 4:26 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 900] Re: Building and sustaining
personalrelationshipsfor good referrals

David wrote: 

"Bill Anthony points to the importance of personal connections to
community resources. I wonder if our guest experts -- and other
participants -- have examples of state or county corrections
institutions and community-based institutions where personal
relationships have been built and sustained over time so that a referral
phone call or an email about an inmate who is being released results in
a warm welcome to the community-based education program, perhaps as part
of a number of community services (housing, employment, health  care,
counseling) provided on release. If so, what enables these
relationships? What sustains them? What undermines them?"

The Fortune Society has recently begun (with funding from the NYC Dept.
of Correction) a Discharge Planning Initiative at Rikers Island, New
York City's main jail. We meet people on the island and work with them
while they are incarcerated to develop a "Discharge Plan" and put in
place the needed supports before they are released. On the day of their
release, we pick them at the facility and give them a ride to their
destination (usually Fortune). Here, we get them set up for the services
they need (housing, drug treatment, education, etc.) and then stay in
touch with them for at least the next 90 days if possible. This
continuity makes a tremendous difference.

There are several other programs here in New York that have built
similar relationships, but without that institutional connection the
sheer number of people being released makes it difficult to maintain
relationships with staff on the inside. Still, many agencies do visit
and make presentations at Rikers. Unfortunately, the state prisons are
for the most part so far away and remote from New York City where the
majority of inmates are from, that the visits and phone calls that would
support those staff-to-staff relationships are very hard to build.

John Gordon

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 7:44 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 882] Building and sustaining personal
relationshipsfor good referrals

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

On Mar 18, 2008, at 6:20 PM, Bill Anthony wrote:
> David Rosen,
>
> Regarding your question below --
>
> I was involved with Federal Correctional Education for some 25 years.

> I believe we did a relatively good job of preparing inmates for 
> release with GED, Vocational. counseling and Pre Release programs.  
> But, we did not do a particularly good job of "handing
> inmates off"  to the appropriate community education resources.   
> Many years ago we had release furloughs for lesser security inmates to

> allow them to connect with release plans in their release community.  
> Given increasing security concerns and the increase of Half Way Houses

> or Community Treatment Centers I believe we lost a step.  We began 
> turning people over to halfway houses with no direct contact and 
> probably very poor procedures for delivery of institutional education 
> records to the half way houses.
>
> The half way houses were often just an interim step between prison and

> final relief destination.  They helped in getting jobs, clothing tools

> , and rent money; but they ultimatley had to also "hand off" many ot 
> their clients to a final release area many miles away.
>
> We can take some solace in the fact that, as a federal instituion,   
> we were releasing inmates all over the country and a personal handoff 
> to local resources was particularly difficult.  State Prisons should 
> have it a little easier and county jails should be able to actually 
> maintain personal contacts with community resources.  But I think a 
> real key is to be able to provide personal connections to community 
> resources.  In a county jail situation it would seem that it might be 
> possible for direct relationships among prison staff and county 
> educational resources .  I'm sure the issue of privacy concerns might 
> be raised but it would seem inmates would have the right to waive such

> concerns.
>
> I also believe that there are a number of availabe education  
> resources that qualify as  "Lifelong Learning" resources.   That  
> is,  we can provide resources in the prison that can be continued on 
> the streets.  If we train the inmates to use a system such as the 
> Public Broadcasting, Educational TV, and Literacy Link materials for 
> GED and Workplace Skills;  the inmates can continue to use the same 
> resources on their own after release and possibly
> get help from community Adult Education programs where necessary.   
> I know the computer security issues in higher security prisons but, we

> are really at the point where we need to find ways to give
> inmates the skills to use internet resources.   Can we hook inmates  
> up with more internet resources that can go with them where ever they 
> go and whenever their schedule permits?  Use of this type of resources

> can also help improve "Family Literacy".  I suspect we all know that 
> many inmate families could use educational help also.
>
>
> Bill Anthony
> SYNSOL at cableone.net
>
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>
> For all our guests:
>
> When an inmate who has been in an education program inside a state 
> corrections institution or county jail and is released, what needs to 
> happen for him or her to connect to and stick with a community-based 
> education program? Do these events need to happen immediately mon 
> release or can they be phased in over time after housing, shelter, 
> counseling and job needs are met? Are you aware of any exemplary 
> models of connections between inside education and community based 
> education programs? Can you tell us about them? What can community- 
> based education programs do to partner with corrections education 
> programs that release inmates back to their communities?
>
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at comcast.net
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to djrosen at comcast.net

David J. Rosen
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
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To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to jgordon at fortunesociety.org
-------------------------------
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Email delivered to patricia.kueckelhan at doc.mo.gov

From kridolfino at mercercounty.org  Thu Mar 20 09:02:05 2008
From: kridolfino at mercercounty.org (Ridolfino, Kiel)
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 09:02:05 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 906] Re: Corrections to Community Education
In-Reply-To: <B8EF368B-4571-4F3E-AA28-DE00D4451F56@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <209CED477D22BE4CB989190F935442850B092B69@MAIL2.Mercer.ad>

Just some information about our program:

The education department of Mercer County Correction Center (NJ)
consists of 3 teachers (one ESL), two classrooms, and a "library".  Most
of our students do not have a GED and their goal is to obtain one.  Our
three teachers collaborate together to help students achieve their goal.
GED testing takes place onsite by a state-certified proctor. We
currently do not offer college courses, but we do not turn anyone away,
so students who already have their high school diploma enter a program
called Life Skills and work on workplace literacy, typing/computer
skills, grammar and writing, and we also offer a program based upon
ex-offenders re-entering society and obtaining jobs.  We have materials
that cover resume writing and job interview skills specifically for
ex-offenders.  Most recently, we started planning for a program that
would allow inmates to have their poetry published in a book compiled of
writings from all different inmates within the facility.

 

We currently have approx. 165 students enrolled in the education
program.  At the end of 2006, when our education department was first
established, we had 7 high school graduates.  With the addition of
another teacher in 2007, 18 more students obtained their GEDs.  As of
right now we have 4 graduates in 2008.  There are many security
issues/restrictions due to the fact that not only is this a minimum to
maximum security facility, but there are also men and women here.

 

Like I had previously mentioned, we do not offer college courses here,
but we are trying greatly to connect with local colleges to be able to.
Does anyone know what process we must go through or could you tell me
what your facility had to do to be able to offer college courses??  We
have been left in the dark and communication with colleges has been such
a challenge for us!  Thank you!

 

Kiel Ridolfino

ESL/ABE Teacher

Mercer County Correction Center

(609) 583 - 3545 ext. 2226

kridolfino at mercercounty.org

________________________________

 

 

 

 

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From djrosen at comcast.net  Thu Mar 20 09:48:29 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 09:48:29 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 907] Re: Corrections to Community Education
In-Reply-To: <209CED477D22BE4CB989190F935442850B092B69@MAIL2.Mercer.ad>
References: <209CED477D22BE4CB989190F935442850B092B69@MAIL2.Mercer.ad>
Message-ID: <252A00E7-7F5B-4F34-B5E1-BBE187E4C063@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

We have only two more days to devote to this topic. I hope everyone  
who wants to say something related to the topic will. I am glad that  
some participants who thought they would only read have decided to  
contribute to the discussion.  I hope others will, too.

Now that all four of our guests are with us I hope that we can hear  
all their perspectives on some of the questions that have not yet  
been fully answered. (See a list of these below).

Thanks, Kiel, for opening up the question of transition from  
corrections education to college. I would like to hear from our guest  
experts, and others, about what has been effective in helping  
released inmates transition to post-secondary education.

I know that many years ago there were federal subsidies for inmates  
to take college courses. (I was an Academic Dean at a small college  
that had an MA program that served inmates and that was paid for  
entirely by federal financial aid.)  I believe those days are gone,  
but wonder if there are college courses of any kind offered to  
inmates with the goal of having them enroll as on-campus or online  
students once they are released.

I would also like to hear from more community-based organizations, if  
there are some represented here, with their perspectives on what  
works in transitioning inmates to community-based education. (Thanks  
John Gordon for the thoughtful and detailed answers you have provided  
about what the Fortune Society in New York City does, an inspiration  
for many other community-based programs.)

Here are some of the questions that have not yet been fully addressed  
yet by our guests or by other participants:

1. When an inmate who has been in an education program inside a state  
corrections institution or county jail is released, what needs to  
happen for him or her to connect to and stick with a community-based  
education program?
2. Are you aware of any exemplary models of connections between  
inside education and community based education programs? Can you tell  
us about them?
3. What can community-based education programs do to partner with  
corrections education programs that release inmates back to their  
communities?
4. What do you see as the main differences between career educational  
programs through public or private post-secondary institutions and  
community education programs?  How do these differences account for  
the success or failure of students in these programs?
5.  What spectrum of crimes have these students committed?  What are  
the most common?  How does the severity of the crime relate to their  
outcomes in community educational programs and subsequent attempts to  
find employment...or does it?
6. What are the significant research findings on the topic of  
successful transitions from prison education to community education  
programs?  What are best practices that might have been discovered  
from the research.
7. Are the "soft skills" being taught (in corrections and community- 
based education programs), such things as attitude, attendance,  
punctuality, honesty, dependability, teamwork, listening skills......?
8. Could you give examples of state or county corrections  
institutions and community-based institutions where personal  
relationships have been built and sustained over time so that a  
referral phone call or an email about an inmate who is being released  
results in a warm welcome to the community-based education program,  
perhaps as part of a number of community services (housing,  
employment, health  care, counseling) provided on release. If so,  
what enables these relationships? What sustains them? What undermines  
them?
9. The House and Senate have passed the Second Chance Act. Could you  
describe what provisions this important bill includes.
10. Are there good examples of collaborations or partnerships between  
corrections and community education programs where they both use the  
same online learning, videos, or software. If so, could you describe  
these programs?
11. In a previous discussion here on corrections education we learned  
that there is at least one corrections program where inmates can --  
under careful supervision by teachers -- use the Internet.  Are there  
others? Is this a trend?
12. Are there examples where corrections education programs have  
taken online options (online software or education web sites for  
example) and brought them inside as stand-alone (not Internet  
connected) options?
13. What happens in the prisons and jail when the inmate cannot  
read?  Do you
have programs to address this issue?

Are there other unanswered questions?

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

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From Jnally at idoc.IN.gov  Thu Mar 20 10:09:48 2008
From: Jnally at idoc.IN.gov (Nally, John)
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 10:09:48 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 908] Re: Programs to address when the
	inmate	cannotread
In-Reply-To: <47E21FF6020000310004CA55@mailsrv4.gsu.edu>
References: <47E21FF6020000310004CA55@mailsrv4.gsu.edu>
Message-ID: <13CF702D5C6FAB48B08EE460471809AC01427F08@IOTEVSP06VW.shared.state.in.us>

Hello,
Base eligibility for the literacy programs is determined at intake based
on pre sentence investigation reports and public school records.

Once a non-reader can score a minimum of a 5.9 grade equivalency on TABE
9 and 10 in the areas of reading, math, and language arts AND complete a
basic life skills course, he can apply for the 183-day credit time.  

On those who are unable to do so there is an opportunity to receive a
90-day time cut but it would take a lot of writing to explain that
process.  

While I'm on line...Indiana has contracts with Indiana-based colleges
and universities to provide full-time, on-site associate and bachelor
degree programs in adult facilities.  These programs, by contract, are
the same as those offered on campus with the same programs, materials,
instructors, etc.

Typically, 20% of the eligible population (eligibility is primarily a
GED and enough time to complete the degree program) participates each
day.  
As a general rule, inmates complete the degree programs prior to release
so the issue of re-enrollment is absent.  However, with our community
college partner in particular, once they're enrolled inside, they're
automatically enrolled in the college programs after release.  

As of this morning, 35% adult offenders are illiterate; 55% have their
GED's and the balance has already completed the college degree programs.

Thanks.  John Nally in Indiana

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Daphne Greenberg
Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2008 8:28 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 904] Re: Programs to address when the inmate
cannotread

John,
Thanks for sharing this with us. How are the benchmarks determined, and
what if an inmate tries very hard (however that would be best defined in
your setting-some examples may be attending all instructional sessions,
actively engaging during the instruction, handing in homework, etc), but
does not meet the benchmarks?
Daphne

>>> "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net> 03/20/08 7:47 AM >>>
Posted on behalf of John Nally

From: "Nally, John" <Jnally at idoc.IN.gov>
Date: March 20, 2008 7:20:41 AM EDT
To: <cimel at ldawa.org>, <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 901] Re: Posting

Good morning,

To encourage non-reading adults in Indiana prisons we have provided an
incentive:  Those that that hit our literacy benchmarks are provided a
183-day time reduction.

Thanks.
John Nally
Indiana

-----Original Message-----

Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2008 10:35 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov

What happens in the prisons and jail when the inmate cannot read?  Do
you have programs to address this issue?

Cyd Imel
Executive Director
Learning Disabilities Association of Washington
16315 NE 87th Street Suite B-4
Redmond, WA. 98052
425-882-0820 ext  #1
cimel at ldawa.org
www.ldawa.org

"What do we live for, if not to make the world less difficult for each
other?"      Mary Ann Evans

Learning Disabiltities Association of WA
helps put the pieces together
to change lives.

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to dgreenberg at gsu.edu

-------------------------------
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Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to jnally at doc.in.gov

From RShutts at doc.state.vt.us  Thu Mar 20 10:10:16 2008
From: RShutts at doc.state.vt.us (Shutts, Roberta)
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 10:10:16 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 909] Re: Corrections to Community Education
In-Reply-To: <252A00E7-7F5B-4F34-B5E1-BBE187E4C063@comcast.net>
References: <209CED477D22BE4CB989190F935442850B092B69@MAIL2.Mercer.ad>
	<252A00E7-7F5B-4F34-B5E1-BBE187E4C063@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <4152061F72B25B40876D89863BA6BA00A2E644@docmail1>

 
2. Are you aware of any exemplary models of connections between inside
education and community based education programs? Can you tell us about
them?
 
Regarding this question, I take pride in Community High School of VT,
part of the Dept of Corrections. Our school is accredited by New England
Association of Schools and Colleges(NEASC) as an independent school.  
"The mission of the Community High School of Vermont(CHSVT) is to
provide an accredited, coordinated and personalized education that
assists students in their academic, social and vocational successes." We
have 17 CHSVT campuses(8 facilities & 9 community). VT DOC mandates
anyone incarcerated, under the age of 23, without a high school diploma
to be enrolled and participating in education, having a GED does not
exempt the individual. After a student leaves a facility to return to
the community they can access CHSVT to complete their academics they
were working on inside the facility and move forward on graduation
requirements. All CHSVT faculty are licensed teachers including Special
Education teachers who are responsible for meeting VT Special Education
regulations and law. For students who reoffend and are in and out, there
is open communication between campuses and a database for student
records.
If you would like more information feel free to contact me at
rshutts at doc.state.vt.us 
________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2008 9:48 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 907] Re: Corrections to Community Education

Colleagues, 

We have only two more days to devote to this topic. I hope everyone who
wants to say something related to the topic will. I am glad that some
participants who thought they would only read have decided to contribute
to the discussion.  I hope others will, too.

Now that all four of our guests are with us I hope that we can hear all
their perspectives on some of the questions that have not yet been fully
answered. (See a list of these below).

Thanks, Kiel, for opening up the question of transition from corrections
education to college. I would like to hear from our guest experts, and
others, about what has been effective in helping released inmates
transition to post-secondary education. 

I know that many years ago there were federal subsidies for inmates to
take college courses. (I was an Academic Dean at a small college that
had an MA program that served inmates and that was paid for entirely by
federal financial aid.)  I believe those days are gone, but wonder if
there are college courses of any kind offered to inmates with the goal
of having them enroll as on-campus or online students once they are
released.

I would also like to hear from more community-based organizations, if
there are some represented here, with their perspectives on what works
in transitioning inmates to community-based education. (Thanks John
Gordon for the thoughtful and detailed answers you have provided about
what the Fortune Society in New York City does, an inspiration for many
other community-based programs.)

Here are some of the questions that have not yet been fully addressed
yet by our guests or by other participants:

1. When an inmate who has been in an education program inside a state
corrections institution or county jail is released, what needs to happen
for him or her to connect to and stick with a community-based education
program?
2. Are you aware of any exemplary models of connections between inside
education and community based education programs? Can you tell us about
them?
3. What can community-based education programs do to partner with
corrections education programs that release inmates back to their
communities?
4. What do you see as the main differences between career educational
programs through public or private post-secondary institutions and
community education programs?  How do these differences account for the
success or failure of students in these programs?

5.  What spectrum of crimes have these students committed?  What are the
most common?  How does the severity of the crime relate to their
outcomes in community educational programs and subsequent attempts to
find employment...or does it?

6. What are the significant research findings on the topic of successful
transitions from prison education to community education programs?  What
are best practices that might have been discovered from the research.

7. Are the "soft skills" being taught (in corrections and
community-based education programs), such things as attitude,
attendance, punctuality, honesty, dependability, teamwork, listening
skills......?
8. Could you give examples of state or county corrections institutions
and community-based institutions where personal relationships have been
built and sustained over time so that a referral phone call or an email
about an inmate who is being released results in a warm welcome to the
community-based education program, perhaps as part of a number of
community services (housing, employment, health  care, counseling)
provided on release. If so, what enables these relationships? What
sustains them? What undermines them?
9. The House and Senate have passed the Second Chance Act. Could you
describe what provisions this important bill includes.
10. Are there good examples of collaborations or partnerships between
corrections and community education programs where they both use the
same online learning, videos, or software. If so, could you describe
these programs?
11. In a previous discussion here on corrections education we learned
that there is at least one corrections program where inmates can --
under careful supervision by teachers -- use the Internet.  Are there
others? Is this a trend?
12. Are there examples where corrections education programs have taken
online options (online software or education web sites for example) and
brought them inside as stand-alone (not Internet connected) options?
13. What happens in the prisons and jail when the inmate cannot read?
Do you
have programs to address this issue?

Are there other unanswered questions?

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

This email message may contain privileged and/or confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient(s), you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this email message is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please immediately notify the sender and delete this email message from your computer.

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From Janet_Isserlis at brown.edu  Thu Mar 20 10:43:09 2008
From: Janet_Isserlis at brown.edu (Janet Isserlis)
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 10:43:09 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 910] Re: Corrections to Community Education
In-Reply-To: <252A00E7-7F5B-4F34-B5E1-BBE187E4C063@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <C407F03D.2029A%Janet_Isserlis@brown.edu>

All

Another resource, in Providence, working to assist ex-offenders in the
re-entry process.
Rhode Island's Family Life Center - resources to assist ex-offenders and
their families by providing long-term holistic case management services
starting prior to release from prison and extending up to 18 months
thereafter.
http://www.ri-familylifecenter.org/

The  site features a mapping element that many across advocacy interests
have utilized to graphically illustrate communities most impacted by their
residents' comings and goings  into and out of prison.  Not surprisingly,
some groups are disproportionately represented in prison and out of
communities.  The state passed legislation last year to restore the vote to
former offenders; this kind of mapping data (as well as very energetic
efforts by advocates) played a significant part in passing the legislation
(I believe) http://www.ri-familylifecenter.org/index.php?name=mapping

Janet Isserlis
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From SYNSOL at cableone.net  Thu Mar 20 12:19:12 2008
From: SYNSOL at cableone.net (Bill Anthony)
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 11:19:12 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 911] Re: Corrections to Community Education
References: <209CED477D22BE4CB989190F935442850B092B69@MAIL2.Mercer.ad>
	<252A00E7-7F5B-4F34-B5E1-BBE187E4C063@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <041001c88aa6$22b2b340$6501a8c0@BillHP>

David,

I believe that your list of 13 questions is a very good recap of the discussions so far.  I will set about suggesting some answers for as many as possible.  The two day target is tough - but I'll try.  Regarding question #12-  I believe that Vance Granville College is trying that technique with the Federal Correctional Center in Butner NC.  They are using one of the several authoring systems for delivering on-line courses.  They have installed these courses on a closed system "server"  within the prison.   Such systems normally connect teachers and students through an e-mail feature.  I believe the lack of such an e-mail feature to connect student and teachers is a problem that needs to be resolved and possibly can be through older technologies such a  direct "Hot Line" phone support.  

I know that Kentucky and (I believe)  West Virginia have an Adult Education Program that teaches GED as a distance education course using an 800 number phone support line to help students complete a largely self study multi media curriculum.   I believe it has been rather successful with students at higher grade levels and with reasonable self discipline.  I know a feature of the Kentucky program is that the students and teachers sign a "contract" agreeing on what each will bring to the program.

Bill anthony

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

----- Original Message ----- 
  From: David J. Rosen 
  To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
  Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2008 8:48 AM
  Subject: [SpecialTopics 907] Re: Corrections to Community Education

  Colleagues,

  We have only two more days to devote to this topic. I hope everyone who wants to say something related to the topic will. I am glad that some participants who thought they would only read have decided to contribute to the discussion.  I hope others will, too.

  Now that all four of our guests are with us I hope that we can hear all their perspectives on some of the questions that have not yet been fully answered. (See a list of these below).

  Thanks, Kiel, for opening up the question of transition from corrections education to college. I would like to hear from our guest experts, and others, about what has been effective in helping released inmates transition to post-secondary education. 

  I know that many years ago there were federal subsidies for inmates to take college courses. (I was an Academic Dean at a small college that had an MA program that served inmates and that was paid for entirely by federal financial aid.)  I believe those days are gone, but wonder if there are college courses of any kind offered to inmates with the goal of having them enroll as on-campus or online students once they are released.

  I would also like to hear from more community-based organizations, if there are some represented here, with their perspectives on what works in transitioning inmates to community-based education. (Thanks John Gordon for the thoughtful and detailed answers you have provided about what the Fortune Society in New York City does, an inspiration for many other community-based programs.)

  Here are some of the questions that have not yet been fully addressed yet by our guests or by other participants:

  1. When an inmate who has been in an education program inside a state corrections institution or county jail is released, what needs to happen for him or her to connect to and stick with a community-based education program?
  2. Are you aware of any exemplary models of connections between inside education and community based education programs? Can you tell us about them?
  3. What can community-based education programs do to partner with corrections education programs that release inmates back to their communities?
  4. What do you see as the main differences between career educational programs through public or private post-secondary institutions and community education programs?  How do these differences account for the success or failure of students in these programs?
  5.  What spectrum of crimes have these students committed?  What are the most common?  How does the severity of the crime relate to their outcomes in community educational programs and subsequent attempts to find employment...or does it?

  6. What are the significant research findings on the topic of successful transitions from prison education to community education programs?  What are best practices that might have been discovered from the research.

  7. Are the "soft skills" being taught (in corrections and community-based education programs), such things as attitude, attendance, punctuality, honesty, dependability, teamwork, listening skills......?
  8. Could you give examples of state or county corrections institutions and community-based institutions where personal relationships have been built and sustained over time so that a referral phone call or an email about an inmate who is being released results in a warm welcome to the community-based education program, perhaps as part of a number of community services (housing, employment, health  care, counseling) provided on release. If so, what enables these relationships? What sustains them? What undermines them?
  9. The House and Senate have passed the Second Chance Act. Could you describe what provisions this important bill includes.
  10. Are there good examples of collaborations or partnerships between corrections and community education programs where they both use the same online learning, videos, or software. If so, could you describe these programs?
  11. In a previous discussion here on corrections education we learned that there is at least one corrections program where inmates can -- under careful supervision by teachers -- use the Internet.  Are there others? Is this a trend?
  12. Are there examples where corrections education programs have taken online options (online software or education web sites for example) and brought them inside as stand-alone (not Internet connected) options?
  13. What happens in the prisons and jail when the inmate cannot read?  Do you
  have programs to address this issue?

  Are there other unanswered questions?

  David J. Rosen
  Special Topics Discussion Moderator
  djrosen at comcast.net

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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  Special Topics mailing list
  SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
  To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
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From rennies at csusb.edu  Thu Mar 20 14:22:45 2008
From: rennies at csusb.edu (Scott Rennie)
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 11:22:45 -0700
Subject: [SpecialTopics 912]  Second Chance Act
Message-ID: <47E2AB75.2080209@csusb.edu>

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From mtate at sbctc.edu  Thu Mar 20 11:42:00 2008
From: mtate at sbctc.edu (Michael Tate)
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 08:42:00 -0700
Subject: [SpecialTopics 913] Re: Corrections to Community Education
In-Reply-To: <252A00E7-7F5B-4F34-B5E1-BBE187E4C063@comcast.net>
References: <209CED477D22BE4CB989190F935442850B092B69@MAIL2.Mercer.ad>
	<252A00E7-7F5B-4F34-B5E1-BBE187E4C063@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <0CA6C79FCB4AC642A77B76C17A4316EE02C78B13@exch-1.sbctc2.local>

Here in WA state, when our legislators think about corrections it is
either to lower costs or to stop recidivism.  

 

In the 1980s, they decided that inmates got too many perks and not
enough punishment, so they eliminated inmate access to community college
courses (except for a few vocational courses related to  inmate jobs).  

 

It turned out to be throwing out the baby with the bathwater, since the
inmates who took philosophy courses that dealt with ethics, citizen
responsibility, the rule of law, the greater good, etc were very
unlikely to return to prison.  

 

Certainly these inmates had better skills and were more employable on
release, but lifelong correctional educators were convinced the subject
matter of right and wrong made a big difference.  Of course, this kind
of opportunity would be wasted on an inmate who was sociopathic, etc.

 

Have any of you seen or heard of similar impacts as a result of classes
that focus on more than employability?

 

 

 

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2008 6:48 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 907] Re: Corrections to Community Education

 

Colleagues,

 

We have only two more days to devote to this topic. I hope everyone who
wants to say something related to the topic will. I am glad that some
participants who thought they would only read have decided to contribute
to the discussion.  I hope others will, too.

 

Now that all four of our guests are with us I hope that we can hear all
their perspectives on some of the questions that have not yet been fully
answered. (See a list of these below).

 

Thanks, Kiel, for opening up the question of transition from corrections
education to college. I would like to hear from our guest experts, and
others, about what has been effective in helping released inmates
transition to post-secondary education. 

 

I know that many years ago there were federal subsidies for inmates to
take college courses. (I was an Academic Dean at a small college that
had an MA program that served inmates and that was paid for entirely by
federal financial aid.)  I believe those days are gone, but wonder if
there are college courses of any kind offered to inmates with the goal
of having them enroll as on-campus or online students once they are
released.

 

I would also like to hear from more community-based organizations, if
there are some represented here, with their perspectives on what works
in transitioning inmates to community-based education. (Thanks John
Gordon for the thoughtful and detailed answers you have provided about
what the Fortune Society in New York City does, an inspiration for many
other community-based programs.)

 

Here are some of the questions that have not yet been fully addressed
yet by our guests or by other participants:

 

1. When an inmate who has been in an education program inside a state
corrections institution or county jail is released, what needs to happen
for him or her to connect to and stick with a community-based education
program?

2. Are you aware of any exemplary models of connections between inside
education and community based education programs? Can you tell us about
them?

3. What can community-based education programs do to partner with
corrections education programs that release inmates back to their
communities?

4. What do you see as the main differences between career educational
programs through public or private post-secondary institutions and
community education programs?  How do these differences account for the
success or failure of students in these programs?

5.  What spectrum of crimes have these students committed?  What are the
most common?  How does the severity of the crime relate to their
outcomes in community educational programs and subsequent attempts to
find employment...or does it?

6. What are the significant research findings on the topic of successful
transitions from prison education to community education programs?  What
are best practices that might have been discovered from the research.

7. Are the "soft skills" being taught (in corrections and
community-based education programs), such things as attitude,
attendance, punctuality, honesty, dependability, teamwork, listening
skills......?

8. Could you give examples of state or county corrections institutions
and community-based institutions where personal relationships have been
built and sustained over time so that a referral phone call or an email
about an inmate who is being released results in a warm welcome to the
community-based education program, perhaps as part of a number of
community services (housing, employment, health  care, counseling)
provided on release. If so, what enables these relationships? What
sustains them? What undermines them?

9. The House and Senate have passed the Second Chance Act. Could you
describe what provisions this important bill includes.

10. Are there good examples of collaborations or partnerships between
corrections and community education programs where they both use the
same online learning, videos, or software. If so, could you describe
these programs?

11. In a previous discussion here on corrections education we learned
that there is at least one corrections program where inmates can --
under careful supervision by teachers -- use the Internet.  Are there
others? Is this a trend?

12. Are there examples where corrections education programs have taken
online options (online software or education web sites for example) and
brought them inside as stand-alone (not Internet connected) options?

13. What happens in the prisons and jail when the inmate cannot read?
Do you

have programs to address this issue?

 

Are there other unanswered questions?

 

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

djrosen at comcast.net

 

 

 

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From John.Linton at ed.gov  Thu Mar 20 11:28:05 2008
From: John.Linton at ed.gov (Linton, John)
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 11:28:05 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 914] Re: Corrections to Community Education
Message-ID: <BEBF16B91CE3AD4EBBC71AE4F11428620F5F1C2A@wdcrobe2m02.ed.gov>

In response to the college question -- many don't realize that although
state and federal prison inmates are not Pell grant eligible -- persons in
jails and half way houses are.  If you do not have funds to contract with a
college, it may still be possible to fund a program through federal student
financial aid.  
 
The big issue with doing so is time.  Often the turn over of the population
in local corrections is too rapid to make this a practical solution.  Many
community colleges provide educational program in correctional settings.  If
there is a local community college, perhaps an initial contact with the
community college president by your sheriff would open the door for a
discussion of whether a program would be possible.  
 
I have a fact sheet on federal student financial aid for the incarcerated
which I will attach, but I don't know if the listserv allows attachments.  I
rather suspect it does not.  If it doesn't come through and anyone reading
this would like to have one, please e mail me directly at 
john.linton at ed.gov.   

  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Ridolfino, Kiel
Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2008 9:02 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 906] Re: Corrections to Community Education

Just some information about our program:

The education department of Mercer County Correction Center (NJ) consists of
3 teachers (one ESL), two classrooms, and a "library".  Most of our students
do not have a GED and their goal is to obtain one.  Our three teachers
collaborate together to help students achieve their goal.  GED testing takes
place onsite by a state-certified proctor. We currently do not offer college
courses, but we do not turn anyone away, so students who already have their
high school diploma enter a program called Life Skills and work on workplace
literacy, typing/computer skills, grammar and writing, and we also offer a
program based upon ex-offenders re-entering society and obtaining jobs.  We
have materials that cover resume writing and job interview skills
specifically for ex-offenders.  Most recently, we started planning for a
program that would allow inmates to have their poetry published in a book
compiled of writings from all different inmates within the facility.

 

We currently have approx. 165 students enrolled in the education program.
At the end of 2006, when our education department was first established, we
had 7 high school graduates.  With the addition of another teacher in 2007,
18 more students obtained their GEDs.  As of right now we have 4 graduates
in 2008.  There are many security issues/restrictions due to the fact that
not only is this a minimum to maximum security facility, but there are also
men and women here.

 

Like I had previously mentioned, we do not offer college courses here, but
we are trying greatly to connect with local colleges to be able to.  Does
anyone know what process we must go through or could you tell me what your
facility had to do to be able to offer college courses??  We have been left
in the dark and communication with colleges has been such a challenge for
us!  Thank you!

 

Kiel Ridolfino

ESL/ABE Teacher

Mercer County Correction Center

(609) 583 - 3545 ext. 2226

kridolfino at mercercounty.org

  _____  

 

 

 

 

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From garinderknecht at dmacc.edu  Thu Mar 20 10:49:50 2008
From: garinderknecht at dmacc.edu (Rinderknecht, Gail A.)
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 09:49:50 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 915] Re: Corrections to Community Education
References: <209CED477D22BE4CB989190F935442850B092B69@MAIL2.Mercer.ad>
Message-ID: <F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B8088@ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>

In Iowa we have found fewer and fewer colleges offering hard copy courses for anyone.  They are transitioning to online classes, and because our inmates are not allowed internet access, there is less access to higher education.

As far as what crimes have been committed, I have many students with drug offenses that range from multiple charges of possession with intent to deliver to manufacturing meth.  In the minimum security facility I have many students with multiple drunk driving offenses.  At the opposite end of the spectrum, there are pedophiles, robbery, armed robbery and murder.  I do work in two separate facilities: one minimum and one medium security.  

Gail Rinderknecht
Des Moines Area Community College
Newton Correctional Facility
garinderknecht at dmacc.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Ridolfino, Kiel
Sent: Thu 3/20/2008 8:02 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 906] Re: Corrections to Community Education
 
Just some information about our program:

The education department of Mercer County Correction Center (NJ)
consists of 3 teachers (one ESL), two classrooms, and a "library".  Most
of our students do not have a GED and their goal is to obtain one.  Our
three teachers collaborate together to help students achieve their goal.
GED testing takes place onsite by a state-certified proctor. We
currently do not offer college courses, but we do not turn anyone away,
so students who already have their high school diploma enter a program
called Life Skills and work on workplace literacy, typing/computer
skills, grammar and writing, and we also offer a program based upon
ex-offenders re-entering society and obtaining jobs.  We have materials
that cover resume writing and job interview skills specifically for
ex-offenders.  Most recently, we started planning for a program that
would allow inmates to have their poetry published in a book compiled of
writings from all different inmates within the facility.

 

We currently have approx. 165 students enrolled in the education
program.  At the end of 2006, when our education department was first
established, we had 7 high school graduates.  With the addition of
another teacher in 2007, 18 more students obtained their GEDs.  As of
right now we have 4 graduates in 2008.  There are many security
issues/restrictions due to the fact that not only is this a minimum to
maximum security facility, but there are also men and women here.

 

Like I had previously mentioned, we do not offer college courses here,
but we are trying greatly to connect with local colleges to be able to.
Does anyone know what process we must go through or could you tell me
what your facility had to do to be able to offer college courses??  We
have been left in the dark and communication with colleges has been such
a challenge for us!  Thank you!

 

Kiel Ridolfino

ESL/ABE Teacher

Mercer County Correction Center

(609) 583 - 3545 ext. 2226

kridolfino at mercercounty.org

________________________________

 

 

 

 

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From cimel at ldawa.org  Thu Mar 20 12:23:59 2008
From: cimel at ldawa.org (Cyd Imel)
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 09:23:59 -0700
Subject: [SpecialTopics 916] Re: Posting
In-Reply-To: <13CF702D5C6FAB48B08EE460471809AC01427EF0@IOTEVSP06VW.shared.state.in.us>
References: <9989191.161205850845984.JavaMail.root@vanadium.sys.ma.cait.org><F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B8084@ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>
	<!&!AAAAAAAAAAAYAAAAAAAAALWertL+/LJGlvSrKC4ZWEzCgAAAEAAAANBA00T137lAoAwF2QzgWDQBAAAAAA==@ldawa.org>
	<13CF702D5C6FAB48B08EE460471809AC01427EF0@IOTEVSP06VW.shared.state.in.us>
Message-ID: <!&!AAAAAAAAAAAYAAAAAAAAALWertL+/LJGlvSrKC4ZWEzCgAAAEAAAAN27z5V7V/pBv9oqqfrnfKwBAAAAAA==@ldawa.org>

John Nally
What a great incentive.  Best I have heard.
Thanks for responding

Cyd Imel
Executive Director
Learning Disabilities Association of Washington
16315 NE 87th Street Suite B-4
Redmond, WA. 98052
425-882-0820 ext  #1 
cimel at ldawa.org
www.ldawa.org
 
"What do we live for, if not to make the world less difficult for each
other?"      Mary Ann Evans
 
 

Learning Disabiltities Association of WA 
helps put the pieces together 
to change lives.
 
 

-----Original Message-----
From: Nally, John [mailto:Jnally at idoc.IN.gov] 
Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2008 4:21 AM
To: cimel at ldawa.org; specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 901] Re: Posting

Good morning,
To encourage non-reading adults in Indiana prisons we have provided an
incentive:  Those that that hit our literacy benchmarks are provided a
183-day time reduction.  
Thanks.
John Nally
Indiana

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Cyd Imel
Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2008 10:35 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 901] Re: Posting

What happens in the prisons and jail when the inmate cannot read?  Do
you
have programs to address this issue?

Cyd Imel
Executive Director
Learning Disabilities Association of Washington
16315 NE 87th Street Suite B-4
Redmond, WA. 98052
425-882-0820 ext  #1 
cimel at ldawa.org
www.ldawa.org
 
"What do we live for, if not to make the world less difficult for each
other?"      Mary Ann Evans
 
 

Learning Disabiltities Association of WA 
helps put the pieces together 
to change lives.
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Rinderknecht, Gail A.
Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2008 10:03 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 895] Re: Posting

We have a program called "Storybook" which is run by the recreation
department at Newton Correctional Facility.  The population at this
facility
is all male and at one site is medium security and at the other site is
minimum security.  The men can choose a book which is appropriate for
the
age of their child and read it on tape.  The book and the tape are then
sent
to the child.  The men seem to enjoy keeping in touch with their
children in
this manner and many of them take advantage of this program.  I am not
sure
how it is funded, although I do know that the men have jobs where they
earn
money that they can spend on different things;  I do believe they are
required to pay a nominal fee for this just so they will feel that they
are
earning something for their children.  The books are new, and of course,
the
titles and stories are approved by the DOC.

Gail Rinderknecht
Des Moines Area Community College
ABE/GED Instructor
Newton Correctional Facility
Newton, IA

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Kathy Olesen-Tracey
Sent: Tue 3/18/2008 9:34 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 865] Re: Posting
 
Denise, 
I attended an adult education conference in Illinois several years ago
and
learned about a program called "Reading from the Inside Out". I don't
recall
many of the details, so if anyone here has heard of it -please share. 

Essentially, the program video taped parents reading a story to their
child
and provide the child with the book and the video tape so the child can
experience their parent reading to them. 

Has anyone heard about a project like this? 
Kathy Olesen-Tracey 
-- 
Center for the Application of Information Technologies 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Denise McIntire" <deiswv at yahoo.com> 
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 8:29:33 AM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central 
Subject: [SpecialTopics 863] Re: Posting 

Bonnie and all that follow, 
I am the Ex. Dir. of a very small family literacy program in West
Virginia.
We are a volunteer literacy program as oppossed to a Dept. of Ed. funded
adult basic education program. We have been offering a program since 06
for
corrections facilities that works with incarcerated adults for 8 weeks
per
session. Our job is to keep that bond connected between parent and child
and
also the child's education stressing the importance of literacy for all
ages
as well as the caregivers responsible for the children until the family
can
be reunited. Yes, dollars are limited for all of the needs our society
needs
especially issues dealing with literacy. Please, help with the message
of
supporting the entire family along with the educational and workforce
training. Most of the women we have worked with have spent their entire
lives in the system whether due to parental units away from them as
children
and the cycle repeats over and over from generation to generation. Our
program is still too new to have created any empirical evidence as of
yet
but according to inmates and families alike, we are making a difference
one
family at a time. 

Bonnie Odiorne <bonniesophia at sbcglobal.net> wrote: 

Gary, 
You might call on Literacy Volunteers (now ProLiteracy USA) or some
other
community-based literacy adult education organization. I once trained a
group of tutors who had already been recruited by someone (clergy,
chaplain?) at the prison, in a "safe" area outside the high security
areas.
I insisted, and the director agreed, that if I was going to send tutors
into
this facility, that I should go in too, and I did. It was a revelation.
This
was a long time ago, and I really should follow up on whether or not the
program is still functioning. I know of labyrinth facilitators that want
to
do prison work, and while that's not on the topic of educational needs,
it
could be a way of unlocking, as it were, some means of expressioin that
might allow the incarcerated to learn. I've also done a tutor training
with
a halfway house transition facility, where the staff wanted the training
because they saw education as such a great need in the female population
they were serving. Dru rehabilitatioin facilities have also requested
trainings. So there are lots of avenues that could be followed, at
differing
entry/exit points of the system. 
Best regards, 
Bonnie Odiorne, Ph.D. 

----- Original Message ---- 
From: "Upham, Gary" <Gary.Upham at maine.gov> 
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 8:34:26 AM 
Subject: [SpecialTopics 849] Posting 

Gary Upham 
Maine State Prison Principal 

I have been the Principal of the Maine State Prison for the past year 
and a half. It has not taken me long to identify that much of this 
population has special education needs. However I have tried, 
unsuccessfully, to pull in resources appropriate for identification and 
strategies to work with my inmates. Funding is a major issue as well as 
current staffing, which is affected by funding. How do I deal with a 
major need under these conditions? 

------------------------------- 
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Special Topics mailing list 
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov 
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics 
Email delivered to bonniesophia at sbcglobal.net 

------------------------------- 
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To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics 
Email delivered to deiswv at yahoo.com 

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Search. 
------------------------------- National Institute for Literacy Special
Topics mailing list SpecialTopics at nifl.gov To unsubscribe or change your
subscription settings, please go to
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ktracey at cait.org

-------------------------------
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Email delivered to jnally at doc.in.gov

From Carolyn.Buser at ed.gov  Thu Mar 20 16:42:42 2008
From: Carolyn.Buser at ed.gov (Buser, Carolyn)
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 16:42:42 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 917] Re: Corrections to Community Education
Message-ID: <EFB4E73A48DFC544B8FAB0950A5E29030E5FE1@wdcrobe2m05.ed.gov>

 

            Perhaps one of the reasons for the lack of response about
outcomes for reentry programs is that there is very little actual research
on the topic.  We all know wonderful programs that are humane and helpful,
but very few of them could spend resources on evaluation.  The national
correctional education data project, under the auspices of John Linton,
Director of Correctional Education here at the U.S. Department of Education,
recognizes the need for a systematic national data system and has begun
working to make that a reality.  The article, "Correctional Education:
Getting the Data We Need" by Steven Klein and Michelle Tolbert in the
Journal of Correctional Education 58(3) September 2007, describes the need
for such national data and describes efforts to use existing data to begin
to capture the outcomes that we need to know to be successful advocates for
correctional education and reentry initiatives.  That being said, there are
many promising programs that could be accessed to determine practices that
might work in individual circumstances.  One program from Wyoming works with
women who have been released as well as with women seeking to support their
families with a living wage.  Betty Abbott, the correctional education
director in Wyoming, has said that the program has impressive recidivism
statistics.  

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/06/us/06wyoming.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=

 

Another article, this one from the Wall Street Journal, gives resources and
highlights a Maryland reentry success. You need to follow the site to the
October 3, 2007 story.
http://www.careerjournal.com/columnists/manageyourcareer/20071003-managingyo
urcareer.html
<http://www.careerjournal.com/columnists/manageyourcareer/20071003-managingy
ourcareer.html> 

 

I would encourage everyone to periodically look for resources on the web
site Grants.gov.   There is a quick review of all new grant opportunities
offered that week, as well as an index by subject area for all available
Federal grants.  Even if grants are listed as closed, it is possible to
obtain lists of the awardees and contact them for ideas and/or resources.
Here is a list of those agencies that received 3 year Prisoner Reentry
Initiative Training and Technical Assistance Program grants:
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/grant/07ReentryAwards.pdf

 

Interesting possibilities turn up in some pretty out of the way places.  It
would seem there would be opportunities for partnering with veterans' groups
for a number of grants addressing housing and addictions issues for
veterans.  An economic development grant targets communities experiencing
chronic high unemployment and low per capita income.  Another provides
opportunities for training in technology and construction trades in similar
communities. My personal favorite, as an old English teacher, is a grant
called Access to Artistic Excellence which calls for proposals to make the
arts more widely available in underserved populations.  I can see returnees
establishing galleries and/or performance venues for returning as well as
existing community members.  The closing date on that one is August 11,
2008.  There's still time.  

 

Carolyn Buser

Adult Education Specialist

United States Department of Education

Division of Adult Education and Literacy

202-245-6697  carolyn.buser at ed.gov

 

 

  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Janet Isserlis
Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2008 10:43 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 910] Re: Corrections to Community Education

 

All

Another resource, in Providence, working to assist ex-offenders in the
re-entry process.
Rhode Island's Family Life Center - resources to assist ex-offenders and
their families by providing long-term holistic case management services
starting prior to release from prison and extending up to 18 months
thereafter.
http://www.ri-familylifecenter.org/

The  site features a mapping element that many across advocacy interests
have utilized to graphically illustrate communities most impacted by their
residents' comings and goings  into and out of prison.  Not surprisingly,
some groups are disproportionately represented in prison and out of
communities.  The state passed legislation last year to restore the vote to
former offenders; this kind of mapping data (as well as very energetic
efforts by advocates) played a significant part in passing the legislation
(I believe) http://www.ri-familylifecenter.org/index.php?name=mapping

Janet Isserlis 

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From djrosen at comcast.net  Thu Mar 20 18:31:37 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 18:31:37 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 918]  Second Chance Act FAQ
References: <mailman.45856.1206048781.1030.specialtopics@nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <78F1FC66-0A42-4997-BBFD-ACE03E7DAEAE@comcast.net>

Posted for Steve Steurer -- with the attachment in the body of this  
message because attachments are not allowed on National Institute For  
Literacy discussion Lists

From: "Steve Steurer" <SSteurer at ceanational.org>
Date: March 20, 2008 5:32:39 PM EDT
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>

David,

Here is a nice summary of the Second Chance Act from Gene Guerrero  
who heads up a nationwide effort of many associations supporting re- 
entry.

The Second Chance Act
Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Second Chance Act do?
The Second Chance Act primarily authorizes federal funding for state  
and federal reentry programs.  It also directs ?but does not require  
? the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to consider giving federal prisoners  
longer stays in halfway houses, and authorizes funds for a very  
limited, test program for elderly prisoners (see below for details).   
The ?second chance? the bill refers to applies almost exclusively to  
people leaving prison ? it does not give shorter sentences to people  
already in prison.

Does the Second Chance Act help people only when they get out of prison?
With few exceptions, yes.  The bill is designed to provide programs  
that help people leaving prison reenter their communities, so that  
they do not reoffend. Only three parts of the bill may be able to  
affect how long a person stays in prison. These three parts only  
affect people in federal prison.

1.     The first lengthens the outer limits of the time an individual  
is guaranteed consideration for pre-release community corrections  
(halfway house) from six months to 12 months. However, there is no  
new requirement that the BOP give every person the full 12 months in  
a halfway house at the end of their sentence.

2.     The second creates a limited pilot program called the Elderly  
and Family Reunification for Certain Nonviolent Offenders provision.  
This provision will likely only take place in one facility and is  
unlikely to provide relief for many individuals (see below for  
requirements).

3.      Finally, the bill increases slightly the percentage of a  
federal sentence that can be served in home confinement. There is no  
requirement that the BOP give prisoners any time in home confinement.

What federal funding is authorized under the Second Chance Act?  How  
is it distributed?
The Second Chance Act authorizes federal funding for state and  
federal reentry programs.  In Congress, no money can be spent  
(appropriated) unless it is first authorized. Once authorized, the  
appropriations committee appropriates or distributes funds to a  
program. Sometimes it distributes the full amount authorized.  
Sometimes the amount available is less than the amount authorized.   
We do not know yet whether Congress will appropriate some, all or  
none of the money the Second Chance Act authorizes.

The Second Chance Act authorizes funding for:

1. Existing demonstration and long-term adult and juvenile offender  
state and local reentry programs (does not apply to federal prisons),  
including:
?       Existing adult and juvenile offender state and local reentry  
demonstration projects (includes educational, literacy, vocational  
and job placement services; a full continuum of substance abuse  
treatment services; and provision of comprehensive services upon  
reentry including mental and physical health care).
?       New grants to states, tribal and local reentry courts for  
demonstration  programs that would monitor juvenile and adult  
offenders reentering the community  and provide them with coordinated  
and comprehensive reentry services and programs, including:   
coordinated and comprehensive reentry services and programs including  
drug and alcohol testing and health services and assessment;  
community impact panels and victim impact classes; and community  
services to juvenile and adult offenders, including housing  
assistance, education, job training and conflict intervention skills.
?       Development, implementation or expansion of state, tribal or  
local demonstration drug treatment programs that are alternatives to  
imprisonment.
?       Development, implementation or expansion of comprehensive and  
clinically appropriate family-based demonstration substance abuse  
treatment programs as alternatives to incarceration for nonviolent  
parent drug offenders or prison-based family treatment programs for  
incarcerated parents of minor children.
?       Improvements in education at state, tribal, and local  
prisons, jails and juvenile facilities.
?       Technology career training demonstration programs.
2. Enhanced drug treatment and mentoring programs, including
?       Continued and improved drug treatment programs at state,  
tribal and local prisons, jails or juvenile facilities. (Does not  
apply to federal prisons.)
?       Nonprofit and tribal initiatives to provide mentoring and  
other transitional services. (Does not apply to federal prisons.)
?       Nonprofit initiatives to provide mentoring, job training, and  
job placement services to eligible offenders (over the age of 18 and  
never convicted of a violent or a sex-related offense). (Applies to  
both federal and state prisons.)
3. Improved federal offender reentry (applies to federal prisons  
only), including:
?       Demonstration programs that establish a federal prisoner  
reentry strategy.
?       Assistance to prisoners with obtaining identification prior  
to release.
?       A pilot program called ?Elderly and Family Reunification for  
Certain Nonviolent Offenders.? This program will probably take place  
at a single facility designated by the Attorney General and will  
allow eligible elderly offenders who have served ten years or more of  
a long sentence to serve out the remainder of their terms in home  
detention. (Please see FAQ on this program below for more information  
on who is eligible.)
?       A demonstration program to supervise high risk individuals in  
community corrections facilities and home confinement.
4. Reentry research
?       Funding for research on juvenile and adult offender reentry,  
post-incarceration supervision violations and revocations, the needs  
of incarcerated parents, and the effectiveness of depot naltrexone  
for heroin addiction.
5. Community corrections (applies to federal prisons only)
?       The Bureau of Prisons (BOP) shall ensure that a prisoner  
serving a term of imprisonments spends a portion of the final months  
of that term (not to exceed 12 months) in a community correctional  
facility or appropriate conditions that will afford the prisoner a  
reasonable opportunity to adjust and prepare for the reentry of that  
prisoner to the community.  The BOP may place a prisoner in home  
confinement for the shorter of 10 percent of the term of imprisonment  
or six months.

What is a demonstration program, demonstration project or pilot program?
These are all different ways of describing an experimental program  
that takes place in a limited number of prisons and that is designed  
to show the government whether the program will work.

How does the bill encourage increased use of halfway house placement  
prior to release from federal prison?
The bill clarifies the statute governing federal halfway house  
placement prior to release, and ensures consideration of longer  
placements ? but it does not require the BOP put people in halfway  
houses earlier or for longer periods of time.  The bill:
?       Requires the BOP to ensure that, to the extent practicable, a  
prisoner is considered for halfway house placement or other  
conditions assisting in release preparation for up to 12 months, not  
just up to six months as set forth in current law.  This provision  
does not require the BOP to grant each prisoner 12 months in a  
halfway house;
?       Makes a strong statement about how the BOP should approach  
pre-release halfway house decisions. It directs the BOP to issue  
regulations that ensure that placement in a halfway house is, among  
other things, determined on an individual basis and of ?sufficient  
duration to provide the greatest likelihood of successful  
reintegration into the community.?
?       Eliminates 18 U.S.C. ? 3624(c)?s reference to placing a  
prisoner in a halfway house for only 10 percent of the prisoner?s  
sentence, a provision the BOP has relied on to limit halfway house  
time to only the final 10 percent of the person?s good-time adjusted  
sentence or six months, whichever was shorter.  The BOP had relied on  
a mistaken reading of the 10 percent provision to issue regulations  
limiting its own ability to consider a prisoner for pre-release  
halfway house to the final 10 percent or six months of the prisoner?s  
good-time adjusted sentence;
?       Clarifies that BOP?s broad discretion to determine the place  
of confinement, including to a halfway house (but not home  
confinement) is not limited by 18 U.S.C. ? 3624(c). That is, any  
limits expressed in the halfway house provision, 18 U.S.C. ? 3624(c),  
do not restrain the BOP?s discretion to determine the place of  
imprisonment under 18 U.S.C. ? 3621(b).

When can someone be placed on home confinement?
The bill gives the BOP discretion to place a prisoner in home  
confinement for six months or 10 percent of the whole term of  
imprisonment, whichever is less.  This section of the bill does not  
require the BOP will award six months, 10 percent or any time in prison.

Who benefits from the change in halfway house time? When will this go  
into effect?
While the Second Change Act goes into effect immediately upon  
receiving the President?s signature, the BOP has 90 days after that  
to issue regulations implementing the new halfway house provisions.  
The regulations must ensure that halfway house placement is  
determined on an individualized basis and is sufficiently long to  
provide the greatest chance for successful reentry. Again, it does  
not guarantee or give anyone the right to the full 12 months in a  
halfway house, only the right to be considered for up to 12 months in  
a halfway house.

Will the bill let elderly prisoners out early?
The bill includes a pilot program for federal prisoners called the  
Elderly and Family Reunification for Certain Nonviolent Offenders.   
It is a demonstration program that may be limited to only one BOP  
facility.  (The law allows the BOP to set up more than one  
demonstration program, but this is not likely.) At that facility, the  
BOP will select individuals who meet the following criteria:
(i) not less than 65 years of age;
(ii) serving a term of imprisonment that is not life imprisonment --
  ? based on conviction for an offense or offenses that do not  
include any crime of violence (as defined in section 16 of title 18,  
United States Code), sex offense (as defined in section 111(5) of the  
Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act), offense described in  
section 2332b(g)(5)(B) of title 18, United States Code, or offense  
under chapter 37 of title 18, United States Code,
  ? and has served the greater of 10 years or 75 percent of the term  
of imprisonment to which the offender was sentenced (75 percent  
becomes more than 10 years when the sentence is for longer than 160  
months);
(iii) has not been convicted in the past of any federal or state  
crime of violence, sex offense, or other offense described in clause  
(ii);
(iv) has not been determined by the Bureau of Prisons and in the sole  
discretion of the BOP, to have a history of violence, or of engaging  
in conduct constituting a sex offense or other offense described in  
clause (ii), even without a record of convictions;
(v) has not escaped, or attempted to escape, from a BOP institution;
(vi) with respect to whom the BOP has determined that release to home  
detention under this section will result in a substantial net  
reduction of costs to the federal government; and
(vii) has been determined by the BOP to be at no substantial risk of  
engaging in criminal conduct or of endangering any person or the  
public if released to home detention.

The BOP is required to carry out this program in FY 2009 (that is,  
beginning in October 2009) and FY 2010.

Does the bill mean that people in state prisons will get to do drug  
treatment sooner?
Unfortunately, we do not know the answer to this question yet. Many  
prisons are likely to have increased funding for drug treatment  
programs. However, we do not know which prisons will be able to  
expand the number of drug treatment programs available to  
incarcerated individuals. In addition, increased numbers of programs  
are not likely to be immediate. Prisons will need to find qualified  
instructors for the new classes, and this process will take some time.

Does the bill mean there will be more RDAP programs in federal prisons?
No.  The bill does not authorize new funding for more RDAP programs.

Does the bill provide drug treatment as an alternative to incarceration?
Not in the federal system.  The Second Chance Act authorizes funding  
to states, tribal, or local prosecutors to expand, develop or  
implement qualified drug treatment programs that are alternatives to  
imprisonment. This does not apply to individuals convicted in a  
federal court. State, tribal or local prosecutors must apply for  
funding from the U.S. government and local entities if they would  
like to expand, develop or implement drug treatment programs that act  
as an alternative to incarceration. No state, tribal or local entity  
is required to enact such a program.

Does FAMM know where each demonstration program will be implemented,  
including alternatives to incarceration, drug treatment programs or  
the Elderly and Family Reunification program?
No, FAMM does not know and is unable to track what prisons will carry  
out which demonstration programs. We urge you to let us know as new  
programs are introduced in prisons.

Does the bill reinstate federal parole or increase the rate of good  
conduct time?
No, the bill does not reinstate federal parole, nor does it increase  
the rate at which good conduct time is awarded.  Similarly, the bill  
does not clarify or correct the BOP?s present method of computing  
good conduct time.

Is the Second Chance Act a law?
Not yet.  It has been passed by both the Senate and the House, but  
the President still has to sign it into law. The President has to  
sign the bill, to allow the bill to pass without comment or veto the  
bill within 10 days after receiving the bill. The President has not  
yet received the bill as of March 20, 2008.

---------------------

Steve
Stephen Steurer Ph.D.,
Executive Director
Correctional Education Association
8182 Lark Brown Road  Suite 202
Elkridge, MD  21075
Tel: 443-459-3081
Fax: 443-459-3088
www.ceanational.org

"Transforming Lives Through Education"

From Carolyn.Buser at ed.gov  Thu Mar 20 17:25:51 2008
From: Carolyn.Buser at ed.gov (Buser, Carolyn)
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 17:25:51 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 919] Re: Corrections to Community Education
Message-ID: <EFB4E73A48DFC544B8FAB0950A5E29030E5FE2@wdcrobe2m05.ed.gov>

            Maryland has, for several years, offered programs over the
"internet" from two community colleges for medium and maximum security
institutions.  Each student works at a computer under the supervision of the
instructor in the classroom.  The computer is not connected to the internet
until after all the students have left for the day and the classroom has
been cleared by an officer.  At that point the instructor physically unlocks
the room where the server is located and, with a different key, unlocks the
access to the computer.  For a short time that computer is connected to the
internet while the instructor uploads all the student work for the day and
sends it to the college.  The computer is then locked, locked in its
cabinet, and the room is locked for the night.  In the morning, before the
students report for class, the instructor uploads the professors' comments
to the students and distributes them to the class computers.  The server is
again disconnected and locked, the cabinet is locked, and the room housing
the server is locked.  After that students report for class.  Students are
able to have almost real time access to their professors (not fellow
students in the community), and have been able to participate in "on-line"
coursework.  I, obviously, don't know all the technical aspects of the
security system, but it is both technological and physical and was developed
with consultants who work with the FBI and CIA on computer security.  To my
knowledge there has not been a security breach in the more than five years
that this program has been in place.  Contacts for this program would be
Mark Mechlinski, director of correctional education for the Maryland State
Department of Education   mmechlinski at msde.state.md.us or Ray Harbert,
project director  dharbert at msde.state.md.us 

 

Carolyn Buser

Adult Education Specialist

United States Department of Education

Division of Adult Education and Literacy  

202- 245 6697  carolyn.buser at ed.gov

  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Bill Anthony
Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2008 12:19 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 911] Re: Corrections to Community Education

 

David,

 

I believe that your list of 13 questions is a very good recap of the
discussions so far.  I will set about suggesting some answers for as many as
possible.  The two day target is tough - but I'll try.  Regarding question
#12-  I believe that Vance Granville College is trying that technique with
the Federal Correctional Center in Butner NC.  They are using one of the
several authoring systems for delivering on-line courses.  They have
installed these courses on a closed system "server"  within the prison.
Such systems normally connect teachers and students through an e-mail
feature.  I believe the lack of such an e-mail feature to connect student
and teachers is a problem that needs to be resolved and possibly can be
through older technologies such a  direct "Hot Line" phone support.  

 

I know that Kentucky and (I believe)  West Virginia have an Adult Education
Program that teaches GED as a distance education course using an 800 number
phone support line to help students complete a largely self study multi
media curriculum.   I believe it has been rather successful with students at
higher grade levels and with reasonable self discipline.  I know a feature
of the Kentucky program is that the students and teachers sign a "contract"
agreeing on what each will bring to the program.

 

Bill anthony

 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

----- Original Message ----- 

	From: David J. Rosen <mailto:djrosen at comcast.net>  

	To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 

	Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2008 8:48 AM

	Subject: [SpecialTopics 907] Re: Corrections to Community Education

	 

	Colleagues, 

	 

	We have only two more days to devote to this topic. I hope everyone
who wants to say something related to the topic will. I am glad that some
participants who thought they would only read have decided to contribute to
the discussion.  I hope others will, too.

	 

	Now that all four of our guests are with us I hope that we can hear
all their perspectives on some of the questions that have not yet been fully
answered. (See a list of these below).

	 

	Thanks, Kiel, for opening up the question of transition from
corrections education to college. I would like to hear from our guest
experts, and others, about what has been effective in helping released
inmates transition to post-secondary education. 

	 

	I know that many years ago there were federal subsidies for inmates
to take college courses. (I was an Academic Dean at a small college that had
an MA program that served inmates and that was paid for entirely by federal
financial aid.)  I believe those days are gone, but wonder if there are
college courses of any kind offered to inmates with the goal of having them
enroll as on-campus or online students once they are released.

	 

	I would also like to hear from more community-based organizations,
if there are some represented here, with their perspectives on what works in
transitioning inmates to community-based education. (Thanks John Gordon for
the thoughtful and detailed answers you have provided about what the Fortune
Society in New York City does, an inspiration for many other community-based
programs.)

	 

	Here are some of the questions that have not yet been fully
addressed yet by our guests or by other participants:

	 

	1. When an inmate who has been in an education program inside a
state corrections institution or county jail is released, what needs to
happen for him or her to connect to and stick with a community-based
education program?

	2. Are you aware of any exemplary models of connections between
inside education and community based education programs? Can you tell us
about them?

	3. What can community-based education programs do to partner with
corrections education programs that release inmates back to their
communities?

	4. What do you see as the main differences between career
educational programs through public or private post-secondary institutions
and community education programs?  How do these differences account for the
success or failure of students in these programs?

	5.  What spectrum of crimes have these students committed?  What are
the most common?  How does the severity of the crime relate to their
outcomes in community educational programs and subsequent attempts to find
employment...or does it?

	6. What are the significant research findings on the topic of
successful transitions from prison education to community education
programs?  What are best practices that might have been discovered from the
research.

	7. Are the "soft skills" being taught (in corrections and
community-based education programs), such things as attitude, attendance,
punctuality, honesty, dependability, teamwork, listening skills......?

	8. Could you give examples of state or county corrections
institutions and community-based institutions where personal relationships
have been built and sustained over time so that a referral phone call or an
email about an inmate who is being released results in a warm welcome to the
community-based education program, perhaps as part of a number of community
services (housing, employment, health  care, counseling) provided on
release. If so, what enables these relationships? What sustains them? What
undermines them?

	9. The House and Senate have passed the Second Chance Act. Could you
describe what provisions this important bill includes.

	10. Are there good examples of collaborations or partnerships
between corrections and community education programs where they both use the
same online learning, videos, or software. If so, could you describe these
programs?

	11. In a previous discussion here on corrections education we
learned that there is at least one corrections program where inmates can --
under careful supervision by teachers -- use the Internet.  Are there
others? Is this a trend?

	12. Are there examples where corrections education programs have
taken online options (online software or education web sites for example)
and brought them inside as stand-alone (not Internet connected) options?

	13. What happens in the prisons and jail when the inmate cannot
read?  Do you

	have programs to address this issue?

	 

	Are there other unanswered questions?

	 

	 

	David J. Rosen

	Special Topics Discussion Moderator

	djrosen at comcast.net

	 

	 

	 

	
  _____  

	-------------------------------
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From ktracey at cait.org  Thu Mar 20 17:26:32 2008
From: ktracey at cait.org (Kathy Olesen-Tracey)
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 16:26:32 -0500 (CDT)
Subject: [SpecialTopics 920] Re: Corrections to Community Education
In-Reply-To: <041001c88aa6$22b2b340$6501a8c0@BillHP>
Message-ID: <14454637.41206048392790.JavaMail.root@vanadium.sys.ma.cait.org>

Hello, 
In Illinois, the GED-i project (http://ged-i.org) is used by adult education programs to provide online GED test preparation instruction. The system is also being used state -wide in 3 other states. 

Last year, we modified this system to be delivered in a correctional setting in the state of Washington. The online curriculum was modified to be delivered via a server based curriculum, and we worked closely with the instructors to support their experience. There was a pilot group of students and we found that this method of delivery worked extremely well in the setting. 

As we progress through the pilot process, we are investigating offering the curriculum via the Interent with security ensuring that offenders can access the content online, but can not navigate away from the site. We are still in discussion and planning for this. 

Kathy 

-- 
Center for the Application of Information Technologies 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bill Anthony" <SYNSOL at cableone.net> 
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2008 11:19:12 AM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central 
Subject: [SpecialTopics 911] Re: Corrections to Community Education 

David, 

I believe that your list of 13 questions is a very good recap of the discussions so far. I will set about suggesting some answers for as many as possible. The two day target is tough - but I'll try. Regarding question #12- I believe that Vance Granville College is trying that technique with the Federal Correctional Center in Butner NC. They are using one of the several authoring systems for delivering on-line courses. They have installed these courses on a closed system "server" within the prison. Such systems normally connect teachers and students through an e-mail feature. I believe the lack of such an e-mail feature to connect student and teachers is a problem that needs to be resolved and possibly can be through older technologies such a direct "Hot Line" phone support. 

I know that Kentucky and (I believe) West Virginia have an Adult Education Program that teaches GED as a distance education course using an 800 number phone support line to help students complete a largely self study multi media curriculum. I believe it has been rather successful with students at higher grade levels and with reasonable self discipline. I know a feature of the Kentucky program is that the students and teachers sign a "contract" agreeing on what each will bring to the program. 

Bill anthony 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 

----- Original Message ----- 

From: David J. Rosen 
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2008 8:48 AM 
Subject: [SpecialTopics 907] Re: Corrections to Community Education 

Colleagues, 

We have only two more days to devote to this topic. I hope everyone who wants to say something related to the topic will. I am glad that some participants who thought they would only read have decided to contribute to the discussion. I hope others will, too. 

Now that all four of our guests are with us I hope that we can hear all their perspectives on some of the questions that have not yet been fully answered. (See a list of these below). 

Thanks, Kiel, for opening up the question of transition from corrections education to college. I would like to hear from our guest experts, and others, about what has been effective in helping released inmates transition to post-secondary education. 

I know that many years ago there were federal subsidies for inmates to take college courses. (I was an Academic Dean at a small college that had an MA program that served inmates and that was paid for entirely by federal financial aid.) I believe those days are gone, but wonder if there are college courses of any kind offered to inmates with the goal of having them enroll as on-campus or online students once they are released. 

I would also like to hear from more community-based organizations, if there are some represented here, with their perspectives on what works in transitioning inmates to community-based education. (Thanks John Gordon for the thoughtful and detailed answers you have provided about what the Fortune Society in New York City does, an inspiration for many other community-based programs.) 

Here are some of the questions that have not yet been fully addressed yet by our guests or by other participants: 

1. When an inmate who has been in an education program inside a state corrections institution or county jail is released, what needs to happen for him or her to connect to and stick with a community-based education program? 
2. Are you aware of any exemplary models of connections between inside education and community based education programs? Can you tell us about them? 
3. What can community-based education programs do to partner with corrections education programs that release inmates back to their communities? 
4. What do you see as the main differences between career educational programs through public or private post-secondary institutions and community education programs? How do these differences account for the success or failure of students in these programs? 

5. What spectrum of crimes have these students committed? What are the most common? How does the severity of the crime relate to their outcomes in community educational programs and subsequent attempts to find employment...or does it? 

6. What are the significant research findings on the topic of successful transitions from prison education to community education programs? What are best practices that might have been discovered from the research. 
7. Are the "soft skills" being taught (in corrections and community-based education programs), such things as attitude, attendance, punctuality, honesty, dependability, teamwork, listening skills......? 
8. Could you give examples of state or county corrections institutions and community-based institutions where personal relationships have been built and sustained over time so that a referral phone call or an email about an inmate who is being released results in a warm welcome to the community-based education program, perhaps as part of a number of community services (housing, employment, health care, counseling) provided on release. If so, what enables these relationships? What sustains them? What undermines them? 
9. The House and Senate have passed the Second Chance Act. Could you describe what provisions this important bill includes. 
10. Are there good examples of collaborations or partnerships between corrections and community education programs where they both use the same online learning, videos, or software. If so, could you describe these programs? 
11. In a previous discussion here on corrections education we learned that there is at least one corrections program where inmates can -- under careful supervision by teachers -- use the Internet. Are there others? Is this a trend? 
12. Are there examples where corrections education programs have taken online options (online software or education web sites for example) and brought them inside as stand-alone (not Internet connected) options? 
13. What happens in the prisons and jail when the inmate cannot read? Do you 
have programs to address this issue? 

Are there other unanswered questions? 

David J. Rosen 
Special Topics Discussion Moderator 
djrosen at comcast.net 

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From JURMO at ucc.edu  Thu Mar 20 18:14:56 2008
From: JURMO at ucc.edu (JURMO at ucc.edu)
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 18:14:56 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 921] Re: Re-Entry Initiatives
In-Reply-To: <874922EF-BF7C-4935-82D1-3EE22D2D3D53@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <355865D6A500D84D960A0083B5FFF71F04600790@crexc02.campus.ucc.edu>

Thanks to everyone participating in this rich discussion about re-entry
initiatives and adult education's role in them. The examples from
Maryland (cited by Fran Tracy Mumford below), other community colleges
in NJ, the Fortune Society, and elsewhere are very informative.

Our community college has jumped into prisoner re-entry and is trying to
work with local agencies that provide re-entry services and with our One
Stop system.  We are trying to pull together a more effective system of
services in our county.  Our non-credit community college division will
bring adult education (adult basic education, GED prep, ESL,
occupational training, and computer training) and job development to the
equation.  

We are challenged by the difficulties of (a)creating new partnerships in
which people have to think and act differently,(b) by a lack of
understanding among providers and policy makers about what it takes to
help an offender successfully re-integrate into society and the economy,
and (c) dwindled public coffers.  The good news is the growing number of
people recognize the importance of prisoner re-entry for public safety,
reduction in the HUGE amounts of public funding devoted to prisons, and
the health of our communities, families, and local economies. Those who
have developed good practices need to continue to lead the way in
showing newcomers what can be done, so resources are used productively.

Let me conclude in particular with a thank you to The Fortune Society (a
multi-service program for ex-inmates based in New York City), which
inspired me to get our college involved in prisoner re-entry in New
Jersey. I hope to connect with others in New Jersey to build a more
effective re-entry system in our state.
 
Paul Jurmo
Union County College
Elizabeth, NJ

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 5:26 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 868] Re-Entry Initiatives

Posted for Fran Tracy-Mumford by David J. Rosen

From: Fran Mumford [fmumford at msde.state.md.us]
Sent: Tue 3/18/2008 1:28 PM
Subject: Re-Entry Initiatives

Diana Bailey, Maryland's Program Coordinator for transition and  
employment at the MD State Department of Education Correctional  
Education program, has done a tremendous job in leading transition to  
the community services within each state prison facility and  
coordinated with the Department of Labor.  She plans "Career Fairs"  
with workshops for offenders who are within 18 months of release.

CAREER FAIR.  During the career fair, critical contacts from the  
community present in mini-workshops throughout the day.  One stop  
counselors are part of the presentations.  Employers give "tips" for  
seeking employment in their field.  HR people sit one-on-one in a job  
interview with inmates within 6 months of release.  Each interview is  
sensitively critiqued. Colleges are represented to encourage  
participation giving information about their job training or degree  
programs. Goodwill and other non-profits participate. Money  
management, finding a place to live, and where to get a hot meal are  
other topics. These events are wildly successful as a means of  
transitioning individuals back into the community

TRANSITION PROGRAM STUDENT CERTIFICATES.  One of the Correctional  
Education program standards of accountability is for a component of  
the program that provides Transition program completion  
certificates.  Last year more than 3,000 certificates were issued to  
students statewide.  The four components of the student certificate  
are (I believe I got this right): career awareness, career  
exploration, employability skills, and career planning.  Students are  
assigned to this class for a minimum of 6 weeks.

ONE STOP FOR OFFENDER RE-ENTRY.  A one stop has been designated by  
the Dept of Labor for re-entering offenders. It was created in the  
Baltimore Metropolitan area where more than 80% are re-entering the  
community.

TRANSITION CHECKLIST.  A checklist of transition skills has been  
created and is placed in the student's file.  This is used to guide  
instruction and inform the student and program about the skills  
completed and those to be completed before release.

LIBRARY CAREER RESOURCE CENTER.  The library in each state facility  
has a career resource center stocked with information about careers.   
Any inmate can assess this information.

Her program is quite impressive.  I didn't address other aspects of  
transition such as: money management, establishing credit, family  
living, parenting, etc. as other topics included in her programs.  To  
contact Diana, you can reach her at the address listed above.

Dr. Fran Tracy-Mumford
Academic Program Coordinator
Correctional Education
Maryland State Department of Education
200 W. Baltimore Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
410.767.0732

David J. Rosen
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
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To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
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Email delivered to jurmo at ucc.edu

From jgordon at fortunesociety.org  Thu Mar 20 18:33:38 2008
From: jgordon at fortunesociety.org (John Gordon)
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 18:33:38 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 922] Re: Corrections to Community Education
In-Reply-To: <0CA6C79FCB4AC642A77B76C17A4316EE02C78B13@exch-1.sbctc2.local>
References: <209CED477D22BE4CB989190F935442850B092B69@MAIL2.Mercer.ad><252A00E7-7F5B-4F34-B5E1-BBE187E4C063@comcast.net>
	<0CA6C79FCB4AC642A77B76C17A4316EE02C78B13@exch-1.sbctc2.local>
Message-ID: <25AB4DBCECBD574F8A8EE92F47848BBD01292564@mail2.fortunesociety.internal>

Here in New York City there is an organization called the College
Initiative that works with formerly incarcerated individuals to help
them get into (and succeed in) college. Staffed mainly by former
prisoners, they help with the admissions process, including figuring out
financial aid, deciding which schools to apply for, etc. They also run a
college prep class (here at the Fortune Society) to help people prepare
academically for the demands of college. Perhaps most importantly, they
offer counseling and mentoring throughout the time their participants
are in school. 
 
The College Initiative has an institutional relationship with the City
University of New York (CUNY). They have offices on one of the CUNY
campuses and are able to get the admissions fee waived for their
participants. They have also worked hard to build relationships with the
Department of Parole so that college can be one of the options that new
releasees are encouraged to consider. 
 
John Gordon

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Michael Tate
Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2008 11:42 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 913] Re: Corrections to Community Education

Here in WA state, when our legislators think about corrections it is
either to lower costs or to stop recidivism.  

 

In the 1980s, they decided that inmates got too many perks and not
enough punishment, so they eliminated inmate access to community college
courses (except for a few vocational courses related to  inmate jobs).  

 

It turned out to be throwing out the baby with the bathwater, since the
inmates who took philosophy courses that dealt with ethics, citizen
responsibility, the rule of law, the greater good, etc were very
unlikely to return to prison.  

 

Certainly these inmates had better skills and were more employable on
release, but lifelong correctional educators were convinced the subject
matter of right and wrong made a big difference.  Of course, this kind
of opportunity would be wasted on an inmate who was sociopathic, etc.

 

Have any of you seen or heard of similar impacts as a result of classes
that focus on more than employability?

 

 

 

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2008 6:48 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 907] Re: Corrections to Community Education

 

Colleagues,

 

We have only two more days to devote to this topic. I hope everyone who
wants to say something related to the topic will. I am glad that some
participants who thought they would only read have decided to contribute
to the discussion.  I hope others will, too.

 

Now that all four of our guests are with us I hope that we can hear all
their perspectives on some of the questions that have not yet been fully
answered. (See a list of these below).

 

Thanks, Kiel, for opening up the question of transition from corrections
education to college. I would like to hear from our guest experts, and
others, about what has been effective in helping released inmates
transition to post-secondary education. 

 

I know that many years ago there were federal subsidies for inmates to
take college courses. (I was an Academic Dean at a small college that
had an MA program that served inmates and that was paid for entirely by
federal financial aid.)  I believe those days are gone, but wonder if
there are college courses of any kind offered to inmates with the goal
of having them enroll as on-campus or online students once they are
released.

 

I would also like to hear from more community-based organizations, if
there are some represented here, with their perspectives on what works
in transitioning inmates to community-based education. (Thanks John
Gordon for the thoughtful and detailed answers you have provided about
what the Fortune Society in New York City does, an inspiration for many
other community-based programs.)

 

Here are some of the questions that have not yet been fully addressed
yet by our guests or by other participants:

 

1. When an inmate who has been in an education program inside a state
corrections institution or county jail is released, what needs to happen
for him or her to connect to and stick with a community-based education
program?

2. Are you aware of any exemplary models of connections between inside
education and community based education programs? Can you tell us about
them?

3. What can community-based education programs do to partner with
corrections education programs that release inmates back to their
communities?

4. What do you see as the main differences between career educational
programs through public or private post-secondary institutions and
community education programs?  How do these differences account for the
success or failure of students in these programs?

5.  What spectrum of crimes have these students committed?  What are the
most common?  How does the severity of the crime relate to their
outcomes in community educational programs and subsequent attempts to
find employment...or does it?

6. What are the significant research findings on the topic of successful
transitions from prison education to community education programs?  What
are best practices that might have been discovered from the research.

7. Are the "soft skills" being taught (in corrections and
community-based education programs), such things as attitude,
attendance, punctuality, honesty, dependability, teamwork, listening
skills......?

8. Could you give examples of state or county corrections institutions
and community-based institutions where personal relationships have been
built and sustained over time so that a referral phone call or an email
about an inmate who is being released results in a warm welcome to the
community-based education program, perhaps as part of a number of
community services (housing, employment, health  care, counseling)
provided on release. If so, what enables these relationships? What
sustains them? What undermines them?

9. The House and Senate have passed the Second Chance Act. Could you
describe what provisions this important bill includes.

10. Are there good examples of collaborations or partnerships between
corrections and community education programs where they both use the
same online learning, videos, or software. If so, could you describe
these programs?

11. In a previous discussion here on corrections education we learned
that there is at least one corrections program where inmates can --
under careful supervision by teachers -- use the Internet.  Are there
others? Is this a trend?

12. Are there examples where corrections education programs have taken
online options (online software or education web sites for example) and
brought them inside as stand-alone (not Internet connected) options?

13. What happens in the prisons and jail when the inmate cannot read?
Do you

have programs to address this issue?

 

Are there other unanswered questions?

 

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

djrosen at comcast.net

 

 

 

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From mtate at sbctc.edu  Thu Mar 20 18:37:28 2008
From: mtate at sbctc.edu (Michael Tate)
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 15:37:28 -0700
Subject: [SpecialTopics 923] Re: Corrections to Community Education
In-Reply-To: <F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B8088@ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>
References: <209CED477D22BE4CB989190F935442850B092B69@MAIL2.Mercer.ad>
	<F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B8088@ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>
Message-ID: <0CA6C79FCB4AC642A77B76C17A4316EE02CEEB79@exch-1.sbctc2.local>

Gail, Bill and others:  To add to the theme of limits inside the walls,
there were a lot of good approaches and tools that I couldn't bring into
the prison as the evening ESL teacher if I was to keep faith with the
rules about contraband.  

The most troublesome rule for me was one about not letting inmates get
into small groups. The concern wasn't that they would be planning
escapes, etc. (there was plenty enough "private" time to do that
already), but that the predators might have time to work the inmates who
were "prey". I can't remember how I ended up being able to have small
groups, but it probably was connected to the fact that these inmates
were coming to class at night as a privilege, so there weren't the
issues that might have existed in another grouping.

While these rules need to exist, it does add another challenge for
teachers inside the walls. 

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Rinderknecht, Gail
A.
Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2008 7:50 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 906] Re: Corrections to Community Education

In Iowa we have found fewer and fewer colleges offering hard copy
courses for anyone.  They are transitioning to online classes, and
because our inmates are not allowed internet access, there is less
access to higher education.

As far as what crimes have been committed, I have many students with
drug offenses that range from multiple charges of possession with intent
to deliver to manufacturing meth.  In the minimum security facility I
have many students with multiple drunk driving offenses.  At the
opposite end of the spectrum, there are pedophiles, robbery, armed
robbery and murder.  I do work in two separate facilities: one minimum
and one medium security.  

Gail Rinderknecht
Des Moines Area Community College
Newton Correctional Facility
garinderknecht at dmacc.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Ridolfino, Kiel
Sent: Thu 3/20/2008 8:02 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 906] Re: Corrections to Community Education
 
Just some information about our program:

The education department of Mercer County Correction Center (NJ)
consists of 3 teachers (one ESL), two classrooms, and a "library".  Most
of our students do not have a GED and their goal is to obtain one.  Our
three teachers collaborate together to help students achieve their goal.
GED testing takes place onsite by a state-certified proctor. We
currently do not offer college courses, but we do not turn anyone away,
so students who already have their high school diploma enter a program
called Life Skills and work on workplace literacy, typing/computer
skills, grammar and writing, and we also offer a program based upon
ex-offenders re-entering society and obtaining jobs.  We have materials
that cover resume writing and job interview skills specifically for
ex-offenders.  Most recently, we started planning for a program that
would allow inmates to have their poetry published in a book compiled of
writings from all different inmates within the facility.

 

We currently have approx. 165 students enrolled in the education
program.  At the end of 2006, when our education department was first
established, we had 7 high school graduates.  With the addition of
another teacher in 2007, 18 more students obtained their GEDs.  As of
right now we have 4 graduates in 2008.  There are many security
issues/restrictions due to the fact that not only is this a minimum to
maximum security facility, but there are also men and women here.

 

Like I had previously mentioned, we do not offer college courses here,
but we are trying greatly to connect with local colleges to be able to.
Does anyone know what process we must go through or could you tell me
what your facility had to do to be able to offer college courses??  We
have been left in the dark and communication with colleges has been such
a challenge for us!  Thank you!

 

Kiel Ridolfino

ESL/ABE Teacher

Mercer County Correction Center

(609) 583 - 3545 ext. 2226

kridolfino at mercercounty.org

________________________________

 

 

 

 

From SYNSOL at cableone.net  Thu Mar 20 18:40:58 2008
From: SYNSOL at cableone.net (Bill Anthony)
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 17:40:58 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 924]  Thoughts on your 13 Questions
References: <209CED477D22BE4CB989190F935442850B092B69@MAIL2.Mercer.ad>
	<252A00E7-7F5B-4F34-B5E1-BBE187E4C063@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <055701c88adb$77cc5590$6501a8c0@BillHP>

David Rosen,

I am going to try to respond to your 13 questions.  I believe the discussions have been great and I've pickup many Ideas from the group.  

I'll preface my answers with a quick reference to a few principles:

        1. Unfortunately all inmates will not respond successfully to our efforts no matter how well intentioned.  We may have to adjust or goals and measures of success.  Providing      opportunities to inmates may be the best we can do.  Remember the old saw  ..."there is no rehabilitation except self rehabilitation"

        2.  The best place to place our efforts may be in training inmates that they are ultimately responsible for their own success.  We might spend more time teaching the soft skills and personal responsibilities -- We may think the GED is of critical importance but many successful people have gotten there by hard work and without the benefits we attribute to traditional education.

        3.  As nice as it may be to have funds, staff, and political support, we may have to live within our means and the structures in which we work.  We may have to change or priorities, and accept less than perfect solutions.

        4.  Many inmates will not follow through with any organized educational involvement after release.  We may have to teach them how to learn on their own.  With current technology , "Lifelong learning" has never been easier.  Can we motivate inmates to learn, and teach them how to learn on their own?

        5.  The best place to concentrate on linkage between correctional education and community education may be at the local jail levels where the educators can best communicate and work together.  At least the inmates will be going back to a smaller local area with which jail staff can become familiar.  Given the lack of resources of many jails and the rapid turnover,  Community education might profit from actually recruiting students from the jail populations.  

*********  Now for response to 13 questions::
1. When an inmate who has been in an education program inside a state corrections institution or county jail is released, what needs to happen for him or her to connect to and stick with a community-based education program?

Response:  We need to know what is available in the community, and convince the inmate that the resources are worth pursuing.  Because of the many problems they may be faced with immediately upon release it may be necessary for them to drop in and (possibly) out of programs several times before they complete.  Can we help them find "Distance education" opportunities that they can manage on their own schedule and budget. 
  2. Are you aware of any exemplary models of connections between inside education and community based education programs? Can you tell us about them?

  Response:  Possibly seven steps types of programs that can be begun in the institution and continues on the street.  Think AA.  Some would argue that most dysfunctional behavior is a result of addictive personalities and caused by fears of pain, failure, and change.  The many seven step programs understand addictive behaviors

  3. What can community-based education programs do to partner with corrections education programs that release inmates back to their communities?

  Response:  Try to extend their programs into local correctional facilities.  Provide information, attend job fairs, take part in the prisons pre release activities.  Operate programs within the prison as possible within their resources and the prisons receptiveness. 

  4. What do you see as the main differences between career educational programs through public or private post-secondary institutions and community education programs?  How do these differences account for the success or failure of students in these programs?

  Response:  In my experience I see community education programs referring students to the public or private schools for any long term programs.  Where typical Adult Ed, ESL, and GED programs are considered community education.  Most such programs are operated by community colleges.  I would hope that community education programs not affiliated with public or private schools, their best effort might be at family literacy, family support, and supporting LifeLong learning values.

  5.  What spectrum of crimes have these students committed?  What are the most common?  How does the severity of the crime relate to their outcomes in community educational programs and subsequent attempts to find employment...or does it?

  Response:  I belive that the statistic will support that a clear majority of inmates have some type of drug, alcohol, and even abusive behavior involved in their incarceration.  Employers - especially small employers cannot afford to have undependable employees.  In my experience the best chance for these inmates for employment (unfortunately) are with larger companies and traditional day labor with no benefits.  Again we are skirting the issues of self defeating personalities and addictive behaviors.  How do we get inmates to recognize and improve these limitations

  6. What are the significant research findings on the topic of successful transitions from prison education to community education programs?  What are best practices that might have been discovered from the research.

  Response:  I believe most research must be read with care.  What is the definition of a successfull transition.  One year? two year? three Years or more?  The federal Bureau of prisons did a longitudinal study of post release success and over a period of at least three years.  They found that GED, Vocational training, and successfull work experience (in prison) were significant in reducing recidivism.  A possible weakness in the study was the possibility that through "self selection"  the inmates who took part in those programs were most likely to suceed anyway.  I beleive you can review this extensive study through the US Bureau of Prisons web site.  www.bop.org look under news/information and then research reports.

  7. Are the "soft skills" being taught (in corrections and community-based education programs), such things as attitude, attendance, punctuality, honesty, dependability, teamwork, listening skills......?

  Response:  I certainly hope so but these issues tend to be more personality based than knowledge based.  There are valid computerized assessments of personality tendancies.  given the advances in computer power many of these assessments are self interpreting and don't need trained Psycholgists to interpret and use the information like the older test such as the MMPI.  Unfortunately all of the above personality type issues may be best developed by long term observations and intervention.  Thats why we all really know that prerelease activities should begin on day one of incarceration and not addressed only when inmates are nearing release.

  8. Could you give examples of state or county corrections institutions and community-based institutions where personal relationships have been built and sustained over time so that a referral phone call or an email about an inmate who is being released results in a warm welcome to the community-based education program, perhaps as part of a number of community services (housing, employment, health  care, counseling) provided on release. If so, what enables these relationships? What sustains them? What undermines them?

  Response: Well meaning and politically correct "Privacy Issues" raise their ugly heads.  It makes it almost impossible for a prison to provide follow up services to inmates or any official contacts with them.  Possibly if community educatioagencies are already working with inmates in the prison they may be in the best position to follow up upon release.

  9. The House and Senate have passed the Second Chance Act. Could you describe what provisions this important bill includes.

  response: this issue was addressed by Steve Stuerer in topic #884 -  i'm sure his "Correctional Education Association"  Web site has a link to the information.  I'm also sure his organization has a great deal of information about best practices -- he is being too modest in our discussion group.  

  10. Are there good examples of collaborations or partnerships between corrections and community education programs where they both use the same online learning, videos, or software. If so, could you describe these programs?

  Response:  Some of the same video series that are shown on the CEA TLN network are also available on most state public broadcasting stations and many Adult Education programs.  I can't  specifically name any direct collaborations or partnerships.  But there certainly should be more of this.  Limitations on internet access by inmates in most prisons is makes the on-line collaborations very limited.  I beleive Hawaii and Wisconsin are doing experiments in very secure and limited access to specific internet sites.  As Prisons begin to have faith in the possibility of secure internet connection maybe more on-line collaboration will be possible.

  11. In a previous discussion here on corrections education we learned that there is at least one corrections program where inmates can -- under careful supervision by teachers -- use the Internet.  Are there others? Is this a trend?

  Response: see 10 above.  the whole US Department of Labor's O*Net system and links to Americas Jobs should be made avaialble to inmates.  It is possible to get this O*NET data  and place it on regular stand alone computers or LANs.  User training and user friendliness of the data is somewhat problematic.  Too often staff need to be toinvolve in findng and printing out the information.

  12. Are there examples where corrections education programs have taken online options (online software or education web sites for example) and brought them inside as stand-alone (not Internet connected) options?

  Responded to previously.  

  13. What happens in the prisons and jail when the inmate cannot read?  Do you  have programs to address this issue?

  Response: I would suspect that very few prisons, with any education programs, aren't trying their best to improve reading skills.  Unfortunately this can be a slow long term process.  We can't wait until they learn to read to begin the process of teaching/developing other transition skills. 

  Are there other unanswered questions?

  YES:  Where institutions and inmates are developing good education and reintegration plans -- are inmates able to bring the plans and progress reports with them when they are released?  If every inmate had a portfolio of assessments and work record and Shool work to carry with them it might save community education programs from having to cox the information out of released inmates or start them on "step one" in their programs.  I suspect that always having to start over in any new educational opportunity is a prime reason (excuse?) for dropping out.

  Thanks for the opportunity to comment.  Sorry the comments are so long! 

  Bill Anthony
  synsol at cableone.net
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From SSteurer at ceanational.org  Thu Mar 20 21:10:46 2008
From: SSteurer at ceanational.org (Steve Steurer)
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 21:10:46 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 925] Re: Corrections to Community Education
In-Reply-To: <252A00E7-7F5B-4F34-B5E1-BBE187E4C063@comcast.net>
References: <209CED477D22BE4CB989190F935442850B092B69@MAIL2.Mercer.ad>
	<252A00E7-7F5B-4F34-B5E1-BBE187E4C063@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <C3685E8CDEECC046905D5C1F9AF949520B32F6@ceaoffice.CEANATIONAL.local>

David,

 

Thanks for taking charge of this great special topic on corrections to
community education.   As you can see it can be very complicated.   I
will try to give answers to some of the questions you have posed.  In
most cases I do not really have anything better to say than others have
already answered, but here goes:

 

1. When an inmate who has been in an education program inside a state
corrections institution or county jail is released, what needs to happen
for him or her to connect to and stick with a community-based education
program?  Most inmates upon release have very few financial or family
resources and community education programs would probably be low on
their list of priorities.  Unless the education program is connected to
work and income the program is not likely to stick.  So it is imperative
to set up jobs and programs before release.  

2. Are you aware of any exemplary models of connections between inside
education and community based education programs? Can you tell us about
them?  Lots of folks have already given some good examples.

3. What can community-based education programs do to partner with
corrections education programs that release inmates back to their
communities? Find out who in the Department of Corrections and/or
correctional education programs coordinates re-entry and career
technology programs and communicate  and coordinate your programs with
them.  With the strong possibility of the Second Chance Act passing this
session of Congress there may be more staff working on connecting with
community education, business and labor.

4. What do you see as the main differences between career educational
programs through public or private post-secondary institutions and
community education programs?  How do these differences account for the
success or failure of students in these programs?  Not my area of
expertise. Sorry.

5.  What spectrum of crimes have these students committed?  What are the
most common?  How does the severity of the crime relate to their
outcomes in community educational programs and subsequent attempts to
find employment...or does it?   Inmates have committed the whole
spectrum of crimes and, unless they are sex offenders and are on the sex
offender registry, you may have a hard time finding out what they did.
You can bet that the large majority of them have been involved with
drugs, either using or selling.  Many of them will not volunteer their
crime history although they have probably been counseled to be up front
about it and that they should ask for a chance to show how they have
changed.  There are very few "first offenders" coming out of prison.
They may have been incarcerated for their first adult conviction but
chances are that they have had a history of juvenile offending as well.
Now this may make lots of folks feel uncomfortable dealing with students
just released from prison, but my experience is that most of them want
to change and need someone to help them along.  They slip-slide back to
crime because they don't find the support they need.  There is little
research to show how the severity of the crime predicts later outcomes.

6. What are the significant research findings on the topic of successful
transitions from prison education to community education programs?  What
are best practices that might have been discovered from the research.
There is little research here and this is one of the perennial
questions.  We know education (vocational and academic) reduce
recidivism and that drug programs do as well.  We assume that more of
these programs lead to better results.  We also know that intensive
supervision during the first year of parole makes a difference.  We need
tons of long term research to answer this question.  

7. Are the "soft skills" being taught (in corrections and
community-based education programs), such things as attitude,
attendance, punctuality, honesty, dependability, teamwork, listening
skills......?  This is another area where research is needed.  There are
so many variables that it is difficult to sort out what areas, "soft or
hard skills" make a difference.  We like to think that a comprehensive
education, hard and soft, makes the most difference.    

8. Could you give examples of state or county corrections institutions
and community-based institutions where personal relationships have been
built and sustained over time so that a referral phone call or an email
about an inmate who is being released results in a warm welcome to the
community-based education program, perhaps as part of a number of
community services (housing, employment, health  care, counseling)
provided on release. If so, what enables these relationships? What
sustains them? What undermines them?  Lots of folks have commented
positively on their prograsm but so few of these programs have been
studied and analyzed by researchers.     

9. The House and Senate have passed the Second Chance Act. Could you
describe what provisions this important bill includes. I sent out a nice
summary from Gene Guerrero earlier.  

10. Are there good examples of collaborations or partnerships between
corrections and community education programs where they both use the
same online learning, videos, or software. If so, could you describe
these programs?  Others can comment on this question in the community
education setting but there is little or no Internet education
programming going on in correctional institutions.  This is such a
security problem in terms of gang communication that corrections pretty
much refuses to let inmates have Internet connectivity.  There are
plenty of examples of local area network instruction and the use of
computers in the classroom. But there are few examples of inmates
sending emails to anyone and almost no online courses in prison.   CEA
sponsors a satellite program network called Transforming Lives Network
that broadcasts education programs from basic literacy to ESL to GED to
post secondary education into prisons, jails and juvenile facilities.
Corrections officials have little problem with inmates watching
educational television because it is not Internet.  Please go the CEA
website and click on TLN for information about program content and
schedules and how to become part of the CEA-TLN connection.

11. In a previous discussion here on corrections education we learned
that there is at least one corrections program where inmates can --
under careful supervision by teachers -- use the Internet.  Are there
others? Is this a trend?  The Federal Bureau of Prisons is beginning to
work with limited and supervised email.  The University of New Mexico is
delivering online courses to inmates.  Ohio allows certain inmates who
are in minimum security to establish an email connection as part of
their preparation for release.   I don't know much about these programs
and I am sure there are others.  Correctional agencies are reluctant to
talk about Internet.  Some of the participants in this forum probably
have more examples.   Until the various departments of corrections feel
that they can limit where inmates can go on the Internet and maintain
security Internet will be a rare thing in prison.  This really handicaps
correctional educators in preparing inmates for the outside world and
connection to community.  More and more career programs use the Internet
for direct instruction as well as assessment.  

12. Are there examples where corrections education programs have taken
online options (online software or education web sites for example) and
brought them inside as stand-alone (not Internet connected) options?
Same answer as question 11.

13. What happens in the prisons and jail when the inmate cannot read?
Do you

have programs to address this issue?  This is what prisons and jails do
best.  ABE, ESL and GED.  I am sure there are tons of examples others
can give.  The biggest problem for corrections is that the need for
basic instruction far outstrips the capacity of correctional education
programs.  Most inmates come to prison without a high school diploma or
a GED and leave without having achieved such a basic credential.
Correctional education programs are usually full and there are students
on waiting lists.   The latest National Assessment of Adult Literacy
report on corrections highlights this terrible problem in the context of
illiteracy among adult Americans generally.  CEA is about to launch a
Teacher Training and Peer Tutoring program that it developed during the
last two years in partnership with the Ohio Central School System (Ohio
Department of Rehabilitation and Correction).  It will be available on
CD/DVD along with a training component and possible college credit
through Ashland University in Ohio.  More to come on our CEA website
soon www.ceanational.org.  

 

 

Steve

Stephen Steurer Ph.D.,

Executive Director

Correctional Education Association

8182 Lark Brown Road  Suite 202

Elkridge, MD  21075

Tel: 443-459-3081

Fax: 443-459-3088

www.ceanational.org

"Transforming Lives Through Education"

 

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2008 9:48 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 907] Re: Corrections to Community Education

 

Colleagues,

 

We have only two more days to devote to this topic. I hope everyone who
wants to say something related to the topic will. I am glad that some
participants who thought they would only read have decided to contribute
to the discussion.  I hope others will, too.

 

Now that all four of our guests are with us I hope that we can hear all
their perspectives on some of the questions that have not yet been fully
answered. (See a list of these below).

 

Thanks, Kiel, for opening up the question of transition from corrections
education to college. I would like to hear from our guest experts, and
others, about what has been effective in helping released inmates
transition to post-secondary education. 

 

I know that many years ago there were federal subsidies for inmates to
take college courses. (I was an Academic Dean at a small college that
had an MA program that served inmates and that was paid for entirely by
federal financial aid.)  I believe those days are gone, but wonder if
there are college courses of any kind offered to inmates with the goal
of having them enroll as on-campus or online students once they are
released.

 

I would also like to hear from more community-based organizations, if
there are some represented here, with their perspectives on what works
in transitioning inmates to community-based education. (Thanks John
Gordon for the thoughtful and detailed answers you have provided about
what the Fortune Society in New York City does, an inspiration for many
other community-based programs.)

 

Here are some of the questions that have not yet been fully addressed
yet by our guests or by other participants:

 

1. When an inmate who has been in an education program inside a state
corrections institution or county jail is released, what needs to happen
for him or her to connect to and stick with a community-based education
program?

2. Are you aware of any exemplary models of connections between inside
education and community based education programs? Can you tell us about
them?

3. What can community-based education programs do to partner with
corrections education programs that release inmates back to their
communities?

4. What do you see as the main differences between career educational
programs through public or private post-secondary institutions and
community education programs?  How do these differences account for the
success or failure of students in these programs?

5.  What spectrum of crimes have these students committed?  What are the
most common?  How does the severity of the crime relate to their
outcomes in community educational programs and subsequent attempts to
find employment...or does it?

6. What are the significant research findings on the topic of successful
transitions from prison education to community education programs?  What
are best practices that might have been discovered from the research.

7. Are the "soft skills" being taught (in corrections and
community-based education programs), such things as attitude,
attendance, punctuality, honesty, dependability, teamwork, listening
skills......?

8. Could you give examples of state or county corrections institutions
and community-based institutions where personal relationships have been
built and sustained over time so that a referral phone call or an email
about an inmate who is being released results in a warm welcome to the
community-based education program, perhaps as part of a number of
community services (housing, employment, health  care, counseling)
provided on release. If so, what enables these relationships? What
sustains them? What undermines them?

9. The House and Senate have passed the Second Chance Act. Could you
describe what provisions this important bill includes.

10. Are there good examples of collaborations or partnerships between
corrections and community education programs where they both use the
same online learning, videos, or software. If so, could you describe
these programs?

11. In a previous discussion here on corrections education we learned
that there is at least one corrections program where inmates can --
under careful supervision by teachers -- use the Internet.  Are there
others? Is this a trend?

12. Are there examples where corrections education programs have taken
online options (online software or education web sites for example) and
brought them inside as stand-alone (not Internet connected) options?

13. What happens in the prisons and jail when the inmate cannot read?
Do you

have programs to address this issue?

 

Are there other unanswered questions?

 

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

djrosen at comcast.net

 

 

 

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From djrosen at comcast.net  Fri Mar 21 08:42:14 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2008 08:42:14 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 926] Last day of corrections education transition
	discussion
Message-ID: <196829B2-EFE3-4716-8951-D70D56A0AE0D@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

Our discussion will come to a close at the end of today. If you have  
further questions, please post them this morning so our guests -- and  
others -- might have a chance to answer them today.

I have a few more questions for our guests and others, some questions  
of my own and some that others have sent me:

1. What are the differences in adult and young adult re-entry issues  
in community-based education programs for ex-offenders? For example,  
for young adults, is it especially important to be aware of possible  
issues stemming from classmates who are opponent gang members or  
other potential combatants? Possible issues stemming from those who  
are current members of the learner?s former gang? What other young  
adult issues are there for ex-offenders in community education programs?

2. What are the differences in female and male re-entry issues issues  
in community-based education programs for ex-offenders?

3. From the perspective of a community-based education program that  
serves a wide range of adults, not just  ex-offenders, what  
additional or special services should they provide to help ex- 
offender students to succeed? For example, should they have a policy  
that allows ex-offenders to withdraw and easily re-enroll? Should  
they have readily available family, housing, substance abuse,  
physical abuse and employment counseling services? Should they have  
Internet-based instructional options as well as classes? What else?

4. What federal resources are currently available for reentry and how  
can correctional education and community education take advantage of  
some of the opportunities?

5. Bill Anthony mentioned the idea of a portable learner assessment  
portfolio, with an education, work and vocational training record  
that inmates could take with them, upon release, to a community  
education program so they wouldn?t have to start over on ?step one?.  
Are there any examples of this kind of portable portfolio being used  
now?

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

From Carolyn.Buser at ed.gov  Fri Mar 21 09:25:34 2008
From: Carolyn.Buser at ed.gov (Buser, Carolyn)
Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2008 09:25:34 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 927] Re: Last day of corrections education
	transitiondiscussion
Message-ID: <EFB4E73A48DFC544B8FAB0950A5E29030E5FE3@wdcrobe2m05.ed.gov>

      

      David -- The differences between male and female reentry issues are
most obvious concerning child custody.  I have worked with both male and
female reentry programs, and the primary reason many women want to succeed
in the community is to regain and retain custody of their children.  I think
in some ways this may make them more motivated to pursue educational
programs and remain in drug treatment and counseling.  After custody is
returned to mothers, community programs need to be aware of issues such as
child care during program sessions and providing easy access to family
services.  Once children are returned, returning parents - and mothers are
overwhelmingly seeking and given custody - need even more support as they
deal with their children's issues as well as their own.  I think, perhaps,
it may be easier for returning women to find employment because employers
are not as "afraid" of women.

 

I think any community based program would only become more effective were it
to incorporate a wide variety of services and opportunities for all adult
learners.  Community members living in areas to which the vast majority of
offenders are returning need many if not most of those services and
opportunities as well.  Returning offenders can benefit from the same
services provided to other community members, assuming those services are
comprehensive, caring, and competent.  I don't feel that returning offenders
should have different standards for attendance or enrollment.  The community
sets standards, and returning persons need to incorporate community
expectations into their consciousness and lifestyles.

 

Maryland's Correctional Education Program has been using portfolios for
returning persons for a number of years.  I have participated in job fairs
for returning offenders both before and after release and observed how job
applicants have used those portfolios in interview situations.  Having
documented skills and successes on paper in the interview situation seemed
to enable many applicants to speak with clarity about accomplishments and
potential.  

 

Carolyn Buser

Adult Education Program Specialist

United States Department of Education

Division of Adult Education and Literacy

202-245-6697 carolyn.buser at ed.gov

 

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Friday, March 21, 2008 8:42 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 926] Last day of corrections education
transitiondiscussion

 

Colleagues,

 

Our discussion will come to a close at the end of today. If you have  

further questions, please post them this morning so our guests -- and  

others -- might have a chance to answer them today.

 

I have a few more questions for our guests and others, some questions  

of my own and some that others have sent me:

 

1. What are the differences in adult and young adult re-entry issues  

in community-based education programs for ex-offenders? For example,  

for young adults, is it especially important to be aware of possible  

issues stemming from classmates who are opponent gang members or  

other potential combatants? Possible issues stemming from those who  

are current members of the learner's former gang? What other young  

adult issues are there for ex-offenders in community education programs?

 

2. What are the differences in female and male re-entry issues issues  

in community-based education programs for ex-offenders?

 

3. From the perspective of a community-based education program that  

serves a wide range of adults, not just  ex-offenders, what  

additional or special services should they provide to help ex- 

offender students to succeed? For example, should they have a policy  

that allows ex-offenders to withdraw and easily re-enroll? Should  

they have readily available family, housing, substance abuse,  

physical abuse and employment counseling services? Should they have  

Internet-based instructional options as well as classes? What else?

 

4. What federal resources are currently available for reentry and how  

can correctional education and community education take advantage of  

some of the opportunities?

 

5. Bill Anthony mentioned the idea of a portable learner assessment  

portfolio, with an education, work and vocational training record  

that inmates could take with them, upon release, to a community  

education program so they wouldn't have to start over on "step one".  

Are there any examples of this kind of portable portfolio being used  

now?

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

djrosen at comcast.net

 

 

 

-------------------------------

National Institute for Literacy

Special Topics mailing list

SpecialTopics at nifl.gov

To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics

Email delivered to carolyn.buser at ed.gov

 

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From SYNSOL at cableone.net  Fri Mar 21 09:40:26 2008
From: SYNSOL at cableone.net (Bill Anthony)
Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2008 08:40:26 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 928] Re: Last day of corrections education
	transitiondiscussion
References: <196829B2-EFE3-4716-8951-D70D56A0AE0D@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <061801c88b59$1f715390$6501a8c0@BillHP>

Regarding David Rosen's question # 4 below

4. What federal resources are currently available for reentry and how
can correctional education and community education take advantage of
some of the opportunities?

Response:  You might want to go to the www.bop.gov web site; click on "News 
and Information", and download the (inmate) "Employment Information Handbook 
2008".  The handbook is available as a free download.  It's very well done 
and recently revised.  There's no reason it couln't be made available to 
every inmate preparing for release or upon release.

Bill Anthony
synsol at cableone.net 

From djrosen at comcast.net  Fri Mar 21 10:31:47 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2008 10:31:47 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 929]  Participant contributor introductions
Message-ID: <4EF91B50-A3F4-4601-B45D-6C59D0BFC63F@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

I have been very impressed by the quality of this discussion, by the  
information and answers provided by several of our guest experts and  
by contributing participants. At the suggestion of one of our guests,  
I would like to invite participants who have contributed to introduce  
themselves, to tell us where you work and a little about your  
experience in corrections or community education.

Thank you.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

From Steve.Schwalb at p-h-s.com  Fri Mar 21 14:43:08 2008
From: Steve.Schwalb at p-h-s.com (Steve Schwalb)
Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2008 11:43:08 -0700
Subject: [SpecialTopics 930] Re: Last day of corrections education
	transitiondiscussion
In-Reply-To: <196829B2-EFE3-4716-8951-D70D56A0AE0D@comcast.net>
References: <196829B2-EFE3-4716-8951-D70D56A0AE0D@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <EDC282EFD37A8E4285B6F7365B503DB3060FADCD@exchsrvr.p-h-s.com>

 

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Friday, March 21, 2008 5:42 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 926] Last day of corrections education
transitiondiscussion

Colleagues,

Our discussion will come to a close at the end of today. If you have
further questions, please post them this morning so our guests -- and
others -- might have a chance to answer them today.

I have a few more questions for our guests and others, some questions of
my own and some that others have sent me:

1. What are the differences in adult and young adult re-entry issues in
community-based education programs for ex-offenders? For example, for
young adults, is it especially important to be aware of possible issues
stemming from classmates who are opponent gang members or other
potential combatants? Possible issues stemming from those who are
current members of the learner's former gang? What other young adult
issues are there for ex-offenders in community education programs?

OUR EXPERIENCE WITH YOUTH RE-ENTRY PROGRAMS IS THAT THEIR
IMPRESSIONABILITY, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY HIGHER THAN ADULTS, CAN BE
EFFECTIVELY USED TO THE PROGRAM'S ADVANTAGE.  A PRIORITY IS PLACED ON
COGNITIVE THINKING AS PART OF THE EDUCATION PROGRAMS, WITH THE GOAL OF
GETTING THEM TO ENVISION A POSITIVE FUTURE, PART OF WHICH IS ENHANCED
THROUGH EDUCATION.  ADULT OFFENDER EDUCATION AND TRAINING OFTEN TENDS TO
BE MORE VOCATIONALLY AND LIFE-SKILLS ORIENTED, DUE TO THE ATTENDANT
PRESSURE FOR THESE OFFENDERS TO ACQUIRE AND RETAIN GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT.

2. What are the differences in female and male re-entry issues issues in
community-based education programs for ex-offenders?

WOMEN TEND TO HAVE A HIGHER REGARD FOR AND A GREATER RATE OF SUCCESSFUL
PARTICIPATION IN EDUCATION PROGRAMS.  THEY HAVE, HOWEVER, HIGHER NEEDS
FOR THE ACQUISITION OF CONFIDENCE AND SELF-ESTEEM, WHICH ARE FACTORS TO
BE INCORPORATED INTO FEMALE RE-ENTRY EFFORTS.  THE MAJORITY OF FEMALE
OFFENDERS SEEM TO HAVE GOTTEN THEMSELVES INTO CRIMINAL ACTIVITY THROUGH
CO-DEPENDENT RELATIONSHIP WITH AN IRRESPONSIBLE MALE IN THEIR LIVES.
TEACHING WOMEN SHOULD INCLUDE THAT THEY ARE CAPABLE OF ECONOMIC
SELF-SUFFICIENCY, THAT THEY ARE CAPABLE OF SUCCEEDING IN EDUCATIONAL
ATTAINMENT, AND THAT THEY SHOULD NOT SHY AWAY FROM NON-TRADITIONAL
OCCUPATIONS.   

3. From the perspective of a community-based education program that
serves a wide range of adults, not just  ex-offenders, what additional
or special services should they provide to help ex- offender students to
succeed? For example, should they have a policy that allows ex-offenders
to withdraw and easily re-enroll? Should they have readily available
family, housing, substance abuse, physical abuse and employment
counseling services? Should they have Internet-based instructional
options as well as classes? What else?

MY ORGANIZATION, PIONEER HUMAN SERVICES, HAS FOUND THAT IT IS ESSENTIAL
TO ASSIST WITH HOUSING, CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY TREATMENT AND COUNSELING,
JOB TRAINING, AND EVEN DIRECT EMPLOYMENT, IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THE
MULTIPLE NEEDS MOST EX-OFFENDERS HAVE.  IF IT CAN BE PROVIDED UNDER THE
UMBRELLA OF ONE ORGANIZATION, THE SERVICE DELIVERY CAN BE MORE
INTEGRATED AND EFFICIENT, HOWEVER, IT CAN BE PROVIDED THROUGH
COORDINATED REFERRALS AND INTERAGENCY AGREEMENTS AS WELL. 

4. What federal resources are currently available for reentry and how
can correctional education and community education take advantage of
some of the opportunities?

NOT AWARE OF ANY BEYOND THOSE RESOURCES PREVIOUSLY REFERRED TO BY OTHERS

5. Bill Anthony mentioned the idea of a portable learner assessment
portfolio, with an education, work and vocational training record that
inmates could take with them, upon release, to a community education
program so they wouldn't have to start over on "step one".  
Are there any examples of this kind of portable portfolio being used
now?

I AM NOT AWARE OF ANY BUT I THINK THIS IS AN EXCELLENT IDEA THAT COULD
BE DEVELOPED THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN COMMUNITY PROVIDERS AND
PRISON SYSTEMS.  

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to steve.schwalb at p-h-s.com

From jgordon at fortunesociety.org  Fri Mar 21 17:21:57 2008
From: jgordon at fortunesociety.org (John Gordon)
Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2008 17:21:57 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 931] Re: Last day of corrections education
	transitiondiscussion
References: <196829B2-EFE3-4716-8951-D70D56A0AE0D@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <25AB4DBCECBD574F8A8EE92F47848BBD20E234@mail2.fortunesociety.internal>

David,

Thank you for hosting this discussion and asking so many good questions.
I will comment on your last ones in another email, but I wanted to share 
a few other comments first. 

In the formerly incarcerated community, people in general don't use
the term "ex-offenders" any more, as it tends to emphasize the 
offense and not the fact that they have been incarcerated. 
We tend to us "formerly incarcerated", though that can make for some pretty
awkward sentences. "Former prisoners" is also used, though some people don't
like it. I realize this gets into the area of political correctness around 
but what we call each other does matter.

There have been a few questions around what crimes people in our programs 
have committed. I'm not sure where this question is coming from, but the
answer, at Fortune, is all kinds of crimes:  drug offenses, robbery,
computer-based crimes, homicides, sexual crimes. I had a student last year 
who was convicted of a felony for animal abuse. He had taken his dog on a
long run on the pavement. The dog started bleeding from his paws. He 
stopped by the pond in the park to wash the dog's feet. A woman saw him 
and called the cops and accused him of abusing the dog. They arrested him,
took the dog (which he loved), and charged him with a felony. He was facing
two years; his lawyer advised him to plead guilty and he ended up in an 
alternative to incarceration program at the Fortune Society. 

My experience has been that the people we work with are, by and large, 
struggling really hard to change their lives. Not all of them succeed; that's
for sure. Sometimes it can be pretty intense working here, but it's been
incredibly rewarding, a privilege really. We have a saying at Fortune: 
"No one should be defined by the worst thing they ever did." I think that 
applies to all of us.

john
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From garinderknecht at dmacc.edu  Fri Mar 21 15:01:23 2008
From: garinderknecht at dmacc.edu (Rinderknecht, Gail A.)
Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2008 14:01:23 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 932] Re: Participant contributor introductions
References: <4EF91B50-A3F4-4601-B45D-6C59D0BFC63F@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B8089@ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>

I have indicated some of this in a previous post, but I am happy to re-state it here with additional information.  My name is Gail Rinderknecht.  I graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in secondary art education in 1970.  As a single-again mom of four sons, I returned to Iowa State to work on my master's degree in special education.  As my sons grew, my education went to the back burner as all four of them entered college.  I am only short my thesis to complete my master's, but at this stage in my life, I doubt that that will happen.  I taught special education, level one at the high school level for 16 years.  I began with the Des Moines Area Community College part-time at Newton Correctional Facility 2 1/2 years ago.  I loved working with the men, and many of them were the students with learning disabilities or behavior problems who had dropped out of high school or been asked to leave after their 16th birthday.  I don't think of myself as a great educator, but rather as a pretty good motivator.  When a man says to me that others have "more" than he has, I ask him what the difference is between him and someone who he says has "more."  The answer is always the same:  education.  If I can convince a person that education will help level the playing field when they are released, then I have helped them reach towards something they may have not thought possible before.  Nothing thrills me more than having a man pass his first GED test and know that he did it on his own;  he didn't cheat;  he didn't have anything on tape;  he didn't have anyone read it to him.  There is pure joy of accomplishment when this happens.  In the same manner, when he passes his final test, and I pull out the polaroid camera, the cap and gown and the white shirt and tie, the joy of the accomplishment is his.  They are often blown away by their ability to achieve this goal.  I have had men from age 17 to 59 complete their GED, and nothing in my experience compares to watching these men work to learn and achieve this goal. --and by the way, the 59 year old enrolled in a two year technical school to learn information technology.

As far as programs for those who are behind in reading, writing and math, we use the computer program Plato.  We find that this will take men back to basics and allow them to progress at their own rate.  Younger men like it because it is on the computer;  older men like it because they learn to use a computer at the same time.  I find that it allows me to give them a variety of educational experiences instead of sitting with me in a small group or one-on-one with their reading or math.  While teaching special education, I used a program called REWARDS to teach the breakdown of polysyllabic words.  This has a scripted text and a disposable workbook that a volunteer or an inmate tutor can be trained to use easily.  It seems simplistic when started, but it provides measurable gains in a fairly short period of time by teaching consonant, vowel, and consonant blends as well as prefixes, suffixes and base words.  It is published by SOPRIS.  There is also a computer program that I used successfully in the schools but is too expensive for the DOC to invest in.  It's called Autoskill Reading Academy.  It requires headphones and teaches everything from letter names and sounds to increasing reading speed.  It can be on a server or loaded on individual machines.  

One motivator I use with the men is one given to me by one of my students after he had seen the parole board.  He said the only thing that really impressed them about all the classes he had completed was that he had earned his GED.  When asked about this, he could also respond that the FAFSA had been completed and which programs at which community colleges were being considered upon release.  Although we don't have a guaranteed time reduction upon GED completion, just knowing that the parole board notices this as a positive seems to be motivating in and of itself.

I feel very fortunate that the Iowa Department of Corrections chose to increase the education budget at Newton Correctional Facility to allow me to teach full time.  I work at the medium security site from noon until 3 pm, and then I travel to the minimum site until 8 pm.  This works well for those men who work off grounds to be able to attend class.  Attendance at the minimum site is not mandatory, but I usually have a full classroom for most of the evening.  

Gail Rinderknecht
garinderknecht at dmacc.edu
Des Moines Area Community College
Newton Correctional Facility
Box 218
Newton, IA  50208

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David J. Rosen
Sent: Fri 3/21/2008 9:31 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 929]  Participant contributor introductions
 
Colleagues,

I have been very impressed by the quality of this discussion, by the  
information and answers provided by several of our guest experts and  
by contributing participants. At the suggestion of one of our guests,  
I would like to invite participants who have contributed to introduce  
themselves, to tell us where you work and a little about your  
experience in corrections or community education.

Thank you.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to garinderknecht at dmacc.edu

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From SSteurer at ceanational.org  Fri Mar 21 17:52:03 2008
From: SSteurer at ceanational.org (Steve Steurer)
Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2008 17:52:03 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 933] Re: Last day of corrections
	educationtransitiondiscussion
In-Reply-To: <EDC282EFD37A8E4285B6F7365B503DB3060FADCD@exchsrvr.p-h-s.com>
References: <196829B2-EFE3-4716-8951-D70D56A0AE0D@comcast.net>
	<EDC282EFD37A8E4285B6F7365B503DB3060FADCD@exchsrvr.p-h-s.com>
Message-ID: <C3685E8CDEECC046905D5C1F9AF949520B335A@ceaoffice.CEANATIONAL.local>

David,

Thank you for hosting this great special topic discussion.   And thank everyone who participated.  I enjoyed reading everyone's responses and questions and hope that I have been of some value.  We are busy the rest of the weekend as are many other people so I will end my response with an invitation for everyone to visit the CEA website listed below.   Thanks again.   

Steve
Stephen Steurer Ph.D.,
Executive Director
Correctional Education Association
8182 Lark Brown Road? Suite 202
Elkridge, MD? 21075
Tel: 443-459-3081
Fax: 443-459-3088
www.ceanational.org
"Transforming Lives Through Education"

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Steve Schwalb
Sent: Friday, March 21, 2008 2:43 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 930] Re: Last day of corrections educationtransitiondiscussion

 

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Friday, March 21, 2008 5:42 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 926] Last day of corrections education
transitiondiscussion

Colleagues,

Our discussion will come to a close at the end of today. If you have
further questions, please post them this morning so our guests -- and
others -- might have a chance to answer them today.

I have a few more questions for our guests and others, some questions of
my own and some that others have sent me:

1. What are the differences in adult and young adult re-entry issues in
community-based education programs for ex-offenders? For example, for
young adults, is it especially important to be aware of possible issues
stemming from classmates who are opponent gang members or other
potential combatants? Possible issues stemming from those who are
current members of the learner's former gang? What other young adult
issues are there for ex-offenders in community education programs?

OUR EXPERIENCE WITH YOUTH RE-ENTRY PROGRAMS IS THAT THEIR
IMPRESSIONABILITY, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY HIGHER THAN ADULTS, CAN BE
EFFECTIVELY USED TO THE PROGRAM'S ADVANTAGE.  A PRIORITY IS PLACED ON
COGNITIVE THINKING AS PART OF THE EDUCATION PROGRAMS, WITH THE GOAL OF
GETTING THEM TO ENVISION A POSITIVE FUTURE, PART OF WHICH IS ENHANCED
THROUGH EDUCATION.  ADULT OFFENDER EDUCATION AND TRAINING OFTEN TENDS TO
BE MORE VOCATIONALLY AND LIFE-SKILLS ORIENTED, DUE TO THE ATTENDANT
PRESSURE FOR THESE OFFENDERS TO ACQUIRE AND RETAIN GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT.

2. What are the differences in female and male re-entry issues issues in
community-based education programs for ex-offenders?

WOMEN TEND TO HAVE A HIGHER REGARD FOR AND A GREATER RATE OF SUCCESSFUL
PARTICIPATION IN EDUCATION PROGRAMS.  THEY HAVE, HOWEVER, HIGHER NEEDS
FOR THE ACQUISITION OF CONFIDENCE AND SELF-ESTEEM, WHICH ARE FACTORS TO
BE INCORPORATED INTO FEMALE RE-ENTRY EFFORTS.  THE MAJORITY OF FEMALE
OFFENDERS SEEM TO HAVE GOTTEN THEMSELVES INTO CRIMINAL ACTIVITY THROUGH
CO-DEPENDENT RELATIONSHIP WITH AN IRRESPONSIBLE MALE IN THEIR LIVES.
TEACHING WOMEN SHOULD INCLUDE THAT THEY ARE CAPABLE OF ECONOMIC
SELF-SUFFICIENCY, THAT THEY ARE CAPABLE OF SUCCEEDING IN EDUCATIONAL
ATTAINMENT, AND THAT THEY SHOULD NOT SHY AWAY FROM NON-TRADITIONAL
OCCUPATIONS.   

3. From the perspective of a community-based education program that
serves a wide range of adults, not just  ex-offenders, what additional
or special services should they provide to help ex- offender students to
succeed? For example, should they have a policy that allows ex-offenders
to withdraw and easily re-enroll? Should they have readily available
family, housing, substance abuse, physical abuse and employment
counseling services? Should they have Internet-based instructional
options as well as classes? What else?

MY ORGANIZATION, PIONEER HUMAN SERVICES, HAS FOUND THAT IT IS ESSENTIAL
TO ASSIST WITH HOUSING, CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY TREATMENT AND COUNSELING,
JOB TRAINING, AND EVEN DIRECT EMPLOYMENT, IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THE
MULTIPLE NEEDS MOST EX-OFFENDERS HAVE.  IF IT CAN BE PROVIDED UNDER THE
UMBRELLA OF ONE ORGANIZATION, THE SERVICE DELIVERY CAN BE MORE
INTEGRATED AND EFFICIENT, HOWEVER, IT CAN BE PROVIDED THROUGH
COORDINATED REFERRALS AND INTERAGENCY AGREEMENTS AS WELL. 

4. What federal resources are currently available for reentry and how
can correctional education and community education take advantage of
some of the opportunities?

NOT AWARE OF ANY BEYOND THOSE RESOURCES PREVIOUSLY REFERRED TO BY OTHERS

5. Bill Anthony mentioned the idea of a portable learner assessment
portfolio, with an education, work and vocational training record that
inmates could take with them, upon release, to a community education
program so they wouldn't have to start over on "step one".  
Are there any examples of this kind of portable portfolio being used
now?

I AM NOT AWARE OF ANY BUT I THINK THIS IS AN EXCELLENT IDEA THAT COULD
BE DEVELOPED THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN COMMUNITY PROVIDERS AND
PRISON SYSTEMS.  

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to steve.schwalb at p-h-s.com
-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to ssteurer at ceanational.org

From carole.a.scholl at co.multnomah.or.us  Fri Mar 21 18:48:50 2008
From: carole.a.scholl at co.multnomah.or.us (SCHOLL Carole A)
Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2008 15:48:50 -0700
Subject: [SpecialTopics 934] Re: re-entry education in Oregon
In-Reply-To: <EDC282EFD37A8E4285B6F7365B503DB3060FADCD@exchsrvr.p-h-s.com>
Message-ID: <FA59058FBE1C4D49A95B310BD31E2A861B86D2@EXCH2.co.multnomah.or.us>

Hell all--
Sadly I've been out of town for most of this discussion. I manage a
re-entry education program in Portland Oregon for adults who are out of
prison or jail, or involved in substance abuse treatment. We serve 600
adults a year and see a much higher rate of learning challenges than our
community college colleagues. Our program, the Londer Learning Center,
is fully part of our county's probation department so program referrals
come from probation/parole officers, as well as courts and treatment
centers. Teachers are also hired by the probation department, and not
contracted through community college. This has had the advantage that
our teachers are expected to be knowledgeable --and receive training
in-- corrections' best practices--cognitive behavioral change,
motivational interviewing, etc. Teachers also must be well-versed in
learning disabilities as adults in rehab may have cognition
difficulties. The close connection between POs and treatment centers
creates a holistic learning environment--caseworkers (POs, counselors,
etc) provide the support students need to complete their education.
Also, teachers are on the "front lines" of identifying students who may
be relapsing and can provide direct referrals for students life
crises--common for adults in re-entry.

Why a separate program for community college? Unfortunately, many
community colleges have institutional barriers that adults in re-entry
cannot negotiate. For example, intake may occur just once a term and
requires appointments and fees. Most adults in re-entry--who've left
jail/prison and are in the community--have so many barriers that any
additional difficulty will impede follow-through to finish school. Our
program works closely with the community college--once students are
stabilized, it is our goal to help them transition.

An important note for anyone wishing to start a re-entry program--
corrections professionals look at programs that address "criminogenic
risk factors." Lack of education and employment is among the top risk
factors that can lead to crime. Educational programs, therefore, can and
do reduce recidivism. 

I'd be happy to provide more information about our program. You can read
more about us on our website:
http://www.co.multnomah.or.us/dcj/asdllcindex.html

Carole Scholl
Manager
Londer Learning Center
Multnomah County Department of Community Justice
Portland, Oregon

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Steve Schwalb
Sent: Friday, March 21, 2008 11:43 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 930] Re: Last day of corrections
educationtransitiondiscussion

From jgordon at fortunesociety.org  Fri Mar 21 21:33:32 2008
From: jgordon at fortunesociety.org (John Gordon)
Date: Fri, 21 Mar 2008 21:33:32 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 935] Re: Last day of corrections education
	transitiondiscussion
References: <196829B2-EFE3-4716-8951-D70D56A0AE0D@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <25AB4DBCECBD574F8A8EE92F47848BBD20E235@mail2.fortunesociety.internal>

David,

A few last responses:

1. What are the differences in adult and young adult re-entry issues  
in community-based education programs for ex-offenders? For example,  
for young adults, is it especially important to be aware of possible  
issues stemming from classmates who are opponent gang members or  
other potential combatants? Possible issues stemming from those who  
are current members of the learner's former gang? What other young  
adult issues are there for ex-offenders in community education programs?

It's easy to overgeneralize here, but here are a couple of thoughts. The 
younger folks who come through our programs tend to be closer to the streets
and the activities that got them locked up than the (generally older) students
who did significant state prison time. Those with more time tend to come back 
more centered and more focused than the younger students we work with. That's
not to say they don't have significant issues to deal with - around substance
use, employment, and mental health, for example. But they tend to be more 
clear about why they're here. The influx of younger students has forced us
to revisit our guidelines for participation as many of them are pretty ambi-
valent about coming back to school. Lateness, acting out in class, etc. have
become more prevalent as the number of young students has grown. Still, I believe 
it's just as important, maybe even more so, to develop those guidelines 
with the participation of the students themselves. And the younger students
bring a lot of dynamic energy to the learning process.

2. What are the differences in female and male re-entry issues issues  
in community-based education programs for ex-offenders?

I think, by and large, the difference in female and male reentry issues
mirror those in the society at large. Women are much more likely to need
child care and be survivors of domestic violence, for example. One big difference
here at Fortune is that women only make up about 15% of the people coming 
through our doors. That makes it important that we really pay attention to 
how they are experiencing the program, both inside and outside of our classes.

john
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From djrosen at comcast.net  Sun Mar 23 09:58:34 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Sun, 23 Mar 2008 09:58:34 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 936]  Corrections discussion: introductions
Message-ID: <61BA67CB-C9E2-4806-ACCD-D83BA37BC32B@comcast.net>

Forwarded for Bill Anthony, in response to my request that  
participants introduce themselves.

David,

Thank you for hosting our discussion group.  I know we have all  
learned from the experience.  Following is a brief  introduction.

My name is Bill Anthony.  I spent 10 years teaching vocational  
subjects in Jr./ Sr. High Schools,  I worked in the education branch  
of the Federal Bureau of Prisons - 5 as a teacher in a youth  
facility, 9 as a "principal" in a medium security prison, and 11 as a  
Regional Education Administrator.

After retirement from the prison system I started up a  
company,"Synergetic Solutions", that represents a number of  
publishers of adult, correctional, and workforce development  
instructional resources.  Our resources are mostly video, DVD's,  
computer assisted instruction, internet delivered instruction,and  
multimedia teaching systems.  I have been selling these "solutions"  
to corrections, community education, adult education and workforce  
development programs for the last 14 years.

I am convinced that correctional education must make maximum use of  
the new educational technologies if they are to complete their  
missions in an environment of diminishing resources and escalating  
populations.  I am firmly convince that we need to teach all  
students, correctional and other, how to learn.  I am constantly  
looking for new Lifelong Learning Resources.

I can be reached at:

Bill Anthony
Synergetic Solutions
228-255-0369
synsol at cableone.net

From jataylor at utk.edu  Thu Mar 20 23:17:59 2008
From: jataylor at utk.edu (Taylor, Jackie)
Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 23:17:59 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 937]  AALPD - Join or Renew Membership Today
Message-ID: <0913EC48F2B05C4FBE4878BAFCABBFEC01D44BC4@KFSVS2.utk.tennessee.edu>

Dear Colleagues:

 

The Association of Adult Literacy Professional Developers (AALPD) is
wrapping up its annual membership drive. We actually start our
membership list from scratch each year so that we can keep our records
current and provide new ways for members to become active in the
organization.  We will be launching into some exciting activities this
year but before we do, we'd like to make sure everyone who is interested
has had the opportunity to join or renew membership. 

 

http://www.aalpd.org/membership_leadership08.cfm

 

Though you can join or renew membership at any time, we hope you will do
so today. Thank you for your support. We have some exciting initiatives
coming up this year!

 

Best, Jackie

 

Jackie Taylor, Chair

AALPD

jataylor at utk.edu 

 

---------------------------------------------------- 

The Association of Adult Literacy Professional Developers (AALPD) is
hosting an annual membership drive through mid-March.

 

If you are working or interested in professional development and
dedicated to advancing the field, please join or renew today.

 

Membership is free. By joining or renewing membership each year you help
AALPD build support for adult literacy professional development while
providing members the best possible services.

 

========================================================================
========

Join or Renew Now: http://www.aalpd.org/membership_leadership08.cfm
========================================================================
========

 

AALPD is...

*	a national professional organization for those working or
interested in professional development 
*	an affiliate of the Commission on Adult Basic Education (COABE) 
*	a member of the National Coalition for Literacy (NCL) 

 

Who are AALPD members?

*	Professional development staff, instructors, administrators,
state staff, volunteers, researchers, and learner leaders working or
interested in professional development 
*	Individuals committed to advancing the field of adult literacy
professional development 

 

How is it run?

*	AALPD is comprised of a volunteer Executive Board, volunteer
chairs over committees that represent member-identified priorities for
professional development (PD standards, PD advocacy; PD research, PD
programming, PD resources) 
*	Volunteer committees work on PD priorities and make
recommendations to the Executive Board; major decisions go to the
membership for a vote 

 

What does AALPD do?

AALPD:

*	Provides programming and resources for members by: 

	*	Hosting an annual PreConference at COABE: 
http://www.aalpd.org/conference.html 
	*	Co-sponsoring the Adult Literacy Professional
Development discussion list in partnership with the National Institute
for Literacy: 
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/Professionaldevelopment 
	*	Providing a Professional Development Registry (
http://www.aalpd.org/pdregistry/index.html) of materials to which you
can find and contribute facilitator materials 

*	Advances member-identified priorities for professional
development 
*	Advocates for funding for professional development 

 

What are AALPD's plans for 2008?

AALPD will be:

*	Continuing current activities 
*	Visioning and strategic planning for AALPD's role in advancing
adult literacy professional development 
*	Increasing leadership and participation opportunities with AALPD

*	Finalizing the AALPD draft quality professional development
standards with feedback from the field (online and in-person at national
PD events) 
*	Planning the 2009 PreConference and AALPD strand at COABE 
*	Strengthening PD networking opportunities 

 

What are the membership benefits?

*	Membership is free! 
*	You can vote for AALPD officers and on special issues that arise
(Only AALPD members will be eligible to vote). 
*	We will send you the latest information about upcoming
trainings, events and resources. 
*	You can have input into the design of the COABE pre-conference
session next year (2009). 
*	You can choose to participate at various levels of involvement
to further member-identified PD priorities 
*	You can help to strengthen AALPD's voice in advocacy by
demonstrating a strong membership of concerned practitioners committed
to professional development. 

 

 How to Join: http://www.aalpd.org/membership_leadership08.cfm 

 

Questions? Contact Jackie Taylor, Chair, jataylor at utk.edu 

 

<http://www.aalpd.org/index.html> <http://www.aalpd.org/index.html>  
<http://www.aalpd.org/index.html>  <http://www.aalpd.org/index.html>  
<http://www.aalpd.org/index.html> 

 

 

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From djrosen at comcast.net  Sun Mar 23 10:03:50 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Sun, 23 Mar 2008 10:03:50 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 938]  Corrections education discussion conclusion
Message-ID: <1F9324BD-38D0-409A-9F37-AA362B62A0E8@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

Our discussion about transition from corrections education to  
community education is now over. It has been a rich and fruitful  
discussion. Gina Lobaccaro, the Corrections Education Topic Leader on  
the Adult Literacy Education Wiki, will be assembling the messages in  
one place on the ALE Wiki and she or I will post a message here when  
this is available.

I want to thank our guests for their participation, especially Cay  
Buser and John Gordon who participated every day and added so much to  
the discussion. Steve Steurer contributed as he could given that he  
was traveling this week and had some technical challenges in connect  
to the Internet, and I am sure we all appreciated his "heads up" on  
the Second Chance Act.

I also want to thank our subscribers, who added a great deal to this  
discussion, especially Fran Tracy Mumford, Gail Rinderknecht, Bill  
Anthony, Michael Tate and John Linton.

Highlights of the discussion for me included learning about the  
impressive efforts in corrections education and transition to the  
community in Maryland, learning about the Second Chance Act -- which  
may offer many more opportunities to improve transitions to the  
community -- and learning about the fine work that is done in New  
York City by the Fortune Society.  What were the highlights for you?   
(I will post your thoughts on Wednesday, March 26th.)

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

From djrosen at comcast.net  Fri Apr 18 18:17:47 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Fri, 18 Apr 2008 18:17:47 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 939] Formative Assessment Publications Available on
	OECD/CERI Web site
Message-ID: <F166BB85-81A1-4E40-87D8-F190AF458491@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

If you participated in the discussion on formative assessment in  
February, you might be interested to read the OECD/CERI conference  
presentations, case studies and literature reviews (all free, online.  
See below.)

Key stakeholders discussing teaching, learning and assessment for adults
On February 13-15 2008, the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and  
Development (OECD)'s Centre for Educational Research and Innovation  
(CERI) brought together policy makers, researchers and practitioners  
from over twenty countries to focus on formative assessment in adult  
literacy education. The conference was also the occasion to launch a  
new report, Teaching, Learning and Assessment for Adults:  Improving  
Foundation Skills.

To find out more:

Presentations and notesfrom the conference sessions

http://www.oecd.org/document/ 
59/0,3343,en_2649_35845581_40166779_1_1_1_1,00.html

Executive summary of the publication

http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/61/22/40026459.pdf

Related case studies and literature reviews

http://www.oecd.org/document/ 
18/0,3343,en_2649_35845581_39972050_1_1_1_1,00.html

David J. Rosen
special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

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From djrosen at comcast.net  Sat Apr 19 08:27:18 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Sat, 19 Apr 2008 08:27:18 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 940] Help shape a discussion on implementing content
	standards
Message-ID: <8F0A85C2-38EF-40FF-99DC-3ED09D2B4AB9@comcast.net>

Special Topics Colleagues,

Beginning on June 9th we will hold a discussion here about  
implementing adult literacy education content standards. Content  
standards experts from several states are being invited to talk about  
the opportunities and challenges they have experienced as they work  
with teachers, administrators and others who are developing  
curriculum and designing teaching lessons that reflect the content  
standards.

I would like to invite you to help shape that discussion. What would  
you like to know about how content standards are being implemented in  
other states? What would you like to see discussed?

Please send your thoughts directly to me at djrosen at comcast.net  I  
will not be posting these thoughts. I will use them to help prepare  
the guests and also to help shape the discussion so it might better  
meet the needs of subscribers.

Let's see how this works. If it's successful I may try this again in  
the future.

Thanks for your help.

David J. Rosen
djrosen at comcast.net

From MMaralit at NIFL.gov  Thu May  8 07:44:11 2008
From: MMaralit at NIFL.gov (Maralit, Mary Jo)
Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 07:44:11 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 941]  Free NAAL data training seminar
Message-ID: <4062487BDB6029428A763CAEF4E1FE5B1B59276B@wdcrobe2m03.ed.gov>

Forwarded Message from National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): 

May 14th is the registration deadline for the upcoming free NAAL data
training seminar that starts on Wednesday, June 25, 2008 through Friday,
June 27, 2008, in Washington, DC. Only a few people have signed up and we
still have capacity to accept between 10-12 more people. 

The overall goal of the seminar is to equip participants with knowledge and
skills on the use of the National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) data
files and tools for substantive research as well as policy analyses. Topics
covered in the seminar include instruction on how to analyze NAAL data, with
hands-on practice, and help in designing and carrying out a research study. 

NAAL data training seminar training is open to everyone including
researchers and planners, education practitioners, policymakers, and
association members, as well as faculty and advanced graduate students from
colleges and universities nationwide. There are no registration fees and
NCES is paying for the travel and lodging cost. 

I encourage everyone to go to the following site to learn more about the
training and if you are interested, use the link within the site to
register. <http://ies.ed.gov/whatsnew/conferences/?id=314&cid=2> 

Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions you may have.
Jaleh Behroozi Soroui
jsoroui at air.org <mailto:jsoroui at air.org>
202/403-6958

From MMaralit at NIFL.gov  Thu May  8 14:35:45 2008
From: MMaralit at NIFL.gov (Maralit, Mary Jo)
Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 14:35:45 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 942] Notice from the National Institute for Literacy
References: <4062487BDB6029428A763CAEF4E1FE5B1B59276B@wdcrobe2m03.ed.gov>
Message-ID: <4062487BDB6029428A763CAEF4E1FE5B153835DE@wdcrobe2m03.ed.gov>

Dear List subscribers,

I just wanted to send out a little note of apology for emails that were sent
out from our development server.  

We are currently re-configuring the server, which inadvertently sent out
emails to subscribers within the past 2 hours.  Consequently, you may have
received an email from mailman-owner at dev.nifl.gov.  Please disregard those
emails and accept my sincere apologies.  

As subscribers, we understand the volume of mail that you receive daily and
we will take steps to avoid instances like this in the future.  

If you have any questions, please let me know.  I can be reached at
mmaralit at nifl.gov.  

Sincerely,

Jo Maralit
National Institute for Literacy
mmaralit at nifl.gov

From djrosen at comcast.net  Thu May 29 20:54:56 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Thu, 29 May 2008 20:54:56 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 943] Implementation of state adult education content
	standards
Message-ID: <A1727992-F6A7-4B0D-ACCB-2FF6B30B4EB0@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

Beginning on Monday, June 9th, and continuing through Friday, June  
20th, on the National Institute for Literacy Special Topics list, we  
will discuss the implementation of state adult education content  
standards. Experts from several states have been invited to talk  
about the opportunities and challenges they have experienced as they  
work with teachers, administrators and others who are developing  
curriculum, and designing and teaching lessons that reflect their  
state's content standards. Our guests include: Miriam Kroeger, from  
Arizona; Raye Nell Spillman, from Louisiana; Karen Lisch Gianninoto,  
from Maryland; Judy Franks, from Ohio; Pam Blundel, from Oklahoma;  
Philip Anderson, from Florida; and Federico Salas, from Texas.

I hope you will join us for this discussion. You will find background  
information on several of our guest experts below.

To subscribe to the discussion, go to:

http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics

You can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or, if you  
prefer, you can stay subscribed for the next discussion.

Please forward this announcement to your colleagues who may be  
interested!

Background on Discussion Guests

Pam Blundell has been involved in Oklahoma's development and  
implementation of content standards since 2002-2003 when the state  
held its first discussions around the possibility of introducing the  
Equipped for the Future (EFF) teaching and learning system to the  
field. Pam was given the task of overseeing the state's first EFF  
pilot project in 2003-2004. During the EFF pilot year, the state  
decided to expand the EFF training and officially adopt EFF content  
standards statewide. At that time, Pam was asked to coordinate this  
long-term process. Pam has continued to be directly involved in the  
implementation and oversight of the integration of content standards  
into the adult education classroom. This process has involved the  
development of new tools and training processes and most recently,  
leading the state's Standards-In-Action (SIA) team. Prior to coming  
to the state, Pam worked as an adult education teacher integrating  
EFF standards into instruction.

Judy Franks is currently on staff at the Ohio Literacy Resource  
Center as a Literacy Projects Coordinator. She was involved  
originally with the Equipped for the Future (EFF) Standards-based  
System Reform Initiative, coordinating the Ohio Research Field Sites  
and training as a Certified State Facilitator. Judy has had  
experience developing and working with the standards at the program,  
state, and national levels. As a veteran instructor of training and  
development courses, Judy's background in adult basic education since  
1992 includes family literacy, GED classroom instruction and the  
development of a workforce training program.

Karen Lisch Gianninoto's involvement with the Maryland Content  
Standards for Adults ESL/ESOL began when she was working part-time as  
an ESL instructor. She "was one of the teachers complaining from the  
field that we needed standards". As a full time high school teacher,  
she knew how helpful standards were in guiding instruction. Not long  
after, she was appointed to the ESL Workgroup that developed the  
content standards document.

Four years ago, she became the ESL Specialist for the Maryland State  
Department of Education. When she took the position, she was  
"grateful the content standards were finished. Little did I know that  
my work was just beginning. Over the past four years, the content  
standards have been revised three times, the ESL content standards  
have been implemented in all of Maryland's programs, state trainers  
have completed a training process, and a training manual was  
completed. Yet, there is more to learn about standards. Maryland has  
been most fortunate to participate in the CAELA and SIA Projects  
funded through OVAE. These projects have helped Maryland refine our  
training and provided instructors with the tools to understand  
content standards."

Miriam Kroeger has been involved in Adult Education as a volunteer,  
teacher, coordinator, administrator and specialist since 1972 and in  
Arizona since 1978. She has taught adult English learners and adults  
studying for their secondary school credential at a variety of  
locations including elementary and secondary schools, community  
colleges, jails, and prisons; she works with K-12 and adult  
educators, and has visited teachers throughout the state of Arizona.  
Miriam has served on state, regional and national committees; on the  
boards of the Arizona Association for Lifelong Learning, the Mountain  
Plains Adult Education Association and Arizona Teachers of English to  
Speakers of Other Languages. She has been on national working groups  
involved with adult education standards and teacher development and  
was an original team member in the development and implementation of  
Arizona's Standards for Adult Learners. She was also a member of the  
Standards Specialist/Resource Teachers team that assisted programs  
and instructors in the implementation of the standards. As an  
Education Program Specialist in the Arizona Department of Education,  
Adult Education Services unit during the past six years, one of her  
responsibilities was to spearhead the revisions to the Reading,  
Writing, Math, Science, Social Studies and ELAA (ESOL) Arizona Adult  
Education Standards. These revisions were published in December 2007,  
and the training process in understanding and utilizing the standards  
continues.

Raye Nell D. Spillman has worked in the Louisiana State Department of  
Education, Office of School and Community Support, Adult and Family  
Literacy Services for four years. Ms. Spillman holds an undergraduate  
degree from Louisiana State University in the field of education. She  
has taught in the K-12 public education system and served on numerous  
committees to advance the education of children and adults. After the  
approval and adoption of The Louisiana Adult Education Content  
Standards in October 2006, Ms. Spillman was instrumental in  
introducing the standards to adult education instructors across the  
state in collaboration with the Louisiana Association for Public,  
Community and Adult Education. The following summer, Louisiana  
applied for and was one of six states accepted to participate in  
OVAE's Standards-in-Action (SIA) project. Ms. Spillman headed the  
Louisiana team who accepted their charge to pilot test training  
materials for implementing adult education standards use in the  
classroom. Again this year, Ms. Spillman and the Louisiana team are  
looking forward to participating in Part 2 of the Standards-in-Action  
project.

David J. Rosen
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
Djrosen at comcast.net

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From kbeall at onlyinternet.net  Mon May 12 18:51:30 2008
From: kbeall at onlyinternet.net (Kaye Beall)
Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 22:51:30 -0000
Subject: [SpecialTopics 944] Call for Presenters for Effective Transitions
	Conference 2008
Message-ID: <00e701c8b482$7f7c2650$020ba8c0@D14J7YD1>

Dear Colleagues, 

The National College Transition Network at World Education invites you to
submit a proposal to present at its conference on Effective Transitions in
Adult Education to be held on November 17-18, 2008 in Providence, RI. 

If you wish to submit a proposal, please visit
<http://collegetransition.org/callforpresenters08.html>
http://collegetransition.org/callforpresenters08.html  to complete and
submit the online form. You will receive an email from NCTN confirming the
receipt of your proposal within 48 hours of submission. Please click on the
above link for more details about the proposal submission process. The
submission deadline is May 30, 2008.

Please forward widely to colleagues and others who may be interested and
feel free to email me at  <mailto:psharma at worlded.org> psharma at worlded.org
or call me at (617) 385-3788 if you have any further questions. 

Regards,

Priyanka Sharma

*******************

 

Kaye Beall

Project Director

World Education

6760 West Street

Linn Grove, IN 46711

765-717-3942

kaye_beall at worlded.org

www.worlded.org

 

 

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From kbeall at onlyinternet.net  Wed May 28 12:54:40 2008
From: kbeall at onlyinternet.net (Kaye Beall)
Date: Wed, 28 May 2008 12:54:40 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 945]  Focus on Basics--New Numeracy Issue
Message-ID: <006501c8c0e3$8598ec40$020ba8c0@D14J7YD1>

The new issue of "Focus on Basics" (Volume 9, Issue A) is now available at
www.worlded.org.  Published by World Education, the theme is Numeracy.

Articles include: 

-using part-whole thinking in math

-the importance of numeracy in adult basic education

-designing instruction that addresses all of the components of numeracy

-techniques for introducing new types of activities into the math classroom

-the cultural aspects of mathematics

-teaching algebraic thinking in lower level mathematics classes

-TIAN: a professional learning model for ABE math teachers

 

*************************

 

 

Kaye Beall

Project Director

World Education

6760 West Street

Linn Grove, IN 46711

765-717-3942

kaye_beall at worlded.org

www.worlded.org

 

 

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From djrosen at comcast.net  Sat Jun  7 18:22:21 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Sat, 7 Jun 2008 18:22:21 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 946] Adult Education Content Standards Discussion
	begins Monday
Message-ID: <67BA28C0-2099-4DCA-B783-BC4FBCDD42D6@comcast.net>

Special Topics Discussion List Colleagues,

Beginning Monday, June 9th, and continuing through Friday, June 20th,  
we will discuss here the implementation of state adult education  
content standards. Experts from several states will talk about the  
opportunities and challenges they have experienced as they work with  
teachers, administrators and others who are developing curriculum,  
and designing and teaching lessons that reflect their state's content  
standards. Our guests include: Miriam Kroeger, from Arizona; Raye  
Nell Spillman, from Louisiana; Karen Lisch Gianninoto, from Maryland;  
Judy Franks, from Ohio; Pam Blundel, from Oklahoma; Philip Anderson,  
from Florida; and Federico Salas, from Texas. You will find  
background information on all of our guest experts below. I hope you  
will join us for this discussion and that you will also forward this  
announcement to your colleagues who may be interested!

A colleague may subscribe to the discussion by going to:

http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics

S/he can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or can  
simply stay subscribed for the next discussion.

Adult Education Content Standards Warehouse

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, the Adult Education  
Content Standards Warehouse "provides access to materials for  
developing, aligning, and implementing adult education content  
standards in the areas of English language acquisition, mathematics,  
and reading. On this site you can find content standards from a  
variety of states and organizations; learn about the process of  
developing standards in A Process Guide for Establishing State Adult  
Education Content Standards; and find field resources on professional  
development and national and international standards." The web site  
address is:

http://www.adultedcontentstandards.ed.gov/

Background on Discussion Guests

Philip Anderson started his English teaching career in 1974 as a  
Peace Corps volunteer in the Dominican Republic.  English teaching  
was a sideline to his main project of helping farmers groups with pig  
raising projects.  After Peace Corps, Phil continued to live in the  
Dominican Republic as a pastor for small church groups, and he  
continued to teach English to adults who wanted to emigrate to the  
U.S.  In 1986, he returned to the states to finish college at UC  
Davis.  With a MS in community development, Phil went to Haiti in  
1991.  There, Phil taught woodworking at a vocational school, taught  
English, managed a large soil conservation project (not all at the  
same time)!  In 1995, Phil returned to the states, and became a part- 
time adult ESOL instructor at night for Palm Beach county in Belle  
Glade, Florida.  In 1998, he joined the adult ESOL program at South  
Florida Community College, where he was department chair from  
2000-2004.  Since 2004, Phil has worked at the Florida Department of  
Education.  There Phil manages EL Civics state leadership grants and  
provides technical assistance trainings to adult ESOL instructors  
statewide.

Pam Blundell has been involved in Oklahoma's development and  
implementation of content standards since 2002-2003 when the state  
held its first discussions around the possibility of introducing the  
Equipped for the Future (EFF) teaching and learning system to the  
field. Pam was given the task of overseeing the state's first EFF  
pilot project in 2003-2004. During the EFF pilot year, the state  
decided to expand the EFF training and officially adopt EFF content  
standards statewide. At that time, Pam was asked to coordinate this  
long-term process. Pam has continued to be directly involved in the  
implementation and oversight of the integration of content standards  
into the adult education classroom. This process has involved the  
development of new tools and training processes and most recently,  
leading the state's Standards-In-Action (SIA) team. Prior to coming  
to the state, Pam worked as an adult education teacher integrating  
EFF standards into instruction.

Judy Franks is currently on staff at the Ohio Literacy Resource  
Center as a Literacy Projects Coordinator. She was involved  
originally with the Equipped for the Future (EFF) Standards-based  
System Reform Initiative, coordinating the Ohio Research Field Sites  
and training as a Certified State Facilitator. Judy has had  
experience developing and working with the standards at the program,  
state, and national levels. As a veteran instructor of training and  
development courses, Judy's background in adult basic education since  
1992 includes family literacy, GED classroom instruction and the  
development of a workforce training program.

Karen Lisch Gianninoto's involvement with the Maryland Content  
Standards for Adults ESL/ESOL began when she was working part-time as  
an ESL instructor. She "was one of the teachers complaining from the  
field that we needed standards". As a full time high school teacher,  
she knew how helpful standards were in guiding instruction. Not long  
after, she was appointed to the ESL Workgroup that developed the  
content standards document.

Four years ago, she became the ESL Specialist for the Maryland State  
Department of Education. When she took the position, she was  
"grateful the content standards were finished. Little did I know that  
my work was just beginning. Over the past four years, the content  
standards have been revised three times, the ESL content standards  
have been implemented in all of Maryland's programs, state trainers  
have completed a training process, and a training manual was  
completed. Yet, there is more to learn about standards. Maryland has  
been most fortunate to participate in the CAELA and SIA Projects  
funded through OVAE. These projects have helped Maryland refine our  
training and provided instructors with the tools to understand  
content standards."

Miriam Kroeger has been involved in Adult Education as a volunteer,  
teacher, coordinator, administrator and specialist since 1972 and in  
Arizona since 1978. She has taught adult English learners and adults  
studying for their secondary school credential at a variety of  
locations including elementary and secondary schools, community  
colleges, jails, and prisons; she works with K-12 and adult  
educators, and has visited teachers throughout the state of Arizona.  
Miriam has served on state, regional and national committees; on the  
boards of the Arizona Association for Lifelong Learning, the Mountain  
Plains Adult Education Association and Arizona Teachers of English to  
Speakers of Other Languages. She has been on national working groups  
involved with adult education standards and teacher development and  
was an original team member in the development and implementation of  
Arizona's Standards for Adult Learners. She was also a member of the  
Standards Specialist/Resource Teachers team that assisted programs  
and instructors in the implementation of the standards. As an  
Education Program Specialist in the Arizona Department of Education,  
Adult Education Services unit during the past six years, one of her  
responsibilities was to spearhead the revisions to the Reading,  
Writing, Math, Science, Social Studies and ELAA (ESOL) Arizona Adult  
Education Standards. These revisions were published in December 2007,  
and the training process in understanding and utilizing the standards  
continues.

Federico Salas-Isnardi is Assistant State Director of Adult Education  
in Texas.  He oversees the Professional Development System in the  
state.  He has worked for 20 years in the field of adult Education as  
an ESL and GED instructor, professional developer, curriculum writer,  
and program administrator.  He has trained adult educators for over  
18 years on topics ranging from language acquisition to  
individualized professional development planning, and from cross- 
cultural communication and multicultural awareness to educational  
leadership.

Between 2004 and 2007, Federico represented the state office of adult  
education in the AE Content Standards Project team that adopted the  
standards and wrote the benchmarks for Texas AE Content Standards  
document.  In that capacity he worked with the project staff and  
observed the work of the standards writers.  He also helped  
articulate the vision of the state in regards to the adoption  
process.  During the first two years of the project, Federico was the  
state?s liaison to the National Adult Education Content Standards  
Consortium.

Raye Nell D. Spillman has worked in the Louisiana State Department of  
Education, Office of School and Community Support, Adult and Family  
Literacy Services for four years. Ms. Spillman holds an undergraduate  
degree from Louisiana State University in the field of education. She  
has taught in the K-12 public education system and served on numerous  
committees to advance the education of children and adults. After the  
approval and adoption of The Louisiana Adult Education Content  
Standards in October 2006, Ms. Spillman was instrumental in  
introducing the standards to adult education instructors across the  
state in collaboration with the Louisiana Association for Public,  
Community and Adult Education. The following summer, Louisiana  
applied for and was one of six states accepted to participate in  
OVAE's Standards-in-Action (SIA) project. Ms. Spillman headed the  
Louisiana team who accepted their charge to pilot test training  
materials for implementing adult education standards use in the  
classroom. Again this year, Ms. Spillman and the Louisiana team are  
looking forward to participating in Part 2 of the Standards-in-Action  
project.

David J. Rosen
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
Djrosen at comcast.net

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From djrosen at comcast.net  Mon Jun  9 08:10:39 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Mon, 9 Jun 2008 08:10:39 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 947] Implementing state adult education content
	standards: the discussion begins
Message-ID: <43E8A9FA-3AEF-403E-8E73-68859A1FC161@comcast.net>

Special Topics Colleagues,

Today we begin a two-week discussion on implementing state adult  
education content standards. I would like to welcome you and our  
guest experts: Miriam Kroeger, from Arizona; Raye Nell Spillman, from  
Louisiana; Karen Lisch Gianninoto, from Maryland; Judy Franks, from  
Ohio; Pam Blundel, from Oklahoma; Philip Anderson, from Florida; and  
Federico Salas, from Texas.  From today through Tuesday next week, we  
will have reports from our guests on how their states are  
implementing state adult education standards. They will also try to  
answer your questions. I have asked each guest to respond to the  
following questions:

1.    Why did your state choose to adopt content standards?
2.    What standards has your state adopted?
3.    What has been the process of moving from official adoption to  
actual implementation?
4.    What successes and challenges have you found in implementing  
the content standards?
5.    What do you recommend happen at the federal level to support  
the development of standards-based adult basic education by states?

You can send your questions for a particular guest -- or for any or  
all the guests -- or for anyone in the discussion -- at any time. You  
can also describe your own experience in your state with implementing  
content standards, and ask for suggestions, raise concerns, or share  
good practices. Send your messages to specialtopics at nifl.gov .  I  
will hold some questions for next week, including some of the  
questions that some subscribers, at my request, sent me some time ago.

Let's begin with Pam Blundell, from Oklahoma.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

From pam_blundell at sde.state.ok.us  Mon Jun  9 09:49:05 2008
From: pam_blundell at sde.state.ok.us (Pam Blundell)
Date: Mon, 09 Jun 2008 08:49:05 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 948] Implementing State Adult Education Content
	Standards
Message-ID: <fc.000f8dfd00db0e57000f8dfd00db0e57.db108c@sde.state.ok.us>

First, thank you David for this opportunity to share with all of you
Oklahoma's work in the area of adult education content standards.  Below
are my
responses to your questions.  I look forward to the discussion over the
next two weeks.

1.	Why did your state choose to adopt content standards?  
?	Informal discussions around content standards began at the state level
prior to my coming to the state in January 2001.  There were several
reasons for considering content standards at that time, one of which was
the belief that at some point in the future they would be required of all
states.  However, apart from the idea of it being a requirement, there
were serious concerns about what Oklahoma wanted adult education to look
like in the classroom.  There was agreement that if we had state level
expectations for providing quality instruction, then the state needed to
provide guidance as to what that looked like. In addition, Oklahoma?s K-12
system had been implementing standards for several years and since adult
education is part of the Department of Education, it should have equally
strong standards. 
?	In Program Year (PY)2002-03, the state reviewed research on quality
instruction and various approaches other states had taken in the
development of content standards.  The state decided to explore the
Equipped for the Future teaching and learning system through a pilot
project that began in the summer of 2003.  The pilot consisted of three
local programs and one Department of Corrections site. The EFF standards
were not officially adopted by the state at that time; however, the pilot
project provided feedback from the field that supported the need for
content standards.
?	In the spring of 2004 a state Task Force made up of program directors,
teachers and state staff was established to determine if content standards
should be adopted, why or why not, and if so, what direction should be
taken and what resources should be invested in this process.  The Task
Force made two important decisions that led to the adoption of our current
state standards.  First, they agreed that the EFF standards and all the
tools associated with this system of teaching and learning were
representative of what Oklahoma wanted adult education to look like in the
classroom. This system provided direction and guidance supportive of
systemic change needed throughout the state.  It was recommended that the
state officially adopt the EFF standards.  Second, the Task Force agreed
that while the EFF standards provided a strong research-based foundation,
there was not enough detail in the areas of reading, math, and writing. 
It was recommended that further resources be invested in the development
of Curriculum Frameworks (CF) for reading, math, and writing over the
following three years with reading being the focus of the first year. 
Formatting recommendations were made by the Task Force, the work began,
and the first reading training was implemented during PY2004-05.  Work in
the area of math took place in 2005-06 and in writing in 2006-07.  

2.	What standards has your state adopted?  
?	Equipped for the Future    [
http://eff.cls.utk.edu/fundamentals/eff_standards.htm
]http://eff.cls.utk.edu/fundamentals/eff_standards.htm
?	Curriculum Frameworks in reading, math, and writing have been added to
the EFF work.

3.	What has been the process of moving from official adoption to actual
implementation?
?	PY2008-09 will begin the sixth year of this process.  Professional
development was implemented from the very beginning with the first EFF
pilot project already underway when the decision was made to officially
adopt the EFF standards.  
?	The state set EFF Goals and Objectives for learners, teachers,
directors, local programs, and the state.  An application process was used
to select programs for the pilot project in 2003-04.  Each year
thereafter, additional programs applied to begin the three-year training
process with an average of five new programs per year.  To date,
twenty-six of thirty-five local programs have participated in the
trainings. Over 300 participants have been involved in varying degrees of
the content standards training over the last five years.  An additional
five programs will be added in 2008-09 and it is planned that by 2009-10
all local programs will have been engaged in some level of content
standards training.
?	The three-year process which began in 2004-05 includes the following:

	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	1.	EFF Orientation
?	An introduction to the EFF system
?	Focus on the state?s goal setting policy and using student goals to
direct instruction
?	Conference calls
2.	Read with Understanding 
?	Focused on the reading standard and using the Reading Curriculum
Framework within the EFF system of teaching and learning
?	Three 3-day sessions (9 days)
?	Conference calls between sessions
?	Site visits between sessions
?	Interim activity assignments
?	Program EFF teams must include the director and a minimum of two
teachers.
?	$5,500 program incentive added to their allocation
?	$1,000 individual participant incentive upon completion of all training
and assignments	1.	Use Math to Solve Problems and Communicate 
?	Focused on the math standard and using the  Math Curriculum Framework
within the EFF system
?	Three 2-day sessions (6 days)
?	Conference calls as needed
?	E-mail feedback of interim assignments
?	Site visits as needed by state staff
?	Requires having gone through the Year 1 training process	1.	Convey Ideas
in Writing
?	Focused on the writing standard and using the Writing Curriculum
Framework within the EFF system
?	Three 2-day sessions (6 days)
?	E-mail feedback of interim assignments
?	Requires having gone through the Year 1 training process and preferably
Year 2
	?	In PY2006-07 the state selected EFF State Specialists (3 in reading and
3 in math) for a train-the-trainer project.  In PY2008-09, the state will
add writing specialists and the EFF Orientation will be conducted by state
specialists rather than national trainers.
?	In PY2008-09 the state will add a one-day EFF Orientation and a one-day
Curriculum Framework training that will be facilitated by the state
specialists.  This training will address the need for shorter trainings
and more local or regional options.
?	A key to the implementation process has been the onsite visits by the
national trainers, state staff, and state EFF specialists.  Mentoring,
conference calls, and the ability to seek support from various resources
has been critically important to the process.
?	Future plans for PY2008-09 include content-specific online courses,
short video conferences on topics that support the use of content
standards and the EFF teaching/learning system, development of speaking
and listening curriculum frameworks and work on ESL standards. 

4.	What successes and challenges have you found in implementing the
content standards?
?	Successes:  Development of the Reading, Math, and Writing Curriculum
Frameworks; A strong three-year training plan that has improved from year
to year from participant feedback and has provided a consistency and
coherence that sent the message that standards-based instruction was here
to stay and not just a one-shot deal; Excellent support of our national
EFF trainers and EFF staff without whom this work would not have been
done; Training of our EFF State Specialists to provide training and
support to the field; Inclusion of onsite visits and conference calls in
the training; Positive feedback from our participants regarding the
changes they are making in instruction; System changes programs have made
to support standards-based instruction such as managed-intake and
managed-entry classes, materials and resources purchased, teacher planning
time, team meetings, sharing of information with teachers unable to attend
in-depth training, and greater focus on student goal-setting and written
lesson plans.
?	Challenges: Meeting the training needs of part-time teachers unable to
attend multiple day in-depth training; Additional professional development
for program directors to be sure they recognize and know how to support
standards-based instruction since they are the key element in supporting
transfer of training to classroom instruction; Money and time for programs
to support the planning process that is needed for standards-based
instruction; and, Staff turnover (directors, teachers, state staff) is a
challenge when you invest in training and then people leave and you have
to start over.  Also providing directors and teachers with new tools to
support instruction is an ongoing process.
?	Many of the plans for 2008-2009 and the work our state has been involved
in with the Standards-In-Action project are an effort to address these
challenges.

5.	What do you recommend happen at the federal level to support the
development of standards-based adult basic education by states?
?	The first thought is always additional money for adult education which
would allow faster expansion of the work already started in Oklahoma.  
?	The Content Standards Warehouse and the Standards-In-Action project are
two examples of support that I hope will continue to be available to
states.  Funds attached to special projects would make it easier for local
programs to carry out the work necessary in moving the state?s content
standards work forward.  Tools developed through the Standards-In-Action
project will are being used in ways that support the work Oklahoma is
doing with content standards.

Again, thank you for this opportunity to share our work. I look forward to
hearing about the work being done in other states as my distinguished
colleagues share information over the next two weeks.
 
Pam

Pam Blundell, Assistant Director
Lifelong Learning Section
Oklahoma State Department of Education
2500 North Lincoln Blvd. Room 115
Oklahoma City, OK 73105-4599
405-521-3321
1-800-405-0355
pam_blundell at sde.state.ok.us

From djrosen at comcast.net  Mon Jun  9 10:43:38 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Mon, 9 Jun 2008 10:43:38 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 949] Re: Implementing State Adult Education Content
	Standards
In-Reply-To: <fc.000f8dfd00db0e57000f8dfd00db0e57.db108c@sde.state.ok.us>
References: <fc.000f8dfd00db0e57000f8dfd00db0e57.db108c@sde.state.ok.us>
Message-ID: <672AB2AF-09A4-414F-B480-B3387DECAC8E@comcast.net>

Pam,

Can you tell us more about the Content Standards Warehouse and the  
Standards-in-Action Project? What are these resources? Which of the  
Standards-in-Action tools have you used in Oklahoma, and how have you  
used them?

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

On Jun 9, 2008, at 9:49 AM, Pam Blundell wrote:

> First, thank you David for this opportunity to share with all of you
> Oklahoma's work in the area of adult education content standards.   
> Below
> are my
> responses to your questions.  I look forward to the discussion over  
> the
> next two weeks.
>
> 1.	Why did your state choose to adopt content standards?
> ?	Informal discussions around content standards began at the state  
> level
> prior to my coming to the state in January 2001.  There were several
> reasons for considering content standards at that time, one of  
> which was
> the belief that at some point in the future they would be required  
> of all
> states.  However, apart from the idea of it being a requirement, there
> were serious concerns about what Oklahoma wanted adult education to  
> look
> like in the classroom.  There was agreement that if we had state level
> expectations for providing quality instruction, then the state  
> needed to
> provide guidance as to what that looked like. In addition,  
> Oklahoma?s K-12
> system had been implementing standards for several years and since  
> adult
> education is part of the Department of Education, it should have  
> equally
> strong standards.
> ?	In Program Year (PY)2002-03, the state reviewed research on quality
> instruction and various approaches other states had taken in the
> development of content standards.  The state decided to explore the
> Equipped for the Future teaching and learning system through a pilot
> project that began in the summer of 2003.  The pilot consisted of  
> three
> local programs and one Department of Corrections site. The EFF  
> standards
> were not officially adopted by the state at that time; however, the  
> pilot
> project provided feedback from the field that supported the need for
> content standards.
> ?	In the spring of 2004 a state Task Force made up of program  
> directors,
> teachers and state staff was established to determine if content  
> standards
> should be adopted, why or why not, and if so, what direction should be
> taken and what resources should be invested in this process.  The Task
> Force made two important decisions that led to the adoption of our  
> current
> state standards.  First, they agreed that the EFF standards and all  
> the
> tools associated with this system of teaching and learning were
> representative of what Oklahoma wanted adult education to look like  
> in the
> classroom. This system provided direction and guidance supportive of
> systemic change needed throughout the state.  It was recommended  
> that the
> state officially adopt the EFF standards.  Second, the Task Force  
> agreed
> that while the EFF standards provided a strong research-based  
> foundation,
> there was not enough detail in the areas of reading, math, and  
> writing.
> It was recommended that further resources be invested in the  
> development
> of Curriculum Frameworks (CF) for reading, math, and writing over the
> following three years with reading being the focus of the first year.
> Formatting recommendations were made by the Task Force, the work  
> began,
> and the first reading training was implemented during PY2004-05.   
> Work in
> the area of math took place in 2005-06 and in writing in 2006-07.
>
> 2.	What standards has your state adopted?
> ?	Equipped for the Future    [
> http://eff.cls.utk.edu/fundamentals/eff_standards.htm
> ]http://eff.cls.utk.edu/fundamentals/eff_standards.htm
> ?	Curriculum Frameworks in reading, math, and writing have been  
> added to
> the EFF work.
>
> 3.	What has been the process of moving from official adoption to  
> actual
> implementation?
> ?	PY2008-09 will begin the sixth year of this process.  Professional
> development was implemented from the very beginning with the first EFF
> pilot project already underway when the decision was made to  
> officially
> adopt the EFF standards.
> ?	The state set EFF Goals and Objectives for learners, teachers,
> directors, local programs, and the state.  An application process  
> was used
> to select programs for the pilot project in 2003-04.  Each year
> thereafter, additional programs applied to begin the three-year  
> training
> process with an average of five new programs per year.  To date,
> twenty-six of thirty-five local programs have participated in the
> trainings. Over 300 participants have been involved in varying  
> degrees of
> the content standards training over the last five years.  An  
> additional
> five programs will be added in 2008-09 and it is planned that by  
> 2009-10
> all local programs will have been engaged in some level of content
> standards training.
> ?	The three-year process which began in 2004-05 includes the  
> following:
>
>
> 	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	1.	EFF Orientation
> ?	An introduction to the EFF system
> ?	Focus on the state?s goal setting policy and using student goals to
> direct instruction
> ?	Conference calls
> 2.	Read with Understanding
> ?	Focused on the reading standard and using the Reading Curriculum
> Framework within the EFF system of teaching and learning
> ?	Three 3-day sessions (9 days)
> ?	Conference calls between sessions
> ?	Site visits between sessions
> ?	Interim activity assignments
> ?	Program EFF teams must include the director and a minimum of two
> teachers.
> ?	$5,500 program incentive added to their allocation
> ?	$1,000 individual participant incentive upon completion of all  
> training
> and assignments	1.	Use Math to Solve Problems and Communicate
> ?	Focused on the math standard and using the  Math Curriculum  
> Framework
> within the EFF system
> ?	Three 2-day sessions (6 days)
> ?	Conference calls as needed
> ?	E-mail feedback of interim assignments
> ?	Site visits as needed by state staff
> ?	Requires having gone through the Year 1 training process	1.	 
> Convey Ideas
> in Writing
> ?	Focused on the writing standard and using the Writing Curriculum
> Framework within the EFF system
> ?	Three 2-day sessions (6 days)
> ?	E-mail feedback of interim assignments
> ?	Requires having gone through the Year 1 training process and  
> preferably
> Year 2
> 	?	In PY2006-07 the state selected EFF State Specialists (3 in  
> reading and
> 3 in math) for a train-the-trainer project.  In PY2008-09, the  
> state will
> add writing specialists and the EFF Orientation will be conducted  
> by state
> specialists rather than national trainers.
> ?	In PY2008-09 the state will add a one-day EFF Orientation and a  
> one-day
> Curriculum Framework training that will be facilitated by the state
> specialists.  This training will address the need for shorter  
> trainings
> and more local or regional options.
> ?	A key to the implementation process has been the onsite visits by  
> the
> national trainers, state staff, and state EFF specialists.  Mentoring,
> conference calls, and the ability to seek support from various  
> resources
> has been critically important to the process.
> ?	Future plans for PY2008-09 include content-specific online courses,
> short video conferences on topics that support the use of content
> standards and the EFF teaching/learning system, development of  
> speaking
> and listening curriculum frameworks and work on ESL standards.
>
> 4.	What successes and challenges have you found in implementing the
> content standards?
> ?	Successes:  Development of the Reading, Math, and Writing Curriculum
> Frameworks; A strong three-year training plan that has improved  
> from year
> to year from participant feedback and has provided a consistency and
> coherence that sent the message that standards-based instruction  
> was here
> to stay and not just a one-shot deal; Excellent support of our  
> national
> EFF trainers and EFF staff without whom this work would not have been
> done; Training of our EFF State Specialists to provide training and
> support to the field; Inclusion of onsite visits and conference  
> calls in
> the training; Positive feedback from our participants regarding the
> changes they are making in instruction; System changes programs  
> have made
> to support standards-based instruction such as managed-intake and
> managed-entry classes, materials and resources purchased, teacher  
> planning
> time, team meetings, sharing of information with teachers unable to  
> attend
> in-depth training, and greater focus on student goal-setting and  
> written
> lesson plans.
> ?	Challenges: Meeting the training needs of part-time teachers  
> unable to
> attend multiple day in-depth training; Additional professional  
> development
> for program directors to be sure they recognize and know how to  
> support
> standards-based instruction since they are the key element in  
> supporting
> transfer of training to classroom instruction; Money and time for  
> programs
> to support the planning process that is needed for standards-based
> instruction; and, Staff turnover (directors, teachers, state staff)  
> is a
> challenge when you invest in training and then people leave and you  
> have
> to start over.  Also providing directors and teachers with new  
> tools to
> support instruction is an ongoing process.
> ?	Many of the plans for 2008-2009 and the work our state has been  
> involved
> in with the Standards-In-Action project are an effort to address these
> challenges.
>
> 5.	What do you recommend happen at the federal level to support the
> development of standards-based adult basic education by states?
> ?	The first thought is always additional money for adult education  
> which
> would allow faster expansion of the work already started in Oklahoma.
> ?	The Content Standards Warehouse and the Standards-In-Action  
> project are
> two examples of support that I hope will continue to be available to
> states.  Funds attached to special projects would make it easier  
> for local
> programs to carry out the work necessary in moving the state?s content
> standards work forward.  Tools developed through the Standards-In- 
> Action
> project will are being used in ways that support the work Oklahoma is
> doing with content standards.
>
>
> Again, thank you for this opportunity to share our work. I look  
> forward to
> hearing about the work being done in other states as my distinguished
> colleagues share information over the next two weeks.
>
> Pam
>
>
> Pam Blundell, Assistant Director
> Lifelong Learning Section
> Oklahoma State Department of Education
> 2500 North Lincoln Blvd. Room 115
> Oklahoma City, OK 73105-4599
> 405-521-3321
> 1-800-405-0355
> pam_blundell at sde.state.ok.us
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to  
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to djrosen at comcast.net

David J. Rosen
djrosen at comcast.net

From pam_blundell at sde.state.ok.us  Mon Jun  9 12:09:57 2008
From: pam_blundell at sde.state.ok.us (Pam Blundell)
Date: Mon, 09 Jun 2008 11:09:57 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 950] Re:
	=?iso-8859-1?q?Implementing_State_Adult_Education_Content_=09?=
	=?iso-8859-1?q?Standards?=
In-Reply-To: <672AB2AF-09A4-414F-B480-B3387DECAC8E@comcast.net>
References: <672AB2AF-09A4-414F-B480-B3387DECAC8E@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <fc.000f8dfd00db19c1000f8dfd00db0e57.db2269@sde.state.ok.us>

David,

The Content Standards Warehouse is located at 
http://www.adultedcontentstandards.ed.gov.  It has Examples of standards
from various states,
a Guide for Establishing Standards, and Field Resources.  I especially
like the Professional Development Materials which are divided into
Start-up, Standards Development, and Implementation and Rollout
categories.  These resources include powerpoint presentations, word
documents and templates designed to
provide technical assistance to states.  I have recently been looking over
some of the materials as I develop a training specifically for our Program
Directors.

Oklahoma applied and was selected in PY2007-08 by OVAE to participate in
the Standards-In-Action project.  We are happy to say we will be
participating again in PY2008-09 in this project.  The focus is to field
test tools and provide support to states as they work to integrate content
standards into instruction.  The beauty of the project is that the tools
can be adjusted to further and/or fit into the work that has already been
started in a state.  States have such different approaches to standards,
are in such different stages of implementation, and are structured so
differently at the state level in regards to professional development,
that the SIA tools can be used in ways that work for the individual state.
 While we found all the tools to have benefit, the following are the ones
we are currently working to integrate into our professional development
process.

In Oklahoma, we will integrate the Unpacking Tool into a newly developed
beginning introduction training.  In our pilot SIA project, we found the
Unpacking tool beneficial in helping teachers and directors understand
what was actually being addressed in each teaching and learning objective
(TLO) at each learning level by breaking the TLO's into the concept(s)
being addressed and the thinking skill(s) required to address these
concepts/skills.

Another tool we hope to share in training is the Alignment of our standard
(by the way, we only worked with our math standard in this project) to the
TABE.  The value we have found in having this information is that it shows
teachers that if they teach to the standard, they are not only addressing
skills measured by the TABE but much, much more.

The final tool I would mention is the Alignment to Materials tool.  The
two local programs that worked with me on the first year SIA project are
still working to complete a document that aligns the EMPower math
materials to our math standard.  We believe this will give programs a
valuable reference tool as they teach the math standard.  These two
programs plan to have this work completed by early fall in the form of a
document we can produce and have on our website.

There are other SIA tools that address designing lesson plans and coherent
units of instruction that states would find very beneficial.  However, in
Oklahoma we had already been involved in so much work and training around
the EFF Teaching/Learning Cycle and the development of a lesson plan
template to be used in training and for sample lesson plans for our
website, that we did not feel those tools were as important to us at this
time.

Our second year SIA work will focus on tools for teachers and directors to
use in evaluating how well standards are being integrated into instruction
in the adult education classroom.  Oklahoma is excited to start this work
in August.

Pam

Pam Blundell, Assistant Director
Lifelong Learning Section
Oklahoma State Department of Education
2500 North Lincoln Blvd. Room 115
Oklahoma City, OK 73105-4599
405-521-3321
1-800-405-0355
pam_blundell at sde.state.ok.us

From djrosen at comcast.net  Mon Jun  9 13:22:48 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Mon, 9 Jun 2008 13:22:48 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 951] Implementing State Adult Education Content
	Standards: Oklahoma
Message-ID: <18FF888B-BFCD-4F50-B469-E2C066637398@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

For those who have just joined the discussion, and others, you will  
find the messages already posted in the discussion archives at

http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html

If you have questions about implementing state content standards --  
especially for Pam Blundell from Oklahoma -- please post them.

Pam, You wrote "Another tool we hope to share in training is the  
Alignment of our standard (by the way, we only worked with our math  
standard in this project) to the
TABE.  The value we have found in having this information is that it  
shows teachers that if they teach to the standard, they are not only  
addressingskills measured by the TABE but much, much more." Some  
people may be surprised by this. How can you both align a standard to  
a test, in this case the TABE, but also teach much more? This seems  
like a great advantrage to standards-based teaching. How does it work?

Also why did Oklahoma choose the EMPower math materials with which to  
align its math standard? Was it because the EMPower materials fit  
well with EFF standards? With National Council of Teachers of  
Mathematics standards, and/or other reasons?

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

From forrest at crosslink.net  Mon Jun  9 14:11:05 2008
From: forrest at crosslink.net (Forrest Chisman)
Date: Mon, 9 Jun 2008 14:11:05 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 952] Re: Implementing State Adult Education
	Content	Standards
In-Reply-To: <fc.000f8dfd00db0e57000f8dfd00db0e57.db108c@sde.state.ok.us>
References: <fc.000f8dfd00db0e57000f8dfd00db0e57.db108c@sde.state.ok.us>
Message-ID: <002501c8ca5c$30fdf1d0$92f9d570$@net>

Pam,

Under the category of "successes" I expected you to list some measure of
improved student performance and/or retention. Have you been able to
document that, or is it too early in the game?

Forrest Chisman

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Pam Blundell
Sent: Monday, June 09, 2008 9:49 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 948] Implementing State Adult Education Content
Standards

First, thank you David for this opportunity to share with all of you
Oklahoma's work in the area of adult education content standards.  Below
are my
responses to your questions.  I look forward to the discussion over the
next two weeks.

1.	Why did your state choose to adopt content standards?  
.	Informal discussions around content standards began at the state
level
prior to my coming to the state in January 2001.  There were several
reasons for considering content standards at that time, one of which was
the belief that at some point in the future they would be required of all
states.  However, apart from the idea of it being a requirement, there
were serious concerns about what Oklahoma wanted adult education to look
like in the classroom.  There was agreement that if we had state level
expectations for providing quality instruction, then the state needed to
provide guidance as to what that looked like. In addition, Oklahoma's K-12
system had been implementing standards for several years and since adult
education is part of the Department of Education, it should have equally
strong standards. 
.	In Program Year (PY)2002-03, the state reviewed research on quality
instruction and various approaches other states had taken in the
development of content standards.  The state decided to explore the
Equipped for the Future teaching and learning system through a pilot
project that began in the summer of 2003.  The pilot consisted of three
local programs and one Department of Corrections site. The EFF standards
were not officially adopted by the state at that time; however, the pilot
project provided feedback from the field that supported the need for
content standards.
.	In the spring of 2004 a state Task Force made up of program
directors,
teachers and state staff was established to determine if content standards
should be adopted, why or why not, and if so, what direction should be
taken and what resources should be invested in this process.  The Task
Force made two important decisions that led to the adoption of our current
state standards.  First, they agreed that the EFF standards and all the
tools associated with this system of teaching and learning were
representative of what Oklahoma wanted adult education to look like in the
classroom. This system provided direction and guidance supportive of
systemic change needed throughout the state.  It was recommended that the
state officially adopt the EFF standards.  Second, the Task Force agreed
that while the EFF standards provided a strong research-based foundation,
there was not enough detail in the areas of reading, math, and writing. 
It was recommended that further resources be invested in the development
of Curriculum Frameworks (CF) for reading, math, and writing over the
following three years with reading being the focus of the first year. 
Formatting recommendations were made by the Task Force, the work began,
and the first reading training was implemented during PY2004-05.  Work in
the area of math took place in 2005-06 and in writing in 2006-07.  

2.	What standards has your state adopted?  
.	Equipped for the Future    [
http://eff.cls.utk.edu/fundamentals/eff_standards.htm
]http://eff.cls.utk.edu/fundamentals/eff_standards.htm
.	Curriculum Frameworks in reading, math, and writing have been added
to
the EFF work.

3.	What has been the process of moving from official adoption to actual
implementation?
.	PY2008-09 will begin the sixth year of this process.  Professional
development was implemented from the very beginning with the first EFF
pilot project already underway when the decision was made to officially
adopt the EFF standards.  
.	The state set EFF Goals and Objectives for learners, teachers,
directors, local programs, and the state.  An application process was used
to select programs for the pilot project in 2003-04.  Each year
thereafter, additional programs applied to begin the three-year training
process with an average of five new programs per year.  To date,
twenty-six of thirty-five local programs have participated in the
trainings. Over 300 participants have been involved in varying degrees of
the content standards training over the last five years.  An additional
five programs will be added in 2008-09 and it is planned that by 2009-10
all local programs will have been engaged in some level of content
standards training.
.	The three-year process which began in 2004-05 includes the
following:

	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	1.	EFF Orientation
.	An introduction to the EFF system
.	Focus on the state's goal setting policy and using student goals to
direct instruction
.	Conference calls
2.	Read with Understanding 
.	Focused on the reading standard and using the Reading Curriculum
Framework within the EFF system of teaching and learning
.	Three 3-day sessions (9 days)
.	Conference calls between sessions
.	Site visits between sessions
.	Interim activity assignments
.	Program EFF teams must include the director and a minimum of two
teachers.
.	$5,500 program incentive added to their allocation
.	$1,000 individual participant incentive upon completion of all
training
and assignments	1.	Use Math to Solve Problems and Communicate 
.	Focused on the math standard and using the  Math Curriculum
Framework
within the EFF system
.	Three 2-day sessions (6 days)
.	Conference calls as needed
.	E-mail feedback of interim assignments
.	Site visits as needed by state staff
.	Requires having gone through the Year 1 training process	1.
Convey Ideas
in Writing
.	Focused on the writing standard and using the Writing Curriculum
Framework within the EFF system
.	Three 2-day sessions (6 days)
.	E-mail feedback of interim assignments
.	Requires having gone through the Year 1 training process and
preferably
Year 2
	.	In PY2006-07 the state selected EFF State Specialists (3 in
reading and
3 in math) for a train-the-trainer project.  In PY2008-09, the state will
add writing specialists and the EFF Orientation will be conducted by state
specialists rather than national trainers.
.	In PY2008-09 the state will add a one-day EFF Orientation and a
one-day
Curriculum Framework training that will be facilitated by the state
specialists.  This training will address the need for shorter trainings
and more local or regional options.
.	A key to the implementation process has been the onsite visits by
the
national trainers, state staff, and state EFF specialists.  Mentoring,
conference calls, and the ability to seek support from various resources
has been critically important to the process.
.	Future plans for PY2008-09 include content-specific online courses,
short video conferences on topics that support the use of content
standards and the EFF teaching/learning system, development of speaking
and listening curriculum frameworks and work on ESL standards. 

4.	What successes and challenges have you found in implementing the
content standards?
.	Successes:  Development of the Reading, Math, and Writing Curriculum
Frameworks; A strong three-year training plan that has improved from year
to year from participant feedback and has provided a consistency and
coherence that sent the message that standards-based instruction was here
to stay and not just a one-shot deal; Excellent support of our national
EFF trainers and EFF staff without whom this work would not have been
done; Training of our EFF State Specialists to provide training and
support to the field; Inclusion of onsite visits and conference calls in
the training; Positive feedback from our participants regarding the
changes they are making in instruction; System changes programs have made
to support standards-based instruction such as managed-intake and
managed-entry classes, materials and resources purchased, teacher planning
time, team meetings, sharing of information with teachers unable to attend
in-depth training, and greater focus on student goal-setting and written
lesson plans.
.	Challenges: Meeting the training needs of part-time teachers unable
to
attend multiple day in-depth training; Additional professional development
for program directors to be sure they recognize and know how to support
standards-based instruction since they are the key element in supporting
transfer of training to classroom instruction; Money and time for programs
to support the planning process that is needed for standards-based
instruction; and, Staff turnover (directors, teachers, state staff) is a
challenge when you invest in training and then people leave and you have
to start over.  Also providing directors and teachers with new tools to
support instruction is an ongoing process.
.	Many of the plans for 2008-2009 and the work our state has been
involved
in with the Standards-In-Action project are an effort to address these
challenges.

5.	What do you recommend happen at the federal level to support the
development of standards-based adult basic education by states?
.	The first thought is always additional money for adult education
which
would allow faster expansion of the work already started in Oklahoma.  
.	The Content Standards Warehouse and the Standards-In-Action project
are
two examples of support that I hope will continue to be available to
states.  Funds attached to special projects would make it easier for local
programs to carry out the work necessary in moving the state's content
standards work forward.  Tools developed through the Standards-In-Action
project will are being used in ways that support the work Oklahoma is
doing with content standards.

Again, thank you for this opportunity to share our work. I look forward to
hearing about the work being done in other states as my distinguished
colleagues share information over the next two weeks.
 
Pam

Pam Blundell, Assistant Director
Lifelong Learning Section
Oklahoma State Department of Education
2500 North Lincoln Blvd. Room 115
Oklahoma City, OK 73105-4599
405-521-3321
1-800-405-0355
pam_blundell at sde.state.ok.us

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to forrest at crosslink.net

From pam_blundell at sde.state.ok.us  Mon Jun  9 14:12:29 2008
From: pam_blundell at sde.state.ok.us (Pam Blundell)
Date: Mon, 09 Jun 2008 13:12:29 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 953] Re:
 =?iso-8859-1?q?Implementing_State_Adult_Education_Content_=09?=
 =?iso-8859-1?q?Standards=3A__Okl?=
In-Reply-To: <18FF888B-BFCD-4F50-B469-E2C066637398@comcast.net>
References: <18FF888B-BFCD-4F50-B469-E2C066637398@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <fc.000f8dfd00db2b613b9aca00f2c520ba.db2e79@sde.state.ok.us>

I need to clarify the alignment to  the TABE process.  Maybe a better
description would be a comparison of the skills being assessed on the TABE
and the skills we are addressing in our math standard (curriculum
framework).  We did not align our standard TO the TABE, we looked  at the
TABE and we looked at our standard and compared the skills being addressed
by both.  We found that our math standard addressed the skills being
assessed by the TABE but our standard actually covered more than just
skills to raise a TABE score.   We have been emphasizing for many years
that adult education is not just about a TABE score or passing the GED
even though these are very important pieces of what we do.  Adult
education should provide adults with the skills they need to effectively
carry out their roles as family members, citizens, and workers.  This
"alignment" process simply reinforces what we have been suggesting to
teachers and that is, if you teach to the standard, adult learners will
not only be better prepared for life but you get at explicit skill gaps
and TABE scores are likely to increase.  I think many of our teachers
would agree they are beginning to see this happen - especially in math.

We chose the EMPower materials for a couple of reasons.  First, we have
been integrating these materials into our math training for a couple of
years now.  The SIA team felt that due to our time constraints with this
project, the EMPower materials would be the best use of our time and the
end product would be a resource that teachers would find most beneficial. 
We may do this same alignment process with other materials in the future
but time, money, and what would support our work the most at this time was
what we considered first.  Second, these materials are complimentary of
our EFF math standard and were written with adult learners in mind.  There
is not a lot of math material out there that is written specifically for
the adult learner.  Our teachers LOVE the EMPower materials.  

Pam Blundell, Assistant Director
Lifelong Learning Section
Oklahoma State Department of Education
2500 North Lincoln Blvd. Room 115
Oklahoma City, OK 73105-4599
405-521-3321
1-800-405-0355
pam_blundell at sde.state.ok.us

From pam_blundell at sde.state.ok.us  Mon Jun  9 17:13:33 2008
From: pam_blundell at sde.state.ok.us (Pam Blundell)
Date: Mon, 09 Jun 2008 16:13:33 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 954] Re:
 =?iso-8859-1?q?Implementing_State_Adult_Education_=09Content?=
 =?iso-8859-1?q?=09=09Standards?=
In-Reply-To: <002501c8ca5c$30fdf1d0$92f9d570$@net>
References: <fc.000f8dfd00db0e57000f8dfd00db0e57.db108c@sde.state.ok.us> <,>
	<002501c8ca5c$30fdf1d0$92f9d570$@net>
Message-ID: <fc.000f8dfd00db4279000f8dfd00db0e57.db453a@sde.state.ok.us>

Forrest,
Thank you for this important question and the one that everyone really
wants an answer to. 

It really is too early to make any concrete statements regarding improved
student performance and/or retention.  However, we are moving in that
direction and I am collecting more and more data each year as the number
of EFF students taught by EFF-trained teachers increases in the state and
we get our programs focused on ways to compare EFF students with other
students. 

In 2005-06 our state moved from using LiteracyPro's EDvantage data
collection system to using the Literacy, Adult Education, and Community
Education System (LACES) which is web-based.  That was a huge transition
year for our programs and I was unable to collect the type of data I
wanted regarding student performance comparisons between EFF students and
other students.  In 2006-07 I asked our programs to "keyword" each student
in their system who was enrolled in a class being taught by an EFF-trained
teacher.  While many programs followed this procedure, not all
participated and I did not feel like I had complete information for that
year.  This year (2007-08) will be the first year that all of our EFF
programs have keyworded their students and I am anxious to look at the
data when it is finalized in a couple of months.  By keywording these
students, I will be able to run reports on each group and do some
achievement and retention comparisons.  

Several of my local programs have reported to me they are seeing a general
trend in increased retention of the EFF students which is boosting their
postassessment percentages.  Of those students being pre and postassessed,
EFF students tend to achieve level gains at a 6-9% greater rate (depending
on subject area) than other students.  Of course you expect this to happen
if contact hours go up; however, it is happening even when contact hours
are about the same for both groups.  Program directors and teachers tell
me they believe it is due to a greater focus on student goal-setting, use
of the curriculum frameworks, and system changes they have made such as
managed-entry intake or managed-entry classes that have been initiated due
to the content standards training.

Pam

specialtopics at nifl.gov writes:
>Pam,
>
>Under the category of "successes" I expected you to list some measure of
>improved student performance and/or retention. Have you been able to
>document that, or is it too early in the game?
>
>Forrest Chisman
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
>[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.go[v]
>On Behalf Of Pam Blundell
>Sent: Monday, June 09, 2008 9:49 AM
>To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
>Subject: [SpecialTopics 948] Implementing State Adult Education Content
>Standards
>
>First, thank you David for this opportunity to share with all of you
>Oklahoma's work in the area of adult education content standards.  Below
>are my
>responses to your questions.  I look forward to the discussion over the
>next two weeks.
>
>1.	Why did your state choose to adopt content standards?  
>.	Informal discussions around content standards began at the state
>level
>prior to my coming to the state in January 2001.  There were several
>reasons for considering content standards at that time, one of which was
>the belief that at some point in the future they would be required of all
>states.  However, apart from the idea of it being a requirement, there
>were serious concerns about what Oklahoma wanted adult education to look
>like in the classroom.  There was agreement that if we had state level
>expectations for providing quality instruction, then the state needed to
>provide guidance as to what that looked like. In addition, Oklahoma's K-12
>system had been implementing standards for several years and since adult
>education is part of the Department of Education, it should have equally
>strong standards. 
>.	In Program Year (PY)2002-03, the state reviewed research on quality
>instruction and various approaches other states had taken in the
>development of content standards.  The state decided to explore the
>Equipped for the Future teaching and learning system through a pilot
>project that began in the summer of 2003.  The pilot consisted of three
>local programs and one Department of Corrections site. The EFF standards
>were not officially adopted by the state at that time; however, the pilot
>project provided feedback from the field that supported the need for
>content standards.
>.	In the spring of 2004 a state Task Force made up of program
>directors,
>teachers and state staff was established to determine if content standards
>should be adopted, why or why not, and if so, what direction should be
>taken and what resources should be invested in this process.  The Task
>Force made two important decisions that led to the adoption of our current
>state standards.  First, they agreed that the EFF standards and all the
>tools associated with this system of teaching and learning were
>representative of what Oklahoma wanted adult education to look like in the
>classroom. This system provided direction and guidance supportive of
>systemic change needed throughout the state.  It was recommended that the
>state officially adopt the EFF standards.  Second, the Task Force agreed
>that while the EFF standards provided a strong research-based foundation,
>there was not enough detail in the areas of reading, math, and writing. 
>It was recommended that further resources be invested in the development
>of Curriculum Frameworks (CF) for reading, math, and writing over the
>following three years with reading being the focus of the first year. 
>Formatting recommendations were made by the Task Force, the work began,
>and the first reading training was implemented during PY2004-05.  Work in
>the area of math took place in 2005-06 and in writing in 2006-07.  
>
>2.	What standards has your state adopted?  
>.	Equipped for the Future    [
>http://eff.cls.utk.edu/fundamentals/eff_standards.htm
>]http://eff.cls.utk.edu/fundamentals/eff_standards.htm
>.	Curriculum Frameworks in reading, math, and writing have been added
>to
>the EFF work.
>
>3.	What has been the process of moving from official adoption to actual
>implementation?
>.	PY2008-09 will begin the sixth year of this process.  Professional
>development was implemented from the very beginning with the first EFF
>pilot project already underway when the decision was made to officially
>adopt the EFF standards.  
>.	The state set EFF Goals and Objectives for learners, teachers,
>directors, local programs, and the state.  An application process was used
>to select programs for the pilot project in 2003-04.  Each year
>thereafter, additional programs applied to begin the three-year training
>process with an average of five new programs per year.  To date,
>twenty-six of thirty-five local programs have participated in the
>trainings. Over 300 participants have been involved in varying degrees of
>the content standards training over the last five years.  An additional
>five programs will be added in 2008-09 and it is planned that by 2009-10
>all local programs will have been engaged in some level of content
>standards training.
>.	The three-year process which began in 2004-05 includes the
>following:
>
>
>	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	1.	EFF Orientation
>.	An introduction to the EFF system
>.	Focus on the state's goal setting policy and using student goals to
>direct instruction
>.	Conference calls
>2.	Read with Understanding 
>.	Focused on the reading standard and using the Reading Curriculum
>Framework within the EFF system of teaching and learning
>.	Three 3-day sessions (9 days)
>.	Conference calls between sessions
>.	Site visits between sessions
>.	Interim activity assignments
>.	Program EFF teams must include the director and a minimum of two
>teachers.
>.	$5,500 program incentive added to their allocation
>.	$1,000 individual participant incentive upon completion of all
>training
>and assignments	1.	Use Math to Solve Problems and Communicate 
>.	Focused on the math standard and using the  Math Curriculum
>Framework
>within the EFF system
>.	Three 2-day sessions (6 days)
>.	Conference calls as needed
>.	E-mail feedback of interim assignments
>.	Site visits as needed by state staff
>.	Requires having gone through the Year 1 training process	1.
>Convey Ideas
>in Writing
>.	Focused on the writing standard and using the Writing Curriculum
>Framework within the EFF system
>.	Three 2-day sessions (6 days)
>.	E-mail feedback of interim assignments
>.	Requires having gone through the Year 1 training process and
>preferably
>Year 2
>	.	In PY2006-07 the state selected EFF State Specialists (3 in
>reading and
>3 in math) for a train-the-trainer project.  In PY2008-09, the state will
>add writing specialists and the EFF Orientation will be conducted by state
>specialists rather than national trainers.
>.	In PY2008-09 the state will add a one-day EFF Orientation and a
>one-day
>Curriculum Framework training that will be facilitated by the state
>specialists.  This training will address the need for shorter trainings
>and more local or regional options.
>.	A key to the implementation process has been the onsite visits by
>the
>national trainers, state staff, and state EFF specialists.  Mentoring,
>conference calls, and the ability to seek support from various resources
>has been critically important to the process.
>.	Future plans for PY2008-09 include content-specific online courses,
>short video conferences on topics that support the use of content
>standards and the EFF teaching/learning system, development of speaking
>and listening curriculum frameworks and work on ESL standards. 
>
>4.	What successes and challenges have you found in implementing the
>content standards?
>.	Successes:  Development of the Reading, Math, and Writing Curriculum
>Frameworks; A strong three-year training plan that has improved from year
>to year from participant feedback and has provided a consistency and
>coherence that sent the message that standards-based instruction was here
>to stay and not just a one-shot deal; Excellent support of our national
>EFF trainers and EFF staff without whom this work would not have been
>done; Training of our EFF State Specialists to provide training and
>support to the field; Inclusion of onsite visits and conference calls in
>the training; Positive feedback from our participants regarding the
>changes they are making in instruction; System changes programs have made
>to support standards-based instruction such as managed-intake and
>managed-entry classes, materials and resources purchased, teacher planning
>time, team meetings, sharing of information with teachers unable to attend
>in-depth training, and greater focus on student goal-setting and written
>lesson plans.
>.	Challenges: Meeting the training needs of part-time teachers unable
>to
>attend multiple day in-depth training; Additional professional development
>for program directors to be sure they recognize and know how to support
>standards-based instruction since they are the key element in supporting
>transfer of training to classroom instruction; Money and time for programs
>to support the planning process that is needed for standards-based
>instruction; and, Staff turnover (directors, teachers, state staff) is a
>challenge when you invest in training and then people leave and you have
>to start over.  Also providing directors and teachers with new tools to
>support instruction is an ongoing process.
>.	Many of the plans for 2008-2009 and the work our state has been
>involved
>in with the Standards-In-Action project are an effort to address these
>challenges.
>
>5.	What do you recommend happen at the federal level to support the
>development of standards-based adult basic education by states?
>.	The first thought is always additional money for adult education
>which
>would allow faster expansion of the work already started in Oklahoma.  
>.	The Content Standards Warehouse and the Standards-In-Action project
>are
>two examples of support that I hope will continue to be available to
>states.  Funds attached to special projects would make it easier for local
>programs to carry out the work necessary in moving the state's content
>standards work forward.  Tools developed through the Standards-In-Action
>project will are being used in ways that support the work Oklahoma is
>doing with content standards.
>
>
>Again, thank you for this opportunity to share our work. I look forward to
>hearing about the work being done in other states as my distinguished
>colleagues share information over the next two weeks.
> 
>Pam
>
>
>Pam Blundell, Assistant Director
>Lifelong Learning Section
>Oklahoma State Department of Education
>2500 North Lincoln Blvd. Room 115
>Oklahoma City, OK 73105-4599
>405-521-3321
>1-800-405-0355
>pam_blundell at sde.state.ok.us
>
>
>-------------------------------
>National Institute for Literacy
>Special Topics mailing list
>SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
>To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
>http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
>Email delivered to forrest at crosslink.net
>
>-------------------------------
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>Special Topics mailing list
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>Email delivered to pam_blundell at sde.state.ok.us

Pam Blundell, Assistant Director
Lifelong Learning Section
Oklahoma State Department of Education
2500 North Lincoln Blvd. Room 115
Oklahoma City, OK 73105-4599
405-521-3321
1-800-405-0355
pam_blundell at sde.state.ok.us

From djrosen1 at comcast.net  Mon Jun  9 20:42:09 2008
From: djrosen1 at comcast.net (David Rosen)
Date: Mon, 9 Jun 2008 20:42:09 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 955] Implementing State Adult Education Content
	Standards: Ohio
Message-ID: <FB77BFB9-0E19-4EFA-8002-2AE80AB798C0@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

Please continue to post questions for Pam Blundell. Today, however, I  
would also like to welcome Judy Franks who will report on Ohio's  
experience in implementing adult education content standards. Judy  
will answer the same questions I asked Pam to address  and perhaps,  
if she wishes, add other information based on the questions you have  
asked Pam.

For those who have just joined the discussion, and others, you will  
find the messages already posted in the discussion archives at

http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html

David J. Rosen
djrosen at comcast.net

From jfranks at literacy.kent.edu  Tue Jun 10 09:14:10 2008
From: jfranks at literacy.kent.edu (Judy Franks)
Date: Tue, 10 Jun 2008 09:14:10 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 956]  Implementing standards in Ohio
Message-ID: <004901c8cafb$e20c5440$fe607b83@jfranks>

Good Morning All and thank you, David, for the challenge to provide a
succinct description of what has been happening in Ohio these past 12 years
as we've worked to develop our standards-based system.  Hopefully, I've
captured some of the major ideas and look forward to expanding my knowledge
as I hear from other states about how they are tackling this important
issue.

 

 

1.       Why did your state choose to adopt content standards?

 

Because of our affiliation with the National Institute for Literacy (NIFL),
we invited Sondra Stein to present about the research they were doing
concerning standards for adults at one of our conferences in 1997.  The
standards development process had been going on for the K-12 system and Ohio
ABLE - being the pioneers that we are - wanted to be part of the process at
the grassroots level.  Ohio was involved initially with the development of
the Equipped for the Future (EFF) standards as Field Development Partners
from 1998 - 2004 with NIFL.  Six programs, interested in improving the
quality of their practice, were involved with the research over those years
and worked diligently to incorporate their learning at each stage of the
development of the EFF content framework.

 

As well as defining content, accountability measures, assessment
(performance) and cognitive science were being discussed at the federal
level in the area of adult education.  Ohio was seeking a systematic
approach to program improvement and the state leadership saw EFF as the tool
for this system-reform to happen in Ohio.  Alignment of all components of
the ABLE system was our goal.

 

 

2.       What standards has your state adopted?   (If you can, include a Web
link to them)

 

Ohio adopted the EFF Standards http://eff.cls.utk.edu/default.htm in 2001
once they were finalized by the national center.  Our ABLE Evaluation &
Design team at OSU lead the process to bring together a team of content
experts (reading, writing, math) and practitioners to create and validate
benchmarks against the NRS descriptors.  You can find those benchmark charts
at http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?page=3
<http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?page=3&Top
icRelationID=966&ContentID=6749&Content=33453>
&TopicRelationID=966&ContentID=6749&Content=33453.  This work was completed
in 2002 with the ESOL benchmark teams completing their work in 2004.  This
gave us a framework for accountability and teaching with a common language
for further defining our content standards.  Our "colored charts" are used
by teachers in lesson planning preparation.  Please contact Jim Austin
offline at austin.38 at osu.edu for more details about the benchmark creation
process.

 

 

3.       What has been the process of moving from official adoption to
actual implementation?

We have timelines and plans that I could share with those of you who are
interested, please contact me at jfranks at literacy.kent.edu, but I've tried
to glean some important things to consider as you think about your standards
implementation process.

 

A.  People and Time

Creating teams that share the joint vision/goal for standards-based
education (SBE) was extremely important to Ohio.  We have had the Research
Teams (Field Development Partners) that consisted of administrators and
teachers and then, as we moved to implementation, established Training Teams
consisting of a local program teacher and a Resource Center staff member was
crucial.  Involving key people in your system allows for buy-in as you go
through your development process.   States need visionaries or pioneers who
are willing to advocate for change at all the levels - national, state and
local - and we've had a great cohort of those folks working on this
initiative.  Our state directors - Jim Bowling (initially) and Denise
Pottmeyer (currently) have supplied direction and financial means; the OSU
team (above) has managed the standards and benchmark project; our Resource
Center Network (RCN) has worked to incorporate the standards into
professional development offerings; and I have served as the standards
liaison - working on various state committees to coordinate services and
develop resources.  Teams need to build knowledge together both at the
program level and at the state level.  EFF allowed us to do this in a
"grassroots" fashion, from a top-down and the bottom-up means.

 

Strategically, plan for standards adoption to take time!  Remember that this
has been a process for Ohio - started in 1996 with the worker role map - and
we still haven't completely "arrived."  Of course, that was the development
of a national system, but even if you consider that SBE became part of the
Ohio ABLE system in 2001 - that's still 7 years of creating and refining the
development plan. Give yourself time to institutionalize this new learning
into your existing system.  We looked at many things that we were already
doing; such as, using the teaching and learning cycle of planning, teaching
and assessing - then looking at how we would incorporate standards into that
cycle, creating a new model for teachers.

 

B.  Alignment

Standards became the means that we sought to align Instruction, Assessment
and Professional Development in our system.  The standards would be the
framework for planning real-life lessons.  Now we had a definition for each
of the content areas - we had a common language for what it means to "read
with understanding" (for example).  Other parts of the EFF Model were used,
such as the Program Practices (purpose/transparency, contextual and building
expertise) as a way to strengthen instruction.  These have been incorporated
into a lesson planning template and are available at Eureka!
http://literacy.kent.edu/eureka along with 88 lesson plans that teachers can
download and use immediately in their classrooms. 

 

Ohio uses standardized tests (TABE, CASAS, Best Plus, etc.) for our
assessments and have developed TABE assessment alignments
http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?page=3
<http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?page=3&Top
icRelationID=966&ContentID=6749&Content=33453>
&TopicRelationID=966&ContentID=6749&Content=33453  for teachers to use as
they build their student's educational plan.  This plan and the standards
are the framework for our portfolio system that guides student learning and
instruction. Ohio also advocated for a performance-based test using the
standards, but to date haven't been able to accomplish this goal.

 

Much of our efforts have been focused on professional development and
incorporating standards into our current system.  Initially, we built
interest across the state by using practitioners who were being successful
in their practice to provide PD for other interested programs.  Grants were
given to programs to support this work regionally, using the Training Team
(2001-2003) to train and provide technical assistance to 30 programs.  We
also presented at state conferences, created print resources and wrote model
lesson plans.  In 2003, the state held the Summer Standards Institute, where
the Standards and Benchmarks were rolled-out at a two-day training for all
134 programs - teams of administrators and teachers coming from programs.
Several core trainings have been developed post Institute and continue to be
presented every year for new staff and staff who need a refresher.  Any
trainers are welcome to this training, please contact me offline and I would
be happy to provide the outline.  

 

Since 2003, we have continued to focus on a variety of methods to bring
information about the standards to programs: regional professional days each
year have a session presenting standards-based topical resources; a
lesson-planning lock-in where 10 teachers created 40 SBE lessons in 24
hours; CDs distributed to programs with lessons ready to use for their
program orientations; ABE/ESOL Snapshots
http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?page=3
<http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?page=3&Top
icRelationID=966&ContentID=6749&Content=33453>
&TopicRelationID=966&ContentID=6749&Content=33453 provide a student's
profile at each of the NRS functioning levels; site visits to programs
requesting training;  three thematic lesson plan packets distributed to all
program sites; various topical publications; and an online Eureka
lesson-plan-of-the-month http://literacy.kent.edu/ spotlighting new lessons.

 

Currently the state leadership network (SLN) has built a standards-based
professional development system in an attempt to connect our six sets of
standards - practitioner, professional development, program, content, data
and performance - into a coherent, inter-related system of quality services
for our adult learners.

 

 

4.       What successes and challenges have you found in implementing the
content standards?

 

Many of the issues that I've already discussed could answer this question as
well.  I like to think we can learn from our challenges to build successes,
so I'll start with a few additional challenges.  In retrospect, we probably
tried to take on too much at once.  Initially, juggling the Research and
Training Teams was a load for our system.  I am continuously reminded to be
realistic and take "baby steps."  Our timing was not always the best -
working in conjunction with development and implementation caused confusion
at time for programs as they grappled with all the jargon and changes they
were experiencing.  Give yourself the needed time and financial support to
build and sustain your system.  Resistance to change is a strong force and
needs to be addressed during your development process, consider the sacred
cows in your system and address them as part of the process.  Many programs
saw EFF as an "add-on" or "something they were already doing" - leading to
confusion, others thought this was "just another mandate" and would
eventually go away.  We had six years of intense change and needed time to
stabilize.  In 2004-2005, we became proactive with the development of
instructional supports listed above.  We also participated in national
initiatives such as STAR (reading) and TIAN (math) - where the focus was on
how those standards fit into instruction.  Additional initiatives, such as
our LD manual and required trainings, have happened since and will often
take the focus off standards, but keep your big picture in mind as your
state moves forward, incorporating and inter-connecting all components. 

            

Many teachers have commented about their depth of professional learning
during the time they were involved as research field sites.  This has shaped
their practice and given them a level of expertise not easily acquired
through other types of professional development.  Ohio ABLE professionals
continue to work toward their goal of system-alignment as evidenced by our
latest endeavor by the SLN.  Quality resources and professional development
offerings are continually being developed by the RCN to support the
standards and build expertise.

 

 

5.       What do you recommend happen at the federal level to support the
development of standards-based adult basic education by states?

 

This discussion list is a great start!  Providing communication methods -
e-lists, websites, e-meetings, newsletters, etc. - nationally, where states
can share their experiences, is such a benefit to our learning.  That was
greatly appreciated by local programs in Ohio as they were able to share
with programs from Washington to Maine during the EFF Initiative.  ABLE is
always seeking additional funding sources both nationally and at the state
level to continue and strengthen our standards-based system.

 

Looking forward to a great discussion, J

 

 

 

Judy Franks

Literacy Projects Coordinator

Ohio Literacy Resource Center

330-672-0753

jfranks at literacy.kent.edu

  

 

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From djrosen at comcast.net  Tue Jun 10 21:21:10 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (djrosen at comcast.net)
Date: Wed, 11 Jun 2008 01:21:10 +0000
Subject: [SpecialTopics 957] Re: Implementing standards in Ohio
Message-ID: <061120080121.15197.484F288600005A5200003B5D2215553894020A9C019D060B@comcast.net>

Hello Judy,

Thanks for this comprehensive view of the content standards implementation process in Ohio.  I wonder if you could expand on a few things. 

You wrote:

"Ohio was seeking a systematic approach to program improvement and the state leadership saw EFF as the tool for this system-reform to happen in Ohio.  Alignment of all components of the ABLE system was our goal."

In what ways have you seen programs improve? Is there a pattern? And what evidence do you have (or look for) of their improvement? 

"Our ABLE Evaluation & Design team at OSU lead the process to bring together a team of content experts (reading, writing, math) and practitioners to create and validate benchmarks against the NRS descriptors"

What is the relationship of benchmarks in Ohio to the EFF standards? Are the benchmarks simply a more specific articulation of the standards, closer to actual measures, or something else?

"Currently the state leadership network (SLN) has built a standards-based professional development system in an attempt to connect our six sets of standards &#150; practitioner, professional development, program, content, data and performance &#150; into a coherent, inter-related system of quality services for our adult learners."

Can you tell us more about this? What are examples of some of these professional development system standards? Is there a deliberate overlap of program improvement standards and professional development standards? If so, why?

"Resistance to change is a strong force and needs to be addressed during your development process, consider the sacred cows in your system and address them as part of the process.  Many programs saw EFF as an &#147;add-on&#148; or &#147;something they were already doing&#148; &#150; leading to confusion, others thought this was &#147;just another mandate&#148; and would eventually go away. " 

Can you say more about what has helped you to overcome this resistance?

My interpretation of some key features of standards implementation in Ohio are:

&#149; Committed leadership
&#149; Starting with a good set of standards
&#149; Allowing enough time (years!)
&#149; Careful alignment
&#149; Teams at all levels and in al parts of the planning and implementation process
&#149; Tools that make it easy for teachers to use the standards
&#149; Simultaneous top-down and bottom-up implementation efforts
&#149; Investment in considerable professional development

Would you agree? Have I missed any?

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

On Jun 10, 2008, at 9:14 AM, Judy Franks wrote:

Good Morning All and thank you, David, for the challenge to provide a succinct description of what has been happening in Ohio these past 12 years as we&#146;ve worked to develop our standards-based system.  Hopefully, I&#146;ve captured some of the major ideas and look forward to expanding my knowledge as I hear from other states about how they are tackling this important issue.

1.       Why did your state choose to adopt content standards?

Because of our affiliation with the National Institute for Literacy (NIFL), we invited Sondra Stein to present about the research they were doing concerning standards for adults at one of our conferences in 1997.  The standards development process had been going on for the K-12 system and Ohio ABLE &#150; being the pioneers that we are &#150; wanted to be part of the process at the grassroots level.  Ohio was involved initially with the development of the Equipped for the Future (EFF) standards as Field Development Partners from 1998 &#150; 2004 with NIFL.  Six programs, interested in improving the quality of their practice, were involved with the research over those years and worked diligently to incorporate their learning at each stage of the development of the EFF content framework.

As well as defining content, accountability measures, assessment (performance) and cognitive science were being discussed at the federal level in the area of adult education.  Ohio was seeking a systematic approach to program improvement and the state leadership saw EFF as the tool for this system-reform to happen in Ohio.  Alignment of all components of the ABLE system was our goal.

2.       What standards has your state adopted?   (If you can, include a Web link to them)

Ohio adopted the EFF Standards http://eff.cls.utk.edu/default.htm in 2001 once they were finalized by the national center.  Our ABLE Evaluation & Design team at OSU lead the process to bring together a team of content experts (reading, writing, math) and practitioners to create and validate benchmarks against the NRS descriptors.  You can find those benchmark charts at http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?page=3&TopicRelationID=966&ContentID=6749&Content=33453.  This work was completed in 2002 with the ESOL benchmark teams completing their work in 2004.  This gave us a framework for accountability and teaching with a common language for further defining our content standards.  Our &#147;colored charts&#148; are used by teachers in lesson planning preparation.  Please contact Jim Austin offline at austin.38 at osu.edu for more details about the benchmark creation process.

3.       What has been the process of moving from official adoption to actual implementation?

We have timelines and plans that I could share with those of you who are interested, please contact me at jfranks at literacy.kent.edu, but I&#146;ve tried to glean some important things to consider as you think about your standards implementation process.

A.  People and Time

Creating teams that share the joint vision/goal for standards-based education (SBE) was extremely important to Ohio.  We have had the Research Teams (Field Development Partners) that consisted of administrators and teachers and then, as we moved to implementation, established Training Teams consisting of a local program teacher and a Resource Center staff member was crucial.  Involving key people in your system allows for buy-in as you go through your development process.   States need visionaries or pioneers who are willing to advocate for change at all the levels &#150; national, state and local &#150; and we&#146;ve had a great cohort of those folks working on this initiative.  Our state directors &#150; Jim Bowling (initially) and Denise Pottmeyer (currently) have supplied direction and financial means; the OSU team (above) has managed the standards and benchmark project; our Resource Center Network (RCN) has worked to incorporate the standards into professional development off
erings; and I have s
erved as the standards liaison &#150; working on various state committees to coordinate services and develop resources.  Teams need to build knowledge together both at the program level and at the state level.  EFF allowed us to do this in a &#147;grassroots&#148; fashion, from a top-down and the bottom-up means.

Strategically, plan for standards adoption to take time!  Remember that this has been a process for Ohio &#150; started in 1996 with the worker role map &#150; and we still haven&#146;t completely &#147;arrived.&#148;  Of course, that was the development of a national system, but even if you consider that SBE became part of the Ohio ABLE system in 2001 &#150; that&#146;s still 7 years of creating and refining the development plan. Give yourself time to institutionalize this new learning into your existing system.  We looked at many things that we were already doing; such as, using the teaching and learning cycle of planning, teaching and assessing &#150; then looking at how we would incorporate standards into that cycle, creating a new model for teachers.

B.  Alignment

Standards became the means that we sought to align Instruction, Assessment and Professional Development in our system.  The standards would be the framework for planning real-life lessons.  Now we had a definition for each of the content areas &#150; we had a common language for what it means to &#147;read with understanding&#148; (for example).  Other parts of the EFF Model were used, such as the Program Practices (purpose/transparency, contextual and building expertise) as a way to strengthen instruction.  These have been incorporated into a lesson planning template and are available at Eureka! http://literacy.kent.edu/eureka along with 88 lesson plans that teachers can download and use immediately in their classrooms.

Ohio uses standardized tests (TABE, CASAS, Best Plus, etc.) for our assessments and have developed TABE assessment alignments http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?page=3&TopicRelationID=966&ContentID=6749&Content=33453  for teachers to use as they build their student&#146;s educational plan.  This plan and the standards are the framework for our portfolio system that guides student learning and instruction. Ohio also advocated for a performance-based test using the standards, but to date haven&#146;t been able to accomplish this goal.

Much of our efforts have been focused on professional development and incorporating standards into our current system.  Initially, we built interest across the state by using practitioners who were being successful in their practice to provide PD for other interested programs.  Grants were given to programs to support this work regionally, using the Training Team (2001-2003) to train and provide technical assistance to 30 programs.  We also presented at state conferences, created print resources and wrote model lesson plans.  In 2003, the state held the Summer Standards Institute, where the Standards and Benchmarks were rolled-out at a two-day training for all 134 programs &#150; teams of administrators and teachers coming from programs.  Several core trainings have been developed post Institute and continue to be presented every year for new staff and staff who need a refresher.  Any trainers are welcome to this training, please contact me offline and I would be happy to provide t
he ou
tline. 

Since 2003, we have continued to focus on a variety of methods to bring information about the standards to programs: regional professional days each year have a session presenting standards-based topical resources; a lesson-planning lock-in where 10 teachers created 40 SBE lessons in 24 hours; CDs distributed to programs with lessons ready to use for their program orientations; ABE/ESOL Snapshots http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?page=3&TopicRelationID=966&ContentID=6749&Content=33453 provide a student&#146;s profile at each of the NRS functioning levels; site visits to programs requesting training;  three thematic lesson plan packets distributed to all program sites; various topical publications; and an online Eureka lesson-plan-of-the-month http://literacy.kent.edu/ spotlighting new lessons. 

Currently the state leadership network (SLN) has built a standards-based professional development system in an attempt to connect our six sets of standards &#150; practitioner, professional development, program, content, data and performance &#150; into a coherent, inter-related system of quality services for our adult learners.

4.       What successes and challenges have you found in implementing the content standards?

Many of the issues that I&#146;ve already discussed could answer this question as well.  I like to think we can learn from our challenges to build successes, so I&#146;ll start with a few additional challenges.  In retrospect, we probably tried to take on too much at once.  Initially, juggling the Research and Training Teams was a load for our system.  I am continuously reminded to be realistic and take &#147;baby steps.&#148;  Our timing was not always the best &#150; working in conjunction with development and implementation caused confusion at time for programs as they grappled with all the jargon and changes they were experiencing.  Give yourself the needed time and financial support to build and sustain your system.  Resistance to change is a strong force and needs to be addressed during your development process, consider the sacred cows in your system and address them as part of the process.  Many programs saw EFF as an &#147;add-on&#148; or &#147;something they were already 
doing&#148; &#150; leading to confusion, others th
ought this was &#147;just another mandate&#148; and would eventually go away.  We had six years of intense change and needed time to stabilize.  In 2004-2005, we became proactive with the development of instructional supports listed above.  We also participated in national initiatives such as STAR (reading) and TIAN (math) &#150; where the focus was on how those standards fit into instruction.  Additional initiatives, such as our LD manual and required trainings, have happened since and will often take the focus off standards, but keep your big picture in mind as your state moves forward, incorporating and inter-connecting all components.

Many teachers have commented about their depth of professional learning during the time they were involved as research field sites.  This has shaped their practice and given them a level of expertise not easily acquired through other types of professional development.  Ohio ABLE professionals continue to work toward their goal of system-alignment as evidenced by our latest endeavor by the SLN.  Quality resources and professional development offerings are continually being developed by the RCN to support the standards and build expertise.

5.       What do you recommend happen at the federal level to support the development of standards-based adult basic education by states?

This discussion list is a great start!  Providing communication methods &#150; e-lists, websites, e-meetings, newsletters, etc. &#150; nationally, where states can share their experiences, is such a benefit to our learning.  That was greatly appreciated by local programs in Ohio as they were able to share with programs from Washington to Maine during the EFF Initiative.  ABLE is always seeking additional funding sources both nationally and at the state level to continue and strengthen our standards-based system.

Looking forward to a great discussion, J

Judy Franks

Literacy Projects Coordinator

Ohio Literacy Resource Center

330-672-0753

jfranks at literacy.kent.edu

From djrosen at comcast.net  Tue Jun 10 22:30:24 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Tue, 10 Jun 2008 22:30:24 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 958] Implementing State Adult Education Content
	Standards: Arizona
Message-ID: <33B70100-D756-456E-B7B1-BB59E70D67A2@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

Please continue to post questions for Judy Franks and Pam Blundell.  
Today, however, I would also like to welcome Miriam Kroeger who will  
report on Arizona's experience in implementing adult education  
content standards. Miriam will answer the same questions I asked Pam  
and Judy to address and perhaps, if she wishes, add other information  
based on the questions we have asked Pam and Judy .

For those who have just joined the discussion, and others, you will  
find the messages already posted in the discussion archives at

http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html

David J. Rosen
djrosen at comcast.net

From Gary.Upham at maine.gov  Tue Jun 10 10:02:58 2008
From: Gary.Upham at maine.gov (Upham, Gary)
Date: Tue, 10 Jun 2008 10:02:58 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 959] Re: How contant standards are working in prisons
In-Reply-To: <mailman.9.1213027204.6842.specialtopics@nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <4CB17D33C0F89345847A40593C9EB8EBE5DBE3@SOM-TEAQASMAIL2.som.w2k.state.me.us>

As principal of the maine state prison we are developing programs but
not currently based on content standards - we are using PLATO - I had
heard the EFF was not being extensively used in Maine.  Any programs out
there that are currently being touted as success stories in Prison?

Gary Upham

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Today's Topics:

   1. [SpecialTopics 947] Implementing state adult education
      content	standards: the discussion begins (David J. Rosen)
   2. [SpecialTopics 948] Implementing State Adult Education
      Content	Standards (Pam Blundell)
   3. [SpecialTopics 949] Re: Implementing State Adult Education
      Content	Standards (David J. Rosen)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Mon, 9 Jun 2008 08:10:39 -0400
From: "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 947] Implementing state adult education
	content	standards: the discussion begins
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Message-ID: <43E8A9FA-3AEF-403E-8E73-68859A1FC161 at comcast.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed

Special Topics Colleagues,

Today we begin a two-week discussion on implementing state adult  
education content standards. I would like to welcome you and our  
guest experts: Miriam Kroeger, from Arizona; Raye Nell Spillman, from  
Louisiana; Karen Lisch Gianninoto, from Maryland; Judy Franks, from  
Ohio; Pam Blundel, from Oklahoma; Philip Anderson, from Florida; and  
Federico Salas, from Texas.  From today through Tuesday next week, we  
will have reports from our guests on how their states are  
implementing state adult education standards. They will also try to  
answer your questions. I have asked each guest to respond to the  
following questions:

1.    Why did your state choose to adopt content standards?
2.    What standards has your state adopted?
3.    What has been the process of moving from official adoption to  
actual implementation?
4.    What successes and challenges have you found in implementing  
the content standards?
5.    What do you recommend happen at the federal level to support  
the development of standards-based adult basic education by states?

You can send your questions for a particular guest -- or for any or  
all the guests -- or for anyone in the discussion -- at any time. You  
can also describe your own experience in your state with implementing  
content standards, and ask for suggestions, raise concerns, or share  
good practices. Send your messages to specialtopics at nifl.gov .  I  
will hold some questions for next week, including some of the  
questions that some subscribers, at my request, sent me some time ago.

Let's begin with Pam Blundell, from Oklahoma.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Mon, 09 Jun 2008 08:49:05 -0500
From: "Pam Blundell" <pam_blundell at sde.state.ok.us>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 948] Implementing State Adult Education
	Content	Standards
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Message-ID:
	<fc.000f8dfd00db0e57000f8dfd00db0e57.db108c at sde.state.ok.us>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

First, thank you David for this opportunity to share with all of you
Oklahoma's work in the area of adult education content standards.  Below
are my
responses to your questions.  I look forward to the discussion over the
next two weeks.

1.	Why did your state choose to adopt content standards?  
?	Informal discussions around content standards began at the state
level
prior to my coming to the state in January 2001.  There were several
reasons for considering content standards at that time, one of which was
the belief that at some point in the future they would be required of
all
states.  However, apart from the idea of it being a requirement, there
were serious concerns about what Oklahoma wanted adult education to look
like in the classroom.  There was agreement that if we had state level
expectations for providing quality instruction, then the state needed to
provide guidance as to what that looked like. In addition, Oklahoma?s
K-12
system had been implementing standards for several years and since adult
education is part of the Department of Education, it should have equally
strong standards. 
?	In Program Year (PY)2002-03, the state reviewed research on
quality
instruction and various approaches other states had taken in the
development of content standards.  The state decided to explore the
Equipped for the Future teaching and learning system through a pilot
project that began in the summer of 2003.  The pilot consisted of three
local programs and one Department of Corrections site. The EFF standards
were not officially adopted by the state at that time; however, the
pilot
project provided feedback from the field that supported the need for
content standards.
?	In the spring of 2004 a state Task Force made up of program
directors,
teachers and state staff was established to determine if content
standards
should be adopted, why or why not, and if so, what direction should be
taken and what resources should be invested in this process.  The Task
Force made two important decisions that led to the adoption of our
current
state standards.  First, they agreed that the EFF standards and all the
tools associated with this system of teaching and learning were
representative of what Oklahoma wanted adult education to look like in
the
classroom. This system provided direction and guidance supportive of
systemic change needed throughout the state.  It was recommended that
the
state officially adopt the EFF standards.  Second, the Task Force agreed
that while the EFF standards provided a strong research-based
foundation,
there was not enough detail in the areas of reading, math, and writing. 
It was recommended that further resources be invested in the development
of Curriculum Frameworks (CF) for reading, math, and writing over the
following three years with reading being the focus of the first year. 
Formatting recommendations were made by the Task Force, the work began,
and the first reading training was implemented during PY2004-05.  Work
in
the area of math took place in 2005-06 and in writing in 2006-07.  

2.	What standards has your state adopted?  
?	Equipped for the Future    [
http://eff.cls.utk.edu/fundamentals/eff_standards.htm
]http://eff.cls.utk.edu/fundamentals/eff_standards.htm
?	Curriculum Frameworks in reading, math, and writing have been
added to
the EFF work.

3.	What has been the process of moving from official adoption to
actual
implementation?
?	PY2008-09 will begin the sixth year of this process.
Professional
development was implemented from the very beginning with the first EFF
pilot project already underway when the decision was made to officially
adopt the EFF standards.  
?	The state set EFF Goals and Objectives for learners, teachers,
directors, local programs, and the state.  An application process was
used
to select programs for the pilot project in 2003-04.  Each year
thereafter, additional programs applied to begin the three-year training
process with an average of five new programs per year.  To date,
twenty-six of thirty-five local programs have participated in the
trainings. Over 300 participants have been involved in varying degrees
of
the content standards training over the last five years.  An additional
five programs will be added in 2008-09 and it is planned that by 2009-10
all local programs will have been engaged in some level of content
standards training.
?	The three-year process which began in 2004-05 includes the
following:

	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	1.	EFF Orientation
?	An introduction to the EFF system
?	Focus on the state?s goal setting policy and using student goals
to
direct instruction
?	Conference calls
2.	Read with Understanding 
?	Focused on the reading standard and using the Reading Curriculum
Framework within the EFF system of teaching and learning
?	Three 3-day sessions (9 days)
?	Conference calls between sessions
?	Site visits between sessions
?	Interim activity assignments
?	Program EFF teams must include the director and a minimum of two
teachers.
?	$5,500 program incentive added to their allocation
?	$1,000 individual participant incentive upon completion of all
training
and assignments	1.	Use Math to Solve Problems and Communicate 
?	Focused on the math standard and using the  Math Curriculum
Framework
within the EFF system
?	Three 2-day sessions (6 days)
?	Conference calls as needed
?	E-mail feedback of interim assignments
?	Site visits as needed by state staff
?	Requires having gone through the Year 1 training process
1.	Convey Ideas
in Writing
?	Focused on the writing standard and using the Writing Curriculum
Framework within the EFF system
?	Three 2-day sessions (6 days)
?	E-mail feedback of interim assignments
?	Requires having gone through the Year 1 training process and
preferably
Year 2
	?	In PY2006-07 the state selected EFF State Specialists (3
in reading and
3 in math) for a train-the-trainer project.  In PY2008-09, the state
will
add writing specialists and the EFF Orientation will be conducted by
state
specialists rather than national trainers.
?	In PY2008-09 the state will add a one-day EFF Orientation and a
one-day
Curriculum Framework training that will be facilitated by the state
specialists.  This training will address the need for shorter trainings
and more local or regional options.
?	A key to the implementation process has been the onsite visits
by the
national trainers, state staff, and state EFF specialists.  Mentoring,
conference calls, and the ability to seek support from various resources
has been critically important to the process.
?	Future plans for PY2008-09 include content-specific online
courses,
short video conferences on topics that support the use of content
standards and the EFF teaching/learning system, development of speaking
and listening curriculum frameworks and work on ESL standards. 

4.	What successes and challenges have you found in implementing the
content standards?
?	Successes:  Development of the Reading, Math, and Writing
Curriculum
Frameworks; A strong three-year training plan that has improved from
year
to year from participant feedback and has provided a consistency and
coherence that sent the message that standards-based instruction was
here
to stay and not just a one-shot deal; Excellent support of our national
EFF trainers and EFF staff without whom this work would not have been
done; Training of our EFF State Specialists to provide training and
support to the field; Inclusion of onsite visits and conference calls in
the training; Positive feedback from our participants regarding the
changes they are making in instruction; System changes programs have
made
to support standards-based instruction such as managed-intake and
managed-entry classes, materials and resources purchased, teacher
planning
time, team meetings, sharing of information with teachers unable to
attend
in-depth training, and greater focus on student goal-setting and written
lesson plans.
?	Challenges: Meeting the training needs of part-time teachers
unable to
attend multiple day in-depth training; Additional professional
development
for program directors to be sure they recognize and know how to support
standards-based instruction since they are the key element in supporting
transfer of training to classroom instruction; Money and time for
programs
to support the planning process that is needed for standards-based
instruction; and, Staff turnover (directors, teachers, state staff) is a
challenge when you invest in training and then people leave and you have
to start over.  Also providing directors and teachers with new tools to
support instruction is an ongoing process.
?	Many of the plans for 2008-2009 and the work our state has been
involved
in with the Standards-In-Action project are an effort to address these
challenges.

5.	What do you recommend happen at the federal level to support the
development of standards-based adult basic education by states?
?	The first thought is always additional money for adult education
which
would allow faster expansion of the work already started in Oklahoma.  
?	The Content Standards Warehouse and the Standards-In-Action
project are
two examples of support that I hope will continue to be available to
states.  Funds attached to special projects would make it easier for
local
programs to carry out the work necessary in moving the state?s content
standards work forward.  Tools developed through the Standards-In-Action
project will are being used in ways that support the work Oklahoma is
doing with content standards.

Again, thank you for this opportunity to share our work. I look forward
to
hearing about the work being done in other states as my distinguished
colleagues share information over the next two weeks.
 
Pam

Pam Blundell, Assistant Director
Lifelong Learning Section
Oklahoma State Department of Education
2500 North Lincoln Blvd. Room 115
Oklahoma City, OK 73105-4599
405-521-3321
1-800-405-0355
pam_blundell at sde.state.ok.us

------------------------------

Message: 3
Date: Mon, 9 Jun 2008 10:43:38 -0400
From: "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 949] Re: Implementing State Adult Education
	Content	Standards
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
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Pam,

Can you tell us more about the Content Standards Warehouse and the  
Standards-in-Action Project? What are these resources? Which of the  
Standards-in-Action tools have you used in Oklahoma, and how have you  
used them?

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

On Jun 9, 2008, at 9:49 AM, Pam Blundell wrote:

> First, thank you David for this opportunity to share with all of you
> Oklahoma's work in the area of adult education content standards.   
> Below
> are my
> responses to your questions.  I look forward to the discussion over  
> the
> next two weeks.
>
> 1.	Why did your state choose to adopt content standards?
> ?	Informal discussions around content standards began at the state

> level
> prior to my coming to the state in January 2001.  There were several
> reasons for considering content standards at that time, one of  
> which was
> the belief that at some point in the future they would be required  
> of all
> states.  However, apart from the idea of it being a requirement, there
> were serious concerns about what Oklahoma wanted adult education to  
> look
> like in the classroom.  There was agreement that if we had state level
> expectations for providing quality instruction, then the state  
> needed to
> provide guidance as to what that looked like. In addition,  
> Oklahoma?s K-12
> system had been implementing standards for several years and since  
> adult
> education is part of the Department of Education, it should have  
> equally
> strong standards.
> ?	In Program Year (PY)2002-03, the state reviewed research on
quality
> instruction and various approaches other states had taken in the
> development of content standards.  The state decided to explore the
> Equipped for the Future teaching and learning system through a pilot
> project that began in the summer of 2003.  The pilot consisted of  
> three
> local programs and one Department of Corrections site. The EFF  
> standards
> were not officially adopted by the state at that time; however, the  
> pilot
> project provided feedback from the field that supported the need for
> content standards.
> ?	In the spring of 2004 a state Task Force made up of program  
> directors,
> teachers and state staff was established to determine if content  
> standards
> should be adopted, why or why not, and if so, what direction should be
> taken and what resources should be invested in this process.  The Task
> Force made two important decisions that led to the adoption of our  
> current
> state standards.  First, they agreed that the EFF standards and all  
> the
> tools associated with this system of teaching and learning were
> representative of what Oklahoma wanted adult education to look like  
> in the
> classroom. This system provided direction and guidance supportive of
> systemic change needed throughout the state.  It was recommended  
> that the
> state officially adopt the EFF standards.  Second, the Task Force  
> agreed
> that while the EFF standards provided a strong research-based  
> foundation,
> there was not enough detail in the areas of reading, math, and  
> writing.
> It was recommended that further resources be invested in the  
> development
> of Curriculum Frameworks (CF) for reading, math, and writing over the
> following three years with reading being the focus of the first year.
> Formatting recommendations were made by the Task Force, the work  
> began,
> and the first reading training was implemented during PY2004-05.   
> Work in
> the area of math took place in 2005-06 and in writing in 2006-07.
>
> 2.	What standards has your state adopted?
> ?	Equipped for the Future    [
> http://eff.cls.utk.edu/fundamentals/eff_standards.htm
> ]http://eff.cls.utk.edu/fundamentals/eff_standards.htm
> ?	Curriculum Frameworks in reading, math, and writing have been  
> added to
> the EFF work.
>
> 3.	What has been the process of moving from official adoption to  
> actual
> implementation?
> ?	PY2008-09 will begin the sixth year of this process.
Professional
> development was implemented from the very beginning with the first EFF
> pilot project already underway when the decision was made to  
> officially
> adopt the EFF standards.
> ?	The state set EFF Goals and Objectives for learners, teachers,
> directors, local programs, and the state.  An application process  
> was used
> to select programs for the pilot project in 2003-04.  Each year
> thereafter, additional programs applied to begin the three-year  
> training
> process with an average of five new programs per year.  To date,
> twenty-six of thirty-five local programs have participated in the
> trainings. Over 300 participants have been involved in varying  
> degrees of
> the content standards training over the last five years.  An  
> additional
> five programs will be added in 2008-09 and it is planned that by  
> 2009-10
> all local programs will have been engaged in some level of content
> standards training.
> ?	The three-year process which began in 2004-05 includes the  
> following:
>
>
> 	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3	1.	EFF Orientation
> ?	An introduction to the EFF system
> ?	Focus on the state?s goal setting policy and using student goals
to
> direct instruction
> ?	Conference calls
> 2.	Read with Understanding
> ?	Focused on the reading standard and using the Reading Curriculum
> Framework within the EFF system of teaching and learning
> ?	Three 3-day sessions (9 days)
> ?	Conference calls between sessions
> ?	Site visits between sessions
> ?	Interim activity assignments
> ?	Program EFF teams must include the director and a minimum of two
> teachers.
> ?	$5,500 program incentive added to their allocation
> ?	$1,000 individual participant incentive upon completion of all  
> training
> and assignments	1.	Use Math to Solve Problems and
Communicate
> ?	Focused on the math standard and using the  Math Curriculum  
> Framework
> within the EFF system
> ?	Three 2-day sessions (6 days)
> ?	Conference calls as needed
> ?	E-mail feedback of interim assignments
> ?	Site visits as needed by state staff
> ?	Requires having gone through the Year 1 training process
1.	 
> Convey Ideas
> in Writing
> ?	Focused on the writing standard and using the Writing Curriculum
> Framework within the EFF system
> ?	Three 2-day sessions (6 days)
> ?	E-mail feedback of interim assignments
> ?	Requires having gone through the Year 1 training process and  
> preferably
> Year 2
> 	?	In PY2006-07 the state selected EFF State Specialists (3
in  
> reading and
> 3 in math) for a train-the-trainer project.  In PY2008-09, the  
> state will
> add writing specialists and the EFF Orientation will be conducted  
> by state
> specialists rather than national trainers.
> ?	In PY2008-09 the state will add a one-day EFF Orientation and a

> one-day
> Curriculum Framework training that will be facilitated by the state
> specialists.  This training will address the need for shorter  
> trainings
> and more local or regional options.
> ?	A key to the implementation process has been the onsite visits
by  
> the
> national trainers, state staff, and state EFF specialists.  Mentoring,
> conference calls, and the ability to seek support from various  
> resources
> has been critically important to the process.
> ?	Future plans for PY2008-09 include content-specific online
courses,
> short video conferences on topics that support the use of content
> standards and the EFF teaching/learning system, development of  
> speaking
> and listening curriculum frameworks and work on ESL standards.
>
> 4.	What successes and challenges have you found in implementing the
> content standards?
> ?	Successes:  Development of the Reading, Math, and Writing
Curriculum
> Frameworks; A strong three-year training plan that has improved  
> from year
> to year from participant feedback and has provided a consistency and
> coherence that sent the message that standards-based instruction  
> was here
> to stay and not just a one-shot deal; Excellent support of our  
> national
> EFF trainers and EFF staff without whom this work would not have been
> done; Training of our EFF State Specialists to provide training and
> support to the field; Inclusion of onsite visits and conference  
> calls in
> the training; Positive feedback from our participants regarding the
> changes they are making in instruction; System changes programs  
> have made
> to support standards-based instruction such as managed-intake and
> managed-entry classes, materials and resources purchased, teacher  
> planning
> time, team meetings, sharing of information with teachers unable to  
> attend
> in-depth training, and greater focus on student goal-setting and  
> written
> lesson plans.
> ?	Challenges: Meeting the training needs of part-time teachers  
> unable to
> attend multiple day in-depth training; Additional professional  
> development
> for program directors to be sure they recognize and know how to  
> support
> standards-based instruction since they are the key element in  
> supporting
> transfer of training to classroom instruction; Money and time for  
> programs
> to support the planning process that is needed for standards-based
> instruction; and, Staff turnover (directors, teachers, state staff)  
> is a
> challenge when you invest in training and then people leave and you  
> have
> to start over.  Also providing directors and teachers with new  
> tools to
> support instruction is an ongoing process.
> ?	Many of the plans for 2008-2009 and the work our state has been

> involved
> in with the Standards-In-Action project are an effort to address these
> challenges.
>
> 5.	What do you recommend happen at the federal level to support the
> development of standards-based adult basic education by states?
> ?	The first thought is always additional money for adult education

> which
> would allow faster expansion of the work already started in Oklahoma.
> ?	The Content Standards Warehouse and the Standards-In-Action  
> project are
> two examples of support that I hope will continue to be available to
> states.  Funds attached to special projects would make it easier  
> for local
> programs to carry out the work necessary in moving the state?s content
> standards work forward.  Tools developed through the Standards-In- 
> Action
> project will are being used in ways that support the work Oklahoma is
> doing with content standards.
>
>
> Again, thank you for this opportunity to share our work. I look  
> forward to
> hearing about the work being done in other states as my distinguished
> colleagues share information over the next two weeks.
>
> Pam
>
>
> Pam Blundell, Assistant Director
> Lifelong Learning Section
> Oklahoma State Department of Education
> 2500 North Lincoln Blvd. Room 115
> Oklahoma City, OK 73105-4599
> 405-521-3321
> 1-800-405-0355
> pam_blundell at sde.state.ok.us
>
>
> -------------------------------
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> Special Topics mailing list
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> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to djrosen at comcast.net

David J. Rosen
djrosen at comcast.net

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********************************************

From Miriam.Kroeger at azed.gov  Wed Jun 11 11:34:20 2008
From: Miriam.Kroeger at azed.gov (Kroeger, Miriam)
Date: Wed, 11 Jun 2008 08:34:20 -0700
Subject: [SpecialTopics 960] Re: Implementing State Adult Education
	Content	Standards: Arizona
In-Reply-To: <33B70100-D756-456E-B7B1-BB59E70D67A2@comcast.net>
References: <33B70100-D756-456E-B7B1-BB59E70D67A2@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <914B6658FFC2C74EAF866A48985C3A8E038F2448FF@prodmail5.prod.root>

Thank you, David, for the opportunity to share with others Arizona's experiences with Standards development, adoption and implementation.

Why standards?
Arizona embarked on this evolutionary process starting in 1998.  The genesis for our Standrds Initiative was comments from the field. Our Arizona adult educators expressed frustration over a lack of common definitions of skills and abilities for students at the ABE/ASE and ESOL levels.  At the same time, Arizona's K-12 system was also developing and refining their standards.  Several programs had developed compentencies but nothing was in use on a statewide basis.  I want to reiterate again - the majority of Arizona's standards are field driven and  make use of the knowledge and expertise that exists in the field.

I mentioned our K-12 system for a few reasons.
        First, Arizona Adult Education is administered through the Arizona Department of Education.  Our highest adminstrator is the Superintendent of Public Instruction
        Second, our providers include not only community colleges, non-profits, and government-related agencies, but also elementary and secondary school districts.  Many of our teachers come from K-12 systems.  We wanted to be sure that we employed easily recongizable and meaningful language, ideas and concepts.
        Third, we wanted to develop standards that helped our adult learners transition to more learning and ways of knowing that would help them in further education, in their family interactions and responsibilitise, and in their communities and on their jobs.  We thought, and think, of our standards as bridges to their future.

2.  What standards:
        We started with the development of Reaindg, Writing, Math, ESOL and Citizenship Standards.  We added Science, Social Studies and Technology.  Our standards included Content (what students should know and be able to do), and Performance/Proficiency Standards (how well should they know this, and what does a continuum of knowing look like).  We also developed Sample Activities at each level, in each content area, applied to each indicator and put these activities in the context of Family, Workplace and Community.  http://www.ade.az.gov/adult-ed/adult_ed_standards.asp

2.  Process:
        Whew - 10 years and still working on it!  Our field really stepped up to the plate.  Over 100 teachers and administrators were involved and worked on various teams - a Design Team who particpated in extensive training on the change process, because, believe me, standards were a big change in how adult education operated.  Task forces in each of the content areas, Focus groups for feedback on what was being developed, task forces for performance/proficiency standards, a steering committee to review the final products, standards specialists to help programs understand and implement the standards and to deal with change, summer institutes for teachers to learn how to and to align their materials, lessons, etc. to the standards. It is a continuous process, and there have been interesting outcomes.  As I visit programs throughout our state, teachers are not asking questions about what are these standards?, instead they speak "standards-speak".  They know levels of profiency, they know what materials and resources they would use for a learner  who is ABE I in math.  They post lessons aligned to the standards on our state association website. (www.az-aall.org)

3/4.  Implementation, Successes and Challenges
        I think I have mentioned these - the greatest being helping the field understand and deal with change.  Understanding the change process; working with all of our teams to understand and embrace the process.  But it worked, and because the field was involved from the beginning, the field was able to work with their colleagues and lead them through the process.  People were/are learning together.
        When we review a program in depth, we ask about standards understanding and use.  Our experience now is that we don't have to ask that question; we see evidence of standards use in the classrooms wherever we go.  We see notations of standards and indicators in lessons, and see integrated lessons aligned to standards such as social Studies and writing, or Science and math.

5.  Support on the federal level is evident.  I'm not sure if there should be "national" standards in adult education.  I think the Standards Warehouse and the taxonomies that were developed for each of the content areas identify the common measures that states need to address in their standards.

I look forward to hearing form others.  I've already linked to several resources that my colleagues have mentioned in their posts.  There is a richness of experience and knowledge in adult education that often goes unnoticed.  Our collective work in standards I believe will help our stakeholders understand the value that we can contribute to the success of our learners and our country.

-Miriam Kroeger

Miriam A. Kroeger, Education Program Specialist
Arizona Department of Education/Adult Education
1535 W. Jefferson  Bin 26
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Phone:    (602) 364-2703
FAX:     (602) 258-4986
miriam.kroeger at azed.gov

The information contained in this email transmission and any attachments is intended only for the personal and confidential use of the designated named herein.  If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient or an agent responsible for delivering it to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you have received this document and its attachment in error, and that any review, dissemination, distribution or copying of this message is strictly prohibited.  If you have received this communcation in errror, please notify the sender and return and delete the original message immediately.  Thank you.

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Tuesday, June 10, 2008 7:30 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 958] Implementing State Adult Education Content Standards: Arizona

Colleagues,

Please continue to post questions for Judy Franks and Pam Blundell.
Today, however, I would also like to welcome Miriam Kroeger who will report on Arizona's experience in implementing adult education content standards. Miriam will answer the same questions I asked Pam and Judy to address and perhaps, if she wishes, add other information based on the questions we have asked Pam and Judy .

For those who have just joined the discussion, and others, you will find the messages already posted in the discussion archives at

http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html

David J. Rosen
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
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Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
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Email delivered to miriam.kroeger at azed.gov

NOTICE: This e-mail (and any attachments) may contain PRIVILEGED OR CONFIDENTIAL information and is intended only for the use of the specific individual(s) to whom it is addressed.  It may contain information that is privileged and confidential under state and federal law.  This information may be used or disclosed only in accordance with law, and you may be subject to penalties under law for improper use or further disclosure of the information in this e-mail and its attachments. If you have received this e-mail in error, please immediately notify the person named above by reply e-mail, and then delete the original e-mail.  Thank you.

From djrosen at comcast.net  Wed Jun 11 22:43:03 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Wed, 11 Jun 2008 22:43:03 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 961] Implementing State Adult Education
	ContentStandards: Louisiana
Message-ID: <C75EE88A-DCC7-4B33-9B68-35BDED133C73@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

Please continue to post questions for Judy Franks, Pam Blundell and  
Miriam Kroeger. Don't be shy now : - )

Thursday I would like to welcome Raye Nell Spillman who will report  
on her experience in implementing adult education content standards  
in Louisiana. Raye Nell will answer the same questions I asked Pam,  
Judy and Miriam to address and perhaps, if she wishes, add other  
information based on the questions we have asked other guests .

For those who have just joined the discussion, and others, you will  
find the messages already posted in the discussion archives at

http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

From ochykheyr at yahoo.com  Thu Jun 12 06:31:34 2008
From: ochykheyr at yahoo.com (Ochieng kh)
Date: Thu, 12 Jun 2008 03:31:34 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [SpecialTopics 962] Re: Implementing State Adult Education Content
	Standards: Arizona
In-Reply-To: <914B6658FFC2C74EAF866A48985C3A8E038F2448FF@prodmail5.prod.root>
Message-ID: <60943.76017.qm@web39104.mail.mud.yahoo.com>

Well thought out, systematic and highly enriching. Only to add that national standards will be instructive in guiding sectoral and thematic programs. In my view adult-education should be need based and talent driven so as to respond to specific needs, talents and opportunities. Such courses as family administration, environmental education and civic participation are imperative. Best wishes to all,
  Ochieng M.K

"Kroeger, Miriam" <Miriam.Kroeger at azed.gov> wrote:
  Thank you, David, for the opportunity to share with others Arizona's experiences with Standards development, adoption and implementation.

Why standards?
Arizona embarked on this evolutionary process starting in 1998. The genesis for our Standrds Initiative was comments from the field. Our Arizona adult educators expressed frustration over a lack of common definitions of skills and abilities for students at the ABE/ASE and ESOL levels. At the same time, Arizona's K-12 system was also developing and refining their standards. Several programs had developed compentencies but nothing was in use on a statewide basis. I want to reiterate again - the majority of Arizona's standards are field driven and make use of the knowledge and expertise that exists in the field.

I mentioned our K-12 system for a few reasons.
First, Arizona Adult Education is administered through the Arizona Department of Education. Our highest adminstrator is the Superintendent of Public Instruction
Second, our providers include not only community colleges, non-profits, and government-related agencies, but also elementary and secondary school districts. Many of our teachers come from K-12 systems. We wanted to be sure that we employed easily recongizable and meaningful language, ideas and concepts.
Third, we wanted to develop standards that helped our adult learners transition to more learning and ways of knowing that would help them in further education, in their family interactions and responsibilitise, and in their communities and on their jobs. We thought, and think, of our standards as bridges to their future.

2. What standards:
We started with the development of Reaindg, Writing, Math, ESOL and Citizenship Standards. We added Science, Social Studies and Technology. Our standards included Content (what students should know and be able to do), and Performance/Proficiency Standards (how well should they know this, and what does a continuum of knowing look like). We also developed Sample Activities at each level, in each content area, applied to each indicator and put these activities in the context of Family, Workplace and Community. http://www.ade.az.gov/adult-ed/adult_ed_standards.asp

2. Process:
Whew - 10 years and still working on it! Our field really stepped up to the plate. Over 100 teachers and administrators were involved and worked on various teams - a Design Team who particpated in extensive training on the change process, because, believe me, standards were a big change in how adult education operated. Task forces in each of the content areas, Focus groups for feedback on what was being developed, task forces for performance/proficiency standards, a steering committee to review the final products, standards specialists to help programs understand and implement the standards and to deal with change, summer institutes for teachers to learn how to and to align their materials, lessons, etc. to the standards. It is a continuous process, and there have been interesting outcomes. As I visit programs throughout our state, teachers are not asking questions about what are these standards?, instead they speak "standards-speak". They know levels of profienc
y, they know what materials and resources they would use for a learner who is ABE I in math. They post lessons aligned to the standards on our state association website. (www.az-aall.org)

3/4. Implementation, Successes and Challenges
I think I have mentioned these - the greatest being helping the field understand and deal with change. Understanding the change process; working with all of our teams to understand and embrace the process. But it worked, and because the field was involved from the beginning, the field was able to work with their colleagues and lead them through the process. People were/are learning together.
When we review a program in depth, we ask about standards understanding and use. Our experience now is that we don't have to ask that question; we see evidence of standards use in the classrooms wherever we go. We see notations of standards and indicators in lessons, and see integrated lessons aligned to standards such as social Studies and writing, or Science and math.

5. Support on the federal level is evident. I'm not sure if there should be "national" standards in adult education. I think the Standards Warehouse and the taxonomies that were developed for each of the content areas identify the common measures that states need to address in their standards.

I look forward to hearing form others. I've already linked to several resources that my colleagues have mentioned in their posts. There is a richness of experience and knowledge in adult education that often goes unnoticed. Our collective work in standards I believe will help our stakeholders understand the value that we can contribute to the success of our learners and our country.

-Miriam Kroeger

Miriam A. Kroeger, Education Program Specialist
Arizona Department of Education/Adult Education
1535 W. Jefferson Bin 26
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Phone: (602) 364-2703
FAX: (602) 258-4986
miriam.kroeger at azed.gov

The information contained in this email transmission and any attachments is intended only for the personal and confidential use of the designated named herein. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient or an agent responsible for delivering it to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you have received this document and its attachment in error, and that any review, dissemination, distribution or copying of this message is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communcation in errror, please notify the sender and return and delete the original message immediately. Thank you.

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Tuesday, June 10, 2008 7:30 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 958] Implementing State Adult Education Content Standards: Arizona

Colleagues,

Please continue to post questions for Judy Franks and Pam Blundell.
Today, however, I would also like to welcome Miriam Kroeger who will report on Arizona's experience in implementing adult education content standards. Miriam will answer the same questions I asked Pam and Judy to address and perhaps, if she wishes, add other information based on the questions we have asked Pam and Judy .

For those who have just joined the discussion, and others, you will find the messages already posted in the discussion archives at

http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html

David J. Rosen
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to miriam.kroeger at azed.gov

NOTICE: This e-mail (and any attachments) may contain PRIVILEGED OR CONFIDENTIAL information and is intended only for the use of the specific individual(s) to whom it is addressed. It may contain information that is privileged and confidential under state and federal law. This information may be used or disclosed only in accordance with law, and you may be subject to penalties under law for improper use or further disclosure of the information in this e-mail and its attachments. If you have received this e-mail in error, please immediately notify the person named above by reply e-mail, and then delete the original e-mail. Thank you.
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From RayeNell.Spillman at LA.GOV  Thu Jun 12 08:12:40 2008
From: RayeNell.Spillman at LA.GOV (RayeNell Spillman)
Date: Thu, 12 Jun 2008 07:12:40 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 963] Implementing Louisiana Adult Education Content
	Standards
Message-ID: <56E6B0B819751741A3B045C2B16A014135912ADDF1@MAILMBX02.MAIL.LA.GOV>

Good morning and thank you David for the invitation and opportunity to share what Louisiana has done in the area of adult education content standards.

1.      Why did your state choose to adopt content standards?

Louisiana began the process of developing adult education content standards for several reasons: to follow the directive from the Louisiana State Superintendent; to become compliant with Title II, Workforce Investment Act of 1998; to adhere to the State Plan's 5 year goal "to identify content standards" in the Louisiana State Department of Education; to assist local programs with curriculum development and/or accountability; to develop a document that will guide the teaching process in adult education; align and advance Adult Education & Literacy initiatives in Louisiana

The Louisiana Department of Education developed the Louisiana Adult Education Content Standards to emulate Louisiana K-12 standards where appropriate, distinguish among educational functioning levels, and account for the vast needs of adult learners. The content standards were designed to raise accountability levels among adult education programs and ensure that similar concepts are taught at educational functioning levels throughout the state. The State Standards for Curriculum Development provides consistency, accountability, programmatic quality and integrity statewide in the execution of classroom lessons.   The content standards document helps provide students who transfer from parish to parish with a continuum of services.  The content standards provide teachers with a guide of necessary skills and information that students should know to obtain basic competency skills along with developing higher-level critical thinking skills and acquiring basic workforce readiness skills. The intent of the content standards document is to provide a tool that will ease the processes of developing curriculum frameworks and planning instruction for adult educators throughout Louisiana.

The process of developing the standards began with a review of Louisiana K-12 standards and adult education standards from other states.  The Louisiana Adult Education Content Standards project was designed to emulate Louisiana K-12 standards where appropriate, distinguish among educational functioning levels, and account for the vast needs of adult learners.

The Louisiana Department of Education developed the Louisiana Adult Education Content Standards over the course of two years through a committee comprised of adult education personnel from both city and parish school districts and private literacy providers.  A writing team was formed to begin the process of developing the standards.  Priority for membership in the writing team was extended to certified adult education instructors who have participated in Louisiana's Connecting Practice, Policy and Research (Study Circles) project in conjunction with the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy.  Upon completion of the work of the writing team, it was determined that a steering committee should be formed that is composed of members from the writing team.

Following the development of a draft of the standards, the Louisiana Department of Education conducted regional meetings to allow local adult educators the opportunity to review and critique the standards.  Following these meetings, the Louisiana Department of Education contracted with the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) to conduct an external review of the standards.  The cadre of subject matter experts from CCSSO assisted in affirming the validity and reliability of the standards.

The steering committee met after the regional meetings and review of standards by CCSSO to consider revisions to the standards.  The steering committee reviewed comments and made appropriate revisions to the document.  Throughout the process, the charge of the steering committee was to represent the interests of the original writing team.

Throughout the course of the project, the Louisiana Department of Education participated in the Adult Education Content Standards Consortia project, which was funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education.  Louisiana was one of 15 states in the consortia and participated in the Adult Basic Education strand of the project.

2.      What standards has your state adopted? Include web link(s) to them.

The curriculum development provides a framework for instruction in five instructional strand areas: Language Arts-Reading, Language Arts-Writing, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies.  Bulletin 123: Louisiana Adult Education Content Standards can be found at the Louisiana Department of Education website at http://www.doa.louisiana.gov/osr/lac/28v129/28v129.doc.  Also, a copy of the Language Arts and Mathematics standards can be obtained on the Adult Education Content Standards Warehouse (AECSW) website at http://www.adultedcontentstandards.ed.gov<http://www.adultedcontentstandards.ed.gov/>.

3.      What has been the process of moving from official adoption to actual implementation?

FY 2008-2009 will be the third year of our standards implementation process. The initial "roll-out" and professional development opportunities involving the standards began after the adult education content standards were approved and adopted by the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) in October 2006.

Year 1 (FY 2006-2007): The Adult and Family Literacy Services Section partnered with the Louisiana Association for Public, Community, and Adult Education  (LAPCAE) to introduce the Louisiana Content Standards to teachers and administrators through regional meetings and presentations across the state.

In preparation for the regional trainings, adult education teachers across the state were asked to send to the State some of their favorite lesson plans.  The goal was to collect a variety of lessons for each subject area that we would use for a hands-on activity during the workshops to introduce the standards.  At the end of the presentation, each teacher was given a set of 25 lesson plans that were correlated to the standards.  In some cases these helped to "jump-start" the teacher's collection of classroom lesson plans. There were approximately 250 adult education teachers/supervisors that attended the workshops.

Then, Louisiana had the opportunity to apply for the Project TIAN (Teachers Investigating Adult Numeracy) pilot project and was one of six states to be selected to participate in Project TIAN pilot project, so our focus for the remainder of FY 2006-2007 was on the math standards and using the math curriculum. This project included three 2-day sessions (6 days) of training, regional meetings between each training, completing/submitting interim assignments/forms, incorporating the EmPower lessons in their adult education classrooms and providing feedback on each lesson that was presented.  Twenty creative and energetic teachers were trained on the EmPower materials during this project. Technical assistance was provided via email and conference calls by state staff and the TIAN trainers. These teachers were given professional development hours and paid a modest $250 stipend for their work with this project; however, when applying for the project they were not aware that they would be compensated at all for their participation in the project. Since the TIAN pilot year ended, participating teachers and state staff continue to follow-up with this project via internet discussions, sharing lessons correlated to the state mathematics standards through hands-on workshops using the materials to train other teachers within their local programs and at our annual summer conference for teachers across the state.

Year 2 (FY 2007-2008): Louisiana received the application for Standards-in-Action (SIA), Part I.  This pilot project was the next logical step in developing a true understanding of how best to use our standards, in particular our Language Arts strand to help improve reading instruction in the adult education classrooms throughout the state.  Louisiana applied and was selected to participate in the SIA project with the focus on the Language Arts-Reading content standards.  Two 1 ? day national workshops, along with workshops at the local level, were conducted throughout the project. Site visits were also conducted by the national trainer and state staff. Technical assistance was provided via site visits (when needed), email and conference calls.  Along with state staff, there were approximately 30 full-time and/or part-time teachers and the supervisors in 2 parishes that participated in this project.  Program participation incentive was professional development hours for the participants.

Year 3 (FY 2008-2009): Louisiana has been accepted for SIA, Part II.  This series of workshops will provide teaching and training materials designed to assess the implementation of the standards in the adult education.  We will be using the same local team members for this part of the project which we think is a benefit because of their prior experience with using the tools on the reading standards.

Future plans include:

?        Online access to the SIA completed project which will include the thematic units and resource alignment to the standards.

 *   Standards for ESL
?        Further training and development for teachers
o       Professional development must be sustained
?         Quarterly Supervisors' Meetings
?         Regional Workshops in collaboration with LAPCAE
?         Annual State Summer Conference-Achievement Beyond the Classroom (ABC)
?        Alignment
o       Develop cross reference guides for curriculum

?         Use the SIA, Part I tools on the remaining content areas.

4.      What successes and challenges have you found in implementing the content standards?

Successes:  Development of the Language Arts-Reading/Writing, Math, Science & Social Studies standards that provide teachers with a framework of necessary skills. Trainings that provided teachers with resources that would help in developing future lessons.  The train-the-trainer model for TIAN and SIA will help disseminate materials/lessons to other adult education instructors at our summer conference and LAPCAE regional meetings throughout the year. The "teamwork" and support at both the state and local level has been amazing and rewarding.

Challenges: Changing the mindset of some adult education instructors when it comes to content standards, lesson planning, and teaching adults -vs- teaching children; Local program staff turnover, trainings and resources in lesson planning must be ongoing; state staff manpower/time to conduct workshops, conduct onsite monitoring to check for lesson plan/content standard correlations, and to provide technical assistance; monies at both the state and local level to send teachers to the trainings.

5.      What do you recommend happen at the federal level to support the development of standards-based adult basic education by states?  Hopefully, at the federal level funding will continue to be provided for trainings and resources, such as SIA & the Content Standards Warehouse.

Thank you for the opportunity to share what Louisiana has done with Adult Education Content Standards.  It has been very interesting to hear what other states have done to implement standards in their states.  Awaiting your questions!

Raye Nell Spillman
Education Program Consultant
Louisiana Department of Education
1201 North 3rd Street
Baton Rouge, LA  70802
225-219-0404
1-877-453-2721
Rayenell.Spillman at la.gov

Raye Nell Spillman
Education Program Consultant
Adult and Family Literacy
1201 North 3rd Street
Baton Rouge, LA  70802
Phone:  225-219-0404
Fax: 225-219-4439
Email:  RayeNell.Spillman at la.gov<mailto:RayeNell.Spillman at la.gov>

The vision of the Department of Education is to create a world-class education system for all students in Louisiana.

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From JURMO at ucc.edu  Thu Jun 12 12:00:23 2008
From: JURMO at ucc.edu (JURMO at ucc.edu)
Date: Thu, 12 Jun 2008 12:00:23 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 964] Re: Implementing State Adult
	EducationContentStandards: Louisiana
In-Reply-To: <C75EE88A-DCC7-4B33-9B68-35BDED133C73@comcast.net>
References: <C75EE88A-DCC7-4B33-9B68-35BDED133C73@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <355865D6A500D84D960A0083B5FFF71F04B08BA8@crexc02.campus.ucc.edu>

Thanks to everyone so far for the informative discussion about the Why's
and How's of standards as a tool for reforming adult basic education at
the state level.  My guess is that some readers who are new to the
notion of "standards" might be wary of being forced to use some
standards developed by others.  (Or some might have had a bad experience
with "standards.") 

Rather than seeing standards as a framework of content and best
practices that programs can adapt to the particular learners they serve,
some might feel that standards are something rigid and irrelevant or too
cumbersome.  Several people in this discussion have mentioned
"resistance to change" as a challenge in the development of standards-
based systems.  Does anyone want to comment on what the sources of such
resistance are and strategies for responding to this resistance? 

Paul Jurmo
Union County College
New Jersey

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 10:43 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 961] Implementing State Adult
EducationContentStandards: Louisiana

Colleagues,

Please continue to post questions for Judy Franks, Pam Blundell and  
Miriam Kroeger. Don't be shy now : - )

Thursday I would like to welcome Raye Nell Spillman who will report  
on her experience in implementing adult education content standards  
in Louisiana. Raye Nell will answer the same questions I asked Pam,  
Judy and Miriam to address and perhaps, if she wishes, add other  
information based on the questions we have asked other guests .

For those who have just joined the discussion, and others, you will  
find the messages already posted in the discussion archives at

http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to jurmo at ucc.edu

From jpiazza at fcusd.org  Thu Jun 12 08:48:03 2008
From: jpiazza at fcusd.org (Joseph Piazza)
Date: Thu, 12 Jun 2008 05:48:03 -0700
Subject: [SpecialTopics 965] Re: Implementing State Adult
	Education	ContentStandards
Message-ID: <4850B894020000EE0003ED00@GW_1.fcusd.k12.ca.us>

David and Friends,

I am a new Adult School Principal in California. Can you share with me the history of Standards-based Adult School instruction in California? I am not seeing much evidence of any.

Peace,
Joseph Piazza
Folsom Cordova Adult School

-------------------------------
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From rsrshoemake at yahoo.com  Thu Jun 12 21:14:55 2008
From: rsrshoemake at yahoo.com (Sharon L.)
Date: Thu, 12 Jun 2008 18:14:55 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [SpecialTopics 966] Re: Implementing State Adult
	EducationContentStandards: Louisiana
In-Reply-To: <355865D6A500D84D960A0083B5FFF71F04B08BA8@crexc02.campus.ucc.edu>
Message-ID: <395138.64017.qm@web33608.mail.mud.yahoo.com>

I think a lack of understanding and a fear of extra work drive much resistance to change

Sharon L. Shoemaker

--- On Thu, 6/12/08, JURMO at ucc.edu &lt;JURMO at ucc.edu&gt; wrote:

From: JURMO at ucc.edu &lt;JURMO at ucc.edu&gt;
Subject: [SpecialTopics 964] Re: Implementing State Adult EducationContentStandards: Louisiana
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Date: Thursday, June 12, 2008, 11:00 AM

Thanks to everyone so far for the informative discussion about the Why's
and How's of standards as a tool for reforming adult basic education at
the state level.  My guess is that some readers who are new to the
notion of "standards" might be wary of being forced to use some
standards developed by others.  (Or some might have had a bad experience
with "standards.") 

Rather than seeing standards as a framework of content and best
practices that programs can adapt to the particular learners they serve,
some might feel that standards are something rigid and irrelevant or too
cumbersome.  Several people in this discussion have mentioned
"resistance to change" as a challenge in the development of
standards-
based systems.  Does anyone want to comment on what the sources of such
resistance are and strategies for responding to this resistance? 

Paul Jurmo
Union County College
New Jersey

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 10:43 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 961] Implementing State Adult
EducationContentStandards: Louisiana

Colleagues,

Please continue to post questions for Judy Franks, Pam Blundell and  
Miriam Kroeger. Don't be shy now : - )

Thursday I would like to welcome Raye Nell Spillman who will report  
on her experience in implementing adult education content standards  
in Louisiana. Raye Nell will answer the same questions I asked Pam,  
Judy and Miriam to address and perhaps, if she wishes, add other  
information based on the questions we have asked other guests .

For those who have just joined the discussion, and others, you will  
find the messages already posted in the discussion archives at

http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to jurmo at ucc.edu
-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to rsrshoemake at yahoo.com

      
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From djrosen at comcast.net  Fri Jun 13 06:00:52 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (djrosen at comcast.net)
Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2008 10:00:52 +0000
Subject: [SpecialTopics 967] Implementing State Adult Education Content
	Standards: Maryland
Message-ID: <061320081000.9303.48524554000A125D000024572215551724020A9C019D060B@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

Please continue to post your questions for Judy Franks, Pam Blundell, Miriam Kroeger and Raye Nell Spillman. 

Today I would like to welcome  Karen Lisch Gianninoto. She will report on her experience in implementing adult education content standards in Maryland. She will answer the same questions I asked the previous guests to address and will perhaps add other information based on the questions we have asked the other guests and the new questions below .

This is the fifth presentation of seven from those in several states that have been implementing state content standards well. Several subscribers have asked, both in the discussion forum, and in emails to me, variations on this question that I received from a subscriber:  "Ultimately standards-based education depends on teachers understanding and using standards. How did your state get buy in, especially from those who were reluctant or who resisted? " I hope all of our guests will talk about this in detail. What were the strategies that worked best in your state? 

Another question, from a subscriber, that I hope all of our panelists will address: "Do you have any data (or anecdotal evidence) on the extent to which teachers are meaningfully using standards?"

And another: "What does it look like when teachers are using standards-based education in the classroom? Are there rich text descriptions available somewhere, maybe in state newsletters, or on the EFF Web site, where teachers describe their practice -- and also their growth -- in using standards-based education? " (Incidentally, one answer to this question might be the Media Library of Teaching Skills, at http://mlots.org  , which I have had a hand in producing. The MLoTS hopes to address that issue by posting in its free, online collection short videos of standards-based adult education classes and tutorials.)

For those who have just joined the discussion, and others, you will  find the messages already posted in the discussion archives at

http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

From djrosen at comcast.net  Fri Jun 13 15:32:30 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (djrosen at comcast.net)
Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2008 19:32:30 +0000
Subject: [SpecialTopics 968]  Ohio's Q&A
Message-ID: <061320081932.27777.4852CB4E00075A0800006C812216551406020A9C019D060B@comcast.net>

Posted for Judy Franks:

From:		jfranks at wadsnet.com  [ Save Address ]
To:		"specialtopics at nifl.gov" <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Subject:		Ohio's Q&A
Date:		Fri, 13 Jun 2008 12:58:29 -0400 (EDT)

Greetings All --

First, let me apologize for not responding earlier - I'm having remote
computer issues - trying this approach to communicate.  David had asked me
to expand on a few of my original answers, so I've completed these two and
will continue the next two a little later.  He's also synthesized some key
concepts from my answers. Here goes:

"Our ABLE Evaluation & Design team at OSU lead the process to bring
together a team of content experts (reading, writing, math) and
practitioners to create and validate benchmarks against the NRS
descriptors"  What is the relationship of benchmarks in Ohio to the EFF
standards? Are the benchmarks simply a more specific articulation of the
standards (yes), closer to actual measures, or something else?

If you had a chance to look at our benchmark (colored) charts [Benchmarks
by Core Components of Performance
http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?page=3&TopicRel
ationID=966&ContentID=6749&Content=33453],
you will see that we used the components of performance (COPs) as the
beginning framework for building the benchmarks.  Then using multiple
sources - Ohio's K-12 standards and other state standards - we identified
skills that students would need to master at each of the NRS levels,
creating strands across the levels. These became our benchmarks.  The
benchmarks are a way for teachers to use their diagnostic testing to
identify concepts that students need to work on in class.  Since the
standard is holistic, teachers plan lessons using all the COPs and
specific identified benchmarks as they plan their lessons.

"Currently the state leadership network (SLN) has built a standards-based
professional development system in an attempt to connect our six sets of
standards - practitioner, professional development, program, content, data
and performance - into a coherent, inter-related system of quality
services for our adult learners."  Can you tell us more about this? What
are examples of some of these professional development system standards?
Is there a deliberate overlap of program improvement standards and
professional development standards? If so, why?

Kathi Polis has been working with the SLN to develop our comprehensive
system, these are the definitions of each of the standards currently being
implemented in Ohio:

-- Practitioner standards define what teachers, administrators, and
support staff need to know and be able to do in order to provide quality
services;
-- Professional development standards define the essential elements of
meaningful professional growth activities;
-- Program standards (ABLE?s Indicators of Program Quality) define the
characteristics that exemplary local programs should demonstrate;
-- Content standards clarify the skills and knowledge that adult learners
need to know and be able to do in their roles as workers, parents and
community members;
-- Data quality standards (ABLE?s Data Certification Checklist) ensure
that reliable and valid data are available to make informed decisions and
guide program management; and
-- Performance standards (ABLE?s Core Indicators of Performance) set high
expectations for program outcomes

Being part of ODE (Ohio Department of Education) at the origin of the
project (we are currently in the process of transferring to the University
System of Ohio), we chose to use the Professional Development Standards
http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?page=3&TopicRel
ationID=513&ContentID=8561&Content=37548
that K-12 had already outlined - although we made them applicable to adult
students where needed - as quality professional development should be the
same for either adults or children.  Each standard consists of a
statement, a narrative summary and elements and reflect these ideas:

Standard 1: Effective professional development is a purposeful, structured
and continuous process that occurs over time.
Standard 2: Effective professional development is informed by multiple
sources of data.
Standard 3: Effective professional development is collaborative.
Standard 4: Effective professional development includes varied learning
experiences that accommodate the individual educator?s knowledge and
skills.
Standard 5: Effective professional development results in the acquisition,
enhancement or refinement of skills and knowledge.
Standard 6: Effective professional development is evaluated by its short-
and long-term impact on professional practice and achievement of all
students.

As we are in the process of field testing this new system, all these
resources are not readily available online.  Check back with me later in
the summer for their location and I would be happy to share the link. 
Comparisons to the AALPD standards find that Ohio's standards and elements
mirror their concepts, albeit the formats vary.  The writer of our Ohio
ABLE Standards-Based Professional Development System Guide has summed up
the inter-connectedness or overlap of our standards, I'll let the document
explain:

"Collectively, these standards make clear the shared expectations for
success and help to delineate what matters in learning and teaching.  The
standards also facilitate communication through a common language.  The
role of the ABLE professional development system is to connect these six
sets of standards into a coherent, interrelated system of quality services
to adult learners.  At the foundation of the professional development
system are practitioner and professional development standards.  The
practitioner standards provide a pathway for professional growth and guide
the development of high quality activities that reflect the professional
development standards.  Through responsive professional development,
practitioners gain a better understanding of how to implement program
standards that lead to effective teaching, learning, administration and
support.  Professional development provides the tools and processes to
help practitioners use the content standards to help adult learners gain
the skills and knowledge they need to reach their educational and personal
goals.  Through effective professional development, programs learn how to
implement reliable and valid data standards that can be used to analyze
progress and make necessary adjustments for continuous improvement.  When
these five sets of standards are being fully implemented, the result is a
high quality delivery system that leads to strong student outcomes and
meeting and exceeding the performance standards."

My (David's) interpretation of some key features of standards
implementation in Ohio are:

-- Committed leadership
-- Starting with a good set of standards
-- Allowing enough time (years!)
-- Careful alignment
-- Teams at all levels and in al parts of the planning and implementation
process
-- Tools that make it easy for teachers to use the standards
-- Simultaneous top-down and bottom-up implementation efforts
-- Investment in considerable professional development

Would you agree? Have I missed any? Financial support - we used small
grants to support programs as they were making changes.

Hope this helps to clarify,

Judy

From kgianninoto at msde.state.md.us  Fri Jun 13 09:36:45 2008
From: kgianninoto at msde.state.md.us (Karen Gianninoto)
Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2008 09:36:45 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 969] Re: Implementing Content Standards
Message-ID: <2433CF3169B9054193EB844AC38230CC06D4FDF9@msebex1.msde.net>

Good Morning,
 
Thank you for inviting me to present today.  I have enjoyed reading about how the content standards have been implemented in other states.    
 

Why did your state choose to adopt ESL/ESOL content standards?

 

The demand to provide services for non-native English speaking adults in the mid to late 90's greatly increased the demand for ESL/ESOL instruction.  Instructors across the state were concerned about what language skills they should teach at specific levels.  Based on the concerns expressed, the Maryland ESL /ESOL Workgroup was formed and was assigned the task of designing and developing the Content Standards for Adult ESL/ESOL for the state of Maryland.  The group began by gathering, comparing, and contrasting models that had been developed in states such as Arizona, New York, Colorado, Massachusetts, and Florida.  While some models provided very detailed standards and curricula, Maryland's approach to Content Standards is to provide a framework as a resource, rather than a prescription, for local programs to use to align their instruction. 

 

The Maryland Content Standards for Adult/ESL/ESOL published in 2003 is a blueprint for ESL/ESOL administrators and instructors.  The ESL/ESOL content standards document includes the following sections:  Content Standards by Level, Content Standards by Skill, Competencies, Cultural Skills, Workplace Skills, Technology Skills, Metacognitive Skills, Unit Planning, Lesson Planning, and Ten Strategies for Success. The content standards are reviewed and revised frequently. The latest revised edition and training materials are available on the Maryland Adult Literacy Resource Center website, www.umbc.edu/alrc <https://owa.msde.state.md.us/exchange/kgianninoto/Drafts/www.umbc.edu/alrc> . All instructors are required to complete Maryland ESL/ESOL Content Standards Training. 

 

What standards has your state adopted?

 

In addition to the ESL/ESOL Content Standards, Maryland has adopted Maryland Adult ESL Quality Program Standards and Maryland Adult Education Technology Standards.  This year, Maryland has developed Professional Standards for Teachers in Adult Education.  Currently they are in the draft form and available for review by the field.  In the future, the Maryland State Department of Education plans to develop reading and math standards.

 

Links:

ESL Program Standards

 http://www.umbc.edu/alrc/Standards/Texts/MdESLStand.html <http://www.umbc.edu/alrc/Standards/Texts/MdESLStand.html> 

Technology Standards

http://www.umbc.edu/alrc/Standards/Texts/TechnologyStandards.pdf <http://www.umbc.edu/alrc/Standards/Texts/TechnologyStandards.pdf> 

 

What has been the process of moving from official adoption to  

actual implementation?

 

The process Maryland used for implementing the standards had several steps, which involved a key position in each local program.  The role of the instructional specialist is important for each program because the instructional specialist is a member of the program's leadership team and responsible for mentoring teachers and providing professional development for instructors.  In fact, we have created a content standards training manual (http://www.umbc.edu/alrc/standards.html) for the instructional specialists to ensure consistency in training across the state and have plans to offer an online content standards course for instructors this fall. 

 

The early stages of implementing the content standards included an unveiling of the content standards at the state adult education conference, and a three-day training for instructional specialists was held to familiarize the instructional specialists with the content standards document and to explain how each section of the content standards document would be used in planning instruction.  

 

During the next three years, targeted local programs developed a content standards training plan.  By the third year, all the programs had implemented training and positive reports were indicated about the use of the standards.  Maryland continues to provide state training each year for new instructional specialists and relies on the instructional specialists to provide training locally and provide the support instructors may need to implement the standards in their lessons. 

 

What successes and challenges have you found in implementing  

the content standards?

 

We completed a state content standards survey in June 2006.  One of the biggest outcomes of implementing the content standards was that instructors can validate their instruction.  It has brought them a degree of professionalism as well.  Some other successes the survey indicated were the following:  

 

?         90% have received training

?         78% use the document for planning lessons

?         94% think they are easily understood and have clear and appropriate expectations for learners at each level. 

?         86% think they provide guidance for lesson and unit planning

?         95% think they focus on relevant skills and knowledge

?         84% think they provide knowledge and skills for learners transferring to further education or training

 

The real challenge is keeping the content standards alive and off the shelf.  Instructors need reinforcement about why the standards are important link to instruction and assessment.  I think the real challenge is getting instructors to change their practice and keeping the momentum going when they do decide to make changes. 

 

What do you recommend happen at the federal level to support  

the development of standards-based adult basic education by states?

 

Maryland has benefited from the support we have received from the federal level, and I hope that federal support can continue to support initiatives that help states develop and implement standards.  

 

Maryland participated in the CAELA Pilot, which provided us guidance on content standards training and provided us with tools for looking at our ESL data to develop an ESL training plan.  We also had the opportunity to pilot ESL training materials developed by CAELA.      

 

Last year, we participated in Standards in Action.  The tools we used through this pilot, we have now added to our content standards training.  The SIA Tools helped instructors and instructional specialists analyze the language skills indicators, see the connection between the standards and assessment, connect the standards to texts and other resources, and develop unit and lesson plans aligned to the content standards.  In summary, SIA refined the content standards training process in Maryland.  Our plan is to continue using the tools this year and provide additional assistance to instructional specialists in examining student work.  The purpose will be to develop a deeper understanding of the state content standards, and model a process for instructional specialist to use when mentoring instructors, to diagnose student strengths and needs to inform instruction. 

 

Also, the Content Standards Warehouse is a wonderful resource to use in developing, reviewing, and revising standards.

 

Karen Lisch Gianninoto

ESL and Professional Development Specialist 
MSDE
200 W. Baltimore St. 
Baltimore, MD
410-767-4150
410-479-4542
410-924-1529
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From kgianninoto at msde.state.md.us  Fri Jun 13 09:52:39 2008
From: kgianninoto at msde.state.md.us (Karen Gianninoto)
Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2008 09:52:39 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 970] Re: Implementing State
	AdultEducationContentStandards
References: <395138.64017.qm@web33608.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <2433CF3169B9054193EB844AC38230CC06D4FDFA@msebex1.msde.net>

Human behavior is a result of habit, and teaching practices are similar.  It is difficult to move from a comfortable known situation to a new situation because one does not know what the results might be.  For example, New Year's resolutions begin well intended, and similarly instructors/educators attending trainings/conferences leave well intended to make changes in their practices.  But this rarely happens, unless there is a network of support that can help the person work through and sustain the change.
 
Karen Lisch Gianninoto
ESL and Professional Development Specialist 
MSDE
200 W. Baltimore St. 
Baltimore, MD
410-767-4150
410-479-4542
410-924-1529

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Sharon L.
Sent: Thu 6/12/2008 9:14 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 966] Re: Implementing State AdultEducationContentStandards: Louisiana

I think a lack of understanding and a fear of extra work drive much resistance to change

Sharon L. Shoemaker

--- On Thu, 6/12/08, JURMO at ucc.edu <JURMO at ucc.edu> wrote:

	From: JURMO at ucc.edu <JURMO at ucc.edu>
	Subject: [SpecialTopics 964] Re: Implementing State Adult EducationContentStandards: Louisiana
	To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
	Date: Thursday, June 12, 2008, 11:00 AM
	
	
	Thanks to everyone so far for the informative discussion about the Why's
	and How's of standards as a tool for reforming adult basic education at
	the state level.  My guess is that some readers who are new to the
	notion of "standards" might be wary of being forced to use some
	standards developed by others.  (Or some might have had a bad experience
	with "standards.") 
	
	Rather than seeing standards as a framework of content and best
	practices that programs can adapt to the particular learners they serve,
	some might feel that standards are something rigid and irrelevant or too
	cumbersome.  Several people in this discussion have mentioned
	"resistance to change" as a challenge in the development of
	standards-
	based systems.  Does anyone want to comment on what the sources of such
	resistance are and strategies for responding to this resistance? 
	
	Paul Jurmo
	Union County College
	New Jersey
	
	-----Original Message-----
	From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
	[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
	Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 10:43 PM
	To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
	Subject: [SpecialTopics 961] Implementing State Adult
	EducationContentStandards: Louisiana
	
	Colleagues,
	
	Please continue to post questions for Judy Franks, Pam Blundell and  
	Miriam Kroeger. Don't be shy now : - )
	
	Thursday I would like to welcome Raye Nell Spillman who will report  
	on her experience in implementing adult education content standards  
	in Louisiana. Raye Nell will answer the same questions I asked Pam,  
	Judy and Miriam to address and perhaps, if she wishes, add other  
	information based on the questions we have asked other guests .
	
	For those who have just joined the discussion, and others, you will  
	find the messages already posted in the discussion archives at
	
	http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html
	
	
	David J. Rosen
	Special Topics Discussion Moderator
	djrosen at comcast.net
	
	
	
	
	
	
	-------------------------------
	National Institute for Literacy
	Special Topics mailing list
	SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
	To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
	http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
	Email delivered to jurmo at ucc.edu
	-------------------------------
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From kgianninoto at msde.state.md.us  Fri Jun 13 09:55:34 2008
From: kgianninoto at msde.state.md.us (Karen Gianninoto)
Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2008 09:55:34 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 971] Re: Implementing State
	AdultEducation	ContentStandards
References: <4850B894020000EE0003ED00@GW_1.fcusd.k12.ca.us>
Message-ID: <2433CF3169B9054193EB844AC38230CC06D4FDFB@msebex1.msde.net>

Joseph,
 
I don't know much about California, but you can find out more about standards based education at the following website.
 
http://www.adultedcontentstandards.ed.gov/
 
Karen Lisch Gianninoto
ESL and Professional Development Specialist 
MSDE
200 W. Baltimore St. 
Baltimore, MD
410-767-4150
410-479-4542
410-924-1529

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Joseph Piazza
Sent: Thu 6/12/2008 8:48 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 965] Re: Implementing State AdultEducation ContentStandards

David and Friends,

I am a new Adult School Principal in California. Can you share with me the history of Standards-based Adult School instruction in California? I am not seeing much evidence of any.

Peace,
Joseph Piazza
Folsom Cordova Adult School

-------------------------------
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Email delivered to jpiazza at fcusd.org

-------------------------------
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SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
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From wrmuth at vcu.edu  Fri Jun 13 11:49:45 2008
From: wrmuth at vcu.edu (William R Muth/FS/VCU)
Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:49:45 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 972] Re: Implementing State
	Adult	EducationContentStandards: Louisiana
In-Reply-To: <355865D6A500D84D960A0083B5FFF71F04B08BA8@crexc02.campus.ucc.edu>
Message-ID: <OFD7C113E1.85B43C66-ON85257467.00553138-85257467.0056F472@vcu.edu>

Good question, Paul - I've experienced this resistance from both 
perspectives, as a prison-based  ABE teacher and as an agency 
administrator. For me the problem is closely tied to trust and intention. 
In the early days of strategic planning (1989-1992), there was a great 
grass roots effort to engage all staff at all levels (the age of "the 
retreat" was upon us!) While it was often messy and misunderstood, the 
level of engagement  was high. Second-wave strategic planning took lots of 
short cuts and, in essence, just asked folks to comment on the "received" 
plans from the early years. Third-wave just asked the wardens to comment 
on second wave, etc.  Each iteration becoming more estranged from (and 
less accepted by) the grass roots. To some degree, this is a problem of 
scale. As our agencies grow in mass, the gulfs of mistrust grow 
proportionately. 

So, like resistance to strategic plans, maybe resistance to standards has 
less to do with the standards themselves, and more with implementation and 
the level of participation employed to gather staff input, quell fear, and 
address misunderstandings.
Bill Muth
 
 

<JURMO at ucc.edu> 
Sent by: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
06/12/2008 07:51 PM
Please respond to
specialtopics at nifl.gov

To
<specialtopics at nifl.gov>
cc

Subject
[SpecialTopics 964] Re: Implementing State Adult 
EducationContentStandards: Louisiana

Thanks to everyone so far for the informative discussion about the Why's
and How's of standards as a tool for reforming adult basic education at
the state level.  My guess is that some readers who are new to the
notion of "standards" might be wary of being forced to use some
standards developed by others.  (Or some might have had a bad experience
with "standards.") 

Rather than seeing standards as a framework of content and best
practices that programs can adapt to the particular learners they serve,
some might feel that standards are something rigid and irrelevant or too
cumbersome.  Several people in this discussion have mentioned
"resistance to change" as a challenge in the development of standards-
based systems.  Does anyone want to comment on what the sources of such
resistance are and strategies for responding to this resistance? 

Paul Jurmo
Union County College
New Jersey

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 10:43 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 961] Implementing State Adult
EducationContentStandards: Louisiana

Colleagues,

Please continue to post questions for Judy Franks, Pam Blundell and 
Miriam Kroeger. Don't be shy now : - )

Thursday I would like to welcome Raye Nell Spillman who will report 
on her experience in implementing adult education content standards 
in Louisiana. Raye Nell will answer the same questions I asked Pam, 
Judy and Miriam to address and perhaps, if she wishes, add other 
information based on the questions we have asked other guests .

For those who have just joined the discussion, and others, you will 
find the messages already posted in the discussion archives at

http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to jurmo at ucc.edu
-------------------------------
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SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 
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Email delivered to wrmuth at vcu.edu

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From carole.a.scholl at co.multnomah.or.us  Fri Jun 13 11:50:58 2008
From: carole.a.scholl at co.multnomah.or.us (SCHOLL Carole A)
Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2008 08:50:58 -0700
Subject: [SpecialTopics 973] Re: Implementing State
	AdultEducationContentStandards: Louisiana
In-Reply-To: <355865D6A500D84D960A0083B5FFF71F04B08BA8@crexc02.campus.ucc.edu>
Message-ID: <FA59058FBE1C4D49A95B310BD31E2A86DE3079@EXCH2.co.multnomah.or.us>

Regarding resistance to change:
Here in corrections (and in recovery programs) we look at change as a
continuum that moves through stages--precontemplative, contemplative,
preparation, maintenance, relapse, etc. At each stage programs/teachers
could implement strategies that would aid or strengthen the change
process. Here's an example that applies to adult ed:

Pre-contemplative: a student thinks about enrolling in an adult ed
class. At this point an advisor would have the role of "tipping the
balance": having the potential student figure out what the advantage /
disadvantages of school. It's extremely important that the student come
up with these and not the program!

Contemplative: Students may make the call!!! At this point the
educational program needs to be sure to "hook" the student and not
create another barrier such as having intake at difficult times, or
ignoring the student when they walk in, etc. Again, teh program needs to
reinforce the decision to make a life change.

Maintenance: The student starts class. Again, at this point the
program/teacher needs to reinforce the advantages of change and check in
with student to make sure needs are met...

Relapse: Life interferes for the student and he/she stops coming to
school!!! At this point, the program needs to draw the student back in.
There must not be barriers to re-entry; student must again see the
advantage of school in terms of meeting goals, etc. 

Once we started to look at our program (a community corrections adult ed
program) we were able to better meet student needs, and really develop
unique retention strategies to overcome resistance....

Carole Scholl
Multnomah County Adult Community Justice
Londer Learning Center
Portland, OR
 http://www.co.multnomah.or.us/dcj/asdllcindex.html

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of JURMO at ucc.edu
Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2008 9:00 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 964] Re: Implementing State
AdultEducationContentStandards: Louisiana

Thanks to everyone so far for the informative discussion about the Why's
and How's of standards as a tool for reforming adult basic education at
the state level.  My guess is that some readers who are new to the
notion of "standards" might be wary of being forced to use some
standards developed by others.  (Or some might have had a bad experience
with "standards.") 

Rather than seeing standards as a framework of content and best
practices that programs can adapt to the particular learners they serve,
some might feel that standards are something rigid and irrelevant or too
cumbersome.  Several people in this discussion have mentioned
"resistance to change" as a challenge in the development of standards-
based systems.  Does anyone want to comment on what the sources of such
resistance are and strategies for responding to this resistance? 

Paul Jurmo
Union County College
New Jersey

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 10:43 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 961] Implementing State Adult
EducationContentStandards: Louisiana

Colleagues,

Please continue to post questions for Judy Franks, Pam Blundell and  
Miriam Kroeger. Don't be shy now : - )

Thursday I would like to welcome Raye Nell Spillman who will report  
on her experience in implementing adult education content standards  
in Louisiana. Raye Nell will answer the same questions I asked Pam,  
Judy and Miriam to address and perhaps, if she wishes, add other  
information based on the questions we have asked other guests .

For those who have just joined the discussion, and others, you will  
find the messages already posted in the discussion archives at

http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to jurmo at ucc.edu
-------------------------------
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To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
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Email delivered to carole.a.scholl at co.multnomah.or.us

From akohring at utk.edu  Fri Jun 13 16:04:45 2008
From: akohring at utk.edu (Kohring, Aaron M)
Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2008 16:04:45 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 974] Re: Implementing State
	AdultEducation	ContentStandards
In-Reply-To: <2433CF3169B9054193EB844AC38230CC06D4FDFB@msebex1.msde.net>
References: <4850B894020000EE0003ED00@GW_1.fcusd.k12.ca.us>
	<2433CF3169B9054193EB844AC38230CC06D4FDFB@msebex1.msde.net>
Message-ID: <97F4E860F3C8FB42A399A2B1A4C0311F34195C@KFSVS4.utk.tennessee.edu>

Joseph,

 

In addition to the Content Standards Warehouse that Karen provided the
link for, you may want to check the Standards section of the Adult
Literacy Education Wiki:
http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Standards

 

There is some information on California there, but very limited.

 

Regards,

Aaron

 

Aaron Kohring

Research Associate

UT Center for Literacy Studies

600 Henley St, Ste 312

Knoxville, TN 37996-4135

Ph: 865-974-4258

Main: 865-974-4109

Fax: 865-974-3857

akohring at utk.edu

 

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Karen Gianninoto
Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 9:56 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 965] Re: Implementing State AdultEducation
ContentStandards

 

Joseph,

 

I don't know much about California, but you can find out more about
standards based education at the following website.

 

http://www.adultedcontentstandards.ed.gov/

 

Karen Lisch Gianninoto

ESL and Professional Development Specialist 

MSDE

200 W. Baltimore St. 

Baltimore, MD

410-767-4150

410-479-4542

410-924-1529

 

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Joseph Piazza
Sent: Thu 6/12/2008 8:48 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 965] Re: Implementing State AdultEducation
ContentStandards

David and Friends,

I am a new Adult School Principal in California. Can you share with me
the history of Standards-based Adult School instruction in California? I
am not seeing much evidence of any.

Peace,
Joseph Piazza
Folsom Cordova Adult School

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
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SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
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Email delivered to jpiazza at fcusd.org

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From pam_blundell at sde.state.ok.us  Fri Jun 13 16:18:49 2008
From: pam_blundell at sde.state.ok.us (Pam Blundell)
Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2008 15:18:49 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 975] Re:
 =?iso-8859-1?q?Implementing_State_Adult_Education_Content_=09?=
 =?iso-8859-1?q?Standards=3A__Mar?=
In-Reply-To: <061320081000.9303.48524554000A125D000024572215551724020A9C019D060B@comcast.net>
References: <061320081000.9303.48524554000A125D000024572215551724020A9C019D060B@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <fc.000f8dfd00dc93303b9aca005ad557bd.dca472@sde.state.ok.us>

Hello again to everyone, 

I would like to respond to the question regarding buy in from reluctant
participants and/or resistance to change.  The first lesson I have learned
is patience - it takes time!!!  Not something I was really very good at in
the beginning.  I'm not sure I've really made a lot of progress in this
area over five years but I have made some. At the risk of sounding too
simplistic, these are my thoughts on how buy in has taken place (and still
in the process of taking place) in Oklahoma.

Oklahoma started with four pilot programs using an application process so
it was the local program's choice to participate from the beginning.  We
spent a lot of time (at various meetings) emphasizing that we wanted
programs that wanted to participate.   We received applications from five
programs and ended up with four programs after an introductory meeting.

Each year we have added programs to the process but always on a voluntary
basis.  With that in mind, we have consistently had 4 to 6 new programs
start the 3-year training process each year and will have at least four of
our remaining 10 programs begin the process next year.  Each year
directors talk to directors and teachers talk to teachers (finding out
what it was like to participate in the training, how much work was
involved, etc.)  before they decide to start the process.  Participants
are honest and express mixed feelings about how much work is involved in
the training and in lesson planning. Everyone does agree that it is pretty
overwhelming the first year - a lot to process.  However, almost all of
the programs report increased student retention and student goal
achievements in classes that are integrating standards-based instruction. 

Several program directors have told me (usually after the training is
over) that they decided to begin the process only because another director
or other teachers encouraged them to participate.  They have also told me
they were advised that it was a lot of work, overwhelming in the
beginning, gets better as you go along, don't try to change too much too
fast, etc.  Programs were trusting of other programs who had been through
the process - this was important. Many of our programs have started a
second team through the process as a way to expand the training to other
teachers or new teachers in their program.  

>From the beginning the state felt that it was critically important that
the training be a positive and successful experience for the participants
since the field was the key to moving standards-based instruction forward.
 For this reason, we ask for feedback each year.
The field has been honest with us about the training process whether it be
in general terms or in specific areas of reading, math, or writing.  The
state has tried hard to listen and has made changes from year to year
based on their suggestions (and still are making changes) without
compromising the integrity or depth of the training.  This is always
challenging.  You must remember (and I constantly have to remind myself of
this) that this is a PROCESS that takes time.  I have seen programs get to
the third year of training and suddenly say "this is really starting to
make sense now" or "I finally understand how to put all these pieces
together."  This is why we are just now to the point where we feel we are
ready to collect example lesson plans and maybe even video examples of
standards-based instruction taking place in the classroom to use as models
for future participants.  EFF has videos available but our participants
have asked for models from within our state.  Another project we plan to
work on.   

I can't say that we have total buy in from all our programs or teachers
who have been EFF trained; however, I do feel confident that we have more
buy in than resistance at this time.   Programs are now saying to me that
in the beginning they were skeptical that this was just the "latest thing"
the state wanted them to do and it would soon pass; however, time has
proven that content standards are here to stay and that the state is going
to continue to invest in this process.

In summary, the main points I would share are:
 Our EFF National Trainers are experts in their fields so the training
participants receive is excellent and our programs acknowledge this
excellence.
 The state's message regarding EFF and standards-based instruction has
been consistent and continuous over the last five years in an effort to
assure programs this was not just "the latest thing the state wants us to
do." 
 Local program participation has been on a voluntary basis so buy in has
come slowly, steadily, and over time.
 Participants are all over the performance continuum, learning "light
bulbs" come on at all different times, so don't make assumptions and be
patient!!
 The state listened to feedback regarding the process each year and made
changes the following year based on participant's suggestions.
 This is an ongoing process that the state will always be involved in.

When directors tell directors and teachers tell teachers about the changes
they are beginning to see in retention, achievement, student involvement
and ownership in the learning process - even before they have documented
evidence - buy in starts to take place in ways we could never orchestrate
from the State level.  

Thanks and have a great week-end.

Pam

Pam Blundell, Assistant Director
Lifelong Learning Section
Oklahoma State Department of Education
2500 North Lincoln Blvd. Room 115
Oklahoma City, OK 73105-4599
405-521-3321
1-800-405-0355
pam_blundell at sde.state.ok.us

From andrejh at vcu.edu  Fri Jun 13 17:53:17 2008
From: andrejh at vcu.edu (James H Andre/FS/VCU)
Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2008 17:53:17 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 976] Re: Implementing
	State	Adult	EducationContentStandards: Louisiana
In-Reply-To: <OFD7C113E1.85B43C66-ON85257467.00553138-85257467.0056F472@vcu.edu>
Message-ID: <OFD335206E.56111C96-ON85257467.00730622-85257467.007839A2@vcu.edu>

I would agree, Bill, that the resistance, at least at the instructional 
level, comes from instructors' perceptions of how standards have been 
implemented and not from the standards themselves. 

In Virginia, our adult education content standards for GED and ESOL are 
still in the formative stages, but we anticipate final publishing soon. We 
have begun professional development to introduce standards and help 
programs throughout the state devise plans to align curricula and 
assessment with standards. During trainings, time is allotted to discuss 
perceptions of standards. Participants, many of whom have taught in the 
K-12 system, appreciate knowing what students should know and be able to 
do within a defined content area and agree that standards improve learner 
outcomes and provide a level playing field for all learners. Although they 
understand the influence of standards on curriculum and assessment, their 
resistance emerges when they think about instruction. "I don't want anyone 
telling me how to teach," seems to be the perception fueling the 
resistance. We spend a good amount of time during the training discussing 
how standards affect what we teach but not how we teach. Using a black box 
model* that follows the student cycle from intake to goal attainment, 
participants identify the importance of aligning curriculum, assessment, 
and standards and the effected elements of each stage of the cycle. We 
identify the "black box" as the uniqueness, the magic--the instruction-- 
that each teacher brings to the classroom to transform curriculum into 
student learning. What to teach remains independent of how to do it.

*adapted from Mark O'Shea's From Standards to Success: A Guide for School 
Leaders

Jim Andre'
Program Development Specialist
Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center
www.valrc.org

William R Muth/FS/VCU <wrmuth at vcu.edu> 
Sent by: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
06/13/2008 03:51 PM
Please respond to
specialtopics at nifl.gov

To
specialtopics at nifl.gov
cc

Subject
[SpecialTopics 972] Re: Implementing State      Adult 
EducationContentStandards: Louisiana

Good question, Paul - I've experienced this resistance from both 
perspectives, as a prison-based  ABE teacher and as an agency 
administrator. For me the problem is closely tied to trust and intention. 
In the early days of strategic planning (1989-1992), there was a great 
grass roots effort to engage all staff at all levels (the age of "the 
retreat" was upon us!) While it was often messy and misunderstood, the 
level of engagement  was high. Second-wave strategic planning took lots of 
short cuts and, in essence, just asked folks to comment on the "received" 
plans from the early years. Third-wave just asked the wardens to comment 
on second wave, etc.  Each iteration becoming more estranged from (and 
less accepted by) the grass roots. To some degree, this is a problem of 
scale. As our agencies grow in mass, the gulfs of mistrust grow 
proportionately. 

So, like resistance to strategic plans, maybe resistance to standards has 
less to do with the standards themselves, and more with implementation and 
the level of participation employed to gather staff input, quell fear, and 
address misunderstandings. 
Bill Muth 
  
    

<JURMO at ucc.edu> 
Sent by: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov 
06/12/2008 07:51 PM 

Please respond to
specialtopics at nifl.gov

To
<specialtopics at nifl.gov> 
cc

Subject
[SpecialTopics 964] Re: Implementing State Adult 
EducationContentStandards: Louisiana

Thanks to everyone so far for the informative discussion about the Why's
and How's of standards as a tool for reforming adult basic education at
the state level.  My guess is that some readers who are new to the
notion of "standards" might be wary of being forced to use some
standards developed by others.  (Or some might have had a bad experience
with "standards.") 

Rather than seeing standards as a framework of content and best
practices that programs can adapt to the particular learners they serve,
some might feel that standards are something rigid and irrelevant or too
cumbersome.  Several people in this discussion have mentioned
"resistance to change" as a challenge in the development of standards-
based systems.  Does anyone want to comment on what the sources of such
resistance are and strategies for responding to this resistance? 

Paul Jurmo
Union County College
New Jersey

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 10:43 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 961] Implementing State Adult
EducationContentStandards: Louisiana

Colleagues,

Please continue to post questions for Judy Franks, Pam Blundell and 
Miriam Kroeger. Don't be shy now : - )

Thursday I would like to welcome Raye Nell Spillman who will report 
on her experience in implementing adult education content standards 
in Louisiana. Raye Nell will answer the same questions I asked Pam, 
Judy and Miriam to address and perhaps, if she wishes, add other 
information based on the questions we have asked other guests .

For those who have just joined the discussion, and others, you will 
find the messages already posted in the discussion archives at

http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to jurmo at ucc.edu
-------------------------------
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Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to wrmuth at vcu.edu
-------------------------------
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Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
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From rdunn at wdklawfirm.com  Sat Jun 14 12:23:49 2008
From: rdunn at wdklawfirm.com (Richard Dunn)
Date: Sat, 14 Jun 2008 11:23:49 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 977] Re:
	ImplementingState	Adult	EducationContentStandards: Louisiana
References: <OFD335206E.56111C96-ON85257467.00730622-85257467.007839A2@vcu.edu>
Message-ID: <002101c8ce3b$074cdfd0$0501a8c0@richard>

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: James H Andre/FS/VCU 
  To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
  Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 4:53 PM
  Subject: [SpecialTopics 976] Re: ImplementingState Adult EducationContentStandards: Louisiana

  I would agree, Bill, that the resistance, at least at the instructional level, comes from instructors' perceptions of how standards have been implemented and not from the standards themselves. 

  In Virginia, our adult education content standards for GED and ESOL are still in the formative stages, but we anticipate final publishing soon. We have begun professional development to introduce standards and help programs throughout the state devise plans to align curricula and assessment with standards. During trainings, time is allotted to discuss perceptions of standards. Participants, many of whom have taught in the K-12 system, appreciate knowing what students should know and be able to do within a defined content area and agree that standards improve learner outcomes and provide a level playing field for all learners. Although they understand the influence of standards on curriculum and assessment, their resistance emerges when they think about instruction. "I don't want anyone telling me how to teach," seems to be the perception fueling the resistance. We spend a good amount of time during the training discussing how standards affect what we teach but not how we teach. Using a black box model* that follows the student cycle from intake to goal attainment, participants identify the importance of aligning curriculum, assessment, and standards and the effected elements of each stage of the cycle. We identify the "black box" as the uniqueness, the magic--the instruction-- that each teacher brings to the classroom to transform curriculum into student learning. What to teach remains independent of how to do it. 

  *adapted from Mark O'Shea's From Standards to Success: A Guide for School Leaders 

  Jim Andre'
  Program Development Specialist
  Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center
  www.valrc.org 

        William R Muth/FS/VCU <wrmuth at vcu.edu> 
        Sent by: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov 
        06/13/2008 03:51 PM Please respond to
              specialtopics at nifl.gov 

       To specialtopics at nifl.gov  
              cc  
              Subject [SpecialTopics 972] Re: Implementing State        Adult        EducationContentStandards: Louisiana 

              

       

  Good question, Paul - I've experienced this resistance from both perspectives, as a prison-based  ABE teacher and as an agency administrator. For me the problem is closely tied to trust and intention. In the early days of strategic planning (1989-1992), there was a great grass roots effort to engage all staff at all levels (the age of "the retreat" was upon us!) While it was often messy and misunderstood, the level of engagement  was high. Second-wave strategic planning took lots of short cuts and, in essence, just asked folks to comment on the "received" plans from the early years. Third-wave just asked the wardens to comment on second wave, etc.  Each iteration becoming more estranged from (and less accepted by) the grass roots. To some degree, this is a problem of scale. As our agencies grow in mass, the gulfs of mistrust grow proportionately. 

  So, like resistance to strategic plans, maybe resistance to standards has less to do with the standards themselves, and more with implementation and the level of participation employed to gather staff input, quell fear, and address misunderstandings. 
  Bill Muth 
   
     

        <JURMO at ucc.edu> 
        Sent by: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov 
        06/12/2008 07:51 PM 
              Please respond to
              specialtopics at nifl.gov 

       To <specialtopics at nifl.gov>  
              cc  
              Subject [SpecialTopics 964] Re: Implementing State Adult        EducationContentStandards: Louisiana 

              

       

  Thanks to everyone so far for the informative discussion about the Why's
  and How's of standards as a tool for reforming adult basic education at
  the state level.  My guess is that some readers who are new to the
  notion of "standards" might be wary of being forced to use some
  standards developed by others.  (Or some might have had a bad experience
  with "standards.") 

  Rather than seeing standards as a framework of content and best
  practices that programs can adapt to the particular learners they serve,
  some might feel that standards are something rigid and irrelevant or too
  cumbersome.  Several people in this discussion have mentioned
  "resistance to change" as a challenge in the development of standards-
  based systems.  Does anyone want to comment on what the sources of such
  resistance are and strategies for responding to this resistance? 

  Paul Jurmo
  Union County College
  New Jersey

  -----Original Message-----
  From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
  [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
  Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 10:43 PM
  To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
  Subject: [SpecialTopics 961] Implementing State Adult
  EducationContentStandards: Louisiana

  Colleagues,

  Please continue to post questions for Judy Franks, Pam Blundell and  
  Miriam Kroeger. Don't be shy now : - )

  Thursday I would like to welcome Raye Nell Spillman who will report  
  on her experience in implementing adult education content standards  
  in Louisiana. Raye Nell will answer the same questions I asked Pam,  
  Judy and Miriam to address and perhaps, if she wishes, add other  
  information based on the questions we have asked other guests .

  For those who have just joined the discussion, and others, you will  
  find the messages already posted in the discussion archives at

  http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html

  David J. Rosen
  Special Topics Discussion Moderator
  djrosen at comcast.net

  -------------------------------
  National Institute for Literacy
  Special Topics mailing list
  SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
  To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
  http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
  Email delivered to jurmo at ucc.edu
  -------------------------------
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  Special Topics mailing list
  SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
  To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
  Email delivered to wrmuth at vcu.edu
  -------------------------------
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  Special Topics mailing list
  SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
  To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
  Email delivered to andrejh at vcu.edu 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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From rdunn at wdklawfirm.com  Sat Jun 14 12:24:53 2008
From: rdunn at wdklawfirm.com (Richard Dunn)
Date: Sat, 14 Jun 2008 11:24:53 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 978] Re: Implementing
	StateAdultEducation	ContentStandards
References: <4850B894020000EE0003ED00@GW_1.fcusd.k12.ca.us><2433CF3169B9054193EB844AC38230CC06D4FDFB@msebex1.msde.net>
	<97F4E860F3C8FB42A399A2B1A4C0311F34195C@KFSVS4.utk.tennessee.edu>
Message-ID: <005f01c8ce3b$42a28a80$0501a8c0@richard>

[SpecialTopics 965] Re: Implementing State AdultEducation ContentStandardsPlease unsubscribe. Thank you.  Richard Dunn
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Kohring, Aaron M 
  To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
  Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 3:04 PM
  Subject: [SpecialTopics 974] Re: Implementing StateAdultEducation ContentStandards

  Joseph,

   

  In addition to the Content Standards Warehouse that Karen provided the link for, you may want to check the Standards section of the Adult Literacy Education Wiki: http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Standards

   

  There is some information on California there, but very limited.

   

  Regards,

  Aaron

   

  Aaron Kohring

  Research Associate

  UT Center for Literacy Studies

  600 Henley St, Ste 312

  Knoxville, TN 37996-4135

  Ph: 865-974-4258

  Main: 865-974-4109

  Fax: 865-974-3857

  akohring at utk.edu

   

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Karen Gianninoto
  Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 9:56 AM
  To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
  Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 965] Re: Implementing State AdultEducation ContentStandards

   

  Joseph,

   

  I don't know much about California, but you can find out more about standards based education at the following website.

   

  http://www.adultedcontentstandards.ed.gov/

   

  Karen Lisch Gianninoto

  ESL and Professional Development Specialist 

  MSDE

  200 W. Baltimore St. 

  Baltimore, MD

  410-767-4150

  410-479-4542

  410-924-1529

   

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Joseph Piazza
  Sent: Thu 6/12/2008 8:48 AM
  To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
  Subject: [SpecialTopics 965] Re: Implementing State AdultEducation ContentStandards

  David and Friends,

  I am a new Adult School Principal in California. Can you share with me the history of Standards-based Adult School instruction in California? I am not seeing much evidence of any.

  Peace,
  Joseph Piazza
  Folsom Cordova Adult School

  -------------------------------
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  Special Topics mailing list
  SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
  To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
  Email delivered to jpiazza at fcusd.org

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  SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
  To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
  Email delivered to kgianninoto at msde.state.md.us

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From jpiazza at fcusd.org  Sun Jun 15 11:46:19 2008
From: jpiazza at fcusd.org (Joseph Piazza)
Date: Sun, 15 Jun 2008 08:46:19 -0700
Subject: [SpecialTopics 979]  Thank You Both
Message-ID: <4854D6DB020000EE0003EF20@GW_1.fcusd.k12.ca.us>

Thank you both for the assistance.

Peace,
Joseph Piazza
Folsom Cordova Adult School
916-635-6810

>>> "Kohring, Aaron M" <akohring at utk.edu> 06/13/08 1:04 PM >>>
Joseph,

 

In addition to the Content Standards Warehouse that Karen provided the
link for, you may want to check the Standards section of the Adult
Literacy Education Wiki:
http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Standards

 

There is some information on California there, but very limited.

 

Regards,

Aaron

 

Aaron Kohring

Research Associate

UT Center for Literacy Studies

600 Henley St, Ste 312

Knoxville, TN 37996-4135

Ph: 865-974-4258

Main: 865-974-4109

Fax: 865-974-3857

akohring at utk.edu

 

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Karen Gianninoto
Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 9:56 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 965] Re: Implementing State AdultEducation
ContentStandards

 

Joseph,

 

I don't know much about California, but you can find out more about
standards based education at the following website.

 

http://www.adultedcontentstandards.ed.gov/

 

Karen Lisch Gianninoto

ESL and Professional Development Specialist 

MSDE

200 W. Baltimore St. 

Baltimore, MD

410-767-4150

410-479-4542

410-924-1529

 

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Joseph Piazza
Sent: Thu 6/12/2008 8:48 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 965] Re: Implementing State AdultEducation
ContentStandards

David and Friends,

I am a new Adult School Principal in California. Can you share with me
the history of Standards-based Adult School instruction in California? I
am not seeing much evidence of any.

Peace,
Joseph Piazza
Folsom Cordova Adult School

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to jpiazza at fcusd.org

-------------------------------
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Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to kgianninoto at msde.state.md.us

From djrosen at comcast.net  Sun Jun 15 22:22:39 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Sun, 15 Jun 2008 22:22:39 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 980] Implementing State Adult Education Content
	Standards: Texas
Message-ID: <623D8AF7-3F84-41B9-B336-BAD7AF43A07D@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

Please continue to post your questions for Judy Franks, Pam Blundell,  
Miriam Kroeger, Raye Nell Spillman and Karen Lisch Gianninoto. On  
Monday, Federico Salas will report on his experience in implementing  
adult education content standards in Texas. He will answer the same  
questions I asked the previous guests to address, and will perhaps  
add other information based on the questions we have asked the other  
guests as well as the new question below . This is the sixth  
presentation of seven from those in several states that have been  
implementing state content standards well.

Here's another question from a subscriber for all our guests:

?One way of preventing content standards from gathering dust on  
teachers? shelves is to provide meaningful and sustained professional  
development that helps teachers understand and use standards to  
improve instruction and student performance.  What are some of the  
promising professional development best practices that help to bring  
standards to life in the classroom?  Can we convince reluctant  
teachers that standards-based education can have a value- added  
impact on their teaching and is not just added paperwork??

For those who have joined the discussion late, and others, you will   
find the messages already posted in the discussion archives at

http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

From seacesl at yahoo.com  Mon Jun 16 12:14:17 2008
From: seacesl at yahoo.com (South-East Asia Center)
Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2008 09:14:17 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [SpecialTopics 981] Re: Thank You Both
In-Reply-To: <4854D6DB020000EE0003EF20@GW_1.fcusd.k12.ca.us>
Message-ID: <144160.20897.qm@web30607.mail.mud.yahoo.com>

Hi everyone,
&nbsp;&nbsp; I'm an ESL program coordinator for a community organization and I've been following all of your emails. I'm familiar with the issues involved in providing English language instruction to adult learners as part of my job and also from my studies. However, I'm new to content standards and the field of ABE more generally. I was wondering if anyone could point me in the right direction. Is there a basic primer out there or short course I could take to get me caught up to speed on the current issues?
&nbsp;
Thanks,
Carol
&nbsp;
Carol Williams
ESL/Literacy Program Coordinator

South-East Asia Center 

5120 North Broadway Street
Chicago , IL 60640 
Phone: 773-989-6927 
Fax: 773-989-7755 
E-mail: seacesl at yahoo.com
Website: http://www.se-asiacenter.org/&nbsp;
&nbsp;

--- On Sun, 6/15/08, Joseph Piazza &lt;jpiazza at fcusd.org&gt; wrote:

From: Joseph Piazza &lt;jpiazza at fcusd.org&gt;
Subject: [SpecialTopics 979] Thank You Both
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Date: Sunday, June 15, 2008, 10:46 AM

Thank you both for the assistance.

Peace,
Joseph Piazza
Folsom Cordova Adult School
916-635-6810

&gt;&gt;&gt; "Kohring, Aaron M" &lt;akohring at utk.edu&gt; 06/13/08
1:04 PM &gt;&gt;&gt;
Joseph,

 

In addition to the Content Standards Warehouse that Karen provided the
link for, you may want to check the Standards section of the Adult
Literacy Education Wiki:
http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Standards

 

There is some information on California there, but very limited.

 

Regards,

Aaron

 

Aaron Kohring

Research Associate

UT Center for Literacy Studies

600 Henley St, Ste 312

Knoxville, TN 37996-4135

Ph: 865-974-4258

Main: 865-974-4109

Fax: 865-974-3857

akohring at utk.edu

 

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Karen Gianninoto
Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 9:56 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 965] Re: Implementing State AdultEducation
ContentStandards

 

Joseph,

 

I don't know much about California, but you can find out more about
standards based education at the following website.

 

http://www.adultedcontentstandards.ed.gov/

 

Karen Lisch Gianninoto

ESL and Professional Development Specialist 

MSDE

200 W. Baltimore St. 

Baltimore, MD

410-767-4150

410-479-4542

410-924-1529

 

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Joseph Piazza
Sent: Thu 6/12/2008 8:48 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 965] Re: Implementing State AdultEducation
ContentStandards

David and Friends,

I am a new Adult School Principal in California. Can you share with me
the history of Standards-based Adult School instruction in California? I
am not seeing much evidence of any.

Peace,
Joseph Piazza
Folsom Cordova Adult School

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to jpiazza at fcusd.org

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to kgianninoto at msde.state.md.us

-------------------------------
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Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to seacesl at yahoo.com

      
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From Miriam.Kroeger at azed.gov  Mon Jun 16 10:13:39 2008
From: Miriam.Kroeger at azed.gov (Kroeger, Miriam)
Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2008 07:13:39 -0700
Subject: [SpecialTopics 982] Re: Implementing State
	Adult	EducationContentStandards: Louisiana
In-Reply-To: <355865D6A500D84D960A0083B5FFF71F04B08BA8@crexc02.campus.ucc.edu>
References: <C75EE88A-DCC7-4B33-9B68-35BDED133C73@comcast.net>
	<355865D6A500D84D960A0083B5FFF71F04B08BA8@crexc02.campus.ucc.edu>
Message-ID: <914B6658FFC2C74EAF866A48985C3A8E0391C5E0E9@prodmail5.prod.root>

Paul,
I think when people have been doing somethng for a long time, and having "relative" success - they're students are happy, they "know" more than when they first came to you, there could easily be resistance and the question of "why mess with a good thing".  Over the years I have found that if you explain the "why" of a task or a process to people, even if it's unpleasant, they will go along.  As for standards, the sooner you get the users involved in the process, the better.  And it is also inportant for them to know that the standards" are not written in stone".  I think Arizona proved this to the field when, in 2004, we said we needed to revise our standards.  This was as a result of feedback from the field as well as some other factors, and the revisions are products of the field.

-Miriam

Miriam A. Kroeger
Education Program Specialist
Arizona Department of Education
(602)364-2703
Miriam.kroeger at azed.gov

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of JURMO at ucc.edu
Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2008 9:00 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 964] Re: Implementing State Adult EducationContentStandards: Louisiana

Thanks to everyone so far for the informative discussion about the Why's and How's of standards as a tool for reforming adult basic education at the state level.  My guess is that some readers who are new to the notion of "standards" might be wary of being forced to use some standards developed by others.  (Or some might have had a bad experience with "standards.")

Rather than seeing standards as a framework of content and best practices that programs can adapt to the particular learners they serve, some might feel that standards are something rigid and irrelevant or too cumbersome.  Several people in this discussion have mentioned "resistance to change" as a challenge in the development of standards- based systems.  Does anyone want to comment on what the sources of such resistance are and strategies for responding to this resistance?

Paul Jurmo
Union County College
New Jersey

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 10:43 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 961] Implementing State Adult
EducationContentStandards: Louisiana

Colleagues,

Please continue to post questions for Judy Franks, Pam Blundell and Miriam Kroeger. Don't be shy now : - )

Thursday I would like to welcome Raye Nell Spillman who will report on her experience in implementing adult education content standards in Louisiana. Raye Nell will answer the same questions I asked Pam, Judy and Miriam to address and perhaps, if she wishes, add other information based on the questions we have asked other guests .

For those who have just joined the discussion, and others, you will find the messages already posted in the discussion archives at

http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
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Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to jurmo at ucc.edu
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NOTICE: This e-mail (and any attachments) may contain PRIVILEGED OR CONFIDENTIAL information and is intended only for the use of the specific individual(s) to whom it is addressed.  It may contain information that is privileged and confidential under state and federal law.  This information may be used or disclosed only in accordance with law, and you may be subject to penalties under law for improper use or further disclosure of the information in this e-mail and its attachments. If you have received this e-mail in error, please immediately notify the person named above by reply e-mail, and then delete the original e-mail.  Thank you.

From kgianninoto at msde.state.md.us  Mon Jun 16 09:27:26 2008
From: kgianninoto at msde.state.md.us (Karen Gianninoto)
Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2008 09:27:26 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 983] Re: ImplementingState standards
References: <OFD335206E.56111C96-ON85257467.00730622-85257467.007839A2@vcu.edu>
Message-ID: <2433CF3169B9054193EB844AC38230CC06D4FE0B@msebex1.msde.net>

I think that over the years, as teachers have worked on various projects, they understand the content standards at a deeper level.  The  Standards in Action  pilot helped us realize we need to continue to do more analyzing of the standards and have discussions with our teachers about what the individual language indicators mean, and how they can evaluate students performance based on the standards taught.  It has been a shift in thinking from planning lessons based on activities and matching standards to fit with the activities, to planning performance activities that align with the standards.

 

I think our instructional specialist play an important role in guiding teachers through this process.  Developing and implementing lesson plans can be a difficult skill for inexperienced teachers to master.

 

I also encourage instructional specialist to begin with a small pilot that includes teachers who want to improve their instruction.  This way they can work out the kinks, review the data, and encourage others to join in the following year.  I think it really helps to have teachers who can say to their peers, this really works!

 
Karen Lisch Gianninoto
ESL and Professional Development Specialist 
MSDE
200 W. Baltimore St. 
Baltimore, MD
410-767-4150
410-479-4542
410-924-1529

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of James H Andre/FS/VCU
Sent: Fri 6/13/2008 5:53 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 976] Re: ImplementingState Adult EducationContentStandards: Louisiana

I would agree, Bill, that the resistance, at least at the instructional level, comes from instructors' perceptions of how standards have been implemented and not from the standards themselves. 

In Virginia, our adult education content standards for GED and ESOL are still in the formative stages, but we anticipate final publishing soon. We have begun professional development to introduce standards and help programs throughout the state devise plans to align curricula and assessment with standards. During trainings, time is allotted to discuss perceptions of standards. Participants, many of whom have taught in the K-12 system, appreciate knowing what students should know and be able to do within a defined content area and agree that standards improve learner outcomes and provide a level playing field for all learners. Although they understand the influence of standards on curriculum and assessment, their resistance emerges when they think about instruction. "I don't want anyone telling me how to teach," seems to be the perception fueling the resistance. We spend a good amount of time during the training discussing how standards affect what we teach but not how we teach. Using a black box model* that follows the student cycle from intake to goal attainment, participants identify the importance of aligning curriculum, assessment, and standards and the effected elements of each stage of the cycle. We identify the "black box" as the uniqueness, the magic--the instruction-- that each teacher brings to the classroom to transform curriculum into student learning. What to teach remains independent of how to do it. 

*adapted from Mark O'Shea's From Standards to Success: A Guide for School Leaders 

Jim Andre'
Program Development Specialist
Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center
www.valrc.org 

William R Muth/FS/VCU <wrmuth at vcu.edu> 
Sent by: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov 

06/13/2008 03:51 PM 
Please respond to
specialtopics at nifl.gov

To
specialtopics at nifl.gov 
cc
Subject
[SpecialTopics 972] Re: Implementing State        Adult        EducationContentStandards: Louisiana	

		

Good question, Paul - I've experienced this resistance from both perspectives, as a prison-based  ABE teacher and as an agency administrator. For me the problem is closely tied to trust and intention. In the early days of strategic planning (1989-1992), there was a great grass roots effort to engage all staff at all levels (the age of "the retreat" was upon us!) While it was often messy and misunderstood, the level of engagement  was high. Second-wave strategic planning took lots of short cuts and, in essence, just asked folks to comment on the "received" plans from the early years. Third-wave just asked the wardens to comment on second wave, etc.  Each iteration becoming more estranged from (and less accepted by) the grass roots. To some degree, this is a problem of scale. As our agencies grow in mass, the gulfs of mistrust grow proportionately. 

So, like resistance to strategic plans, maybe resistance to standards has less to do with the standards themselves, and more with implementation and the level of participation employed to gather staff input, quell fear, and address misunderstandings. 
Bill Muth 
 
   

<JURMO at ucc.edu> 
Sent by: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov 

06/12/2008 07:51 PM 

Please respond to
specialtopics at nifl.gov

To
<specialtopics at nifl.gov> 
cc
Subject
[SpecialTopics 964] Re: Implementing State Adult        EducationContentStandards: Louisiana	

		

Thanks to everyone so far for the informative discussion about the Why's
and How's of standards as a tool for reforming adult basic education at
the state level.  My guess is that some readers who are new to the
notion of "standards" might be wary of being forced to use some
standards developed by others.  (Or some might have had a bad experience
with "standards.") 

Rather than seeing standards as a framework of content and best
practices that programs can adapt to the particular learners they serve,
some might feel that standards are something rigid and irrelevant or too
cumbersome.  Several people in this discussion have mentioned
"resistance to change" as a challenge in the development of standards-
based systems.  Does anyone want to comment on what the sources of such
resistance are and strategies for responding to this resistance? 

Paul Jurmo
Union County College
New Jersey

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 10:43 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 961] Implementing State Adult
EducationContentStandards: Louisiana

Colleagues,

Please continue to post questions for Judy Franks, Pam Blundell and  
Miriam Kroeger. Don't be shy now : - )

Thursday I would like to welcome Raye Nell Spillman who will report  
on her experience in implementing adult education content standards  
in Louisiana. Raye Nell will answer the same questions I asked Pam,  
Judy and Miriam to address and perhaps, if she wishes, add other  
information based on the questions we have asked other guests .

For those who have just joined the discussion, and others, you will  
find the messages already posted in the discussion archives at

http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to jurmo at ucc.edu
-------------------------------
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SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to wrmuth at vcu.edu
-------------------------------
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Email delivered to andrejh at vcu.edu 

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From jfranks at literacy.kent.edu  Mon Jun 16 12:24:59 2008
From: jfranks at literacy.kent.edu (Judy Franks)
Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2008 12:24:59 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 984]  Ohio Q&A
Message-ID: <019201c8cfcd$8913ca40$fe607b83@jfranks>

Greetings All --

 

David had asked me to expand on a few of my original answers, so I've
completed the last two questions.

 

 

"Ohio was seeking a systematic approach to program improvement and the state
leadership saw EFF as the tool for this system-reform to happen in Ohio.
Alignment of all components of the ABLE system was our goal."  In what ways
have you seen programs improve? Is there a pattern? And what evidence do you
have (or look for) of their improvement? 

 

Ohio has shown continuous improvement in federal performance measures and
student outcomes of reaching their long-term goals over the timeframe from
2003 until present.  Total numbers of students receiving GEDs and advancing
to post-secondary education/training have also steadily improved over this
time.  Ohio has met or exceeded core indicator of performance #1 - students
completing one or more educational functioning levels - as measured against
the minimum performance goals.  A desk review (like a report card) is
completed for each program annually to evaluate program effectiveness.
Measure #1 of the desk review covers student achievement.  For more
information about what is tracked on the desk review, check out
http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?page=3
<http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?page=3&Top
icRelationID=882&ContentID=6828&Content=33778>
&TopicRelationID=882&ContentID=6828&Content=33778.  Anecdotal records are
also kept as site visits are completed by state consultants.

 

 

"Resistance to change is a strong force and needs to be addressed during
your development process, consider the sacred cows in your system and
address them as part of the process.  Many programs saw EFF as an add-on, or
something they were already doing, leading to confusion, others thought this
was just another mandate and would eventually go away."  Can you say more
about what has helped you to overcome this resistance?

 

Fortunately for Ohio, we had a few risk-takers that were willing to take the
leap of faith needed to initiate this process.  Also, acknowledge that there
will always be resisters, no matter what you do.  Listen and pay attention
to them as they may help you better understand their issues and give you
insights about how to address them.  Skeptics have a way of vetting the
change idea so the process can be improved.  If the change is worthwhile, it
probably isn't perfect from the start, but will need to be honed and shaped
continuously.  Allowing folks to vent their emotional feelings of being
over-loaded and overwhelmed, but then turning the negative into positive by
helping them find solutions to their issues, was the proactive approach our
state leadership took. 

 

Focus on teachers and administrators that can see the benefits to the change
- keeping the big picture in front of them and using them as advocates - is
important.  Practitioners need role models for the new behavior - we used
pilot programs to model the changes they were experiences in their
programs/classrooms (at both levels).  This is why we're always seeking more
creative ways to demonstrate how standards can work in the classroom, by
providing teachers with model lessons and administrators with staff
development options.

 

Our Standards Institute was "mandated" for all 134 programs.  We had
established pilots and had gone from 9 to 30 programs, but now we wanted ALL
programs to be using standards in their programs.  Using the team concept,
we presented the newly developed benchmark charts at a two-day training.
Our state director presented the rationale/plan for SBE (standards-based
education) and trainings were developed to address each of the standards.
We established 2 core trainings for additional and new staff and have
presented those regionally, statewide and continually since the 2003
Institute.  In our current revision process for our PD system, we are
considering how to present the sequence of standards-based trainings at each
level of our professional development strands for novice to expert staff.
As you can see, building competency is a never-ending job, given the nature
of staff turnover and that reinforcement has to continuously happen or
practitioners will go back to their old skill sets and progress won't be as
steady, continual evaluation and adaptations are necessary considerations as
you build your system.

 

 

Hope this helps,

Judy

 

 

Judy Franks

Literacy Projects Coordinator

Ohio Literacy Resource Center

330-672-0753

jfranks at literacy.kent.edu

  

 

 

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From CPorter at thecenterweb.org  Mon Jun 16 12:25:13 2008
From: CPorter at thecenterweb.org (Catherine Porter)
Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2008 11:25:13 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 985] Re:
	ImplementingState	Adult	EducationContentStandards: Louisiana
References: <OFD335206E.56111C96-ON85257467.00730622-85257467.007839A2@vcu.edu>
Message-ID: <DDB3820159838B4594D5E87A48297CE503CDF2B6@web5.thecenterweb.org>

This is Catherine Porter, from the Adult Learning Resource Center in Illinois.  I'd like to add my comments to the topic of resistance to change as it relates to the implementation of ESL content standards.  I agree with both Bill and Jim that it is not the standards themselves that teachers have an issue with but rather the process by which the standards are expected to be implemented. 

The key to Illinois' success in both developing and implementing ESL content standards has hinged on two factors:  1) involving practitioners (both classroom teachers and program administrators) in all phases of the development and implementation process and 2) providing ongoing professional development. 

The Illinois ESL Content Standards were developed over a period of years by a work group of experienced teachers and program administrators.  The draft document was reviewed by local programs as well as field tested in a large number of classrooms.  

The Illinois Community College Board then sponsored a series of Curriculum Institutes (currently ongoing) to assist programs in aligning local curricula to the Illinois standards.  To date, 59 Illinois adult education programs have participated in an ESL Curriculum Institute with the goal of aligning local curricula and materials to the state standards. The response to these institutes has been overwhelmingly positive.  

More information about Illinois ESL Content Standards' development as well as a link to the standards document can be found at www.excellenceinadulted.com

Catherine Porter
Professional Development Specialist
Adult Learning Resource Center
Arlington Heights, IL

-----Original Message-----
From:	specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of James H Andre/FS/VCU
Sent:	Fri 6/13/2008 4:53 PM
To:	specialtopics at nifl.gov
Cc:	
Subject:	[SpecialTopics 976] Re: ImplementingState	Adult	EducationContentStandards: Louisiana

I would agree, Bill, that the resistance, at least at the instructional 
level, comes from instructors' perceptions of how standards have been 
implemented and not from the standards themselves. 

In Virginia, our adult education content standards for GED and ESOL are 
still in the formative stages, but we anticipate final publishing soon. We 
have begun professional development to introduce standards and help 
programs throughout the state devise plans to align curricula and 
assessment with standards. During trainings, time is allotted to discuss 
perceptions of standards. Participants, many of whom have taught in the 
K-12 system, appreciate knowing what students should know and be able to 
do within a defined content area and agree that standards improve learner 
outcomes and provide a level playing field for all learners. Although they 
understand the influence of standards on curriculum and assessment, their 
resistance emerges when they think about instruction. "I don't want anyone 
telling me how to teach," seems to be the perception fueling the 
resistance. We spend a good amount of time during the training discussing 
how standards affect what we teach but not how we teach. Using a black box 
model* that follows the student cycle from intake to goal attainment, 
participants identify the importance of aligning curriculum, assessment, 
and standards and the effected elements of each stage of the cycle. We 
identify the "black box" as the uniqueness, the magic--the instruction-- 
that each teacher brings to the classroom to transform curriculum into 
student learning. What to teach remains independent of how to do it.

*adapted from Mark O'Shea's From Standards to Success: A Guide for School 
Leaders

Jim Andre'
Program Development Specialist
Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center
www.valrc.org

William R Muth/FS/VCU <wrmuth at vcu.edu> 
Sent by: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
06/13/2008 03:51 PM
Please respond to
specialtopics at nifl.gov

To
specialtopics at nifl.gov
cc

Subject
[SpecialTopics 972] Re: Implementing State      Adult 
EducationContentStandards: Louisiana

Good question, Paul - I've experienced this resistance from both 
perspectives, as a prison-based  ABE teacher and as an agency 
administrator. For me the problem is closely tied to trust and intention. 
In the early days of strategic planning (1989-1992), there was a great 
grass roots effort to engage all staff at all levels (the age of "the 
retreat" was upon us!) While it was often messy and misunderstood, the 
level of engagement  was high. Second-wave strategic planning took lots of 
short cuts and, in essence, just asked folks to comment on the "received" 
plans from the early years. Third-wave just asked the wardens to comment 
on second wave, etc.  Each iteration becoming more estranged from (and 
less accepted by) the grass roots. To some degree, this is a problem of 
scale. As our agencies grow in mass, the gulfs of mistrust grow 
proportionately. 

So, like resistance to strategic plans, maybe resistance to standards has 
less to do with the standards themselves, and more with implementation and 
the level of participation employed to gather staff input, quell fear, and 
address misunderstandings. 
Bill Muth 
  
    

<JURMO at ucc.edu> 
Sent by: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov 
06/12/2008 07:51 PM 

Please respond to
specialtopics at nifl.gov

To
<specialtopics at nifl.gov> 
cc

Subject
[SpecialTopics 964] Re: Implementing State Adult 
EducationContentStandards: Louisiana

Thanks to everyone so far for the informative discussion about the Why's
and How's of standards as a tool for reforming adult basic education at
the state level.  My guess is that some readers who are new to the
notion of "standards" might be wary of being forced to use some
standards developed by others.  (Or some might have had a bad experience
with "standards.") 

Rather than seeing standards as a framework of content and best
practices that programs can adapt to the particular learners they serve,
some might feel that standards are something rigid and irrelevant or too
cumbersome.  Several people in this discussion have mentioned
"resistance to change" as a challenge in the development of standards-
based systems.  Does anyone want to comment on what the sources of such
resistance are and strategies for responding to this resistance? 

Paul Jurmo
Union County College
New Jersey

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 10:43 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 961] Implementing State Adult
EducationContentStandards: Louisiana

Colleagues,

Please continue to post questions for Judy Franks, Pam Blundell and 
Miriam Kroeger. Don't be shy now : - )

Thursday I would like to welcome Raye Nell Spillman who will report 
on her experience in implementing adult education content standards 
in Louisiana. Raye Nell will answer the same questions I asked Pam, 
Judy and Miriam to address and perhaps, if she wishes, add other 
information based on the questions we have asked other guests .

For those who have just joined the discussion, and others, you will 
find the messages already posted in the discussion archives at

http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to jurmo at ucc.edu
-------------------------------
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SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 
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Email delivered to wrmuth at vcu.edu
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To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 
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Email delivered to andrejh at vcu.edu

From mtate at sbctc.edu  Mon Jun 16 15:50:24 2008
From: mtate at sbctc.edu (Michael Tate)
Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2008 12:50:24 -0700
Subject: [SpecialTopics 986] Re: Implementing State
	AdultEducationContentStandards
In-Reply-To: <2433CF3169B9054193EB844AC38230CC06D4FDFA@msebex1.msde.net>
References: <395138.64017.qm@web33608.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
	<2433CF3169B9054193EB844AC38230CC06D4FDFA@msebex1.msde.net>
Message-ID: <0CA6C79FCB4AC642A77B76C17A4316EE0358FCD6@exch-1.sbctc2.local>

Paul, Karen, others:   

 

I think a lot of the friction that occurs during dissemination comes
from the clash between the needs of the "senders" and needs of the
"receivers".

 

 The "receivers" will need to challenge the new idea to see how well it
is designed or articulated.  This is a very important step in
acquisition.  If "we" can't break it,  it has the endurance, resilience,
power that will be needed

 

The receivers of the new information/idea/method will also need  to
"play around" with the new information to test its versatility ( an
important value) and in order to make it theirs.  

 

The receivers will also try to fit it in to their constructs/ system
(which are seen as unique, or more important, are BELIEVED to be unique)
adjusting it to fit the local personalities of "pioneers", "settlers",
"resisters", etc., and the power structure in place locally.  This is
another required test (and important value): Is it viable in the local
situation? 

 

The receivers, who may also have thought about the problem, may have
launched, or have plans to launch a remedy that may not mesh with the
plan being disseminated.  This is another key test
(impact/functionality): will it add to our momentum? Will it be a tool
that we can use, or not?

 

The "senders" (the disseminators) need there to be integrity in the
transmission and adoption of the new information.  To guarantee
integrity, they often insist upon identicality in speech and in the
steps or process of adoptions, even to the point of requiring adherence
to an imposed timeline not based on any local considerations.  They want
their "students" to learn it as they did.  (This, of course, is the
classic dilemma of teaching:  do I have the patience to let my students
learn in the ways they need  and in the time they need?  Do I have the
courage to let them come up with a different answer, even an answer that
contradicts what I learned, and what I am teaching?)

 

The "senders" often feel like they have to oppose the "natural" needs of
receivers listed above, because of the potential negative consequences
for the new plan/information/method being disseminated.

 

Add to this clash, that there is a built-in bias against local
inventions/solutions in favor of  the solutions of a higher echelon
which are perceived to have a broader perspective, greater expertise,
more political sophistication and the capacity for greater rewards
(money, esteem, etc.), and the stage is set for classic
oppositional/defiant behaviors in the receivers, and the typical
dictatorial/compliance-based behaviors in the senders.  

 

When it gets to this point, nothing good will come out of it.

 

 

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Karen Gianninoto
Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 6:53 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: Re: Implementing State AdultEducationContentStandards

 

Human behavior is a result of habit, and teaching practices are similar.
It is difficult to move from a comfortable known situation to a new
situation because one does not know what the results might be.  For
example, New Year's resolutions begin well intended, and similarly
instructors/educators attending trainings/conferences leave well
intended to make changes in their practices.  But this rarely happens,
unless there is a network of support that can help the person work
through and sustain the change.

 

Karen Lisch Gianninoto

ESL and Professional Development Specialist 

MSDE

200 W. Baltimore St. 

Baltimore, MD

410-767-4150

410-479-4542

410-924-1529

 

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Sharon L.
Sent: Thu 6/12/2008 9:14 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 966] Re: Implementing State
AdultEducationContentStandards: Louisiana

I think a lack of understanding and a fear of extra work drive much
resistance to change

Sharon L. Shoemaker

--- On Thu, 6/12/08, JURMO at ucc.edu <JURMO at ucc.edu> wrote:

From: JURMO at ucc.edu <JURMO at ucc.edu>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 964] Re: Implementing State Adult
EducationContentStandards: Louisiana
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Date: Thursday, June 12, 2008, 11:00 AM

Thanks to everyone so far for the informative discussion about the Why's
and How's of standards as a tool for reforming adult basic education at
the state level.  My guess is that some readers who are new to the
notion of "standards" might be wary of being forced to use some
standards developed by others.  (Or some might have had a bad experience
with "standards.") 
 
Rather than seeing standards as a framework of content and best
practices that programs can adapt to the particular learners they serve,
some might feel that standards are something rigid and irrelevant or too
cumbersome.  Several people in this discussion have mentioned
"resistance to change" as a challenge in the development of
standards-
based systems.  Does anyone want to comment on what the sources of such
resistance are and strategies for responding to this resistance? 
 
Paul Jurmo
Union County College
New Jersey
 
-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 10:43 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 961] Implementing State Adult
EducationContentStandards: Louisiana
 
Colleagues,
 
Please continue to post questions for Judy Franks, Pam Blundell and  
Miriam Kroeger. Don't be shy now : - )
 
Thursday I would like to welcome Raye Nell Spillman who will report  
on her experience in implementing adult education content standards  
in Louisiana. Raye Nell will answer the same questions I asked Pam,  
Judy and Miriam to address and perhaps, if she wishes, add other  
information based on the questions we have asked other guests .
 
For those who have just joined the discussion, and others, you will  
find the messages already posted in the discussion archives at
 
http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html
 
 
David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net
 
 
 
 
 
 
-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to jurmo at ucc.edu
-------------------------------
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Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
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From cherylthornett at hotmail.com  Mon Jun 16 16:24:09 2008
From: cherylthornett at hotmail.com (Cheryl Thornett)
Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2008 21:24:09 +0100
Subject: [SpecialTopics 987] Re: Implementing State Adult Education
	ContentStandards: Texas
References: <623D8AF7-3F84-41B9-B336-BAD7AF43A07D@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <BLU129-DAV102707A7E5DFA511F6DEB0CCA90@phx.gbl>

Hello, everyone.

Here in the UK we went through a similar process some years ago. On the whole, content standards have been welcomed, because previously provision was very uneven. If someone moved from one city to another, or even from one institution to another, there was no way of knowing what 'basic' or 'level 2' meant. Even if students could show an ESL exam certificate (for example)  from a recognised organization, there was no way of knowing whether they had just been coached for that exam, or whether they had had a broader curriculum.  The problem was the same for literacy and numeracy, I understand.

Initially, national curricula for adults were brought in for literacy and numeracy, following the creation of national curricula for 5-18 education. After representations and discussion, an ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) was brought in, separate from literacy in some respects, but following the literacy curriculum. The main difference in content was the inclusion of listening as a distinct skill area. This created a problem in that the priorities for second language speakers are not necessarily the same as the priorities of first language literacy learners. There is also a presumption of previous academic failure and/or learning difficulties in the literacy curriculum which is less likely to be true of second language learners in the UK context. We were told that we should select relevant areas and ignore the irrelevant, but many of us believe this presumption colours much of the curriculum.

Some years further on, the debate still continues. In many ways, the National Curricula for adults have been very useful. If a teacher is asked to take on a new level, the curricula provide a starting place. If a student has been in an Entry 2 class in another institution, the new provider has better information to use in assessment and placement. If a teacher moves to a new city or institution, they are going to use the same content standards. 

However, problems remain. A reasonable expectation for a full-time course (12-16 guided learning hours per week) is not a reasonable expectation for a part time course of as little as 2 GLH per week. Funding bodies don't always take this into account, nor of the recommended classroom hours for moving from level to level. This, of course, is not directly content, but the amount of content that can be covered will be limited if financial resources are limited. Another problem is that with standardized formal tests, there is a temptation to teach to the test, thus restricting what is actually learned. This is compounded for those of us who cannot offer the full-time study envisioned by the curriculum materials. The promised free teaching and learning materials did not always lead to successful learning without such heavy use of supplemental material that for many of us it seemed easier just to use the supplements or to turn to commercial materials.

I believe it is fair to say that many of the difficulties and grievances have not been with the contents standards themselves, but with their implementation by civic and institutional authorities. An additional problem has been the imposition, and imposition is the only word, of additional teaching requirements without additional time, pay or resources. A teacher who spends only a few hours a week with a class who have no other access to learning is now expected to include  IT with literacy and, in the case of ESOL, citizenship in the same amount of class time. Many classes have no access to IT facilities.

The people who have reported here seem to have gone to considerable effort to avoid some of these difficulties, and I wish them and their programs well. 

Cheryl Thornett
ESOL and Literacy tutor
Birmingham UK Adult Education
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From fsalas at hcde-texas.org  Mon Jun 16 22:49:56 2008
From: fsalas at hcde-texas.org (Federico Salas)
Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2008 21:49:56 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 988]  The Texas Experience with Content Standards
Message-ID: <E43278D67408F248838A1BDB754306050C58854F@EV-SERVER.hcdemain.hcde.loc>

Thank you, David, for inviting me to represent the Texas adult education
content standards experience.  Sorry to all who may read this a day
late, as I was not able for personal and work reasons to post earlier
today as it had been my intention.  I apologize.  

Below you will see answers to the five questions David has asked me to
answer for the standards implementation effort in Texas.  I will admit
that for the most part I am not the one writing these answers.  I am
quoting, paraphrasing, and to a great extent copying straight from our
Texas Adult Education Standards and Benchmarks for ABE ASE and ESL
Learners Implementation Guide which you can find on the web at:

http://www-tcall.tamu.edu/taesp/index.htm

I encourage you to read the Implementation Guide which, not to brag, is
one of the most complete documents on using content standards that I
have seen.  If its being complete does not entice you sufficiently, you
should take a look at the guide because it was written by people a lot
more eloquent and with a lot more knowledge of the standards than me.
The staff of the Texas Adult Education Standards Project, TAESP, at the
Texas Center for the Advancement of Literacy and Learning (TCALL) of
Texas A&M University wrote the implementation guide to serve as a
professional development tool for teachers and administrators alike.
Within the introduction to the guide you will find a history and
overview of the project and the standard adoption process in Texas.  You
will also find each of the standards we adopted, the strands and
benchmarks our writing teams developed, the sample activities, and a
wealth of resources, links, and other helpful implementation ideas. 

Now, for the answers: 

1.	Why did Texas choose to adopt content standards?
We wanted to develop standards to accurately describe what adult
learners should know and be able to do as a result of instructional
content and delivery, as well as to develop the statements of how well
learners need to be able to demonstrate levels of proficiency.   We
believe that standards provide a foundation for developing curricula,
learning activities, and individualized instruction without being
prescriptive. 
Collectively these standards can:
	1.                  Ensure consistency; 
	2.                  Assist in meeting state performance
measures; 
	3.                  Link assessments to curriculum and
instruction; 
	4.                  Orient new adult education practitioners;
and 
	5.                  Serve as a reference for experienced
instructors. 
The standards, in the words of Dr. Dominique Chlup, who led the content
standards team after 2005, represent new possibilities in the dimensions
of teaching, administration, program development, and student growth.

2.	What standards has your state adopted?

During the process of reviewing different standards from around the
nation, the staff of TAESP conducted focus groups around the state
engaging not only 75 adult education instructors, but also nearly 100
students!  There were more focus groups with students than teachers to
help us decide what content students need to master in Texas.  The
results of the focus groups indicated that the EFF standards would best
match the needs identified by the participants in the focus groups.
Thus we adopted the following five EFF standards:
*	Listen Actively, 
*	Speak So Others Can Understand, 
*	Read With Understanding, 
*	Convey Ideas in Writing, and 
*	Use Math to Solve Problems and Communicate. 
Even though reviewing standards and conducting the focus groups took the
better part of a full year, selecting the EFF standards was the easy
part.  Three groups of standards writers devoted the next two years to
writing benchmarks and activities for each of the standards we had
selected.  Originally we intended the same standards and benchmarks for
both the ABE/GED student and the English Language Learner.  After an
initial pilot of the first document, it was decided that we would write
different benchmarks for the Reading and Writing standards for ABE and
for ESL.  The links below take you directly to each of the standard
documents that appear within our implementation guide:

*	Read with Understanding Standards and Benchmarks
<http://www-tcall.tamu.edu/taesp/guide/2readabe.html> 
*	Convey Ideas in Writing Standards and Benchmarks
<http://www-tcall.tamu.edu/taesp/guide/2writeabe.html> 
*	Use Math to Solve Problems and Communicate Standards and
Benchmarks
<http://www-tcall.tamu.edu/stylesheets/taesp/guide/2mathabe.html> 
*	Listen Actively for ESL
<http://www-tcall.tamu.edu/taesp/guide/3listenesl.html> 
*	Speak So Others Can Understand for ESL
<http://www-tcall.tamu.edu/taesp/guide/3speakesl.html> 
*	Read With Understanding for ESL
<http://www-tcall.tamu.edu/taesp/guide/3readesl.html> 
*	Convey Ideas in Writing for ESL
<http://www-tcall.tamu.edu/taesp/guide/3writeesl.html> 

The benchmarks are separated into different strands - each standard has
a different number of strands.  Each strand represents a set of
benchmarks that increase in difficulty as the learner progresses through
the levels in the strand.  The order of the strands is not an indicator
of greater or lesser importance, and not all students will fit into
exactly the same level throughout all the strands.  The benchmarks are
written for instructors, not learners.  Examples found within each
benchmark help to clarify the meaning.  Text in Bold indicates words
that can be found in the Glossary.
The description of the benchmarks' levels follows the Educational
Functioning Level Descriptors that have been designed by the National
Reporting System for Adult Education (NRS).  The Texas Adult Education
Benchmark levels are written as exit levels, not entry levels.  In other
words, the levels represent what learners should be able to do upon
exiting the level and moving to the next level.  
3.	What has been the process of moving from official adoption to 
actual implementation?

We have yet to fully implement the standards.  At the launch of the
standards the state office (Texas LEARNS) made a commitment not to make
them mandatory yet but to give people the opportunity to try them out,
to become comfortable with the new standards.  Everyone has access to
the document, thousands have had professional development, hundreds
participated in our official launch, yet the state office has never
mandated the adoption.  Programs have not been pressured one way or the
other.  We believe that this approach has allowed programs to experiment
with standards-based-education without feeling an imposition.  Slowly
programs are asking for more help and more professional development
because they don't see the standards as a threat anymore.  An interest
(and somewhat surprising) development during our launch conference is
that the teachers who had piloted the standards before adoption came to
us to ask us to please make the standards mandatory.  The teachers felt
a sense of ownership of the document and contended that the only way
they would have the full support of program administrators for the
implementation of the content standards was to make them mandatory.

This year, Texas joined the Standards in Action project, SIA, project
that has developed materials to help us implement our standards and has
served us to see where our document may need adjustments and our
professional development re-energized.  I will let my colleagues comment
on the success of our participation in SIA.  

4.	What successes and challenges have you found in implementing 
the content standards?

This is a question that I would rather invite my colleagues in the
trenches to answer.  They are the ones with first hand knowledge of the
successes and the challenges.  If any of you, Texans, is reading this,
please chime in.  

We have just started to implement the standards and have not completed
yet the first year of implementation.  We have no data to show success
in terms of student performance.  But an anecdotal indicator of success
is the unexpected number of trainings of teachers to implement standards
at the local level that our regional training centers, the GREAT Project
Centers, have received during this year.  Over 3,700 implementation
guides were printed and distributed prior to training over the last
year.  The greatest success was the significant support from the field
for our standards launching conference a year ago, Texas...Reaching New
Standards.  The finalized standards and benchmarks were unveiled and
professional development on how to teach using the standards and
benchmarks was provided at this statewide conference held at the Austin
Convention Center in downtown Austin, Texas, June 24-26, 2007.  Over 500
instructors and 200 adult education administrators participated in three
days of PD on the standards. 

One of our earliest challenges was not, interestingly enough, to
convince teachers but in many cases to convince administrators.  During
the June 07 conference, there were two PD tracks, one for instructors
and one for administrators.  Many administrators thought the standards
were great but insisted that teachers didn't need "an additional burden"
added to their already heavy load.  Teachers, on the other hand,
particularly newer or less experienced instructors, were overwhelmingly
appreciative of a document that gave them a point of reference, a
framework for their teaching, and access to a number of resources. 

5.	What do you recommend happen at the federal level to support the
development of standards-based adult basic education by states?

Obviously, additional funding for adult education in general would go a
long way in supporting the development of standards-based adult
education in the states.  Also, the renewed support not only for the
Standards Warehouse (http://www.adultedcontentstandards.ed.gov/) but
also, particularly to revive the now defunct Adult Education Content
Standards Consortium which was a project instrumental in providing the
type of support that Texas needed in the process.  The consortium worked
for three years with a small number of states, and it should be brought
back to life to continue supporting other states.  The warehouse alone
cannot accomplish the in-depth level of professional development,
networking, and coordinated support that the American Institutes for
Research provided during the life of the consortium.  

The SIA (Standards in Action) project needs to continue fully supported,
as it is the kind of approach that can really help states in the process
of implementing the standards.  However, I think that states "sitting on
the fence" and not sure if they should pursue the development of
standards, or states that had a negative experience in their attempt to
implement and wish to start again will benefit more not from SIA but
from a comprehensive approach as that offered by the old consortium. 

Thanks for your patience.  I invite you wholeheartedly to visit our
website  <http://www-tcall.tamu.edu/taesp/index.htm>
http://www-tcall.tamu.edu/taesp/index.htm
<http://www-tcall.tamu.edu/taesp/index.htm and>  
and become acquainted with our implementation guide.  

Federico Salas-Isnardi

federico

Federico Salas-Isnardi, Assistant State Director
Texas LEARNS
6005 Westview Dr.
Houston, TX 77055
Direct: 713-696-0719
Toll Free: 866-696-4233
Fax: 713-696-0797
 
The State Office of Adult Education and Family Literacy

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From fsalas at hcde-texas.org  Mon Jun 16 23:36:30 2008
From: fsalas at hcde-texas.org (Federico Salas)
Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2008 22:36:30 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 989] Resistance to Change and Texas' approach to
	overcoming "standards aversion"
Message-ID: <E43278D67408F248838A1BDB754306050C588551@EV-SERVER.hcdemain.hcde.loc>

I have just posted the Texas experience with content standards
implementation.  Now, however, I want to jump in on the discussion
addressing the issue of resistance to implementation and resistance to
change.  Before I do, however, I want to say hi to my friend Paul Jurmo.
Long time no see, Paul.  

The question is the source of the resistance to the adoption and/or
implementation of standards.  I cannot hope to answer that question
here, but I can share some of the resistance that we faced in Texas and
some of the comments we have heard over the now four years since we
started the standards process.  

I would like to share some history that is very relevant to the question
Paul asks and that actually sheds light on the process of overcoming
that resistance and addressing change.  Paul mentions that "some might
feel that standards are something rigid and irrelevant or too
cumbersome. We have seen some of this attitude along with concerns by
some that the standards are something imposed "in addition to everything
we already do."  

Bill's observes that resistance to change sometimes is about "trust and
intention" while dealing with strategic planning.  In Texas we had a
difficult and, at times, contentious experience with the process of
adopting standards.  There was a first iteration of the adoption when,
under a different administration of the office of adult education, we
experienced a process that was, as Bill puts it, "estranged from (and
less accepted by) the grass roots."  In the early 2000s, standards from
another state were imposed on all of us in Texas by a shortsighted
administration without input, with little buy-in, and with virtually no
opportunity to pilot them or to make necessary adaptations to suit our
population or our needs.  Local administrators (our state director,
Joanie Rethlake, and I were both such local program directors) were told
that we needed to have 100% of our teachers trained to implement the
standards by the end of that fiscal year or our grants would be in
jeopardy.  Talk about "trust and intention."  To be sure, some programs
saw this as an opportunity to adopt a much needed content framework and
dived head on into the process making the standards their own and
developing their own checklists and other means of implementing them
which had not been offered by the state.  Other programs felt
overwhelmed, didn't like the standards, didn't feel they would work, and
saw them as "rigid and irrelevant."  Many tried their best to understand
the situation they were facing and invested a lot of time and resources
-along with emotion and stress-to make the standards work.  Yet, by the
end of the fiscal year, when it was apparent that as much as everyone
tried many teachers had not been trained, the state office announced the
standards would not be adopted after all.  If programs wanted them they
could use them; if they didn't they were free to do without them.  The
process had been costly, time consuming, and frustrating. 
 
Fast forward one year, and in 2003 Texas LEARNS came into existence and
a completely new leadership was breathing new life into the adult
education program in Texas.  One of our first priorities was to address
the issue of the adoption of content standards.  Our initial idea was to
continue what the former administration had started but to add some
Texas flavor, engaging some programs in piloting the standards to give
them a sense of ownership of any edits.  At our first meeting we were
not prepared for the level of emotion, of resistance, of outright
hostility that the idea was about to generate.  The issue of our
intentions and the trust of the field was now on the table for us to
tackle.  

Our decision was then, with the help and leadership of the Texas Center
for the Advancement of Literacy and Learning (TCALL) to go back to the
field and conduct a number of focus groups with instructors and with
students; in fact more students than instructors from all over the state
participated in the focus groups.  After analyzing the feedback from
these groups, Texas decided to scrap our plans and start anew.  As I
have said in my other posting earlier tonight, we adopted five of the
EFF standards because they closely matched what the focus groups were
telling us.  

We then proceeded to involve teachers and local program administrators
in the process of writing benchmarks.  Standards Writers had to apply or
be nominated, and they were selected by committee to participate in the
process. Writing the benchmarks and agreeing on the appropriate level
and examples took nearly two years of meetings and a lot of give and
take, but the result was a document which teachers considered their own.
During this process, the state office and the standards project kept
local programs, teachers and administrators abreast of developments.

Then came time to pilot the standards; we had two pilots one conducted
by many of the teachers who had written the benchmarks.  We wanted these
writers to pilot the materials because they were closer to their
development.  The second pilot was an expanded pilot which came after
the changes which resulted from analyzing the feedback from the first
pilot.  

In June 2007 came time for the official launch and nearly 700 people
from all adult education and EL Civics programs in the state registered
for the three day conference.  

After the launch, a group of the standards writers volunteered to be
trained by external consultants to become "Standards Specialists."
These specialists became the trainers helping us provide expert
professional development that was "close to the source" of the
standards.  

Why do I tell you step by step what happened in the process?  I think
that one of the keys to overcoming the initial resistance was our
willingness to invest in a process that would take time but would
involve all stakeholders:  students, teachers, administrators, and
expert consultants. 

The documents were written by the people who will use them with feedback
from their students.  Involving 100 students in the process indicates a
true commitment to listen to their voices; we were not simply paying lip
service to student participation.  The standards were then piloted and
re-worked immediately based on feedback.  This showed we were listening.
We then involved a large number of teachers in the second pilot.
Finally, the project provided training to volunteer standards
specialists to become trainers of their colleagues. All throughout, the
process stayed very close to the field.  The bottom line is we tried to
enable a bottom up process to ensure buy-in.  Even administrators who
were afraid to embrace the document have slowly come to see the new
document as something worth giving a try.  While full implementation
will take a long time, by addressing the fundamental objections teachers
and programs had with the earlier experience the leadership of Texas
LEARNS and TAESP were able to get significant buy-in from the field.  

federico

Federico Salas-Isnardi, Assistant State Director
Texas LEARNS
6005 Westview Dr.
Houston, TX 77055
Direct: 713-696-0719
Toll Free: 866-696-4233
Fax: 713-696-0797
 
The State Office of Adult Education and Family Literacy

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From djrosen at comcast.net  Tue Jun 17 09:18:28 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2008 09:18:28 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 990] Implementation of State Content Standards:
	Florida
Message-ID: <4E35D0B8-B5D3-4359-97C3-25D6C26AA2E7@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

Today our last guest, Philip Anderson, will tell us about how Florida  
implements its adult education content standards.

It's great to hear from Catherine Porter, describing what Illinois  
has done, and from Cheryl Thornett, describing implementation of  
standards in the U.K. I would like to hear from colleagues in other  
states and countries describing their experiences, too.

I have three questions for all our subscribers and guests:

1. What do you see as the themes or "take-aways" from this discussion  
that you can use in your own work?
2. What are the similarities and differences with how content  
standards are being implemented where you are?
3.  A subscriber interested in research on whether implementation of  
content standards leads to improvement in instruction asks: "Over the  
past decade the [U.S.] federal government has been encouraging the  
development of content standards for adult education (even though  
there is no requirement for content standards mandate in WIA [ the  
U.S. Workforce Investment Act] ) yet it is unclear what local, state- 
level or federal data supports the connection between the use of  
content standards and improvement in instruction and or student  
performance.  If this body of research does not currently exist, is  
there anybody out there trying to establish this connection??

I hope these questions intrigue you.  Let's hear from everyone!

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

From Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org  Tue Jun 17 10:35:13 2008
From: Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org (Anderson, Philip)
Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2008 10:35:13 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 991] Re: Implementation of State Content
	Standards:Florida
References: <4E35D0B8-B5D3-4359-97C3-25D6C26AA2E7@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <96E135649F1AD048AA6FF8CBC598C23E14D0DE90@MAIL1.FLDOE.INT>

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From jengel at communityaction.com  Tue Jun 17 13:27:07 2008
From: jengel at communityaction.com (Jon Engel)
Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2008 12:27:07 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 992] Reception of Adult Education Content Standards
	at the local level
Message-ID: <000601c8d09f$5dfa6e90$9e00000a@cainc.local>

Good Morning All,

 

While I do not have a lot to say, I thought I would take Federico up on his
invitation for someone from the Texas trenches to speak up.  I have little
doubt that I would be one of those local administrators that he thought
expressed a bit of resistance to the rollout of the Texas standards.  Part
of this resistance is right in line with Michael Tate's thoughtful
contribution in regard to the needs of "senders" and "receivers".  I am a
big believer in the validity of local innovation.  This doesn't make me an
automatic resistor to top/down change, but I am guilty of a certain
intellectual wariness of said initiatives.  

 

Typically, I voice what my teachers are unwilling to say in a statewide
forum.  I invited all coordinators and many teachers to the roll out
conference of the State Adult Education Standards.  Several of my best and
most experienced staff declined the invitation.  Standards were a red flag
to them.  To them the standards were code for why they left K-12 teaching in
the first place.  I think that we have to keep in mind that this is a very
real and valid reaction.  

 

The other point of resistance that I and a lot of my staff share is a
certain resistance to the Texas standard lesson plan format.  There is just
something about using numbered benchmarks (1.5, 2.5, 3.5, etc.) to signify
what a student will have mastered or learned that is, for lack of a better
word, unappealing.  

 

Having said all that, I do think that Texas has taken the right approach,
for the most part, with the rolling out of the standards.  The decision to
not make them mandatory, at least for now, was the right one, and I
congratulate Federico and Joanie Rethlake for making it.  I have had as many
of my teachers as possible trained in the Standards.  We talk about the
Standards at every program wide staff meeting.  We are still struggling on
how to implement all or part of them.  Lately we have been thinking about
the best way of incorporating the Standards into our internal reporting
systems.

 

I would not say that my program is comfortable with the standards yet, but
we are dong our best to become familiar with them.

 

Jon Engel

Adult Education Director

Community Action Inc.

PO Box 748

San Marcos, TX 78666

Voice  (512)392-1161 ext. 334

Fax  (512)396-4255

Email  jengel at communityaction.com

Web www.communityaction.com 

 

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From fsalas at hcde-texas.org  Tue Jun 17 15:41:18 2008
From: fsalas at hcde-texas.org (Federico Salas)
Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2008 14:41:18 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 993] Re: Implementing State
	AdultEducationContentStandards
In-Reply-To: <355865D6A500D84D960A0083B5FFF71F04B08BA8@crexc02.campus.ucc.edu>
Message-ID: <E43278D67408F248838A1BDB754306050C588A94@EV-SERVER.hcdemain.hcde.loc>

Another thought on the issue of resistance.  Last year I attended a
conference where the keynote speaker spoke about standards based
education.  She did a quick survey of the audience to bring out the
number of us who think "standards based" is the same as "standardized."
To many "standardized" has negative connotations; the idea that
education becomes a "one size fits all" endeavor, all the same, boring,
inflexible (pretty much like it happens when every student has to take a
standardized test.)  

My suggestion is that whenever we can do professional development we
emphasize the difference between standards-based and standardized.   

federico

Federico Salas-Isnardi, Assistant State Director
Texas LEARNS
6005 Westview Dr.
Houston, TX 77055
Direct: 713-696-0719
Toll Free: 866-696-4233
Fax: 713-696-0797
 
The State Office of Adult Education and Family Literacy

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of JURMO at ucc.edu
Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2008 11:00 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 964] Re: Implementing State
AdultEducationContentStandards: Louisiana

Thanks to everyone so far for the informative discussion about the Why's
and How's of standards as a tool for reforming adult basic education at
the state level.  My guess is that some readers who are new to the
notion of "standards" might be wary of being forced to use some
standards developed by others.  (Or some might have had a bad experience
with "standards.") 

Rather than seeing standards as a framework of content and best
practices that programs can adapt to the particular learners they serve,
some might feel that standards are something rigid and irrelevant or too
cumbersome.  Several people in this discussion have mentioned
"resistance to change" as a challenge in the development of standards-
based systems.  Does anyone want to comment on what the sources of such
resistance are and strategies for responding to this resistance? 

Paul Jurmo
Union County College
New Jersey

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 10:43 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 961] Implementing State Adult
EducationContentStandards: Louisiana

Colleagues,

Please continue to post questions for Judy Franks, Pam Blundell and  
Miriam Kroeger. Don't be shy now : - )

Thursday I would like to welcome Raye Nell Spillman who will report  
on her experience in implementing adult education content standards  
in Louisiana. Raye Nell will answer the same questions I asked Pam,  
Judy and Miriam to address and perhaps, if she wishes, add other  
information based on the questions we have asked other guests .

For those who have just joined the discussion, and others, you will  
find the messages already posted in the discussion archives at

http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
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Email delivered to jurmo at ucc.edu
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Email delivered to fsalas at hcde-texas.org

From WMaxwell at cde.ca.gov  Tue Jun 17 16:08:22 2008
From: WMaxwell at cde.ca.gov (Wendi Maxwell)
Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2008 13:08:22 -0700
Subject: [SpecialTopics 994] Re: Implementing
	State	AdultEducationContentStandards
In-Reply-To: <E43278D67408F248838A1BDB754306050C588A94@EV-SERVER.hcdemain.hcde.loc>
References: <355865D6A500D84D960A0083B5FFF71F04B08BA8@crexc02.campus.ucc.edu>
	<E43278D67408F248838A1BDB754306050C588A94@EV-SERVER.hcdemain.hcde.loc>
Message-ID: <FD13D85C558C184F8D2B117E0136E75345D46930FB@EXVS01.CDE.cal>

California spent many years promoting competency-based education. We have had model program standards for quite some time, but have not yet issued our new standards. (New standards have been developed by teams of practitioners with state staff providing support.) How have any of you addressed the relationship between competency-based and standards-based education?

Wendi Maxwell
Education Programs Consultant
Adult Education Office
California Department of Education

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Federico Salas
Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 12:41 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 993] Re: Implementing State AdultEducationContentStandards

Another thought on the issue of resistance.  Last year I attended a
conference where the keynote speaker spoke about standards based
education.  She did a quick survey of the audience to bring out the
number of us who think "standards based" is the same as "standardized."
To many "standardized" has negative connotations; the idea that
education becomes a "one size fits all" endeavor, all the same, boring,
inflexible (pretty much like it happens when every student has to take a
standardized test.)

My suggestion is that whenever we can do professional development we
emphasize the difference between standards-based and standardized.

federico

Federico Salas-Isnardi, Assistant State Director
Texas LEARNS
6005 Westview Dr.
Houston, TX 77055
Direct: 713-696-0719
Toll Free: 866-696-4233
Fax: 713-696-0797

The State Office of Adult Education and Family Literacy

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of JURMO at ucc.edu
Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2008 11:00 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 964] Re: Implementing State
AdultEducationContentStandards: Louisiana

Thanks to everyone so far for the informative discussion about the Why's
and How's of standards as a tool for reforming adult basic education at
the state level.  My guess is that some readers who are new to the
notion of "standards" might be wary of being forced to use some
standards developed by others.  (Or some might have had a bad experience
with "standards.")

Rather than seeing standards as a framework of content and best
practices that programs can adapt to the particular learners they serve,
some might feel that standards are something rigid and irrelevant or too
cumbersome.  Several people in this discussion have mentioned
"resistance to change" as a challenge in the development of standards-
based systems.  Does anyone want to comment on what the sources of such
resistance are and strategies for responding to this resistance?

Paul Jurmo
Union County College
New Jersey

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 10:43 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 961] Implementing State Adult
EducationContentStandards: Louisiana

Colleagues,

Please continue to post questions for Judy Franks, Pam Blundell and
Miriam Kroeger. Don't be shy now : - )

Thursday I would like to welcome Raye Nell Spillman who will report
on her experience in implementing adult education content standards
in Louisiana. Raye Nell will answer the same questions I asked Pam,
Judy and Miriam to address and perhaps, if she wishes, add other
information based on the questions we have asked other guests .

For those who have just joined the discussion, and others, you will
find the messages already posted in the discussion archives at

http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to jurmo at ucc.edu
-------------------------------
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Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to fsalas at hcde-texas.org
-------------------------------
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Email delivered to wmaxwell at cde.ca.gov

From bonniesophia at sbcglobal.net  Tue Jun 17 17:26:15 2008
From: bonniesophia at sbcglobal.net (Bonnie Odiorne)
Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2008 14:26:15 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [SpecialTopics 995] Re: Implementing State
	AdultEducationContentStandards
Message-ID: <152499.39087.qm@web83308.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>

I'm a little shaky on my terminology, but is "standards-based" the same as "skills-based?" CT is also a competencies-based state in terms of assesssment (CASAS) but I found very often that in order to do a skills breakdown and an IEP for a student/tutor pairing I had to analyze the tasks that the students were being asked to do, doing a sort of literacy audit, in order to decipher the skills that needed addressing. Just asking.

----- Original Message ----
From: Federico Salas <fsalas at hcde-texas.org>
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 3:41:18 PM
Subject: [SpecialTopics 993] Re: Implementing State AdultEducationContentStandards

Another thought on the issue of resistance.? Last year I attended a
conference where the keynote speaker spoke about standards based
education.? She did a quick survey of the audience to bring out the
number of us who think "standards based" is the same as "standardized."
To many "standardized" has negative connotations; the idea that
education becomes a "one size fits all" endeavor, all the same, boring,
inflexible (pretty much like it happens when every student has to take a
standardized test.)? 

My suggestion is that whenever we can do professional development we
emphasize the difference between standards-based and standardized.? 

federico

Federico Salas-Isnardi, Assistant State Director
Texas LEARNS
6005 Westview Dr.
Houston, TX 77055
Direct: 713-696-0719
Toll Free: 866-696-4233
Fax: 713-696-0797

The State Office of Adult Education and Family Literacy

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of JURMO at ucc.edu
Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2008 11:00 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 964] Re: Implementing State
AdultEducationContentStandards: Louisiana

Thanks to everyone so far for the informative discussion about the Why's
and How's of standards as a tool for reforming adult basic education at
the state level.? My guess is that some readers who are new to the
notion of "standards" might be wary of being forced to use some
standards developed by others.? (Or some might have had a bad experience
with "standards.") 

Rather than seeing standards as a framework of content and best
practices that programs can adapt to the particular learners they serve,
some might feel that standards are something rigid and irrelevant or too
cumbersome.? Several people in this discussion have mentioned
"resistance to change" as a challenge in the development of standards-
based systems.? Does anyone want to comment on what the sources of such
resistance are and strategies for responding to this resistance? 

Paul Jurmo
Union County College
New Jersey

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2008 10:43 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 961] Implementing State Adult
EducationContentStandards: Louisiana

Colleagues,

Please continue to post questions for Judy Franks, Pam Blundell and? 
Miriam Kroeger. Don't be shy now : - )

Thursday I would like to welcome Raye Nell Spillman who will report? 
on her experience in implementing adult education content standards? 
in Louisiana. Raye Nell will answer the same questions I asked Pam,? 
Judy and Miriam to address and perhaps, if she wishes, add other? 
information based on the questions we have asked other guests .

For those who have just joined the discussion, and others, you will? 
find the messages already posted in the discussion archives at

http://www.nifl..gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to jurmo at ucc.edu
-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to fsalas at hcde-texas.org
-------------------------------
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Email delivered to bonniesophia at sbcglobal.net
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From djrosen at comcast.net  Tue Jun 17 21:50:02 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2008 21:50:02 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 996]  Content Standards: More questions, more answers,
	more discussion
Message-ID: <2DEF07B5-9862-4CC4-AA50-D26A1DEB8BAA@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

Our Content Standards discussion continues through Friday.  I have  
some more questions (see below) for guests and subscribers. I wonder  
if there are some people with questions that they feel are "too  
basic" such as "How do I find out what my state's Content Standards  
are, or if my state even has them?"  No question about content  
standards is too basic. This is the place to ask it.

I want to hear from teachers and administrators who are (or are not)  
implementing content standards. Jon Engel (Thank you, Jon) spoke for  
teachers who might be skeptical. Perhaps there are some teachers who  
are skeptical that would be willing to speak for themselves now that  
Jon has broached this.

Here are three more questions that were sent to me, for our guests  
and others :

?Part-time teachers and planning time:  Teachers tell us that  
developing lesson plans from standards takes more time because they  
have to spend time learning the standards, aligning their activities  
to those standards, and filling out more paper work to demonstrate  
compliance.  What are states implementing standards doing to  
alleviate the pressure on already burdened adult education teachers  
(low wages, low job security, part-time, no benefits, little or no  
prep time, etc.)??

?National standards: As a standards writer, I was struck by the wide  
diversity of approaches to adult education content standards across  
states (ranging from the very prescriptive and specific to the very  
broad and general).  While I understand we live in a federal system  
in which states can do whatever they deem best for their students,  
isn?t there a value in having a broader national discussion about  
what our adult students should be able to know and do in order to be  
successful members of society or, at a very minimum, shouldn?t we  
have a common understanding about how content standards are going to  
be used??

?Assessment:  While states have been encouraged to develop widely  
different content standards, the majority continue to use a very  
limited set of approved standardized assessments that may or may not  
be very closely aligned to those standards.  If due to increasingly  
tight financial constraints states are generally unable to develop  
NRS-approved standardized tests that are aligned with their  
standards, is it reasonable to expect that their content standards  
will have an impact on instruction and student performance?  Do  
teachers really have an incentive to teach from those standards if  
what they are teaching is not going to show up in the TABE or BEST  
Plus or CASAS?  Are there plans to develop such tests??

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

From JSabater at WorkforceAdvantageUSA.com  Wed Jun 18 00:02:03 2008
From: JSabater at WorkforceAdvantageUSA.com (Julio Sabater)
Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2008 00:02:03 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 997] Re: Implementing State Adult
	EducationContentStandards: Texas
In-Reply-To: <BLU129-DAV102707A7E5DFA511F6DEB0CCA90@phx.gbl>
References: <623D8AF7-3F84-41B9-B336-BAD7AF43A07D@comcast.net>
	<BLU129-DAV102707A7E5DFA511F6DEB0CCA90@phx.gbl>
Message-ID: <1598960B6A155C4EAE90DC9412B7F89C01D8D0@waes2.WorkforceUSA.com>

Standards can be a practical tool for communication purposes, by
providing a common language and definitions, particularly useful for
language levels of ESL students moving around in the system.  They can
define priorities...  How much time should we spend on survival or on
occupational vocabulary or on family literacy, or all of the above... In
New Jersey we have been implementing the EFF Standards.  To our
surprise, the diversity of the ESL population in our program is so
extreme that in many cases our students have as many or more of the so
call "soft skills" than our own staff; while others required a lot of
intervention.  So, the problem is when we overly simplify the quality of
a program, tempted to use the standards to judge performance.  We,
practitioners are legitimately very resistant to such a trap.

 

Simply said, Cheryl Thornett from the UK hit the nail on the head with
the email bellow. From my perspective,  "standards" can become only
ideals driving curriculums, classroom materials design and teaching
practices but  "not always lead(ing) to successful learning".  As
standards trickle down, practitioners become overly concern for
documenting students' success reaching "standards" in "standardized"
test, regretfully, restricting learning.  

 

Julio Sabater

President/CEO

Workforce Advantage

908-355-2299 

908-347-8673

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Cheryl Thornett
Sent: Monday, June 16, 2008 3:24 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 987] Re: Implementing State Adult
EducationContentStandards: Texas

 

Hello, everyone.

 

Here in the UK we went through a similar process some years ago. On the
whole, content standards have been welcomed, because previously
provision was very uneven. If someone moved from one city to another, or
even from one institution to another, there was no way of knowing what
'basic' or 'level 2' meant. Even if students could show an ESL exam
certificate (for example)  from a recognised organization, there was no
way of knowing whether they had just been coached for that exam, or
whether they had had a broader curriculum.  The problem was the same for
literacy and numeracy, I understand.

 

Initially, national curricula for adults were brought in for literacy
and numeracy, following the creation of national curricula for 5-18
education. After representations and discussion, an ESOL (English for
Speakers of Other Languages) was brought in, separate from literacy in
some respects, but following the literacy curriculum. The main
difference in content was the inclusion of listening as a distinct skill
area. This created a problem in that the priorities for second language
speakers are not necessarily the same as the priorities of first
language literacy learners. There is also a presumption of previous
academic failure and/or learning difficulties in the literacy curriculum
which is less likely to be true of second language learners in the UK
context. We were told that we should select relevant areas and ignore
the irrelevant, but many of us believe this presumption colours much of
the curriculum.

 

Some years further on, the debate still continues. In many ways, the
National Curricula for adults have been very useful. If a teacher is
asked to take on a new level, the curricula provide a starting place. If
a student has been in an Entry 2 class in another institution, the new
provider has better information to use in assessment and placement. If a
teacher moves to a new city or institution, they are going to use the
same content standards. 

 

However, problems remain. A reasonable expectation for a full-time
course (12-16 guided learning hours per week) is not a reasonable
expectation for a part time course of as little as 2 GLH per week.
Funding bodies don't always take this into account, nor of the
recommended classroom hours for moving from level to level. This, of
course, is not directly content, but the amount of content that can be
covered will be limited if financial resources are limited. Another
problem is that with standardized formal tests, there is a temptation to
teach to the test, thus restricting what is actually learned. This is
compounded for those of us who cannot offer the full-time study
envisioned by the curriculum materials. The promised free teaching and
learning materials without such heavy use of supplemental material that
for many of us it seemed easier just to use the supplements or to turn
to commercial materials. did not always lead to successful learning

 

I believe it is fair to say that many of the difficulties and grievances
have not been with the contents standards themselves, but with their
implementation by civic and institutional authorities. An additional
problem has been the imposition, and imposition is the only word, of
additional teaching requirements without additional time, pay or
resources. A teacher who spends only a few hours a week with a class who
have no other access to learning is now expected to include  IT with
literacy and, in the case of ESOL, citizenship in the same amount of
class time. Many classes have no access to IT facilities.

 

The people who have reported here seem to have gone to considerable
effort to avoid some of these difficulties, and I wish them and their
programs well. 

 

Cheryl Thornett
ESOL and Literacy tutor
Birmingham UK Adult Education

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From Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org  Wed Jun 18 08:55:42 2008
From: Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org (Anderson, Philip)
Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2008 08:55:42 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 998] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
	more answers, more discussion
In-Reply-To: <2DEF07B5-9862-4CC4-AA50-D26A1DEB8BAA@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <96E135649F1AD048AA6FF8CBC598C23E18E1E53A@MAIL1.FLDOE.INT>

David,

In response to your question about developing assessments that are
aligned to our standards, Florida has looked into developing its own
tests for all of its adult education content standards.  Several reasons
this has not happened are: 1) The cost of developing a test that would
have a chance of being accepted for NRS reporting purposes is quite
high.  2) The long-range maintenance and updating work to keep a test
current, valid and relevant are not tasks that a state adult education
office can easily commit to, given the frequent turnover of state staff
and the changes in budget from one legislative cycle to the next. 3) The
state adult education office in Florida is an executive/administrative
arm of the governor's office, and this role makes it difficult for state
staff to become highly knowledgeable in any one aspect of program
implementation, especially to the level it would take for staff to
manage the design, implementation and maintenance of a standardized test
tailored to the state's content standards.

Another comment I might add is that in the workshops sponsored by USDOE
and in our workshops contracted with Susan Pimentel, I didn't get the
impression that we were being encouraged to develop widely different
standards.  We were encouraged to pay close attention to the
characteristics of our student population, and to make sure we were
addressing their needs.  Broad standards have guidance built in that
ensures teachers will cover the same content as those that are
prescriptive in their presentation.  An observation made by one of
Florida's practitioners has stuck with me through this process, "The
standards need to be packaged in a way that makes it easier for part
time teachers to read them quickly and use them right away in the
classroom!'"   Since hearing that, we were reminded frequently to be
careful about the "packaging" that carries the standards to the
teachers.  What Florida has today reflects the input of a group of about
40 practitioners that have prepared a document that they believe will
work well for their fellow teachers. 

Philip Anderson
Adult ESOL Program
Florida Department of Education
Tel (850) 245-9450

 

Please take a few minutes to provide feedback on the quality of service you received from our staff. The Department of Education values your feedback as a customer. Commissioner of Education Dr. Eric J. Smith is committed to continuously assessing and improving the level and quality of services provided to you.Simply use the link below.  Thank you in advance for completing the survey.
 

http://data.fldoe.org/cs/default.cfm?staff=Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org|08:55:47%20Wed%2018%20Jun%202008
 

 -----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 9:50 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 996] Content Standards: More questions, more
answers,more discussion

Colleagues,

Our Content Standards discussion continues through Friday.  I have  
some more questions (see below) for guests and subscribers. I wonder  
if there are some people with questions that they feel are "too  
basic" such as "How do I find out what my state's Content Standards  
are, or if my state even has them?"  No question about content  
standards is too basic. This is the place to ask it.

I want to hear from teachers and administrators who are (or are not)  
implementing content standards. Jon Engel (Thank you, Jon) spoke for  
teachers who might be skeptical. Perhaps there are some teachers who  
are skeptical that would be willing to speak for themselves now that  
Jon has broached this.

Here are three more questions that were sent to me, for our guests  
and others :

"Part-time teachers and planning time:  Teachers tell us that  
developing lesson plans from standards takes more time because they  
have to spend time learning the standards, aligning their activities  
to those standards, and filling out more paper work to demonstrate  
compliance.  What are states implementing standards doing to  
alleviate the pressure on already burdened adult education teachers  
(low wages, low job security, part-time, no benefits, little or no  
prep time, etc.)?"

"National standards: As a standards writer, I was struck by the wide  
diversity of approaches to adult education content standards across  
states (ranging from the very prescriptive and specific to the very  
broad and general).  While I understand we live in a federal system  
in which states can do whatever they deem best for their students,  
isn't there a value in having a broader national discussion about  
what our adult students should be able to know and do in order to be  
successful members of society or, at a very minimum, shouldn't we  
have a common understanding about how content standards are going to  
be used?"

"Assessment:  While states have been encouraged to develop widely  
different content standards, the majority continue to use a very  
limited set of approved standardized assessments that may or may not  
be very closely aligned to those standards.  If due to increasingly  
tight financial constraints states are generally unable to develop  
NRS-approved standardized tests that are aligned with their  
standards, is it reasonable to expect that their content standards  
will have an impact on instruction and student performance?  Do  
teachers really have an incentive to teach from those standards if  
what they are teaching is not going to show up in the TABE or BEST  
Plus or CASAS?  Are there plans to develop such tests?"

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to philip.anderson at fldoe.org

From tmechem at doe.mass.edu  Wed Jun 18 09:19:58 2008
From: tmechem at doe.mass.edu (Mechem, Thompson)
Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2008 09:19:58 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 999] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
	more answers, more discussion-TM
In-Reply-To: <2DEF07B5-9862-4CC4-AA50-D26A1DEB8BAA@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <29CFEE83EDF92741BF0ED3F5D9BC7E876A5045@exchange2.doe.mass.edu>

I suppose in the abstract I have no objection to the Standards and Benchmarks described in the various posts this week, but who are they for? Certainly not the teachers. To take an example from my area of alleged expertise, if students are studying to pass the GED test, then it is the specific skill sets needed to pass the test that must drive the curriculum and the teaching. There's a lot of math you can teach, but what math will actually carry our students towards passing the GED tests? You can't figure that out from any Standards document or Curriculum Frameworks or whatever; you can know that only by learning better what literacy skills and knowledge resonate on the tests (the GED Testing Service helps us with that), and then developing the teaching techniques to bring the students to that level. Our state GED Office and our Professional development unit do a lot of work with Massachusetts GED teachers in this regard. The same principle applies if you are helping Transitions students do better on the AccuPlacer test or preparing immigrants to pass the citizenship test (nice going, Big Papi!) or raising a grandmother's literacy level so she can read the Bible.

Now, it probably takes a higher literacy level to pass the GED tests than it does to graduate from high school, so a successful GED class is certainly going to adhere to any legitimate set of Standards and Benchmarks that a state could come up with. I guess what I am asking of all the faceless bureaucrats (of which I am now one myself, I admit) is to be able to see that for themselves instead of making teachers and program directors jump through hoops with all kind of trumped-up documentary "proof" that they are using the Standards. Just as you can see a gorgeous-looking Lesson Plan without having any idea in the world whether any learning is actually taking place in that class, so the kind of thing often required for Standards-Based documentation, "I have such-and-such Learning Objectives, which correspond to Benchmark 3.1.5 blah blah blah..." doesn't tell you anything about what's really happening in the classroom. I would like the monitors and evaluators to be able to observe a classroom and know for themselves that high standards are being adhered to so that the teachers and program directors can focus on the learning needs of the students with no wasted motion. 

Tom Mechem
GED State Chief Examiner
Department of Elementary & Secondary Education
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
781-338-6621
"GED to Ph.D."

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 9:50 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 996] Content Standards: More questions, more
answers,more discussion

Colleagues,

Our Content Standards discussion continues through Friday.  I have  
some more questions (see below) for guests and subscribers. I wonder  
if there are some people with questions that they feel are "too  
basic" such as "How do I find out what my state's Content Standards  
are, or if my state even has them?"  No question about content  
standards is too basic. This is the place to ask it.

I want to hear from teachers and administrators who are (or are not)  
implementing content standards. Jon Engel (Thank you, Jon) spoke for  
teachers who might be skeptical. Perhaps there are some teachers who  
are skeptical that would be willing to speak for themselves now that  
Jon has broached this.

Here are three more questions that were sent to me, for our guests  
and others :

?Part-time teachers and planning time:  Teachers tell us that  
developing lesson plans from standards takes more time because they  
have to spend time learning the standards, aligning their activities  
to those standards, and filling out more paper work to demonstrate  
compliance.  What are states implementing standards doing to  
alleviate the pressure on already burdened adult education teachers  
(low wages, low job security, part-time, no benefits, little or no  
prep time, etc.)??

?National standards: As a standards writer, I was struck by the wide  
diversity of approaches to adult education content standards across  
states (ranging from the very prescriptive and specific to the very  
broad and general).  While I understand we live in a federal system  
in which states can do whatever they deem best for their students,  
isn?t there a value in having a broader national discussion about  
what our adult students should be able to know and do in order to be  
successful members of society or, at a very minimum, shouldn?t we  
have a common understanding about how content standards are going to  
be used??

?Assessment:  While states have been encouraged to develop widely  
different content standards, the majority continue to use a very  
limited set of approved standardized assessments that may or may not  
be very closely aligned to those standards.  If due to increasingly  
tight financial constraints states are generally unable to develop  
NRS-approved standardized tests that are aligned with their  
standards, is it reasonable to expect that their content standards  
will have an impact on instruction and student performance?  Do  
teachers really have an incentive to teach from those standards if  
what they are teaching is not going to show up in the TABE or BEST  
Plus or CASAS?  Are there plans to develop such tests??

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to tmechem at doe.mass.edu

From garinderknecht at dmacc.edu  Wed Jun 18 14:37:47 2008
From: garinderknecht at dmacc.edu (Rinderknecht, Gail A.)
Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:37:47 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1000] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
	more answers, more discussion-TM
References: <29CFEE83EDF92741BF0ED3F5D9BC7E876A5045@exchange2.doe.mass.edu>
Message-ID: <F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B809F@ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>

HURRAY!
 
Thank you, Mr. Mecham!.  You said it all.  For the past three years, I have worked in two prisons in Iowa, and getting the men to read at a level of speed and comprehension in order to pass the GED test, is my first concern.  I have many high school "graduates" in my literacy classes.  In Iowa, all inmates must be in literacy classes if they cannot demonstrate the ability to read and comprehend at a 6th grade level.  This is the main "standard and benchmark" that I have to work with.  A man must be able to pass the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) with a 6.0, or he is in literacy class.  A man without a high school diploma or GED must attend GED classes although they can "age out" with staff consent.
 
I taught special education in the public schools for 16 years and have seen the rise and use of standards and benchmarks.  Although these are wonderful guidelines for schools to help their teachers cover appropriate subject matter at different ages to ensure a well-rounded education for all students, I believe that at the adult level, teachers need to test, assess and determine needs and deficits for individuals and proceed from there.  Each of my students is an individual.  Each class is full of individuals working on appropriate assignments for him.  Very rarely do I have a "class" where more than one man is working on the same thing.  I treat my classroom as an old-fashioned resource room where each person is receiving instruction and practice on the skill that he needs to achieve his GED or increase his literacy.  
 
By advocating standards and benchmarks for adult learners, I believe that we will just be adding to the burden of paperwork to "prove" that we are teaching.  Looking at the results of the teaching method is a far better way to examine teaching success and learning.  My students, in the first five months of this year, passed their GED tests with a 96% success rate.  My little "resource" room seems to work fine without standards and benchmarks other than those needed to pass the GED.
 
Gail A. Rinderknecht
Newton Correctional Facility
GED instructor/Des Moines Area Community College
Box 218
Newton, IA

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Mechem, Thompson
Sent: Wed 6/18/2008 8:19 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 999] Re: Content Standards: More questions,more answers, more discussion-TM

I suppose in the abstract I have no objection to the Standards and Benchmarks described in the various posts this week, but who are they for? Certainly not the teachers. To take an example from my area of alleged expertise, if students are studying to pass the GED test, then it is the specific skill sets needed to pass the test that must drive the curriculum and the teaching. There's a lot of math you can teach, but what math will actually carry our students towards passing the GED tests? You can't figure that out from any Standards document or Curriculum Frameworks or whatever; you can know that only by learning better what literacy skills and knowledge resonate on the tests (the GED Testing Service helps us with that), and then developing the teaching techniques to bring the students to that level. Our state GED Office and our Professional development unit do a lot of work with Massachusetts GED teachers in this regard. The same principle applies if you are helping Transitions students do better on the AccuPlacer test or preparing immigrants to pass the citizenship test (nice going, Big Papi!) or raising a grandmother's literacy level so she can read the Bible.

Now, it probably takes a higher literacy level to pass the GED tests than it does to graduate from high school, so a successful GED class is certainly going to adhere to any legitimate set of Standards and Benchmarks that a state could come up with. I guess what I am asking of all the faceless bureaucrats (of which I am now one myself, I admit) is to be able to see that for themselves instead of making teachers and program directors jump through hoops with all kind of trumped-up documentary "proof" that they are using the Standards. Just as you can see a gorgeous-looking Lesson Plan without having any idea in the world whether any learning is actually taking place in that class, so the kind of thing often required for Standards-Based documentation, "I have such-and-such Learning Objectives, which correspond to Benchmark 3.1.5 blah blah blah..." doesn't tell you anything about what's really happening in the classroom. I would like the monitors and evaluators to be able to observe a classroom and know for themselves that high standards are being adhered to so that the teachers and program directors can focus on the learning needs of the students with no wasted motion.

Tom Mechem
GED State Chief Examiner
Department of Elementary & Secondary Education
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
781-338-6621
"GED to Ph.D."

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 9:50 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 996] Content Standards: More questions, more
answers,more discussion

Colleagues,

Our Content Standards discussion continues through Friday.  I have 
some more questions (see below) for guests and subscribers. I wonder 
if there are some people with questions that they feel are "too 
basic" such as "How do I find out what my state's Content Standards 
are, or if my state even has them?"  No question about content 
standards is too basic. This is the place to ask it.

I want to hear from teachers and administrators who are (or are not) 
implementing content standards. Jon Engel (Thank you, Jon) spoke for 
teachers who might be skeptical. Perhaps there are some teachers who 
are skeptical that would be willing to speak for themselves now that 
Jon has broached this.

Here are three more questions that were sent to me, for our guests 
and others :

"Part-time teachers and planning time:  Teachers tell us that 
developing lesson plans from standards takes more time because they 
have to spend time learning the standards, aligning their activities 
to those standards, and filling out more paper work to demonstrate 
compliance.  What are states implementing standards doing to 
alleviate the pressure on already burdened adult education teachers 
(low wages, low job security, part-time, no benefits, little or no 
prep time, etc.)?"

"National standards: As a standards writer, I was struck by the wide 
diversity of approaches to adult education content standards across 
states (ranging from the very prescriptive and specific to the very 
broad and general).  While I understand we live in a federal system 
in which states can do whatever they deem best for their students, 
isn't there a value in having a broader national discussion about 
what our adult students should be able to know and do in order to be 
successful members of society or, at a very minimum, shouldn't we 
have a common understanding about how content standards are going to 
be used?"

"Assessment:  While states have been encouraged to develop widely 
different content standards, the majority continue to use a very 
limited set of approved standardized assessments that may or may not 
be very closely aligned to those standards.  If due to increasingly 
tight financial constraints states are generally unable to develop 
NRS-approved standardized tests that are aligned with their 
standards, is it reasonable to expect that their content standards 
will have an impact on instruction and student performance?  Do 
teachers really have an incentive to teach from those standards if 
what they are teaching is not going to show up in the TABE or BEST 
Plus or CASAS?  Are there plans to develop such tests?"

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to tmechem at doe.mass.edu

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to garinderknecht at dmacc.edu

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From fsalas at hcde-texas.org  Wed Jun 18 15:39:37 2008
From: fsalas at hcde-texas.org (Federico Salas)
Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2008 14:39:37 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1001] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
	more answers, more discussion-TM
In-Reply-To: <F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B809F@ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>
Message-ID: <E43278D67408F248838A1BDB754306050C624BB3@EV-SERVER.hcdemain.hcde.loc>

Thank you, Mr. Mechem, for saying it as it is; thank you also to Ms.
Rinderknecht for reminding us that adults are individuals, each with
different needs.  Also, congratulations on your students' excellent
passing rate on the GED test!

 

Now, I agree with both of you and I still am a proponent of standards
based education (to a certain extent).  As I said yesterday referring to
the issue of resistance, I think that in adult education we are at risk
of becoming standardized; and yet, I still believe that a well defined
set of content standards are not a bad idea to offer teachers,
particularly new teachers, a framework of reference for their teaching
while offering programs a reference against which to compare teaching
materials before making decisions on new curriculum.  Our standards are
for the teachers, Mr. Mechem.  We agree that the best way to help a
student is to know what that person needs, not to teach to someone
else's idea of what all adults should know.  That's why in writing
benchmarks in Texas we asked for the input of students selected from all
over our diverse state.  That's why with that input as a reference it
was teachers who wrote the benchmarks. 

 

As for "faceless bureaucrats" making teachers and programs "jump through
hoops" or adding to the burden of paperwork, in Texas nothing of the
sort has happened (and it will not as long as the state director and I
can help it from where we are today.)  The standards and benchmarks have
been used in the last year as instruments for professional development;
as aides in learning how to teach, as reminders of what students told us
they need to learn.  Nothing coming from our state office has indicated
that there is new paperwork to be filled out, new requirements of proof.
What we want is to give teachers an opportunity and a tool.  As a
teacher I didn't have time to write lesson plans everyday (and I never
did) but I am glad I learned over the years what components or
activities make for a good lesson; and after I learned that there were
different models for a lesson plan I realized that I could combine
things from one or another that worked for me.  That's the freedom we
want to give our teachers.  The state office will continue visiting
classrooms and students (we do at each program we visit) and one of the
things we look for is evidence that the standards are used not by
requiring a prolix checklist filled out for our benefit but by observing
the teaching/learning interaction in the class. 

 

federico 

Federico Salas-Isnardi, Assistant State Director 
Texas LEARNS 
6005 Westview Dr. 
Houston, TX 77055 
Direct: 713-696-0719 
Toll Free: 866-696-4233 
Fax: 713-696-0797 
  
The State Office of Adult Education and Family Literacy 

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Rinderknecht, Gail
A.
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 1:38 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 999] Re: Content Standards: More
questions,more answers, more discussion-TM

 

HURRAY!

 

Thank you, Mr. Mecham!.  You said it all.  For the past three years, I
have worked in two prisons in Iowa, and getting the men to read at a
level of speed and comprehension in order to pass the GED test, is my
first concern.  I have many high school "graduates" in my literacy
classes.  In Iowa, all inmates must be in literacy classes if they
cannot demonstrate the ability to read and comprehend at a 6th grade
level.  This is the main "standard and benchmark" that I have to work
with.  A man must be able to pass the Test of Adult Basic Education
(TABE) with a 6.0, or he is in literacy class.  A man without a high
school diploma or GED must attend GED classes although they can "age
out" with staff consent.

 

I taught special education in the public schools for 16 years and have
seen the rise and use of standards and benchmarks.  Although these are
wonderful guidelines for schools to help their teachers cover
appropriate subject matter at different ages to ensure a well-rounded
education for all students, I believe that at the adult level, teachers
need to test, assess and determine needs and deficits for individuals
and proceed from there.  Each of my students is an individual.  Each
class is full of individuals working on appropriate assignments for him.
Very rarely do I have a "class" where more than one man is working on
the same thing.  I treat my classroom as an old-fashioned resource room
where each person is receiving instruction and practice on the skill
that he needs to achieve his GED or increase his literacy.  

 

By advocating standards and benchmarks for adult learners, I believe
that we will just be adding to the burden of paperwork to "prove" that
we are teaching.  Looking at the results of the teaching method is a far
better way to examine teaching success and learning.  My students, in
the first five months of this year, passed their GED tests with a 96%
success rate.  My little "resource" room seems to work fine without
standards and benchmarks other than those needed to pass the GED.

 

Gail A. Rinderknecht

Newton Correctional Facility

GED instructor/Des Moines Area Community College

Box 218

Newton, IA

 

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Mechem, Thompson
Sent: Wed 6/18/2008 8:19 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 999] Re: Content Standards: More questions,more
answers, more discussion-TM

I suppose in the abstract I have no objection to the Standards and
Benchmarks described in the various posts this week, but who are they
for? Certainly not the teachers. To take an example from my area of
alleged expertise, if students are studying to pass the GED test, then
it is the specific skill sets needed to pass the test that must drive
the curriculum and the teaching. There's a lot of math you can teach,
but what math will actually carry our students towards passing the GED
tests? You can't figure that out from any Standards document or
Curriculum Frameworks or whatever; you can know that only by learning
better what literacy skills and knowledge resonate on the tests (the GED
Testing Service helps us with that), and then developing the teaching
techniques to bring the students to that level. Our state GED Office and
our Professional development unit do a lot of work with Massachusetts
GED teachers in this regard. The same principle applies if you are
helping Transitions students do better on the AccuPlacer test or
preparing immigrants to pass the citizenship test (nice going, Big
Papi!) or raising a grandmother's literacy level so she can read the
Bible.

Now, it probably takes a higher literacy level to pass the GED tests
than it does to graduate from high school, so a successful GED class is
certainly going to adhere to any legitimate set of Standards and
Benchmarks that a state could come up with. I guess what I am asking of
all the faceless bureaucrats (of which I am now one myself, I admit) is
to be able to see that for themselves instead of making teachers and
program directors jump through hoops with all kind of trumped-up
documentary "proof" that they are using the Standards. Just as you can
see a gorgeous-looking Lesson Plan without having any idea in the world
whether any learning is actually taking place in that class, so the kind
of thing often required for Standards-Based documentation, "I have
such-and-such Learning Objectives, which correspond to Benchmark 3.1.5
blah blah blah..." doesn't tell you anything about what's really
happening in the classroom. I would like the monitors and evaluators to
be able to observe a classroom and know for themselves that high
standards are being adhered to so that the teachers and program
directors can focus on the learning needs of the students with no wasted
motion.

Tom Mechem
GED State Chief Examiner
Department of Elementary & Secondary Education
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
781-338-6621
"GED to Ph.D."

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 9:50 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 996] Content Standards: More questions, more
answers,more discussion

Colleagues,

Our Content Standards discussion continues through Friday.  I have 
some more questions (see below) for guests and subscribers. I wonder 
if there are some people with questions that they feel are "too 
basic" such as "How do I find out what my state's Content Standards 
are, or if my state even has them?"  No question about content 
standards is too basic. This is the place to ask it.

I want to hear from teachers and administrators who are (or are not) 
implementing content standards. Jon Engel (Thank you, Jon) spoke for 
teachers who might be skeptical. Perhaps there are some teachers who 
are skeptical that would be willing to speak for themselves now that 
Jon has broached this.

Here are three more questions that were sent to me, for our guests 
and others :

"Part-time teachers and planning time:  Teachers tell us that 
developing lesson plans from standards takes more time because they 
have to spend time learning the standards, aligning their activities 
to those standards, and filling out more paper work to demonstrate 
compliance.  What are states implementing standards doing to 
alleviate the pressure on already burdened adult education teachers 
(low wages, low job security, part-time, no benefits, little or no 
prep time, etc.)?"

"National standards: As a standards writer, I was struck by the wide 
diversity of approaches to adult education content standards across 
states (ranging from the very prescriptive and specific to the very 
broad and general).  While I understand we live in a federal system 
in which states can do whatever they deem best for their students, 
isn't there a value in having a broader national discussion about 
what our adult students should be able to know and do in order to be 
successful members of society or, at a very minimum, shouldn't we 
have a common understanding about how content standards are going to 
be used?"

"Assessment:  While states have been encouraged to develop widely 
different content standards, the majority continue to use a very 
limited set of approved standardized assessments that may or may not 
be very closely aligned to those standards.  If due to increasingly 
tight financial constraints states are generally unable to develop 
NRS-approved standardized tests that are aligned with their 
standards, is it reasonable to expect that their content standards 
will have an impact on instruction and student performance?  Do 
teachers really have an incentive to teach from those standards if 
what they are teaching is not going to show up in the TABE or BEST 
Plus or CASAS?  Are there plans to develop such tests?"

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to tmechem at doe.mass.edu

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to garinderknecht at dmacc.edu

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From nancy.markus at gmail.com  Wed Jun 18 16:47:11 2008
From: nancy.markus at gmail.com (Nancy Markus)
Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:47:11 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1002] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
	more answers, more discussion-TM
In-Reply-To: <F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B809F@ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>
References: <29CFEE83EDF92741BF0ED3F5D9BC7E876A5045@exchange2.doe.mass.edu>
	<F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B809F@ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>
Message-ID: <883cafd90806181347q37775928v8953422618708d34@mail.gmail.com>

But can't those standards and benchmarks be tied to what you want to teach?
It's nice that you know what needs to be taught for the GED, but how about
other teachers?  Or a brand new teacher? Must we all reinvent the wheel and
figure out what needs to be done?

I think it depends on how you use the standards.  There doesn't have to be
extra paperwork.

Nancy Markus
Ohio Literacy Resource Center

On 6/18/08, Rinderknecht, Gail A. <garinderknecht at dmacc.edu> wrote:
>
> HURRAY!
>
> Thank you, Mr. Mecham!.  You said it all.  For the past three years, I have
> worked in two prisons in Iowa, and getting the men to read at a level of
> speed and comprehension in order to pass the GED test, is my first
> concern.  I have many high school "graduates" in my literacy classes.  In
> Iowa, all inmates must be in literacy classes if they cannot demonstrate the
> ability to read and comprehend at a 6th grade level.  This is the main
> "standard and benchmark" that I have to work with.  A man must be able to
> pass the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) with a 6.0, or he is in
> literacy class.  A man without a high school diploma or GED must attend GED
> classes although they can "age out" with staff consent.
>
> I taught special education in the public schools for 16 years and have seen
> the rise and use of standards and benchmarks.  Although these are wonderful
> guidelines for schools to help their teachers cover appropriate subject
> matter at different ages to ensure a well-rounded education for all
> students, I believe that at the adult level, teachers need to test, assess
> and determine needs and deficits for individuals and proceed from
> there.  Each of my students is an individual.  Each class is full of
> individuals working on appropriate assignments for him.  Very rarely do I
> have a "class" where more than one man is working on the same thing.  I
> treat my classroom as an old-fashioned resource room where each person is
> receiving instruction and practice on the skill that he needs to achieve his
> GED or increase his literacy.
>
> By advocating standards and benchmarks for adult learners, I believe that
> we will just be adding to the burden of paperwork to "prove" that we are
> teaching.  Looking at the results of the teaching method is a far better way
> to examine teaching success and learning.  My students, in the first five
> months of this year, passed their GED tests with a 96% success rate.  My
> little "resource" room seems to work fine without standards and benchmarks
> other than those needed to pass the GED.
>
> Gail A. Rinderknecht
> Newton Correctional Facility
> GED instructor/Des Moines Area Community College
> Box 218
> Newton, IA
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Mechem, Thompson
> Sent: Wed 6/18/2008 8:19 AM
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 999] Re: Content Standards: More questions,more
> answers, more discussion-TM
>
>
>
> I suppose in the abstract I have no objection to the Standards and
> Benchmarks described in the various posts this week, but who are they for?
> Certainly not the teachers. To take an example from my area of alleged
> expertise, if students are studying to pass the GED test, then it is the
> specific skill sets needed to pass the test that must drive the curriculum
> and the teaching. There's a lot of math you can teach, but what math will
> actually carry our students towards passing the GED tests? You can't figure
> that out from any Standards document or Curriculum Frameworks or whatever;
> you can know that only by learning better what literacy skills and knowledge
> resonate on the tests (the GED Testing Service helps us with that), and then
> developing the teaching techniques to bring the students to that level. Our
> state GED Office and our Professional development unit do a lot of work with
> Massachusetts GED teachers in this regard. The same principle applies if you
> are helping Transitions students do better on the AccuPlacer test or
> preparing immigrants to pass the citizenship test (nice going, Big Papi!) or
> raising a grandmother's literacy level so she can read the Bible.
>
> Now, it probably takes a higher literacy level to pass the GED tests than
> it does to graduate from high school, so a successful GED class is certainly
> going to adhere to any legitimate set of Standards and Benchmarks that a
> state could come up with. I guess what I am asking of all the faceless
> bureaucrats (of which I am now one myself, I admit) is to be able to see
> that for themselves instead of making teachers and program directors jump
> through hoops with all kind of trumped-up documentary "proof" that they are
> using the Standards. Just as you can see a gorgeous-looking Lesson Plan
> without having any idea in the world whether any learning is actually taking
> place in that class, so the kind of thing often required for Standards-Based
> documentation, "I have such-and-such Learning Objectives, which correspond
> to Benchmark 3.1.5 blah blah blah..." doesn't tell you anything about what's
> really happening in the classroom. I would like the monitors and evaluators
> to be able to observe a classroom and know for themselves that high
> standards are being adhered to so that the teachers and program directors
> can focus on the learning needs of the students with no wasted motion.
>
> Tom Mechem
> GED State Chief Examiner
> Department of Elementary & Secondary Education
> Commonwealth of Massachusetts
> 781-338-6621
> "GED to Ph.D."
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
> [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
> Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 9:50 PM
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 996] Content Standards: More questions, more
> answers,more discussion
>
>
> Colleagues,
>
> Our Content Standards discussion continues through Friday.  I have
> some more questions (see below) for guests and subscribers. I wonder
> if there are some people with questions that they feel are "too
> basic" such as "How do I find out what my state's Content Standards
> are, or if my state even has them?"  No question about content
> standards is too basic. This is the place to ask it.
>
> I want to hear from teachers and administrators who are (or are not)
> implementing content standards. Jon Engel (Thank you, Jon) spoke for
> teachers who might be skeptical. Perhaps there are some teachers who
> are skeptical that would be willing to speak for themselves now that
> Jon has broached this.
>
> Here are three more questions that were sent to me, for our guests
> and others :
>
> "Part-time teachers and planning time:  Teachers tell us that
> developing lesson plans from standards takes more time because they
> have to spend time learning the standards, aligning their activities
> to those standards, and filling out more paper work to demonstrate
> compliance.  What are states implementing standards doing to
> alleviate the pressure on already burdened adult education teachers
> (low wages, low job security, part-time, no benefits, little or no
> prep time, etc.)?"
>
> "National standards: As a standards writer, I was struck by the wide
> diversity of approaches to adult education content standards across
> states (ranging from the very prescriptive and specific to the very
> broad and general).  While I understand we live in a federal system
> in which states can do whatever they deem best for their students,
> isn't there a value in having a broader national discussion about
> what our adult students should be able to know and do in order to be
> successful members of society or, at a very minimum, shouldn't we
> have a common understanding about how content standards are going to
> be used?"
>
> "Assessment:  While states have been encouraged to develop widely
> different content standards, the majority continue to use a very
> limited set of approved standardized assessments that may or may not
> be very closely aligned to those standards.  If due to increasingly
> tight financial constraints states are generally unable to develop
> NRS-approved standardized tests that are aligned with their
> standards, is it reasonable to expect that their content standards
> will have an impact on instruction and student performance?  Do
> teachers really have an incentive to teach from those standards if
> what they are teaching is not going to show up in the TABE or BEST
> Plus or CASAS?  Are there plans to develop such tests?"
>
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at comcast.net
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to tmechem at doe.mass.edu
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to garinderknecht at dmacc.edu
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to nancy.markus at gmail.com
>
>
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From dheath at odessa.edu  Wed Jun 18 17:22:27 2008
From: dheath at odessa.edu (David Heath)
Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:22:27 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1003] Re: Resistance to Change and Texas' approach
	toovercoming "standards aversion"
In-Reply-To: <E43278D67408F248838A1BDB754306050C588551@EV-SERVER.hcdemain.hcde.loc>
References: <E43278D67408F248838A1BDB754306050C588551@EV-SERVER.hcdemain.hcde.loc>
Message-ID: <A746DD9618D1A145B28AB530CDE4815605487399@PONYEXPRESS.odessa.edu>

Hello Federico and All,

 

I have appreciated the many comments concerning the difficulty and the
complexity of accommodating change.  It has been a beneficial reminder
as to why we resist so strongly.  The entire subject is so complex that
a forum like a listserv discussion can hardly scratch the surface of the
many issues surrounding what might be legitimate disagreement and
resistance to programmatic policy mandates of any kind, and particularly
resistance to content standards. 

 

I am seriously concerned, for many reasons, about the possibility of a
mandate in regards to the Texas Adult Education Content Standards and
Benchmarks.  I will address only one concern for now: unrealistic
expectations and what I see as misplaced idealism.  My comments are
restricted to Texas and to ESOL as this is what I know.

 

I believe we are doing the field an injustice, and certainly our
teachers and students, if we do not speak plainly and forthrightly.  The
content standards are curriculum, if only a piece of curriculum.  And
the standards and benchmarks are certainly standardized if following a
rule or protocol is standardization.  

 

Here are some recalcitrant facts.  I am speaking of Texas adult
education here, but I would think there are commonalities across states.

 

*	Of 2,235 AE teachers in Texas, only 188 are full time
*	Only a fraction of ESOL instructors have degrees in language
acquisition theory 
*	A significant majority of new ESOL instructors have no prior
ESOL training of any kind 
*	Only a small portion of ESOL teachers receive any significant
planning time
*	Many teachers have second jobs
*	Many have compelling life interests that demand their time (one
reason they seek employment in our field)
*	Many want instructional and curriculum tools that are ready-made
and do not require a great deal of investment of time they feel they do
not have
*	The average ESOL student in Texas attends fewer than 100 class
hours a year (This is true across the nation I believe.)
*	In Texas, only 50% or so complete an instructional level
*	Students come and go, attending then "stopping out" then
returning
*	Many of our ESOL students have limited academic backgrounds and
have never experienced an educational environment like they discover in
adult education

These facts are serious and relevant to our discussion because they tell
us a great deal about what is possible and what is necessary.  

 

One example: Just to "train" my existing staff in content standards
required a six hour training provided by a skilled presenter in the
Texas Adult Education Content Standards and Benchmarks, then 10 more
hours of follow-up to unpack and critically consider exactly what the
standards and benchmarks were expecting students to know and do and ESOL
instructors to understand.  Then, we had to consider, as a program,
exactly how we were willing to take on this new "standard".  All of this
takes time...time...time...

 

Now, I have a new teacher.  Although he is bright and creative, he has
never had training in content standards, portfolios, credentialing,
adult education theory, learning disabilities, language acquisition
theory, program operations, or ESOL instructional materials.  Well, you
get the point I hope.

 

Here is how Eduardo Honold, a leader in the standardization process,
describes the "unpacking" of the Texas content standards and the demands
required to "do it right". 

Effective Standards-Based Education for Adults:
The Standards-in-Action Pilot in Texas

by Eduardo Honold

..."Ten teachers in Socorro ISD and 15 teachers in Harris County
Department of Education participated in a year-long effort to implement
the new Texas content standards by using several "tools" provided by the
SIA national consultants. The philosophy of this pilot is that teachers
must first work collaboratively within their programs to understand what
the new standards and benchmarks actually require students to know and
do and then, determine how to teach from those benchmarks. The goal of
the pilot is to provide adult education programs in Texas with ideas on
how to deepen teachers' understanding of the new standards.

...After stripping the benchmark to its essence, teachers determine the
level of thinking required by the benchmark based on the revised Bloom's
taxonomy (Forehand, 2005). By "unpacking" the benchmark in this manner,
teachers are ready to develop sample classroom activities that
illustrate the requirement of the standard and are appropriate for
students in a particular level." 

My questions would be:

1.      Is there compelling evidence that it needs to be done? 

2.      And if so, are we going to do it right?

3.      Are we going to be honest and transparent about what it will
take?

4.      Is our field structured and funded in such a way as it is
doable?

If the answers to these questions are positive, then I am on board.  If
not, I am a resistor.

David Heath

ESOL Coordinator

Odessa College

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Federico Salas
Sent: Monday, June 16, 2008 10:37 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov; David J. Rosen
Subject: [SpecialTopics 989] Resistance to Change and Texas' approach
toovercoming "standards aversion"

I have just posted the Texas experience with content standards
implementation.  Now, however, I want to jump in on the discussion
addressing the issue of resistance to implementation and resistance to
change.  Before I do, however, I want to say hi to my friend Paul Jurmo.
Long time no see, Paul.  

The question is the source of the resistance to the adoption and/or
implementation of standards.  I cannot hope to answer that question
here, but I can share some of the resistance that we faced in Texas and
some of the comments we have heard over the now four years since we
started the standards process.  

I would like to share some history that is very relevant to the question
Paul asks and that actually sheds light on the process of overcoming
that resistance and addressing change.  Paul mentions that "some might
feel that standards are something rigid and irrelevant or too
cumbersome. We have seen some of this attitude along with concerns by
some that the standards are something imposed "in addition to everything
we already do."  

Bill's observes that resistance to change sometimes is about "trust and
intention" while dealing with strategic planning.  In Texas we had a
difficult and, at times, contentious experience with the process of
adopting standards.  There was a first iteration of the adoption when,
under a different administration of the office of adult education, we
experienced a process that was, as Bill puts it, "estranged from (and
less accepted by) the grass roots."  In the early 2000s, standards from
another state were imposed on all of us in Texas by a shortsighted
administration without input, with little buy-in, and with virtually no
opportunity to pilot them or to make necessary adaptations to suit our
population or our needs.  Local administrators (our state director,
Joanie Rethlake, and I were both such local program directors) were told
that we needed to have 100% of our teachers trained to implement the
standards by the end of that fiscal year or our grants would be in
jeopardy.  Talk about "trust and intention."  To be sure, some programs
saw this as an opportunity to adopt a much needed content framework and
dived head on into the process making the standards their own and
developing their own checklists and other means of implementing them
which had not been offered by the state.  Other programs felt
overwhelmed, didn't like the standards, didn't feel they would work, and
saw them as "rigid and irrelevant."  Many tried their best to understand
the situation they were facing and invested a lot of time and resources
-along with emotion and stress-to make the standards work.  Yet, by the
end of the fiscal year, when it was apparent that as much as everyone
tried many teachers had not been trained, the state office announced the
standards would not be adopted after all.  If programs wanted them they
could use them; if they didn't they were free to do without them.  The
process had been costly, time consuming, and frustrating. 

 

Fast forward one year, and in 2003 Texas LEARNS came into existence and
a completely new leadership was breathing new life into the adult
education program in Texas.  One of our first priorities was to address
the issue of the adoption of content standards.  Our initial idea was to
continue what the former administration had started but to add some
Texas flavor, engaging some programs in piloting the standards to give
them a sense of ownership of any edits.  At our first meeting we were
not prepared for the level of emotion, of resistance, of outright
hostility that the idea was about to generate.  The issue of our
intentions and the trust of the field was now on the table for us to
tackle.  

Our decision was then, with the help and leadership of the Texas Center
for the Advancement of Literacy and Learning (TCALL) to go back to the
field and conduct a number of focus groups with instructors and with
students; in fact more students than instructors from all over the state
participated in the focus groups.  After analyzing the feedback from
these groups, Texas decided to scrap our plans and start anew.  As I
have said in my other posting earlier tonight, we adopted five of the
EFF standards because they closely matched what the focus groups were
telling us.  

We then proceeded to involve teachers and local program administrators
in the process of writing benchmarks.  Standards Writers had to apply or
be nominated, and they were selected by committee to participate in the
process. Writing the benchmarks and agreeing on the appropriate level
and examples took nearly two years of meetings and a lot of give and
take, but the result was a document which teachers considered their own.
During this process, the state office and the standards project kept
local programs, teachers and administrators abreast of developments.

Then came time to pilot the standards; we had two pilots one conducted
by many of the teachers who had written the benchmarks.  We wanted these
writers to pilot the materials because they were closer to their
development.  The second pilot was an expanded pilot which came after
the changes which resulted from analyzing the feedback from the first
pilot.  

In June 2007 came time for the official launch and nearly 700 people
from all adult education and EL Civics programs in the state registered
for the three day conference.  

After the launch, a group of the standards writers volunteered to be
trained by external consultants to become "Standards Specialists."
These specialists became the trainers helping us provide expert
professional development that was "close to the source" of the
standards.  

Why do I tell you step by step what happened in the process?  I think
that one of the keys to overcoming the initial resistance was our
willingness to invest in a process that would take time but would
involve all stakeholders:  students, teachers, administrators, and
expert consultants. 

The documents were written by the people who will use them with feedback
from their students.  Involving 100 students in the process indicates a
true commitment to listen to their voices; we were not simply paying lip
service to student participation.  The standards were then piloted and
re-worked immediately based on feedback.  This showed we were listening.
We then involved a large number of teachers in the second pilot.
Finally, the project provided training to volunteer standards
specialists to become trainers of their colleagues. All throughout, the
process stayed very close to the field.  The bottom line is we tried to
enable a bottom up process to ensure buy-in.  Even administrators who
were afraid to embrace the document have slowly come to see the new
document as something worth giving a try.  While full implementation
will take a long time, by addressing the fundamental objections teachers
and programs had with the earlier experience the leadership of Texas
LEARNS and TAESP were able to get significant buy-in from the field.  

federico

Federico Salas-Isnardi, Assistant State Director

Texas LEARNS

6005 Westview Dr.

Houston, TX 77055

Direct: 713-696-0719

Toll Free: 866-696-4233

Fax: 713-696-0797

 

The State Office of Adult Education and Family Literacy

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From Miriam.Kroeger at azed.gov  Wed Jun 18 18:57:25 2008
From: Miriam.Kroeger at azed.gov (Kroeger, Miriam)
Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2008 15:57:25 -0700
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1004] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
	more answers, more discussion-TM
In-Reply-To: <E43278D67408F248838A1BDB754306050C624BB3@EV-SERVER.hcdemain.hcde.loc>
References: <F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B809F@ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>
	<E43278D67408F248838A1BDB754306050C624BB3@EV-SERVER.hcdemain.hcde.loc>
Message-ID: <914B6658FFC2C74EAF866A48985C3A8E0391C5E11D@prodmail5.prod.root>

Federico, I think you have expressed the ideas of many of us who have worked on standards and who have seen teachers use them as a tools and "jumping off points for creative, yet targeted teaching for learners.  When we started our standards initiative in Arizona, one of the primary goals was to not limit the teaching to the GED.  We wanted to be sure that learners had opportunities to learn so that if they chose to go to higher education, or they chose to go to training programs, or chose to be a carpenter or a mechanic, our standards would help them and teachers know what was available and to provide pieces of the puzzle to complete their goal.  We can't afford to short-change our learners.  I'm sure many have seen the quote  " a high school diploma is the new eighth grade".

As for "paperwork" for teachers - I'm rather glad that Betty Crocker, Julia Childs, Rachel Ray, and even Martha, took the time to complete the paperwork.  How about the guy who took the time to figure out the circuitry for your computer?  Of course if someone had not written down how two toggles up and one toggle down on some humongous board with wires draped on the back, and a room filled with oversized reel-to-reel- tape recorders became a hand-held blackberry, we mgiht still be using an abacus!    I would hope that with guides such as standards and tools to help us and learners know where they are in the process, teachers would see that they have more time to be creative in their teaching, and to write down the treasures of their creativity (aka, a lesson plan).  If they take the time to write it down once, they have it the next time they need to teach it, along with the insights they discovered, or a learner pointed out the first time they taught it.   We used to use maps when we traveled, now we have our nav systems, and Tom-Toms and Garmins.    Of course you usually have to read something about these tools before you start to use them, and the more you use them, the more proficient you become with them.

Finally, just as we want our learners to be responsible for their choices, and come to think of it, they have demonstrated this responsibility by making a choice to attend adult education, our teachers must be responsible for their choices.  They choose to be adult educators; they choose to work part-time in the field; with choice comes responsibilities.  As an educator I have a responsibility to my learners and to the program for whom I have chosen to work.  My program has a responsibility to the entity that funds it; hmmm - how is my program funded? - My tax dollars - so - it comes back to me - I have a responsibility to myself.  What will I think of how I have spent my money, my time, my creativity?

And thank you, Nancy, too.  Standards are broad statements - how they are implemented in the classroom by the teacher is how they are tied to what you teach. That's one good reason why we developed our sample activities for our standards and levels and contextualized them for family, workplace or community.   Sampel acitivities can be a starting point for new teachers, or a new adventure for "experienced" ones.

-Miriam

Miriam A. Kroeger, Education Program Specialist
Arizona Department of Education/Adult Education
1535 W. Jefferson  Bin 26
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Phone:    (602) 364-2703
FAX:     (602) 258-4986
miriam.kroeger at azed.gov<mailto:miriam.kroeger at azed.gov>

The information contained in this email transmission and any attachments is intended only for the personal and confidential use of the designated named herein.  If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient or an agent responsible for delivering it to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you have received this document and its attachment in error, and that any review, dissemination, distribution or copying of this message is strictly prohibited.  If you have received this communcation in errror, please notify the sender and return and delete the original message immediately.  Thank you.

________________________________
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Federico Salas
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 12:40 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1001] Re: Content Standards: More questions, more answers, more discussion-TM

Thank you, Mr. Mechem, for saying it as it is; thank you also to Ms. Rinderknecht for reminding us that adults are individuals, each with different needs.  Also, congratulations on your students' excellent passing rate on the GED test!

Now, I agree with both of you and I still am a proponent of standards based education (to a certain extent).  As I said yesterday referring to the issue of resistance, I think that in adult education we are at risk of becoming standardized; and yet, I still believe that a well defined set of content standards are not a bad idea to offer teachers, particularly new teachers, a framework of reference for their teaching while offering programs a reference against which to compare teaching materials before making decisions on new curriculum.  Our standards are for the teachers, Mr. Mechem.  We agree that the best way to help a student is to know what that person needs, not to teach to someone else's idea of what all adults should know.  That's why in writing benchmarks in Texas we asked for the input of students selected from all over our diverse state.  That's why with that input as a reference it was teachers who wrote the benchmarks.

As for "faceless bureaucrats" making teachers and programs "jump through hoops" or adding to the burden of paperwork, in Texas nothing of the sort has happened (and it will not as long as the state director and I can help it from where we are today.)  The standards and benchmarks have been used in the last year as instruments for professional development; as aides in learning how to teach, as reminders of what students told us they need to learn.  Nothing coming from our state office has indicated that there is new paperwork to be filled out, new requirements of proof.  What we want is to give teachers an opportunity and a tool.  As a teacher I didn't have time to write lesson plans everyday (and I never did) but I am glad I learned over the years what components or activities make for a good lesson; and after I learned that there were different models for a lesson plan I realized that I could combine things from one or another that worked for me.  That's the freedom we want to give our teachers.  The state office will continue visiting classrooms and students (we do at each program we visit) and one of the things we look for is evidence that the standards are used not by requiring a prolix checklist filled out for our benefit but by observing the teaching/learning interaction in the class.

federico

Federico Salas-Isnardi, Assistant State Director
Texas LEARNS
6005 Westview Dr.
Houston, TX 77055
Direct: 713-696-0719
Toll Free: 866-696-4233
Fax: 713-696-0797

The State Office of Adult Education and Family Literacy

________________________________
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Rinderknecht, Gail A.
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 1:38 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 999] Re: Content Standards: More questions,more answers, more discussion-TM

HURRAY!

Thank you, Mr. Mecham!.  You said it all.  For the past three years, I have worked in two prisons in Iowa, and getting the men to read at a level of speed and comprehension in order to pass the GED test, is my first concern.  I have many high school "graduates" in my literacy classes.  In Iowa, all inmates must be in literacy classes if they cannot demonstrate the ability to read and comprehend at a 6th grade level.  This is the main "standard and benchmark" that I have to work with.  A man must be able to pass the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) with a 6.0, or he is in literacy class.  A man without a high school diploma or GED must attend GED classes although they can "age out" with staff consent.

I taught special education in the public schools for 16 years and have seen the rise and use of standards and benchmarks.  Although these are wonderful guidelines for schools to help their teachers cover appropriate subject matter at different ages to ensure a well-rounded education for all students, I believe that at the adult level, teachers need to test, assess and determine needs and deficits for individuals and proceed from there.  Each of my students is an individual.  Each class is full of individuals working on appropriate assignments for him.  Very rarely do I have a "class" where more than one man is working on the same thing.  I treat my classroom as an old-fashioned resource room where each person is receiving instruction and practice on the skill that he needs to achieve his GED or increase his literacy.

By advocating standards and benchmarks for adult learners, I believe that we will just be adding to the burden of paperwork to "prove" that we are teaching.  Looking at the results of the teaching method is a far better way to examine teaching success and learning.  My students, in the first five months of this year, passed their GED tests with a 96% success rate.  My little "resource" room seems to work fine without standards and benchmarks other than those needed to pass the GED.

Gail A. Rinderknecht
Newton Correctional Facility
GED instructor/Des Moines Area Community College
Box 218
Newton, IA

________________________________
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Mechem, Thompson
Sent: Wed 6/18/2008 8:19 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 999] Re: Content Standards: More questions,more answers, more discussion-TM

I suppose in the abstract I have no objection to the Standards and Benchmarks described in the various posts this week, but who are they for? Certainly not the teachers. To take an example from my area of alleged expertise, if students are studying to pass the GED test, then it is the specific skill sets needed to pass the test that must drive the curriculum and the teaching. There's a lot of math you can teach, but what math will actually carry our students towards passing the GED tests? You can't figure that out from any Standards document or Curriculum Frameworks or whatever; you can know that only by learning better what literacy skills and knowledge resonate on the tests (the GED Testing Service helps us with that), and then developing the teaching techniques to bring the students to that level. Our state GED Office and our Professional development unit do a lot of work with Massachusetts GED teachers in this regard. The same principle applies if you are helping Transitions students do better on the AccuPlacer test or preparing immigrants to pass the citizenship test (nice going, Big Papi!) or raising a grandmother's literacy level so she can read the Bible.

Now, it probably takes a higher literacy level to pass the GED tests than it does to graduate from high school, so a successful GED class is certainly going to adhere to any legitimate set of Standards and Benchmarks that a state could come up with. I guess what I am asking of all the faceless bureaucrats (of which I am now one myself, I admit) is to be able to see that for themselves instead of making teachers and program directors jump through hoops with all kind of trumped-up documentary "proof" that they are using the Standards. Just as you can see a gorgeous-looking Lesson Plan without having any idea in the world whether any learning is actually taking place in that class, so the kind of thing often required for Standards-Based documentation, "I have such-and-such Learning Objectives, which correspond to Benchmark 3.1.5 blah blah blah..." doesn't tell you anything about what's really happening in the classroom. I would like the monitors and evaluators to be able to observe a classroom and know for themselves that high standards are being adhered to so that the teachers and program directors can focus on the learning needs of the students with no wasted motion.

Tom Mechem
GED State Chief Examiner
Department of Elementary & Secondary Education
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
781-338-6621
"GED to Ph.D."

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 9:50 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 996] Content Standards: More questions, more
answers,more discussion

Colleagues,

Our Content Standards discussion continues through Friday.  I have
some more questions (see below) for guests and subscribers. I wonder
if there are some people with questions that they feel are "too
basic" such as "How do I find out what my state's Content Standards
are, or if my state even has them?"  No question about content
standards is too basic. This is the place to ask it.

I want to hear from teachers and administrators who are (or are not)
implementing content standards. Jon Engel (Thank you, Jon) spoke for
teachers who might be skeptical. Perhaps there are some teachers who
are skeptical that would be willing to speak for themselves now that
Jon has broached this.

Here are three more questions that were sent to me, for our guests
and others :

"Part-time teachers and planning time:  Teachers tell us that
developing lesson plans from standards takes more time because they
have to spend time learning the standards, aligning their activities
to those standards, and filling out more paper work to demonstrate
compliance.  What are states implementing standards doing to
alleviate the pressure on already burdened adult education teachers
(low wages, low job security, part-time, no benefits, little or no
prep time, etc.)?"

"National standards: As a standards writer, I was struck by the wide
diversity of approaches to adult education content standards across
states (ranging from the very prescriptive and specific to the very
broad and general).  While I understand we live in a federal system
in which states can do whatever they deem best for their students,
isn't there a value in having a broader national discussion about
what our adult students should be able to know and do in order to be
successful members of society or, at a very minimum, shouldn't we
have a common understanding about how content standards are going to
be used?"

"Assessment:  While states have been encouraged to develop widely
different content standards, the majority continue to use a very
limited set of approved standardized assessments that may or may not
be very closely aligned to those standards.  If due to increasingly
tight financial constraints states are generally unable to develop
NRS-approved standardized tests that are aligned with their
standards, is it reasonable to expect that their content standards
will have an impact on instruction and student performance?  Do
teachers really have an incentive to teach from those standards if
what they are teaching is not going to show up in the TABE or BEST
Plus or CASAS?  Are there plans to develop such tests?"

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

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From garinderknecht at dmacc.edu  Wed Jun 18 20:56:25 2008
From: garinderknecht at dmacc.edu (Rinderknecht, Gail A.)
Date: Wed, 18 Jun 2008 19:56:25 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1005] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
	more answers, more discussion
References: <2DEF07B5-9862-4CC4-AA50-D26A1DEB8BAA@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B80A0@ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>

So I knew I shouldn't have started writing in response to this topic because I have such strong opinions about the matter.  

Iowa has instituted standards and benchmarks in the public schools and tests the daylights out of the students.  Personally, I believe that the success of the test often relies on the attitude of the teacher giving the test.  I can see this in the high school where I used to teach when I volunteer to read high school essays in the summer to evaluate reading.  The teachers whom I know emphasize the importance of the test have much better results than the teacher who says, "Hey, we have to do this.  I don't like it. You don't like it, Your parents don't like it.  Just do it and get it over with."  Schools that offer rewards for improved test scores have improved test scores.  There are many variables when doing any kind of standardized testing to "evaluate teaching results".  And as far as getting the federal government involved in adult literacy, please, no.  Talk to any special education teacher ( me included) to find out about the results of federal mandates in education.  IEP's went from a simple three or four page document to over 12 pages listing standards and benchmarks that were to be worked on for each student.  If I had 20 students on my roster, most of whom I never saw but for whose educational programs I was still responsible, then I had 20 IEP's with massive amounts of bi-monthly or weekly testing to determine if progress was being made.  Charts had to be kept up on each goal, and I had very little time to teach let alone get to know my students.  Several times I introduced myself to a student at his IEP meeting because he was not available when I had a planning time.  When it got to the point where a graduation goal was deemed inappropriate and secondary to meeting the standards and benchmarks, I knew it was time for me to get out of special education in a high school.

But that's beside the point, you might say; however, it isn't because at the prison I currently have at least 50 students.  If I had to show growth along prescribed standards and benchmarks, then I would be back to nothing but paperwork.  Oh, you should know, that I keep a running informal individual education plan for each of my men.  I have to for me as well as for them; otherwise I would forget who was doing what in which book.  

All I'm saying is, about the time you have mandated standards from the federal government, then you're going to have to prove that you're meeting those standards.  The fact that the men I work with in prison pass their tests would have little to do with it.   (Oh, and my 96% passing rate probably has something to do with my "captive" audience who are clean, well-fed, well-rested and required to be in class.)  I take very little credit for their success.  I am there;  they have the GED prep workbooks from several different companies.  I give assignments, and they work independently and ask questions when they have them.  They are in a safe, non-threatening atmosphere which for some of them is a first.

Back to testing.  We TABE all offenders upon arrival to get a general reading level.  Then we give CASAS reading and math tests to establish deficits.  Every six months each man who has been in education classes is required to re-take the CASAS.  When a man completes his GED, the State also requires us to CASAS him again.  Usually the poor guy has been through the CASAS so many times and is so happy to have his GED that he scores his lowest scores on his last CASAS test.  This, of course, reflects poorly on me as a teacher.  I can motivate a student to complete his GED, but I cannot motivate him to try his hardest on a test that essentially means nothing to him.  Oh, and if he is released before he has completed his GED, which happens a lot, I have to CASAS him before he leaves.  And believe me, a man who is on his way home is not likely to try too hard on a test when all he can think about his home-cooked meals and the family and friends waiting for him.

And we were also discussing planning time.  I plan on the run.  I walk around the room and look over shoulders and if someone is struggling, then perhaps a different book or some one-on-one time is warranted.  I might have 50 men to teach, but my room only has chairs for 15, so it's a constantly rotating group of guys from noon until 8 pm. Most of the men have jobs either within the prison or off-grounds, so I need to be there to catch them when they're available.  At the medium security site where I work from noon til 3 pm, class times are assigned.  At the minimum security site, I maintain a welcome mat approach:  come when you're well, willing and able, as long as you find five hours per week for class.  Like I said, I have a captive audience.

Gail Rinderknecht
GED instructor/ Des Moines Area Community College
Newton Correctional Facility
Newton, IA  50208

And this has nothing to do with the topic, but our site is called "Riverview", but with the floods, it's been Lakeview.  We are all fine here, but have had to make room for some men where the jails were flooded.  The water here in central Iowa is thankfully receding, but it's heading downriver towards some of you.

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David J. Rosen
Sent: Tue 6/17/2008 8:50 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 996]  Content Standards: More questions, more answers,more discussion
 
Colleagues,

Our Content Standards discussion continues through Friday.  I have  
some more questions (see below) for guests and subscribers. I wonder  
if there are some people with questions that they feel are "too  
basic" such as "How do I find out what my state's Content Standards  
are, or if my state even has them?"  No question about content  
standards is too basic. This is the place to ask it.

I want to hear from teachers and administrators who are (or are not)  
implementing content standards. Jon Engel (Thank you, Jon) spoke for  
teachers who might be skeptical. Perhaps there are some teachers who  
are skeptical that would be willing to speak for themselves now that  
Jon has broached this.

Here are three more questions that were sent to me, for our guests  
and others :

"Part-time teachers and planning time:  Teachers tell us that  
developing lesson plans from standards takes more time because they  
have to spend time learning the standards, aligning their activities  
to those standards, and filling out more paper work to demonstrate  
compliance.  What are states implementing standards doing to  
alleviate the pressure on already burdened adult education teachers  
(low wages, low job security, part-time, no benefits, little or no  
prep time, etc.)?"

"National standards: As a standards writer, I was struck by the wide  
diversity of approaches to adult education content standards across  
states (ranging from the very prescriptive and specific to the very  
broad and general).  While I understand we live in a federal system  
in which states can do whatever they deem best for their students,  
isn't there a value in having a broader national discussion about  
what our adult students should be able to know and do in order to be  
successful members of society or, at a very minimum, shouldn't we  
have a common understanding about how content standards are going to  
be used?"

"Assessment:  While states have been encouraged to develop widely  
different content standards, the majority continue to use a very  
limited set of approved standardized assessments that may or may not  
be very closely aligned to those standards.  If due to increasingly  
tight financial constraints states are generally unable to develop  
NRS-approved standardized tests that are aligned with their  
standards, is it reasonable to expect that their content standards  
will have an impact on instruction and student performance?  Do  
teachers really have an incentive to teach from those standards if  
what they are teaching is not going to show up in the TABE or BEST  
Plus or CASAS?  Are there plans to develop such tests?"

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
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From djrosen at comcast.net  Thu Jun 19 07:47:48 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 07:47:48 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1006] Classroom videos related to content standards
Message-ID: <868AC806-8422-4356-9A36-5E113D6F983E@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

What do state content standards look like as implemented in the  
classroom?

Here's a free resource that may be of interest to those implementing  
content standards and that might help to answer that question. The  
Media Library of Teaching Skills (MLoTS) for adult learning and  
literacy project is an online digital library of short videos of  
adult education teachers and their classes, intended for use in  
professional development. Each video is an example of a state- 
approved content standard, research-based practice, preferred  
approach, or specific teaching method or skill. In some cases these  
videos are examples in practice of a particular state's approved  
curriculum frameworks or content standards.

The videos on the main page, http://mlots.org were made and edited by  
the MLoTS Team. The linked videos, http://mlots.org/ 
Other_video.html , were made by others. The online library project  
began in March, 2007, and has grown since then to include over 60  
short videos.  State content standards people who are interested in  
having classroom videos based on their own state standards could  
contact me for more information. Those who know of good classroom or  
tutorial adult education videos (including basic literacy, ABE, ASE,  
ESOL/ESL, numeracy, and transition to Higher Ed) that could be  
digitized and made available (at no cost) in the MLoTS online video  
library could also contact me.

David J. Rosen
djrosen at mlots.org

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From djrosen at comcast.net  Thu Jun 19 07:57:42 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 07:57:42 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1007]  More questions on state content standards
Message-ID: <30EEC659-C2A2-448D-A686-AFCB73A50194@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

We have just today and tomorrow left for this discussion. If you have  
more questions and comments, especially if you have new ideas,  
information or a point of view to add, now is the time.

Here are several more great questions from subscribers for our guests  
-- and others. Please read them all. You may have some answers to  
them which others would appreciate.

? ?The business of standards:  Weeks after content standards were  
officially launched in our state, textbook publishers were busily  
developing correlations between their textbooks and our standards.     
Many publishers are already making dubious claims about how their  
text is ?aligned? with our standards, yet, as far as I know, nobody  
has checked their work.  Have any other states experienced problems  
with publishers trying to cash in on adult education content  
standards?  Have any states attempted to work with publishers in any  
way in order to avoid false or inflated standards claims??

  ? ?Unintended Consequences:  A few our most experienced teachers  
that were beginning to work with standards got the feeling that in  
order to ?comply? with standards education, they were going to have  
to teach from a textbook rather than developing their own creative  
activities.   While there was nothing in our professional development  
that pointed in this direction, this is the impression that many  
teachers had:  standards meant falling into line with some textbook  
or established curriculum.  Have any other state experienced this  
unintended effect of standards-based education? Are content standards  
in any limiting the creativity and initiative or our best teachers??

? How can we use content standards  as we teach a diverse group of  
adult learners, keeping their motivation high and reaching their  
individual needs?

? What will your state do to align standards to the NRS when it changes?

? What will your state do to align standards with diploma programs  
that have Carnegie units like those in  K-12 to earn a diploma in the  
adult education arena?

? Does your state ? does any state ? have content standards for  
workforce education?

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

From betsywong at comcast.net  Thu Jun 19 09:24:18 2008
From: betsywong at comcast.net (Betsy Wong)
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:24:18 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1008] Re: More questions on state content standards
In-Reply-To: <30EEC659-C2A2-448D-A686-AFCB73A50194@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <20080619132423.7022011CA1@mail.nifl.gov>

This discussion has been very helpful. Our program is among those planning
to adopt state adult ESL content standards.

So, as we look at where to start, I'd like to ask others how their programs
have assessed learner outcomes. 

Simply put, how do we measure whether learners are attaining the
competencies that they need to meet their language-learning goals? 

Virginia's adult ESL content standards, although still in draft form, have
identified competencies for each language skill and proficiency level - and
benchmarks and progress indicators to determine whether the competencies are
being attained. 

However, I'm wondering how other programs have measured progress. Learner
self-assessment? Teacher observations? Portfolios? Or formal assessment
tools, like standardized tests?

Many thanks for sharing ideas! 

--------------------------
Betsy Lindeman Wong
Lead ESL Teacher
Alexandria Adult and Community Education 

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 7:58 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1007] More questions on state content standards

Colleagues,

We have just today and tomorrow left for this discussion. If you have  
more questions and comments, especially if you have new ideas,  
information or a point of view to add, now is the time.

Here are several more great questions from subscribers for our guests  
-- and others. Please read them all. You may have some answers to  
them which others would appreciate.

. "The business of standards:  Weeks after content standards were  
officially launched in our state, textbook publishers were busily  
developing correlations between their textbooks and our standards.     
Many publishers are already making dubious claims about how their  
text is "aligned" with our standards, yet, as far as I know, nobody  
has checked their work.  Have any other states experienced problems  
with publishers trying to cash in on adult education content  
standards?  Have any states attempted to work with publishers in any  
way in order to avoid false or inflated standards claims?"

  . "Unintended Consequences:  A few our most experienced teachers  
that were beginning to work with standards got the feeling that in  
order to "comply" with standards education, they were going to have  
to teach from a textbook rather than developing their own creative  
activities.   While there was nothing in our professional development  
that pointed in this direction, this is the impression that many  
teachers had:  standards meant falling into line with some textbook  
or established curriculum.  Have any other state experienced this  
unintended effect of standards-based education? Are content standards  
in any limiting the creativity and initiative or our best teachers?"

. How can we use content standards  as we teach a diverse group of  
adult learners, keeping their motivation high and reaching their  
individual needs?

. What will your state do to align standards to the NRS when it changes?

. What will your state do to align standards with diploma programs  
that have Carnegie units like those in  K-12 to earn a diploma in the  
adult education arena?

. Does your state - does any state - have content standards for  
workforce education?

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to betsywong at comcast.net

From afrench at sccd.ctc.edu  Thu Jun 19 09:55:38 2008
From: afrench at sccd.ctc.edu (French, Allan)
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 06:55:38 -0700
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1009] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
	more answers, more discussion
References: <2DEF07B5-9862-4CC4-AA50-D26A1DEB8BAA@comcast.net>
	<F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B80A0@ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>
Message-ID: <0C988598E761184F93D5E740DF3D3AA6569414@SCCDMAIL.SCCD.CTC.EDU>

First a comment on teacher buy-in and then a few questions on implementation of content standards.
 
I teach ESL at a community college with a very experienced faculty who have seen mandates from above come and go.  Instead of trying to convince them that the new Washington State Learning Standards (adapted from EFF) are the be-all and end-all, instead of warning them of funding cuts if we don't use these, instead of limiting our effort to the question "how to implement state standards," we decided to (1) survey what we have been doing in our classes, (2) have discussions on the creation of our own learning "outcomes", and currently (3) start work on how to implement these outcomes in the classroom.  The new state standards were brought into the project to inform and suggest (especially in terms of language), not to limit and control.  The product so far is the creation of the faculty, but I am convinced it falls within the broad parameters of the state standards.  Virtually all instructors who have participated in this local project have praised the effort; they truly enjoy talking to each other about their own teaching!  This is an on-going process, with starts and stops (because of such obstacles as time and money), ever evolving, and hardly complete.  Indeed, such faculty discussions should be a permanent part of any program's existence.
 
My questions involve implementation.  Many have talked about developing discrete lessons that teach to the standards.  However, I can't help but look at this question holistically.  Most of our faculty teach a single level of ESL and a few teach two adjacent levels.  Each of our core classes works with all four communicative modalities.  At the end of each ten-week quarter we make decisions on whether to promote students to the next level or keep them in the same level for an additional quarter.  Given this, I can't confine myself to individual lessons that relate to one of the indicators of, for example, the reading standard.  I need to plan for teaching all the modalities during an entire quarter.  I see standards as not just a guideline for a lesson, but a destination (after all, they define what we expect our students to know and be able to do as they exit a particular level).  I am concerned with how we get to that destination, especially given the multitude of standards and indicators, the need for multiple types of assessment, and the time limitations.  So I would like to ask all of you out there who have worked some time with standards, (1) how do you determine that a student is ready for the next level of an integrated ESL class, using standards? (2) how do you determine what constitutes satisfactory performance of any one standard/indicator, and that such performance has in fact been achieved? (3) how do you create the assessment tools to evaluate said performance? and (4) can you cover all standards/indicators for the level in a single quarter or how much time is needed?  Another way of asking this is how do you grapple with the, at times, mind-boggling complexity of all that we are endeavoring to do.
 
These are questions we are only beginning to come to grips with and I would appreciate any advice from the field.
 
Allan French
ESL Instructor, Assessment Coordinator, Norming Project Coordinator
South Seattle Community College
afrench at sccd.ctc.edu

	-----Original Message----- 
	From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Rinderknecht, Gail A. 
	Sent: Wed 6/18/2008 5:56 PM 
	To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
	Cc: 
	Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 996] Content Standards: More questions, more answers,more discussion
	
	

	So I knew I shouldn't have started writing in response to this topic because I have such strong opinions about the matter.  

	Iowa has instituted standards and benchmarks in the public schools and tests the daylights out of the students.  Personally, I believe that the success of the test often relies on the attitude of the teacher giving the test.  I can see this in the high school where I used to teach when I volunteer to read high school essays in the summer to evaluate reading.  The teachers whom I know emphasize the importance of the test have much better results than the teacher who says, "Hey, we have to do this.  I don't like it. You don't like it, Your parents don't like it.  Just do it and get it over with."  Schools that offer rewards for improved test scores have improved test scores.  There are many variables when doing any kind of standardized testing to "evaluate teaching results".  And as far as getting the federal government involved in adult literacy, please, no.  Talk to any special education teacher ( me included) to find out about the results of federal mandates in education.  IEP's went from a simple three or four page document to over 12 pages listing standards and benchmarks that were to be worked on for each student.  If I had 20 students on my roster, most of whom I never saw but for whose educational programs I was still responsible, then I had 20 IEP's with massive amounts of bi-monthly or weekly testing to determine if progress was being made.  Charts had to be kept up on each goal, and I had very little time to teach let alone get to know my students.  Several times I introduced myself to a student at his IEP meeting because he was not available when I had a planning time.  When it got to the point where a graduation goal was deemed inappropriate and secondary to meeting the standards and benchmarks, I knew it was time for me to get out of special education in a high school.

	But that's beside the point, you might say; however, it isn't because at the prison I currently have at least 50 students.  If I had to show growth along prescribed standards and benchmarks, then I would be back to nothing but paperwork.  Oh, you should know, that I keep a running informal individual education plan for each of my men.  I have to for me as well as for them; otherwise I would forget who was doing what in which book.  

	All I'm saying is, about the time you have mandated standards from the federal government, then you're going to have to prove that you're meeting those standards.  The fact that the men I work with in prison pass their tests would have little to do with it.   (Oh, and my 96% passing rate probably has something to do with my "captive" audience who are clean, well-fed, well-rested and required to be in class.)  I take very little credit for their success.  I am there;  they have the GED prep workbooks from several different companies.  I give assignments, and they work independently and ask questions when they have them.  They are in a safe, non-threatening atmosphere which for some of them is a first.

	Back to testing.  We TABE all offenders upon arrival to get a general reading level.  Then we give CASAS reading and math tests to establish deficits.  Every six months each man who has been in education classes is required to re-take the CASAS.  When a man completes his GED, the State also requires us to CASAS him again.  Usually the poor guy has been through the CASAS so many times and is so happy to have his GED that he scores his lowest scores on his last CASAS test.  This, of course, reflects poorly on me as a teacher.  I can motivate a student to complete his GED, but I cannot motivate him to try his hardest on a test that essentially means nothing to him.  Oh, and if he is released before he has completed his GED, which happens a lot, I have to CASAS him before he leaves.  And believe me, a man who is on his way home is not likely to try too hard on a test when all he can think about his home-cooked meals and the family and friends waiting for him.

	And we were also discussing planning time.  I plan on the run.  I walk around the room and look over shoulders and if someone is struggling, then perhaps a different book or some one-on-one time is warranted.  I might have 50 men to teach, but my room only has chairs for 15, so it's a constantly rotating group of guys from noon until 8 pm. Most of the men have jobs either within the prison or off-grounds, so I need to be there to catch them when they're available.  At the medium security site where I work from noon til 3 pm, class times are assigned.  At the minimum security site, I maintain a welcome mat approach:  come when you're well, willing and able, as long as you find five hours per week for class.  Like I said, I have a captive audience.

	Gail Rinderknecht 
	GED instructor/ Des Moines Area Community College 
	Newton Correctional Facility 
	Newton, IA  50208 

	And this has nothing to do with the topic, but our site is called "Riverview", but with the floods, it's been Lakeview.  We are all fine here, but have had to make room for some men where the jails were flooded.  The water here in central Iowa is thankfully receding, but it's heading downriver towards some of you.

	-----Original Message----- 
	From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David J. Rosen 
	Sent: Tue 6/17/2008 8:50 PM 
	To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
	Subject: [SpecialTopics 996]  Content Standards: More questions, more answers,more discussion 
	  
	Colleagues, 

	Our Content Standards discussion continues through Friday.  I have  
	some more questions (see below) for guests and subscribers. I wonder  
	if there are some people with questions that they feel are "too  
	basic" such as "How do I find out what my state's Content Standards  
	are, or if my state even has them?"  No question about content  
	standards is too basic. This is the place to ask it. 

	I want to hear from teachers and administrators who are (or are not)  
	implementing content standards. Jon Engel (Thank you, Jon) spoke for  
	teachers who might be skeptical. Perhaps there are some teachers who  
	are skeptical that would be willing to speak for themselves now that  
	Jon has broached this. 

	Here are three more questions that were sent to me, for our guests  
	and others : 

	"Part-time teachers and planning time:  Teachers tell us that  
	developing lesson plans from standards takes more time because they  
	have to spend time learning the standards, aligning their activities  
	to those standards, and filling out more paper work to demonstrate  
	compliance.  What are states implementing standards doing to  
	alleviate the pressure on already burdened adult education teachers  
	(low wages, low job security, part-time, no benefits, little or no  
	prep time, etc.)?" 

	"National standards: As a standards writer, I was struck by the wide  
	diversity of approaches to adult education content standards across  
	states (ranging from the very prescriptive and specific to the very  
	broad and general).  While I understand we live in a federal system  
	in which states can do whatever they deem best for their students,  
	isn't there a value in having a broader national discussion about  
	what our adult students should be able to know and do in order to be  
	successful members of society or, at a very minimum, shouldn't we  
	have a common understanding about how content standards are going to  
	be used?" 

	"Assessment:  While states have been encouraged to develop widely  
	different content standards, the majority continue to use a very  
	limited set of approved standardized assessments that may or may not  
	be very closely aligned to those standards.  If due to increasingly  
	tight financial constraints states are generally unable to develop  
	NRS-approved standardized tests that are aligned with their  
	standards, is it reasonable to expect that their content standards  
	will have an impact on instruction and student performance?  Do  
	teachers really have an incentive to teach from those standards if  
	what they are teaching is not going to show up in the TABE or BEST  
	Plus or CASAS?  Are there plans to develop such tests?" 

	David J. Rosen 
	Special Topics Discussion Moderator 
	djrosen at comcast.net 

	------------------------------- 
	National Institute for Literacy 
	Special Topics mailing list 
	SpecialTopics at nifl.gov 
	To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics 
	Email delivered to garinderknecht at dmacc.edu 

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From fsalas at hcde-texas.org  Thu Jun 19 10:02:02 2008
From: fsalas at hcde-texas.org (Federico Salas)
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:02:02 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1010] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
	more answers, more discussion
In-Reply-To: <F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B80A0@ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>
Message-ID: <E43278D67408F248838A1BDB754306050C624F31@EV-SERVER.hcdemain.hcde.loc>

To me the obvious problem with rewarding results on the test is that you
are teaching test taking skills.  Then the standard is determined by the
test, not by your instructional content standards as determined by
students and colleagues.  Students may have a phenomenal passing rate on
the test but be completely unable to actually use their skills and  in a
practical application at work or as tap their knowledge  base as a
springboard to learn more at college or the university.  Then programs
that "offer rewards for improved test scores" have improved test scores
but have they improved the proficiency of those test takers in their
ability to succeed in life?  I am afraid not.  That is one of the most
insidious problems of public education today.  Schools are ranked and
rewarded on the performance of their students on standardized tests but
nobody pays attention to whether the students have really learned their
materials or simply learned to ace a test.  I believe the issue is with
making the standardized test the focus of education.  If we focused on
the content standards for instruction instead our success rate would
over time improve. 

To me, focusing on the test is warranted only when the student has
obtained sufficient command of the skills and knowledge and a few weeks
before the test you pay attention to the form of the test, test
strategies, etc.  But to devote your adult education program to the test
skills rather than teach with a carefully considered set of academic and
work related standards is a true disservice to our students.

You should know I am an avowed enemy of standardized tests; I don't
understand them, I don't like them, and I don't believe the scores tell
us much about a student.  I also don't believe we are going to fix any
of the problems in education if we continue focusing on "the test"
instead of teaching.  Of course I went through my whole elementary,
secondary, and a couple of years of university work in two other
countries without ever once facing a standardized test.  Tests of my
ability to explain scientific facts, yes; tests of my ability to relate
knowledge from one field to knowledge from another, yes.  Tests that
asked me to look for evidence in XX century culture of events that
happened in the renaissance, yes.  But standardized tests? The first
standardized test I ever took was the TOEFL to come to this country. But
that's another story...

federico

Federico Salas-Isnardi, Assistant State Director
Texas LEARNS
6005 Westview Dr.
Houston, TX 77055
Direct: 713-696-0719
Toll Free: 866-696-4233
Fax: 713-696-0797
 
The State Office of Adult Education and Family Literacy
-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Rinderknecht, Gail
A.
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 7:56 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 996] Content Standards: More questions, more
answers,more discussion

So I knew I shouldn't have started writing in response to this topic
because I have such strong opinions about the matter.  

Iowa has instituted standards and benchmarks in the public schools and
tests the daylights out of the students.  Personally, I believe that the
success of the test often relies on the attitude of the teacher giving
the test.  I can see this in the high school where I used to teach when
I volunteer to read high school essays in the summer to evaluate
reading.  The teachers whom I know emphasize the importance of the test
have much better results than the teacher who says, "Hey, we have to do
this.  I don't like it. You don't like it, Your parents don't like it.
Just do it and get it over with."  Schools that offer rewards for
improved test scores have improved test scores.  There are many
variables when doing any kind of standardized testing to "evaluate
teaching results".  And as far as getting the federal government
involved in adult literacy, please, no.  Talk to any special education
teacher ( me included) to find out about the results of federal mandates
in education.  IEP's went from a simple three or four page document to
over 12 pages listing standards and benchmarks that were to be worked on
for each student.  If I had 20 students on my roster, most of whom I
never saw but for whose educational programs I was still responsible,
then I had 20 IEP's with massive amounts of bi-monthly or weekly testing
to determine if progress was being made.  Charts had to be kept up on
each goal, and I had very little time to teach let alone get to know my
students.  Several times I introduced myself to a student at his IEP
meeting because he was not available when I had a planning time.  When
it got to the point where a graduation goal was deemed inappropriate and
secondary to meeting the standards and benchmarks, I knew it was time
for me to get out of special education in a high school.

But that's beside the point, you might say; however, it isn't because at
the prison I currently have at least 50 students.  If I had to show
growth along prescribed standards and benchmarks, then I would be back
to nothing but paperwork.  Oh, you should know, that I keep a running
informal individual education plan for each of my men.  I have to for me
as well as for them; otherwise I would forget who was doing what in
which book.  

All I'm saying is, about the time you have mandated standards from the
federal government, then you're going to have to prove that you're
meeting those standards.  The fact that the men I work with in prison
pass their tests would have little to do with it.   (Oh, and my 96%
passing rate probably has something to do with my "captive" audience who
are clean, well-fed, well-rested and required to be in class.)  I take
very little credit for their success.  I am there;  they have the GED
prep workbooks from several different companies.  I give assignments,
and they work independently and ask questions when they have them.  They
are in a safe, non-threatening atmosphere which for some of them is a
first.

Back to testing.  We TABE all offenders upon arrival to get a general
reading level.  Then we give CASAS reading and math tests to establish
deficits.  Every six months each man who has been in education classes
is required to re-take the CASAS.  When a man completes his GED, the
State also requires us to CASAS him again.  Usually the poor guy has
been through the CASAS so many times and is so happy to have his GED
that he scores his lowest scores on his last CASAS test.  This, of
course, reflects poorly on me as a teacher.  I can motivate a student to
complete his GED, but I cannot motivate him to try his hardest on a test
that essentially means nothing to him.  Oh, and if he is released before
he has completed his GED, which happens a lot, I have to CASAS him
before he leaves.  And believe me, a man who is on his way home is not
likely to try too hard on a test when all he can think about his
home-cooked meals and the family and friends waiting for him.

And we were also discussing planning time.  I plan on the run.  I walk
around the room and look over shoulders and if someone is struggling,
then perhaps a different book or some one-on-one time is warranted.  I
might have 50 men to teach, but my room only has chairs for 15, so it's
a constantly rotating group of guys from noon until 8 pm. Most of the
men have jobs either within the prison or off-grounds, so I need to be
there to catch them when they're available.  At the medium security site
where I work from noon til 3 pm, class times are assigned.  At the
minimum security site, I maintain a welcome mat approach:  come when
you're well, willing and able, as long as you find five hours per week
for class.  Like I said, I have a captive audience.

Gail Rinderknecht
GED instructor/ Des Moines Area Community College
Newton Correctional Facility
Newton, IA  50208

And this has nothing to do with the topic, but our site is called
"Riverview", but with the floods, it's been Lakeview.  We are all fine
here, but have had to make room for some men where the jails were
flooded.  The water here in central Iowa is thankfully receding, but
it's heading downriver towards some of you.

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David J. Rosen
Sent: Tue 6/17/2008 8:50 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 996]  Content Standards: More questions, more
answers,more discussion
 
Colleagues,

Our Content Standards discussion continues through Friday.  I have  
some more questions (see below) for guests and subscribers. I wonder  
if there are some people with questions that they feel are "too  
basic" such as "How do I find out what my state's Content Standards  
are, or if my state even has them?"  No question about content  
standards is too basic. This is the place to ask it.

I want to hear from teachers and administrators who are (or are not)  
implementing content standards. Jon Engel (Thank you, Jon) spoke for  
teachers who might be skeptical. Perhaps there are some teachers who  
are skeptical that would be willing to speak for themselves now that  
Jon has broached this.

Here are three more questions that were sent to me, for our guests  
and others :

"Part-time teachers and planning time:  Teachers tell us that  
developing lesson plans from standards takes more time because they  
have to spend time learning the standards, aligning their activities  
to those standards, and filling out more paper work to demonstrate  
compliance.  What are states implementing standards doing to  
alleviate the pressure on already burdened adult education teachers  
(low wages, low job security, part-time, no benefits, little or no  
prep time, etc.)?"

"National standards: As a standards writer, I was struck by the wide  
diversity of approaches to adult education content standards across  
states (ranging from the very prescriptive and specific to the very  
broad and general).  While I understand we live in a federal system  
in which states can do whatever they deem best for their students,  
isn't there a value in having a broader national discussion about  
what our adult students should be able to know and do in order to be  
successful members of society or, at a very minimum, shouldn't we  
have a common understanding about how content standards are going to  
be used?"

"Assessment:  While states have been encouraged to develop widely  
different content standards, the majority continue to use a very  
limited set of approved standardized assessments that may or may not  
be very closely aligned to those standards.  If due to increasingly  
tight financial constraints states are generally unable to develop  
NRS-approved standardized tests that are aligned with their  
standards, is it reasonable to expect that their content standards  
will have an impact on instruction and student performance?  Do  
teachers really have an incentive to teach from those standards if  
what they are teaching is not going to show up in the TABE or BEST  
Plus or CASAS?  Are there plans to develop such tests?"

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to garinderknecht at dmacc.edu

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From Lorraine.Christensen at maine.gov  Thu Jun 19 10:01:13 2008
From: Lorraine.Christensen at maine.gov (Christensen, Lorraine)
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 10:01:13 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1011] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
	more answers, more discussion-TM
In-Reply-To: <F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B809F@ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>
Message-ID: <B24445F65F964B4D8784C427691352A0016F6DC5@SOM-TEAQASMAIL2.som.w2k.state.me.us>

Question for Gail:  Is it legislatively mandated that you bring an
inmate to a TABE 6 level before they no longer need to be assigned to
school?  While I agree with you that the number of graduates is
important, I have always believed that if we had particular "benchmarks"
we would be more accountable and in "respected" in the educational
community!

 

Lorraine Christensen

Women's Center - Maine Correctional 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Rinderknecht, Gail
A.
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 2:38 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 999] Re: Content Standards: More
questions,more answers, more discussion-TM

 

HURRAY!

 

Thank you, Mr. Mecham!.  You said it all.  For the past three years, I
have worked in two prisons in Iowa, and getting the men to read at a
level of speed and comprehension in order to pass the GED test, is my
first concern.  I have many high school "graduates" in my literacy
classes.  In Iowa, all inmates must be in literacy classes if they
cannot demonstrate the ability to read and comprehend at a 6th grade
level.  This is the main "standard and benchmark" that I have to work
with.  A man must be able to pass the Test of Adult Basic Education
(TABE) with a 6.0, or he is in literacy class.  A man without a high
school diploma or GED must attend GED classes although they can "age
out" with staff consent.

 

I taught special education in the public schools for 16 years and have
seen the rise and use of standards and benchmarks.  Although these are
wonderful guidelines for schools to help their teachers cover
appropriate subject matter at different ages to ensure a well-rounded
education for all students, I believe that at the adult level, teachers
need to test, assess and determine needs and deficits for individuals
and proceed from there.  Each of my students is an individual.  Each
class is full of individuals working on appropriate assignments for him.
Very rarely do I have a "class" where more than one man is working on
the same thing.  I treat my classroom as an old-fashioned resource room
where each person is receiving instruction and practice on the skill
that he needs to achieve his GED or increase his literacy.  

 

By advocating standards and benchmarks for adult learners, I believe
that we will just be adding to the burden of paperwork to "prove" that
we are teaching.  Looking at the results of the teaching method is a far
better way to examine teaching success and learning.  My students, in
the first five months of this year, passed their GED tests with a 96%
success rate.  My little "resource" room seems to work fine without
standards and benchmarks other than those needed to pass the GED.

 

Gail A. Rinderknecht

Newton Correctional Facility

GED instructor/Des Moines Area Community College

Box 218

Newton, IA

 

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Mechem, Thompson
Sent: Wed 6/18/2008 8:19 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 999] Re: Content Standards: More questions,more
answers, more discussion-TM

I suppose in the abstract I have no objection to the Standards and
Benchmarks described in the various posts this week, but who are they
for? Certainly not the teachers. To take an example from my area of
alleged expertise, if students are studying to pass the GED test, then
it is the specific skill sets needed to pass the test that must drive
the curriculum and the teaching. There's a lot of math you can teach,
but what math will actually carry our students towards passing the GED
tests? You can't figure that out from any Standards document or
Curriculum Frameworks or whatever; you can know that only by learning
better what literacy skills and knowledge resonate on the tests (the GED
Testing Service helps us with that), and then developing the teaching
techniques to bring the students to that level. Our state GED Office and
our Professional development unit do a lot of work with Massachusetts
GED teachers in this regard. The same principle applies if you are
helping Transitions students do better on the AccuPlacer test or
preparing immigrants to pass the citizenship test (nice going, Big
Papi!) or raising a grandmother's literacy level so she can read the
Bible.

Now, it probably takes a higher literacy level to pass the GED tests
than it does to graduate from high school, so a successful GED class is
certainly going to adhere to any legitimate set of Standards and
Benchmarks that a state could come up with. I guess what I am asking of
all the faceless bureaucrats (of which I am now one myself, I admit) is
to be able to see that for themselves instead of making teachers and
program directors jump through hoops with all kind of trumped-up
documentary "proof" that they are using the Standards. Just as you can
see a gorgeous-looking Lesson Plan without having any idea in the world
whether any learning is actually taking place in that class, so the kind
of thing often required for Standards-Based documentation, "I have
such-and-such Learning Objectives, which correspond to Benchmark 3.1.5
blah blah blah..." doesn't tell you anything about what's really
happening in the classroom. I would like the monitors and evaluators to
be able to observe a classroom and know for themselves that high
standards are being adhered to so that the teachers and program
directors can focus on the learning needs of the students with no wasted
motion.

Tom Mechem
GED State Chief Examiner
Department of Elementary & Secondary Education
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
781-338-6621
"GED to Ph.D."

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 9:50 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 996] Content Standards: More questions, more
answers,more discussion

Colleagues,

Our Content Standards discussion continues through Friday.  I have 
some more questions (see below) for guests and subscribers. I wonder 
if there are some people with questions that they feel are "too 
basic" such as "How do I find out what my state's Content Standards 
are, or if my state even has them?"  No question about content 
standards is too basic. This is the place to ask it.

I want to hear from teachers and administrators who are (or are not) 
implementing content standards. Jon Engel (Thank you, Jon) spoke for 
teachers who might be skeptical. Perhaps there are some teachers who 
are skeptical that would be willing to speak for themselves now that 
Jon has broached this.

Here are three more questions that were sent to me, for our guests 
and others :

"Part-time teachers and planning time:  Teachers tell us that 
developing lesson plans from standards takes more time because they 
have to spend time learning the standards, aligning their activities 
to those standards, and filling out more paper work to demonstrate 
compliance.  What are states implementing standards doing to 
alleviate the pressure on already burdened adult education teachers 
(low wages, low job security, part-time, no benefits, little or no 
prep time, etc.)?"

"National standards: As a standards writer, I was struck by the wide 
diversity of approaches to adult education content standards across 
states (ranging from the very prescriptive and specific to the very 
broad and general).  While I understand we live in a federal system 
in which states can do whatever they deem best for their students, 
isn't there a value in having a broader national discussion about 
what our adult students should be able to know and do in order to be 
successful members of society or, at a very minimum, shouldn't we 
have a common understanding about how content standards are going to 
be used?"

"Assessment:  While states have been encouraged to develop widely 
different content standards, the majority continue to use a very 
limited set of approved standardized assessments that may or may not 
be very closely aligned to those standards.  If due to increasingly 
tight financial constraints states are generally unable to develop 
NRS-approved standardized tests that are aligned with their 
standards, is it reasonable to expect that their content standards 
will have an impact on instruction and student performance?  Do 
teachers really have an incentive to teach from those standards if 
what they are teaching is not going to show up in the TABE or BEST 
Plus or CASAS?  Are there plans to develop such tests?"

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to tmechem at doe.mass.edu

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to garinderknecht at dmacc.edu

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From garinderknecht at dmacc.edu  Thu Jun 19 10:31:46 2008
From: garinderknecht at dmacc.edu (Rinderknecht, Gail A.)
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:31:46 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1012] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
	more answers, more discussion-TM
References: <B24445F65F964B4D8784C427691352A0016F6DC5@SOM-TEAQASMAIL2.som.w2k.state.me.us>
Message-ID: <F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B80A1@ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>

I'm not sure if it the 6th grade level is legislatively mandated or just a department of corrections goal,  but it's a something we try to achieve in education within the limits of our capacity to serve the men.  For example, I recently had a man assigned to my literacy class who was served his entire life in special education.  He has an IQ of 50;  there is no way that I will ever get him to the 6th grade level.  I have suggested that he be allowed to opt out of education and be put in a supervised vocational program.

And as someone earlier noted, we also use Plato to tutor our students toward their GED.  I personally also use the REWARDS reading program to advance reading levels.  It's published by Sopris and can be used individually or with small groups to learn to decode multi-syllabic words.  It's a totally scripted program, so a tutor or volunteer can be taught to use the program in a short period of time.  

To be quite frank, the educational community at large, i.e. the public schools, do not think much of the GED.  I've heard this from administrators and teachers alike even though we know that nearly one-third of high school graduates could not pass the GED.  As I said before, I have many high school graduates in my literacy program.  I don't think having benchmarks will make anyone think better of the GED.  It's an elitist thing at this point.  

I find it to be enormously rewarding to the men to achieve their GED especially considering many of those incarcerated have been suspended from school many times over.  I hear over and over, "I didn't think I could do this on my own."  It's exciting to see a grown man excited about learning for the first time. Our benchmarks are simple:  pass a half test with a 500 or better;  pass the GED test with a 450 or better.  Complete all tests.  And the final goal is a couple of polaroid pictures in a white shirt and tie and cap and gown.  The pictures mean a lot to these men.

Gail

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Christensen, Lorraine
Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 9:01 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1011] Re: Content Standards: More questions,more answers, more discussion-TM
 
Question for Gail:  Is it legislatively mandated that you bring an
inmate to a TABE 6 level before they no longer need to be assigned to
school?  While I agree with you that the number of graduates is
important, I have always believed that if we had particular "benchmarks"
we would be more accountable and in "respected" in the educational
community!

 

Lorraine Christensen

Women's Center - Maine Correctional 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Rinderknecht, Gail
A.
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 2:38 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 999] Re: Content Standards: More
questions,more answers, more discussion-TM

 

HURRAY!

 

Thank you, Mr. Mecham!.  You said it all.  For the past three years, I
have worked in two prisons in Iowa, and getting the men to read at a
level of speed and comprehension in order to pass the GED test, is my
first concern.  I have many high school "graduates" in my literacy
classes.  In Iowa, all inmates must be in literacy classes if they
cannot demonstrate the ability to read and comprehend at a 6th grade
level.  This is the main "standard and benchmark" that I have to work
with.  A man must be able to pass the Test of Adult Basic Education
(TABE) with a 6.0, or he is in literacy class.  A man without a high
school diploma or GED must attend GED classes although they can "age
out" with staff consent.

 

I taught special education in the public schools for 16 years and have
seen the rise and use of standards and benchmarks.  Although these are
wonderful guidelines for schools to help their teachers cover
appropriate subject matter at different ages to ensure a well-rounded
education for all students, I believe that at the adult level, teachers
need to test, assess and determine needs and deficits for individuals
and proceed from there.  Each of my students is an individual.  Each
class is full of individuals working on appropriate assignments for him.
Very rarely do I have a "class" where more than one man is working on
the same thing.  I treat my classroom as an old-fashioned resource room
where each person is receiving instruction and practice on the skill
that he needs to achieve his GED or increase his literacy.  

 

By advocating standards and benchmarks for adult learners, I believe
that we will just be adding to the burden of paperwork to "prove" that
we are teaching.  Looking at the results of the teaching method is a far
better way to examine teaching success and learning.  My students, in
the first five months of this year, passed their GED tests with a 96%
success rate.  My little "resource" room seems to work fine without
standards and benchmarks other than those needed to pass the GED.

 

Gail A. Rinderknecht

Newton Correctional Facility

GED instructor/Des Moines Area Community College

Box 218

Newton, IA

 

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Mechem, Thompson
Sent: Wed 6/18/2008 8:19 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 999] Re: Content Standards: More questions,more
answers, more discussion-TM

I suppose in the abstract I have no objection to the Standards and
Benchmarks described in the various posts this week, but who are they
for? Certainly not the teachers. To take an example from my area of
alleged expertise, if students are studying to pass the GED test, then
it is the specific skill sets needed to pass the test that must drive
the curriculum and the teaching. There's a lot of math you can teach,
but what math will actually carry our students towards passing the GED
tests? You can't figure that out from any Standards document or
Curriculum Frameworks or whatever; you can know that only by learning
better what literacy skills and knowledge resonate on the tests (the GED
Testing Service helps us with that), and then developing the teaching
techniques to bring the students to that level. Our state GED Office and
our Professional development unit do a lot of work with Massachusetts
GED teachers in this regard. The same principle applies if you are
helping Transitions students do better on the AccuPlacer test or
preparing immigrants to pass the citizenship test (nice going, Big
Papi!) or raising a grandmother's literacy level so she can read the
Bible.

Now, it probably takes a higher literacy level to pass the GED tests
than it does to graduate from high school, so a successful GED class is
certainly going to adhere to any legitimate set of Standards and
Benchmarks that a state could come up with. I guess what I am asking of
all the faceless bureaucrats (of which I am now one myself, I admit) is
to be able to see that for themselves instead of making teachers and
program directors jump through hoops with all kind of trumped-up
documentary "proof" that they are using the Standards. Just as you can
see a gorgeous-looking Lesson Plan without having any idea in the world
whether any learning is actually taking place in that class, so the kind
of thing often required for Standards-Based documentation, "I have
such-and-such Learning Objectives, which correspond to Benchmark 3.1.5
blah blah blah..." doesn't tell you anything about what's really
happening in the classroom. I would like the monitors and evaluators to
be able to observe a classroom and know for themselves that high
standards are being adhered to so that the teachers and program
directors can focus on the learning needs of the students with no wasted
motion.

Tom Mechem
GED State Chief Examiner
Department of Elementary & Secondary Education
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
781-338-6621
"GED to Ph.D."

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 9:50 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 996] Content Standards: More questions, more
answers,more discussion

Colleagues,

Our Content Standards discussion continues through Friday.  I have 
some more questions (see below) for guests and subscribers. I wonder 
if there are some people with questions that they feel are "too 
basic" such as "How do I find out what my state's Content Standards 
are, or if my state even has them?"  No question about content 
standards is too basic. This is the place to ask it.

I want to hear from teachers and administrators who are (or are not) 
implementing content standards. Jon Engel (Thank you, Jon) spoke for 
teachers who might be skeptical. Perhaps there are some teachers who 
are skeptical that would be willing to speak for themselves now that 
Jon has broached this.

Here are three more questions that were sent to me, for our guests 
and others :

"Part-time teachers and planning time:  Teachers tell us that 
developing lesson plans from standards takes more time because they 
have to spend time learning the standards, aligning their activities 
to those standards, and filling out more paper work to demonstrate 
compliance.  What are states implementing standards doing to 
alleviate the pressure on already burdened adult education teachers 
(low wages, low job security, part-time, no benefits, little or no 
prep time, etc.)?"

"National standards: As a standards writer, I was struck by the wide 
diversity of approaches to adult education content standards across 
states (ranging from the very prescriptive and specific to the very 
broad and general).  While I understand we live in a federal system 
in which states can do whatever they deem best for their students, 
isn't there a value in having a broader national discussion about 
what our adult students should be able to know and do in order to be 
successful members of society or, at a very minimum, shouldn't we 
have a common understanding about how content standards are going to 
be used?"

"Assessment:  While states have been encouraged to develop widely 
different content standards, the majority continue to use a very 
limited set of approved standardized assessments that may or may not 
be very closely aligned to those standards.  If due to increasingly 
tight financial constraints states are generally unable to develop 
NRS-approved standardized tests that are aligned with their 
standards, is it reasonable to expect that their content standards 
will have an impact on instruction and student performance?  Do 
teachers really have an incentive to teach from those standards if 
what they are teaching is not going to show up in the TABE or BEST 
Plus or CASAS?  Are there plans to develop such tests?"

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
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SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
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Email delivered to tmechem at doe.mass.edu

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From kmiller at caspercollege.edu  Thu Jun 19 10:41:31 2008
From: kmiller at caspercollege.edu (Kelsee Miller)
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 08:41:31 -0600
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1013]   Re: Content Standards: More questions,
	more answers, more discussion-TM
In-Reply-To: <B24445F65F964B4D8784C427691352A0016F6DC5@SOM-TEAQASMAIL2.som.w2k.state.me.us>
References: <F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B809F@ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>
	<B24445F65F964B4D8784C427691352A0016F6DC5@SOM-TEAQASMAIL2.som.w2k.state.me.us>
Message-ID: <485A1BBB.4553.009D.0@caspercollege.edu>

Question for Gail: Why does your state use both the TABE and CASAS? What is the rationale for testing CASAS again after the GED?

I have found this discussion very insightful!
Thank you,
Kelsee

Kelsee Miller
Casper College
Adult Basic Education/GED Instructor
125 College Dr. 
Casper, WY 82601
307-268-2895
307-268-2230

From Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org  Thu Jun 19 10:46:15 2008
From: Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org (Anderson, Philip)
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 10:46:15 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1014]  Response to Questions from David Rosen
Message-ID: <96E135649F1AD048AA6FF8CBC598C23E18E1E74D@MAIL1.FLDOE.INT>

David, 

I will try to answer your questions from Florida's perspective. 

 

* "The business of standards:  Weeks after content standards were  

officially launched in our state, textbook publishers were busily  

developing correlations between their textbooks and our standards.     

Many publishers are already making dubious claims about how their  

text is "aligned" with our standards, yet, as far as I know, nobody  

has checked their work.  Have any other states experienced problems  

with publishers trying to cash in on adult education content  

standards?  Have any states attempted to work with publishers in any  

way in order to avoid false or inflated standards claims?"

 

Yes, almost all textbook publishers develop correlations between the
Florida standards and their texts.  At the state level, we encourage
local programs to evaluate the correlations to see how "close" or
"loose" these correlations are by comparing the text pages with the
benchmarks.  This is an important topic that we plan to address more
thoroughly in future professional development trainings for adult
education administrators.  The larger and more established textbook
publishers do not contact the state office to advertise their products.
When any company contacts our office to see if they can make a
presentation to FL DOE staff, they are not provided with the
opportunity.  My perception is that most program administrators and
teachers do not see publishing companies and their texts as a problem
that hinders them from teaching their students well, but a benefit
overall.  The largest programs in the state train teachers to look for
more than one text, in order to ensure sufficient coverage of all the
benchmarks.  My own review of texts in comparison to the standards has
shown that no company has made any false claims, and that most claims
are not so inflated as to cause alarm.

 

 

  * "Unintended Consequences:  A few our most experienced teachers  

that were beginning to work with standards got the feeling that in  

order to "comply" with standards education, they were going to have  

to teach from a textbook rather than developing their own creative  

activities.   While there was nothing in our professional development  

that pointed in this direction, this is the impression that many  

teachers had:  standards meant falling into line with some textbook  

or established curriculum.  Have any other state experienced this  

unintended effect of standards-based education? Are content standards  

in any limiting the creativity and initiative or our best teachers?"

 

As the state's ESOL specialist, I have not seen any direct consequences
of the use of standards limiting the creativity or initiative of
teachers to the point of greatly causing a negative impact.  I would
encourage any Florida teachers or program administrators to respond to
this question by giving their own point of view on this.  My perception
is that in Florida, virtually all programs and teachers use some type of
text in their classes for about 50% of the class time, most often as a
springboard for the lesson of the day or week.  The rest of the time,
they and their students design activities, do in-class and
community-based projects and create materials that reinforce the
lesson's objectives.  I can say this is the result of the state's
efforts to communicate with teachers about practices that are proving to
give positive results from around our state, the nation and the world.
I get the great opportunity to visit regional workshops put on by
teachers for other teachers from 10-12 programs in their area on what
they are doing in their classrooms.  Our urban and rural programs enjoy
getting together to spend a Saturday morning every 3-4 months to
collaborate and share.  While we are not at the goal, our teachers
report to us that we are on the way there.  

 

 

* How can we use content standards as we teach a diverse group of  

adult learners, keeping their motivation high and reaching their  

individual needs?

 

In professional development trainings, Florida emphasizes that the
standards are guides (very comprehensive and solid guides) for teachers
to use in teaching.  These very organic, living documents are so full of
good things for students and teachers, I venture to say that the
majority of our teachers, part-time and full-time, really appreciate
these guides to instruction.  The students also are reassured and
impressed that the state cares enough about them to try our best to make
sure that all their needs in learning are met.  Teachers are encouraged
to get to know their students, and to leave off or add to the benchmarks
in order to meet the needs of their students.  The standards in Florida
are not intended to be a rigid prescription that fills gaps, rather a
delectable grand buffet of savory items that will appeal to all
appetites as well as meet real needs.

 

* What will your state do to align standards to the NRS when it changes?

 

Florida has used task forces that focus on program areas, ESOL, ABE,
GED, Learning Disabilities, and Family Literacy.  It is in the process
of setting up groups of practitioners and administrators selected
through an application process to convene as ad hoc committees of 10-15
members to address critical functions in adult education: assessment,
standards, professional development, learning disabilities, etc. When
the NRS changes, the state office will convene meetings of the ad hoc
committees to do research and come up with recommendations to the state
on the issue.  The state has final responsibility for making the
decision.  The state often conducts pilots for a certain length of time
before it goes into full implementation of any redesigned standards or
process.

 

* What will your state do to align standards with diploma programs  

that have Carnegie units like those in  K-12 to earn a diploma in the  

adult education arena?

 

Florida does not use Carnegie units; we use credits based on
performance.  Florida offers a course called Adult High School, which is
aligned to have the same requirements as a standard high school diploma
with a few exceptions-no physical education, and the electives
requirements are slightly different.

 

* Does your state - does any state - have content standards for  

workforce education?

 

Florida has a "Curriculum Framework" called "Workplace Readiness Skills
for the Limited English Proficient Adult."  This curriculum framework
does not qualify as a set of standards, perhaps, because it is designed
to be a framework for local programs and employers to design a course
that meets the needs of adult ESOL students that face English
language/literacy/workplace challenges at their job.  The course is set
up so that the employees will learn specific skills they need in order
to do their job better and to advance in the workplace.  It can be seen
online at http://www.fldoe.org/workforce/dwdframe/ad_frame.asp.

 

We welcome any comments, questions, as well as suggestions for making
our program better!  Thanks to everyone who has posted their thoughts!

 

 

CONTACT INFORMATION

Philip Anderson

Adult ESOL Program Specialist

Division of Workforce Education

Florida Department of Education

325 W. Gaines Street, Room 644

Tallahassee, FL  32399

Tel (850) 245-9450

Fax (850) 245-0995
 

Please take a few minutes to provide feedback on the quality of service you received from our staff. The Department of Education values your feedback as a customer. Commissioner of Education Dr. Eric J. Smith is committed to continuously assessing and improving the level and quality of services provided to you.Simply use the link below.  Thank you in advance for completing the survey.
 

http://data.fldoe.org/cs/default.cfm?staff=Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org|10:46:16%20Thu%2019%20Jun%202008
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From aggrognet at aol.com  Thu Jun 19 10:59:52 2008
From: aggrognet at aol.com (aggrognet at aol.com)
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 10:59:52 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1015] Re: More questions on state content standards
In-Reply-To: <30EEC659-C2A2-448D-A686-AFCB73A50194@comcast.net>
References: <30EEC659-C2A2-448D-A686-AFCB73A50194@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <8CAA0342F56C211-16F4-10BA@Webmail-mg16.sim.aol.com>

 David-
Attached find some comments and questions.

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: David J. Rosen <djrosen at comcast.net>
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Sent: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 6:57 am
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1007]  More questions on state content standards

Colleagues,

We have just today and tomorrow left for this discussion. If you have  
more questions and comments, especially if you have new ideas,  
information or a point of view to add, now is the time.

Here are several more great questions from subscribers for our guests  
-- and others. Please read them all. You may have some answers to  
them which others would appreciate.

? ?The business of standards:  Weeks after content standards were  
officially launched in our state, textbook publishers were busily  
developing correlations between their textbooks and our standards.     
Many publishers are already making dubious claims about how their  
text is ?aligned? with our standards, yet, as far as I know, nobody  
has checked their work.  Have any other states experienced problems  
with publishers trying to cash in on adult education content  
standards?  Have any states attempted to work with publishers in any  
way in order to avoid false or inflated standards claims??

  ? ?Unintended Consequences:  A few our most experienced teachers  
that were beginning to work with standards got the feeling that in  
order to ?comply? with standards education, they were going to have  
to teach from a textbook rather than developing their own creative  
activities.   While there was nothing in our professional development  
that pointed in this direction, this is the impression that many  
teachers had:  standards meant falling into line with some textbook  
or established curriculum.  Have any other state experienced this  
unintended effect of standards-based education? Are content standards  
in any limiting the creativity and initiative or our best teachers??

? How can we use content standards  as we teach a diverse group of  
adult learners, keeping their motivation high and reaching their  
individual needs?

? What will your state do to align standards to the NRS when it changes?

? What will your state do to align standards with diploma programs  
that have Carnegie units like those in  K-12 to earn a diploma in the  
adult education arena?

? Does your state ? does any state ? have content standards for  
workforce education?

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
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To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 
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Email delivered to aggrognet at aol.com

 

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From djrosen at comcast.net  Thu Jun 19 11:25:46 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:25:46 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1016]  More questions on state content standards
Message-ID: <CC5678EC-4E69-4664-9EFE-79397FB11928@comcast.net>

Posted on behalf of Arlene Grognet

From: aggrognet at aol.com
Date: June 19, 2008 10:59:52 AM EDT

Federico, Phil, et al-

I have read with interest all of the states? responses to the  
questions raised, but a computer glitch (now solved) has kept me from  
contributing. I will keep my remarks to ESOL, because that is what I  
know best. It seems that most ABE and GED students come to class with  
oral English. However, they lack some of the knowledge and skills  
needed to lead a full adult life. On the other hand, ESOL students  
may already have those skills, but they lack the oral English with  
which to express them. For ESOL students, learning English is not an  
end in itself; it is a tool with which to do something else! That  
something else may be to go to the doctor or shop for food and  
clothing; it may be to work in a factory or a restaurant; it may be  
to talk with the school personnel or read a note from the teacher; it  
may be to get th GED or go to college.

  I was struck how closely David Heath?s description of teachers in  
Texas, matches that in Florida. Yet, I come to a different conclusion  
than he does. We need standards (not standardization) so that new and  
part-time teachers are oriented to what students should learn;  
experienced teachers have a reference guide for their teaching; and  
curriculum reflects the real world in which students have to  
communicate. I am a Florida resident, and participated in the  
standards setting workshops offered buy Susan Pimentel that Phil  
Anderson described. It was an interesting and challenging exercise,  
but one which new and part-time teachers would have benefited little  
from. I say this because professional development is out next step,  
and more than 4 hours of training on standards, no matter how good  
the training, with leave teachers angry and bored. I know that it is  
not enough, but state implementers have to realize that anything  
coming from the state is sacrosant and will be viewed with suspicion,  
if not hostility. If new teachers stick with the program, they will  
be back for more. If they quit, we haven?t lost that much.

As to David?s question about textbook correlations with standards, I  
would look at all of them as spurious. (And this coming from a  
textbook writer!) A textbook is only as good as the Teachers? Manual  
which should accompany it. For each lesson, the Manual should give  
shape to the the standard, tell teachers how the linguistic skills  
they are teaching fit into language acquisition, give new and part- 
time teachers step-by-step ways of  presenting and practicing a  
lesson, and give experienced teachers hints for expansion and  
extension of the lesson. Without that, textbooks are only page-turners.

As to what the federal government can do for standards: give money to  
each state for refinement,  implementation, and experimentation, and  
stay out of standards writing and setting. If the federal government  
gets into it, it becomes a slippery slope. Just look at standardized  
testing and NRS as examples.

One question I have concerns assessment. How does know when when a  
student is ready to advance with the integrated skills needed in  
language learning? Is there any one assessment that gives the teacher  
or the test administrator a good picture of the students? listening/ 
speaking and reading/writing skills, and is aligned with standards?

Allene Grognet
Vice President (Emeritus), Center for Applied Linguistics

From ehonol at sisd.net  Thu Jun 19 11:25:45 2008
From: ehonol at sisd.net (Eduardo Honold)
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:25:45 -0600
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1017] Re: Resistance to Change and Texas'
 approach	toovercoming "standards aversion"
In-Reply-To: <A746DD9618D1A145B28AB530CDE4815605487399@PONYEXPRESS.odessa.edu>
References: <E43278D67408F248838A1BDB754306050C588551@EV-SERVER.hcdemain.hcde.loc>
	<A746DD9618D1A145B28AB530CDE4815605487399@PONYEXPRESS.odessa.edu>
Message-ID: <B784D5A61F1014429B809F3E8BDDD3520B8C2CC1@mail2.admin.sisd.k12>

Dear David,

Your post raises many interesting questions about the implementation of content standards in a large and diverse state such as Texas.  I share many of your concerns about some of the challenges that are involved in implementing standards and about the long-term effect of using standards on local programs.   One of the reasons for participating in the Standards-in-Action pilot program was to explore the issues of implementation before going to scale.  In working with programs in Houston and El Paso, we learned much about what works and doesn't work with teachers.    Many of the "recalcitrant facts" about adult education you describe are true, but they may also be the reason for using content standards in the first place.  In my limited experience in this pilot, I found that often it was the part-time teachers who were happy to have some kind of guideline regarding the content they could be teaching at a particular level of instruction.  It is often the new teacher who has little experience with adult education who used the content standards as a guideline.  Many of the more experienced and full time teachers saw less of a benefit in using the standards.  My own philosophy (which may not reflect official policy)  is that 1)  Standards should do no harm.  If programs are performing effectively with their own curricular guidelines, then they should be left alone.  Now, if programs are struggling, content standards could be one of the elements to consider in a program improvement plan  2) A corollary to this principle is that content standards should provide a value added to programs and teachers, not an added layer of bureaucracy.   We really need to convince teachers that using these broad guidelines is going to make their lives easier, not harder.   3)  We need to continually monitor the implementation of standards to see what is really going on in the classroom.  4) Implementation, especially in a state like Texas, should be flexible and dependent on local conditions.   So while I'm in favor of encouraging programs to use content standards ( mandate may be too strong a word), I'm in favor of giving local programs wide latitude in terms of how they are going to be implemented.  So being labeled "a leader in the standardization process" stings a little, but that's OK.

Of course, Standards-in-Action was a year-long pilot program designed to learn what might work in Texas, not to replicate the pilot statewide.  And some of the things we did learn will help to make standards implementation more realistic.  In my report evaluating the SIA pilot (which I will be happy to send to you) I recommend that the "unpacking tool" you allude to in your post be used in a limited way, perhaps as a remedial activity for teachers who might need help with a particular area of instruction.  Local programs should decide whether or not it worth their while to use a particular standards activity.

Texas is still working out the standards implementation process, and all stakeholders should contribute to the process of shaping its future. Let's keep the conversation going.

All the best,

Eduardo Honold

Far West Project GREAT Coordinator

(915) 937-1703

fax: (915) 937-1795

SISD Community Services

313 S. Rio Vista Rd.

El Paso, TX 79927

www.farwestgreat.org

________________________________
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David Heath
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 3:22 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1003] Re: Resistance to Change and Texas' approach toovercoming "standards aversion"

Hello Federico and All,

I have appreciated the many comments concerning the difficulty and the complexity of accommodating change.  It has been a beneficial reminder as to why we resist so strongly.  The entire subject is so complex that a forum like a listserv discussion can hardly scratch the surface of the many issues surrounding what might be legitimate disagreement and resistance to programmatic policy mandates of any kind, and particularly resistance to content standards.

I am seriously concerned, for many reasons, about the possibility of a mandate in regards to the Texas Adult Education Content Standards and Benchmarks.  I will address only one concern for now: unrealistic expectations and what I see as misplaced idealism.  My comments are restricted to Texas and to ESOL as this is what I know.

I believe we are doing the field an injustice, and certainly our teachers and students, if we do not speak plainly and forthrightly.  The content standards are curriculum, if only a piece of curriculum.  And the standards and benchmarks are certainly standardized if following a rule or protocol is standardization.

Here are some recalcitrant facts.  I am speaking of Texas adult education here, but I would think there are commonalities across states.

 *   Of 2,235 AE teachers in Texas, only 188 are full time
 *   Only a fraction of ESOL instructors have degrees in language acquisition theory
 *   A significant majority of new ESOL instructors have no prior ESOL training of any kind
 *   Only a small portion of ESOL teachers receive any significant planning time
 *   Many teachers have second jobs
 *   Many have compelling life interests that demand their time (one reason they seek employment in our field)
 *   Many want instructional and curriculum tools that are ready-made and do not require a great deal of investment of time they feel they do not have
 *   The average ESOL student in Texas attends fewer than 100 class hours a year (This is true across the nation I believe.)
 *   In Texas, only 50% or so complete an instructional level
 *   Students come and go, attending then "stopping out" then returning
 *   Many of our ESOL students have limited academic backgrounds and have never experienced an educational environment like they discover in adult education
These facts are serious and relevant to our discussion because they tell us a great deal about what is possible and what is necessary.

One example: Just to "train" my existing staff in content standards required a six hour training provided by a skilled presenter in the Texas Adult Education Content Standards and Benchmarks, then 10 more hours of follow-up to unpack and critically consider exactly what the standards and benchmarks were expecting students to know and do and ESOL instructors to understand.  Then, we had to consider, as a program, exactly how we were willing to take on this new "standard".  All of this takes time...time...time...

Now, I have a new teacher.  Although he is bright and creative, he has never had training in content standards, portfolios, credentialing, adult education theory, learning disabilities, language acquisition theory, program operations, or ESOL instructional materials.  Well, you get the point I hope.

Here is how Eduardo Honold, a leader in the standardization process, describes the "unpacking" of the Texas content standards and the demands required to "do it right".
Effective Standards-Based Education for Adults:
The Standards-in-Action Pilot in Texas
by Eduardo Honold

..."Ten teachers in Socorro ISD and 15 teachers in Harris County Department of Education participated in a year-long effort to implement the new Texas content standards by using several "tools" provided by the SIA national consultants. The philosophy of this pilot is that teachers must first work collaboratively within their programs to understand what the new standards and benchmarks actually require students to know and do and then, determine how to teach from those benchmarks. The goal of the pilot is to provide adult education programs in Texas with ideas on how to deepen teachers' understanding of the new standards.

...After stripping the benchmark to its essence, teachers determine the level of thinking required by the benchmark based on the revised Bloom's taxonomy (Forehand, 2005). By "unpacking" the benchmark in this manner, teachers are ready to develop sample classroom activities that illustrate the requirement of the standard and are appropriate for students in a particular level."

My questions would be:

1.      Is there compelling evidence that it needs to be done?

2.      And if so, are we going to do it right?

3.      Are we going to be honest and transparent about what it will take?

4.      Is our field structured and funded in such a way as it is doable?

If the answers to these questions are positive, then I am on board.  If not, I am a resistor.

David Heath

ESOL Coordinator

Odessa College

________________________________
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Federico Salas
Sent: Monday, June 16, 2008 10:37 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov; David J. Rosen
Subject: [SpecialTopics 989] Resistance to Change and Texas' approach toovercoming "standards aversion"

I have just posted the Texas experience with content standards implementation.  Now, however, I want to jump in on the discussion addressing the issue of resistance to implementation and resistance to change.  Before I do, however, I want to say hi to my friend Paul Jurmo.  Long time no see, Paul.

The question is the source of the resistance to the adoption and/or implementation of standards.  I cannot hope to answer that question here, but I can share some of the resistance that we faced in Texas and some of the comments we have heard over the now four years since we started the standards process.

I would like to share some history that is very relevant to the question Paul asks and that actually sheds light on the process of overcoming that resistance and addressing change.  Paul mentions that "some might feel that standards are something rigid and irrelevant or too cumbersome. We have seen some of this attitude along with concerns by some that the standards are something imposed "in addition to everything we already do."

Bill's observes that resistance to change sometimes is about "trust and intention" while dealing with strategic planning.  In Texas we had a difficult and, at times, contentious experience with the process of adopting standards.  There was a first iteration of the adoption when, under a different administration of the office of adult education, we experienced a process that was, as Bill puts it, "estranged from (and less accepted by) the grass roots."  In the early 2000s, standards from another state were imposed on all of us in Texas by a shortsighted administration without input, with little buy-in, and with virtually no opportunity to pilot them or to make necessary adaptations to suit our population or our needs.  Local administrators (our state director, Joanie Rethlake, and I were both such local program directors) were told that we needed to have 100% of our teachers trained to implement the standards by the end of that fiscal year or our grants would be in jeopardy.  Talk about "trust and intention."  To be sure, some programs saw this as an opportunity to adopt a much needed content framework and dived head on into the process making the standards their own and developing their own checklists and other means of implementing them which had not been offered by the state.  Other programs felt overwhelmed, didn't like the standards, didn't feel they would work, and saw them as "rigid and irrelevant."  Many tried their best to understand the situation they were facing and invested a lot of time and resources -along with emotion and stress-to make the standards work.  Yet, by the end of the fiscal year, when it was apparent that as much as everyone tried many teachers had not been trained, the state office announced the standards would not be adopted after all.  If programs wanted them they could use them; if they didn't they were free to do without them.  The process had been costly, time consuming, and frustrating.

Fast forward one year, and in 2003 Texas LEARNS came into existence and a completely new leadership was breathing new life into the adult education program in Texas.  One of our first priorities was to address the issue of the adoption of content standards.  Our initial idea was to continue what the former administration had started but to add some Texas flavor, engaging some programs in piloting the standards to give them a sense of ownership of any edits.  At our first meeting we were not prepared for the level of emotion, of resistance, of outright hostility that the idea was about to generate.  The issue of our intentions and the trust of the field was now on the table for us to tackle.

Our decision was then, with the help and leadership of the Texas Center for the Advancement of Literacy and Learning (TCALL) to go back to the field and conduct a number of focus groups with instructors and with students; in fact more students than instructors from all over the state participated in the focus groups.  After analyzing the feedback from these groups, Texas decided to scrap our plans and start anew.  As I have said in my other posting earlier tonight, we adopted five of the EFF standards because they closely matched what the focus groups were telling us.

We then proceeded to involve teachers and local program administrators in the process of writing benchmarks.  Standards Writers had to apply or be nominated, and they were selected by committee to participate in the process. Writing the benchmarks and agreeing on the appropriate level and examples took nearly two years of meetings and a lot of give and take, but the result was a document which teachers considered their own.  During this process, the state office and the standards project kept local programs, teachers and administrators abreast of developments.

Then came time to pilot the standards; we had two pilots one conducted by many of the teachers who had written the benchmarks.  We wanted these writers to pilot the materials because they were closer to their development.  The second pilot was an expanded pilot which came after the changes which resulted from analyzing the feedback from the first pilot.

In June 2007 came time for the official launch and nearly 700 people from all adult education and EL Civics programs in the state registered for the three day conference.

After the launch, a group of the standards writers volunteered to be trained by external consultants to become "Standards Specialists."  These specialists became the trainers helping us provide expert professional development that was "close to the source" of the standards.

Why do I tell you step by step what happened in the process?  I think that one of the keys to overcoming the initial resistance was our willingness to invest in a process that would take time but would involve all stakeholders:  students, teachers, administrators, and expert consultants.

The documents were written by the people who will use them with feedback from their students.  Involving 100 students in the process indicates a true commitment to listen to their voices; we were not simply paying lip service to student participation.  The standards were then piloted and re-worked immediately based on feedback.  This showed we were listening. We then involved a large number of teachers in the second pilot.  Finally, the project provided training to volunteer standards specialists to become trainers of their colleagues. All throughout, the process stayed very close to the field.  The bottom line is we tried to enable a bottom up process to ensure buy-in.  Even administrators who were afraid to embrace the document have slowly come to see the new document as something worth giving a try.  While full implementation will take a long time, by addressing the fundamental objections teachers and programs had with the earlier experience the leadership of Texas LEARNS and TAESP were able to get significant buy-in from the field.

federico

Federico Salas-Isnardi, Assistant State Director

Texas LEARNS

6005 Westview Dr.

Houston, TX 77055

Direct: 713-696-0719

Toll Free: 866-696-4233

Fax: 713-696-0797

The State Office of Adult Education and Family Literacy
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From garinderknecht at dmacc.edu  Thu Jun 19 12:13:43 2008
From: garinderknecht at dmacc.edu (Rinderknecht, Gail A.)
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:13:43 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1018] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
	more answers, more discussion-TM
References: <F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B809F@ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu><B24445F65F964B4D8784C427691352A0016F6DC5@SOM-TEAQASMAIL2.som.w2k.state.me.us>
	<485A1BBB.4553.009D.0@caspercollege.edu>
Message-ID: <F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B80A2@ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>

We use TABE to determine the 6.0 grade level for the Dept. of Corrections.  It's quick, easy and non-threatening.

The CASAS is required by the State Department of Education.  No one seems to know the rationale for requiring the students to take the CASAS after completing their GED.  It's one of those mandated things that happens when the State is instituting "Standards".  None of the GED teachers that I know of like the idea, but at the same time we are required to re-CASAS.  I suppose it is supposed to show growth in the reading and math, but as I said before, most of the men do not see a reason to try very hard on this test and just view it as another hoop that they are required to jump through.  

Gail Rinderknecht
garinderknecht at dmacc.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Kelsee Miller
Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 9:41 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1013]   Re: Content Standards: More questions,more answers, more discussion-TM
 
Question for Gail: Why does your state use both the TABE and CASAS? What is the rationale for testing CASAS again after the GED?

I have found this discussion very insightful!
Thank you,
Kelsee

Kelsee Miller
Casper College
Adult Basic Education/GED Instructor
125 College Dr. 
Casper, WY 82601
307-268-2895
307-268-2230

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to garinderknecht at dmacc.edu

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From nancy.markus at gmail.com  Thu Jun 19 12:20:36 2008
From: nancy.markus at gmail.com (Nancy Markus)
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:20:36 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1019] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
	more answers, more discussion-TM
In-Reply-To: <F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B80A2@ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>
References: <F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B809F@ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>
	<B24445F65F964B4D8784C427691352A0016F6DC5@SOM-TEAQASMAIL2.som.w2k.state.me.us>
	<485A1BBB.4553.009D.0@caspercollege.edu>
	<F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B80A2@ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>
Message-ID: <883cafd90806190920h4dfec684u6dfcf28260a86a77@mail.gmail.com>

Why not contact your state leadership and ask why the CASAS is required?  If
it really is irrelevant then advocate for change.

Nancy

On 6/19/08, Rinderknecht, Gail A. <garinderknecht at dmacc.edu> wrote:
>
> We use TABE to determine the 6.0 grade level for the Dept. of
> Corrections.  It's quick, easy and non-threatening.
>
> The CASAS is required by the State Department of Education.  No one seems
> to know the rationale for requiring the students to take the CASAS after
> completing their GED.  It's one of those mandated things that happens when
> the State is instituting "Standards".  None of the GED teachers that I know
> of like the idea, but at the same time we are required to re-CASAS.  I
> suppose it is supposed to show growth in the reading and math, but as I said
> before, most of the men do not see a reason to try very hard on this test
> and just view it as another hoop that they are required to jump through.
>
> Gail Rinderknecht
> garinderknecht at dmacc.edu
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Kelsee Miller
> Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 9:41 AM
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 1013]   Re: Content Standards: More questions,more
> answers, more discussion-TM
>
> Question for Gail: Why does your state use both the TABE and CASAS? What is
> the rationale for testing CASAS again after the GED?
>
> I have found this discussion very insightful!
> Thank you,
> Kelsee
>
>
>
> Kelsee Miller
> Casper College
> Adult Basic Education/GED Instructor
> 125 College Dr.
> Casper, WY 82601
> 307-268-2895
> 307-268-2230
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to garinderknecht at dmacc.edu
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to nancy.markus at gmail.com
>
>
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From fsalas at hcde-texas.org  Thu Jun 19 12:30:49 2008
From: fsalas at hcde-texas.org (Federico Salas)
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:30:49 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1020] Re: Resistance to Change and Texas' approach
	to overcoming "standards aversion"
In-Reply-To: <B784D5A61F1014429B809F3E8BDDD3520B8C2CC1@mail2.admin.sisd.k12>
Message-ID: <E43278D67408F248838A1BDB754306050C625184@EV-SERVER.hcdemain.hcde.loc>

Thank you, Eduardo for your comments in this discussion. This is what I
wanted when I invited the field to comment and participate.  Your
message reminded me that I should say to all that some of my comments,
such as my strong opposition to standardized testing, are personal
opinion and not official policy of Texas LEARNS or the Texas Education
Agency.  

 

federico 

Federico Salas-Isnardi, Assistant State Director 
Texas LEARNS 
6005 Westview Dr. 
Houston, TX 77055 
Direct: 713-696-0719 
Toll Free: 866-696-4233 
Fax: 713-696-0797 
  
The State Office of Adult Education and Family Literacy 

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Eduardo Honold
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 10:26 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1017] Re: Resistance to Change and Texas'
approach toovercoming "standards aversion"

 

Dear David,

 

Your post raises many interesting questions about the implementation of
content standards in a large and diverse state such as Texas.  I share
many of your concerns about some of the challenges that are involved in
implementing standards and about the long-term effect of using standards
on local programs.   One of the reasons for participating in the
Standards-in-Action pilot program was to explore the issues of
implementation before going to scale.  In working with programs in
Houston and El Paso, we learned much about what works and doesn't work
with teachers.    Many of the "recalcitrant facts" about adult education
you describe are true, but they may also be the reason for using content
standards in the first place.  In my limited experience in this pilot, I
found that often it was the part-time teachers who were happy to have
some kind of guideline regarding the content they could be teaching at a
particular level of instruction.  It is often the new teacher who has
little experience with adult education who used the content standards as
a guideline.  Many of the more experienced and full time teachers saw
less of a benefit in using the standards.  My own philosophy (which may
not reflect official policy)  is that 1)  Standards should do no harm.
If programs are performing effectively with their own curricular
guidelines, then they should be left alone.  Now, if programs are
struggling, content standards could be one of the elements to consider
in a program improvement plan  2) A corollary to this principle is that
content standards should provide a value added to programs and teachers,
not an added layer of bureaucracy.   We really need to convince teachers
that using these broad guidelines is going to make their lives easier,
not harder.   3)  We need to continually monitor the implementation of
standards to see what is really going on in the classroom.  4)
Implementation, especially in a state like Texas, should be flexible and
dependent on local conditions.   So while I'm in favor of encouraging
programs to use content standards ( mandate may be too strong a word),
I'm in favor of giving local programs wide latitude in terms of how they
are going to be implemented.  So being labeled "a leader in the
standardization process" stings a little, but that's OK.

 

Of course, Standards-in-Action was a year-long pilot program designed to
learn what might work in Texas, not to replicate the pilot statewide.
And some of the things we did learn will help to make standards
implementation more realistic.  In my report evaluating the SIA pilot
(which I will be happy to send to you) I recommend that the "unpacking
tool" you allude to in your post be used in a limited way, perhaps as a
remedial activity for teachers who might need help with a particular
area of instruction.  Local programs should decide whether or not it
worth their while to use a particular standards activity.

 

Texas is still working out the standards implementation process, and all
stakeholders should contribute to the process of shaping its future.
Let's keep the conversation going.

 

All the best,

 

Eduardo Honold

Far West Project GREAT Coordinator

(915) 937-1703  

fax: (915) 937-1795

SISD Community Services

313 S. Rio Vista Rd.

El Paso, TX 79927

www.farwestgreat.org

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David Heath
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 3:22 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1003] Re: Resistance to Change and Texas'
approach toovercoming "standards aversion"

 

Hello Federico and All,

 

I have appreciated the many comments concerning the difficulty and the
complexity of accommodating change.  It has been a beneficial reminder
as to why we resist so strongly.  The entire subject is so complex that
a forum like a listserv discussion can hardly scratch the surface of the
many issues surrounding what might be legitimate disagreement and
resistance to programmatic policy mandates of any kind, and particularly
resistance to content standards. 

 

I am seriously concerned, for many reasons, about the possibility of a
mandate in regards to the Texas Adult Education Content Standards and
Benchmarks.  I will address only one concern for now: unrealistic
expectations and what I see as misplaced idealism.  My comments are
restricted to Texas and to ESOL as this is what I know.

 

I believe we are doing the field an injustice, and certainly our
teachers and students, if we do not speak plainly and forthrightly.  The
content standards are curriculum, if only a piece of curriculum.  And
the standards and benchmarks are certainly standardized if following a
rule or protocol is standardization.  

 

Here are some recalcitrant facts.  I am speaking of Texas adult
education here, but I would think there are commonalities across states.

 

*	Of 2,235 AE teachers in Texas, only 188 are full time
*	Only a fraction of ESOL instructors have degrees in language
acquisition theory 
*	A significant majority of new ESOL instructors have no prior
ESOL training of any kind 
*	Only a small portion of ESOL teachers receive any significant
planning time
*	Many teachers have second jobs
*	Many have compelling life interests that demand their time (one
reason they seek employment in our field)
*	Many want instructional and curriculum tools that are ready-made
and do not require a great deal of investment of time they feel they do
not have
*	The average ESOL student in Texas attends fewer than 100 class
hours a year (This is true across the nation I believe.)
*	In Texas, only 50% or so complete an instructional level
*	Students come and go, attending then "stopping out" then
returning
*	Many of our ESOL students have limited academic backgrounds and
have never experienced an educational environment like they discover in
adult education

These facts are serious and relevant to our discussion because they tell
us a great deal about what is possible and what is necessary.  

 

One example: Just to "train" my existing staff in content standards
required a six hour training provided by a skilled presenter in the
Texas Adult Education Content Standards and Benchmarks, then 10 more
hours of follow-up to unpack and critically consider exactly what the
standards and benchmarks were expecting students to know and do and ESOL
instructors to understand.  Then, we had to consider, as a program,
exactly how we were willing to take on this new "standard".  All of this
takes time...time...time...

 

Now, I have a new teacher.  Although he is bright and creative, he has
never had training in content standards, portfolios, credentialing,
adult education theory, learning disabilities, language acquisition
theory, program operations, or ESOL instructional materials.  Well, you
get the point I hope.

 

Here is how Eduardo Honold, a leader in the standardization process,
describes the "unpacking" of the Texas content standards and the demands
required to "do it right". 

Effective Standards-Based Education for Adults:
The Standards-in-Action Pilot in Texas

by Eduardo Honold

..."Ten teachers in Socorro ISD and 15 teachers in Harris County
Department of Education participated in a year-long effort to implement
the new Texas content standards by using several "tools" provided by the
SIA national consultants. The philosophy of this pilot is that teachers
must first work collaboratively within their programs to understand what
the new standards and benchmarks actually require students to know and
do and then, determine how to teach from those benchmarks. The goal of
the pilot is to provide adult education programs in Texas with ideas on
how to deepen teachers' understanding of the new standards.

...After stripping the benchmark to its essence, teachers determine the
level of thinking required by the benchmark based on the revised Bloom's
taxonomy (Forehand, 2005). By "unpacking" the benchmark in this manner,
teachers are ready to develop sample classroom activities that
illustrate the requirement of the standard and are appropriate for
students in a particular level." 

My questions would be:

1.      Is there compelling evidence that it needs to be done? 

2.      And if so, are we going to do it right?

3.      Are we going to be honest and transparent about what it will
take?

4.      Is our field structured and funded in such a way as it is
doable?

If the answers to these questions are positive, then I am on board.  If
not, I am a resistor.

David Heath

ESOL Coordinator

Odessa College

 

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Federico Salas
Sent: Monday, June 16, 2008 10:37 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov; David J. Rosen
Subject: [SpecialTopics 989] Resistance to Change and Texas' approach
toovercoming "standards aversion"

 

I have just posted the Texas experience with content standards
implementation.  Now, however, I want to jump in on the discussion
addressing the issue of resistance to implementation and resistance to
change.  Before I do, however, I want to say hi to my friend Paul Jurmo.
Long time no see, Paul.  

The question is the source of the resistance to the adoption and/or
implementation of standards.  I cannot hope to answer that question
here, but I can share some of the resistance that we faced in Texas and
some of the comments we have heard over the now four years since we
started the standards process.  

I would like to share some history that is very relevant to the question
Paul asks and that actually sheds light on the process of overcoming
that resistance and addressing change.  Paul mentions that "some might
feel that standards are something rigid and irrelevant or too
cumbersome. We have seen some of this attitude along with concerns by
some that the standards are something imposed "in addition to everything
we already do."  

Bill's observes that resistance to change sometimes is about "trust and
intention" while dealing with strategic planning.  In Texas we had a
difficult and, at times, contentious experience with the process of
adopting standards.  There was a first iteration of the adoption when,
under a different administration of the office of adult education, we
experienced a process that was, as Bill puts it, "estranged from (and
less accepted by) the grass roots."  In the early 2000s, standards from
another state were imposed on all of us in Texas by a shortsighted
administration without input, with little buy-in, and with virtually no
opportunity to pilot them or to make necessary adaptations to suit our
population or our needs.  Local administrators (our state director,
Joanie Rethlake, and I were both such local program directors) were told
that we needed to have 100% of our teachers trained to implement the
standards by the end of that fiscal year or our grants would be in
jeopardy.  Talk about "trust and intention."  To be sure, some programs
saw this as an opportunity to adopt a much needed content framework and
dived head on into the process making the standards their own and
developing their own checklists and other means of implementing them
which had not been offered by the state.  Other programs felt
overwhelmed, didn't like the standards, didn't feel they would work, and
saw them as "rigid and irrelevant."  Many tried their best to understand
the situation they were facing and invested a lot of time and resources
-along with emotion and stress-to make the standards work.  Yet, by the
end of the fiscal year, when it was apparent that as much as everyone
tried many teachers had not been trained, the state office announced the
standards would not be adopted after all.  If programs wanted them they
could use them; if they didn't they were free to do without them.  The
process had been costly, time consuming, and frustrating. 

 

Fast forward one year, and in 2003 Texas LEARNS came into existence and
a completely new leadership was breathing new life into the adult
education program in Texas.  One of our first priorities was to address
the issue of the adoption of content standards.  Our initial idea was to
continue what the former administration had started but to add some
Texas flavor, engaging some programs in piloting the standards to give
them a sense of ownership of any edits.  At our first meeting we were
not prepared for the level of emotion, of resistance, of outright
hostility that the idea was about to generate.  The issue of our
intentions and the trust of the field was now on the table for us to
tackle.  

Our decision was then, with the help and leadership of the Texas Center
for the Advancement of Literacy and Learning (TCALL) to go back to the
field and conduct a number of focus groups with instructors and with
students; in fact more students than instructors from all over the state
participated in the focus groups.  After analyzing the feedback from
these groups, Texas decided to scrap our plans and start anew.  As I
have said in my other posting earlier tonight, we adopted five of the
EFF standards because they closely matched what the focus groups were
telling us.  

We then proceeded to involve teachers and local program administrators
in the process of writing benchmarks.  Standards Writers had to apply or
be nominated, and they were selected by committee to participate in the
process. Writing the benchmarks and agreeing on the appropriate level
and examples took nearly two years of meetings and a lot of give and
take, but the result was a document which teachers considered their own.
During this process, the state office and the standards project kept
local programs, teachers and administrators abreast of developments.

Then came time to pilot the standards; we had two pilots one conducted
by many of the teachers who had written the benchmarks.  We wanted these
writers to pilot the materials because they were closer to their
development.  The second pilot was an expanded pilot which came after
the changes which resulted from analyzing the feedback from the first
pilot.  

In June 2007 came time for the official launch and nearly 700 people
from all adult education and EL Civics programs in the state registered
for the three day conference.  

After the launch, a group of the standards writers volunteered to be
trained by external consultants to become "Standards Specialists."
These specialists became the trainers helping us provide expert
professional development that was "close to the source" of the
standards.  

Why do I tell you step by step what happened in the process?  I think
that one of the keys to overcoming the initial resistance was our
willingness to invest in a process that would take time but would
involve all stakeholders:  students, teachers, administrators, and
expert consultants. 

The documents were written by the people who will use them with feedback
from their students.  Involving 100 students in the process indicates a
true commitment to listen to their voices; we were not simply paying lip
service to student participation.  The standards were then piloted and
re-worked immediately based on feedback.  This showed we were listening.
We then involved a large number of teachers in the second pilot.
Finally, the project provided training to volunteer standards
specialists to become trainers of their colleagues. All throughout, the
process stayed very close to the field.  The bottom line is we tried to
enable a bottom up process to ensure buy-in.  Even administrators who
were afraid to embrace the document have slowly come to see the new
document as something worth giving a try.  While full implementation
will take a long time, by addressing the fundamental objections teachers
and programs had with the earlier experience the leadership of Texas
LEARNS and TAESP were able to get significant buy-in from the field.  

 

federico

Federico Salas-Isnardi, Assistant State Director

Texas LEARNS

6005 Westview Dr.

Houston, TX 77055

Direct: 713-696-0719

Toll Free: 866-696-4233

Fax: 713-696-0797

 

The State Office of Adult Education and Family Literacy

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From garinderknecht at dmacc.edu  Thu Jun 19 12:40:44 2008
From: garinderknecht at dmacc.edu (Rinderknecht, Gail A.)
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:40:44 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1021] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
	more answers, more discussion-TM
References: <F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B809F@ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu><B24445F65F964B4D8784C427691352A0016F6DC5@SOM-TEAQASMAIL2.som.w2k.state.me.us><485A1BBB.4553.009D.0@caspercollege.edu><F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B80A2@ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>
	<883cafd90806190920h4dfec684u6dfcf28260a86a77@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B80A3@ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>

We are in the process of doing just that.  Evidently "they" do not think it is irrelevant.  They want it for statistical purposes to show growth when the GED is completed.

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Nancy Markus
Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 11:20 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1019] Re: Content Standards: More questions,more answers, more discussion-TM
 
Why not contact your state leadership and ask why the CASAS is required?  If
it really is irrelevant then advocate for change.

Nancy

On 6/19/08, Rinderknecht, Gail A. <garinderknecht at dmacc.edu> wrote:
>
> We use TABE to determine the 6.0 grade level for the Dept. of
> Corrections.  It's quick, easy and non-threatening.
>
> The CASAS is required by the State Department of Education.  No one seems
> to know the rationale for requiring the students to take the CASAS after
> completing their GED.  It's one of those mandated things that happens when
> the State is instituting "Standards".  None of the GED teachers that I know
> of like the idea, but at the same time we are required to re-CASAS.  I
> suppose it is supposed to show growth in the reading and math, but as I said
> before, most of the men do not see a reason to try very hard on this test
> and just view it as another hoop that they are required to jump through.
>
> Gail Rinderknecht
> garinderknecht at dmacc.edu
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Kelsee Miller
> Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 9:41 AM
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 1013]   Re: Content Standards: More questions,more
> answers, more discussion-TM
>
> Question for Gail: Why does your state use both the TABE and CASAS? What is
> the rationale for testing CASAS again after the GED?
>
> I have found this discussion very insightful!
> Thank you,
> Kelsee
>
>
>
> Kelsee Miller
> Casper College
> Adult Basic Education/GED Instructor
> 125 College Dr.
> Casper, WY 82601
> 307-268-2895
> 307-268-2230
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to garinderknecht at dmacc.edu
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to nancy.markus at gmail.com
>
>

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From Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org  Thu Jun 19 12:37:21 2008
From: Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org (Anderson, Philip)
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:37:21 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1022] Standards - Response to Questions by Allan
	French
Message-ID: <96E135649F1AD048AA6FF8CBC598C23E18E1E761@MAIL1.FLDOE.INT>

This is a response from Phil Anderson, Florida DOE Adult Education
Program Specialist to the questions posed by Allan French, ESL
Instructor, Assessment Coordinator, Norming Project Coordinator at South
Seattle Community College:

 

This statement made by Allan resonates strongly:  "The new state
standards were brought into the project to inform and suggest
(especially in terms of language), not to limit and control."  This is
the intention of Florida's standards as well.

 

Allan's questions:  "I see standards as not just a guideline for a
lesson, but a destination (after all, they define what we expect our
students to know and be able to do as they exit a particular level).  I
am concerned with how we get to that destination, especially given the
multitude of standards and indicators, the need for multiple types of
assessment, and the time limitations.  So I would like to ask all of you
out there who have worked some time with standards, (1) how do you
determine that a student is ready for the next level of an integrated
ESL class, using standards? 

 

Florida has several adult ESOL courses that are funded only with state
dollars, and are not reported to the NRS.  Literacy Skills for the Adult
ESOL Learner is one of these. In 1999-2000, this course was developed by
a group of adult ESOL experts that included a University of Florida
researcher in adult ESOL literacy, Dr. Edwidge Crevecoeur-Bryant,
consultants with years of adult education experience in Florida,
teachers, and Dr. Edwina Hoffman, a Miami-Dade program administrator of
refugee programs.  This course is designed for students that have low
levels of education and literacy in their home language(s).  Most
students are Haitian, or from various language groups in Mexico and
Central America, such as Mixteco, Tarasco, Quechua, and Kanjobal.  This
course has been put through implementation and revision stages in
several schools around the state, and it has been tweaked almost yearly
since its inception.  It has a set of benchmarks that are divided into
three levels, A, B, C.  Last year, the state database shows that 13,794
students were enrolled in this course.  We developed a "User Guide" for
this course to explain to teachers how it is used and suggestions on how
to teach the course.  Documents related to this course can be found on
the Florida Adult Education website,
http://www.fldoe.org/workforce/adult_ed.asp. 

 

(2) How do you determine what constitutes satisfactory performance of
any one standard/indicator, and that such performance has in fact been
achieved? 

For the present, the only method the state prescribes is that the
teacher of the course and the program administrator must sign off on a
state-created "Progress Report" that indicates the student has
"satisfactorily" mastered the benchmarks shown in the Progress in the
standards.  What is deemed "satisfactory" is left up to those two
persons, the teacher and the program administrator.  The state expects
local programs to establish a written procedure for how the teachers
will determine progress, i.e., portfolio, teacher-designed tests,
textbook tests, worksheet samples, documentation of group projects, etc.
After the teacher and administrator sign off on the student's Progress
Report, the program sends notification to the state that the student
mastered the standards.  The state then records this in its database and
assigns payment to the program accordingly.  The local program is
required to retain the records showing documentation of the progress
report for auditing purposes.  The state sends out monitors to all
programs to check on the documentation of the progress reports.  Since
the Florida legislature funds this course through its adult education
funding, the FL DOE, for now, uses this method of holding the program to
a certain level of accountability.  

 

(3) How do you create the assessment tools to evaluate said performance?

The state is in the process of exploring the development of a
standardized procedure/assessment that can give us a reliable and valid
way of measuring progress on the course standards.  Hopefully within the
next two years, this standardized procedure/assessment will be ready for
use. 

 

(4) Can you cover all standards/indicators for the level in a single
quarter or how much time is needed?  Another way of asking this is how
do you grapple with the, at times, mind-boggling complexity of all that
we are endeavoring to do.

Since the standards are "to inform and to suggest," teachers are not
expected to cover 100% of the standards within an instructional period
of time, but to judiciously select those that are relevant.  Maxine
McCormick, a Florida trainer, often exhorts us, "Take your students to
MMU!  Teach them what is meaningful, memorable and useful!"   Several
Florida programs are piloting short terms of 8 weeks in a "managed
enrollment" system with some of their classes.  In these classes,
students are assigned to a class by level, the class is "closed" after
the second week, and kept at 25 students maximum.  The first week is
assigned to orientation topics (how to study, what the students want to
cover in the course from a list of suggested topics from the standards,
the teacher's methods), and the last week is assigned to testing.  No
teacher can teach all the benchmarks in 8 weeks, but the intention of
the "managed enrollment" classes is to meet the needs of students who
desire to achieve competency in work and life skill areas more
efficiently and effectively that in the "open entry - open exit"
classes.  So far, evaluations of these classes is showing that students
and teachers are satisfied with the results.  The project in Miami Dade
School District is called "Intensive English Academies" and can be
reviewed at the Florida Adult ESOL task force website,
www.floridaadultesol.org <http://www.floridaadultesol.org/> .  Look for
the pencil under "New Initiatives."

 

 

CONTACT INFORMATION

Philip Anderson

Adult ESOL Program Specialist

Division of Workforce Education

Florida Department of Education

325 W. Gaines Street, Room 644

Tallahassee, FL  32399

Tel (850) 245-9450

Fax (850) 245-0995
 

Please take a few minutes to provide feedback on the quality of service you received from our staff. The Department of Education values your feedback as a customer. Commissioner of Education Dr. Eric J. Smith is committed to continuously assessing and improving the level and quality of services provided to you.Simply use the link below.  Thank you in advance for completing the survey.
 

http://data.fldoe.org/cs/default.cfm?staff=Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org|12:37:22%20Thu%2019%20Jun%202008
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From Linnell.L.Rantapaa at doc.state.or.us  Thu Jun 19 12:53:05 2008
From: Linnell.L.Rantapaa at doc.state.or.us (Rantapaa Linnell L)
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:53:05 -0700
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1023] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
	more answers, more discussion-TM
In-Reply-To: <F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B80A2@ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>
Message-ID: <286FDFA48BE5AF4CA0641A8AE10A9B047044B8@docmail4.ds.doc.state.or.us>

CASAS postesting was required after the Feds via the Title II National
Reporting System did not allow an official GED test to proxy for a
posttest to measure skill level gains.  Progress on the NRS "Educational
Gain" performance must be measureed by a pre and posttest of the same
type. If GED completers are not posttested they have no "opportunity" to
demonstrate progress on this performance measure.  In Oregon, we have
the same difficulties getting valid posttest results from those who have
already completed the GED.  We try to catch them before they take their
last GED test, but it's a struggle.  

Linnell
Phone: 503-934-1006
Fax: 503-378-5815

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Rinderknecht, Gail
A.
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 9:14 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 1013] Re: Content Standards: More
questions,more answers, more discussion-TM

We use TABE to determine the 6.0 grade level for the Dept. of
Corrections.  It's quick, easy and non-threatening.

The CASAS is required by the State Department of Education.  No one
seems to know the rationale for requiring the students to take the CASAS
after completing their GED.  It's one of those mandated things that
happens when the State is instituting "Standards".  None of the GED
teachers that I know of like the idea, but at the same time we are
required to re-CASAS.  I suppose it is supposed to show growth in the
reading and math, but as I said before, most of the men do not see a
reason to try very hard on this test and just view it as another hoop
that they are required to jump through.  

Gail Rinderknecht
garinderknecht at dmacc.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Kelsee Miller
Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 9:41 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1013]   Re: Content Standards: More
questions,more answers, more discussion-TM
 
Question for Gail: Why does your state use both the TABE and CASAS? What
is the rationale for testing CASAS again after the GED?

I have found this discussion very insightful!
Thank you,
Kelsee

Kelsee Miller
Casper College
Adult Basic Education/GED Instructor
125 College Dr. 
Casper, WY 82601
307-268-2895
307-268-2230

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to garinderknecht at dmacc.edu

From garinderknecht at dmacc.edu  Thu Jun 19 13:22:30 2008
From: garinderknecht at dmacc.edu (Rinderknecht, Gail A.)
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:22:30 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1024] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
	more answers, more discussion
References: <E43278D67408F248838A1BDB754306050C624F31@EV-SERVER.hcdemain.hcde.loc>
Message-ID: <F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B80A4@ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>

You decry the use of rewards, but for kids to take a test seriously, they need a reward.  In regular classes, the reward is a grade.  They often need something tangible to strive for other than the test score.  Standardized tests do not provide a reward for someone who is not internally motivated.  Even if the reward is "real pizza" for lunch instead of the school pizza or passes to the local movie theater, it may be enough to motivate some students to take the test more seriously than they otherwise would have.

Gail

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Federico Salas
Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 9:02 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1010] Re: Content Standards: More questions,more answers, more discussion
 
To me the obvious problem with rewarding results on the test is that you
are teaching test taking skills.  Then the standard is determined by the
test, not by your instructional content standards as determined by
students and colleagues.  Students may have a phenomenal passing rate on
the test but be completely unable to actually use their skills and  in a
practical application at work or as tap their knowledge  base as a
springboard to learn more at college or the university.  Then programs
that "offer rewards for improved test scores" have improved test scores
but have they improved the proficiency of those test takers in their
ability to succeed in life?  I am afraid not.  That is one of the most
insidious problems of public education today.  Schools are ranked and
rewarded on the performance of their students on standardized tests but
nobody pays attention to whether the students have really learned their
materials or simply learned to ace a test.  I believe the issue is with
making the standardized test the focus of education.  If we focused on
the content standards for instruction instead our success rate would
over time improve. 

To me, focusing on the test is warranted only when the student has
obtained sufficient command of the skills and knowledge and a few weeks
before the test you pay attention to the form of the test, test
strategies, etc.  But to devote your adult education program to the test
skills rather than teach with a carefully considered set of academic and
work related standards is a true disservice to our students.

You should know I am an avowed enemy of standardized tests; I don't
understand them, I don't like them, and I don't believe the scores tell
us much about a student.  I also don't believe we are going to fix any
of the problems in education if we continue focusing on "the test"
instead of teaching.  Of course I went through my whole elementary,
secondary, and a couple of years of university work in two other
countries without ever once facing a standardized test.  Tests of my
ability to explain scientific facts, yes; tests of my ability to relate
knowledge from one field to knowledge from another, yes.  Tests that
asked me to look for evidence in XX century culture of events that
happened in the renaissance, yes.  But standardized tests? The first
standardized test I ever took was the TOEFL to come to this country. But
that's another story...

federico

Federico Salas-Isnardi, Assistant State Director
Texas LEARNS
6005 Westview Dr.
Houston, TX 77055
Direct: 713-696-0719
Toll Free: 866-696-4233
Fax: 713-696-0797
 
The State Office of Adult Education and Family Literacy
-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Rinderknecht, Gail
A.
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 7:56 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 996] Content Standards: More questions, more
answers,more discussion

So I knew I shouldn't have started writing in response to this topic
because I have such strong opinions about the matter.  

Iowa has instituted standards and benchmarks in the public schools and
tests the daylights out of the students.  Personally, I believe that the
success of the test often relies on the attitude of the teacher giving
the test.  I can see this in the high school where I used to teach when
I volunteer to read high school essays in the summer to evaluate
reading.  The teachers whom I know emphasize the importance of the test
have much better results than the teacher who says, "Hey, we have to do
this.  I don't like it. You don't like it, Your parents don't like it.
Just do it and get it over with."  Schools that offer rewards for
improved test scores have improved test scores.  There are many
variables when doing any kind of standardized testing to "evaluate
teaching results".  And as far as getting the federal government
involved in adult literacy, please, no.  Talk to any special education
teacher ( me included) to find out about the results of federal mandates
in education.  IEP's went from a simple three or four page document to
over 12 pages listing standards and benchmarks that were to be worked on
for each student.  If I had 20 students on my roster, most of whom I
never saw but for whose educational programs I was still responsible,
then I had 20 IEP's with massive amounts of bi-monthly or weekly testing
to determine if progress was being made.  Charts had to be kept up on
each goal, and I had very little time to teach let alone get to know my
students.  Several times I introduced myself to a student at his IEP
meeting because he was not available when I had a planning time.  When
it got to the point where a graduation goal was deemed inappropriate and
secondary to meeting the standards and benchmarks, I knew it was time
for me to get out of special education in a high school.

But that's beside the point, you might say; however, it isn't because at
the prison I currently have at least 50 students.  If I had to show
growth along prescribed standards and benchmarks, then I would be back
to nothing but paperwork.  Oh, you should know, that I keep a running
informal individual education plan for each of my men.  I have to for me
as well as for them; otherwise I would forget who was doing what in
which book.  

All I'm saying is, about the time you have mandated standards from the
federal government, then you're going to have to prove that you're
meeting those standards.  The fact that the men I work with in prison
pass their tests would have little to do with it.   (Oh, and my 96%
passing rate probably has something to do with my "captive" audience who
are clean, well-fed, well-rested and required to be in class.)  I take
very little credit for their success.  I am there;  they have the GED
prep workbooks from several different companies.  I give assignments,
and they work independently and ask questions when they have them.  They
are in a safe, non-threatening atmosphere which for some of them is a
first.

Back to testing.  We TABE all offenders upon arrival to get a general
reading level.  Then we give CASAS reading and math tests to establish
deficits.  Every six months each man who has been in education classes
is required to re-take the CASAS.  When a man completes his GED, the
State also requires us to CASAS him again.  Usually the poor guy has
been through the CASAS so many times and is so happy to have his GED
that he scores his lowest scores on his last CASAS test.  This, of
course, reflects poorly on me as a teacher.  I can motivate a student to
complete his GED, but I cannot motivate him to try his hardest on a test
that essentially means nothing to him.  Oh, and if he is released before
he has completed his GED, which happens a lot, I have to CASAS him
before he leaves.  And believe me, a man who is on his way home is not
likely to try too hard on a test when all he can think about his
home-cooked meals and the family and friends waiting for him.

And we were also discussing planning time.  I plan on the run.  I walk
around the room and look over shoulders and if someone is struggling,
then perhaps a different book or some one-on-one time is warranted.  I
might have 50 men to teach, but my room only has chairs for 15, so it's
a constantly rotating group of guys from noon until 8 pm. Most of the
men have jobs either within the prison or off-grounds, so I need to be
there to catch them when they're available.  At the medium security site
where I work from noon til 3 pm, class times are assigned.  At the
minimum security site, I maintain a welcome mat approach:  come when
you're well, willing and able, as long as you find five hours per week
for class.  Like I said, I have a captive audience.

Gail Rinderknecht
GED instructor/ Des Moines Area Community College
Newton Correctional Facility
Newton, IA  50208

And this has nothing to do with the topic, but our site is called
"Riverview", but with the floods, it's been Lakeview.  We are all fine
here, but have had to make room for some men where the jails were
flooded.  The water here in central Iowa is thankfully receding, but
it's heading downriver towards some of you.

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David J. Rosen
Sent: Tue 6/17/2008 8:50 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 996]  Content Standards: More questions, more
answers,more discussion
 
Colleagues,

Our Content Standards discussion continues through Friday.  I have  
some more questions (see below) for guests and subscribers. I wonder  
if there are some people with questions that they feel are "too  
basic" such as "How do I find out what my state's Content Standards  
are, or if my state even has them?"  No question about content  
standards is too basic. This is the place to ask it.

I want to hear from teachers and administrators who are (or are not)  
implementing content standards. Jon Engel (Thank you, Jon) spoke for  
teachers who might be skeptical. Perhaps there are some teachers who  
are skeptical that would be willing to speak for themselves now that  
Jon has broached this.

Here are three more questions that were sent to me, for our guests  
and others :

"Part-time teachers and planning time:  Teachers tell us that  
developing lesson plans from standards takes more time because they  
have to spend time learning the standards, aligning their activities  
to those standards, and filling out more paper work to demonstrate  
compliance.  What are states implementing standards doing to  
alleviate the pressure on already burdened adult education teachers  
(low wages, low job security, part-time, no benefits, little or no  
prep time, etc.)?"

"National standards: As a standards writer, I was struck by the wide  
diversity of approaches to adult education content standards across  
states (ranging from the very prescriptive and specific to the very  
broad and general).  While I understand we live in a federal system  
in which states can do whatever they deem best for their students,  
isn't there a value in having a broader national discussion about  
what our adult students should be able to know and do in order to be  
successful members of society or, at a very minimum, shouldn't we  
have a common understanding about how content standards are going to  
be used?"

"Assessment:  While states have been encouraged to develop widely  
different content standards, the majority continue to use a very  
limited set of approved standardized assessments that may or may not  
be very closely aligned to those standards.  If due to increasingly  
tight financial constraints states are generally unable to develop  
NRS-approved standardized tests that are aligned with their  
standards, is it reasonable to expect that their content standards  
will have an impact on instruction and student performance?  Do  
teachers really have an incentive to teach from those standards if  
what they are teaching is not going to show up in the TABE or BEST  
Plus or CASAS?  Are there plans to develop such tests?"

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
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To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
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Email delivered to garinderknecht at dmacc.edu

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From Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org  Thu Jun 19 13:55:09 2008
From: Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org (Anderson, Philip)
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 13:55:09 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1028]  Course Standards CASAS Required After GED?
In-Reply-To: <883cafd90806190920h4dfec684u6dfcf28260a86a77@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <96E135649F1AD048AA6FF8CBC598C23E18E1E78B@MAIL1.FLDOE.INT>

Nancy's suggestion to advocate for change to the state office is one I
resonate with.  I also feel that Gail has information that is crucial to
take into account, however.  Her account is so vivid and real, spoken
with a sense of one who knows how to stand in the shoes of another and
tell their story.  Thank you for painting a picture with words, which
sends a message that I read as "Take off these burdens!"  It brings us
to setting a higher standard for project design:  "If we must require
this step, have we fully informed the teacher and student why it is
necessary?"  "If this information is necessary to make the project
beneficial to the student, can we obtain this information any other way
that avoids burdening the student and teacher?'

 

>From the perspective of a state office program specialist, it is a real
dilemma for us that our "office" has a status all its own that is often
tagged with a negative reputation.   Our intention is to do our best to
meet the needs of teachers and students.  Sometimes we have certain
rules that are tied to the federal money we are responsible for.  But
always, our intention is never to ignore the needs of the teachers and
students, and always to make it as easy and beneficial for them as we
possibly can.  We at the state level are given opportunities to provide
input to federal initiatives, which more often than not, brings about
positive results.   Input from the teachers and administrators is very
welcome, because we cannot possibly be experts in every aspect of adult
education to know how best to meet every need effectively.  Projects we
design in collaboration with teachers and administrators, using the best
knowledge available at the moment, sometimes result in consequences that
were not foreseen.  While I am speaking on behalf of Florida DOE, I
think it is likely that this rings true in other state offices.   The
comments posted by Gail and others are very welcome, and inform us in
Florida.  Thank you for them. 

 

CONTACT INFORMATION

Philip Anderson

Adult ESOL Program

Florida Department of Education

Tel (850) 245-9450

 

Please take a few minutes to provide feedback on the quality of service you received from our staff. The Department of Education values your feedback as a customer. Commissioner of Education Dr. Eric J. Smith is committed to continuously assessing and improving the level and quality of services provided to you.Simply use the link below.  Thank you in advance for completing the survey.
 

http://data.fldoe.org/cs/default.cfm?staff=Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org|13:55:11%20Thu%2019%20Jun%202008
 

 ________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Nancy Markus
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 12:21 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1019] Re: Content Standards: More questions,more
answers, more discussion-TM

 

Why not contact your state leadership and ask why the CASAS is required?
If it really is irrelevant then advocate for change.

 

Nancy

 

On 6/19/08, Rinderknecht, Gail A. <garinderknecht at dmacc.edu> wrote: 

We use TABE to determine the 6.0 grade level for the Dept. of
Corrections.  It's quick, easy and non-threatening.

The CASAS is required by the State Department of Education.  No one
seems to know the rationale for requiring the students to take the CASAS
after completing their GED.  It's one of those mandated things that
happens when the State is instituting "Standards".  None of the GED
teachers that I know of like the idea, but at the same time we are
required to re-CASAS.  I suppose it is supposed to show growth in the
reading and math, but as I said before, most of the men do not see a
reason to try very hard on this test and just view it as another hoop
that they are required to jump through.

Gail Rinderknecht
garinderknecht at dmacc.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Kelsee Miller
Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 9:41 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1013]   Re: Content Standards: More
questions,more answers, more discussion-TM

Question for Gail: Why does your state use both the TABE and CASAS? What
is the rationale for testing CASAS again after the GED?

I have found this discussion very insightful!
Thank you,
Kelsee

Kelsee Miller
Casper College
Adult Basic Education/GED Instructor
125 College Dr.
Casper, WY 82601
307-268-2895
307-268-2230

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
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Email delivered to garinderknecht at dmacc.edu

-------------------------------
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From Linnell.L.Rantapaa at doc.state.or.us  Thu Jun 19 13:59:13 2008
From: Linnell.L.Rantapaa at doc.state.or.us (Rantapaa Linnell L)
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 10:59:13 -0700
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1025]  FW:    Re: Content Standards: More questions,
	more answers, more discussion-TM
Message-ID: <286FDFA48BE5AF4CA0641A8AE10A9B047044BC@docmail4.ds.doc.state.or.us>

CASAS postesting was required after the Feds via the Title II National
Reporting System did not allow an official GED test to proxy for a
posttest to measure skill level gains.  Progress on the NRS "Educational
Gain" performance must be measureed by a pre and posttest of the same
type. If GED completers are not posttested they have no "opportunity" to
demonstrate progress on this performance measure.  In Oregon, we have
the same difficulties getting valid posttest results from those who have
already completed the GED.  We try to catch them before they take their
last GED test, but it's a struggle.  

Linnell
Phone: 503-934-1006
Fax: 503-378-5815

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Rinderknecht, Gail
A.
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 9:14 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 1013] Re: Content Standards: More
questions,more answers, more discussion-TM

We use TABE to determine the 6.0 grade level for the Dept. of
Corrections.  It's quick, easy and non-threatening.

The CASAS is required by the State Department of Education.  No one
seems to know the rationale for requiring the students to take the CASAS
after completing their GED.  It's one of those mandated things that
happens when the State is instituting "Standards".  None of the GED
teachers that I know of like the idea, but at the same time we are
required to re-CASAS.  I suppose it is supposed to show growth in the
reading and math, but as I said before, most of the men do not see a
reason to try very hard on this test and just view it as another hoop
that they are required to jump through.  

Gail Rinderknecht
garinderknecht at dmacc.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Kelsee Miller
Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 9:41 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1013]   Re: Content Standards: More
questions,more answers, more discussion-TM
 
Question for Gail: Why does your state use both the TABE and CASAS? What
is the rationale for testing CASAS again after the GED?

I have found this discussion very insightful!
Thank you,
Kelsee

Kelsee Miller
Casper College
Adult Basic Education/GED Instructor
125 College Dr. 
Casper, WY 82601
307-268-2895
307-268-2230

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to garinderknecht at dmacc.edu

From dheath at odessa.edu  Thu Jun 19 14:18:02 2008
From: dheath at odessa.edu (David Heath)
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 13:18:02 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1029] Re: Resistance to Change and Texas'
	approach	toovercoming "standards aversion"
In-Reply-To: <B784D5A61F1014429B809F3E8BDDD3520B8C2CC1@mail2.admin.sisd.k12>
References: <E43278D67408F248838A1BDB754306050C588551@EV-SERVER.hcdemain.hcde.loc><A746DD9618D1A145B28AB530CDE4815605487399@PONYEXPRESS.odessa.edu>
	<B784D5A61F1014429B809F3E8BDDD3520B8C2CC1@mail2.admin.sisd.k12>
Message-ID: <A746DD9618D1A145B28AB530CDE48156054876FB@PONYEXPRESS.odessa.edu>

Eduardo,
 
Thank you for your thoughtful response.  See my comments below.
 

Dear David,

 

Your post raises many interesting questions about the implementation of
content standards in a large and diverse state such as Texas.  I share
many of your concerns about some of the challenges that are involved in
implementing standards and about the long-term effect of using standards
on local programs.   One of the reasons for participating in the
Standards-in-Action pilot program was to explore the issues of
implementation before going to scale.  In working with programs in
Houston and El Paso, we learned much about what works and doesn't work
with teachers.     

 

I would be interested to know what the percentages were: part-time /
full-time.  I would also be interested to know what the average years in
the program were for your group.  Perhaps, your report provides this
information.  I would very much appreciate reading your findings.

 

Many of the "recalcitrant facts" about adult education you describe are
true, but they may also be the reason for using content standards in the
first place.  In my limited experience in this pilot, I found that often
it was the part-time teachers who were happy to have some kind of
guideline regarding the content they could be teaching at a particular
level of instruction.  It is often the new teacher who has little
experience with adult education who used the content standards as a
guideline.  Many of the more experienced and full time teachers saw less
of a benefit in using the standards.   

 

Eduardo, I consistently here people advocate for content standards based
on this reason.  When I hear this, I wonder what these new teachers are
going into the ESOL classroom with as resources.  Here at OC, teachers
have a list of "essential elements" for each of our five levels of ESOL
instruction, both life skills and grammar elements.  They also have a
list of level-appropriate text, audio, and video materials for each of
the five levels.  In addition, they have many materials cross-walked
with the TSCF (the modified Florida standards that Texas first
supported).  They have a rich set of published ESOL materials (L/S/R/W)
in our bookroom.  (Why these materials are receiving such a bad rap of
late, I do not really understand.  I do not use published materials
nearly as often as my new teachers, but I have been teaching ESOL off
and on for 20 years.) They have an Environmental Print binder of
real-world reading materials.  

 

New teachers and returning teachers have several "guidelines" of what
content or language elements to teach at any particular level of
instruction.  I know Texas is diverse and instructional environments
vary greatly, but here at OC, I do not believe my teachers feel that
they need additional guidance as to "what" they should be teaching.
What they need and what none of us ever get enough of, I believe, is
"how" we should be delivering that content.  And it is the "how", the
ESOL approaches and methods, that I feel is being neglected by too many
state and federal initiatives or top-down driven models of program
improvement.   

 

My own philosophy (which may not reflect official policy)  is that 1)
Standards should do no harm.  If programs are performing effectively
with their own curricular guidelines, then they should be left alone.
Now, if programs are struggling, content standards could be one of the
elements to consider in a program improvement plan  2) A corollary to
this principle is that content standards should provide a value added to
programs and teachers, not an added layer of bureaucracy.   We really
need to convince teachers that using these broad guidelines is going to
make their lives easier, not harder.   3)  We need to continually
monitor the implementation of standards to see what is really going on
in the classroom.  4) Implementation, especially in a state like Texas,
should be flexible and dependent on local conditions.   So while I'm in
favor of encouraging programs to use content standards ( mandate may be
too strong a word), I'm in favor of giving local programs wide latitude
in terms of how they are going to be implemented.  So being labeled "a
leader in the standardization process" stings a little, but that's OK.

 

I find your position on this subject to be remarkably reasonable and
fair.  I certainly have no objection to standards being approached in
this manner.  As far as referring to you as a "leader", you have my
apologies for any "sting".  It certainly was not intended.  I made that
assumption from reading your articles and seeing your involvement in the
standards process.

 

Thank you for your comments and, again, please send me your report.

 

David Heath

ESOL Coordinator

Odessa College

 

 Of course, Standards-in-Action was a year-long pilot program designed
to learn what might work in Texas, not to replicate the pilot statewide.
And some of the things we did learn will help to make standards
implementation more realistic.  In my report evaluating the SIA pilot
(which I will be happy to send to you) I recommend that the "unpacking
tool" you allude to in your post be used in a limited way, perhaps as a
remedial activity for teachers who might need help with a particular
area of instruction.  Local programs should decide whether or not it
worth their while to use a particular standards activity.

 

Texas is still working out the standards implementation process, and all
stakeholders should contribute to the process of shaping its future.
Let's keep the conversation going.

 

All the best,

 

Eduardo Honold

Far West Project GREAT Coordinator

(915) 937-1703  

fax: (915) 937-1795

SISD Community Services

313 S. Rio Vista Rd.

El Paso, TX 79927

www.farwestgreat.org

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David Heath
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 3:22 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1003] Re: Resistance to Change and Texas'
approach toovercoming "standards aversion"

 

Hello Federico and All,

 

I have appreciated the many comments concerning the difficulty and the
complexity of accommodating change.  It has been a beneficial reminder
as to why we resist so strongly.  The entire subject is so complex that
a forum like a listserv discussion can hardly scratch the surface of the
many issues surrounding what might be legitimate disagreement and
resistance to programmatic policy mandates of any kind, and particularly
resistance to content standards. 

 

I am seriously concerned, for many reasons, about the possibility of a
mandate in regards to the Texas Adult Education Content Standards and
Benchmarks.  I will address only one concern for now: unrealistic
expectations and what I see as misplaced idealism.  My comments are
restricted to Texas and to ESOL as this is what I know.

 

I believe we are doing the field an injustice, and certainly our
teachers and students, if we do not speak plainly and forthrightly.  The
content standards are curriculum, if only a piece of curriculum.  And
the standards and benchmarks are certainly standardized if following a
rule or protocol is standardization.  

 

Here are some recalcitrant facts.  I am speaking of Texas adult
education here, but I would think there are commonalities across states.

 

*	Of 2,235 AE teachers in Texas, only 188 are full time 
*	Only a fraction of ESOL instructors have degrees in language
acquisition theory 
*	A significant majority of new ESOL instructors have no prior
ESOL training of any kind 
*	Only a small portion of ESOL teachers receive any significant
planning time 
*	Many teachers have second jobs 
*	Many have compelling life interests that demand their time (one
reason they seek employment in our field) 
*	Many want instructional and curriculum tools that are ready-made
and do not require a great deal of investment of time they feel they do
not have 
*	The average ESOL student in Texas attends fewer than 100 class
hours a year (This is true across the nation I believe.) 
*	In Texas, only 50% or so complete an instructional level 
*	Students come and go, attending then "stopping out" then
returning 
*	Many of our ESOL students have limited academic backgrounds and
have never experienced an educational environment like they discover in
adult education 

These facts are serious and relevant to our discussion because they tell
us a great deal about what is possible and what is necessary.  

 

One example: Just to "train" my existing staff in content standards
required a six hour training provided by a skilled presenter in the
Texas Adult Education Content Standards and Benchmarks, then 10 more
hours of follow-up to unpack and critically consider exactly what the
standards and benchmarks were expecting students to know and do and ESOL
instructors to understand.  Then, we had to consider, as a program,
exactly how we were willing to take on this new "standard".  All of this
takes time...time...time...

 

Now, I have a new teacher.  Although he is bright and creative, he has
never had training in content standards, portfolios, credentialing,
adult education theory, learning disabilities, language acquisition
theory, program operations, or ESOL instructional materials.  Well, you
get the point I hope.

 

Here is how Eduardo Honold, a leader in the standardization process,
describes the "unpacking" of the Texas content standards and the demands
required to "do it right". 

Effective Standards-Based Education for Adults:
The Standards-in-Action Pilot in Texas

by Eduardo Honold

..."Ten teachers in Socorro ISD and 15 teachers in Harris County
Department of Education participated in a year-long effort to implement
the new Texas content standards by using several "tools" provided by the
SIA national consultants. The philosophy of this pilot is that teachers
must first work collaboratively within their programs to understand what
the new standards and benchmarks actually require students to know and
do and then, determine how to teach from those benchmarks. The goal of
the pilot is to provide adult education programs in Texas with ideas on
how to deepen teachers' understanding of the new standards.

...After stripping the benchmark to its essence, teachers determine the
level of thinking required by the benchmark based on the revised Bloom's
taxonomy (Forehand, 2005). By "unpacking" the benchmark in this manner,
teachers are ready to develop sample classroom activities that
illustrate the requirement of the standard and are appropriate for
students in a particular level." 

My questions would be:

1.      Is there compelling evidence that it needs to be done? 

2.      And if so, are we going to do it right?

3.      Are we going to be honest and transparent about what it will
take?

4.      Is our field structured and funded in such a way as it is
doable?

If the answers to these questions are positive, then I am on board.  If
not, I am a resistor.

David Heath

ESOL Coordinator

Odessa College

 

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Federico Salas
Sent: Monday, June 16, 2008 10:37 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov; David J. Rosen
Subject: [SpecialTopics 989] Resistance to Change and Texas' approach
toovercoming "standards aversion"

 

I have just posted the Texas experience with content standards
implementation.  Now, however, I want to jump in on the discussion
addressing the issue of resistance to implementation and resistance to
change.  Before I do, however, I want to say hi to my friend Paul Jurmo.
Long time no see, Paul.  

The question is the source of the resistance to the adoption and/or
implementation of standards.  I cannot hope to answer that question
here, but I can share some of the resistance that we faced in Texas and
some of the comments we have heard over the now four years since we
started the standards process.  

I would like to share some history that is very relevant to the question
Paul asks and that actually sheds light on the process of overcoming
that resistance and addressing change.  Paul mentions that "some might
feel that standards are something rigid and irrelevant or too
cumbersome. We have seen some of this attitude along with concerns by
some that the standards are something imposed "in addition to everything
we already do."  

Bill's observes that resistance to change sometimes is about "trust and
intention" while dealing with strategic planning.  In Texas we had a
difficult and, at times, contentious experience with the process of
adopting standards.  There was a first iteration of the adoption when,
under a different administration of the office of adult education, we
experienced a process that was, as Bill puts it, "estranged from (and
less accepted by) the grass roots."  In the early 2000s, standards from
another state were imposed on all of us in Texas by a shortsighted
administration without input, with little buy-in, and with virtually no
opportunity to pilot them or to make necessary adaptations to suit our
population or our needs.  Local administrators (our state director,
Joanie Rethlake, and I were both such local program directors) were told
that we needed to have 100% of our teachers trained to implement the
standards by the end of that fiscal year or our grants would be in
jeopardy.  Talk about "trust and intention."  To be sure, some programs
saw this as an opportunity to adopt a much needed content framework and
dived head on into the process making the standards their own and
developing their own checklists and other means of implementing them
which had not been offered by the state.  Other programs felt
overwhelmed, didn't like the standards, didn't feel they would work, and
saw them as "rigid and irrelevant."  Many tried their best to understand
the situation they were facing and invested a lot of time and resources
-along with emotion and stress-to make the standards work.  Yet, by the
end of the fiscal year, when it was apparent that as much as everyone
tried many teachers had not been trained, the state office announced the
standards would not be adopted after all.  If programs wanted them they
could use them; if they didn't they were free to do without them.  The
process had been costly, time consuming, and frustrating. 

 

Fast forward one year, and in 2003 Texas LEARNS came into existence and
a completely new leadership was breathing new life into the adult
education program in Texas.  One of our first priorities was to address
the issue of the adoption of content standards.  Our initial idea was to
continue what the former administration had started but to add some
Texas flavor, engaging some programs in piloting the standards to give
them a sense of ownership of any edits.  At our first meeting we were
not prepared for the level of emotion, of resistance, of outright
hostility that the idea was about to generate.  The issue of our
intentions and the trust of the field was now on the table for us to
tackle.  

Our decision was then, with the help and leadership of the Texas Center
for the Advancement of Literacy and Learning (TCALL) to go back to the
field and conduct a number of focus groups with instructors and with
students; in fact more students than instructors from all over the state
participated in the focus groups.  After analyzing the feedback from
these groups, Texas decided to scrap our plans and start anew.  As I
have said in my other posting earlier tonight, we adopted five of the
EFF standards because they closely matched what the focus groups were
telling us.  

We then proceeded to involve teachers and local program administrators
in the process of writing benchmarks.  Standards Writers had to apply or
be nominated, and they were selected by committee to participate in the
process. Writing the benchmarks and agreeing on the appropriate level
and examples took nearly two years of meetings and a lot of give and
take, but the result was a document which teachers considered their own.
During this process, the state office and the standards project kept
local programs, teachers and administrators abreast of developments.

Then came time to pilot the standards; we had two pilots one conducted
by many of the teachers who had written the benchmarks.  We wanted these
writers to pilot the materials because they were closer to their
development.  The second pilot was an expanded pilot which came after
the changes which resulted from analyzing the feedback from the first
pilot.  

In June 2007 came time for the official launch and nearly 700 people
from all adult education and EL Civics programs in the state registered
for the three day conference.  

After the launch, a group of the standards writers volunteered to be
trained by external consultants to become "Standards Specialists."
These specialists became the trainers helping us provide expert
professional development that was "close to the source" of the
standards.  

Why do I tell you step by step what happened in the process?  I think
that one of the keys to overcoming the initial resistance was our
willingness to invest in a process that would take time but would
involve all stakeholders:  students, teachers, administrators, and
expert consultants. 

The documents were written by the people who will use them with feedback
from their students.  Involving 100 students in the process indicates a
true commitment to listen to their voices; we were not simply paying lip
service to student participation.  The standards were then piloted and
re-worked immediately based on feedback.  This showed we were listening.
We then involved a large number of teachers in the second pilot.
Finally, the project provided training to volunteer standards
specialists to become trainers of their colleagues. All throughout, the
process stayed very close to the field.  The bottom line is we tried to
enable a bottom up process to ensure buy-in.  Even administrators who
were afraid to embrace the document have slowly come to see the new
document as something worth giving a try.  While full implementation
will take a long time, by addressing the fundamental objections teachers
and programs had with the earlier experience the leadership of Texas
LEARNS and TAESP were able to get significant buy-in from the field.  

 

federico

Federico Salas-Isnardi, Assistant State Director

Texas LEARNS

6005 Westview Dr.

Houston, TX 77055

Direct: 713-696-0719

Toll Free: 866-696-4233

Fax: 713-696-0797

 

The State Office of Adult Education and Family Literacy

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From Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org  Thu Jun 19 15:01:54 2008
From: Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org (Anderson, Philip)
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 15:01:54 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1030] Standards in Adult Education - Response to
	Allene Grognet
Message-ID: <96E135649F1AD048AA6FF8CBC598C23E18E1E7A7@MAIL1.FLDOE.INT>

In response to Allene Grognet's comments and questions:

 

Allene and I just finished talking about the post she made to the
discussion on standards, and I appreciate her input about Florida's
adult ESOL programs very much.  I hope that other participants in
Florida's standards workshops will send in their comments too.  

 

Allene wrote: "I am a Florida resident, and participated in the
standards setting workshops offered buy Susan Pimentel that Phil
Anderson described. It was an interesting and challenging exercise, but
one which new and part-time teachers would have benefited little from. I
say this because professional development is out next step, and more
than 4 hours of training on standards, no matter how good the training,
with leave teachers angry and bored. I know that it is not enough, but
state implementers have to realize that anything coming from the state
is sacrosanct and will be viewed with suspicion, if not hostility. If
new teachers stick with the program, they will be back for more. If they
quit, we haven't lost that much."

 

Phil's response:  The workshops themselves were set up for a team of 30
adult education experts, not for new and part-time teachers.  The
participants completed an application form that was reviewed by
committee, looking for people who had experience and formal training in
curriculum design for adult education.  The intent of the workshops was
to provide extra training to these experts on specific steps on writing
and implementing standards, with a focus on how to improve Florida's
standards in particular.  The three groups, ABE, ESOL and GED
Preparatory, each had their own report on what they felt should be done
with the standards in their program area.  These experts proved to be a
"dream group" that worked very well together, and had many hundreds of
years of experience (and anecdotes to tell)!  The state's purpose is to
develop a way for these experts to become mentors, coaches, and trainers
for other practitioners in all the regions of the state on what the
standards are for, and how to use them in their local programs.  This
next year, the ad hoc committee on standards will convene to develop the
training modules with these experts.  As Allene says, a four hour or
more training may not the ideal amount of time for new teachers, and it
is not a good idea to expect them to write standards.  While the tasks
for the ad hoc committee on standards have not yet been approved, it is
likely that its members will be asked for input on the design of these
types of training.

 

As for Allene's view on the state's products and initiatives being
"sacrosanct and viewed with suspicion, if not hostility," this is
something that we at Florida's state office are certainly aware of and,
I believe I can honestly say, are giving it our level best to work on
and to mitigate as much as possible.  It does seem that the DOE state
office certainly has a status of its own that individual state staff
members often have little control over from year to year.  And each
state government administration/legislature has unique circumstances
(budget for one) whose decisions make for either positive or negative
impacts on teachers and students, over which state office staff members
sometimes have no control at all.  The greatest positive impact for
adult education programs comes about when local programs and teachers
invite their legislator and his or her staff to visit their programs and
speak to their students.  When students write letters to their
legislator and to the governor about the good things their teacher is
doing for them, this really does make a difference.  We who are employed
by an executive office of the governor cannot lobby except as private
citizens during our non-work hours.  We have seen that Florida
legislators who have introduced bills benefiting adult education
teachers and students were also the same legislators who responded to
invitations by teachers and administrators to visit adult education
classes.  The impact of these visits is hard to measure - they give real
time civics practice to students, they invariably provide a positive
image about the program to the legislators, which can ripple onward to
benefit adult education programs state wide.  

 

Phil

 

CONTACT INFORMATION

Philip Anderson

Adult ESOL Program Specialist

Division of Workforce Education

Florida Department of Education

325 W. Gaines Street, Room 644

Tallahassee, FL  32399

Tel (850) 245-9450

Fax (850) 245-0995
 

Please take a few minutes to provide feedback on the quality of service you received from our staff. The Department of Education values your feedback as a customer. Commissioner of Education Dr. Eric J. Smith is committed to continuously assessing and improving the level and quality of services provided to you.Simply use the link below.  Thank you in advance for completing the survey.
 

http://data.fldoe.org/cs/default.cfm?staff=Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org|15:01:56%20Thu%2019%20Jun%202008
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From CPorter at thecenterweb.org  Thu Jun 19 16:38:53 2008
From: CPorter at thecenterweb.org (Catherine Porter)
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 15:38:53 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1026] Re: Textbooks and ESL Content Standards
References: <CC5678EC-4E69-4664-9EFE-79397FB11928@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <DDB3820159838B4594D5E87A48297CE503CDF2C1@web5.thecenterweb.org>

This is Catherine Porter, from the Adult Learning Resource Center in Illinois.  I would like to add my comments to the discussion about publishers' textbook correlations with state content standards.  

In Illinois, as in many states, part-time ESL instructors are frequently hired at the last minute, handed a textbook, and told to start teaching the next day or week.  For this reason, it is essential that the book both be pedagogically sound AND align with our Illinois ESL Content Standards.  Furthermore, I (also a textbook writer!) agree with Arlene Grognet's comments below that:

"As to David?s question about textbook correlations with standards, I 
would look at all of them as spurious. (And this coming from a 
textbook writer!) A textbook is only as good as the Teachers? Manual 
which should accompany it. For each lesson, the Manual should give 
shape to the the standard, tell teachers how the linguistic skills 
they are teaching fit into language acquisition, give new and part-
time teachers step-by-step ways of  presenting and practicing a 
lesson, and give experienced teachers hints for expansion and 
extension of the lesson. Without that, textbooks are only page-turners."

To assist programs in selecting appropriate published materials, all curriculum development teams who attend our state-sponsored "ESL Curriculum Institutes" receive training in evaluating and selecting appropriate published materials.  In Illinois, as in many states, publishers have been quick to publish correlations between their core series and our state standards.  In some cases these correlations are accurate while in others they are a wild and imaginative stretch.  

We have found that it takes at least two hours of staff development to train teachers and program coordinators to identify appropriate criteria for selecting a core text. The attached checklist, "Ten Criteria for Selecting a Core Text for ESL" has been extremely useful to Illinois adult education programs. Using the checklist, participants in the ESL Curriculum Institutes examine pages from popular textbooks to see if they meet these ten criteria.  In addition to applying the ten criteria, participants are also guided in identifying the "Three "Cs" for any textbook series: Cost, Components (as Arlene says, a textbook is only as good as its teacher's manual), and of course, Content Standards being addressed.  

After this initial training on selecting an appropriate core text, programs are encouraged to set up committees of teachers back at their programs to review, select, and pilot new materials. Those of us working with adult education instructors know how attached teachers become to their materials; in perhaps no other area is "resistance to change" so strong.  By involving teachers in the materials selection process, many Illinois programs are selecting and implementing core ESL materials that meet their students' needs and align with our state standards. 

Catherine Porter
Professional Development Specialist
Adult Learning Resource Center
Arlington Heights, IL 

-----Original Message-----
From:	specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David J. Rosen
Sent:	Thu 6/19/2008 10:25 AM
To:	specialtopics at nifl.gov
Cc:	
Subject:	[SpecialTopics 1016]  More questions on state content standards

Posted on behalf of Arlene Grognet

From: aggrognet at aol.com
Date: June 19, 2008 10:59:52 AM EDT

Federico, Phil, et al-

I have read with interest all of the states? responses to the  
questions raised, but a computer glitch (now solved) has kept me from  
contributing. I will keep my remarks to ESOL, because that is what I  
know best. It seems that most ABE and GED students come to class with  
oral English. However, they lack some of the knowledge and skills  
needed to lead a full adult life. On the other hand, ESOL students  
may already have those skills, but they lack the oral English with  
which to express them. For ESOL students, learning English is not an  
end in itself; it is a tool with which to do something else! That  
something else may be to go to the doctor or shop for food and  
clothing; it may be to work in a factory or a restaurant; it may be  
to talk with the school personnel or read a note from the teacher; it  
may be to get th GED or go to college.

  I was struck how closely David Heath?s description of teachers in  
Texas, matches that in Florida. Yet, I come to a different conclusion  
than he does. We need standards (not standardization) so that new and  
part-time teachers are oriented to what students should learn;  
experienced teachers have a reference guide for their teaching; and  
curriculum reflects the real world in which students have to  
communicate. I am a Florida resident, and participated in the  
standards setting workshops offered buy Susan Pimentel that Phil  
Anderson described. It was an interesting and challenging exercise,  
but one which new and part-time teachers would have benefited little  
from. I say this because professional development is out next step,  
and more than 4 hours of training on standards, no matter how good  
the training, with leave teachers angry and bored. I know that it is  
not enough, but state implementers have to realize that anything  
coming from the state is sacrosant and will be viewed with suspicion,  
if not hostility. If new teachers stick with the program, they will  
be back for more. If they quit, we haven?t lost that much.

As to David?s question about textbook correlations with standards, I  
would look at all of them as spurious. (And this coming from a  
textbook writer!) A textbook is only as good as the Teachers? Manual  
which should accompany it. For each lesson, the Manual should give  
shape to the the standard, tell teachers how the linguistic skills  
they are teaching fit into language acquisition, give new and part- 
time teachers step-by-step ways of  presenting and practicing a  
lesson, and give experienced teachers hints for expansion and  
extension of the lesson. Without that, textbooks are only page-turners.

As to what the federal government can do for standards: give money to  
each state for refinement,  implementation, and experimentation, and  
stay out of standards writing and setting. If the federal government  
gets into it, it becomes a slippery slope. Just look at standardized  
testing and NRS as examples.

One question I have concerns assessment. How does know when when a  
student is ready to advance with the integrated skills needed in  
language learning? Is there any one assessment that gives the teacher  
or the test administrator a good picture of the students? listening/ 
speaking and reading/writing skills, and is aligned with standards?

Allene Grognet
Vice President (Emeritus), Center for Applied Linguistics

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From Miriam.Kroeger at azed.gov  Thu Jun 19 16:57:25 2008
From: Miriam.Kroeger at azed.gov (Kroeger, Miriam)
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 13:57:25 -0700
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1027] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
	more answers, more discussion-TM
In-Reply-To: <F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B80A1@ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>
References: <B24445F65F964B4D8784C427691352A0016F6DC5@SOM-TEAQASMAIL2.som.w2k.state.me.us>
	<F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B80A1@ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>
Message-ID: <914B6658FFC2C74EAF866A48985C3A8E0391C5E131@prodmail5.prod.root>

Quite some good comments - if I can add a few - Fortunately, our choice to develop stadnrds was made before OVAE and the NRS came out with the standardized assessment mandate.  As a matter of fact, when we first developed our standards, there were only 4 levels of ABE/ASE and 4 of ESOL - we had to scramble when NRS changed things to six.   Recently we've seen changes in "cut scores" for the mandated assessments.

As I've mentioned several times, our standards have been field-based form the get-go. Teachers put their best efforts into this initiatives; teachers believed in what they were doing and through sue continue to believe in what was produced, and know that when we didn't get it quite right the first time, they were/are involved in the updates.

One thing that we have to watch out for, and that is the "teaching to the test" trap.  Of course if you test what you teach, that's different.  What we found, and even, what we planned for, was that the standards were "greater" than any test - the standards have more and are richer than a TABE, CASAS, BEST, or GED Test.  It took as a while, and is still something that we have to stop and think about but - if you teach with the Standards, don't worry about the test.  What's on the test is in the standards and so much more.  And that "more" is what better prepare learners for the world beyond Adult Education.  Adult Education has to be more than "just getting by".  For some of our learners it's their last stop in "formal" education; for others it's the beginning of more higher education.  WE owe it to them to give them the tools to make informed choices.

-Miriam Kroeger

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Rinderknecht, Gail A.
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 7:32 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1012] Re: Content Standards: More questions, more answers, more discussion-TM

I'm not sure if it the 6th grade level is legislatively mandated or just a department of corrections goal,  but it's a something we try to achieve in education within the limits of our capacity to serve the men.  For example, I recently had a man assigned to my literacy class who was served his entire life in special education.  He has an IQ of 50;  there is no way that I will ever get him to the 6th grade level.  I have suggested that he be allowed to opt out of education and be put in a supervised vocational program.

And as someone earlier noted, we also use Plato to tutor our students toward their GED.  I personally also use the REWARDS reading program to advance reading levels.  It's published by Sopris and can be used individually or with small groups to learn to decode multi-syllabic words.  It's a totally scripted program, so a tutor or volunteer can be taught to use the program in a short period of time.

To be quite frank, the educational community at large, i.e. the public schools, do not think much of the GED.  I've heard this from administrators and teachers alike even though we know that nearly one-third of high school graduates could not pass the GED.  As I said before, I have many high school graduates in my literacy program.  I don't think having benchmarks will make anyone think better of the GED.  It's an elitist thing at this point.

I find it to be enormously rewarding to the men to achieve their GED especially considering many of those incarcerated have been suspended from school many times over.  I hear over and over, "I didn't think I could do this on my own."  It's exciting to see a grown man excited about learning for the first time. Our benchmarks are simple:  pass a half test with a 500 or better;  pass the GED test with a 450 or better.  Complete all tests.  And the final goal is a couple of polaroid pictures in a white shirt and tie and cap and gown.  The pictures mean a lot to these men.

Gail

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Christensen, Lorraine
Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 9:01 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1011] Re: Content Standards: More questions,more answers, more discussion-TM

Question for Gail:  Is it legislatively mandated that you bring an inmate to a TABE 6 level before they no longer need to be assigned to school?  While I agree with you that the number of graduates is important, I have always believed that if we had particular "benchmarks"
we would be more accountable and in "respected" in the educational community!

Lorraine Christensen

Women's Center - Maine Correctional

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Rinderknecht, Gail A.
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 2:38 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 999] Re: Content Standards: More questions,more answers, more discussion-TM

HURRAY!

Thank you, Mr. Mecham!.  You said it all.  For the past three years, I have worked in two prisons in Iowa, and getting the men to read at a level of speed and comprehension in order to pass the GED test, is my first concern.  I have many high school "graduates" in my literacy classes.  In Iowa, all inmates must be in literacy classes if they cannot demonstrate the ability to read and comprehend at a 6th grade level.  This is the main "standard and benchmark" that I have to work with.  A man must be able to pass the Test of Adult Basic Education
(TABE) with a 6.0, or he is in literacy class.  A man without a high school diploma or GED must attend GED classes although they can "age out" with staff consent.

I taught special education in the public schools for 16 years and have seen the rise and use of standards and benchmarks.  Although these are wonderful guidelines for schools to help their teachers cover appropriate subject matter at different ages to ensure a well-rounded education for all students, I believe that at the adult level, teachers need to test, assess and determine needs and deficits for individuals and proceed from there.  Each of my students is an individual.  Each class is full of individuals working on appropriate assignments for him.
Very rarely do I have a "class" where more than one man is working on the same thing.  I treat my classroom as an old-fashioned resource room where each person is receiving instruction and practice on the skill that he needs to achieve his GED or increase his literacy.

By advocating standards and benchmarks for adult learners, I believe that we will just be adding to the burden of paperwork to "prove" that we are teaching.  Looking at the results of the teaching method is a far better way to examine teaching success and learning.  My students, in the first five months of this year, passed their GED tests with a 96% success rate.  My little "resource" room seems to work fine without standards and benchmarks other than those needed to pass the GED.

Gail A. Rinderknecht

Newton Correctional Facility

GED instructor/Des Moines Area Community College

Box 218

Newton, IA

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Mechem, Thompson
Sent: Wed 6/18/2008 8:19 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 999] Re: Content Standards: More questions,more answers, more discussion-TM

I suppose in the abstract I have no objection to the Standards and Benchmarks described in the various posts this week, but who are they for? Certainly not the teachers. To take an example from my area of alleged expertise, if students are studying to pass the GED test, then it is the specific skill sets needed to pass the test that must drive the curriculum and the teaching. There's a lot of math you can teach, but what math will actually carry our students towards passing the GED tests? You can't figure that out from any Standards document or Curriculum Frameworks or whatever; you can know that only by learning better what literacy skills and knowledge resonate on the tests (the GED Testing Service helps us with that), and then developing the teaching techniques to bring the students to that level. Our state GED Office and our Professional development unit do a lot of work with Massachusetts GED teachers in this regard. The same principle applies if you are helping Transitions students do better on the AccuPlacer test or preparing immigrants to pass the citizenship test (nice going, Big
Papi!) or raising a grandmother's literacy level so she can read the Bible.

Now, it probably takes a higher literacy level to pass the GED tests than it does to graduate from high school, so a successful GED class is certainly going to adhere to any legitimate set of Standards and Benchmarks that a state could come up with. I guess what I am asking of all the faceless bureaucrats (of which I am now one myself, I admit) is to be able to see that for themselves instead of making teachers and program directors jump through hoops with all kind of trumped-up documentary "proof" that they are using the Standards. Just as you can see a gorgeous-looking Lesson Plan without having any idea in the world whether any learning is actually taking place in that class, so the kind of thing often required for Standards-Based documentation, "I have such-and-such Learning Objectives, which correspond to Benchmark 3.1.5 blah blah blah..." doesn't tell you anything about what's really happening in the classroom. I would like the monitors and evaluators to be able to observe a classroom and know for themselves that high standards are being adhered to so that the teachers and program directors can focus on the learning needs of the students with no wasted motion.

Tom Mechem
GED State Chief Examiner
Department of Elementary & Secondary Education Commonwealth of Massachusetts
781-338-6621
"GED to Ph.D."

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 9:50 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 996] Content Standards: More questions, more answers,more discussion

Colleagues,

Our Content Standards discussion continues through Friday.  I have some more questions (see below) for guests and subscribers. I wonder if there are some people with questions that they feel are "too basic" such as "How do I find out what my state's Content Standards are, or if my state even has them?"  No question about content standards is too basic. This is the place to ask it.

I want to hear from teachers and administrators who are (or are not) implementing content standards. Jon Engel (Thank you, Jon) spoke for teachers who might be skeptical. Perhaps there are some teachers who are skeptical that would be willing to speak for themselves now that Jon has broached this.

Here are three more questions that were sent to me, for our guests and others :

"Part-time teachers and planning time:  Teachers tell us that developing lesson plans from standards takes more time because they have to spend time learning the standards, aligning their activities to those standards, and filling out more paper work to demonstrate compliance.  What are states implementing standards doing to alleviate the pressure on already burdened adult education teachers (low wages, low job security, part-time, no benefits, little or no prep time, etc.)?"

"National standards: As a standards writer, I was struck by the wide diversity of approaches to adult education content standards across states (ranging from the very prescriptive and specific to the very broad and general).  While I understand we live in a federal system in which states can do whatever they deem best for their students, isn't there a value in having a broader national discussion about what our adult students should be able to know and do in order to be successful members of society or, at a very minimum, shouldn't we have a common understanding about how content standards are going to be used?"

"Assessment:  While states have been encouraged to develop widely different content standards, the majority continue to use a very limited set of approved standardized assessments that may or may not be very closely aligned to those standards.  If due to increasingly tight financial constraints states are generally unable to develop NRS-approved standardized tests that are aligned with their standards, is it reasonable to expect that their content standards will have an impact on instruction and student performance?  Do teachers really have an incentive to teach from those standards if what they are teaching is not going to show up in the TABE or BEST Plus or CASAS?  Are there plans to develop such tests?"

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

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From Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org  Thu Jun 19 17:58:28 2008
From: Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org (Anderson, Philip)
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 17:58:28 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1031] Re: Resistance to Change and Texas' approach
	to overcoming "standards aversion"
In-Reply-To: <A746DD9618D1A145B28AB530CDE4815605487399@PONYEXPRESS.odessa.edu>
Message-ID: <96E135649F1AD048AA6FF8CBC598C23E18E1E7E5@MAIL1.FLDOE.INT>

Everyone that has posted and read the postings on standards,

 

The point raised by David Heath is valid, that a discussion listserv such as this only scratches the surface on the issues that surround state policies in general, and specifically content standards.  The list of "recalcitrant facts" posted below is certainly similar to the situation in Florida.  If I had a few spare moments I would hunt down Florida's specific data for these facts; suffice it to say they would probably fall within close range to these he cites from Texas.

 

>From my perspective, there is not any strong compelling evidence that the time-consuming process of learning to unpack, analyze according to taxonomies and correlate them to specific texts is necessary for all classroom teachers, either part-time or full-time, or experienced or with experience.  However, the process that Florida just completed seems to have been a beneficial so far: a solid team of interested instructors, professional development trainers and administrators have gone through four workshops of 1 ? day each (total of 40 hours) to learn to write and implement standards, in order that they can act as mentors, coaches and trainers to local programs in their regions.  The intent envisioned at this time is that these trained experts will do troubleshooting with teachers who struggle with using the standards in their classrooms, not teach them how to do the entire process of unpacking, etc.  Visits with follow up over time may be one way that the trained standards experts will work with teachers in their area.  Another may be to have mini-workshops with teachers from 3-4 local programs to compare notes and to share what works for them.  Two things that I believe excite us adult educators when we get together seems to be that the world of adult education has so many interesting facets to explore, and that the human element of caring about people who come to class because they want to learn is very much alive in adult educators.

 

CONTACT INFORMATION

Philip Anderson

Adult ESOL Program

Florida Department of Education

Tel (850) 245-9450

 

Please take a few minutes to provide feedback on the quality of service you received from our staff. The Department of Education values your feedback as a customer. Commissioner of Education Dr. Eric J. Smith is committed to continuously assessing and improving the level and quality of services provided to you.Simply use the link below.  Thank you in advance for completing the survey.
 

http://data.fldoe.org/cs/default.cfm?staff=Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org|17:58:29%20Thu%2019%20Jun%202008
 

 ________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David Heath
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 5:22 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1003] Re: Resistance to Change and Texas' approachtoovercoming "standards aversion"

 

Hello Federico and All,

 

I have appreciated the many comments concerning the difficulty and the complexity of accommodating change.  It has been a beneficial reminder as to why we resist so strongly.  The entire subject is so complex that a forum like a listserv discussion can hardly scratch the surface of the many issues surrounding what might be legitimate disagreement and resistance to programmatic policy mandates of any kind, and particularly resistance to content standards. 

 

I am seriously concerned, for many reasons, about the possibility of a mandate in regards to the Texas Adult Education Content Standards and Benchmarks.  I will address only one concern for now: unrealistic expectations and what I see as misplaced idealism.  My comments are restricted to Texas and to ESOL as this is what I know.

 

I believe we are doing the field an injustice, and certainly our teachers and students, if we do not speak plainly and forthrightly.  The content standards are curriculum, if only a piece of curriculum.  And the standards and benchmarks are certainly standardized if following a rule or protocol is standardization.  

 

Here are some recalcitrant facts.  I am speaking of Texas adult education here, but I would think there are commonalities across states. 

 

*         Of 2,235 AE teachers in Texas, only 188 are full time

*         Only a fraction of ESOL instructors have degrees in language acquisition theory 

*         A significant majority of new ESOL instructors have no prior ESOL training of any kind 

*         Only a small portion of ESOL teachers receive any significant planning time

*         Many teachers have second jobs

*         Many have compelling life interests that demand their time (one reason they seek employment in our field)

*         Many want instructional and curriculum tools that are ready-made and do not require a great deal of investment of time they feel they do not have

*         The average ESOL student in Texas attends fewer than 100 class hours a year (This is true across the nation I believe.)

*         In Texas, only 50% or so complete an instructional level

*         Students come and go, attending then "stopping out" then returning

*         Many of our ESOL students have limited academic backgrounds and have never experienced an educational environment like they discover in adult education

These facts are serious and relevant to our discussion because they tell us a great deal about what is possible and what is necessary.  

 

One example: Just to "train" my existing staff in content standards required a six hour training provided by a skilled presenter in the Texas Adult Education Content Standards and Benchmarks, then 10 more hours of follow-up to unpack and critically consider exactly what the standards and benchmarks were expecting students to know and do and ESOL instructors to understand.  Then, we had to consider, as a program, exactly how we were willing to take on this new "standard".  All of this takes time...time...time...

 

Now, I have a new teacher.  Although he is bright and creative, he has never had training in content standards, portfolios, credentialing, adult education theory, learning disabilities, language acquisition theory, program operations, or ESOL instructional materials.  Well, you get the point I hope.

 

Here is how Eduardo Honold, a leader in the standardization process, describes the "unpacking" of the Texas content standards and the demands required to "do it right". 

Effective Standards-Based Education for Adults:
The Standards-in-Action Pilot in Texas

by Eduardo Honold

..."Ten teachers in Socorro ISD and 15 teachers in Harris County Department of Education participated in a year-long effort to implement the new Texas content standards by using several "tools" provided by the SIA national consultants. The philosophy of this pilot is that teachers must first work collaboratively within their programs to understand what the new standards and benchmarks actually require students to know and do and then, determine how to teach from those benchmarks. The goal of the pilot is to provide adult education programs in Texas with ideas on how to deepen teachers' understanding of the new standards.

...After stripping the benchmark to its essence, teachers determine the level of thinking required by the benchmark based on the revised Bloom's taxonomy (Forehand, 2005). By "unpacking" the benchmark in this manner, teachers are ready to develop sample classroom activities that illustrate the requirement of the standard and are appropriate for students in a particular level." 

My questions would be:

1.      Is there compelling evidence that it needs to be done? 

2.      And if so, are we going to do it right?

3.      Are we going to be honest and transparent about what it will take?

4.      Is our field structured and funded in such a way as it is doable?

If the answers to these questions are positive, then I am on board.  If not, I am a resistor.

David Heath

ESOL Coordinator

Odessa College

 

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Federico Salas
Sent: Monday, June 16, 2008 10:37 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov; David J. Rosen
Subject: [SpecialTopics 989] Resistance to Change and Texas' approach toovercoming "standards aversion"

 

I have just posted the Texas experience with content standards implementation.  Now, however, I want to jump in on the discussion addressing the issue of resistance to implementation and resistance to change.  Before I do, however, I want to say hi to my friend Paul Jurmo.  Long time no see, Paul.  

The question is the source of the resistance to the adoption and/or implementation of standards.  I cannot hope to answer that question here, but I can share some of the resistance that we faced in Texas and some of the comments we have heard over the now four years since we started the standards process.  

I would like to share some history that is very relevant to the question Paul asks and that actually sheds light on the process of overcoming that resistance and addressing change.  Paul mentions that "some might feel that standards are something rigid and irrelevant or too cumbersome. We have seen some of this attitude along with concerns by some that the standards are something imposed "in addition to everything we already do."  

Bill's observes that resistance to change sometimes is about "trust and intention" while dealing with strategic planning.  In Texas we had a difficult and, at times, contentious experience with the process of adopting standards.  There was a first iteration of the adoption when, under a different administration of the office of adult education, we experienced a process that was, as Bill puts it, "estranged from (and less accepted by) the grass roots."  In the early 2000s, standards from another state were imposed on all of us in Texas by a shortsighted administration without input, with little buy-in, and with virtually no opportunity to pilot them or to make necessary adaptations to suit our population or our needs.  Local administrators (our state director, Joanie Rethlake, and I were both such local program directors) were told that we needed to have 100% of our teachers trained to implement the standards by the end of that fiscal year or our grants would be in jeopardy.  Talk about "trust and intention."  To be sure, some programs saw this as an opportunity to adopt a much needed content framework and dived head on into the process making the standards their own and developing their own checklists and other means of implementing them which had not been offered by the state.  Other programs felt overwhelmed, didn't like the standards, didn't feel they would work, and saw them as "rigid and irrelevant."  Many tried their best to understand the situation they were facing and invested a lot of time and resources -along with emotion and stress-to make the standards work.  Yet, by the end of the fiscal year, when it was apparent that as much as everyone tried many teachers had not been trained, the state office announced the standards would not be adopted after all.  If programs wanted them they could use them; if they didn't they were free to do without them.  The process had been costly, time consuming, and frustrating. 

 

Fast forward one year, and in 2003 Texas LEARNS came into existence and a completely new leadership was breathing new life into the adult education program in Texas.  One of our first priorities was to address the issue of the adoption of content standards.  Our initial idea was to continue what the former administration had started but to add some Texas flavor, engaging some programs in piloting the standards to give them a sense of ownership of any edits.  At our first meeting we were not prepared for the level of emotion, of resistance, of outright hostility that the idea was about to generate.  The issue of our intentions and the trust of the field was now on the table for us to tackle.  

Our decision was then, with the help and leadership of the Texas Center for the Advancement of Literacy and Learning (TCALL) to go back to the field and conduct a number of focus groups with instructors and with students; in fact more students than instructors from all over the state participated in the focus groups.  After analyzing the feedback from these groups, Texas decided to scrap our plans and start anew.  As I have said in my other posting earlier tonight, we adopted five of the EFF standards because they closely matched what the focus groups were telling us.  

We then proceeded to involve teachers and local program administrators in the process of writing benchmarks.  Standards Writers had to apply or be nominated, and they were selected by committee to participate in the process. Writing the benchmarks and agreeing on the appropriate level and examples took nearly two years of meetings and a lot of give and take, but the result was a document which teachers considered their own.  During this process, the state office and the standards project kept local programs, teachers and administrators abreast of developments.

Then came time to pilot the standards; we had two pilots one conducted by many of the teachers who had written the benchmarks.  We wanted these writers to pilot the materials because they were closer to their development.  The second pilot was an expanded pilot which came after the changes which resulted from analyzing the feedback from the first pilot.  

In June 2007 came time for the official launch and nearly 700 people from all adult education and EL Civics programs in the state registered for the three day conference.  

After the launch, a group of the standards writers volunteered to be trained by external consultants to become "Standards Specialists."  These specialists became the trainers helping us provide expert professional development that was "close to the source" of the standards.  

Why do I tell you step by step what happened in the process?  I think that one of the keys to overcoming the initial resistance was our willingness to invest in a process that would take time but would involve all stakeholders:  students, teachers, administrators, and expert consultants. 

The documents were written by the people who will use them with feedback from their students.  Involving 100 students in the process indicates a true commitment to listen to their voices; we were not simply paying lip service to student participation.  The standards were then piloted and re-worked immediately based on feedback.  This showed we were listening. We then involved a large number of teachers in the second pilot.  Finally, the project provided training to volunteer standards specialists to become trainers of their colleagues. All throughout, the process stayed very close to the field.  The bottom line is we tried to enable a bottom up process to ensure buy-in.  Even administrators who were afraid to embrace the document have slowly come to see the new document as something worth giving a try.  While full implementation will take a long time, by addressing the fundamental objections teachers and programs had with the earlier experience the leadership of Texas LEARNS and TAESP were able to get significant buy-in from the field.  

 

federico

Federico Salas-Isnardi, Assistant State Director

Texas LEARNS

6005 Westview Dr.

Houston, TX 77055

Direct: 713-696-0719

Toll Free: 866-696-4233

Fax: 713-696-0797

 

The State Office of Adult Education and Family Literacy
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From aggrognet at aol.com  Thu Jun 19 19:23:13 2008
From: aggrognet at aol.com (aggrognet at aol.com)
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 19:23:13 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1032] Re: Textbooks and ESL Content Standards
In-Reply-To: <DDB3820159838B4594D5E87A48297CE503CDF2C1@web5.thecenterweb.org>
References: <CC5678EC-4E69-4664-9EFE-79397FB11928@comcast.net>
	<DDB3820159838B4594D5E87A48297CE503CDF2C1@web5.thecenterweb.org>
Message-ID: <8CAA07A941BB066-16F4-35B0@Webmail-mg16.sim.aol.com>

 Catherine-
Thank you for the criteria for adopting a core textbook. It is very good, and I hope Florida looks at it with a critical eye.

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Catherine Porter <CPorter at thecenterweb.org>
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov; specialtopics at nifl.gov
Sent: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 3:38 pm
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1026] Re: Textbooks and ESL Content Standards

This is Catherine Porter, from the Adult Learning Resource Center in Illinois.  
I would like to add my comments to the discussion about publishers' textbook 
correlations with state content standards.  

In Illinois, as in many states, part-time ESL instructors are frequently hired 
at the last minute, handed a textbook, and told to start teaching the next day 
or week.  For this reason, it is essential that the book both be pedagogically 
sound AND align with our Illinois ESL Content Standards.  Furthermore, I (also a 
textbook writer!) agree with Arlene Grognet's comments below that:

"As to David?s question about textbook correlations with standards, I 
would look at all of them as spurious. (And this coming from a 
textbook writer!) A textbook is only as good as the Teachers? Manual 
which should accompany it. For each lesson, the Manual should give 
shape to the the standard, tell teachers how the linguistic skills 
they are teaching fit into language acquisition, give new and part-
time teachers step-by-step ways of  presenting and practicing a 
lesson, and give experienced teachers hints for expansion and 
extension of the lesson. Without that, textbooks are only page-turners."

To assist programs in selecting appropriate published materials, all curriculum 
development teams who attend our state-sponsored "ESL Curriculum Institutes" 
receive training in evaluating and selecting appropriate published materials.  
In Illinois, as in many states, publishers have been quick to publish 
correlations between their core series and our state standards.  In some cases 
these correlations are accurate while in others they are a wild and imaginative 
stretch.  

We have found that it takes at least two hours of staff development to train 
teachers and program coordinators to identify appropriate criteria for selecting 
a core text. The attached checklist, "Ten Criteria for Selecting a Core Text for 
ESL" has been extremely useful to Illinois adult education programs. Using the 
checklist, participants in the ESL Curriculum Institutes examine pages from 
popular textbooks to see if they meet these ten criteria.  In addition to 
applying the ten criteria, participants are also guided in identifying the 
"Three "Cs" for any textbook series: Cost, Components (as Arlene says, a 
textbook is only as good as its teacher's manual), and of course, Content 
Standards being addressed.  

After this initial training on selecting an appropriate core text, programs are 
encouraged to set up committees of teachers back at their programs to review, 
select, and pilot new materials. Those of us working with adult education 
instructors know how attached teachers become to their materials; in perhaps no 
other area is "resistance to change" so strong.  By involving teachers in the 
materials selection process, many Illinois programs are selecting and 
implementing core ESL materials that meet their students' needs and align with 
our state standards. 

Catherine Porter
Professional Development Specialist
Adult Learning Resource Center
Arlington Heights, IL 

-----Original Message-----
From:   specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David J. Rosen
Sent:   Thu 6/19/2008 10:25 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Cc: 
Subject:    [SpecialTopics 1016]  More questions on state content standards

Posted on behalf of Arlene Grognet

From: aggrognet at aol.com
Date: June 19, 2008 10:59:52 AM EDT

Federico, Phil, et al-

I have read with interest all of the states? responses to the  
questions raised, but a computer glitch (now solved) has kept me from  
contributing. I will keep my remarks to ESOL, because that is what I  
know best. It seems that most ABE and GED students come to class with  
oral English. However, they lack some of the knowledge and skills  
needed to lead a full adult life. On the other hand, ESOL students  
may already have those skills, but they lack the oral English with  
which to express them. For ESOL students, learning English is not an  
end in itself; it is a tool with which to do something else! That  
something else may be to go to the doctor or shop for food and  
clothing; it may be to work in a factory or a restaurant; it may be  
to talk with the school personnel or read a note from the teacher; it  
may be to get th GED or go to college.

  I was struck how closely David Heath?s description of teachers in  
Texas, matches that in Florida. Yet, I come to a different conclusion  
than he does. We need standards (not standardization) so that new and  
part-time teachers are oriented to what students should learn;  
experienced teachers have a reference guide for their teaching; and  
curriculum reflects the real world in which students have to  
communicate. I am a Florida resident, and participated in the  
standards setting workshops offered buy Susan Pimentel that Phil  
Anderson described. It was an interesting and challenging exercise,  
but one which new and part-time teachers would have benefited little  
from. I say this because professional development is out next step,  
and more than 4 hours of training on standards, no matter how good  
the training, with leave teachers angry and bored. I know that it is  
not enough, but state implementers have to realize that anything  
coming from the state is sacrosant and will be viewed with suspicion,  
if not hostility. If new teachers stick with the program, they will  
be back for more. If they quit, we haven?t lost that much.

As to David?s question about textbook correlations with standards, I  
would look at all of them as spurious. (And this coming from a  
textbook writer!) A textbook is only as good as the Teachers? Manual  
which should accompany it. For each lesson, the Manual should give  
shape to the the standard, tell teachers how the linguistic skills  
they are teaching fit into language acquisition, give new and part- 
time teachers step-by-step ways of  presenting and practicing a  
lesson, and give experienced teachers hints for expansion and  
extension of the lesson. Without that, textbooks are only page-turners.

As to what the federal government can do for standards: give money to  
each state for refinement,  implementation, and experimentation, and  
stay out of standards writing and setting. If the federal government  
gets into it, it becomes a slippery slope. Just look at standardized  
testing and NRS as examples.

One question I have concerns assessment. How does know when when a  
student is ready to advance with the integrated skills needed in  
language learning? Is there any one assessment that gives the teacher  
or the test administrator a good picture of the students? listening/ 
speaking and reading/writing skills, and is aligned with standards?

Allene Grognet
Vice President (Emeritus), Center for Applied Linguistics

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to cporter at thecenterweb.org

 

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to aggrognet at aol.com

 

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From selover200 at comcast.net  Fri Jun 20 03:30:34 2008
From: selover200 at comcast.net (selover200 at comcast.net)
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 07:30:34 +0000
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1033] Re: Which book has IL chosen for Adult Ed ESL??
Message-ID: <062020080730.26886.485B5C9A00086FE7000069062212059214CFCFCD9D0A9001040A9C@comcast.net>

Catherine -

I work at a very small Adult Ed program, and when I ask other teachers I just get told -- go look in the cupboard. Some teachers change their books each semester, some do mainly handouts.  So, I get no real advice at all. 

I am curious as to which book IL Adult Ed has chosen for Literacy, Beginners (low) and High Beginners and Intermediates. 

Thank you,
Linda Selover 

I teach a multi-level ESL class, with students who are barely literate, to college educated. 

 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "Catherine Porter" <CPorter at thecenterweb.org>
> This is Catherine Porter, from the Adult Learning Resource Center in Illinois.  
> I would like to add my comments to the discussion about publishers' textbook 
> correlations with state content standards.  
> 
> In Illinois, as in many states, part-time ESL instructors are frequently hired 
> at the last minute, handed a textbook, and told to start teaching the next day 
> or week.  For this reason, it is essential that the book both be pedagogically 
> sound AND align with our Illinois ESL Content Standards.  Furthermore, I (also a 
> textbook writer!) agree with Arlene Grognet's comments below that:
> 
> 
> "As to David?s question about textbook correlations with standards, I 
> would look at all of them as spurious. (And this coming from a 
> textbook writer!) A textbook is only as good as the Teachers? Manual 
> which should accompany it. For each lesson, the Manual should give 
> shape to the the standard, tell teachers how the linguistic skills 
> they are teaching fit into language acquisition, give new and part-
> time teachers step-by-step ways of  presenting and practicing a 
> lesson, and give experienced teachers hints for expansion and 
> extension of the lesson. Without that, textbooks are only page-turners."
> 
> 
> To assist programs in selecting appropriate published materials, all curriculum 
> development teams who attend our state-sponsored "ESL Curriculum Institutes" 
> receive training in evaluating and selecting appropriate published materials.  
> In Illinois, as in many states, publishers have been quick to publish 
> correlations between their core series and our state standards.  In some cases 
> these correlations are accurate while in others they are a wild and imaginative 
> stretch.  
> 
> We have found that it takes at least two hours of staff development to train 
> teachers and program coordinators to identify appropriate criteria for selecting 
> a core text. The attached checklist, "Ten Criteria for Selecting a Core Text for 
> ESL" has been extremely useful to Illinois adult education programs. Using the 
> checklist, participants in the ESL Curriculum Institutes examine pages from 
> popular textbooks to see if they meet these ten criteria.  In addition to 
> applying the ten criteria, participants are also guided in identifying the 
> "Three "Cs" for any textbook series: Cost, Components (as Arlene says, a 
> textbook is only as good as its teacher's manual), and of course, Content 
> Standards being addressed.  
> 
> After this initial training on selecting an appropriate core text, programs are 
> encouraged to set up committees of teachers back at their programs to review, 
> select, and pilot new materials. Those of us working with adult education 
> instructors know how attached teachers become to their materials; in perhaps no 
> other area is "resistance to change" so strong.  By involving teachers in the 
> materials selection process, many Illinois programs are selecting and 
> implementing core ESL materials that meet their students' needs and align with 
> our state standards. 
> 
> Catherine Porter
> Professional Development Specialist
> Adult Learning Resource Center
> Arlington Heights, IL 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From:	specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David J. Rosen
> Sent:	Thu 6/19/2008 10:25 AM
> To:	specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Cc:	
> Subject:	[SpecialTopics 1016]  More questions on state content standards
> 
> Posted on behalf of Arlene Grognet
> 
> From: aggrognet at aol.com
> Date: June 19, 2008 10:59:52 AM EDT
> 
> Federico, Phil, et al-
> 
> I have read with interest all of the states? responses to the  
> questions raised, but a computer glitch (now solved) has kept me from  
> contributing. I will keep my remarks to ESOL, because that is what I  
> know best. It seems that most ABE and GED students come to class with  
> oral English. However, they lack some of the knowledge and skills  
> needed to lead a full adult life. On the other hand, ESOL students  
> may already have those skills, but they lack the oral English with  
> which to express them. For ESOL students, learning English is not an  
> end in itself; it is a tool with which to do something else! That  
> something else may be to go to the doctor or shop for food and  
> clothing; it may be to work in a factory or a restaurant; it may be  
> to talk with the school personnel or read a note from the teacher; it  
> may be to get th GED or go to college.
> 
>   I was struck how closely David Heath?s description of teachers in  
> Texas, matches that in Florida. Yet, I come to a different conclusion  
> than he does. We need standards (not standardization) so that new and  
> part-time teachers are oriented to what students should learn;  
> experienced teachers have a reference guide for their teaching; and  
> curriculum reflects the real world in which students have to  
> communicate. I am a Florida resident, and participated in the  
> standards setting workshops offered buy Susan Pimentel that Phil  
> Anderson described. It was an interesting and challenging exercise,  
> but one which new and part-time teachers would have benefited little  
> from. I say this because professional development is out next step,  
> and more than 4 hours of training on standards, no matter how good  
> the training, with leave teachers angry and bored. I know that it is  
> not enough, but state implementers have to realize that anything  
> coming from the state is sacrosant and will be viewed with suspicion,  
> if not hostility. If new teachers stick with the program, they will  
> be back for more. If they quit, we haven?t lost that much.
> 
> As to David?s question about textbook correlations with standards, I  
> would look at all of them as spurious. (And this coming from a  
> textbook writer!) A textbook is only as good as the Teachers? Manual  
> which should accompany it. For each lesson, the Manual should give  
> shape to the the standard, tell teachers how the linguistic skills  
> they are teaching fit into language acquisition, give new and part- 
> time teachers step-by-step ways of  presenting and practicing a  
> lesson, and give experienced teachers hints for expansion and  
> extension of the lesson. Without that, textbooks are only page-turners.
> 
> As to what the federal government can do for standards: give money to  
> each state for refinement,  implementation, and experimentation, and  
> stay out of standards writing and setting. If the federal government  
> gets into it, it becomes a slippery slope. Just look at standardized  
> testing and NRS as examples.
> 
> One question I have concerns assessment. How does know when when a  
> student is ready to advance with the integrated skills needed in  
> language learning? Is there any one assessment that gives the teacher  
> or the test administrator a good picture of the students? listening/ 
> speaking and reading/writing skills, and is aligned with standards?
> 
> Allene Grognet
> Vice President (Emeritus), Center for Applied Linguistics
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to cporter at thecenterweb.org
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 

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Subject: [SpecialTopics 1026] Re: Textbooks and ESL Content Standards
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 22:23:36 +0000
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From djrosen at comcast.net  Fri Jun 20 07:19:27 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 07:19:27 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1034] Last day of state content standards
	discussion: please weigh in!
Message-ID: <2C48A935-609E-48C2-A25B-B38846424E26@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

This is our last day of a very rich, two-week discussion on  
implementation of state content standards. If you haven't weighed in  
yet and believe that something else needs to be said, or that an  
important question hasn't been answered, today's the day to add to  
the discussion.

Here's today's question:

What have you learned from this discussion that will be useful in  
your state?

That's it, only one question from me today. I hope some of you who  
are beginning the process of implementation of content standards and  
who joined the discussion today to learn from the (extensive)  
experience of our guests and other subscribers will use this as an  
opportunity to reflect, and to share with us what has been especially  
valuable.

For those who subscribed late, the discussion archives will be found at

http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

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From djrosen at comcast.net  Fri Jun 20 08:05:44 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 08:05:44 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1035] A different state standards issue: the end
	point of the state adult literacy system
Message-ID: <CFF3C2C0-7B01-41BB-9ACF-A1CE0B1DE31C@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

In our discussion about state content standards, one of the issues  
that has emerged implicitly is what the state standard should be for  
the end point of adult literacy education. Should it be the passing  
the GED? Successful transition to higher education? Success in at  
least a year of post-secondary education? In the past, the answer was  
clear: passing the GED.  Now, in many states there is a push toward  
successful transition to higher education, and/or post-secondary job  
training and/or apprenticeship. One state professional association,  
the New Jersey State Association for Lifelong Learning (NJALL) now  
calls for one year of post secondary education and a certificate as  
the new standard. (See the conclusion and recommendations in this  
policy paper below.)

Of course, many students want a GED, and only a GED. They want the  
pride of having earned the credential, or they need it to keep their  
present job. But the earnings research done by John Tyler and others  
( A National Institute for Literacy-sponsored video panel discussion  
on this with Dr. Tyler will be found at http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/ 
webcasts/ged/webcast_ged.html ) shows that if the student's goal is  
to affect his/her earnings through increased education, then more is  
needed, that passing the GED plus at least a year of college and a  
certificate or degree are required.  Has your state been discussing  
this issue? What are the considerations? Has your state made a  
decision on the end point? If so, what?

I did say in my earlier message that I would post only one question  
today, but then I saw the recommendations in the policy paper from  
the NJALL, and I thought it was so interesting and pertinent that I  
couldn't help but raise this in the context of our discussion of  
state content standards, especially as for some states an important  
goal may be to align adult literacy education with successful  
preparation for college.

Your thoughts?

 From the NJALL policy paper:

Conclusion
Considering the available data, the conclusion is inescapable.  If  
adult literacy educators
want to do more than educate our students to become members of the  
working poor, we
must rethink our mission.  Completion of adult literacy must become  
the half-way point
in a trajectory that leads to transition to and success in post  
secondary education. This
will require new partnerships between adult literacy programs and  
post secondary
institutions at both the state policy level and the local operational  
level. If we accept
anything less, are we meeting our professional responsibility?

Recommendations

1. Establish a high-level taskforce between the SETC, the Commission  
on Higher
Education and other stakeholders to study the transitions issue and  
recommend a
state policy response.

2. Accept one year of post secondary education and a certificate as  
the new standard
for completion of adult literacy education and insure that resources  
are adequate
to meet this standard.

The full NJALL policy paper will be found at http://www.njall.org/ 
index.php

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

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From djrosen at comcast.net  Fri Jun 20 08:07:36 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 08:07:36 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1036]  Discussion on Professional Wisdom
Message-ID: <5E460B91-A34C-4B4F-A3ED-31BF723F9CF9@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

We would like to invite you to join us in a discussion about  
professional wisdom that we will be holding on the AAACE-NLA   
discussion list from June 23rd to June 27th.

In November last year,  we (John Comings and David J. Rosen) had a  
series of email exchanges because we believe it is important for our  
field to come to agreement on how professional wisdom might be used  
as part of evidence-based practice. We discussed how our field might  
build a model for achieving a body of professional wisdom that  
teachers and administrators might use to improve basic skills  
teaching, learning and programs for adults.

On June 23rd and June 24th we will post that discussion on the AAACE- 
NLA discussion list in two parts. From June 25th-June 27th we will  
welcome your questions and comments.

Please pass this invitation on to your colleagues who might like to  
join us, too.  To subscribe to the AAACE-NLA Discussion List, go to:

http://lists.literacytent.org/mailman/listinfo/aaace-nla

Once there, scroll down the page and follow the subscription directions.

John Comings

David J. Rosen

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From jschneider at eicc.edu  Fri Jun 20 08:31:13 2008
From: jschneider at eicc.edu (Schneider, Jim)
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 07:31:13 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1037]  Regarding CASAS Posting...
In-Reply-To: <mailman.48485.1213913613.13921.specialtopics@nifl.gov>
References: <mailman.48485.1213913613.13921.specialtopics@nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <208D21E3AC92D449A31336961A46FB870BF867CE@eiccd-exch1.eiccd.net>

As was mentioned in another message the CASAS post-test must be
administered to register any learning gain for NRS reporting. 

There is a movement to recognize the official practice tests and GED
test scores as an acceptable pre & post-test measure for the NRS which
would make INFINITELY more sense for those individuals who are focused
on attaining the GED and prevent the current over-assessment nonsense
that must be undertaken for programs to document the progress and
accountability of their efforts. 

Jim Schneider
Davenport, IA 

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of
specialtopics-request at nifl.gov
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 5:14 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 23, Issue 28

Send SpecialTopics mailing list submissions to
	specialtopics at nifl.gov

To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
	http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
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When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
than "Re: Contents of SpecialTopics digest..."

Today's Topics:

   1. [SpecialTopics 1021] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
      more answers, more discussion-TM (Rinderknecht, Gail A.)
   2. [SpecialTopics 1022] Standards - Response to Questions by
      Allan	French (Anderson, Philip)
   3. [SpecialTopics 1023] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
      more answers, more discussion-TM (Rantapaa Linnell L)
   4. [SpecialTopics 1024] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
      more answers, more discussion (Rinderknecht, Gail A.)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:40:44 -0500
From: "Rinderknecht, Gail A." <garinderknecht at dmacc.edu>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1021] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
	more answers, more discussion-TM
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID:
	
<F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B80A3 at ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

We are in the process of doing just that.  Evidently "they" do not think
it is irrelevant.  They want it for statistical purposes to show growth
when the GED is completed.

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Nancy Markus
Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 11:20 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1019] Re: Content Standards: More questions,more
answers, more discussion-TM
 
Why not contact your state leadership and ask why the CASAS is required?
If
it really is irrelevant then advocate for change.

Nancy

On 6/19/08, Rinderknecht, Gail A. <garinderknecht at dmacc.edu> wrote:
>
> We use TABE to determine the 6.0 grade level for the Dept. of
> Corrections.  It's quick, easy and non-threatening.
>
> The CASAS is required by the State Department of Education.  No one
seems
> to know the rationale for requiring the students to take the CASAS
after
> completing their GED.  It's one of those mandated things that happens
when
> the State is instituting "Standards".  None of the GED teachers that I
know
> of like the idea, but at the same time we are required to re-CASAS.  I
> suppose it is supposed to show growth in the reading and math, but as
I said
> before, most of the men do not see a reason to try very hard on this
test
> and just view it as another hoop that they are required to jump
through.
>
> Gail Rinderknecht
> garinderknecht at dmacc.edu
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Kelsee Miller
> Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 9:41 AM
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 1013]   Re: Content Standards: More
questions,more
> answers, more discussion-TM
>
> Question for Gail: Why does your state use both the TABE and CASAS?
What is
> the rationale for testing CASAS again after the GED?
>
> I have found this discussion very insightful!
> Thank you,
> Kelsee
>
>
>
> Kelsee Miller
> Casper College
> Adult Basic Education/GED Instructor
> 125 College Dr.
> Casper, WY 82601
> 307-268-2895
> 307-268-2230
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to garinderknecht at dmacc.edu
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to nancy.markus at gmail.com
>
>

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Message: 2
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:37:21 -0400
From: "Anderson, Philip" <Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1022] Standards - Response to Questions by
	Allan	French
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <96E135649F1AD048AA6FF8CBC598C23E18E1E761 at MAIL1.FLDOE.INT>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

This is a response from Phil Anderson, Florida DOE Adult Education
Program Specialist to the questions posed by Allan French, ESL
Instructor, Assessment Coordinator, Norming Project Coordinator at South
Seattle Community College:

 

This statement made by Allan resonates strongly:  "The new state
standards were brought into the project to inform and suggest
(especially in terms of language), not to limit and control."  This is
the intention of Florida's standards as well.

 

Allan's questions:  "I see standards as not just a guideline for a
lesson, but a destination (after all, they define what we expect our
students to know and be able to do as they exit a particular level).  I
am concerned with how we get to that destination, especially given the
multitude of standards and indicators, the need for multiple types of
assessment, and the time limitations.  So I would like to ask all of you
out there who have worked some time with standards, (1) how do you
determine that a student is ready for the next level of an integrated
ESL class, using standards? 

 

Florida has several adult ESOL courses that are funded only with state
dollars, and are not reported to the NRS.  Literacy Skills for the Adult
ESOL Learner is one of these. In 1999-2000, this course was developed by
a group of adult ESOL experts that included a University of Florida
researcher in adult ESOL literacy, Dr. Edwidge Crevecoeur-Bryant,
consultants with years of adult education experience in Florida,
teachers, and Dr. Edwina Hoffman, a Miami-Dade program administrator of
refugee programs.  This course is designed for students that have low
levels of education and literacy in their home language(s).  Most
students are Haitian, or from various language groups in Mexico and
Central America, such as Mixteco, Tarasco, Quechua, and Kanjobal.  This
course has been put through implementation and revision stages in
several schools around the state, and it has been tweaked almost yearly
since its inception.  It has a set of benchmarks that are divided into
three levels, A, B, C.  Last year, the state database shows that 13,794
students were enrolled in this course.  We developed a "User Guide" for
this course to explain to teachers how it is used and suggestions on how
to teach the course.  Documents related to this course can be found on
the Florida Adult Education website,
http://www.fldoe.org/workforce/adult_ed.asp. 

 

(2) How do you determine what constitutes satisfactory performance of
any one standard/indicator, and that such performance has in fact been
achieved? 

For the present, the only method the state prescribes is that the
teacher of the course and the program administrator must sign off on a
state-created "Progress Report" that indicates the student has
"satisfactorily" mastered the benchmarks shown in the Progress in the
standards.  What is deemed "satisfactory" is left up to those two
persons, the teacher and the program administrator.  The state expects
local programs to establish a written procedure for how the teachers
will determine progress, i.e., portfolio, teacher-designed tests,
textbook tests, worksheet samples, documentation of group projects, etc.
After the teacher and administrator sign off on the student's Progress
Report, the program sends notification to the state that the student
mastered the standards.  The state then records this in its database and
assigns payment to the program accordingly.  The local program is
required to retain the records showing documentation of the progress
report for auditing purposes.  The state sends out monitors to all
programs to check on the documentation of the progress reports.  Since
the Florida legislature funds this course through its adult education
funding, the FL DOE, for now, uses this method of holding the program to
a certain level of accountability.  

 

(3) How do you create the assessment tools to evaluate said performance?

The state is in the process of exploring the development of a
standardized procedure/assessment that can give us a reliable and valid
way of measuring progress on the course standards.  Hopefully within the
next two years, this standardized procedure/assessment will be ready for
use. 

 

(4) Can you cover all standards/indicators for the level in a single
quarter or how much time is needed?  Another way of asking this is how
do you grapple with the, at times, mind-boggling complexity of all that
we are endeavoring to do.

Since the standards are "to inform and to suggest," teachers are not
expected to cover 100% of the standards within an instructional period
of time, but to judiciously select those that are relevant.  Maxine
McCormick, a Florida trainer, often exhorts us, "Take your students to
MMU!  Teach them what is meaningful, memorable and useful!"   Several
Florida programs are piloting short terms of 8 weeks in a "managed
enrollment" system with some of their classes.  In these classes,
students are assigned to a class by level, the class is "closed" after
the second week, and kept at 25 students maximum.  The first week is
assigned to orientation topics (how to study, what the students want to
cover in the course from a list of suggested topics from the standards,
the teacher's methods), and the last week is assigned to testing.  No
teacher can teach all the benchmarks in 8 weeks, but the intention of
the "managed enrollment" classes is to meet the needs of students who
desire to achieve competency in work and life skill areas more
efficiently and effectively that in the "open entry - open exit"
classes.  So far, evaluations of these classes is showing that students
and teachers are satisfied with the results.  The project in Miami Dade
School District is called "Intensive English Academies" and can be
reviewed at the Florida Adult ESOL task force website,
www.floridaadultesol.org <http://www.floridaadultesol.org/> .  Look for
the pencil under "New Initiatives."

 

 

CONTACT INFORMATION

Philip Anderson

Adult ESOL Program Specialist

Division of Workforce Education

Florida Department of Education

325 W. Gaines Street, Room 644

Tallahassee, FL  32399

Tel (850) 245-9450

Fax (850) 245-0995
 

Please take a few minutes to provide feedback on the quality of service
you received from our staff. The Department of Education values your
feedback as a customer. Commissioner of Education Dr. Eric J. Smith is
committed to continuously assessing and improving the level and quality
of services provided to you.Simply use the link below.  Thank you in
advance for completing the survey.
 

http://data.fldoe.org/cs/default.cfm?staff=Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org|12:
37:22%20Thu%2019%20Jun%202008
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Message: 3
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:53:05 -0700
From: "Rantapaa Linnell L" <Linnell.L.Rantapaa at doc.state.or.us>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1023] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
	more answers, more discussion-TM
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID:
	
<286FDFA48BE5AF4CA0641A8AE10A9B047044B8 at docmail4.ds.doc.state.or.us>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="us-ascii"

CASAS postesting was required after the Feds via the Title II National
Reporting System did not allow an official GED test to proxy for a
posttest to measure skill level gains.  Progress on the NRS "Educational
Gain" performance must be measureed by a pre and posttest of the same
type. If GED completers are not posttested they have no "opportunity" to
demonstrate progress on this performance measure.  In Oregon, we have
the same difficulties getting valid posttest results from those who have
already completed the GED.  We try to catch them before they take their
last GED test, but it's a struggle.  

Linnell
Phone: 503-934-1006
Fax: 503-378-5815

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Rinderknecht, Gail
A.
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 9:14 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 1013] Re: Content Standards: More
questions,more answers, more discussion-TM

We use TABE to determine the 6.0 grade level for the Dept. of
Corrections.  It's quick, easy and non-threatening.

The CASAS is required by the State Department of Education.  No one
seems to know the rationale for requiring the students to take the CASAS
after completing their GED.  It's one of those mandated things that
happens when the State is instituting "Standards".  None of the GED
teachers that I know of like the idea, but at the same time we are
required to re-CASAS.  I suppose it is supposed to show growth in the
reading and math, but as I said before, most of the men do not see a
reason to try very hard on this test and just view it as another hoop
that they are required to jump through.  

Gail Rinderknecht
garinderknecht at dmacc.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Kelsee Miller
Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 9:41 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1013]   Re: Content Standards: More
questions,more answers, more discussion-TM
 
Question for Gail: Why does your state use both the TABE and CASAS? What
is the rationale for testing CASAS again after the GED?

I have found this discussion very insightful!
Thank you,
Kelsee

Kelsee Miller
Casper College
Adult Basic Education/GED Instructor
125 College Dr. 
Casper, WY 82601
307-268-2895
307-268-2230

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to garinderknecht at dmacc.edu

------------------------------

Message: 4
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:22:30 -0500
From: "Rinderknecht, Gail A." <garinderknecht at dmacc.edu>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1024] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
	more answers, more discussion
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID:
	
<F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B80A4 at ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

You decry the use of rewards, but for kids to take a test seriously,
they need a reward.  In regular classes, the reward is a grade.  They
often need something tangible to strive for other than the test score.
Standardized tests do not provide a reward for someone who is not
internally motivated.  Even if the reward is "real pizza" for lunch
instead of the school pizza or passes to the local movie theater, it may
be enough to motivate some students to take the test more seriously than
they otherwise would have.

Gail

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Federico Salas
Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 9:02 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1010] Re: Content Standards: More questions,more
answers, more discussion
 
To me the obvious problem with rewarding results on the test is that you
are teaching test taking skills.  Then the standard is determined by the
test, not by your instructional content standards as determined by
students and colleagues.  Students may have a phenomenal passing rate on
the test but be completely unable to actually use their skills and  in a
practical application at work or as tap their knowledge  base as a
springboard to learn more at college or the university.  Then programs
that "offer rewards for improved test scores" have improved test scores
but have they improved the proficiency of those test takers in their
ability to succeed in life?  I am afraid not.  That is one of the most
insidious problems of public education today.  Schools are ranked and
rewarded on the performance of their students on standardized tests but
nobody pays attention to whether the students have really learned their
materials or simply learned to ace a test.  I believe the issue is with
making the standardized test the focus of education.  If we focused on
the content standards for instruction instead our success rate would
over time improve. 

To me, focusing on the test is warranted only when the student has
obtained sufficient command of the skills and knowledge and a few weeks
before the test you pay attention to the form of the test, test
strategies, etc.  But to devote your adult education program to the test
skills rather than teach with a carefully considered set of academic and
work related standards is a true disservice to our students.

You should know I am an avowed enemy of standardized tests; I don't
understand them, I don't like them, and I don't believe the scores tell
us much about a student.  I also don't believe we are going to fix any
of the problems in education if we continue focusing on "the test"
instead of teaching.  Of course I went through my whole elementary,
secondary, and a couple of years of university work in two other
countries without ever once facing a standardized test.  Tests of my
ability to explain scientific facts, yes; tests of my ability to relate
knowledge from one field to knowledge from another, yes.  Tests that
asked me to look for evidence in XX century culture of events that
happened in the renaissance, yes.  But standardized tests? The first
standardized test I ever took was the TOEFL to come to this country. But
that's another story...

federico

Federico Salas-Isnardi, Assistant State Director
Texas LEARNS
6005 Westview Dr.
Houston, TX 77055
Direct: 713-696-0719
Toll Free: 866-696-4233
Fax: 713-696-0797
 
The State Office of Adult Education and Family Literacy
-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Rinderknecht, Gail
A.
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 7:56 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 996] Content Standards: More questions, more
answers,more discussion

So I knew I shouldn't have started writing in response to this topic
because I have such strong opinions about the matter.  

Iowa has instituted standards and benchmarks in the public schools and
tests the daylights out of the students.  Personally, I believe that the
success of the test often relies on the attitude of the teacher giving
the test.  I can see this in the high school where I used to teach when
I volunteer to read high school essays in the summer to evaluate
reading.  The teachers whom I know emphasize the importance of the test
have much better results than the teacher who says, "Hey, we have to do
this.  I don't like it. You don't like it, Your parents don't like it.
Just do it and get it over with."  Schools that offer rewards for
improved test scores have improved test scores.  There are many
variables when doing any kind of standardized testing to "evaluate
teaching results".  And as far as getting the federal government
involved in adult literacy, please, no.  Talk to any special education
teacher ( me included) to find out about the results of federal mandates
in education.  IEP's went from a simple three or four page document to
over 12 pages listing standards and benchmarks that were to be worked on
for each student.  If I had 20 students on my roster, most of whom I
never saw but for whose educational programs I was still responsible,
then I had 20 IEP's with massive amounts of bi-monthly or weekly testing
to determine if progress was being made.  Charts had to be kept up on
each goal, and I had very little time to teach let alone get to know my
students.  Several times I introduced myself to a student at his IEP
meeting because he was not available when I had a planning time.  When
it got to the point where a graduation goal was deemed inappropriate and
secondary to meeting the standards and benchmarks, I knew it was time
for me to get out of special education in a high school.

But that's beside the point, you might say; however, it isn't because at
the prison I currently have at least 50 students.  If I had to show
growth along prescribed standards and benchmarks, then I would be back
to nothing but paperwork.  Oh, you should know, that I keep a running
informal individual education plan for each of my men.  I have to for me
as well as for them; otherwise I would forget who was doing what in
which book.  

All I'm saying is, about the time you have mandated standards from the
federal government, then you're going to have to prove that you're
meeting those standards.  The fact that the men I work with in prison
pass their tests would have little to do with it.   (Oh, and my 96%
passing rate probably has something to do with my "captive" audience who
are clean, well-fed, well-rested and required to be in class.)  I take
very little credit for their success.  I am there;  they have the GED
prep workbooks from several different companies.  I give assignments,
and they work independently and ask questions when they have them.  They
are in a safe, non-threatening atmosphere which for some of them is a
first.

Back to testing.  We TABE all offenders upon arrival to get a general
reading level.  Then we give CASAS reading and math tests to establish
deficits.  Every six months each man who has been in education classes
is required to re-take the CASAS.  When a man completes his GED, the
State also requires us to CASAS him again.  Usually the poor guy has
been through the CASAS so many times and is so happy to have his GED
that he scores his lowest scores on his last CASAS test.  This, of
course, reflects poorly on me as a teacher.  I can motivate a student to
complete his GED, but I cannot motivate him to try his hardest on a test
that essentially means nothing to him.  Oh, and if he is released before
he has completed his GED, which happens a lot, I have to CASAS him
before he leaves.  And believe me, a man who is on his way home is not
likely to try too hard on a test when all he can think about his
home-cooked meals and the family and friends waiting for him.

And we were also discussing planning time.  I plan on the run.  I walk
around the room and look over shoulders and if someone is struggling,
then perhaps a different book or some one-on-one time is warranted.  I
might have 50 men to teach, but my room only has chairs for 15, so it's
a constantly rotating group of guys from noon until 8 pm. Most of the
men have jobs either within the prison or off-grounds, so I need to be
there to catch them when they're available.  At the medium security site
where I work from noon til 3 pm, class times are assigned.  At the
minimum security site, I maintain a welcome mat approach:  come when
you're well, willing and able, as long as you find five hours per week
for class.  Like I said, I have a captive audience.

Gail Rinderknecht
GED instructor/ Des Moines Area Community College
Newton Correctional Facility
Newton, IA  50208

And this has nothing to do with the topic, but our site is called
"Riverview", but with the floods, it's been Lakeview.  We are all fine
here, but have had to make room for some men where the jails were
flooded.  The water here in central Iowa is thankfully receding, but
it's heading downriver towards some of you.

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David J. Rosen
Sent: Tue 6/17/2008 8:50 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 996]  Content Standards: More questions, more
answers,more discussion
 
Colleagues,

Our Content Standards discussion continues through Friday.  I have  
some more questions (see below) for guests and subscribers. I wonder  
if there are some people with questions that they feel are "too  
basic" such as "How do I find out what my state's Content Standards  
are, or if my state even has them?"  No question about content  
standards is too basic. This is the place to ask it.

I want to hear from teachers and administrators who are (or are not)  
implementing content standards. Jon Engel (Thank you, Jon) spoke for  
teachers who might be skeptical. Perhaps there are some teachers who  
are skeptical that would be willing to speak for themselves now that  
Jon has broached this.

Here are three more questions that were sent to me, for our guests  
and others :

"Part-time teachers and planning time:  Teachers tell us that  
developing lesson plans from standards takes more time because they  
have to spend time learning the standards, aligning their activities  
to those standards, and filling out more paper work to demonstrate  
compliance.  What are states implementing standards doing to  
alleviate the pressure on already burdened adult education teachers  
(low wages, low job security, part-time, no benefits, little or no  
prep time, etc.)?"

"National standards: As a standards writer, I was struck by the wide  
diversity of approaches to adult education content standards across  
states (ranging from the very prescriptive and specific to the very  
broad and general).  While I understand we live in a federal system  
in which states can do whatever they deem best for their students,  
isn't there a value in having a broader national discussion about  
what our adult students should be able to know and do in order to be  
successful members of society or, at a very minimum, shouldn't we  
have a common understanding about how content standards are going to  
be used?"

"Assessment:  While states have been encouraged to develop widely  
different content standards, the majority continue to use a very  
limited set of approved standardized assessments that may or may not  
be very closely aligned to those standards.  If due to increasingly  
tight financial constraints states are generally unable to develop  
NRS-approved standardized tests that are aligned with their  
standards, is it reasonable to expect that their content standards  
will have an impact on instruction and student performance?  Do  
teachers really have an incentive to teach from those standards if  
what they are teaching is not going to show up in the TABE or BEST  
Plus or CASAS?  Are there plans to develop such tests?"

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

-------------------------------
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-------------------------------
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End of SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 23, Issue 28
*********************************************

From jschneider at eicc.edu  Fri Jun 20 09:00:56 2008
From: jschneider at eicc.edu (Schneider, Jim)
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 08:00:56 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1039]  Rethinking mission of adult literacy
In-Reply-To: <mailman.49105.1213965279.13921.specialtopics@nifl.gov>
References: <mailman.49105.1213965279.13921.specialtopics@nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <208D21E3AC92D449A31336961A46FB870BF867F3@eiccd-exch1.eiccd.net>

I want to preface my remarks that I am in complete agreement with the
desired end of a year of post-secondary education for adult literacy
students. The research is clear and there is no doubt of the economic
benefits of postsecondary education over merely attaining a GED. 

I wonder about the willingness of our nation to provide adequate
resources for an enhanced program when there has never been any sign of
willingness to fund beyond the bare minimum in the past? Is it really
necessary to toss aside an infrastructure and programming that has been
in place and accomplished quite a bit in spite of lack-luster funding
and support? And, given the lack of resources in the past, I am leery
that these proposed "improvements" will provide the necessary funding
and supports to be a real improvement over the current programming. 

I feel very strongly that we need to be cautious and recognize that for
many adult learners merely attaining the GED is nearly an impossible
dream. To establish a higher "standard" as a professional objective is
one thing... to raise the bar when there are so many for which the
current bar seems unattainable seems inhumane.

I strongly advocate for postsecondary education with all of our learners
- the reality is that for too many there are significant barriers
(daycare, transportation, housing, etc.) to pursuing postsecondary
education in the short-term. Yet, many come back to us 2-5 years later
(when the kids are in school?) to inquire and enroll in postsecondary
education - of course there is no recognition of this accomplishment by
NRS since it happens more than 6 months after the program year. 

Jim Schneider
Davenport, IA

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of
specialtopics-request at nifl.gov
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2008 7:35 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 23, Issue 33

Send SpecialTopics mailing list submissions to
	specialtopics at nifl.gov

To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
	http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
	specialtopics-request at nifl.gov

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	specialtopics-owner at nifl.gov

When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
than "Re: Contents of SpecialTopics digest..."

Today's Topics:

   1. [SpecialTopics 1034] Last day of state content standards
      discussion: please weigh in! (David J. Rosen)
   2. [SpecialTopics 1035] A different state standards issue: the
      end	point of the state adult literacy system (David J.
Rosen)
   3. [SpecialTopics 1036]  Discussion on Professional Wisdom
      (David J. Rosen)
   4. [SpecialTopics 1037]  Regarding CASAS Posting... (Schneider, Jim)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 07:19:27 -0400
From: "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1034] Last day of state content standards
	discussion: please weigh in!
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Message-ID: <2C48A935-609E-48C2-A25B-B38846424E26 at comcast.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Colleagues,

This is our last day of a very rich, two-week discussion on  
implementation of state content standards. If you haven't weighed in  
yet and believe that something else needs to be said, or that an  
important question hasn't been answered, today's the day to add to  
the discussion.

Here's today's question:

What have you learned from this discussion that will be useful in  
your state?

That's it, only one question from me today. I hope some of you who  
are beginning the process of implementation of content standards and  
who joined the discussion today to learn from the (extensive)  
experience of our guests and other subscribers will use this as an  
opportunity to reflect, and to share with us what has been especially  
valuable.

For those who subscribed late, the discussion archives will be found at

http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

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Message: 2
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 08:05:44 -0400
From: "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1035] A different state standards issue: the
	end	point of the state adult literacy system
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Message-ID: <CFF3C2C0-7B01-41BB-9ACF-A1CE0B1DE31C at comcast.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Colleagues,

In our discussion about state content standards, one of the issues  
that has emerged implicitly is what the state standard should be for  
the end point of adult literacy education. Should it be the passing  
the GED? Successful transition to higher education? Success in at  
least a year of post-secondary education? In the past, the answer was  
clear: passing the GED.  Now, in many states there is a push toward  
successful transition to higher education, and/or post-secondary job  
training and/or apprenticeship. One state professional association,  
the New Jersey State Association for Lifelong Learning (NJALL) now  
calls for one year of post secondary education and a certificate as  
the new standard. (See the conclusion and recommendations in this  
policy paper below.)

Of course, many students want a GED, and only a GED. They want the  
pride of having earned the credential, or they need it to keep their  
present job. But the earnings research done by John Tyler and others  
( A National Institute for Literacy-sponsored video panel discussion  
on this with Dr. Tyler will be found at http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/ 
webcasts/ged/webcast_ged.html ) shows that if the student's goal is  
to affect his/her earnings through increased education, then more is  
needed, that passing the GED plus at least a year of college and a  
certificate or degree are required.  Has your state been discussing  
this issue? What are the considerations? Has your state made a  
decision on the end point? If so, what?

I did say in my earlier message that I would post only one question  
today, but then I saw the recommendations in the policy paper from  
the NJALL, and I thought it was so interesting and pertinent that I  
couldn't help but raise this in the context of our discussion of  
state content standards, especially as for some states an important  
goal may be to align adult literacy education with successful  
preparation for college.

Your thoughts?

 From the NJALL policy paper:

Conclusion
Considering the available data, the conclusion is inescapable.  If  
adult literacy educators
want to do more than educate our students to become members of the  
working poor, we
must rethink our mission.  Completion of adult literacy must become  
the half-way point
in a trajectory that leads to transition to and success in post  
secondary education. This
will require new partnerships between adult literacy programs and  
post secondary
institutions at both the state policy level and the local operational  
level. If we accept
anything less, are we meeting our professional responsibility?

Recommendations

1. Establish a high-level taskforce between the SETC, the Commission  
on Higher
Education and other stakeholders to study the transitions issue and  
recommend a
state policy response.

2. Accept one year of post secondary education and a certificate as  
the new standard
for completion of adult literacy education and insure that resources  
are adequate
to meet this standard.

The full NJALL policy paper will be found at http://www.njall.org/ 
index.php

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

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Message: 3
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 08:07:36 -0400
From: David J. Rosen <djrosen at comcast.net>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1036]  Discussion on Professional Wisdom
To: The Assessment Discussion List <assessment at nifl.gov>,
	diversity at nifl.gov,	The Adult English Language Learners
Discussion
	List	<englishlanguage at nifl.gov>, 	The Family Literacy
Discussion List
	<familyliteracy at nifl.gov>,	The Health and Literacy
Discussion List
	<healthliteracy at nifl.gov>,	The Learning Disabilities
Discussion List
	<learningdisabilities at nifl.gov>, 	The Adult Literacy
Professional
	Development Discussion List
<professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov>,
	specialtopics at nifl.gov,	The Workplace Literacy Discussion List
	<workplace at nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <5E460B91-A34C-4B4F-A3ED-31BF723F9CF9 at comcast.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Colleagues,

We would like to invite you to join us in a discussion about  
professional wisdom that we will be holding on the AAACE-NLA   
discussion list from June 23rd to June 27th.

In November last year,  we (John Comings and David J. Rosen) had a  
series of email exchanges because we believe it is important for our  
field to come to agreement on how professional wisdom might be used  
as part of evidence-based practice. We discussed how our field might  
build a model for achieving a body of professional wisdom that  
teachers and administrators might use to improve basic skills  
teaching, learning and programs for adults.

On June 23rd and June 24th we will post that discussion on the AAACE- 
NLA discussion list in two parts. From June 25th-June 27th we will  
welcome your questions and comments.

Please pass this invitation on to your colleagues who might like to  
join us, too.  To subscribe to the AAACE-NLA Discussion List, go to:

http://lists.literacytent.org/mailman/listinfo/aaace-nla

Once there, scroll down the page and follow the subscription directions.

John Comings

David J. Rosen

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Message: 4
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 07:31:13 -0500
From: "Schneider, Jim" <jschneider at eicc.edu>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1037]  Regarding CASAS Posting...
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID:
	<208D21E3AC92D449A31336961A46FB870BF867CE at eiccd-exch1.eiccd.net>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="us-ascii"

As was mentioned in another message the CASAS post-test must be
administered to register any learning gain for NRS reporting. 

There is a movement to recognize the official practice tests and GED
test scores as an acceptable pre & post-test measure for the NRS which
would make INFINITELY more sense for those individuals who are focused
on attaining the GED and prevent the current over-assessment nonsense
that must be undertaken for programs to document the progress and
accountability of their efforts. 

Jim Schneider
Davenport, IA 

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of
specialtopics-request at nifl.gov
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 5:14 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 23, Issue 28

Send SpecialTopics mailing list submissions to
	specialtopics at nifl.gov

To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
	http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
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When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
than "Re: Contents of SpecialTopics digest..."

Today's Topics:

   1. [SpecialTopics 1021] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
      more answers, more discussion-TM (Rinderknecht, Gail A.)
   2. [SpecialTopics 1022] Standards - Response to Questions by
      Allan	French (Anderson, Philip)
   3. [SpecialTopics 1023] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
      more answers, more discussion-TM (Rantapaa Linnell L)
   4. [SpecialTopics 1024] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
      more answers, more discussion (Rinderknecht, Gail A.)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:40:44 -0500
From: "Rinderknecht, Gail A." <garinderknecht at dmacc.edu>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1021] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
	more answers, more discussion-TM
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID:
	
<F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B80A3 at ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

We are in the process of doing just that.  Evidently "they" do not think
it is irrelevant.  They want it for statistical purposes to show growth
when the GED is completed.

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Nancy Markus
Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 11:20 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1019] Re: Content Standards: More questions,more
answers, more discussion-TM
 
Why not contact your state leadership and ask why the CASAS is required?
If
it really is irrelevant then advocate for change.

Nancy

On 6/19/08, Rinderknecht, Gail A. <garinderknecht at dmacc.edu> wrote:
>
> We use TABE to determine the 6.0 grade level for the Dept. of
> Corrections.  It's quick, easy and non-threatening.
>
> The CASAS is required by the State Department of Education.  No one
seems
> to know the rationale for requiring the students to take the CASAS
after
> completing their GED.  It's one of those mandated things that happens
when
> the State is instituting "Standards".  None of the GED teachers that I
know
> of like the idea, but at the same time we are required to re-CASAS.  I
> suppose it is supposed to show growth in the reading and math, but as
I said
> before, most of the men do not see a reason to try very hard on this
test
> and just view it as another hoop that they are required to jump
through.
>
> Gail Rinderknecht
> garinderknecht at dmacc.edu
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Kelsee Miller
> Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 9:41 AM
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 1013]   Re: Content Standards: More
questions,more
> answers, more discussion-TM
>
> Question for Gail: Why does your state use both the TABE and CASAS?
What is
> the rationale for testing CASAS again after the GED?
>
> I have found this discussion very insightful!
> Thank you,
> Kelsee
>
>
>
> Kelsee Miller
> Casper College
> Adult Basic Education/GED Instructor
> 125 College Dr.
> Casper, WY 82601
> 307-268-2895
> 307-268-2230
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to garinderknecht at dmacc.edu
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to nancy.markus at gmail.com
>
>

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Message: 2
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:37:21 -0400
From: "Anderson, Philip" <Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1022] Standards - Response to Questions by
	Allan	French
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <96E135649F1AD048AA6FF8CBC598C23E18E1E761 at MAIL1.FLDOE.INT>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

This is a response from Phil Anderson, Florida DOE Adult Education
Program Specialist to the questions posed by Allan French, ESL
Instructor, Assessment Coordinator, Norming Project Coordinator at South
Seattle Community College:

 

This statement made by Allan resonates strongly:  "The new state
standards were brought into the project to inform and suggest
(especially in terms of language), not to limit and control."  This is
the intention of Florida's standards as well.

 

Allan's questions:  "I see standards as not just a guideline for a
lesson, but a destination (after all, they define what we expect our
students to know and be able to do as they exit a particular level).  I
am concerned with how we get to that destination, especially given the
multitude of standards and indicators, the need for multiple types of
assessment, and the time limitations.  So I would like to ask all of you
out there who have worked some time with standards, (1) how do you
determine that a student is ready for the next level of an integrated
ESL class, using standards? 

 

Florida has several adult ESOL courses that are funded only with state
dollars, and are not reported to the NRS.  Literacy Skills for the Adult
ESOL Learner is one of these. In 1999-2000, this course was developed by
a group of adult ESOL experts that included a University of Florida
researcher in adult ESOL literacy, Dr. Edwidge Crevecoeur-Bryant,
consultants with years of adult education experience in Florida,
teachers, and Dr. Edwina Hoffman, a Miami-Dade program administrator of
refugee programs.  This course is designed for students that have low
levels of education and literacy in their home language(s).  Most
students are Haitian, or from various language groups in Mexico and
Central America, such as Mixteco, Tarasco, Quechua, and Kanjobal.  This
course has been put through implementation and revision stages in
several schools around the state, and it has been tweaked almost yearly
since its inception.  It has a set of benchmarks that are divided into
three levels, A, B, C.  Last year, the state database shows that 13,794
students were enrolled in this course.  We developed a "User Guide" for
this course to explain to teachers how it is used and suggestions on how
to teach the course.  Documents related to this course can be found on
the Florida Adult Education website,
http://www.fldoe.org/workforce/adult_ed.asp. 

 

(2) How do you determine what constitutes satisfactory performance of
any one standard/indicator, and that such performance has in fact been
achieved? 

For the present, the only method the state prescribes is that the
teacher of the course and the program administrator must sign off on a
state-created "Progress Report" that indicates the student has
"satisfactorily" mastered the benchmarks shown in the Progress in the
standards.  What is deemed "satisfactory" is left up to those two
persons, the teacher and the program administrator.  The state expects
local programs to establish a written procedure for how the teachers
will determine progress, i.e., portfolio, teacher-designed tests,
textbook tests, worksheet samples, documentation of group projects, etc.
After the teacher and administrator sign off on the student's Progress
Report, the program sends notification to the state that the student
mastered the standards.  The state then records this in its database and
assigns payment to the program accordingly.  The local program is
required to retain the records showing documentation of the progress
report for auditing purposes.  The state sends out monitors to all
programs to check on the documentation of the progress reports.  Since
the Florida legislature funds this course through its adult education
funding, the FL DOE, for now, uses this method of holding the program to
a certain level of accountability.  

 

(3) How do you create the assessment tools to evaluate said performance?

The state is in the process of exploring the development of a
standardized procedure/assessment that can give us a reliable and valid
way of measuring progress on the course standards.  Hopefully within the
next two years, this standardized procedure/assessment will be ready for
use. 

 

(4) Can you cover all standards/indicators for the level in a single
quarter or how much time is needed?  Another way of asking this is how
do you grapple with the, at times, mind-boggling complexity of all that
we are endeavoring to do.

Since the standards are "to inform and to suggest," teachers are not
expected to cover 100% of the standards within an instructional period
of time, but to judiciously select those that are relevant.  Maxine
McCormick, a Florida trainer, often exhorts us, "Take your students to
MMU!  Teach them what is meaningful, memorable and useful!"   Several
Florida programs are piloting short terms of 8 weeks in a "managed
enrollment" system with some of their classes.  In these classes,
students are assigned to a class by level, the class is "closed" after
the second week, and kept at 25 students maximum.  The first week is
assigned to orientation topics (how to study, what the students want to
cover in the course from a list of suggested topics from the standards,
the teacher's methods), and the last week is assigned to testing.  No
teacher can teach all the benchmarks in 8 weeks, but the intention of
the "managed enrollment" classes is to meet the needs of students who
desire to achieve competency in work and life skill areas more
efficiently and effectively that in the "open entry - open exit"
classes.  So far, evaluations of these classes is showing that students
and teachers are satisfied with the results.  The project in Miami Dade
School District is called "Intensive English Academies" and can be
reviewed at the Florida Adult ESOL task force website,
www.floridaadultesol.org <http://www.floridaadultesol.org/> .  Look for
the pencil under "New Initiatives."

 

 

CONTACT INFORMATION

Philip Anderson

Adult ESOL Program Specialist

Division of Workforce Education

Florida Department of Education

325 W. Gaines Street, Room 644

Tallahassee, FL  32399

Tel (850) 245-9450

Fax (850) 245-0995
 

Please take a few minutes to provide feedback on the quality of service
you received from our staff. The Department of Education values your
feedback as a customer. Commissioner of Education Dr. Eric J. Smith is
committed to continuously assessing and improving the level and quality
of services provided to you.Simply use the link below.  Thank you in
advance for completing the survey.
 

http://data.fldoe.org/cs/default.cfm?staff=Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org|12:
37:22%20Thu%2019%20Jun%202008
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Message: 3
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:53:05 -0700
From: "Rantapaa Linnell L" <Linnell.L.Rantapaa at doc.state.or.us>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1023] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
	more answers, more discussion-TM
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID:
	
<286FDFA48BE5AF4CA0641A8AE10A9B047044B8 at docmail4.ds.doc.state.or.us>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="us-ascii"

CASAS postesting was required after the Feds via the Title II National
Reporting System did not allow an official GED test to proxy for a
posttest to measure skill level gains.  Progress on the NRS "Educational
Gain" performance must be measureed by a pre and posttest of the same
type. If GED completers are not posttested they have no "opportunity" to
demonstrate progress on this performance measure.  In Oregon, we have
the same difficulties getting valid posttest results from those who have
already completed the GED.  We try to catch them before they take their
last GED test, but it's a struggle.  

Linnell
Phone: 503-934-1006
Fax: 503-378-5815

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Rinderknecht, Gail
A.
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 9:14 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 1013] Re: Content Standards: More
questions,more answers, more discussion-TM

We use TABE to determine the 6.0 grade level for the Dept. of
Corrections.  It's quick, easy and non-threatening.

The CASAS is required by the State Department of Education.  No one
seems to know the rationale for requiring the students to take the CASAS
after completing their GED.  It's one of those mandated things that
happens when the State is instituting "Standards".  None of the GED
teachers that I know of like the idea, but at the same time we are
required to re-CASAS.  I suppose it is supposed to show growth in the
reading and math, but as I said before, most of the men do not see a
reason to try very hard on this test and just view it as another hoop
that they are required to jump through.  

Gail Rinderknecht
garinderknecht at dmacc.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Kelsee Miller
Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 9:41 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1013]   Re: Content Standards: More
questions,more answers, more discussion-TM
 
Question for Gail: Why does your state use both the TABE and CASAS? What
is the rationale for testing CASAS again after the GED?

I have found this discussion very insightful!
Thank you,
Kelsee

Kelsee Miller
Casper College
Adult Basic Education/GED Instructor
125 College Dr. 
Casper, WY 82601
307-268-2895
307-268-2230

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to garinderknecht at dmacc.edu

------------------------------

Message: 4
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:22:30 -0500
From: "Rinderknecht, Gail A." <garinderknecht at dmacc.edu>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1024] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
	more answers, more discussion
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID:
	
<F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B80A4 at ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

You decry the use of rewards, but for kids to take a test seriously,
they need a reward.  In regular classes, the reward is a grade.  They
often need something tangible to strive for other than the test score.
Standardized tests do not provide a reward for someone who is not
internally motivated.  Even if the reward is "real pizza" for lunch
instead of the school pizza or passes to the local movie theater, it may
be enough to motivate some students to take the test more seriously than
they otherwise would have.

Gail

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Federico Salas
Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 9:02 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1010] Re: Content Standards: More questions,more
answers, more discussion
 
To me the obvious problem with rewarding results on the test is that you
are teaching test taking skills.  Then the standard is determined by the
test, not by your instructional content standards as determined by
students and colleagues.  Students may have a phenomenal passing rate on
the test but be completely unable to actually use their skills and  in a
practical application at work or as tap their knowledge  base as a
springboard to learn more at college or the university.  Then programs
that "offer rewards for improved test scores" have improved test scores
but have they improved the proficiency of those test takers in their
ability to succeed in life?  I am afraid not.  That is one of the most
insidious problems of public education today.  Schools are ranked and
rewarded on the performance of their students on standardized tests but
nobody pays attention to whether the students have really learned their
materials or simply learned to ace a test.  I believe the issue is with
making the standardized test the focus of education.  If we focused on
the content standards for instruction instead our success rate would
over time improve. 

To me, focusing on the test is warranted only when the student has
obtained sufficient command of the skills and knowledge and a few weeks
before the test you pay attention to the form of the test, test
strategies, etc.  But to devote your adult education program to the test
skills rather than teach with a carefully considered set of academic and
work related standards is a true disservice to our students.

You should know I am an avowed enemy of standardized tests; I don't
understand them, I don't like them, and I don't believe the scores tell
us much about a student.  I also don't believe we are going to fix any
of the problems in education if we continue focusing on "the test"
instead of teaching.  Of course I went through my whole elementary,
secondary, and a couple of years of university work in two other
countries without ever once facing a standardized test.  Tests of my
ability to explain scientific facts, yes; tests of my ability to relate
knowledge from one field to knowledge from another, yes.  Tests that
asked me to look for evidence in XX century culture of events that
happened in the renaissance, yes.  But standardized tests? The first
standardized test I ever took was the TOEFL to come to this country. But
that's another story...

federico

Federico Salas-Isnardi, Assistant State Director
Texas LEARNS
6005 Westview Dr.
Houston, TX 77055
Direct: 713-696-0719
Toll Free: 866-696-4233
Fax: 713-696-0797
 
The State Office of Adult Education and Family Literacy
-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Rinderknecht, Gail
A.
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 7:56 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 996] Content Standards: More questions, more
answers,more discussion

So I knew I shouldn't have started writing in response to this topic
because I have such strong opinions about the matter.  

Iowa has instituted standards and benchmarks in the public schools and
tests the daylights out of the students.  Personally, I believe that the
success of the test often relies on the attitude of the teacher giving
the test.  I can see this in the high school where I used to teach when
I volunteer to read high school essays in the summer to evaluate
reading.  The teachers whom I know emphasize the importance of the test
have much better results than the teacher who says, "Hey, we have to do
this.  I don't like it. You don't like it, Your parents don't like it.
Just do it and get it over with."  Schools that offer rewards for
improved test scores have improved test scores.  There are many
variables when doing any kind of standardized testing to "evaluate
teaching results".  And as far as getting the federal government
involved in adult literacy, please, no.  Talk to any special education
teacher ( me included) to find out about the results of federal mandates
in education.  IEP's went from a simple three or four page document to
over 12 pages listing standards and benchmarks that were to be worked on
for each student.  If I had 20 students on my roster, most of whom I
never saw but for whose educational programs I was still responsible,
then I had 20 IEP's with massive amounts of bi-monthly or weekly testing
to determine if progress was being made.  Charts had to be kept up on
each goal, and I had very little time to teach let alone get to know my
students.  Several times I introduced myself to a student at his IEP
meeting because he was not available when I had a planning time.  When
it got to the point where a graduation goal was deemed inappropriate and
secondary to meeting the standards and benchmarks, I knew it was time
for me to get out of special education in a high school.

But that's beside the point, you might say; however, it isn't because at
the prison I currently have at least 50 students.  If I had to show
growth along prescribed standards and benchmarks, then I would be back
to nothing but paperwork.  Oh, you should know, that I keep a running
informal individual education plan for each of my men.  I have to for me
as well as for them; otherwise I would forget who was doing what in
which book.  

All I'm saying is, about the time you have mandated standards from the
federal government, then you're going to have to prove that you're
meeting those standards.  The fact that the men I work with in prison
pass their tests would have little to do with it.   (Oh, and my 96%
passing rate probably has something to do with my "captive" audience who
are clean, well-fed, well-rested and required to be in class.)  I take
very little credit for their success.  I am there;  they have the GED
prep workbooks from several different companies.  I give assignments,
and they work independently and ask questions when they have them.  They
are in a safe, non-threatening atmosphere which for some of them is a
first.

Back to testing.  We TABE all offenders upon arrival to get a general
reading level.  Then we give CASAS reading and math tests to establish
deficits.  Every six months each man who has been in education classes
is required to re-take the CASAS.  When a man completes his GED, the
State also requires us to CASAS him again.  Usually the poor guy has
been through the CASAS so many times and is so happy to have his GED
that he scores his lowest scores on his last CASAS test.  This, of
course, reflects poorly on me as a teacher.  I can motivate a student to
complete his GED, but I cannot motivate him to try his hardest on a test
that essentially means nothing to him.  Oh, and if he is released before
he has completed his GED, which happens a lot, I have to CASAS him
before he leaves.  And believe me, a man who is on his way home is not
likely to try too hard on a test when all he can think about his
home-cooked meals and the family and friends waiting for him.

And we were also discussing planning time.  I plan on the run.  I walk
around the room and look over shoulders and if someone is struggling,
then perhaps a different book or some one-on-one time is warranted.  I
might have 50 men to teach, but my room only has chairs for 15, so it's
a constantly rotating group of guys from noon until 8 pm. Most of the
men have jobs either within the prison or off-grounds, so I need to be
there to catch them when they're available.  At the medium security site
where I work from noon til 3 pm, class times are assigned.  At the
minimum security site, I maintain a welcome mat approach:  come when
you're well, willing and able, as long as you find five hours per week
for class.  Like I said, I have a captive audience.

Gail Rinderknecht
GED instructor/ Des Moines Area Community College
Newton Correctional Facility
Newton, IA  50208

And this has nothing to do with the topic, but our site is called
"Riverview", but with the floods, it's been Lakeview.  We are all fine
here, but have had to make room for some men where the jails were
flooded.  The water here in central Iowa is thankfully receding, but
it's heading downriver towards some of you.

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David J. Rosen
Sent: Tue 6/17/2008 8:50 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 996]  Content Standards: More questions, more
answers,more discussion
 
Colleagues,

Our Content Standards discussion continues through Friday.  I have  
some more questions (see below) for guests and subscribers. I wonder  
if there are some people with questions that they feel are "too  
basic" such as "How do I find out what my state's Content Standards  
are, or if my state even has them?"  No question about content  
standards is too basic. This is the place to ask it.

I want to hear from teachers and administrators who are (or are not)  
implementing content standards. Jon Engel (Thank you, Jon) spoke for  
teachers who might be skeptical. Perhaps there are some teachers who  
are skeptical that would be willing to speak for themselves now that  
Jon has broached this.

Here are three more questions that were sent to me, for our guests  
and others :

"Part-time teachers and planning time:  Teachers tell us that  
developing lesson plans from standards takes more time because they  
have to spend time learning the standards, aligning their activities  
to those standards, and filling out more paper work to demonstrate  
compliance.  What are states implementing standards doing to  
alleviate the pressure on already burdened adult education teachers  
(low wages, low job security, part-time, no benefits, little or no  
prep time, etc.)?"

"National standards: As a standards writer, I was struck by the wide  
diversity of approaches to adult education content standards across  
states (ranging from the very prescriptive and specific to the very  
broad and general).  While I understand we live in a federal system  
in which states can do whatever they deem best for their students,  
isn't there a value in having a broader national discussion about  
what our adult students should be able to know and do in order to be  
successful members of society or, at a very minimum, shouldn't we  
have a common understanding about how content standards are going to  
be used?"

"Assessment:  While states have been encouraged to develop widely  
different content standards, the majority continue to use a very  
limited set of approved standardized assessments that may or may not  
be very closely aligned to those standards.  If due to increasingly  
tight financial constraints states are generally unable to develop  
NRS-approved standardized tests that are aligned with their  
standards, is it reasonable to expect that their content standards  
will have an impact on instruction and student performance?  Do  
teachers really have an incentive to teach from those standards if  
what they are teaching is not going to show up in the TABE or BEST  
Plus or CASAS?  Are there plans to develop such tests?"

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

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------------------------------

-------------------------------
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*********************************************

From marie.cora at hotspurpartners.com  Fri Jun 20 09:01:03 2008
From: marie.cora at hotspurpartners.com (Marie Cora)
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 09:01:03 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1038] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
	more answers, more discussion-TM
In-Reply-To: <F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B80A3@ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>
Message-ID: <05c401c8d2d5$b282c240$0702a8c0@LITNOW>

Hi everyone,

Wow, I'm surprised that any of the GED recipients even bother to do this
(take the CASAS after taking the GED battery).  They certainly do not
have to.  They can simply walk away with their GED certificate once they
complete it.  

But perhaps, this information is not shared with students - or I doubt
that the state would be able to continue carrying on this curious
practice.

Marie Cora

-----Original Message-----
From: Rinderknecht, Gail A. [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On
Behalf Of Rinderknecht, Gail A.
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 12:41 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 1019] Re: Content Standards: More
questions,more answers, more discussion-TM

We are in the process of doing just that.  Evidently "they" do not think
it is irrelevant.  They want it for statistical purposes to show growth
when the GED is completed.

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Nancy Markus
Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 11:20 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1019] Re: Content Standards: More questions,more
answers, more discussion-TM
 
Why not contact your state leadership and ask why the CASAS is required?
If
it really is irrelevant then advocate for change.

Nancy

On 6/19/08, Rinderknecht, Gail A. <garinderknecht at dmacc.edu> wrote:
>
> We use TABE to determine the 6.0 grade level for the Dept. of
> Corrections.  It's quick, easy and non-threatening.
>
> The CASAS is required by the State Department of Education.  No one
seems
> to know the rationale for requiring the students to take the CASAS
after
> completing their GED.  It's one of those mandated things that happens
when
> the State is instituting "Standards".  None of the GED teachers that I
know
> of like the idea, but at the same time we are required to re-CASAS.  I
> suppose it is supposed to show growth in the reading and math, but as
I said
> before, most of the men do not see a reason to try very hard on this
test
> and just view it as another hoop that they are required to jump
through.
>
> Gail Rinderknecht
> garinderknecht at dmacc.edu
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Kelsee Miller
> Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 9:41 AM
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 1013]   Re: Content Standards: More
questions,more
> answers, more discussion-TM
>
> Question for Gail: Why does your state use both the TABE and CASAS?
What is
> the rationale for testing CASAS again after the GED?
>
> I have found this discussion very insightful!
> Thank you,
> Kelsee
>
>
>
> Kelsee Miller
> Casper College
> Adult Basic Education/GED Instructor
> 125 College Dr.
> Casper, WY 82601
> 307-268-2895
> 307-268-2230
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to garinderknecht at dmacc.edu
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to nancy.markus at gmail.com
>
>

From djrosen at comcast.net  Fri Jun 20 09:52:12 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 09:52:12 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1040]  Fwd: Auto-discard notification
References: <mailman.46206.1213734590.13921.specialtopics@nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <4BBBC8CC-E13A-48FA-98E4-BD0B3867ED36@comcast.net>

Posted for Karen Greer who sent this message on June 17th

From: "Greer, Karen" <Karen.Greer at victoriacollege.edu>
Date: June 17, 2008 4:29:47 PM EDT
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 994] Re: ImplementingState	 
AdultEducationContentStandards

Hats off to Federico for his description of our state's standards  
process. I am one of those teachers in the trenches and welcomed the  
standards. I was shown my classroom,the students, and a large book  
closet and that was my orientation. After many years, trial and  
error, and many hours in the bookroom , I have come up with a  
workable plan. The standards are very necessary and need to be the  
basis of good planning(foreign to some teachers}. Texas followed the  
introduction of the standards with concrete lesson plan training. A  
curriculum with concrete flow is very important and the standards  
give us a way to divide level instruction guidelines. I encourage all  
in this field to use the standards and it will only benefit our  
students.

Karen Greer, teacher
Victoria College Adult Ed. Victoria, Tx

From Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org  Fri Jun 20 11:31:48 2008
From: Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org (Anderson, Philip)
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 11:31:48 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1041] Re: Textbooks and ESL Content Standards
In-Reply-To: <DDB3820159838B4594D5E87A48297CE503CDF2C1@web5.thecenterweb.org>
Message-ID: <96E135649F1AD048AA6FF8CBC598C23E18E1E838@MAIL1.FLDOE.INT>

Thanks to Catherine for the checklist criteria for selecting a text.  I
did a few additions and revisions to adapt it for our programs in
Florida, and I am attaching it here, in case anyone finds it useful.  I
added three more criteria regarding the three "Cs" - Content Standards,
Components, and Cost.  Perhaps other criteria that are part of
components could be included: workbooks, reproducible masters, video,
and audio? 

 
CONTACT INFORMATION
Philip Anderson
Adult ESOL Program
Florida Department of Education
Tel (850) 245-9450

 

Please take a few minutes to provide feedback on the quality of service you received from our staff. The Department of Education values your feedback as a customer. Commissioner of Education Dr. Eric J. Smith is committed to continuously assessing and improving the level and quality of services provided to you.Simply use the link below.  Thank you in advance for completing the survey.
 

http://data.fldoe.org/cs/default.cfm?staff=Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org|11:31:50%20Fri%2020%20Jun%202008
 

 -----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Catherine Porter
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 4:39 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov; specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1026] Re: Textbooks and ESL Content Standards

This is Catherine Porter, from the Adult Learning Resource Center in
Illinois.  I would like to add my comments to the discussion about
publishers' textbook correlations with state content standards.  

In Illinois, as in many states, part-time ESL instructors are frequently
hired at the last minute, handed a textbook, and told to start teaching
the next day or week.  For this reason, it is essential that the book
both be pedagogically sound AND align with our Illinois ESL Content
Standards.  Furthermore, I (also a textbook writer!) agree with Arlene
Grognet's comments below that:

"As to David's question about textbook correlations with standards, I 
would look at all of them as spurious. (And this coming from a 
textbook writer!) A textbook is only as good as the Teachers' Manual 
which should accompany it. For each lesson, the Manual should give 
shape to the the standard, tell teachers how the linguistic skills 
they are teaching fit into language acquisition, give new and part-
time teachers step-by-step ways of  presenting and practicing a 
lesson, and give experienced teachers hints for expansion and 
extension of the lesson. Without that, textbooks are only page-turners."

To assist programs in selecting appropriate published materials, all
curriculum development teams who attend our state-sponsored "ESL
Curriculum Institutes" receive training in evaluating and selecting
appropriate published materials.  In Illinois, as in many states,
publishers have been quick to publish correlations between their core
series and our state standards.  In some cases these correlations are
accurate while in others they are a wild and imaginative stretch.  

We have found that it takes at least two hours of staff development to
train teachers and program coordinators to identify appropriate criteria
for selecting a core text. The attached checklist, "Ten Criteria for
Selecting a Core Text for ESL" has been extremely useful to Illinois
adult education programs. Using the checklist, participants in the ESL
Curriculum Institutes examine pages from popular textbooks to see if
they meet these ten criteria.  In addition to applying the ten criteria,
participants are also guided in identifying the "Three "Cs" for any
textbook series: Cost, Components (as Arlene says, a textbook is only as
good as its teacher's manual), and of course, Content Standards being
addressed.  

After this initial training on selecting an appropriate core text,
programs are encouraged to set up committees of teachers back at their
programs to review, select, and pilot new materials. Those of us working
with adult education instructors know how attached teachers become to
their materials; in perhaps no other area is "resistance to change" so
strong.  By involving teachers in the materials selection process, many
Illinois programs are selecting and implementing core ESL materials that
meet their students' needs and align with our state standards. 

Catherine Porter
Professional Development Specialist
Adult Learning Resource Center
Arlington Heights, IL 

-----Original Message-----
From:	specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David J. Rosen
Sent:	Thu 6/19/2008 10:25 AM
To:	specialtopics at nifl.gov
Cc:	
Subject:	[SpecialTopics 1016]  More questions on state content
standards

Posted on behalf of Arlene Grognet

From: aggrognet at aol.com
Date: June 19, 2008 10:59:52 AM EDT

Federico, Phil, et al-

I have read with interest all of the states' responses to the  
questions raised, but a computer glitch (now solved) has kept me from  
contributing. I will keep my remarks to ESOL, because that is what I  
know best. It seems that most ABE and GED students come to class with  
oral English. However, they lack some of the knowledge and skills  
needed to lead a full adult life. On the other hand, ESOL students  
may already have those skills, but they lack the oral English with  
which to express them. For ESOL students, learning English is not an  
end in itself; it is a tool with which to do something else! That  
something else may be to go to the doctor or shop for food and  
clothing; it may be to work in a factory or a restaurant; it may be  
to talk with the school personnel or read a note from the teacher; it  
may be to get th GED or go to college.

  I was struck how closely David Heath's description of teachers in  
Texas, matches that in Florida. Yet, I come to a different conclusion  
than he does. We need standards (not standardization) so that new and  
part-time teachers are oriented to what students should learn;  
experienced teachers have a reference guide for their teaching; and  
curriculum reflects the real world in which students have to  
communicate. I am a Florida resident, and participated in the  
standards setting workshops offered buy Susan Pimentel that Phil  
Anderson described. It was an interesting and challenging exercise,  
but one which new and part-time teachers would have benefited little  
from. I say this because professional development is out next step,  
and more than 4 hours of training on standards, no matter how good  
the training, with leave teachers angry and bored. I know that it is  
not enough, but state implementers have to realize that anything  
coming from the state is sacrosant and will be viewed with suspicion,  
if not hostility. If new teachers stick with the program, they will  
be back for more. If they quit, we haven't lost that much.

As to David's question about textbook correlations with standards, I  
would look at all of them as spurious. (And this coming from a  
textbook writer!) A textbook is only as good as the Teachers' Manual  
which should accompany it. For each lesson, the Manual should give  
shape to the the standard, tell teachers how the linguistic skills  
they are teaching fit into language acquisition, give new and part- 
time teachers step-by-step ways of  presenting and practicing a  
lesson, and give experienced teachers hints for expansion and  
extension of the lesson. Without that, textbooks are only page-turners.

As to what the federal government can do for standards: give money to  
each state for refinement,  implementation, and experimentation, and  
stay out of standards writing and setting. If the federal government  
gets into it, it becomes a slippery slope. Just look at standardized  
testing and NRS as examples.

One question I have concerns assessment. How does know when when a  
student is ready to advance with the integrated skills needed in  
language learning? Is there any one assessment that gives the teacher  
or the test administrator a good picture of the students' listening/ 
speaking and reading/writing skills, and is aligned with standards?

Allene Grognet
Vice President (Emeritus), Center for Applied Linguistics

-------------------------------
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From Shauna.South at schools.utah.gov  Fri Jun 20 11:37:01 2008
From: Shauna.South at schools.utah.gov (South, Shauna)
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 09:37:01 -0600
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1042] Standards and the rationale for correlating
 assessment to your standards
In-Reply-To: <208D21E3AC92D449A31336961A46FB870BF867CE@eiccd-exch1.eiccd.net>
References: <mailman.48485.1213913613.13921.specialtopics@nifl.gov>
	<208D21E3AC92D449A31336961A46FB870BF867CE@eiccd-exch1.eiccd.net>
Message-ID: <3767AF61C1C1FA439CDF7C0360C8306EA67DF19140@DellMail.usoe.k12.ut.us>

Standards must be correlated to assessment and most of the states that have written standards have aligned them to the NRS levels that in and of themselves have outcome measures.  If we want to be able to show data that is relevant to any stake holder in adult education, standardized assessment (if not compromised in the administration) gives more accurate and valid data.

The standardized assessments approved address several goals: to place students accurately, to diagnose learner strengths and weaknesses, to guide instruction, and to show evidence of learning gains.  Thus is the reason for pre and post-testing using the same instrument.

Shauna South
Education Specialist
Utah

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Schneider, Jim
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2008 6:31 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1037] Regarding CASAS Posting...

As was mentioned in another message the CASAS post-test must be
administered to register any learning gain for NRS reporting.

There is a movement to recognize the official practice tests and GED
test scores as an acceptable pre & post-test measure for the NRS which
would make INFINITELY more sense for those individuals who are focused
on attaining the GED and prevent the current over-assessment nonsense
that must be undertaken for programs to document the progress and
accountability of their efforts.

Jim Schneider
Davenport, IA

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of
specialtopics-request at nifl.gov
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 5:14 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 23, Issue 28

Send SpecialTopics mailing list submissions to
        specialtopics at nifl.gov

To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
        http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
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When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
than "Re: Contents of SpecialTopics digest..."

Today's Topics:

   1. [SpecialTopics 1021] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
      more answers, more discussion-TM (Rinderknecht, Gail A.)
   2. [SpecialTopics 1022] Standards - Response to Questions by
      Allan     French (Anderson, Philip)
   3. [SpecialTopics 1023] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
      more answers, more discussion-TM (Rantapaa Linnell L)
   4. [SpecialTopics 1024] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
      more answers, more discussion (Rinderknecht, Gail A.)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:40:44 -0500
From: "Rinderknecht, Gail A." <garinderknecht at dmacc.edu>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1021] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
        more answers, more discussion-TM
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID:

<F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B80A3 at ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

We are in the process of doing just that.  Evidently "they" do not think
it is irrelevant.  They want it for statistical purposes to show growth
when the GED is completed.

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Nancy Markus
Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 11:20 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1019] Re: Content Standards: More questions,more
answers, more discussion-TM

Why not contact your state leadership and ask why the CASAS is required?
If
it really is irrelevant then advocate for change.

Nancy

On 6/19/08, Rinderknecht, Gail A. <garinderknecht at dmacc.edu> wrote:
>
> We use TABE to determine the 6.0 grade level for the Dept. of
> Corrections.  It's quick, easy and non-threatening.
>
> The CASAS is required by the State Department of Education.  No one
seems
> to know the rationale for requiring the students to take the CASAS
after
> completing their GED.  It's one of those mandated things that happens
when
> the State is instituting "Standards".  None of the GED teachers that I
know
> of like the idea, but at the same time we are required to re-CASAS.  I
> suppose it is supposed to show growth in the reading and math, but as
I said
> before, most of the men do not see a reason to try very hard on this
test
> and just view it as another hoop that they are required to jump
through.
>
> Gail Rinderknecht
> garinderknecht at dmacc.edu
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Kelsee Miller
> Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 9:41 AM
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 1013]   Re: Content Standards: More
questions,more
> answers, more discussion-TM
>
> Question for Gail: Why does your state use both the TABE and CASAS?
What is
> the rationale for testing CASAS again after the GED?
>
> I have found this discussion very insightful!
> Thank you,
> Kelsee
>
>
>
> Kelsee Miller
> Casper College
> Adult Basic Education/GED Instructor
> 125 College Dr.
> Casper, WY 82601
> 307-268-2895
> 307-268-2230
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to garinderknecht at dmacc.edu
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to nancy.markus at gmail.com
>
>

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Message: 2
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:37:21 -0400
From: "Anderson, Philip" <Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1022] Standards - Response to Questions by
        Allan   French
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <96E135649F1AD048AA6FF8CBC598C23E18E1E761 at MAIL1.FLDOE.INT>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

This is a response from Phil Anderson, Florida DOE Adult Education
Program Specialist to the questions posed by Allan French, ESL
Instructor, Assessment Coordinator, Norming Project Coordinator at South
Seattle Community College:

This statement made by Allan resonates strongly:  "The new state
standards were brought into the project to inform and suggest
(especially in terms of language), not to limit and control."  This is
the intention of Florida's standards as well.

Allan's questions:  "I see standards as not just a guideline for a
lesson, but a destination (after all, they define what we expect our
students to know and be able to do as they exit a particular level).  I
am concerned with how we get to that destination, especially given the
multitude of standards and indicators, the need for multiple types of
assessment, and the time limitations.  So I would like to ask all of you
out there who have worked some time with standards, (1) how do you
determine that a student is ready for the next level of an integrated
ESL class, using standards?

Florida has several adult ESOL courses that are funded only with state
dollars, and are not reported to the NRS.  Literacy Skills for the Adult
ESOL Learner is one of these. In 1999-2000, this course was developed by
a group of adult ESOL experts that included a University of Florida
researcher in adult ESOL literacy, Dr. Edwidge Crevecoeur-Bryant,
consultants with years of adult education experience in Florida,
teachers, and Dr. Edwina Hoffman, a Miami-Dade program administrator of
refugee programs.  This course is designed for students that have low
levels of education and literacy in their home language(s).  Most
students are Haitian, or from various language groups in Mexico and
Central America, such as Mixteco, Tarasco, Quechua, and Kanjobal.  This
course has been put through implementation and revision stages in
several schools around the state, and it has been tweaked almost yearly
since its inception.  It has a set of benchmarks that are divided into
three levels, A, B, C.  Last year, the state database shows that 13,794
students were enrolled in this course.  We developed a "User Guide" for
this course to explain to teachers how it is used and suggestions on how
to teach the course.  Documents related to this course can be found on
the Florida Adult Education website,
http://www.fldoe.org/workforce/adult_ed.asp.

(2) How do you determine what constitutes satisfactory performance of
any one standard/indicator, and that such performance has in fact been
achieved?

For the present, the only method the state prescribes is that the
teacher of the course and the program administrator must sign off on a
state-created "Progress Report" that indicates the student has
"satisfactorily" mastered the benchmarks shown in the Progress in the
standards.  What is deemed "satisfactory" is left up to those two
persons, the teacher and the program administrator.  The state expects
local programs to establish a written procedure for how the teachers
will determine progress, i.e., portfolio, teacher-designed tests,
textbook tests, worksheet samples, documentation of group projects, etc.
After the teacher and administrator sign off on the student's Progress
Report, the program sends notification to the state that the student
mastered the standards.  The state then records this in its database and
assigns payment to the program accordingly.  The local program is
required to retain the records showing documentation of the progress
report for auditing purposes.  The state sends out monitors to all
programs to check on the documentation of the progress reports.  Since
the Florida legislature funds this course through its adult education
funding, the FL DOE, for now, uses this method of holding the program to
a certain level of accountability.

(3) How do you create the assessment tools to evaluate said performance?

The state is in the process of exploring the development of a
standardized procedure/assessment that can give us a reliable and valid
way of measuring progress on the course standards.  Hopefully within the
next two years, this standardized procedure/assessment will be ready for
use.

(4) Can you cover all standards/indicators for the level in a single
quarter or how much time is needed?  Another way of asking this is how
do you grapple with the, at times, mind-boggling complexity of all that
we are endeavoring to do.

Since the standards are "to inform and to suggest," teachers are not
expected to cover 100% of the standards within an instructional period
of time, but to judiciously select those that are relevant.  Maxine
McCormick, a Florida trainer, often exhorts us, "Take your students to
MMU!  Teach them what is meaningful, memorable and useful!"   Several
Florida programs are piloting short terms of 8 weeks in a "managed
enrollment" system with some of their classes.  In these classes,
students are assigned to a class by level, the class is "closed" after
the second week, and kept at 25 students maximum.  The first week is
assigned to orientation topics (how to study, what the students want to
cover in the course from a list of suggested topics from the standards,
the teacher's methods), and the last week is assigned to testing.  No
teacher can teach all the benchmarks in 8 weeks, but the intention of
the "managed enrollment" classes is to meet the needs of students who
desire to achieve competency in work and life skill areas more
efficiently and effectively that in the "open entry - open exit"
classes.  So far, evaluations of these classes is showing that students
and teachers are satisfied with the results.  The project in Miami Dade
School District is called "Intensive English Academies" and can be
reviewed at the Florida Adult ESOL task force website,
www.floridaadultesol.org <http://www.floridaadultesol.org/> .  Look for
the pencil under "New Initiatives."

CONTACT INFORMATION

Philip Anderson

Adult ESOL Program Specialist

Division of Workforce Education

Florida Department of Education

325 W. Gaines Street, Room 644

Tallahassee, FL  32399

Tel (850) 245-9450

Fax (850) 245-0995

Please take a few minutes to provide feedback on the quality of service
you received from our staff. The Department of Education values your
feedback as a customer. Commissioner of Education Dr. Eric J. Smith is
committed to continuously assessing and improving the level and quality
of services provided to you.Simply use the link below.  Thank you in
advance for completing the survey.

http://data.fldoe.org/cs/default.cfm?staff=Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org|12:
37:22%20Thu%2019%20Jun%202008
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Message: 3
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:53:05 -0700
From: "Rantapaa Linnell L" <Linnell.L.Rantapaa at doc.state.or.us>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1023] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
        more answers, more discussion-TM
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID:

<286FDFA48BE5AF4CA0641A8AE10A9B047044B8 at docmail4.ds.doc.state.or.us>
Content-Type: text/plain;       charset="us-ascii"

CASAS postesting was required after the Feds via the Title II National
Reporting System did not allow an official GED test to proxy for a
posttest to measure skill level gains.  Progress on the NRS "Educational
Gain" performance must be measureed by a pre and posttest of the same
type. If GED completers are not posttested they have no "opportunity" to
demonstrate progress on this performance measure.  In Oregon, we have
the same difficulties getting valid posttest results from those who have
already completed the GED.  We try to catch them before they take their
last GED test, but it's a struggle.

Linnell
Phone: 503-934-1006
Fax: 503-378-5815

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Rinderknecht, Gail
A.
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 9:14 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 1013] Re: Content Standards: More
questions,more answers, more discussion-TM

We use TABE to determine the 6.0 grade level for the Dept. of
Corrections.  It's quick, easy and non-threatening.

The CASAS is required by the State Department of Education.  No one
seems to know the rationale for requiring the students to take the CASAS
after completing their GED.  It's one of those mandated things that
happens when the State is instituting "Standards".  None of the GED
teachers that I know of like the idea, but at the same time we are
required to re-CASAS.  I suppose it is supposed to show growth in the
reading and math, but as I said before, most of the men do not see a
reason to try very hard on this test and just view it as another hoop
that they are required to jump through.

Gail Rinderknecht
garinderknecht at dmacc.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Kelsee Miller
Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 9:41 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1013]   Re: Content Standards: More
questions,more answers, more discussion-TM

Question for Gail: Why does your state use both the TABE and CASAS? What
is the rationale for testing CASAS again after the GED?

I have found this discussion very insightful!
Thank you,
Kelsee

Kelsee Miller
Casper College
Adult Basic Education/GED Instructor
125 College Dr.
Casper, WY 82601
307-268-2895
307-268-2230

-------------------------------
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Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to garinderknecht at dmacc.edu

------------------------------

Message: 4
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:22:30 -0500
From: "Rinderknecht, Gail A." <garinderknecht at dmacc.edu>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1024] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
        more answers, more discussion
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID:

<F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B80A4 at ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

You decry the use of rewards, but for kids to take a test seriously,
they need a reward.  In regular classes, the reward is a grade.  They
often need something tangible to strive for other than the test score.
Standardized tests do not provide a reward for someone who is not
internally motivated.  Even if the reward is "real pizza" for lunch
instead of the school pizza or passes to the local movie theater, it may
be enough to motivate some students to take the test more seriously than
they otherwise would have.

Gail

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Federico Salas
Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 9:02 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1010] Re: Content Standards: More questions,more
answers, more discussion

To me the obvious problem with rewarding results on the test is that you
are teaching test taking skills.  Then the standard is determined by the
test, not by your instructional content standards as determined by
students and colleagues.  Students may have a phenomenal passing rate on
the test but be completely unable to actually use their skills and  in a
practical application at work or as tap their knowledge  base as a
springboard to learn more at college or the university.  Then programs
that "offer rewards for improved test scores" have improved test scores
but have they improved the proficiency of those test takers in their
ability to succeed in life?  I am afraid not.  That is one of the most
insidious problems of public education today.  Schools are ranked and
rewarded on the performance of their students on standardized tests but
nobody pays attention to whether the students have really learned their
materials or simply learned to ace a test.  I believe the issue is with
making the standardized test the focus of education.  If we focused on
the content standards for instruction instead our success rate would
over time improve.

To me, focusing on the test is warranted only when the student has
obtained sufficient command of the skills and knowledge and a few weeks
before the test you pay attention to the form of the test, test
strategies, etc.  But to devote your adult education program to the test
skills rather than teach with a carefully considered set of academic and
work related standards is a true disservice to our students.

You should know I am an avowed enemy of standardized tests; I don't
understand them, I don't like them, and I don't believe the scores tell
us much about a student.  I also don't believe we are going to fix any
of the problems in education if we continue focusing on "the test"
instead of teaching.  Of course I went through my whole elementary,
secondary, and a couple of years of university work in two other
countries without ever once facing a standardized test.  Tests of my
ability to explain scientific facts, yes; tests of my ability to relate
knowledge from one field to knowledge from another, yes.  Tests that
asked me to look for evidence in XX century culture of events that
happened in the renaissance, yes.  But standardized tests? The first
standardized test I ever took was the TOEFL to come to this country. But
that's another story...

federico

Federico Salas-Isnardi, Assistant State Director
Texas LEARNS
6005 Westview Dr.
Houston, TX 77055
Direct: 713-696-0719
Toll Free: 866-696-4233
Fax: 713-696-0797

The State Office of Adult Education and Family Literacy
-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Rinderknecht, Gail
A.
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 7:56 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 996] Content Standards: More questions, more
answers,more discussion

So I knew I shouldn't have started writing in response to this topic
because I have such strong opinions about the matter.

Iowa has instituted standards and benchmarks in the public schools and
tests the daylights out of the students.  Personally, I believe that the
success of the test often relies on the attitude of the teacher giving
the test.  I can see this in the high school where I used to teach when
I volunteer to read high school essays in the summer to evaluate
reading.  The teachers whom I know emphasize the importance of the test
have much better results than the teacher who says, "Hey, we have to do
this.  I don't like it. You don't like it, Your parents don't like it.
Just do it and get it over with."  Schools that offer rewards for
improved test scores have improved test scores.  There are many
variables when doing any kind of standardized testing to "evaluate
teaching results".  And as far as getting the federal government
involved in adult literacy, please, no.  Talk to any special education
teacher ( me included) to find out about the results of federal mandates
in education.  IEP's went from a simple three or four page document to
over 12 pages listing standards and benchmarks that were to be worked on
for each student.  If I had 20 students on my roster, most of whom I
never saw but for whose educational programs I was still responsible,
then I had 20 IEP's with massive amounts of bi-monthly or weekly testing
to determine if progress was being made.  Charts had to be kept up on
each goal, and I had very little time to teach let alone get to know my
students.  Several times I introduced myself to a student at his IEP
meeting because he was not available when I had a planning time.  When
it got to the point where a graduation goal was deemed inappropriate and
secondary to meeting the standards and benchmarks, I knew it was time
for me to get out of special education in a high school.

But that's beside the point, you might say; however, it isn't because at
the prison I currently have at least 50 students.  If I had to show
growth along prescribed standards and benchmarks, then I would be back
to nothing but paperwork.  Oh, you should know, that I keep a running
informal individual education plan for each of my men.  I have to for me
as well as for them; otherwise I would forget who was doing what in
which book.

All I'm saying is, about the time you have mandated standards from the
federal government, then you're going to have to prove that you're
meeting those standards.  The fact that the men I work with in prison
pass their tests would have little to do with it.   (Oh, and my 96%
passing rate probably has something to do with my "captive" audience who
are clean, well-fed, well-rested and required to be in class.)  I take
very little credit for their success.  I am there;  they have the GED
prep workbooks from several different companies.  I give assignments,
and they work independently and ask questions when they have them.  They
are in a safe, non-threatening atmosphere which for some of them is a
first.

Back to testing.  We TABE all offenders upon arrival to get a general
reading level.  Then we give CASAS reading and math tests to establish
deficits.  Every six months each man who has been in education classes
is required to re-take the CASAS.  When a man completes his GED, the
State also requires us to CASAS him again.  Usually the poor guy has
been through the CASAS so many times and is so happy to have his GED
that he scores his lowest scores on his last CASAS test.  This, of
course, reflects poorly on me as a teacher.  I can motivate a student to
complete his GED, but I cannot motivate him to try his hardest on a test
that essentially means nothing to him.  Oh, and if he is released before
he has completed his GED, which happens a lot, I have to CASAS him
before he leaves.  And believe me, a man who is on his way home is not
likely to try too hard on a test when all he can think about his
home-cooked meals and the family and friends waiting for him.

And we were also discussing planning time.  I plan on the run.  I walk
around the room and look over shoulders and if someone is struggling,
then perhaps a different book or some one-on-one time is warranted.  I
might have 50 men to teach, but my room only has chairs for 15, so it's
a constantly rotating group of guys from noon until 8 pm. Most of the
men have jobs either within the prison or off-grounds, so I need to be
there to catch them when they're available.  At the medium security site
where I work from noon til 3 pm, class times are assigned.  At the
minimum security site, I maintain a welcome mat approach:  come when
you're well, willing and able, as long as you find five hours per week
for class.  Like I said, I have a captive audience.

Gail Rinderknecht
GED instructor/ Des Moines Area Community College
Newton Correctional Facility
Newton, IA  50208

And this has nothing to do with the topic, but our site is called
"Riverview", but with the floods, it's been Lakeview.  We are all fine
here, but have had to make room for some men where the jails were
flooded.  The water here in central Iowa is thankfully receding, but
it's heading downriver towards some of you.

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David J. Rosen
Sent: Tue 6/17/2008 8:50 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 996]  Content Standards: More questions, more
answers,more discussion

Colleagues,

Our Content Standards discussion continues through Friday.  I have
some more questions (see below) for guests and subscribers. I wonder
if there are some people with questions that they feel are "too
basic" such as "How do I find out what my state's Content Standards
are, or if my state even has them?"  No question about content
standards is too basic. This is the place to ask it.

I want to hear from teachers and administrators who are (or are not)
implementing content standards. Jon Engel (Thank you, Jon) spoke for
teachers who might be skeptical. Perhaps there are some teachers who
are skeptical that would be willing to speak for themselves now that
Jon has broached this.

Here are three more questions that were sent to me, for our guests
and others :

"Part-time teachers and planning time:  Teachers tell us that
developing lesson plans from standards takes more time because they
have to spend time learning the standards, aligning their activities
to those standards, and filling out more paper work to demonstrate
compliance.  What are states implementing standards doing to
alleviate the pressure on already burdened adult education teachers
(low wages, low job security, part-time, no benefits, little or no
prep time, etc.)?"

"National standards: As a standards writer, I was struck by the wide
diversity of approaches to adult education content standards across
states (ranging from the very prescriptive and specific to the very
broad and general).  While I understand we live in a federal system
in which states can do whatever they deem best for their students,
isn't there a value in having a broader national discussion about
what our adult students should be able to know and do in order to be
successful members of society or, at a very minimum, shouldn't we
have a common understanding about how content standards are going to
be used?"

"Assessment:  While states have been encouraged to develop widely
different content standards, the majority continue to use a very
limited set of approved standardized assessments that may or may not
be very closely aligned to those standards.  If due to increasingly
tight financial constraints states are generally unable to develop
NRS-approved standardized tests that are aligned with their
standards, is it reasonable to expect that their content standards
will have an impact on instruction and student performance?  Do
teachers really have an incentive to teach from those standards if
what they are teaching is not going to show up in the TABE or BEST
Plus or CASAS?  Are there plans to develop such tests?"

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

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End of SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 23, Issue 28
*********************************************
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Email delivered to shauna.south at schools.utah.gov

From jengel at communityaction.com  Fri Jun 20 11:46:53 2008
From: jengel at communityaction.com (Jon Engel)
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 10:46:53 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1043]  Standards,
	Standardized Tests & Real World Outcomes
In-Reply-To: <CFF3C2C0-7B01-41BB-9ACF-A1CE0B1DE31C@comcast.net>
References: <CFF3C2C0-7B01-41BB-9ACF-A1CE0B1DE31C@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <004301c8d2ec$dcb01060$9e00000a@cainc.local>

Thanks to David Rosen for moderating yet another interesting discussion.  I
must admit I have found the level significance and rhetoric generated around
the distinction between standards and standardized tests to be remarkable in
its irrelevance, kind of like a smoke ring inside a soap bubble.
Standardized tests appear to be designed to demonstrate that students have
mastered (or not) a certain standard of knowledge or content.  Standards
appear to be designed to demonstrate to teachers what standards of knowledge
or content they should teach to students.  It is at least implicit that
teaching to the standards should equip students to demonstrate the content
mastery necessary to perform well on the standardized tests, almost by
definition a neat and tidy closed system of tax dollar accountability.

 

Of course, the real world is not so neat and tidy as evidenced by the fool's
errand of administering standardized post tests to students who have already
attained their GED.  

 

David's question about the endpoint of the adult literacy education system
is an important one to focus on.  Throughout my career in adult education I
have been somewhat obsessed and perplexed in my quest to answer the question
of "GED and then What?".  I remain so.  As I write, the State of Texas has a
new request for proposal on the street to implement a state funded Dropout
Recovery Pilot Program.  The RFP defines a college readiness track that
appears to define minimal success as 

 

*	Successful completion of GED
*	Successful completion of state approved college placement test
*	Successful completion of a college credit "core" course

 

The RFP encourages collaboration with our workforce colleagues who are in
the business of preparing people for demand occupations at the local level.
Often our colleagues utilize WIA Title One money to assist people in the
completion of occupation specific certification and training programs that
can and do lead to good paying jobs and enhanced quality of life.  My
workforce colleagues tell me that these programs rarely require the
completion of a "core" college course.

 

It seems to me that our responsibility is to prepare our students to achieve
enhanced real world outcomes that would include multiple "endpoints" that
should not necessarily be tied solely to completion of conventional
postsecondary education coursework.

 

Sincerely,

 

Jon Engel

Adult Education Director

Community Action Inc.

PO Box 748

San Marcos, TX 78666

Voice  (512)392-1161 ext. 334

Fax  (512)396-4255

Email  jengel at communityaction.com

Web www.communityaction.com 

  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2008 7:06 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1035] A different state standards issue: the
endpoint of the state adult literacy system

 

Colleagues,

 

In our discussion about state content standards, one of the issues that has
emerged implicitly is what the state standard should be for the end point of
adult literacy education. Should it be the passing the GED? Successful
transition to higher education? Success in at least a year of post-secondary
education? In the past, the answer was clear: passing the GED. Now, in many
states there is a push toward successful transition to higher education,
and/or post-secondary job training and/or apprenticeship. One state
professional association, the New Jersey State Association for Lifelong
Learning (NJALL) now calls for one year of post secondary education and a
certificate as the new standard. (See the conclusion and recommendations in
this policy paper below.)

 

Of course, many students want a GED, and only a GED. They want the pride of
having earned the credential, or they need it to keep their present job. But
the earnings research done by John Tyler and others ( A National Institute
for Literacy-sponsored video panel discussion on this with Dr. Tyler will be
found at http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/webcasts/ged/webcast_ged.html ) shows that
if the student's goal is to affect his/her earnings through increased
education, then more is needed, that passing the GED plus at least a year of
college and a certificate or degree are required. Has your state been
discussing this issue? What are the considerations? Has your state made a
decision on the end point? If so, what? 

 

I did say in my earlier message that I would post only one question today,
but then I saw the recommendations in the policy paper from the NJALL, and I
thought it was so interesting and pertinent that I couldn't help but raise
this in the context of our discussion of state content standards, especially
as for some states an important goal may be to align adult literacy
education with successful preparation for college.

 

Your thoughts?

 

>From the NJALL policy paper:

 

Conclusion 

Considering the available data, the conclusion is inescapable. If adult
literacy educators 

want to do more than educate our students to become members of the working
poor, we 

must rethink our mission. Completion of adult literacy must become the
half-way point 

in a trajectory that leads to transition to and success in post secondary
education. This 

will require new partnerships between adult literacy programs and post
secondary 

institutions at both the state policy level and the local operational level.
If we accept 

anything less, are we meeting our professional responsibility? 

Recommendations 

1. Establish a high-level taskforce between the SETC, the Commission on
Higher 

Education and other stakeholders to study the transitions issue and
recommend a 

state policy response. 

2. Accept one year of post secondary education and a certificate as the new
standard 

for completion of adult literacy education and insure that resources are
adequate 

to meet this standard. 

The full NJALL policy paper will be found at http://www.njall.org/index.php

 

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

djrosen at comcast.net

 

 

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From Shauna.South at schools.utah.gov  Fri Jun 20 12:01:40 2008
From: Shauna.South at schools.utah.gov (South, Shauna)
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 10:01:40 -0600
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1044] Standards and the rationale for correlating
 assessment to your standards
In-Reply-To: <208D21E3AC92D449A31336961A46FB870BF867CE@eiccd-exch1.eiccd.net>
References: <mailman.48485.1213913613.13921.specialtopics@nifl.gov>
	<208D21E3AC92D449A31336961A46FB870BF867CE@eiccd-exch1.eiccd.net>
Message-ID: <3767AF61C1C1FA439CDF7C0360C8306EA67DF19158@DellMail.usoe.k12.ut.us>

Standards must be correlated to assessment and most of the states that have written standards have aligned them to the NRS levels that in and of themselves have outcome measures.  If we want to be able to show data that is relevant to any stake holder in adult education, standardized assessment (if not compromised in the administration) gives more accurate and valid data.

The standardized assessments approved address several goals: to place students accurately, to diagnose learner strengths and weaknesses, to guide instruction, and to show evidence of learning gains.  Thus is the reason for pre and post-testing using the same instrument.

Shauna South
Education Specialist
Utah

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Schneider, Jim
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2008 6:31 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1037] Regarding CASAS Posting...

As was mentioned in another message the CASAS post-test must be
administered to register any learning gain for NRS reporting.

There is a movement to recognize the official practice tests and GED
test scores as an acceptable pre & post-test measure for the NRS which
would make INFINITELY more sense for those individuals who are focused
on attaining the GED and prevent the current over-assessment nonsense
that must be undertaken for programs to document the progress and
accountability of their efforts.

Jim Schneider
Davenport, IA

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of
specialtopics-request at nifl.gov
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 5:14 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 23, Issue 28

Send SpecialTopics mailing list submissions to
        specialtopics at nifl.gov

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Today's Topics:

   1. [SpecialTopics 1021] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
      more answers, more discussion-TM (Rinderknecht, Gail A.)
   2. [SpecialTopics 1022] Standards - Response to Questions by
      Allan     French (Anderson, Philip)
   3. [SpecialTopics 1023] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
      more answers, more discussion-TM (Rantapaa Linnell L)
   4. [SpecialTopics 1024] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
      more answers, more discussion (Rinderknecht, Gail A.)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:40:44 -0500
From: "Rinderknecht, Gail A." <garinderknecht at dmacc.edu>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1021] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
        more answers, more discussion-TM
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID:

<F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B80A3 at ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

We are in the process of doing just that.  Evidently "they" do not think
it is irrelevant.  They want it for statistical purposes to show growth
when the GED is completed.

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Nancy Markus
Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 11:20 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1019] Re: Content Standards: More questions,more
answers, more discussion-TM

Why not contact your state leadership and ask why the CASAS is required?
If
it really is irrelevant then advocate for change.

Nancy

On 6/19/08, Rinderknecht, Gail A. <garinderknecht at dmacc.edu> wrote:
>
> We use TABE to determine the 6.0 grade level for the Dept. of
> Corrections.  It's quick, easy and non-threatening.
>
> The CASAS is required by the State Department of Education.  No one
seems
> to know the rationale for requiring the students to take the CASAS
after
> completing their GED.  It's one of those mandated things that happens
when
> the State is instituting "Standards".  None of the GED teachers that I
know
> of like the idea, but at the same time we are required to re-CASAS.  I
> suppose it is supposed to show growth in the reading and math, but as
I said
> before, most of the men do not see a reason to try very hard on this
test
> and just view it as another hoop that they are required to jump
through.
>
> Gail Rinderknecht
> garinderknecht at dmacc.edu
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Kelsee Miller
> Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 9:41 AM
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 1013]   Re: Content Standards: More
questions,more
> answers, more discussion-TM
>
> Question for Gail: Why does your state use both the TABE and CASAS?
What is
> the rationale for testing CASAS again after the GED?
>
> I have found this discussion very insightful!
> Thank you,
> Kelsee
>
>
>
> Kelsee Miller
> Casper College
> Adult Basic Education/GED Instructor
> 125 College Dr.
> Casper, WY 82601
> 307-268-2895
> 307-268-2230
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to garinderknecht at dmacc.edu
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to nancy.markus at gmail.com
>
>

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Message: 2
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:37:21 -0400
From: "Anderson, Philip" <Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1022] Standards - Response to Questions by
        Allan   French
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <96E135649F1AD048AA6FF8CBC598C23E18E1E761 at MAIL1.FLDOE.INT>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

This is a response from Phil Anderson, Florida DOE Adult Education
Program Specialist to the questions posed by Allan French, ESL
Instructor, Assessment Coordinator, Norming Project Coordinator at South
Seattle Community College:

This statement made by Allan resonates strongly:  "The new state
standards were brought into the project to inform and suggest
(especially in terms of language), not to limit and control."  This is
the intention of Florida's standards as well.

Allan's questions:  "I see standards as not just a guideline for a
lesson, but a destination (after all, they define what we expect our
students to know and be able to do as they exit a particular level).  I
am concerned with how we get to that destination, especially given the
multitude of standards and indicators, the need for multiple types of
assessment, and the time limitations.  So I would like to ask all of you
out there who have worked some time with standards, (1) how do you
determine that a student is ready for the next level of an integrated
ESL class, using standards?

Florida has several adult ESOL courses that are funded only with state
dollars, and are not reported to the NRS.  Literacy Skills for the Adult
ESOL Learner is one of these. In 1999-2000, this course was developed by
a group of adult ESOL experts that included a University of Florida
researcher in adult ESOL literacy, Dr. Edwidge Crevecoeur-Bryant,
consultants with years of adult education experience in Florida,
teachers, and Dr. Edwina Hoffman, a Miami-Dade program administrator of
refugee programs.  This course is designed for students that have low
levels of education and literacy in their home language(s).  Most
students are Haitian, or from various language groups in Mexico and
Central America, such as Mixteco, Tarasco, Quechua, and Kanjobal.  This
course has been put through implementation and revision stages in
several schools around the state, and it has been tweaked almost yearly
since its inception.  It has a set of benchmarks that are divided into
three levels, A, B, C.  Last year, the state database shows that 13,794
students were enrolled in this course.  We developed a "User Guide" for
this course to explain to teachers how it is used and suggestions on how
to teach the course.  Documents related to this course can be found on
the Florida Adult Education website,
http://www.fldoe.org/workforce/adult_ed.asp.

(2) How do you determine what constitutes satisfactory performance of
any one standard/indicator, and that such performance has in fact been
achieved?

For the present, the only method the state prescribes is that the
teacher of the course and the program administrator must sign off on a
state-created "Progress Report" that indicates the student has
"satisfactorily" mastered the benchmarks shown in the Progress in the
standards.  What is deemed "satisfactory" is left up to those two
persons, the teacher and the program administrator.  The state expects
local programs to establish a written procedure for how the teachers
will determine progress, i.e., portfolio, teacher-designed tests,
textbook tests, worksheet samples, documentation of group projects, etc.
After the teacher and administrator sign off on the student's Progress
Report, the program sends notification to the state that the student
mastered the standards.  The state then records this in its database and
assigns payment to the program accordingly.  The local program is
required to retain the records showing documentation of the progress
report for auditing purposes.  The state sends out monitors to all
programs to check on the documentation of the progress reports.  Since
the Florida legislature funds this course through its adult education
funding, the FL DOE, for now, uses this method of holding the program to
a certain level of accountability.

(3) How do you create the assessment tools to evaluate said performance?

The state is in the process of exploring the development of a
standardized procedure/assessment that can give us a reliable and valid
way of measuring progress on the course standards.  Hopefully within the
next two years, this standardized procedure/assessment will be ready for
use.

(4) Can you cover all standards/indicators for the level in a single
quarter or how much time is needed?  Another way of asking this is how
do you grapple with the, at times, mind-boggling complexity of all that
we are endeavoring to do.

Since the standards are "to inform and to suggest," teachers are not
expected to cover 100% of the standards within an instructional period
of time, but to judiciously select those that are relevant.  Maxine
McCormick, a Florida trainer, often exhorts us, "Take your students to
MMU!  Teach them what is meaningful, memorable and useful!"   Several
Florida programs are piloting short terms of 8 weeks in a "managed
enrollment" system with some of their classes.  In these classes,
students are assigned to a class by level, the class is "closed" after
the second week, and kept at 25 students maximum.  The first week is
assigned to orientation topics (how to study, what the students want to
cover in the course from a list of suggested topics from the standards,
the teacher's methods), and the last week is assigned to testing.  No
teacher can teach all the benchmarks in 8 weeks, but the intention of
the "managed enrollment" classes is to meet the needs of students who
desire to achieve competency in work and life skill areas more
efficiently and effectively that in the "open entry - open exit"
classes.  So far, evaluations of these classes is showing that students
and teachers are satisfied with the results.  The project in Miami Dade
School District is called "Intensive English Academies" and can be
reviewed at the Florida Adult ESOL task force website,
www.floridaadultesol.org <http://www.floridaadultesol.org/> .  Look for
the pencil under "New Initiatives."

CONTACT INFORMATION

Philip Anderson

Adult ESOL Program Specialist

Division of Workforce Education

Florida Department of Education

325 W. Gaines Street, Room 644

Tallahassee, FL  32399

Tel (850) 245-9450

Fax (850) 245-0995

Please take a few minutes to provide feedback on the quality of service
you received from our staff. The Department of Education values your
feedback as a customer. Commissioner of Education Dr. Eric J. Smith is
committed to continuously assessing and improving the level and quality
of services provided to you.Simply use the link below.  Thank you in
advance for completing the survey.

http://data.fldoe.org/cs/default.cfm?staff=Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org|12:
37:22%20Thu%2019%20Jun%202008
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Message: 3
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:53:05 -0700
From: "Rantapaa Linnell L" <Linnell.L.Rantapaa at doc.state.or.us>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1023] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
        more answers, more discussion-TM
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID:

<286FDFA48BE5AF4CA0641A8AE10A9B047044B8 at docmail4.ds.doc.state.or.us>
Content-Type: text/plain;       charset="us-ascii"

CASAS postesting was required after the Feds via the Title II National
Reporting System did not allow an official GED test to proxy for a
posttest to measure skill level gains.  Progress on the NRS "Educational
Gain" performance must be measureed by a pre and posttest of the same
type. If GED completers are not posttested they have no "opportunity" to
demonstrate progress on this performance measure.  In Oregon, we have
the same difficulties getting valid posttest results from those who have
already completed the GED.  We try to catch them before they take their
last GED test, but it's a struggle.

Linnell
Phone: 503-934-1006
Fax: 503-378-5815

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Rinderknecht, Gail
A.
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 9:14 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 1013] Re: Content Standards: More
questions,more answers, more discussion-TM

We use TABE to determine the 6.0 grade level for the Dept. of
Corrections.  It's quick, easy and non-threatening.

The CASAS is required by the State Department of Education.  No one
seems to know the rationale for requiring the students to take the CASAS
after completing their GED.  It's one of those mandated things that
happens when the State is instituting "Standards".  None of the GED
teachers that I know of like the idea, but at the same time we are
required to re-CASAS.  I suppose it is supposed to show growth in the
reading and math, but as I said before, most of the men do not see a
reason to try very hard on this test and just view it as another hoop
that they are required to jump through.

Gail Rinderknecht
garinderknecht at dmacc.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Kelsee Miller
Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 9:41 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1013]   Re: Content Standards: More
questions,more answers, more discussion-TM

Question for Gail: Why does your state use both the TABE and CASAS? What
is the rationale for testing CASAS again after the GED?

I have found this discussion very insightful!
Thank you,
Kelsee

Kelsee Miller
Casper College
Adult Basic Education/GED Instructor
125 College Dr.
Casper, WY 82601
307-268-2895
307-268-2230

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to garinderknecht at dmacc.edu

------------------------------

Message: 4
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:22:30 -0500
From: "Rinderknecht, Gail A." <garinderknecht at dmacc.edu>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1024] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
        more answers, more discussion
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID:

<F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B80A4 at ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

You decry the use of rewards, but for kids to take a test seriously,
they need a reward.  In regular classes, the reward is a grade.  They
often need something tangible to strive for other than the test score.
Standardized tests do not provide a reward for someone who is not
internally motivated.  Even if the reward is "real pizza" for lunch
instead of the school pizza or passes to the local movie theater, it may
be enough to motivate some students to take the test more seriously than
they otherwise would have.

Gail

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Federico Salas
Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 9:02 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1010] Re: Content Standards: More questions,more
answers, more discussion

To me the obvious problem with rewarding results on the test is that you
are teaching test taking skills.  Then the standard is determined by the
test, not by your instructional content standards as determined by
students and colleagues.  Students may have a phenomenal passing rate on
the test but be completely unable to actually use their skills and  in a
practical application at work or as tap their knowledge  base as a
springboard to learn more at college or the university.  Then programs
that "offer rewards for improved test scores" have improved test scores
but have they improved the proficiency of those test takers in their
ability to succeed in life?  I am afraid not.  That is one of the most
insidious problems of public education today.  Schools are ranked and
rewarded on the performance of their students on standardized tests but
nobody pays attention to whether the students have really learned their
materials or simply learned to ace a test.  I believe the issue is with
making the standardized test the focus of education.  If we focused on
the content standards for instruction instead our success rate would
over time improve.

To me, focusing on the test is warranted only when the student has
obtained sufficient command of the skills and knowledge and a few weeks
before the test you pay attention to the form of the test, test
strategies, etc.  But to devote your adult education program to the test
skills rather than teach with a carefully considered set of academic and
work related standards is a true disservice to our students.

You should know I am an avowed enemy of standardized tests; I don't
understand them, I don't like them, and I don't believe the scores tell
us much about a student.  I also don't believe we are going to fix any
of the problems in education if we continue focusing on "the test"
instead of teaching.  Of course I went through my whole elementary,
secondary, and a couple of years of university work in two other
countries without ever once facing a standardized test.  Tests of my
ability to explain scientific facts, yes; tests of my ability to relate
knowledge from one field to knowledge from another, yes.  Tests that
asked me to look for evidence in XX century culture of events that
happened in the renaissance, yes.  But standardized tests? The first
standardized test I ever took was the TOEFL to come to this country. But
that's another story...

federico

Federico Salas-Isnardi, Assistant State Director
Texas LEARNS
6005 Westview Dr.
Houston, TX 77055
Direct: 713-696-0719
Toll Free: 866-696-4233
Fax: 713-696-0797

The State Office of Adult Education and Family Literacy
-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Rinderknecht, Gail
A.
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 7:56 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 996] Content Standards: More questions, more
answers,more discussion

So I knew I shouldn't have started writing in response to this topic
because I have such strong opinions about the matter.

Iowa has instituted standards and benchmarks in the public schools and
tests the daylights out of the students.  Personally, I believe that the
success of the test often relies on the attitude of the teacher giving
the test.  I can see this in the high school where I used to teach when
I volunteer to read high school essays in the summer to evaluate
reading.  The teachers whom I know emphasize the importance of the test
have much better results than the teacher who says, "Hey, we have to do
this.  I don't like it. You don't like it, Your parents don't like it.
Just do it and get it over with."  Schools that offer rewards for
improved test scores have improved test scores.  There are many
variables when doing any kind of standardized testing to "evaluate
teaching results".  And as far as getting the federal government
involved in adult literacy, please, no.  Talk to any special education
teacher ( me included) to find out about the results of federal mandates
in education.  IEP's went from a simple three or four page document to
over 12 pages listing standards and benchmarks that were to be worked on
for each student.  If I had 20 students on my roster, most of whom I
never saw but for whose educational programs I was still responsible,
then I had 20 IEP's with massive amounts of bi-monthly or weekly testing
to determine if progress was being made.  Charts had to be kept up on
each goal, and I had very little time to teach let alone get to know my
students.  Several times I introduced myself to a student at his IEP
meeting because he was not available when I had a planning time.  When
it got to the point where a graduation goal was deemed inappropriate and
secondary to meeting the standards and benchmarks, I knew it was time
for me to get out of special education in a high school.

But that's beside the point, you might say; however, it isn't because at
the prison I currently have at least 50 students.  If I had to show
growth along prescribed standards and benchmarks, then I would be back
to nothing but paperwork.  Oh, you should know, that I keep a running
informal individual education plan for each of my men.  I have to for me
as well as for them; otherwise I would forget who was doing what in
which book.

All I'm saying is, about the time you have mandated standards from the
federal government, then you're going to have to prove that you're
meeting those standards.  The fact that the men I work with in prison
pass their tests would have little to do with it.   (Oh, and my 96%
passing rate probably has something to do with my "captive" audience who
are clean, well-fed, well-rested and required to be in class.)  I take
very little credit for their success.  I am there;  they have the GED
prep workbooks from several different companies.  I give assignments,
and they work independently and ask questions when they have them.  They
are in a safe, non-threatening atmosphere which for some of them is a
first.

Back to testing.  We TABE all offenders upon arrival to get a general
reading level.  Then we give CASAS reading and math tests to establish
deficits.  Every six months each man who has been in education classes
is required to re-take the CASAS.  When a man completes his GED, the
State also requires us to CASAS him again.  Usually the poor guy has
been through the CASAS so many times and is so happy to have his GED
that he scores his lowest scores on his last CASAS test.  This, of
course, reflects poorly on me as a teacher.  I can motivate a student to
complete his GED, but I cannot motivate him to try his hardest on a test
that essentially means nothing to him.  Oh, and if he is released before
he has completed his GED, which happens a lot, I have to CASAS him
before he leaves.  And believe me, a man who is on his way home is not
likely to try too hard on a test when all he can think about his
home-cooked meals and the family and friends waiting for him.

And we were also discussing planning time.  I plan on the run.  I walk
around the room and look over shoulders and if someone is struggling,
then perhaps a different book or some one-on-one time is warranted.  I
might have 50 men to teach, but my room only has chairs for 15, so it's
a constantly rotating group of guys from noon until 8 pm. Most of the
men have jobs either within the prison or off-grounds, so I need to be
there to catch them when they're available.  At the medium security site
where I work from noon til 3 pm, class times are assigned.  At the
minimum security site, I maintain a welcome mat approach:  come when
you're well, willing and able, as long as you find five hours per week
for class.  Like I said, I have a captive audience.

Gail Rinderknecht
GED instructor/ Des Moines Area Community College
Newton Correctional Facility
Newton, IA  50208

And this has nothing to do with the topic, but our site is called
"Riverview", but with the floods, it's been Lakeview.  We are all fine
here, but have had to make room for some men where the jails were
flooded.  The water here in central Iowa is thankfully receding, but
it's heading downriver towards some of you.

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David J. Rosen
Sent: Tue 6/17/2008 8:50 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 996]  Content Standards: More questions, more
answers,more discussion

Colleagues,

Our Content Standards discussion continues through Friday.  I have
some more questions (see below) for guests and subscribers. I wonder
if there are some people with questions that they feel are "too
basic" such as "How do I find out what my state's Content Standards
are, or if my state even has them?"  No question about content
standards is too basic. This is the place to ask it.

I want to hear from teachers and administrators who are (or are not)
implementing content standards. Jon Engel (Thank you, Jon) spoke for
teachers who might be skeptical. Perhaps there are some teachers who
are skeptical that would be willing to speak for themselves now that
Jon has broached this.

Here are three more questions that were sent to me, for our guests
and others :

"Part-time teachers and planning time:  Teachers tell us that
developing lesson plans from standards takes more time because they
have to spend time learning the standards, aligning their activities
to those standards, and filling out more paper work to demonstrate
compliance.  What are states implementing standards doing to
alleviate the pressure on already burdened adult education teachers
(low wages, low job security, part-time, no benefits, little or no
prep time, etc.)?"

"National standards: As a standards writer, I was struck by the wide
diversity of approaches to adult education content standards across
states (ranging from the very prescriptive and specific to the very
broad and general).  While I understand we live in a federal system
in which states can do whatever they deem best for their students,
isn't there a value in having a broader national discussion about
what our adult students should be able to know and do in order to be
successful members of society or, at a very minimum, shouldn't we
have a common understanding about how content standards are going to
be used?"

"Assessment:  While states have been encouraged to develop widely
different content standards, the majority continue to use a very
limited set of approved standardized assessments that may or may not
be very closely aligned to those standards.  If due to increasingly
tight financial constraints states are generally unable to develop
NRS-approved standardized tests that are aligned with their
standards, is it reasonable to expect that their content standards
will have an impact on instruction and student performance?  Do
teachers really have an incentive to teach from those standards if
what they are teaching is not going to show up in the TABE or BEST
Plus or CASAS?  Are there plans to develop such tests?"

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

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From gbundy at rmi.net  Fri Jun 20 11:54:32 2008
From: gbundy at rmi.net (Gail B)
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 09:54:32 -0600 (GMT-06:00)
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1045] Re: Last day of state content
	standards	discussion: please weigh in!
Message-ID: <26222383.1213977273448.JavaMail.root@elwamui-royal.atl.sa.earthlink.net>

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From CPorter at thecenterweb.org  Fri Jun 20 12:00:19 2008
From: CPorter at thecenterweb.org (Catherine Porter)
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 11:00:19 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1046] Re: Textbooks and ESL Content Standards
References: <CC5678EC-4E69-4664-9EFE-79397FB11928@comcast.net><DDB3820159838B4594D5E87A48297CE503CDF2C1@web5.thecenterweb.org>
	<8CAA07A941BB066-16F4-35B0@Webmail-mg16.sim.aol.com>
Message-ID: <DDB3820159838B4594D5E87A48297CE503CDF2C7@web5.thecenterweb.org>

Dear Allene,

Thank you for the feedback.  Elliot Judd and I developed that criteria list for a TESOL Academy workshop we co-presented in 2001, and it has served us well in Illinois for a number of years.  

I also want to apologize for misspelling your name in my previous email!

Catherine Porter

-----Original Message-----
From:	specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of aggrognet at aol.com
Sent:	Thu 6/19/2008 6:23 PM
To:	specialtopics at nifl.gov
Cc:	
Subject:	[SpecialTopics 1032] Re: Textbooks and ESL Content Standards

 Catherine-
Thank you for the criteria for adopting a core textbook. It is very good, and I hope Florida looks at it with a critical eye.

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Catherine Porter <CPorter at thecenterweb.org>
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov; specialtopics at nifl.gov
Sent: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 3:38 pm
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1026] Re: Textbooks and ESL Content Standards

This is Catherine Porter, from the Adult Learning Resource Center in Illinois.  
I would like to add my comments to the discussion about publishers' textbook 
correlations with state content standards.  

In Illinois, as in many states, part-time ESL instructors are frequently hired 
at the last minute, handed a textbook, and told to start teaching the next day 
or week.  For this reason, it is essential that the book both be pedagogically 
sound AND align with our Illinois ESL Content Standards.  Furthermore, I (also a 
textbook writer!) agree with Arlene Grognet's comments below that:

"As to David?s question about textbook correlations with standards, I 
would look at all of them as spurious. (And this coming from a 
textbook writer!) A textbook is only as good as the Teachers? Manual 
which should accompany it. For each lesson, the Manual should give 
shape to the the standard, tell teachers how the linguistic skills 
they are teaching fit into language acquisition, give new and part-
time teachers step-by-step ways of  presenting and practicing a 
lesson, and give experienced teachers hints for expansion and 
extension of the lesson. Without that, textbooks are only page-turners."

To assist programs in selecting appropriate published materials, all curriculum 
development teams who attend our state-sponsored "ESL Curriculum Institutes" 
receive training in evaluating and selecting appropriate published materials.  
In Illinois, as in many states, publishers have been quick to publish 
correlations between their core series and our state standards.  In some cases 
these correlations are accurate while in others they are a wild and imaginative 
stretch.  

We have found that it takes at least two hours of staff development to train 
teachers and program coordinators to identify appropriate criteria for selecting 
a core text. The attached checklist, "Ten Criteria for Selecting a Core Text for 
ESL" has been extremely useful to Illinois adult education programs. Using the 
checklist, participants in the ESL Curriculum Institutes examine pages from 
popular textbooks to see if they meet these ten criteria.  In addition to 
applying the ten criteria, participants are also guided in identifying the 
"Three "Cs" for any textbook series: Cost, Components (as Arlene says, a 
textbook is only as good as its teacher's manual), and of course, Content 
Standards being addressed.  

After this initial training on selecting an appropriate core text, programs are 
encouraged to set up committees of teachers back at their programs to review, 
select, and pilot new materials. Those of us working with adult education 
instructors know how attached teachers become to their materials; in perhaps no 
other area is "resistance to change" so strong.  By involving teachers in the 
materials selection process, many Illinois programs are selecting and 
implementing core ESL materials that meet their students' needs and align with 
our state standards. 

Catherine Porter
Professional Development Specialist
Adult Learning Resource Center
Arlington Heights, IL 

-----Original Message-----
From:   specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David J. Rosen
Sent:   Thu 6/19/2008 10:25 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Cc: 
Subject:    [SpecialTopics 1016]  More questions on state content standards

Posted on behalf of Arlene Grognet

From: aggrognet at aol.com
Date: June 19, 2008 10:59:52 AM EDT

Federico, Phil, et al-

I have read with interest all of the states? responses to the  
questions raised, but a computer glitch (now solved) has kept me from  
contributing. I will keep my remarks to ESOL, because that is what I  
know best. It seems that most ABE and GED students come to class with  
oral English. However, they lack some of the knowledge and skills  
needed to lead a full adult life. On the other hand, ESOL students  
may already have those skills, but they lack the oral English with  
which to express them. For ESOL students, learning English is not an  
end in itself; it is a tool with which to do something else! That  
something else may be to go to the doctor or shop for food and  
clothing; it may be to work in a factory or a restaurant; it may be  
to talk with the school personnel or read a note from the teacher; it  
may be to get th GED or go to college.

  I was struck how closely David Heath?s description of teachers in  
Texas, matches that in Florida. Yet, I come to a different conclusion  
than he does. We need standards (not standardization) so that new and  
part-time teachers are oriented to what students should learn;  
experienced teachers have a reference guide for their teaching; and  
curriculum reflects the real world in which students have to  
communicate. I am a Florida resident, and participated in the  
standards setting workshops offered buy Susan Pimentel that Phil  
Anderson described. It was an interesting and challenging exercise,  
but one which new and part-time teachers would have benefited little  
from. I say this because professional development is out next step,  
and more than 4 hours of training on standards, no matter how good  
the training, with leave teachers angry and bored. I know that it is  
not enough, but state implementers have to realize that anything  
coming from the state is sacrosant and will be viewed with suspicion,  
if not hostility. If new teachers stick with the program, they will  
be back for more. If they quit, we haven?t lost that much.

As to David?s question about textbook correlations with standards, I  
would look at all of them as spurious. (And this coming from a  
textbook writer!) A textbook is only as good as the Teachers? Manual  
which should accompany it. For each lesson, the Manual should give  
shape to the the standard, tell teachers how the linguistic skills  
they are teaching fit into language acquisition, give new and part- 
time teachers step-by-step ways of  presenting and practicing a  
lesson, and give experienced teachers hints for expansion and  
extension of the lesson. Without that, textbooks are only page-turners.

As to what the federal government can do for standards: give money to  
each state for refinement,  implementation, and experimentation, and  
stay out of standards writing and setting. If the federal government  
gets into it, it becomes a slippery slope. Just look at standardized  
testing and NRS as examples.

One question I have concerns assessment. How does know when when a  
student is ready to advance with the integrated skills needed in  
language learning? Is there any one assessment that gives the teacher  
or the test administrator a good picture of the students? listening/ 
speaking and reading/writing skills, and is aligned with standards?

Allene Grognet
Vice President (Emeritus), Center for Applied Linguistics

-------------------------------
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Email delivered to cporter at thecenterweb.org

 

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Email delivered to aggrognet at aol.com

 

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From pam_blundell at sde.state.ok.us  Fri Jun 20 12:07:01 2008
From: pam_blundell at sde.state.ok.us (Pam Blundell)
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 11:07:01 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1047] Re:
 =?iso-8859-1?q?A_different_state_standards_issue=3A_the_end_?=
 =?iso-8859-1?q?=09point__of_the?=
In-Reply-To: <CFF3C2C0-7B01-41BB-9ACF-A1CE0B1DE31C@comcast.net>
References: <CFF3C2C0-7B01-41BB-9ACF-A1CE0B1DE31C@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <fc.000f8dfd00de91c23b9aca00189c63ab.dea0f7@sde.state.ok.us>

David and All, 
Since this is the final day of our discussion, I wanted to take a minute
to share some thoughts.  First, what have I learned through this
experience?  
Mostly, I have learned that the approaches, attitudes, and purposes for
having  content standards are extremely different from state to state,
administrator to administrator and teacher to teacher.  All of whom have
legitimate points worth considering.

In Oklahoma the reason we chose EFF standards as our foundation was
because EFF offered not only standards from which we could start and
expand through the Curriculum Frameworks, but other tools (role maps, 4
purposes of learning, teaching/learning cycle, etc.) that made up a
teaching and learning system we have found to be of value in aligning what
happens in the classroom with students, at the local program level, and at
the state level.  This system provides direction as we determine how best 
(professional development, materials and resources, allocations, teacher
planning time, etc.) to support this process.  From the beginning we asked
ourselves "just what is it we want to see happen by implementing this
process?"  Thus, we started with written objectives for students,
teachers, directors, and state staff.  Each year we revisit those
objectives, and when necessary, we have rewritten, adjusted, added to, and
even tossed out. It is truly an ongoing process that involves all
stakeholders.

I also wanted to mention that I have not heard much about individual
student goal setting except for obtaining the GED or NRS program goals of
which we are all held accountable.  In Oklahoma, as I'm sure happens
everywhere, the public connects adult education with "getting your GED." 
As you all know, we are much, much, more and we work hard to get this
message out.  Only about 15-18% of the students enrolled in our classes
entered at a level that makes obtaining a GED a realistic goal within the
time they are usually willing to invest in the class.  Therefore, teaching
students about setting goals and the goal setting process is an essential
part of our instruction.   Actually, it should be the foundation of
instruction that determines which standards may need the most focus.  I
know, the teachers tell us all the time, "but they just want their GED." 
Yes they do, (even if they are functioning at an ABE Beginning Level) and
you should respect that goal, support that goal, and encourage that goal;
BUT, in the meantime, let's look at all the other goals you might
accomplish while working on the skills you need to obtain a GED.  And
guess what, the skill set referred to as the "specific skill set" needed
for the GED, well, that skill set also includes the skills you need in
everyday life - they just look different. Our goal setting policy states
that both program goals and personal student goals are addressed in the
classroom.  

 When students start considering personal goals such as health issues,
dreams of a career or job they want, attending a parent-teacher conference
and not feel intimidated, build or create something, read a novel and
comprehend its meaning, plan summer activities for a family that has
little money for such, estimate the cost of taking a trip to see a
relative, write a complaint letter, or express an opinion about a local
election topic, and they start to look at the skills they need in order to
do these things - they start to see connections between learning skills
that will  make life better now as well as move me toward passing the GED.
 As you take students through the goal-setting process, even those that
are determined that all they want is a GED, start to expand their
thinking, their vision, and their confidence about what they really might
be able to accomplish - today, tomorrow, and well beyond passing the GED.
Isn't that what we should be doing?  Someone said earlier in the
discussion something about if you teach to the standards, and I would add,
teach in the context of student goals, then the tests take care of
themselves.  I agree and am seeing that happen - especially in the area of
math skills.  

In our content standard training for math, our trainer, Donna Curry, hit
this issue head-on when teachers kept talking about "all they (students)
want is enough math to pass the GED."  We started looking at the skills
found on the GED and then started asking the question "what does that look
like when you use it in real life?"  Then, we looked at skills students
were already somewhat comfortable using in real life (hobbies, cooking,
health issues, construction, etc.) and turned it around to ask the
question "what might that skill look like on a test?"  Hmmm....same kinds
of skills.  Sometime students have more skills then they realize, they
just can't show it on a test.  This may sound really simple but it was
really, really enlightening not only for students but for teachers who
were not really comfortable with their own math skills much less teaching
math for the GED.  Similar activities happen in the reading and writing
training.  We never forget about the GED - but - we certainly want
teachers and students to think way beyond any test and directly into their
own lives so that wherever they are when they enter (functioning level),
they will leave at a much higher level and with skills that make an
immediate difference in what they know and are able to do in life.

Standards-based instruction requires planning on the part of teachers and
students.  Our intent has never been to create more paperwork.  Though
lesson plans do make us accountable for why and what we are teaching in
the classroom.   Still, it is not about paperwork.  It IS about students
moving forward in their lives to be productive members of society and
achieving their personal goals.  It IS about providing teachers and
students tools, structure, focus, guidelines, road maps, whatever you want
to call it, that assist the process of achievement in the most effective
and efficient manner.  Thanks to Karen Greer from Texas for her comments
as a teacher.  She is correct when she says that standards "are very
necessary and need to be the basis of good planning."  The "curriculum" or
context in which you teach to the standards should be coming from the
lives and goals of our students.  You can address program goals without
ignoring individual personal goals and vice versa.  Our EFF teaching and
learning system, of which content standards are the foundation, is
designed to do both without sacrificing the creativity and individuality
of teachers or students.

Thank you for this incredible opportunity.  I respect the wisdom and
experiences of all contributors and wish my colleagues continued future
success.  I think the one thing I consistently find in the field of adult
education is that we are all passionate about what we do.    I hope
everyone has a great week-end.

Pam  

Pam Blundell, Assistant Director
Lifelong Learning Section
Oklahoma State Department of Education
2500 North Lincoln Blvd. Room 115
Oklahoma City, OK 73105-4599
405-521-3321
1-800-405-0355
pam_blundell at sde.state.ok.us

From glyndalin at yahoo.com  Fri Jun 20 12:33:09 2008
From: glyndalin at yahoo.com (Glenda Lynn Rose)
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 09:33:09 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1048] Re: A different state standards issue: the end
	point of the state adult literacy system
In-Reply-To: <CFF3C2C0-7B01-41BB-9ACF-A1CE0B1DE31C@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <119548.35938.qm@web81904.mail.mud.yahoo.com>

Just a thought on this.
   
  While we all agree on the importance of finding out what the students' goals are, when it comes to making policy we always seem to take the superior approach and decide what is best for them.  Honestly, neither of my parents have much education.  They are both in their 60s now, retired, no bills other than property taxes..... We were "working poor" when I was a kid (and sometimes not so much working), but my parents gave me a good life and met their personal goals of taking care of our family and providing for their own future.  They value education, but only as far as it helps you reach your goals.   I am the first and only (as far as I know) 4-year college graduate in my family.  Yet, my brother and sister, neither of whom went to college, earn more than me and have stable and comfortable home lives.  Lack of a college education does not relegate you to "the working poor."
   
  Especially with regard to ESL, the end point of literacy education should be determined by the individual student.  Some want to have just enough English to survive outside of their language community.  Others want enough English to communicate with clients so they can advance in their positions or start their own company.  Some want to get their GED.  Others think it is a waste of time because they have high school or college degrees already, even though they may not be recognized in the US (or need to be validated).  And, yes, some want to pursue a career, technical or professional.  It is not up to me to make the decision of "how much literacy is enough" for them (although, if I see a student with great potential who only lacks confidence I will, of course, encourage him or her to open up to the possiblities.)
  We need to be careful not to impose our goals on our students' goals.  My goal is to help each student reach his or her personal goal, perhaps to gain a broader view of the opportunities available, but never to dictate goals to them.
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
"David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net> wrote:
    Colleagues,
  

  In our discussion about state content standards, one of the issues that has emerged implicitly is what the state standard should be for the end point of adult literacy education. Should it be the passing the GED? Successful transition to higher education? Success in at least a year of post-secondary education? In the past, the answer was clear: passing the GED.  Now, in many states there is a push toward successful transition to higher education, and/or post-secondary job training and/or apprenticeship. One state professional association, the New Jersey State Association for Lifelong Learning (NJALL) now calls for one year of post secondary education and a certificate as the new standard. (See the conclusion and recommendations in this policy paper below.)
  

  Of course, many students want a GED, and only a GED. They want the pride of having earned the credential, or they need it to keep their present job. But the earnings research done by John Tyler and others ( A National Institute for Literacy-sponsored video panel discussion on this with Dr. Tyler will be found at http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/webcasts/ged/webcast_ged.html ) shows that if the student's goal is to affect his/her earnings through increased education, then more is needed, that passing the GED plus at least a year of college and a certificate or degree are required.  Has your state been discussing this issue? What are the considerations? Has your state made a decision on the end point? If so, what? 
  

  I did say in my earlier message that I would post only one question today, but then I saw the recommendations in the policy paper from the NJALL, and I thought it was so interesting and pertinent that I couldn't help but raise this in the context of our discussion of state content standards, especially as for some states an important goal may be to align adult literacy education with successful preparation for college.
  

  Your thoughts?
  

  From the NJALL policy paper:
  

  Conclusion 
  Considering the available data, the conclusion is inescapable.  If adult literacy educators 
  want to do more than educate our students to become members of the working poor, we 
  must rethink our mission.  Completion of adult literacy must become the half-way point 
  in a trajectory that leads to transition to and success in post secondary education. This 
  will require new partnerships between adult literacy programs and post secondary 
  institutions at both the state policy level and the local operational level. If we accept 
  anything less, are we meeting our professional responsibility? 
   
  Recommendations 
   
  1. Establish a high-level taskforce between the SETC, the Commission on Higher 
  Education and other stakeholders to study the transitions issue and recommend a 
  state policy response. 
   
  2. Accept one year of post secondary education and a certificate as the new standard 
  for completion of adult literacy education and insure that resources are adequate 
  to meet this standard. 
   
  The full NJALL policy paper will be found at http://www.njall.org/index.php
  

    David J. Rosen
  Special Topics Discussion Moderator
  djrosen at comcast.net
  

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Special Topics mailing list
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To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to glyndalin at yahoo.com

  Grace and Peace!
Glenda Lynn Rose, PhD
Executive Director, English Now
  512-719-9979 (work)
512-789-5131 (cell)
  glyndalin at yahoo.com
  
 

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From ds43 at txstate.edu  Fri Jun 20 12:35:14 2008
From: ds43 at txstate.edu (Stedman, Deborah)
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 11:35:14 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1049] Re: Last day of state
	content	standards	discussion: please weigh in!
In-Reply-To: <26222383.1213977273448.JavaMail.root@elwamui-royal.atl.sa.earthlink.net>
Message-ID: <B2CD97C7037EBB4DA6A0FA98C32604B170EBBDC0B4@BOBCATMAIL1.matrix.txstate.edu>

"The results in this report have shown that candidates who passed the GED Tests met and, in many test areas, exceeded performance standards exceeding that of the lower 40 percent of graduating high school seniors."  This statement and much additional information can be found in the GED Testing Service/American Council on Education publication entitled Examinee and High School Senior Performance on the GED Tests.  The publication can be found at http://www.acenet.edu/AM/Template.cfm?Section=GEDTS&Template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=22944 .

Deborah Stedman, Ph.D.

Grant Director, Texas Family Literacy Resource Center

Lecturer, Developmental and Adult Education
Texas State University
601 University Drive

San Marcos, TX 78666

512-245-9757

fax: 512-245-8151

ds43 at txstate.edu<mailto:ds43 at txstate.edu>

________________________________
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Gail B
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2008 10:55 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1045] Re: Last day of state content standards discussion: please weigh in!

In following this discussion, data has been cited that the GED is harder than high school graduation -- that 30% of high school graduates can't pass the GED -- I have heard this statistic since I've been in adult ed -- but have not found the source or actual study.  Does anyone know the actual source of this data?

Thank you.

Gail Bundy
Native American Multi-cultural Education School
3600 Morrison Road
Denver, CO  80219

-----Original Message-----
From: "David J. Rosen"
Sent: Jun 20, 2008 5:19 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1034] Last day of state content standards discussion: please weigh in!

Colleagues,

This is our last day of a very rich, two-week discussion on implementation of state content standards. If you haven't weighed in yet and believe that something else needs to be said, or that an important question hasn't been answered, today's the day to add to the discussion.

Here's today's question:

What have you learned from this discussion that will be useful in your state?

That's it, only one question from me today. I hope some of you who are beginning the process of implementation of content standards and who joined the discussion today to learn from the (extensive) experience of our guests and other subscribers will use this as an opportunity to reflect, and to share with us what has been especially valuable.

For those who subscribed late, the discussion archives will be found at

http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net<mailto:djrosen at comcast.net>

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From Shauna.South at schools.utah.gov  Fri Jun 20 12:42:24 2008
From: Shauna.South at schools.utah.gov (South, Shauna)
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 10:42:24 -0600
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1050] Re: Last day of state
	content	standards	discussion: please weigh in!
In-Reply-To: <26222383.1213977273448.JavaMail.root@elwamui-royal.atl.sa.earthlink.net>
References: <26222383.1213977273448.JavaMail.root@elwamui-royal.atl.sa.earthlink.net>
Message-ID: <3767AF61C1C1FA439CDF7C0360C8306EA67DF19179@DellMail.usoe.k12.ut.us>

It may be in this study by ace, if not this has  a lot of information that may be helpful.

http://www.acenet.edu/bookstore/pdf/GEDASR06.pdf

Shauna South
Education Specialist
Utah

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Gail B
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2008 9:55 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1045] Re: Last day of state content standards discussion: please weigh in!

In following this discussion, data has been cited that the GED is harder than high school graduation -- that 30% of high school graduates can't pass the GED -- I have heard this statistic since I've been in adult ed -- but have not found the source or actual study.  Does anyone know the actual source of this data?

Thank you.

Gail Bundy
Native American Multi-cultural Education School
3600 Morrison Road
Denver, CO  80219

-----Original Message-----
From: "David J. Rosen"
Sent: Jun 20, 2008 5:19 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1034] Last day of state content standards discussion: please weigh in!

Colleagues,

This is our last day of a very rich, two-week discussion on implementation of state content standards. If you haven't weighed in yet and believe that something else needs to be said, or that an important question hasn't been answered, today's the day to add to the discussion.

Here's today's question:

What have you learned from this discussion that will be useful in your state?

That's it, only one question from me today. I hope some of you who are beginning the process of implementation of content standards and who joined the discussion today to learn from the (extensive) experience of our guests and other subscribers will use this as an opportunity to reflect, and to share with us what has been especially valuable.

For those who subscribed late, the discussion archives will be found at

http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net<mailto:djrosen at comcast.net>

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From jengel at communityaction.com  Fri Jun 20 12:42:03 2008
From: jengel at communityaction.com (Jon Engel)
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 11:42:03 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1051] Re: Last day of state
	contentstandards	discussion: please weigh in!
In-Reply-To: <26222383.1213977273448.JavaMail.root@elwamui-royal.atl.sa.earthlink.net>
References: <26222383.1213977273448.JavaMail.root@elwamui-royal.atl.sa.earthlink.net>
Message-ID: <001f01c8d2f4$91ed7290$9e00000a@cainc.local>

I do not know if this is still true, but in the old days the GED test was
"normed" by administering the test to graduating high school seniors.  The
"norm" was that 40% of graduating high school seniors did not pass the GED
test.  I know this was the case on the GED test version before the current
one, and I have assumed that is still the case.   Of course, a new one is
coming soon.

 

Jon Engel

Adult Education Director

Community Action Inc.

PO Box 748

San Marcos, TX 78666

Voice  (512)392-1161 ext. 334

Fax  (512)396-4255

Email  jengel at communityaction.com

Web www.communityaction.com 

  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Gail B
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2008 10:55 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1045] Re: Last day of state contentstandards
discussion: please weigh in!

 

In following this discussion, data has been cited that the GED is harder
than high school graduation -- that 30% of high school graduates can't pass
the GED -- I have heard this statistic since I've been in adult ed -- but
have not found the source or actual study.  Does anyone know the actual
source of this data?

Thank you.

Gail Bundy
Native American Multi-cultural Education School
3600 Morrison Road
Denver, CO  80219

-----Original Message----- 
From: "David J. Rosen" 
Sent: Jun 20, 2008 5:19 AM 
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1034] Last day of state content standards
discussion: please weigh in! 

Colleagues,

 

This is our last day of a very rich, two-week discussion on implementation
of state content standards. If you haven't weighed in yet and believe that
something else needs to be said, or that an important question hasn't been
answered, today's the day to add to the discussion. 

 

Here's today's question:

 

What have you learned from this discussion that will be useful in your
state?

 

That's it, only one question from me today. I hope some of you who are
beginning the process of implementation of content standards and who joined
the discussion today to learn from the (extensive) experience of our guests
and other subscribers will use this as an opportunity to reflect, and to
share with us what has been especially valuable. 

 

For those who subscribed late, the discussion archives will be found at

 

http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html

 

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

djrosen at comcast.net

 

 

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From Sally.Gabb at bristolcc.edu  Fri Jun 20 13:45:35 2008
From: Sally.Gabb at bristolcc.edu (Gabb, Sally S.)
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 13:45:35 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1052] Re: Rethinking mission of adult literacy
Message-ID: <699143E842E1CA4BB449A06CF0C53EAC834A53C107@srv-mail.bcc.local>

As one who has made the transition from 30+ years in adult basic education to working with developmental education in a community college, I applaud Jim Schneider's comments.  In my new position, I am acutely aware of the challenges implicit for adult basic education students in continuing on to the post secondary level.  I am also aware that a very small percentage of ABE students actually are able to go on.  I agree that adults carry responsibilities that make commitment to further education tremendously difficult.  In no way would I diminish the importance for many of gaining that HS diploma.

Nevertheless, I encourage all ABE educators to think creatively about how we can open more opportunities beyond GED for our students, especially those who need further credentials to enhance their economic well being.  In addition, I believe strongly that increased educational experience enables a greater number of adults to participate more fully in public life and to advocate for opportunity for themselves and others - to be agents for change.  Education is not just for jobs alone.

Of course we have wonderful 'transitions' programs that provide support for GED grads going on to college.  These programs create 'cohorts' of students so that there is peer as well as professional support for moving on.  But these programs are still only available to a few.

I have just heard presentations about 'Early College High School' programs for at risk students that enable HS kids to take college courses while completing high school - on the college campus.  I hope to work with the ABE program here to look into support for such opportunities for GED students - enabling GED students to 'try out' a college course while studying to pass the test.

In my new job, I am keenly aware of the learning demands at the college level that are more complex and intense than passing the GED.  I do believe that we should continue to seek to strengthen the 'bridges' of support for GED students so that post secondary education is more available and possible.

Sally Gabb
Reading Skills Specialist
Bristol Community College
Fall River, MA

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Schneider, Jim
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2008 9:01 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1039] Rethinking mission of adult literacy

I want to preface my remarks that I am in complete agreement with the
desired end of a year of post-secondary education for adult literacy
students. The research is clear and there is no doubt of the economic
benefits of postsecondary education over merely attaining a GED.

I wonder about the willingness of our nation to provide adequate
resources for an enhanced program when there has never been any sign of
willingness to fund beyond the bare minimum in the past? Is it really
necessary to toss aside an infrastructure and programming that has been
in place and accomplished quite a bit in spite of lack-luster funding
and support? And, given the lack of resources in the past, I am leery
that these proposed "improvements" will provide the necessary funding
and supports to be a real improvement over the current programming.

I feel very strongly that we need to be cautious and recognize that for
many adult learners merely attaining the GED is nearly an impossible
dream. To establish a higher "standard" as a professional objective is
one thing... to raise the bar when there are so many for which the
current bar seems unattainable seems inhumane.

I strongly advocate for postsecondary education with all of our learners
- the reality is that for too many there are significant barriers
(daycare, transportation, housing, etc.) to pursuing postsecondary
education in the short-term. Yet, many come back to us 2-5 years later
(when the kids are in school?) to inquire and enroll in postsecondary
education - of course there is no recognition of this accomplishment by
NRS since it happens more than 6 months after the program year.

Jim Schneider
Davenport, IA

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of
specialtopics-request at nifl.gov
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2008 7:35 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 23, Issue 33

Send SpecialTopics mailing list submissions to
        specialtopics at nifl.gov

To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
        http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
        specialtopics-request at nifl.gov

You can reach the person managing the list at
        specialtopics-owner at nifl.gov

When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
than "Re: Contents of SpecialTopics digest..."

Today's Topics:

   1. [SpecialTopics 1034] Last day of state content standards
      discussion: please weigh in! (David J. Rosen)
   2. [SpecialTopics 1035] A different state standards issue: the
      end       point of the state adult literacy system (David J.
Rosen)
   3. [SpecialTopics 1036]  Discussion on Professional Wisdom
      (David J. Rosen)
   4. [SpecialTopics 1037]  Regarding CASAS Posting... (Schneider, Jim)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 07:19:27 -0400
From: "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1034] Last day of state content standards
        discussion: please weigh in!
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Message-ID: <2C48A935-609E-48C2-A25B-B38846424E26 at comcast.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Colleagues,

This is our last day of a very rich, two-week discussion on
implementation of state content standards. If you haven't weighed in
yet and believe that something else needs to be said, or that an
important question hasn't been answered, today's the day to add to
the discussion.

Here's today's question:

What have you learned from this discussion that will be useful in
your state?

That's it, only one question from me today. I hope some of you who
are beginning the process of implementation of content standards and
who joined the discussion today to learn from the (extensive)
experience of our guests and other subscribers will use this as an
opportunity to reflect, and to share with us what has been especially
valuable.

For those who subscribed late, the discussion archives will be found at

http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

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Message: 2
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 08:05:44 -0400
From: "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1035] A different state standards issue: the
        end     point of the state adult literacy system
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Message-ID: <CFF3C2C0-7B01-41BB-9ACF-A1CE0B1DE31C at comcast.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Colleagues,

In our discussion about state content standards, one of the issues
that has emerged implicitly is what the state standard should be for
the end point of adult literacy education. Should it be the passing
the GED? Successful transition to higher education? Success in at
least a year of post-secondary education? In the past, the answer was
clear: passing the GED.  Now, in many states there is a push toward
successful transition to higher education, and/or post-secondary job
training and/or apprenticeship. One state professional association,
the New Jersey State Association for Lifelong Learning (NJALL) now
calls for one year of post secondary education and a certificate as
the new standard. (See the conclusion and recommendations in this
policy paper below.)

Of course, many students want a GED, and only a GED. They want the
pride of having earned the credential, or they need it to keep their
present job. But the earnings research done by John Tyler and others
( A National Institute for Literacy-sponsored video panel discussion
on this with Dr. Tyler will be found at http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/
webcasts/ged/webcast_ged.html ) shows that if the student's goal is
to affect his/her earnings through increased education, then more is
needed, that passing the GED plus at least a year of college and a
certificate or degree are required.  Has your state been discussing
this issue? What are the considerations? Has your state made a
decision on the end point? If so, what?

I did say in my earlier message that I would post only one question
today, but then I saw the recommendations in the policy paper from
the NJALL, and I thought it was so interesting and pertinent that I
couldn't help but raise this in the context of our discussion of
state content standards, especially as for some states an important
goal may be to align adult literacy education with successful
preparation for college.

Your thoughts?

 From the NJALL policy paper:

Conclusion
Considering the available data, the conclusion is inescapable.  If
adult literacy educators
want to do more than educate our students to become members of the
working poor, we
must rethink our mission.  Completion of adult literacy must become
the half-way point
in a trajectory that leads to transition to and success in post
secondary education. This
will require new partnerships between adult literacy programs and
post secondary
institutions at both the state policy level and the local operational
level. If we accept
anything less, are we meeting our professional responsibility?

Recommendations

1. Establish a high-level taskforce between the SETC, the Commission
on Higher
Education and other stakeholders to study the transitions issue and
recommend a
state policy response.

2. Accept one year of post secondary education and a certificate as
the new standard
for completion of adult literacy education and insure that resources
are adequate
to meet this standard.

The full NJALL policy paper will be found at http://www.njall.org/
index.php

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

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Message: 3
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 08:07:36 -0400
From: David J. Rosen <djrosen at comcast.net>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1036]  Discussion on Professional Wisdom
To: The Assessment Discussion List <assessment at nifl.gov>,
        diversity at nifl.gov,     The Adult English Language Learners
Discussion
        List    <englishlanguage at nifl.gov>,     The Family Literacy
Discussion List
        <familyliteracy at nifl.gov>,      The Health and Literacy
Discussion List
        <healthliteracy at nifl.gov>,      The Learning Disabilities
Discussion List
        <learningdisabilities at nifl.gov>,        The Adult Literacy
Professional
        Development Discussion List
<professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov>,
        specialtopics at nifl.gov, The Workplace Literacy Discussion List
        <workplace at nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <5E460B91-A34C-4B4F-A3ED-31BF723F9CF9 at comcast.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Colleagues,

We would like to invite you to join us in a discussion about
professional wisdom that we will be holding on the AAACE-NLA
discussion list from June 23rd to June 27th.

In November last year,  we (John Comings and David J. Rosen) had a
series of email exchanges because we believe it is important for our
field to come to agreement on how professional wisdom might be used
as part of evidence-based practice. We discussed how our field might
build a model for achieving a body of professional wisdom that
teachers and administrators might use to improve basic skills
teaching, learning and programs for adults.

On June 23rd and June 24th we will post that discussion on the AAACE-
NLA discussion list in two parts. From June 25th-June 27th we will
welcome your questions and comments.

Please pass this invitation on to your colleagues who might like to
join us, too.  To subscribe to the AAACE-NLA Discussion List, go to:

http://lists.literacytent.org/mailman/listinfo/aaace-nla

Once there, scroll down the page and follow the subscription directions.

John Comings

David J. Rosen

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Message: 4
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 07:31:13 -0500
From: "Schneider, Jim" <jschneider at eicc.edu>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1037]  Regarding CASAS Posting...
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID:
        <208D21E3AC92D449A31336961A46FB870BF867CE at eiccd-exch1.eiccd.net>
Content-Type: text/plain;       charset="us-ascii"

As was mentioned in another message the CASAS post-test must be
administered to register any learning gain for NRS reporting.

There is a movement to recognize the official practice tests and GED
test scores as an acceptable pre & post-test measure for the NRS which
would make INFINITELY more sense for those individuals who are focused
on attaining the GED and prevent the current over-assessment nonsense
that must be undertaken for programs to document the progress and
accountability of their efforts.

Jim Schneider
Davenport, IA

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of
specialtopics-request at nifl.gov
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 5:14 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 23, Issue 28

Send SpecialTopics mailing list submissions to
        specialtopics at nifl.gov

To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
        http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
        specialtopics-request at nifl.gov

You can reach the person managing the list at
        specialtopics-owner at nifl.gov

When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
than "Re: Contents of SpecialTopics digest..."

Today's Topics:

   1. [SpecialTopics 1021] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
      more answers, more discussion-TM (Rinderknecht, Gail A.)
   2. [SpecialTopics 1022] Standards - Response to Questions by
      Allan     French (Anderson, Philip)
   3. [SpecialTopics 1023] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
      more answers, more discussion-TM (Rantapaa Linnell L)
   4. [SpecialTopics 1024] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
      more answers, more discussion (Rinderknecht, Gail A.)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:40:44 -0500
From: "Rinderknecht, Gail A." <garinderknecht at dmacc.edu>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1021] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
        more answers, more discussion-TM
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID:

<F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B80A3 at ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

We are in the process of doing just that.  Evidently "they" do not think
it is irrelevant.  They want it for statistical purposes to show growth
when the GED is completed.

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Nancy Markus
Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 11:20 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1019] Re: Content Standards: More questions,more
answers, more discussion-TM

Why not contact your state leadership and ask why the CASAS is required?
If
it really is irrelevant then advocate for change.

Nancy

On 6/19/08, Rinderknecht, Gail A. <garinderknecht at dmacc.edu> wrote:
>
> We use TABE to determine the 6.0 grade level for the Dept. of
> Corrections.  It's quick, easy and non-threatening.
>
> The CASAS is required by the State Department of Education.  No one
seems
> to know the rationale for requiring the students to take the CASAS
after
> completing their GED.  It's one of those mandated things that happens
when
> the State is instituting "Standards".  None of the GED teachers that I
know
> of like the idea, but at the same time we are required to re-CASAS.  I
> suppose it is supposed to show growth in the reading and math, but as
I said
> before, most of the men do not see a reason to try very hard on this
test
> and just view it as another hoop that they are required to jump
through.
>
> Gail Rinderknecht
> garinderknecht at dmacc.edu
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Kelsee Miller
> Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 9:41 AM
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 1013]   Re: Content Standards: More
questions,more
> answers, more discussion-TM
>
> Question for Gail: Why does your state use both the TABE and CASAS?
What is
> the rationale for testing CASAS again after the GED?
>
> I have found this discussion very insightful!
> Thank you,
> Kelsee
>
>
>
> Kelsee Miller
> Casper College
> Adult Basic Education/GED Instructor
> 125 College Dr.
> Casper, WY 82601
> 307-268-2895
> 307-268-2230
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to garinderknecht at dmacc.edu
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to nancy.markus at gmail.com
>
>

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Message: 2
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:37:21 -0400
From: "Anderson, Philip" <Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1022] Standards - Response to Questions by
        Allan   French
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <96E135649F1AD048AA6FF8CBC598C23E18E1E761 at MAIL1.FLDOE.INT>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

This is a response from Phil Anderson, Florida DOE Adult Education
Program Specialist to the questions posed by Allan French, ESL
Instructor, Assessment Coordinator, Norming Project Coordinator at South
Seattle Community College:

This statement made by Allan resonates strongly:  "The new state
standards were brought into the project to inform and suggest
(especially in terms of language), not to limit and control."  This is
the intention of Florida's standards as well.

Allan's questions:  "I see standards as not just a guideline for a
lesson, but a destination (after all, they define what we expect our
students to know and be able to do as they exit a particular level).  I
am concerned with how we get to that destination, especially given the
multitude of standards and indicators, the need for multiple types of
assessment, and the time limitations.  So I would like to ask all of you
out there who have worked some time with standards, (1) how do you
determine that a student is ready for the next level of an integrated
ESL class, using standards?

Florida has several adult ESOL courses that are funded only with state
dollars, and are not reported to the NRS.  Literacy Skills for the Adult
ESOL Learner is one of these. In 1999-2000, this course was developed by
a group of adult ESOL experts that included a University of Florida
researcher in adult ESOL literacy, Dr. Edwidge Crevecoeur-Bryant,
consultants with years of adult education experience in Florida,
teachers, and Dr. Edwina Hoffman, a Miami-Dade program administrator of
refugee programs.  This course is designed for students that have low
levels of education and literacy in their home language(s).  Most
students are Haitian, or from various language groups in Mexico and
Central America, such as Mixteco, Tarasco, Quechua, and Kanjobal.  This
course has been put through implementation and revision stages in
several schools around the state, and it has been tweaked almost yearly
since its inception.  It has a set of benchmarks that are divided into
three levels, A, B, C.  Last year, the state database shows that 13,794
students were enrolled in this course.  We developed a "User Guide" for
this course to explain to teachers how it is used and suggestions on how
to teach the course.  Documents related to this course can be found on
the Florida Adult Education website,
http://www.fldoe.org/workforce/adult_ed.asp.

(2) How do you determine what constitutes satisfactory performance of
any one standard/indicator, and that such performance has in fact been
achieved?

For the present, the only method the state prescribes is that the
teacher of the course and the program administrator must sign off on a
state-created "Progress Report" that indicates the student has
"satisfactorily" mastered the benchmarks shown in the Progress in the
standards.  What is deemed "satisfactory" is left up to those two
persons, the teacher and the program administrator.  The state expects
local programs to establish a written procedure for how the teachers
will determine progress, i.e., portfolio, teacher-designed tests,
textbook tests, worksheet samples, documentation of group projects, etc.
After the teacher and administrator sign off on the student's Progress
Report, the program sends notification to the state that the student
mastered the standards.  The state then records this in its database and
assigns payment to the program accordingly.  The local program is
required to retain the records showing documentation of the progress
report for auditing purposes.  The state sends out monitors to all
programs to check on the documentation of the progress reports.  Since
the Florida legislature funds this course through its adult education
funding, the FL DOE, for now, uses this method of holding the program to
a certain level of accountability.

(3) How do you create the assessment tools to evaluate said performance?

The state is in the process of exploring the development of a
standardized procedure/assessment that can give us a reliable and valid
way of measuring progress on the course standards.  Hopefully within the
next two years, this standardized procedure/assessment will be ready for
use.

(4) Can you cover all standards/indicators for the level in a single
quarter or how much time is needed?  Another way of asking this is how
do you grapple with the, at times, mind-boggling complexity of all that
we are endeavoring to do.

Since the standards are "to inform and to suggest," teachers are not
expected to cover 100% of the standards within an instructional period
of time, but to judiciously select those that are relevant.  Maxine
McCormick, a Florida trainer, often exhorts us, "Take your students to
MMU!  Teach them what is meaningful, memorable and useful!"   Several
Florida programs are piloting short terms of 8 weeks in a "managed
enrollment" system with some of their classes.  In these classes,
students are assigned to a class by level, the class is "closed" after
the second week, and kept at 25 students maximum.  The first week is
assigned to orientation topics (how to study, what the students want to
cover in the course from a list of suggested topics from the standards,
the teacher's methods), and the last week is assigned to testing.  No
teacher can teach all the benchmarks in 8 weeks, but the intention of
the "managed enrollment" classes is to meet the needs of students who
desire to achieve competency in work and life skill areas more
efficiently and effectively that in the "open entry - open exit"
classes.  So far, evaluations of these classes is showing that students
and teachers are satisfied with the results.  The project in Miami Dade
School District is called "Intensive English Academies" and can be
reviewed at the Florida Adult ESOL task force website,
www.floridaadultesol.org <http://www.floridaadultesol.org/> .  Look for
the pencil under "New Initiatives."

CONTACT INFORMATION

Philip Anderson

Adult ESOL Program Specialist

Division of Workforce Education

Florida Department of Education

325 W. Gaines Street, Room 644

Tallahassee, FL  32399

Tel (850) 245-9450

Fax (850) 245-0995

Please take a few minutes to provide feedback on the quality of service
you received from our staff. The Department of Education values your
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Message: 3
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:53:05 -0700
From: "Rantapaa Linnell L" <Linnell.L.Rantapaa at doc.state.or.us>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1023] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
        more answers, more discussion-TM
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID:

<286FDFA48BE5AF4CA0641A8AE10A9B047044B8 at docmail4.ds.doc.state.or.us>
Content-Type: text/plain;       charset="us-ascii"

CASAS postesting was required after the Feds via the Title II National
Reporting System did not allow an official GED test to proxy for a
posttest to measure skill level gains.  Progress on the NRS "Educational
Gain" performance must be measureed by a pre and posttest of the same
type. If GED completers are not posttested they have no "opportunity" to
demonstrate progress on this performance measure.  In Oregon, we have
the same difficulties getting valid posttest results from those who have
already completed the GED.  We try to catch them before they take their
last GED test, but it's a struggle.

Linnell
Phone: 503-934-1006
Fax: 503-378-5815

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Rinderknecht, Gail
A.
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 9:14 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 1013] Re: Content Standards: More
questions,more answers, more discussion-TM

We use TABE to determine the 6.0 grade level for the Dept. of
Corrections.  It's quick, easy and non-threatening.

The CASAS is required by the State Department of Education.  No one
seems to know the rationale for requiring the students to take the CASAS
after completing their GED.  It's one of those mandated things that
happens when the State is instituting "Standards".  None of the GED
teachers that I know of like the idea, but at the same time we are
required to re-CASAS.  I suppose it is supposed to show growth in the
reading and math, but as I said before, most of the men do not see a
reason to try very hard on this test and just view it as another hoop
that they are required to jump through.

Gail Rinderknecht
garinderknecht at dmacc.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Kelsee Miller
Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 9:41 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1013]   Re: Content Standards: More
questions,more answers, more discussion-TM

Question for Gail: Why does your state use both the TABE and CASAS? What
is the rationale for testing CASAS again after the GED?

I have found this discussion very insightful!
Thank you,
Kelsee

Kelsee Miller
Casper College
Adult Basic Education/GED Instructor
125 College Dr.
Casper, WY 82601
307-268-2895
307-268-2230

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To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
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------------------------------

Message: 4
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:22:30 -0500
From: "Rinderknecht, Gail A." <garinderknecht at dmacc.edu>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1024] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
        more answers, more discussion
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID:

<F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B80A4 at ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

You decry the use of rewards, but for kids to take a test seriously,
they need a reward.  In regular classes, the reward is a grade.  They
often need something tangible to strive for other than the test score.
Standardized tests do not provide a reward for someone who is not
internally motivated.  Even if the reward is "real pizza" for lunch
instead of the school pizza or passes to the local movie theater, it may
be enough to motivate some students to take the test more seriously than
they otherwise would have.

Gail

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Federico Salas
Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 9:02 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1010] Re: Content Standards: More questions,more
answers, more discussion

To me the obvious problem with rewarding results on the test is that you
are teaching test taking skills.  Then the standard is determined by the
test, not by your instructional content standards as determined by
students and colleagues.  Students may have a phenomenal passing rate on
the test but be completely unable to actually use their skills and  in a
practical application at work or as tap their knowledge  base as a
springboard to learn more at college or the university.  Then programs
that "offer rewards for improved test scores" have improved test scores
but have they improved the proficiency of those test takers in their
ability to succeed in life?  I am afraid not.  That is one of the most
insidious problems of public education today.  Schools are ranked and
rewarded on the performance of their students on standardized tests but
nobody pays attention to whether the students have really learned their
materials or simply learned to ace a test.  I believe the issue is with
making the standardized test the focus of education.  If we focused on
the content standards for instruction instead our success rate would
over time improve.

To me, focusing on the test is warranted only when the student has
obtained sufficient command of the skills and knowledge and a few weeks
before the test you pay attention to the form of the test, test
strategies, etc.  But to devote your adult education program to the test
skills rather than teach with a carefully considered set of academic and
work related standards is a true disservice to our students.

You should know I am an avowed enemy of standardized tests; I don't
understand them, I don't like them, and I don't believe the scores tell
us much about a student.  I also don't believe we are going to fix any
of the problems in education if we continue focusing on "the test"
instead of teaching.  Of course I went through my whole elementary,
secondary, and a couple of years of university work in two other
countries without ever once facing a standardized test.  Tests of my
ability to explain scientific facts, yes; tests of my ability to relate
knowledge from one field to knowledge from another, yes.  Tests that
asked me to look for evidence in XX century culture of events that
happened in the renaissance, yes.  But standardized tests? The first
standardized test I ever took was the TOEFL to come to this country. But
that's another story...

federico

Federico Salas-Isnardi, Assistant State Director
Texas LEARNS
6005 Westview Dr.
Houston, TX 77055
Direct: 713-696-0719
Toll Free: 866-696-4233
Fax: 713-696-0797

The State Office of Adult Education and Family Literacy
-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Rinderknecht, Gail
A.
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 7:56 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 996] Content Standards: More questions, more
answers,more discussion

So I knew I shouldn't have started writing in response to this topic
because I have such strong opinions about the matter.

Iowa has instituted standards and benchmarks in the public schools and
tests the daylights out of the students.  Personally, I believe that the
success of the test often relies on the attitude of the teacher giving
the test.  I can see this in the high school where I used to teach when
I volunteer to read high school essays in the summer to evaluate
reading.  The teachers whom I know emphasize the importance of the test
have much better results than the teacher who says, "Hey, we have to do
this.  I don't like it. You don't like it, Your parents don't like it.
Just do it and get it over with."  Schools that offer rewards for
improved test scores have improved test scores.  There are many
variables when doing any kind of standardized testing to "evaluate
teaching results".  And as far as getting the federal government
involved in adult literacy, please, no.  Talk to any special education
teacher ( me included) to find out about the results of federal mandates
in education.  IEP's went from a simple three or four page document to
over 12 pages listing standards and benchmarks that were to be worked on
for each student.  If I had 20 students on my roster, most of whom I
never saw but for whose educational programs I was still responsible,
then I had 20 IEP's with massive amounts of bi-monthly or weekly testing
to determine if progress was being made.  Charts had to be kept up on
each goal, and I had very little time to teach let alone get to know my
students.  Several times I introduced myself to a student at his IEP
meeting because he was not available when I had a planning time.  When
it got to the point where a graduation goal was deemed inappropriate and
secondary to meeting the standards and benchmarks, I knew it was time
for me to get out of special education in a high school.

But that's beside the point, you might say; however, it isn't because at
the prison I currently have at least 50 students.  If I had to show
growth along prescribed standards and benchmarks, then I would be back
to nothing but paperwork.  Oh, you should know, that I keep a running
informal individual education plan for each of my men.  I have to for me
as well as for them; otherwise I would forget who was doing what in
which book.

All I'm saying is, about the time you have mandated standards from the
federal government, then you're going to have to prove that you're
meeting those standards.  The fact that the men I work with in prison
pass their tests would have little to do with it.   (Oh, and my 96%
passing rate probably has something to do with my "captive" audience who
are clean, well-fed, well-rested and required to be in class.)  I take
very little credit for their success.  I am there;  they have the GED
prep workbooks from several different companies.  I give assignments,
and they work independently and ask questions when they have them.  They
are in a safe, non-threatening atmosphere which for some of them is a
first.

Back to testing.  We TABE all offenders upon arrival to get a general
reading level.  Then we give CASAS reading and math tests to establish
deficits.  Every six months each man who has been in education classes
is required to re-take the CASAS.  When a man completes his GED, the
State also requires us to CASAS him again.  Usually the poor guy has
been through the CASAS so many times and is so happy to have his GED
that he scores his lowest scores on his last CASAS test.  This, of
course, reflects poorly on me as a teacher.  I can motivate a student to
complete his GED, but I cannot motivate him to try his hardest on a test
that essentially means nothing to him.  Oh, and if he is released before
he has completed his GED, which happens a lot, I have to CASAS him
before he leaves.  And believe me, a man who is on his way home is not
likely to try too hard on a test when all he can think about his
home-cooked meals and the family and friends waiting for him.

And we were also discussing planning time.  I plan on the run.  I walk
around the room and look over shoulders and if someone is struggling,
then perhaps a different book or some one-on-one time is warranted.  I
might have 50 men to teach, but my room only has chairs for 15, so it's
a constantly rotating group of guys from noon until 8 pm. Most of the
men have jobs either within the prison or off-grounds, so I need to be
there to catch them when they're available.  At the medium security site
where I work from noon til 3 pm, class times are assigned.  At the
minimum security site, I maintain a welcome mat approach:  come when
you're well, willing and able, as long as you find five hours per week
for class.  Like I said, I have a captive audience.

Gail Rinderknecht
GED instructor/ Des Moines Area Community College
Newton Correctional Facility
Newton, IA  50208

And this has nothing to do with the topic, but our site is called
"Riverview", but with the floods, it's been Lakeview.  We are all fine
here, but have had to make room for some men where the jails were
flooded.  The water here in central Iowa is thankfully receding, but
it's heading downriver towards some of you.

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David J. Rosen
Sent: Tue 6/17/2008 8:50 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 996]  Content Standards: More questions, more
answers,more discussion

Colleagues,

Our Content Standards discussion continues through Friday.  I have
some more questions (see below) for guests and subscribers. I wonder
if there are some people with questions that they feel are "too
basic" such as "How do I find out what my state's Content Standards
are, or if my state even has them?"  No question about content
standards is too basic. This is the place to ask it.

I want to hear from teachers and administrators who are (or are not)
implementing content standards. Jon Engel (Thank you, Jon) spoke for
teachers who might be skeptical. Perhaps there are some teachers who
are skeptical that would be willing to speak for themselves now that
Jon has broached this.

Here are three more questions that were sent to me, for our guests
and others :

"Part-time teachers and planning time:  Teachers tell us that
developing lesson plans from standards takes more time because they
have to spend time learning the standards, aligning their activities
to those standards, and filling out more paper work to demonstrate
compliance.  What are states implementing standards doing to
alleviate the pressure on already burdened adult education teachers
(low wages, low job security, part-time, no benefits, little or no
prep time, etc.)?"

"National standards: As a standards writer, I was struck by the wide
diversity of approaches to adult education content standards across
states (ranging from the very prescriptive and specific to the very
broad and general).  While I understand we live in a federal system
in which states can do whatever they deem best for their students,
isn't there a value in having a broader national discussion about
what our adult students should be able to know and do in order to be
successful members of society or, at a very minimum, shouldn't we
have a common understanding about how content standards are going to
be used?"

"Assessment:  While states have been encouraged to develop widely
different content standards, the majority continue to use a very
limited set of approved standardized assessments that may or may not
be very closely aligned to those standards.  If due to increasingly
tight financial constraints states are generally unable to develop
NRS-approved standardized tests that are aligned with their
standards, is it reasonable to expect that their content standards
will have an impact on instruction and student performance?  Do
teachers really have an incentive to teach from those standards if
what they are teaching is not going to show up in the TABE or BEST
Plus or CASAS?  Are there plans to develop such tests?"

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

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Email delivered to sgabb at bristol.mass.edu

From dwilliams52 at sbcglobal.net  Fri Jun 20 14:10:30 2008
From: dwilliams52 at sbcglobal.net (David Williams)
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 11:10:30 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1053] Re: Regarding CASAS Posting...
In-Reply-To: <208D21E3AC92D449A31336961A46FB870BF867CE@eiccd-exch1.eiccd.net>
Message-ID: <254408.69935.qm@web83512.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>

I strongly agree with using the official GED tests in combination with a passing GED exam score as acceptable pre & post tests. The CASAS reading and math tests can give an iinstructor a general sense of the students entry capabilities in those areas, but we have found that giving the learners the official practice tests is much more relevent to assisting the learners in establishing individual plans and goals for improving in the specific GED test areas.
   
  We attempt to meet the cretieria of the CASAS post tests by offering students a discount on the GED test fees, if they receive the recommendation of their instructor to take the test (of course the recommendation requires that they complete the CASAS post tests).
   
  Dave Williams
  Beaumont, CA

"Schneider, Jim" <jschneider at eicc.edu> wrote:
  As was mentioned in another message the CASAS post-test must be
administered to register any learning gain for NRS reporting. 

There is a movement to recognize the official practice tests and GED
test scores as an acceptable pre & post-test measure for the NRS which
would make INFINITELY more sense for those individuals who are focused
on attaining the GED and prevent the current over-assessment nonsense
that must be undertaken for programs to document the progress and
accountability of their efforts. 

Jim Schneider
Davenport, IA 

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of
specialtopics-request at nifl.gov
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 5:14 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 23, Issue 28

Send SpecialTopics mailing list submissions to
specialtopics at nifl.gov

To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
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specialtopics-owner at nifl.gov

When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
than "Re: Contents of SpecialTopics digest..."

Today's Topics:

1. [SpecialTopics 1021] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
more answers, more discussion-TM (Rinderknecht, Gail A.)
2. [SpecialTopics 1022] Standards - Response to Questions by
Allan French (Anderson, Philip)
3. [SpecialTopics 1023] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
more answers, more discussion-TM (Rantapaa Linnell L)
4. [SpecialTopics 1024] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
more answers, more discussion (Rinderknecht, Gail A.)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:40:44 -0500
From: "Rinderknecht, Gail A." 
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1021] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
more answers, more discussion-TM
To: 
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

We are in the process of doing just that. Evidently "they" do not think
it is irrelevant. They want it for statistical purposes to show growth
when the GED is completed.

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Nancy Markus
Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 11:20 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1019] Re: Content Standards: More questions,more
answers, more discussion-TM

Why not contact your state leadership and ask why the CASAS is required?
If
it really is irrelevant then advocate for change.

Nancy

On 6/19/08, Rinderknecht, Gail A. wrote:
>
> We use TABE to determine the 6.0 grade level for the Dept. of
> Corrections. It's quick, easy and non-threatening.
>
> The CASAS is required by the State Department of Education. No one
seems
> to know the rationale for requiring the students to take the CASAS
after
> completing their GED. It's one of those mandated things that happens
when
> the State is instituting "Standards". None of the GED teachers that I
know
> of like the idea, but at the same time we are required to re-CASAS. I
> suppose it is supposed to show growth in the reading and math, but as
I said
> before, most of the men do not see a reason to try very hard on this
test
> and just view it as another hoop that they are required to jump
through.
>
> Gail Rinderknecht
> garinderknecht at dmacc.edu
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Kelsee Miller
> Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 9:41 AM
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 1013] Re: Content Standards: More
questions,more
> answers, more discussion-TM
>
> Question for Gail: Why does your state use both the TABE and CASAS?
What is
> the rationale for testing CASAS again after the GED?
>
> I have found this discussion very insightful!
> Thank you,
> Kelsee
>
>
>
> Kelsee Miller
> Casper College
> Adult Basic Education/GED Instructor
> 125 College Dr.
> Casper, WY 82601
> 307-268-2895
> 307-268-2230
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to garinderknecht at dmacc.edu
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to nancy.markus at gmail.com
>
>

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Message: 2
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:37:21 -0400
From: "Anderson, Philip" 

Subject: [SpecialTopics 1022] Standards - Response to Questions by
Allan French
To: 
Message-ID: <96E135649F1AD048AA6FF8CBC598C23E18E1E761 at MAIL1.FLDOE.INT>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

This is a response from Phil Anderson, Florida DOE Adult Education
Program Specialist to the questions posed by Allan French, ESL
Instructor, Assessment Coordinator, Norming Project Coordinator at South
Seattle Community College:

This statement made by Allan resonates strongly: "The new state
standards were brought into the project to inform and suggest
(especially in terms of language), not to limit and control." This is
the intention of Florida's standards as well.

Allan's questions: "I see standards as not just a guideline for a
lesson, but a destination (after all, they define what we expect our
students to know and be able to do as they exit a particular level). I
am concerned with how we get to that destination, especially given the
multitude of standards and indicators, the need for multiple types of
assessment, and the time limitations. So I would like to ask all of you
out there who have worked some time with standards, (1) how do you
determine that a student is ready for the next level of an integrated
ESL class, using standards? 

Florida has several adult ESOL courses that are funded only with state
dollars, and are not reported to the NRS. Literacy Skills for the Adult
ESOL Learner is one of these. In 1999-2000, this course was developed by
a group of adult ESOL experts that included a University of Florida
researcher in adult ESOL literacy, Dr. Edwidge Crevecoeur-Bryant,
consultants with years of adult education experience in Florida,
teachers, and Dr. Edwina Hoffman, a Miami-Dade program administrator of
refugee programs. This course is designed for students that have low
levels of education and literacy in their home language(s). Most
students are Haitian, or from various language groups in Mexico and
Central America, such as Mixteco, Tarasco, Quechua, and Kanjobal. This
course has been put through implementation and revision stages in
several schools around the state, and it has been tweaked almost yearly
since its inception. It has a set of benchmarks that are divided into
three levels, A, B, C. Last year, the state database shows that 13,794
students were enrolled in this course. We developed a "User Guide" for
this course to explain to teachers how it is used and suggestions on how
to teach the course. Documents related to this course can be found on
the Florida Adult Education website,
http://www.fldoe.org/workforce/adult_ed.asp. 

(2) How do you determine what constitutes satisfactory performance of
any one standard/indicator, and that such performance has in fact been
achieved? 

For the present, the only method the state prescribes is that the
teacher of the course and the program administrator must sign off on a
state-created "Progress Report" that indicates the student has
"satisfactorily" mastered the benchmarks shown in the Progress in the
standards. What is deemed "satisfactory" is left up to those two
persons, the teacher and the program administrator. The state expects
local programs to establish a written procedure for how the teachers
will determine progress, i.e., portfolio, teacher-designed tests,
textbook tests, worksheet samples, documentation of group projects, etc.
After the teacher and administrator sign off on the student's Progress
Report, the program sends notification to the state that the student
mastered the standards. The state then records this in its database and
assigns payment to the program accordingly. The local program is
required to retain the records showing documentation of the progress
report for auditing purposes. The state sends out monitors to all
programs to check on the documentation of the progress reports. Since
the Florida legislature funds this course through its adult education
funding, the FL DOE, for now, uses this method of holding the program to
a certain level of accountability. 

(3) How do you create the assessment tools to evaluate said performance?

The state is in the process of exploring the development of a
standardized procedure/assessment that can give us a reliable and valid
way of measuring progress on the course standards. Hopefully within the
next two years, this standardized procedure/assessment will be ready for
use. 

(4) Can you cover all standards/indicators for the level in a single
quarter or how much time is needed? Another way of asking this is how
do you grapple with the, at times, mind-boggling complexity of all that
we are endeavoring to do.

Since the standards are "to inform and to suggest," teachers are not
expected to cover 100% of the standards within an instructional period
of time, but to judiciously select those that are relevant. Maxine
McCormick, a Florida trainer, often exhorts us, "Take your students to
MMU! Teach them what is meaningful, memorable and useful!" Several
Florida programs are piloting short terms of 8 weeks in a "managed
enrollment" system with some of their classes. In these classes,
students are assigned to a class by level, the class is "closed" after
the second week, and kept at 25 students maximum. The first week is
assigned to orientation topics (how to study, what the students want to
cover in the course from a list of suggested topics from the standards,
the teacher's methods), and the last week is assigned to testing. No
teacher can teach all the benchmarks in 8 weeks, but the intention of
the "managed enrollment" classes is to meet the needs of students who
desire to achieve competency in work and life skill areas more
efficiently and effectively that in the "open entry - open exit"
classes. So far, evaluations of these classes is showing that students
and teachers are satisfied with the results. The project in Miami Dade
School District is called "Intensive English Academies" and can be
reviewed at the Florida Adult ESOL task force website,
www.floridaadultesol.org . Look for
the pencil under "New Initiatives."

CONTACT INFORMATION

Philip Anderson

Adult ESOL Program Specialist

Division of Workforce Education

Florida Department of Education

325 W. Gaines Street, Room 644

Tallahassee, FL 32399

Tel (850) 245-9450

Fax (850) 245-0995

Please take a few minutes to provide feedback on the quality of service
you received from our staff. The Department of Education values your
feedback as a customer. Commissioner of Education Dr. Eric J. Smith is
committed to continuously assessing and improving the level and quality
of services provided to you.Simply use the link below. Thank you in
advance for completing the survey.

http://data.fldoe.org/cs/default.cfm?staff=Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org|12:
37:22%20Thu%2019%20Jun%202008
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Message: 3
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:53:05 -0700
From: "Rantapaa Linnell L" 

Subject: [SpecialTopics 1023] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
more answers, more discussion-TM
To: 
Message-ID:

<286FDFA48BE5AF4CA0641A8AE10A9B047044B8 at docmail4.ds.doc.state.or.us>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

CASAS postesting was required after the Feds via the Title II National
Reporting System did not allow an official GED test to proxy for a
posttest to measure skill level gains. Progress on the NRS "Educational
Gain" performance must be measureed by a pre and posttest of the same
type. If GED completers are not posttested they have no "opportunity" to
demonstrate progress on this performance measure. In Oregon, we have
the same difficulties getting valid posttest results from those who have
already completed the GED. We try to catch them before they take their
last GED test, but it's a struggle. 

Linnell
Phone: 503-934-1006
Fax: 503-378-5815

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Rinderknecht, Gail
A.
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 9:14 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 1013] Re: Content Standards: More
questions,more answers, more discussion-TM

We use TABE to determine the 6.0 grade level for the Dept. of
Corrections. It's quick, easy and non-threatening.

The CASAS is required by the State Department of Education. No one
seems to know the rationale for requiring the students to take the CASAS
after completing their GED. It's one of those mandated things that
happens when the State is instituting "Standards". None of the GED
teachers that I know of like the idea, but at the same time we are
required to re-CASAS. I suppose it is supposed to show growth in the
reading and math, but as I said before, most of the men do not see a
reason to try very hard on this test and just view it as another hoop
that they are required to jump through. 

Gail Rinderknecht
garinderknecht at dmacc.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Kelsee Miller
Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 9:41 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1013] Re: Content Standards: More
questions,more answers, more discussion-TM

Question for Gail: Why does your state use both the TABE and CASAS? What
is the rationale for testing CASAS again after the GED?

I have found this discussion very insightful!
Thank you,
Kelsee

Kelsee Miller
Casper College
Adult Basic Education/GED Instructor
125 College Dr. 
Casper, WY 82601
307-268-2895
307-268-2230

-------------------------------
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To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
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Email delivered to garinderknecht at dmacc.edu

------------------------------

Message: 4
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:22:30 -0500
From: "Rinderknecht, Gail A." 
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1024] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
more answers, more discussion
To: 
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

You decry the use of rewards, but for kids to take a test seriously,
they need a reward. In regular classes, the reward is a grade. They
often need something tangible to strive for other than the test score.
Standardized tests do not provide a reward for someone who is not
internally motivated. Even if the reward is "real pizza" for lunch
instead of the school pizza or passes to the local movie theater, it may
be enough to motivate some students to take the test more seriously than
they otherwise would have.

Gail

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Federico Salas
Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 9:02 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1010] Re: Content Standards: More questions,more
answers, more discussion

To me the obvious problem with rewarding results on the test is that you
are teaching test taking skills. Then the standard is determined by the
test, not by your instructional content standards as determined by
students and colleagues. Students may have a phenomenal passing rate on
the test but be completely unable to actually use their skills and in a
practical application at work or as tap their knowledge base as a
springboard to learn more at college or the university. Then programs
that "offer rewards for improved test scores" have improved test scores
but have they improved the proficiency of those test takers in their
ability to succeed in life? I am afraid not. That is one of the most
insidious problems of public education today. Schools are ranked and
rewarded on the performance of their students on standardized tests but
nobody pays attention to whether the students have really learned their
materials or simply learned to ace a test. I believe the issue is with
making the standardized test the focus of education. If we focused on
the content standards for instruction instead our success rate would
over time improve. 

To me, focusing on the test is warranted only when the student has
obtained sufficient command of the skills and knowledge and a few weeks
before the test you pay attention to the form of the test, test
strategies, etc. But to devote your adult education program to the test
skills rather than teach with a carefully considered set of academic and
work related standards is a true disservice to our students.

You should know I am an avowed enemy of standardized tests; I don't
understand them, I don't like them, and I don't believe the scores tell
us much about a student. I also don't believe we are going to fix any
of the problems in education if we continue focusing on "the test"
instead of teaching. Of course I went through my whole elementary,
secondary, and a couple of years of university work in two other
countries without ever once facing a standardized test. Tests of my
ability to explain scientific facts, yes; tests of my ability to relate
knowledge from one field to knowledge from another, yes. Tests that
asked me to look for evidence in XX century culture of events that
happened in the renaissance, yes. But standardized tests? The first
standardized test I ever took was the TOEFL to come to this country. But
that's another story...

federico

Federico Salas-Isnardi, Assistant State Director
Texas LEARNS
6005 Westview Dr.
Houston, TX 77055
Direct: 713-696-0719
Toll Free: 866-696-4233
Fax: 713-696-0797

The State Office of Adult Education and Family Literacy
-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Rinderknecht, Gail
A.
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 7:56 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 996] Content Standards: More questions, more
answers,more discussion

So I knew I shouldn't have started writing in response to this topic
because I have such strong opinions about the matter. 

Iowa has instituted standards and benchmarks in the public schools and
tests the daylights out of the students. Personally, I believe that the
success of the test often relies on the attitude of the teacher giving
the test. I can see this in the high school where I used to teach when
I volunteer to read high school essays in the summer to evaluate
reading. The teachers whom I know emphasize the importance of the test
have much better results than the teacher who says, "Hey, we have to do
this. I don't like it. You don't like it, Your parents don't like it.
Just do it and get it over with." Schools that offer rewards for
improved test scores have improved test scores. There are many
variables when doing any kind of standardized testing to "evaluate
teaching results". And as far as getting the federal government

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From kgianninoto at msde.state.md.us  Fri Jun 20 14:14:30 2008
From: kgianninoto at msde.state.md.us (Karen Gianninoto)
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 14:14:30 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1054] Re: content standards
References: <CFF3C2C0-7B01-41BB-9ACF-A1CE0B1DE31C@comcast.net>
	<fc.000f8dfd00de91c23b9aca00189c63ab.dea0f7@sde.state.ok.us>
Message-ID: <2433CF3169B9054193EB844AC38230CC06D4FE3F@msebex1.msde.net>

Thank you for including me in the content standards discussion.  I think it has reinforced for me the importance of listening to the field and working as a team to make positive changes and provide the support at all levels to make change happen. 
 
We have many dedicated teachers in the adult education field, and it is important to see the issues from a variety of vantage points.  
 
 
Karen Lisch Gianninoto
ESL and Professional Development Specialist 
MSDE
200 W. Baltimore St. 
Baltimore, MD
410-767-4150
410-479-4542
410-924-1529

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Pam Blundell
Sent: Fri 6/20/2008 12:07 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1047] Re: A different state standards issue: the end point of the

David and All,
Since this is the final day of our discussion, I wanted to take a minute
to share some thoughts.  First, what have I learned through this
experience? 
Mostly, I have learned that the approaches, attitudes, and purposes for
having  content standards are extremely different from state to state,
administrator to administrator and teacher to teacher.  All of whom have
legitimate points worth considering.

In Oklahoma the reason we chose EFF standards as our foundation was
because EFF offered not only standards from which we could start and
expand through the Curriculum Frameworks, but other tools (role maps, 4
purposes of learning, teaching/learning cycle, etc.) that made up a
teaching and learning system we have found to be of value in aligning what
happens in the classroom with students, at the local program level, and at
the state level.  This system provides direction as we determine how best
(professional development, materials and resources, allocations, teacher
planning time, etc.) to support this process.  From the beginning we asked
ourselves "just what is it we want to see happen by implementing this
process?"  Thus, we started with written objectives for students,
teachers, directors, and state staff.  Each year we revisit those
objectives, and when necessary, we have rewritten, adjusted, added to, and
even tossed out. It is truly an ongoing process that involves all
stakeholders.

I also wanted to mention that I have not heard much about individual
student goal setting except for obtaining the GED or NRS program goals of
which we are all held accountable.  In Oklahoma, as I'm sure happens
everywhere, the public connects adult education with "getting your GED."
As you all know, we are much, much, more and we work hard to get this
message out.  Only about 15-18% of the students enrolled in our classes
entered at a level that makes obtaining a GED a realistic goal within the
time they are usually willing to invest in the class.  Therefore, teaching
students about setting goals and the goal setting process is an essential
part of our instruction.   Actually, it should be the foundation of
instruction that determines which standards may need the most focus.  I
know, the teachers tell us all the time, "but they just want their GED."
Yes they do, (even if they are functioning at an ABE Beginning Level) and
you should respect that goal, support that goal, and encourage that goal;
BUT, in the meantime, let's look at all the other goals you might
accomplish while working on the skills you need to obtain a GED.  And
guess what, the skill set referred to as the "specific skill set" needed
for the GED, well, that skill set also includes the skills you need in
everyday life - they just look different. Our goal setting policy states
that both program goals and personal student goals are addressed in the
classroom. 

 When students start considering personal goals such as health issues,
dreams of a career or job they want, attending a parent-teacher conference
and not feel intimidated, build or create something, read a novel and
comprehend its meaning, plan summer activities for a family that has
little money for such, estimate the cost of taking a trip to see a
relative, write a complaint letter, or express an opinion about a local
election topic, and they start to look at the skills they need in order to
do these things - they start to see connections between learning skills
that will  make life better now as well as move me toward passing the GED.
 As you take students through the goal-setting process, even those that
are determined that all they want is a GED, start to expand their
thinking, their vision, and their confidence about what they really might
be able to accomplish - today, tomorrow, and well beyond passing the GED.
Isn't that what we should be doing?  Someone said earlier in the
discussion something about if you teach to the standards, and I would add,
teach in the context of student goals, then the tests take care of
themselves.  I agree and am seeing that happen - especially in the area of
math skills. 

In our content standard training for math, our trainer, Donna Curry, hit
this issue head-on when teachers kept talking about "all they (students)
want is enough math to pass the GED."  We started looking at the skills
found on the GED and then started asking the question "what does that look
like when you use it in real life?"  Then, we looked at skills students
were already somewhat comfortable using in real life (hobbies, cooking,
health issues, construction, etc.) and turned it around to ask the
question "what might that skill look like on a test?"  Hmmm....same kinds
of skills.  Sometime students have more skills then they realize, they
just can't show it on a test.  This may sound really simple but it was
really, really enlightening not only for students but for teachers who
were not really comfortable with their own math skills much less teaching
math for the GED.  Similar activities happen in the reading and writing
training.  We never forget about the GED - but - we certainly want
teachers and students to think way beyond any test and directly into their
own lives so that wherever they are when they enter (functioning level),
they will leave at a much higher level and with skills that make an
immediate difference in what they know and are able to do in life.

Standards-based instruction requires planning on the part of teachers and
students.  Our intent has never been to create more paperwork.  Though
lesson plans do make us accountable for why and what we are teaching in
the classroom.   Still, it is not about paperwork.  It IS about students
moving forward in their lives to be productive members of society and
achieving their personal goals.  It IS about providing teachers and
students tools, structure, focus, guidelines, road maps, whatever you want
to call it, that assist the process of achievement in the most effective
and efficient manner.  Thanks to Karen Greer from Texas for her comments
as a teacher.  She is correct when she says that standards "are very
necessary and need to be the basis of good planning."  The "curriculum" or
context in which you teach to the standards should be coming from the
lives and goals of our students.  You can address program goals without
ignoring individual personal goals and vice versa.  Our EFF teaching and
learning system, of which content standards are the foundation, is
designed to do both without sacrificing the creativity and individuality
of teachers or students.

Thank you for this incredible opportunity.  I respect the wisdom and
experiences of all contributors and wish my colleagues continued future
success.  I think the one thing I consistently find in the field of adult
education is that we are all passionate about what we do.    I hope
everyone has a great week-end.

Pam 

Pam Blundell, Assistant Director
Lifelong Learning Section
Oklahoma State Department of Education
2500 North Lincoln Blvd. Room 115
Oklahoma City, OK 73105-4599
405-521-3321
1-800-405-0355
pam_blundell at sde.state.ok.us

-------------------------------
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From JURMO at ucc.edu  Fri Jun 20 14:26:50 2008
From: JURMO at ucc.edu (JURMO at ucc.edu)
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 14:26:50 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1055] Re: Rethinking mission of adult literacy
References: <699143E842E1CA4BB449A06CF0C53EAC834A53C107@srv-mail.bcc.local>
Message-ID: <355865D6A500D84D960A0083B5FFF71F0446DD5D@crexc02.campus.ucc.edu>

As we think of post-secondary options for adult basic education students, let's consider the many kinds of non-credit certification programs available through community colleges.   

These programs can help adult learners develop  useful credentials, contextualized basic skills and technical knowledge, support networks, a plan for the future, and a sense of confidence and momentum that they need to take on new opportunities (occupational and otherwise).   

It's thus not just a matter of having either a high school diploma/GED or an associate's or bachelor's degree.  There are other educational opportunities between the GED and a college degree that can be very relevant, rewarding, and attainable for busy adults who come out of ABE programs.  

Those adults also need not see these noncredit programs as their final destination.  They can keep going to the associate's or bachelor's degree -- or higher levels of noncredit technical training -- as their time and energy permit.   

The National College Transition Network conference last fall highlighted examples of such programs, and there are many good reports (e.g., from the Council for the Advancement of Adult Literacy, www.caalusa.org and a new one on the web site of the New Jersey Association for Lifelong Learning) available that describe the potential of these noncredit certificate programs.   Just as we need to move away from traditional classroom-based, teacher-centered models of education, we need to think beyond the traditional high school-then-associate's or bachelor's degree route.   

Paul Jurmo, Ed.D.
Dean, Economic Development and Continuing Education
Union County College
New Jersey

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Gabb, Sally S.
Sent: Fri 6/20/2008 1:45 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1052] Re: Rethinking mission of adult literacy
 

As one who has made the transition from 30+ years in adult basic education to working with developmental education in a community college, I applaud Jim Schneider's comments.  In my new position, I am acutely aware of the challenges implicit for adult basic education students in continuing on to the post secondary level.  I am also aware that a very small percentage of ABE students actually are able to go on.  I agree that adults carry responsibilities that make commitment to further education tremendously difficult.  In no way would I diminish the importance for many of gaining that HS diploma.

Nevertheless, I encourage all ABE educators to think creatively about how we can open more opportunities beyond GED for our students, especially those who need further credentials to enhance their economic well being.  In addition, I believe strongly that increased educational experience enables a greater number of adults to participate more fully in public life and to advocate for opportunity for themselves and others - to be agents for change.  Education is not just for jobs alone.

Of course we have wonderful 'transitions' programs that provide support for GED grads going on to college.  These programs create 'cohorts' of students so that there is peer as well as professional support for moving on.  But these programs are still only available to a few.

I have just heard presentations about 'Early College High School' programs for at risk students that enable HS kids to take college courses while completing high school - on the college campus.  I hope to work with the ABE program here to look into support for such opportunities for GED students - enabling GED students to 'try out' a college course while studying to pass the test.

In my new job, I am keenly aware of the learning demands at the college level that are more complex and intense than passing the GED.  I do believe that we should continue to seek to strengthen the 'bridges' of support for GED students so that post secondary education is more available and possible.

Sally Gabb
Reading Skills Specialist
Bristol Community College
Fall River, MA

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Schneider, Jim
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2008 9:01 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1039] Rethinking mission of adult literacy

I want to preface my remarks that I am in complete agreement with the
desired end of a year of post-secondary education for adult literacy
students. The research is clear and there is no doubt of the economic
benefits of postsecondary education over merely attaining a GED.

I wonder about the willingness of our nation to provide adequate
resources for an enhanced program when there has never been any sign of
willingness to fund beyond the bare minimum in the past? Is it really
necessary to toss aside an infrastructure and programming that has been
in place and accomplished quite a bit in spite of lack-luster funding
and support? And, given the lack of resources in the past, I am leery
that these proposed "improvements" will provide the necessary funding
and supports to be a real improvement over the current programming.

I feel very strongly that we need to be cautious and recognize that for
many adult learners merely attaining the GED is nearly an impossible
dream. To establish a higher "standard" as a professional objective is
one thing... to raise the bar when there are so many for which the
current bar seems unattainable seems inhumane.

I strongly advocate for postsecondary education with all of our learners
- the reality is that for too many there are significant barriers
(daycare, transportation, housing, etc.) to pursuing postsecondary
education in the short-term. Yet, many come back to us 2-5 years later
(when the kids are in school?) to inquire and enroll in postsecondary
education - of course there is no recognition of this accomplishment by
NRS since it happens more than 6 months after the program year.

Jim Schneider
Davenport, IA

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of
specialtopics-request at nifl.gov
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2008 7:35 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 23, Issue 33

Send SpecialTopics mailing list submissions to
        specialtopics at nifl.gov

To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
        http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
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When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
than "Re: Contents of SpecialTopics digest..."

Today's Topics:

   1. [SpecialTopics 1034] Last day of state content standards
      discussion: please weigh in! (David J. Rosen)
   2. [SpecialTopics 1035] A different state standards issue: the
      end       point of the state adult literacy system (David J.
Rosen)
   3. [SpecialTopics 1036]  Discussion on Professional Wisdom
      (David J. Rosen)
   4. [SpecialTopics 1037]  Regarding CASAS Posting... (Schneider, Jim)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 07:19:27 -0400
From: "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1034] Last day of state content standards
        discussion: please weigh in!
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Message-ID: <2C48A935-609E-48C2-A25B-B38846424E26 at comcast.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Colleagues,

This is our last day of a very rich, two-week discussion on
implementation of state content standards. If you haven't weighed in
yet and believe that something else needs to be said, or that an
important question hasn't been answered, today's the day to add to
the discussion.

Here's today's question:

What have you learned from this discussion that will be useful in
your state?

That's it, only one question from me today. I hope some of you who
are beginning the process of implementation of content standards and
who joined the discussion today to learn from the (extensive)
experience of our guests and other subscribers will use this as an
opportunity to reflect, and to share with us what has been especially
valuable.

For those who subscribed late, the discussion archives will be found at

http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

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Message: 2
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 08:05:44 -0400
From: "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1035] A different state standards issue: the
        end     point of the state adult literacy system
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Message-ID: <CFF3C2C0-7B01-41BB-9ACF-A1CE0B1DE31C at comcast.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Colleagues,

In our discussion about state content standards, one of the issues
that has emerged implicitly is what the state standard should be for
the end point of adult literacy education. Should it be the passing
the GED? Successful transition to higher education? Success in at
least a year of post-secondary education? In the past, the answer was
clear: passing the GED.  Now, in many states there is a push toward
successful transition to higher education, and/or post-secondary job
training and/or apprenticeship. One state professional association,
the New Jersey State Association for Lifelong Learning (NJALL) now
calls for one year of post secondary education and a certificate as
the new standard. (See the conclusion and recommendations in this
policy paper below.)

Of course, many students want a GED, and only a GED. They want the
pride of having earned the credential, or they need it to keep their
present job. But the earnings research done by John Tyler and others
( A National Institute for Literacy-sponsored video panel discussion
on this with Dr. Tyler will be found at http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/
webcasts/ged/webcast_ged.html ) shows that if the student's goal is
to affect his/her earnings through increased education, then more is
needed, that passing the GED plus at least a year of college and a
certificate or degree are required.  Has your state been discussing
this issue? What are the considerations? Has your state made a
decision on the end point? If so, what?

I did say in my earlier message that I would post only one question
today, but then I saw the recommendations in the policy paper from
the NJALL, and I thought it was so interesting and pertinent that I
couldn't help but raise this in the context of our discussion of
state content standards, especially as for some states an important
goal may be to align adult literacy education with successful
preparation for college.

Your thoughts?

 From the NJALL policy paper:

Conclusion
Considering the available data, the conclusion is inescapable.  If
adult literacy educators
want to do more than educate our students to become members of the
working poor, we
must rethink our mission.  Completion of adult literacy must become
the half-way point
in a trajectory that leads to transition to and success in post
secondary education. This
will require new partnerships between adult literacy programs and
post secondary
institutions at both the state policy level and the local operational
level. If we accept
anything less, are we meeting our professional responsibility?

Recommendations

1. Establish a high-level taskforce between the SETC, the Commission
on Higher
Education and other stakeholders to study the transitions issue and
recommend a
state policy response.

2. Accept one year of post secondary education and a certificate as
the new standard
for completion of adult literacy education and insure that resources
are adequate
to meet this standard.

The full NJALL policy paper will be found at http://www.njall.org/
index.php

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

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Message: 3
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 08:07:36 -0400
From: David J. Rosen <djrosen at comcast.net>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1036]  Discussion on Professional Wisdom
To: The Assessment Discussion List <assessment at nifl.gov>,
        diversity at nifl.gov,     The Adult English Language Learners
Discussion
        List    <englishlanguage at nifl.gov>,     The Family Literacy
Discussion List
        <familyliteracy at nifl.gov>,      The Health and Literacy
Discussion List
        <healthliteracy at nifl.gov>,      The Learning Disabilities
Discussion List
        <learningdisabilities at nifl.gov>,        The Adult Literacy
Professional
        Development Discussion List
<professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov>,
        specialtopics at nifl.gov, The Workplace Literacy Discussion List
        <workplace at nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <5E460B91-A34C-4B4F-A3ED-31BF723F9CF9 at comcast.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Colleagues,

We would like to invite you to join us in a discussion about
professional wisdom that we will be holding on the AAACE-NLA
discussion list from June 23rd to June 27th.

In November last year,  we (John Comings and David J. Rosen) had a
series of email exchanges because we believe it is important for our
field to come to agreement on how professional wisdom might be used
as part of evidence-based practice. We discussed how our field might
build a model for achieving a body of professional wisdom that
teachers and administrators might use to improve basic skills
teaching, learning and programs for adults.

On June 23rd and June 24th we will post that discussion on the AAACE-
NLA discussion list in two parts. From June 25th-June 27th we will
welcome your questions and comments.

Please pass this invitation on to your colleagues who might like to
join us, too.  To subscribe to the AAACE-NLA Discussion List, go to:

http://lists.literacytent.org/mailman/listinfo/aaace-nla

Once there, scroll down the page and follow the subscription directions.

John Comings

David J. Rosen

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Message: 4
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 07:31:13 -0500
From: "Schneider, Jim" <jschneider at eicc.edu>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1037]  Regarding CASAS Posting...
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID:
        <208D21E3AC92D449A31336961A46FB870BF867CE at eiccd-exch1.eiccd.net>
Content-Type: text/plain;       charset="us-ascii"

As was mentioned in another message the CASAS post-test must be
administered to register any learning gain for NRS reporting.

There is a movement to recognize the official practice tests and GED
test scores as an acceptable pre & post-test measure for the NRS which
would make INFINITELY more sense for those individuals who are focused
on attaining the GED and prevent the current over-assessment nonsense
that must be undertaken for programs to document the progress and
accountability of their efforts.

Jim Schneider
Davenport, IA

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of
specialtopics-request at nifl.gov
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 5:14 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 23, Issue 28

Send SpecialTopics mailing list submissions to
        specialtopics at nifl.gov

To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
        http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
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When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
than "Re: Contents of SpecialTopics digest..."

Today's Topics:

   1. [SpecialTopics 1021] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
      more answers, more discussion-TM (Rinderknecht, Gail A.)
   2. [SpecialTopics 1022] Standards - Response to Questions by
      Allan     French (Anderson, Philip)
   3. [SpecialTopics 1023] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
      more answers, more discussion-TM (Rantapaa Linnell L)
   4. [SpecialTopics 1024] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
      more answers, more discussion (Rinderknecht, Gail A.)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:40:44 -0500
From: "Rinderknecht, Gail A." <garinderknecht at dmacc.edu>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1021] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
        more answers, more discussion-TM
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID:

<F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B80A3 at ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

We are in the process of doing just that.  Evidently "they" do not think
it is irrelevant.  They want it for statistical purposes to show growth
when the GED is completed.

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Nancy Markus
Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 11:20 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1019] Re: Content Standards: More questions,more
answers, more discussion-TM

Why not contact your state leadership and ask why the CASAS is required?
If
it really is irrelevant then advocate for change.

Nancy

On 6/19/08, Rinderknecht, Gail A. <garinderknecht at dmacc.edu> wrote:
>
> We use TABE to determine the 6.0 grade level for the Dept. of
> Corrections.  It's quick, easy and non-threatening.
>
> The CASAS is required by the State Department of Education.  No one
seems
> to know the rationale for requiring the students to take the CASAS
after
> completing their GED.  It's one of those mandated things that happens
when
> the State is instituting "Standards".  None of the GED teachers that I
know
> of like the idea, but at the same time we are required to re-CASAS.  I
> suppose it is supposed to show growth in the reading and math, but as
I said
> before, most of the men do not see a reason to try very hard on this
test
> and just view it as another hoop that they are required to jump
through.
>
> Gail Rinderknecht
> garinderknecht at dmacc.edu
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Kelsee Miller
> Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 9:41 AM
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 1013]   Re: Content Standards: More
questions,more
> answers, more discussion-TM
>
> Question for Gail: Why does your state use both the TABE and CASAS?
What is
> the rationale for testing CASAS again after the GED?
>
> I have found this discussion very insightful!
> Thank you,
> Kelsee
>
>
>
> Kelsee Miller
> Casper College
> Adult Basic Education/GED Instructor
> 125 College Dr.
> Casper, WY 82601
> 307-268-2895
> 307-268-2230
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to garinderknecht at dmacc.edu
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to nancy.markus at gmail.com
>
>

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Message: 2
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:37:21 -0400
From: "Anderson, Philip" <Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1022] Standards - Response to Questions by
        Allan   French
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <96E135649F1AD048AA6FF8CBC598C23E18E1E761 at MAIL1.FLDOE.INT>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

This is a response from Phil Anderson, Florida DOE Adult Education
Program Specialist to the questions posed by Allan French, ESL
Instructor, Assessment Coordinator, Norming Project Coordinator at South
Seattle Community College:

This statement made by Allan resonates strongly:  "The new state
standards were brought into the project to inform and suggest
(especially in terms of language), not to limit and control."  This is
the intention of Florida's standards as well.

Allan's questions:  "I see standards as not just a guideline for a
lesson, but a destination (after all, they define what we expect our
students to know and be able to do as they exit a particular level).  I
am concerned with how we get to that destination, especially given the
multitude of standards and indicators, the need for multiple types of
assessment, and the time limitations.  So I would like to ask all of you
out there who have worked some time with standards, (1) how do you
determine that a student is ready for the next level of an integrated
ESL class, using standards?

Florida has several adult ESOL courses that are funded only with state
dollars, and are not reported to the NRS.  Literacy Skills for the Adult
ESOL Learner is one of these. In 1999-2000, this course was developed by
a group of adult ESOL experts that included a University of Florida
researcher in adult ESOL literacy, Dr. Edwidge Crevecoeur-Bryant,
consultants with years of adult education experience in Florida,
teachers, and Dr. Edwina Hoffman, a Miami-Dade program administrator of
refugee programs.  This course is designed for students that have low
levels of education and literacy in their home language(s).  Most
students are Haitian, or from various language groups in Mexico and
Central America, such as Mixteco, Tarasco, Quechua, and Kanjobal.  This
course has been put through implementation and revision stages in
several schools around the state, and it has been tweaked almost yearly
since its inception.  It has a set of benchmarks that are divided into
three levels, A, B, C.  Last year, the state database shows that 13,794
students were enrolled in this course.  We developed a "User Guide" for
this course to explain to teachers how it is used and suggestions on how
to teach the course.  Documents related to this course can be found on
the Florida Adult Education website,
http://www.fldoe.org/workforce/adult_ed.asp.

(2) How do you determine what constitutes satisfactory performance of
any one standard/indicator, and that such performance has in fact been
achieved?

For the present, the only method the state prescribes is that the
teacher of the course and the program administrator must sign off on a
state-created "Progress Report" that indicates the student has
"satisfactorily" mastered the benchmarks shown in the Progress in the
standards.  What is deemed "satisfactory" is left up to those two
persons, the teacher and the program administrator.  The state expects
local programs to establish a written procedure for how the teachers
will determine progress, i.e., portfolio, teacher-designed tests,
textbook tests, worksheet samples, documentation of group projects, etc.
After the teacher and administrator sign off on the student's Progress
Report, the program sends notification to the state that the student
mastered the standards.  The state then records this in its database and
assigns payment to the program accordingly.  The local program is
required to retain the records showing documentation of the progress
report for auditing purposes.  The state sends out monitors to all
programs to check on the documentation of the progress reports.  Since
the Florida legislature funds this course through its adult education
funding, the FL DOE, for now, uses this method of holding the program to
a certain level of accountability.

(3) How do you create the assessment tools to evaluate said performance?

The state is in the process of exploring the development of a
standardized procedure/assessment that can give us a reliable and valid
way of measuring progress on the course standards.  Hopefully within the
next two years, this standardized procedure/assessment will be ready for
use.

(4) Can you cover all standards/indicators for the level in a single
quarter or how much time is needed?  Another way of asking this is how
do you grapple with the, at times, mind-boggling complexity of all that
we are endeavoring to do.

Since the standards are "to inform and to suggest," teachers are not
expected to cover 100% of the standards within an instructional period
of time, but to judiciously select those that are relevant.  Maxine
McCormick, a Florida trainer, often exhorts us, "Take your students to
MMU!  Teach them what is meaningful, memorable and useful!"   Several
Florida programs are piloting short terms of 8 weeks in a "managed
enrollment" system with some of their classes.  In these classes,
students are assigned to a class by level, the class is "closed" after
the second week, and kept at 25 students maximum.  The first week is
assigned to orientation topics (how to study, what the students want to
cover in the course from a list of suggested topics from the standards,
the teacher's methods), and the last week is assigned to testing.  No
teacher can teach all the benchmarks in 8 weeks, but the intention of
the "managed enrollment" classes is to meet the needs of students who
desire to achieve competency in work and life skill areas more
efficiently and effectively that in the "open entry - open exit"
classes.  So far, evaluations of these classes is showing that students
and teachers are satisfied with the results.  The project in Miami Dade
School District is called "Intensive English Academies" and can be
reviewed at the Florida Adult ESOL task force website,
www.floridaadultesol.org <http://www.floridaadultesol.org/> .  Look for
the pencil under "New Initiatives."

CONTACT INFORMATION

Philip Anderson

Adult ESOL Program Specialist

Division of Workforce Education

Florida Department of Education

325 W. Gaines Street, Room 644

Tallahassee, FL  32399

Tel (850) 245-9450

Fax (850) 245-0995

Please take a few minutes to provide feedback on the quality of service
you received from our staff. The Department of Education values your
feedback as a customer. Commissioner of Education Dr. Eric J. Smith is
committed to continuously assessing and improving the level and quality
of services provided to you.Simply use the link below.  Thank you in
advance for completing the survey.

http://data.fldoe.org/cs/default.cfm?staff=Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org|12:
37:22%20Thu%2019%20Jun%202008
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Message: 3
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:53:05 -0700
From: "Rantapaa Linnell L" <Linnell.L.Rantapaa at doc.state.or.us>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1023] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
        more answers, more discussion-TM
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID:

<286FDFA48BE5AF4CA0641A8AE10A9B047044B8 at docmail4.ds.doc.state.or.us>
Content-Type: text/plain;       charset="us-ascii"

CASAS postesting was required after the Feds via the Title II National
Reporting System did not allow an official GED test to proxy for a
posttest to measure skill level gains.  Progress on the NRS "Educational
Gain" performance must be measureed by a pre and posttest of the same
type. If GED completers are not posttested they have no "opportunity" to
demonstrate progress on this performance measure.  In Oregon, we have
the same difficulties getting valid posttest results from those who have
already completed the GED.  We try to catch them before they take their
last GED test, but it's a struggle.

Linnell
Phone: 503-934-1006
Fax: 503-378-5815

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Rinderknecht, Gail
A.
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 9:14 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 1013] Re: Content Standards: More
questions,more answers, more discussion-TM

We use TABE to determine the 6.0 grade level for the Dept. of
Corrections.  It's quick, easy and non-threatening.

The CASAS is required by the State Department of Education.  No one
seems to know the rationale for requiring the students to take the CASAS
after completing their GED.  It's one of those mandated things that
happens when the State is instituting "Standards".  None of the GED
teachers that I know of like the idea, but at the same time we are
required to re-CASAS.  I suppose it is supposed to show growth in the
reading and math, but as I said before, most of the men do not see a
reason to try very hard on this test and just view it as another hoop
that they are required to jump through.

Gail Rinderknecht
garinderknecht at dmacc.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Kelsee Miller
Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 9:41 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1013]   Re: Content Standards: More
questions,more answers, more discussion-TM

Question for Gail: Why does your state use both the TABE and CASAS? What
is the rationale for testing CASAS again after the GED?

I have found this discussion very insightful!
Thank you,
Kelsee

Kelsee Miller
Casper College
Adult Basic Education/GED Instructor
125 College Dr.
Casper, WY 82601
307-268-2895
307-268-2230

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to garinderknecht at dmacc.edu

------------------------------

Message: 4
Date: Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:22:30 -0500
From: "Rinderknecht, Gail A." <garinderknecht at dmacc.edu>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1024] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
        more answers, more discussion
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID:

<F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B80A4 at ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

You decry the use of rewards, but for kids to take a test seriously,
they need a reward.  In regular classes, the reward is a grade.  They
often need something tangible to strive for other than the test score.
Standardized tests do not provide a reward for someone who is not
internally motivated.  Even if the reward is "real pizza" for lunch
instead of the school pizza or passes to the local movie theater, it may
be enough to motivate some students to take the test more seriously than
they otherwise would have.

Gail

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Federico Salas
Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 9:02 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1010] Re: Content Standards: More questions,more
answers, more discussion

To me the obvious problem with rewarding results on the test is that you
are teaching test taking skills.  Then the standard is determined by the
test, not by your instructional content standards as determined by
students and colleagues.  Students may have a phenomenal passing rate on
the test but be completely unable to actually use their skills and  in a
practical application at work or as tap their knowledge  base as a
springboard to learn more at college or the university.  Then programs
that "offer rewards for improved test scores" have improved test scores
but have they improved the proficiency of those test takers in their
ability to succeed in life?  I am afraid not.  That is one of the most
insidious problems of public education today.  Schools are ranked and
rewarded on the performance of their students on standardized tests but
nobody pays attention to whether the students have really learned their
materials or simply learned to ace a test.  I believe the issue is with
making the standardized test the focus of education.  If we focused on
the content standards for instruction instead our success rate would
over time improve.

To me, focusing on the test is warranted only when the student has
obtained sufficient command of the skills and knowledge and a few weeks
before the test you pay attention to the form of the test, test
strategies, etc.  But to devote your adult education program to the test
skills rather than teach with a carefully considered set of academic and
work related standards is a true disservice to our students.

You should know I am an avowed enemy of standardized tests; I don't
understand them, I don't like them, and I don't believe the scores tell
us much about a student.  I also don't believe we are going to fix any
of the problems in education if we continue focusing on "the test"
instead of teaching.  Of course I went through my whole elementary,
secondary, and a couple of years of university work in two other
countries without ever once facing a standardized test.  Tests of my
ability to explain scientific facts, yes; tests of my ability to relate
knowledge from one field to knowledge from another, yes.  Tests that
asked me to look for evidence in XX century culture of events that
happened in the renaissance, yes.  But standardized tests? The first
standardized test I ever took was the TOEFL to come to this country. But
that's another story...

federico

Federico Salas-Isnardi, Assistant State Director
Texas LEARNS
6005 Westview Dr.
Houston, TX 77055
Direct: 713-696-0719
Toll Free: 866-696-4233
Fax: 713-696-0797

The State Office of Adult Education and Family Literacy
-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Rinderknecht, Gail
A.
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 7:56 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 996] Content Standards: More questions, more
answers,more discussion

So I knew I shouldn't have started writing in response to this topic
because I have such strong opinions about the matter.

Iowa has instituted standards and benchmarks in the public schools and
tests the daylights out of the students.  Personally, I believe that the
success of the test often relies on the attitude of the teacher giving
the test.  I can see this in the high school where I used to teach when
I volunteer to read high school essays in the summer to evaluate
reading.  The teachers whom I know emphasize the importance of the test
have much better results than the teacher who says, "Hey, we have to do
this.  I don't like it. You don't like it, Your parents don't like it.
Just do it and get it over with."  Schools that offer rewards for
improved test scores have improved test scores.  There are many
variables when doing any kind of standardized testing to "evaluate
teaching results".  And as far as getting the federal government
involved in adult literacy, please, no.  Talk to any special education
teacher ( me included) to find out about the results of federal mandates
in education.  IEP's went from a simple three or four page document to
over 12 pages listing standards and benchmarks that were to be worked on
for each student.  If I had 20 students on my roster, most of whom I
never saw but for whose educational programs I was still responsible,
then I had 20 IEP's with massive amounts of bi-monthly or weekly testing
to determine if progress was being made.  Charts had to be kept up on
each goal, and I had very little time to teach let alone get to know my
students.  Several times I introduced myself to a student at his IEP
meeting because he was not available when I had a planning time.  When
it got to the point where a graduation goal was deemed inappropriate and
secondary to meeting the standards and benchmarks, I knew it was time
for me to get out of special education in a high school.

But that's beside the point, you might say; however, it isn't because at
the prison I currently have at least 50 students.  If I had to show
growth along prescribed standards and benchmarks, then I would be back
to nothing but paperwork.  Oh, you should know, that I keep a running
informal individual education plan for each of my men.  I have to for me
as well as for them; otherwise I would forget who was doing what in
which book.

All I'm saying is, about the time you have mandated standards from the
federal government, then you're going to have to prove that you're
meeting those standards.  The fact that the men I work with in prison
pass their tests would have little to do with it.   (Oh, and my 96%
passing rate probably has something to do with my "captive" audience who
are clean, well-fed, well-rested and required to be in class.)  I take
very little credit for their success.  I am there;  they have the GED
prep workbooks from several different companies.  I give assignments,
and they work independently and ask questions when they have them.  They
are in a safe, non-threatening atmosphere which for some of them is a
first.

Back to testing.  We TABE all offenders upon arrival to get a general
reading level.  Then we give CASAS reading and math tests to establish
deficits.  Every six months each man who has been in education classes
is required to re-take the CASAS.  When a man completes his GED, the
State also requires us to CASAS him again.  Usually the poor guy has
been through the CASAS so many times and is so happy to have his GED
that he scores his lowest scores on his last CASAS test.  This, of
course, reflects poorly on me as a teacher.  I can motivate a student to
complete his GED, but I cannot motivate him to try his hardest on a test
that essentially means nothing to him.  Oh, and if he is released before
he has completed his GED, which happens a lot, I have to CASAS him
before he leaves.  And believe me, a man who is on his way home is not
likely to try too hard on a test when all he can think about his
home-cooked meals and the family and friends waiting for him.

And we were also discussing planning time.  I plan on the run.  I walk
around the room and look over shoulders and if someone is struggling,
then perhaps a different book or some one-on-one time is warranted.  I
might have 50 men to teach, but my room only has chairs for 15, so it's
a constantly rotating group of guys from noon until 8 pm. Most of the
men have jobs either within the prison or off-grounds, so I need to be
there to catch them when they're available.  At the medium security site
where I work from noon til 3 pm, class times are assigned.  At the
minimum security site, I maintain a welcome mat approach:  come when
you're well, willing and able, as long as you find five hours per week
for class.  Like I said, I have a captive audience.

Gail Rinderknecht
GED instructor/ Des Moines Area Community College
Newton Correctional Facility
Newton, IA  50208

And this has nothing to do with the topic, but our site is called
"Riverview", but with the floods, it's been Lakeview.  We are all fine
here, but have had to make room for some men where the jails were
flooded.  The water here in central Iowa is thankfully receding, but
it's heading downriver towards some of you.

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David J. Rosen
Sent: Tue 6/17/2008 8:50 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 996]  Content Standards: More questions, more
answers,more discussion

Colleagues,

Our Content Standards discussion continues through Friday.  I have
some more questions (see below) for guests and subscribers. I wonder
if there are some people with questions that they feel are "too
basic" such as "How do I find out what my state's Content Standards
are, or if my state even has them?"  No question about content
standards is too basic. This is the place to ask it.

I want to hear from teachers and administrators who are (or are not)
implementing content standards. Jon Engel (Thank you, Jon) spoke for
teachers who might be skeptical. Perhaps there are some teachers who
are skeptical that would be willing to speak for themselves now that
Jon has broached this.

Here are three more questions that were sent to me, for our guests
and others :

"Part-time teachers and planning time:  Teachers tell us that
developing lesson plans from standards takes more time because they
have to spend time learning the standards, aligning their activities
to those standards, and filling out more paper work to demonstrate
compliance.  What are states implementing standards doing to
alleviate the pressure on already burdened adult education teachers
(low wages, low job security, part-time, no benefits, little or no
prep time, etc.)?"

"National standards: As a standards writer, I was struck by the wide
diversity of approaches to adult education content standards across
states (ranging from the very prescriptive and specific to the very
broad and general).  While I understand we live in a federal system
in which states can do whatever they deem best for their students,
isn't there a value in having a broader national discussion about
what our adult students should be able to know and do in order to be
successful members of society or, at a very minimum, shouldn't we
have a common understanding about how content standards are going to
be used?"

"Assessment:  While states have been encouraged to develop widely
different content standards, the majority continue to use a very
limited set of approved standardized assessments that may or may not
be very closely aligned to those standards.  If due to increasingly
tight financial constraints states are generally unable to develop
NRS-approved standardized tests that are aligned with their
standards, is it reasonable to expect that their content standards
will have an impact on instruction and student performance?  Do
teachers really have an incentive to teach from those standards if
what they are teaching is not going to show up in the TABE or BEST
Plus or CASAS?  Are there plans to develop such tests?"

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

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From gbitterl at sdccd.edu  Fri Jun 20 14:49:11 2008
From: gbitterl at sdccd.edu (Gretchen Bitterlin)
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 11:49:11 -0700
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1056] Re: Fwd: Auto-discard notification
In-Reply-To: <4BBBC8CC-E13A-48FA-98E4-BD0B3867ED36@comcast.net>
References: <mailman.46206.1213734590.13921.specialtopics@nifl.gov>
	<4BBBC8CC-E13A-48FA-98E4-BD0B3867ED36@comcast.net>
Message-ID: <E2D643A171DE1A478B321DEB91F416DB0B2D27@MCX.sdccd.loc>

Hello everyone - I support what Karen Greer has said about the importance of
teacher training. I believe there is a huge gap between the standards out
there and what is actually happening in the ESL classrooms. Personally I have
found the EFF standards to have no direct relevance to teaching ESL. There
are good ESL content standards out there, which the textbook companies have
been following in writing new core textbooks, but as someone said, if the
teachers don't know how to use the textbook, then it is likely the standard
will not be implemented. We have a lot of work yet to do.
Gretchen Bitterlin
San Diego Continuing Education Program

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2008 6:52 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1040] Fwd: Auto-discard notification

Posted for Karen Greer who sent this message on June 17th

From: "Greer, Karen" <Karen.Greer at victoriacollege.edu>
Date: June 17, 2008 4:29:47 PM EDT
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 994] Re: ImplementingState	 
AdultEducationContentStandards

Hats off to Federico for his description of our state's standards  
process. I am one of those teachers in the trenches and welcomed the  
standards. I was shown my classroom,the students, and a large book  
closet and that was my orientation. After many years, trial and  
error, and many hours in the bookroom , I have come up with a  
workable plan. The standards are very necessary and need to be the  
basis of good planning(foreign to some teachers}. Texas followed the  
introduction of the standards with concrete lesson plan training. A  
curriculum with concrete flow is very important and the standards  
give us a way to divide level instruction guidelines. I encourage all  
in this field to use the standards and it will only benefit our  
students.

Karen Greer, teacher
Victoria College Adult Ed. Victoria, Tx

-------------------------------
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SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
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Email delivered to gbitterl at sdccd.edu

From gbitterl at sdccd.edu  Fri Jun 20 15:04:52 2008
From: gbitterl at sdccd.edu (Gretchen Bitterlin)
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 12:04:52 -0700
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1057] Re: Textbooks and ESL Content Standards
In-Reply-To: <96E135649F1AD048AA6FF8CBC598C23E18E1E838@MAIL1.FLDOE.INT>
References: <DDB3820159838B4594D5E87A48297CE503CDF2C1@web5.thecenterweb.org>
	<96E135649F1AD048AA6FF8CBC598C23E18E1E838@MAIL1.FLDOE.INT>
Message-ID: <E2D643A171DE1A478B321DEB91F416DB0B2D29@MCX.sdccd.loc>

The textbook checklists are very valuable. I am attaching one that our
district developed to evaluate core texts. It has 3 parts to it. It has
served us well in choosing texts for our program.
Gretchen Bitterlin
San Diego Continuing Education Program.

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Anderson, Philip
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2008 8:32 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1041] Re: Textbooks and ESL Content Standards

Thanks to Catherine for the checklist criteria for selecting a text.  I
did a few additions and revisions to adapt it for our programs in
Florida, and I am attaching it here, in case anyone finds it useful.  I
added three more criteria regarding the three "Cs" - Content Standards,
Components, and Cost.  Perhaps other criteria that are part of
components could be included: workbooks, reproducible masters, video,
and audio? 

 
CONTACT INFORMATION
Philip Anderson
Adult ESOL Program
Florida Department of Education
Tel (850) 245-9450

 

Please take a few minutes to provide feedback on the quality of service you
received from our staff. The Department of Education values your feedback as
a customer. Commissioner of Education Dr. Eric J. Smith is committed to
continuously assessing and improving the level and quality of services
provided to you.Simply use the link below.  Thank you in advance for
completing the survey.
 

http://data.fldoe.org/cs/default.cfm?staff=Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org|11:31:50
%20Fri%2020%20Jun%202008
 

 -----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Catherine Porter
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 4:39 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov; specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1026] Re: Textbooks and ESL Content Standards

This is Catherine Porter, from the Adult Learning Resource Center in
Illinois.  I would like to add my comments to the discussion about
publishers' textbook correlations with state content standards.  

In Illinois, as in many states, part-time ESL instructors are frequently
hired at the last minute, handed a textbook, and told to start teaching
the next day or week.  For this reason, it is essential that the book
both be pedagogically sound AND align with our Illinois ESL Content
Standards.  Furthermore, I (also a textbook writer!) agree with Arlene
Grognet's comments below that:

"As to David's question about textbook correlations with standards, I 
would look at all of them as spurious. (And this coming from a 
textbook writer!) A textbook is only as good as the Teachers' Manual 
which should accompany it. For each lesson, the Manual should give 
shape to the the standard, tell teachers how the linguistic skills 
they are teaching fit into language acquisition, give new and part-
time teachers step-by-step ways of  presenting and practicing a 
lesson, and give experienced teachers hints for expansion and 
extension of the lesson. Without that, textbooks are only page-turners."

To assist programs in selecting appropriate published materials, all
curriculum development teams who attend our state-sponsored "ESL
Curriculum Institutes" receive training in evaluating and selecting
appropriate published materials.  In Illinois, as in many states,
publishers have been quick to publish correlations between their core
series and our state standards.  In some cases these correlations are
accurate while in others they are a wild and imaginative stretch.  

We have found that it takes at least two hours of staff development to
train teachers and program coordinators to identify appropriate criteria
for selecting a core text. The attached checklist, "Ten Criteria for
Selecting a Core Text for ESL" has been extremely useful to Illinois
adult education programs. Using the checklist, participants in the ESL
Curriculum Institutes examine pages from popular textbooks to see if
they meet these ten criteria.  In addition to applying the ten criteria,
participants are also guided in identifying the "Three "Cs" for any
textbook series: Cost, Components (as Arlene says, a textbook is only as
good as its teacher's manual), and of course, Content Standards being
addressed.  

After this initial training on selecting an appropriate core text,
programs are encouraged to set up committees of teachers back at their
programs to review, select, and pilot new materials. Those of us working
with adult education instructors know how attached teachers become to
their materials; in perhaps no other area is "resistance to change" so
strong.  By involving teachers in the materials selection process, many
Illinois programs are selecting and implementing core ESL materials that
meet their students' needs and align with our state standards. 

Catherine Porter
Professional Development Specialist
Adult Learning Resource Center
Arlington Heights, IL 

-----Original Message-----
From:	specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David J. Rosen
Sent:	Thu 6/19/2008 10:25 AM
To:	specialtopics at nifl.gov
Cc:	
Subject:	[SpecialTopics 1016]  More questions on state content
standards

Posted on behalf of Arlene Grognet

From: aggrognet at aol.com
Date: June 19, 2008 10:59:52 AM EDT

Federico, Phil, et al-

I have read with interest all of the states' responses to the  
questions raised, but a computer glitch (now solved) has kept me from  
contributing. I will keep my remarks to ESOL, because that is what I  
know best. It seems that most ABE and GED students come to class with  
oral English. However, they lack some of the knowledge and skills  
needed to lead a full adult life. On the other hand, ESOL students  
may already have those skills, but they lack the oral English with  
which to express them. For ESOL students, learning English is not an  
end in itself; it is a tool with which to do something else! That  
something else may be to go to the doctor or shop for food and  
clothing; it may be to work in a factory or a restaurant; it may be  
to talk with the school personnel or read a note from the teacher; it  
may be to get th GED or go to college.

  I was struck how closely David Heath's description of teachers in  
Texas, matches that in Florida. Yet, I come to a different conclusion  
than he does. We need standards (not standardization) so that new and  
part-time teachers are oriented to what students should learn;  
experienced teachers have a reference guide for their teaching; and  
curriculum reflects the real world in which students have to  
communicate. I am a Florida resident, and participated in the  
standards setting workshops offered buy Susan Pimentel that Phil  
Anderson described. It was an interesting and challenging exercise,  
but one which new and part-time teachers would have benefited little  
from. I say this because professional development is out next step,  
and more than 4 hours of training on standards, no matter how good  
the training, with leave teachers angry and bored. I know that it is  
not enough, but state implementers have to realize that anything  
coming from the state is sacrosant and will be viewed with suspicion,  
if not hostility. If new teachers stick with the program, they will  
be back for more. If they quit, we haven't lost that much.

As to David's question about textbook correlations with standards, I  
would look at all of them as spurious. (And this coming from a  
textbook writer!) A textbook is only as good as the Teachers' Manual  
which should accompany it. For each lesson, the Manual should give  
shape to the the standard, tell teachers how the linguistic skills  
they are teaching fit into language acquisition, give new and part- 
time teachers step-by-step ways of  presenting and practicing a  
lesson, and give experienced teachers hints for expansion and  
extension of the lesson. Without that, textbooks are only page-turners.

As to what the federal government can do for standards: give money to  
each state for refinement,  implementation, and experimentation, and  
stay out of standards writing and setting. If the federal government  
gets into it, it becomes a slippery slope. Just look at standardized  
testing and NRS as examples.

One question I have concerns assessment. How does know when when a  
student is ready to advance with the integrated skills needed in  
language learning? Is there any one assessment that gives the teacher  
or the test administrator a good picture of the students' listening/ 
speaking and reading/writing skills, and is aligned with standards?

Allene Grognet
Vice President (Emeritus), Center for Applied Linguistics

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From mdryden at mail.utexas.edu  Fri Jun 20 16:18:58 2008
From: mdryden at mail.utexas.edu (Marianne Dryden)
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 20:18:58 +0000
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1058] Re: Fwd: Auto-discard notification
In-Reply-To: <E2D643A171DE1A478B321DEB91F416DB0B2D27@MCX.sdccd.loc>
References: <mailman.46206.1213734590.13921.specialtopics@nifl.gov>
	<4BBBC8CC-E13A-48FA-98E4-BD0B3867ED36@comcast.net> 
	<E2D643A171DE1A478B321DEB91F416DB0B2D27@MCX.sdccd.loc>
Message-ID: <BAY122-W213CFA8EA43AF5B9369B2AA0A50@phx.gbl>

Hi,
 
I cannot agree more with Karen and Gretchen.> Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 11:49:11 -0700> From: gbitterl at sdccd.edu> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov> Subject: [SpecialTopics 1056] Re: Fwd: Auto-discard notification> > Hello everyone - I support what Karen Greer has said about the importance of> teacher training. I believe there is a huge gap between the standards out> there and what is actually happening in the ESL classrooms. Personally I have> found the EFF standards to have no direct relevance to teaching ESL. There> are good ESL content standards out there, which the textbook companies have> been following in writing new core textbooks, but as someone said, if the> teachers don't know how to use the textbook, then it is likely the standard> will not be implemented. We have a lot of work yet to do.> Gretchen Bitterlin> San Diego Continuing Education Program> > -----Original Message-----> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]> On Behalf Of David J. Rosen> Sent: Friday, June 20, 2008 6:52 AM> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov> Subject: [SpecialTopics 1040] Fwd: Auto-discard notification> > Posted for Karen Greer who sent this message on June 17th> > > From: "Greer, Karen" <Karen.Greer at victoriacollege.edu>> Date: June 17, 2008 4:29:47 PM EDT> To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>> Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 994] Re: ImplementingState > AdultEducationContentStandards> > Hats off to Federico for his description of our state's standards > process. I am one of those teachers in the trenches and welcomed the > standards. I was shown my classroom,the students, and a large book > closet and that was my orientation. After many years, trial and > error, and many hours in the bookroom , I have come up with a > workable plan. The standards are very necessary and need to be the > basis of good planning(foreign to some teachers}. Texas followed the > introduction of the standards with concrete lesson plan training. A > curriculum with concrete flow is very important and the standards > give us a way to divide level instruction guidelines. I encourage all > in this field to use the standards and it will only benefit our > students.> > Karen Greer, teacher> Victoria College Adult Ed. Victoria, Tx> > > > > -------------------------------> National Institute for Literacy> Special Topics mailing list> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics> Email delivered to gbitterl at sdccd.edu> -------------------------------> National Institute for Literacy> Special Topics mailing list> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics> Email delivered to mdryden at mail.utexas.edu
_________________________________________________________________
The i?m Talkathon starts 6/24/08.? For now, give amongst yourselves.
http://www.imtalkathon.com?source=TXT_EML_WLH_LearnMore_GiveAmongst
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From mcaratini at dcccd.edu  Fri Jun 20 18:20:07 2008
From: mcaratini at dcccd.edu (Maria Caratini-Prado)
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 17:20:07 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1059] Re: SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 23, Issue 42
In-Reply-To: <mailman.49430.1213989849.13921.specialtopics@nifl.gov>
References: <mailman.49430.1213989849.13921.specialtopics@nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <485BE6C702000011003EFAE5@DSCSMTP.DCCCD.EDU>

This is my first time participating in a discussion thread for this group, and I am extremely impressed and truly glad that I subscribed!
 
 
 
 
Maria Caratini Prado, M. Ed. TESOL
Program Director
ESL/ESOL Teaching & Learning Programs
Continuing Education Division
Eastfield College, Texas
972-860-7659 office
972-860-8392 fax
mcaratini at dcccd.edu
www.eastfieldcollege.edu ( http://www.eastfieldcollege.edu/ ) 
"Advancing English Education Globally"

>>> <specialtopics-request at nifl.gov> 6/20/2008 2:24 PM >>>
Send SpecialTopics mailing list submissions to
specialtopics at nifl.gov 

To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
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When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
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Today's Topics:

   1. [SpecialTopics 1056] Re: Fwd: Auto-discard notification
      (Gretchen Bitterlin)
   2. [SpecialTopics 1057] Re: Textbooks and ESL Content Standards
      (Gretchen Bitterlin)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 11:49:11 -0700
From: "Gretchen Bitterlin" <gbitterl at sdccd.edu>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1056] Re: Fwd: Auto-discard notification
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <E2D643A171DE1A478B321DEB91F416DB0B2D27 at MCX.sdccd.loc>
Content-Type: text/plain;charset="us-ascii"

Hello everyone - I support what Karen Greer has said about the importance of
teacher training. I believe there is a huge gap between the standards out
there and what is actually happening in the ESL classrooms. Personally I have
found the EFF standards to have no direct relevance to teaching ESL. There
are good ESL content standards out there, which the textbook companies have
been following in writing new core textbooks, but as someone said, if the
teachers don't know how to use the textbook, then it is likely the standard
will not be implemented. We have a lot of work yet to do.
Gretchen Bitterlin
San Diego Continuing Education Program

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] 
On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2008 6:52 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1040] Fwd: Auto-discard notification

Posted for Karen Greer who sent this message on June 17th

From: "Greer, Karen" <Karen.Greer at victoriacollege.edu>
Date: June 17, 2008 4:29:47 PM EDT
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 994] Re: ImplementingState 
AdultEducationContentStandards

Hats off to Federico for his description of our state's standards  
process. I am one of those teachers in the trenches and welcomed the  
standards. I was shown my classroom,the students, and a large book  
closet and that was my orientation. After many years, trial and  
error, and many hours in the bookroom , I have come up with a  
workable plan. The standards are very necessary and need to be the  
basis of good planning(foreign to some teachers}. Texas followed the  
introduction of the standards with concrete lesson plan training. A  
curriculum with concrete flow is very important and the standards  
give us a way to divide level instruction guidelines. I encourage all  
in this field to use the standards and it will only benefit our  
students.

Karen Greer, teacher
Victoria College Adult Ed. Victoria, Tx

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov 
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics 
Email delivered to gbitterl at sdccd.edu 

------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 12:04:52 -0700
From: "Gretchen Bitterlin" <gbitterl at sdccd.edu>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1057] Re: Textbooks and ESL Content Standards
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <E2D643A171DE1A478B321DEB91F416DB0B2D29 at MCX.sdccd.loc>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

The textbook checklists are very valuable. I am attaching one that our
district developed to evaluate core texts. It has 3 parts to it. It has
served us well in choosing texts for our program.
Gretchen Bitterlin
San Diego Continuing Education Program.

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] 
On Behalf Of Anderson, Philip
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2008 8:32 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1041] Re: Textbooks and ESL Content Standards

Thanks to Catherine for the checklist criteria for selecting a text.  I
did a few additions and revisions to adapt it for our programs in
Florida, and I am attaching it here, in case anyone finds it useful.  I
added three more criteria regarding the three "Cs" - Content Standards,
Components, and Cost.  Perhaps other criteria that are part of
components could be included: workbooks, reproducible masters, video,
and audio? 

CONTACT INFORMATION
Philip Anderson
Adult ESOL Program
Florida Department of Education
Tel (850) 245-9450

Please take a few minutes to provide feedback on the quality of service you
received from our staff. The Department of Education values your feedback as
a customer. Commissioner of Education Dr. Eric J. Smith is committed to
continuously assessing and improving the level and quality of services
provided to you.Simply use the link below.  Thank you in advance for
completing the survey.

http://data.fldoe.org/cs/default.cfm?staff=Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org|11:31:50 
%20Fri%2020%20Jun%202008

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov 
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Catherine Porter
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 4:39 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov; specialtopics at nifl.gov 
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1026] Re: Textbooks and ESL Content Standards

This is Catherine Porter, from the Adult Learning Resource Center in
Illinois.  I would like to add my comments to the discussion about
publishers' textbook correlations with state content standards.  

In Illinois, as in many states, part-time ESL instructors are frequently
hired at the last minute, handed a textbook, and told to start teaching
the next day or week.  For this reason, it is essential that the book
both be pedagogically sound AND align with our Illinois ESL Content
Standards.  Furthermore, I (also a textbook writer!) agree with Arlene
Grognet's comments below that:

"As to David's question about textbook correlations with standards, I 
would look at all of them as spurious. (And this coming from a 
textbook writer!) A textbook is only as good as the Teachers' Manual 
which should accompany it. For each lesson, the Manual should give 
shape to the the standard, tell teachers how the linguistic skills 
they are teaching fit into language acquisition, give new and part-
time teachers step-by-step ways of  presenting and practicing a 
lesson, and give experienced teachers hints for expansion and 
extension of the lesson. Without that, textbooks are only page-turners."

To assist programs in selecting appropriate published materials, all
curriculum development teams who attend our state-sponsored "ESL
Curriculum Institutes" receive training in evaluating and selecting
appropriate published materials.  In Illinois, as in many states,
publishers have been quick to publish correlations between their core
series and our state standards.  In some cases these correlations are
accurate while in others they are a wild and imaginative stretch.  

We have found that it takes at least two hours of staff development to
train teachers and program coordinators to identify appropriate criteria
for selecting a core text. The attached checklist, "Ten Criteria for
Selecting a Core Text for ESL" has been extremely useful to Illinois
adult education programs. Using the checklist, participants in the ESL
Curriculum Institutes examine pages from popular textbooks to see if
they meet these ten criteria.  In addition to applying the ten criteria,
participants are also guided in identifying the "Three "Cs" for any
textbook series: Cost, Components (as Arlene says, a textbook is only as
good as its teacher's manual), and of course, Content Standards being
addressed.  

After this initial training on selecting an appropriate core text,
programs are encouraged to set up committees of teachers back at their
programs to review, select, and pilot new materials. Those of us working
with adult education instructors know how attached teachers become to
their materials; in perhaps no other area is "resistance to change" so
strong.  By involving teachers in the materials selection process, many
Illinois programs are selecting and implementing core ESL materials that
meet their students' needs and align with our state standards. 

Catherine Porter
Professional Development Specialist
Adult Learning Resource Center
Arlington Heights, IL 

-----Original Message-----
From:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David J. Rosen
Sent:Thu 6/19/2008 10:25 AM
To:specialtopics at nifl.gov 
Cc:
Subject:[SpecialTopics 1016]  More questions on state content
standards

Posted on behalf of Arlene Grognet

From: aggrognet at aol.com 
Date: June 19, 2008 10:59:52 AM EDT

Federico, Phil, et al-

I have read with interest all of the states' responses to the  
questions raised, but a computer glitch (now solved) has kept me from  
contributing. I will keep my remarks to ESOL, because that is what I  
know best. It seems that most ABE and GED students come to class with  
oral English. However, they lack some of the knowledge and skills  
needed to lead a full adult life. On the other hand, ESOL students  
may already have those skills, but they lack the oral English with  
which to express them. For ESOL students, learning English is not an  
end in itself; it is a tool with which to do something else! That  
something else may be to go to the doctor or shop for food and  
clothing; it may be to work in a factory or a restaurant; it may be  
to talk with the school personnel or read a note from the teacher; it  
may be to get th GED or go to college.

  I was struck how closely David Heath's description of teachers in  
Texas, matches that in Florida. Yet, I come to a different conclusion  
than he does. We need standards (not standardization) so that new and  
part-time teachers are oriented to what students should learn;  
experienced teachers have a reference guide for their teaching; and  
curriculum reflects the real world in which students have to  
communicate. I am a Florida resident, and participated in the  
standards setting workshops offered buy Susan Pimentel that Phil  
Anderson described. It was an interesting and challenging exercise,  
but one which new and part-time teachers would have benefited little  
from. I say this because professional development is out next step,  
and more than 4 hours of training on standards, no matter how good  
the training, with leave teachers angry and bored. I know that it is  
not enough, but state implementers have to realize that anything  
coming from the state is sacrosant and will be viewed with suspicion,  
if not hostility. If new teachers stick with the program, they will  
be back for more. If they quit, we haven't lost that much.

As to David's question about textbook correlations with standards, I  
would look at all of them as spurious. (And this coming from a  
textbook writer!) A textbook is only as good as the Teachers' Manual  
which should accompany it. For each lesson, the Manual should give  
shape to the the standard, tell teachers how the linguistic skills  
they are teaching fit into language acquisition, give new and part- 
time teachers step-by-step ways of  presenting and practicing a  
lesson, and give experienced teachers hints for expansion and  
extension of the lesson. Without that, textbooks are only page-turners.

As to what the federal government can do for standards: give money to  
each state for refinement,  implementation, and experimentation, and  
stay out of standards writing and setting. If the federal government  
gets into it, it becomes a slippery slope. Just look at standardized  
testing and NRS as examples.

One question I have concerns assessment. How does know when when a  
student is ready to advance with the integrated skills needed in  
language learning? Is there any one assessment that gives the teacher  
or the test administrator a good picture of the students' listening/ 
speaking and reading/writing skills, and is aligned with standards?

Allene Grognet
Vice President (Emeritus), Center for Applied Linguistics

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From djrosen at comcast.net  Fri Jun 20 18:58:27 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 18:58:27 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1060] State content standards discussion coming to a
	close
Message-ID: <2D5701A4-736F-4A03-91FD-4A91035E6943@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

The content standards discussion comes to an end in a few hours.  I  
want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to all of our  
guests. They each gave us a great overview of their state's work in  
implementing content standards, and each state has some terrific  
accomplishments to be proud of. I also want to thank our guests who  
posted questions and in some cases provided answers. This has been a  
rich and thoughtful discussion for all of us, and I think it has also  
left us with much to think about.

David J. Rosen
Special Projects Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

From bonniesophia at sbcglobal.net  Fri Jun 20 19:53:12 2008
From: bonniesophia at sbcglobal.net (Bonnie Odiorne)
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 16:53:12 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1061] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
	more answers, more discussion-TM
Message-ID: <92407.21987.qm@web83312.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>

I'm replying to this particular post, but really, as I'm reflecting over the whole discussion,?to whomever it was who said that "EFF didn't seem to relevant to ESOL students." I was wondering why. I've never been explicitly trained in EFF but it has always intuitively seemed to make sense to me that any learner, at whatever level, even basic learners, are very quick to perceive what communication is all about, what the bigger picture about their status is if they cannot communicate, how they are perceived. As for decision making, problem solving, and the rest, everyone does that all the time, and I don't think it's ever too early for metacognition, even if it can't be explicitly expressed in language. I wonder that learning might increase as awareness about the learning process increases, consciously or not...
Just a thought.
Bonnie Odiorne, Ph.D. Writring Center, Post University

----- Original Message ----
From: "Kroeger, Miriam" <Miriam.Kroeger at azed.gov>
To: "specialtopics at nifl.gov" <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 4:57:25 PM
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1027] Re: Content Standards: More questions, more answers, more discussion-TM

Quite some good comments - if I can add a few - Fortunately, our choice to develop stadnrds was made before OVAE and the NRS came out with the standardized assessment mandate.? As a matter of fact, when we first developed our standards, there were only 4 levels of ABE/ASE and 4 of ESOL - we had to scramble when NRS changed things to six.? Recently we've seen changes in "cut scores" for the mandated assessments.

As I've mentioned several times, our standards have been field-based form the get-go. Teachers put their best efforts into this initiatives; teachers believed in what they were doing and through sue continue to believe in what was produced, and know that when we didn't get it quite right the first time, they were/are involved in the updates.

One thing that we have to watch out for, and that is the "teaching to the test" trap.? Of course if you test what you teach, that's different.? What we found, and even, what we planned for, was that the standards were "greater" than any test - the standards have more and are richer than a TABE, CASAS, BEST, or GED Test.? It took as a while, and is still something that we have to stop and think about but - if you teach with the Standards, don't worry about the test.? What's on the test is in the standards and so much more.? And that "more" is what better prepare learners for the world beyond Adult Education.? Adult Education has to be more than "just getting by".? For some of our learners it's their last stop in "formal" education; for others it's the beginning of more higher education.? WE owe it to them to give them the tools to make informed choices.

-Miriam Kroeger

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Rinderknecht, Gail A.
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 7:32 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1012] Re: Content Standards: More questions, more answers, more discussion-TM

I'm not sure if it the 6th grade level is legislatively mandated or just a department of corrections goal,? but it's a something we try to achieve in education within the limits of our capacity to serve the men.? For example, I recently had a man assigned to my literacy class who was served his entire life in special education.? He has an IQ of 50;? there is no way that I will ever get him to the 6th grade level.? I have suggested that he be allowed to opt out of education and be put in a supervised vocational program.

And as someone earlier noted, we also use Plato to tutor our students toward their GED..? I personally also use the REWARDS reading program to advance reading levels.? It's published by Sopris and can be used individually or with small groups to learn to decode multi-syllabic words.? It's a totally scripted program, so a tutor or volunteer can be taught to use the program in a short period of time.

To be quite frank, the educational community at large, i.e. the public schools, do not think much of the GED.? I've heard this from administrators and teachers alike even though we know that nearly one-third of high school graduates could not pass the GED.? As I said before, I have many high school graduates in my literacy program.? I don't think having benchmarks will make anyone think better of the GED.? It's an elitist thing at this point.

I find it to be enormously rewarding to the men to achieve their GED especially considering many of those incarcerated have been suspended from school many times over.? I hear over and over, "I didn't think I could do this on my own."? It's exciting to see a grown man excited about learning for the first time. Our benchmarks are simple:? pass a half test with a 500 or better;? pass the GED test with a 450 or better.? Complete all tests.? And the final goal is a couple of polaroid pictures in a white shirt and tie and cap and gown.? The pictures mean a lot to these men.

Gail

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Christensen, Lorraine
Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 9:01 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1011] Re: Content Standards: More questions,more answers, more discussion-TM

Question for Gail:? Is it legislatively mandated that you bring an inmate to a TABE 6 level before they no longer need to be assigned to school?? While I agree with you that the number of graduates is important, I have always believed that if we had particular "benchmarks"
we would be more accountable and in "respected" in the educational community!

Lorraine Christensen

Women's Center - Maine Correctional

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Rinderknecht, Gail A.
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 2:38 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 999] Re: Content Standards: More questions,more answers, more discussion-TM

HURRAY!

Thank you, Mr. Mecham!.? You said it all.? For the past three years, I have worked in two prisons in Iowa, and getting the men to read at a level of speed and comprehension in order to pass the GED test, is my first concern.? I have many high school "graduates" in my literacy classes.? In Iowa, all inmates must be in literacy classes if they cannot demonstrate the ability to read and comprehend at a 6th grade level.? This is the main "standard and benchmark" that I have to work with.? A man must be able to pass the Test of Adult Basic Education
(TABE) with a 6.0, or he is in literacy class.? A man without a high school diploma or GED must attend GED classes although they can "age out" with staff consent.

I taught special education in the public schools for 16 years and have seen the rise and use of standards and benchmarks.? Although these are wonderful guidelines for schools to help their teachers cover appropriate subject matter at different ages to ensure a well-rounded education for all students, I believe that at the adult level, teachers need to test, assess and determine needs and deficits for individuals and proceed from there.? Each of my students is an individual.? Each class is full of individuals working on appropriate assignments for him.
Very rarely do I have a "class" where more than one man is working on the same thing.? I treat my classroom as an old-fashioned resource room where each person is receiving instruction and practice on the skill that he needs to achieve his GED or increase his literacy.

By advocating standards and benchmarks for adult learners, I believe that we will just be adding to the burden of paperwork to "prove" that we are teaching.? Looking at the results of the teaching method is a far better way to examine teaching success and learning.? My students, in the first five months of this year, passed their GED tests with a 96% success rate.? My little "resource" room seems to work fine without standards and benchmarks other than those needed to pass the GED.

Gail A. Rinderknecht

Newton Correctional Facility

GED instructor/Des Moines Area Community College

Box 218

Newton, IA

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Mechem, Thompson
Sent: Wed 6/18/2008 8:19 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 999] Re: Content Standards: More questions,more answers, more discussion-TM

I suppose in the abstract I have no objection to the Standards and Benchmarks described in the various posts this week, but who are they for? Certainly not the teachers. To take an example from my area of alleged expertise, if students are studying to pass the GED test, then it is the specific skill sets needed to pass the test that must drive the curriculum and the teaching. There's a lot of math you can teach, but what math will actually carry our students towards passing the GED tests? You can't figure that out from any Standards document or Curriculum Frameworks or whatever; you can know that only by learning better what literacy skills and knowledge resonate on the tests (the GED Testing Service helps us with that), and then developing the teaching techniques to bring the students to that level. Our state GED Office and our Professional development unit do a lot of work with Massachusetts GED teachers in this regard. The same principle applies if
 you are helping Transiti
ons students do better on the AccuPlacer test or preparing immigrants to pass the citizenship test (nice going, Big
Papi!) or raising a grandmother's literacy level so she can read the Bible.

Now, it probably takes a higher literacy level to pass the GED tests than it does to graduate from high school, so a successful GED class is certainly going to adhere to any legitimate set of Standards and Benchmarks that a state could come up with. I guess what I am asking of all the faceless bureaucrats (of which I am now one myself, I admit) is to be able to see that for themselves instead of making teachers and program directors jump through hoops with all kind of trumped-up documentary "proof" that they are using the Standards. Just as you can see a gorgeous-looking Lesson Plan without having any idea in the world whether any learning is actually taking place in that class, so the kind of thing often required for Standards-Based documentation, "I have such-and-such Learning Objectives, which correspond to Benchmark 3.1.5 blah blah blah..." doesn't tell you anything about what's really happening in the classroom. I would like the monitors and
 evaluators to be able to obse
rve a classroom and know for themselves that high standards are being adhered to so that the teachers and program directors can focus on the learning needs of the students with no wasted motion.

Tom Mechem
GED State Chief Examiner
Department of Elementary & Secondary Education Commonwealth of Massachusetts
781-338-6621
"GED to Ph.D."

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 9:50 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 996] Content Standards: More questions, more answers,more discussion

Colleagues,

Our Content Standards discussion continues through Friday.? I have some more questions (see below) for guests and subscribers. I wonder if there are some people with questions that they feel are "too basic" such as "How do I find out what my state's Content Standards are, or if my state even has them?"? No question about content standards is too basic. This is the place to ask it.

I want to hear from teachers and administrators who are (or are not) implementing content standards. Jon Engel (Thank you, Jon) spoke for teachers who might be skeptical. Perhaps there are some teachers who are skeptical that would be willing to speak for themselves now that Jon has broached this.

Here are three more questions that were sent to me, for our guests and others :

"Part-time teachers and planning time:? Teachers tell us that developing lesson plans from standards takes more time because they have to spend time learning the standards, aligning their activities to those standards, and filling out more paper work to demonstrate compliance.? What are states implementing standards doing to alleviate the pressure on already burdened adult education teachers (low wages, low job security, part-time, no benefits, little or no prep time, etc.)?"

"National standards: As a standards writer, I was struck by the wide diversity of approaches to adult education content standards across states (ranging from the very prescriptive and specific to the very broad and general).? While I understand we live in a federal system in which states can do whatever they deem best for their students, isn't there a value in having a broader national discussion about what our adult students should be able to know and do in order to be successful members of society or, at a very minimum, shouldn't we have a common understanding about how content standards are going to be used?"

"Assessment:? While states have been encouraged to develop widely different content standards, the majority continue to use a very limited set of approved standardized assessments that may or may not be very closely aligned to those standards.? If due to increasingly tight financial constraints states are generally unable to develop NRS-approved standardized tests that are aligned with their standards, is it reasonable to expect that their content standards will have an impact on instruction and student performance?? Do teachers really have an incentive to teach from those standards if what they are teaching is not going to show up in the TABE or BEST Plus or CASAS?? Are there plans to develop such tests?"

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at comcast.net

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NOTICE: This e-mail (and any attachments) may contain PRIVILEGED OR CONFIDENTIAL information and is intended only for the use of the specific individual(s) to whom it is addressed.? It may contain information that is privileged and confidential under state and federal law.? This information may be used or disclosed only in accordance with law, and you may be subject to penalties under law for improper use or further disclosure of the information in this e-mail and its attachments. If you have received this e-mail in error, please immediately notify the person named above by reply e-mail, and then delete the original e-mail.? Thank you.
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From rsrshoemake at yahoo.com  Fri Jun 20 19:59:10 2008
From: rsrshoemake at yahoo.com (Sharon L.)
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 16:59:10 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1062] Re: Last day of state contentstandards
	discussion: please weigh in!
In-Reply-To: <001f01c8d2f4$91ed7290$9e00000a@cainc.local>
Message-ID: <216480.68727.qm@web33610.mail.mud.yahoo.com>

Jon,
?
This is true.

Sharon L. Shoemaker

--- On Fri, 6/20/08, Jon Engel <jengel at communityaction.com> wrote:

From: Jon Engel <jengel at communityaction.com>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1051] Re: Last day of state contentstandards discussion: please weigh in!
To: "'Gail B'" <gbundy at rmi.net>, specialtopics at nifl.gov
Date: Friday, June 20, 2008, 11:42 AM

I do not know if this is still true, but in the old days the GED test was ?normed? by administering the test to graduating high school seniors.? The ?norm? was that 40% of graduating high school seniors did not pass the GED test.? I know this was the case on the GED test version before the current one, and I have assumed that is still the case.?? Of course, a new one is coming soon.
?

Jon Engel
Adult Education Director
Community Action Inc.
PO Box 748
San Marcos, TX 78666
Voice? (512)392-1161 ext.?334
Fax? (512)396-4255
Email? jengel at communityaction.com
Web www.communityaction.com 

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Gail B
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2008 10:55 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1045] Re: Last day of state contentstandards discussion: please weigh in!
?
In following this discussion, data has been cited that the GED is harder than high school graduation -- that 30% of high school graduates can't pass the GED -- I have heard this statistic since I've been in adult ed -- but have not found the source or actual study.? Does anyone know the actual source of this data?

Thank you.

Gail Bundy
Native American Multi-cultural Education School
3600 Morrison Road
Denver , CO ? 80219

-----Original Message----- 
From: "David J. Rosen" 
Sent: Jun 20, 2008 5:19 AM 
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1034] Last day of state content standards discussion: please weigh in! 

Colleagues,

?

This is our last day of a very rich, two-week discussion on implementation of state content standards. If you haven't weighed in yet and believe that something else needs to be said, or that an important question hasn't been answered, today's the day to add to the discussion.?

?

Here's today's question:

?

What have you learned from this discussion that will be useful in your state?

?

That's it, only one question from me today. I hope some of you who are beginning the process of implementation of content standards and who joined the discussion today to learn from the (extensive) experience of our guests and other subscribers will use this as an opportunity to reflect, and to share with us what has been especially valuable.?

?

For those who subscribed late, the discussion?archives will be found at

?

http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html

?
?

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

djrosen at comcast.net

?

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From smcgilloway at ccbcmd.edu  Fri Jun 20 19:29:56 2008
From: smcgilloway at ccbcmd.edu (McGilloway, Susan)
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 19:29:56 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1063] Re: SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 23, Issue 42
References: <mailman.49430.1213989849.13921.specialtopics@nifl.gov>
	<485BE6C702000011003EFAE5@DSCSMTP.DCCCD.EDU>
Message-ID: <DAA0CB37DE95234ABD1407F042207CB70194DD7E@dwe.ccbc.ccbcmd.edu>

I learned a great deal as well. I don't have much experience in ESOL so it was beneficial for me.
 
Sue McGilloway
Coordinator, Volunteers in Partnership
CAFL Career Advisor
Community College of Baltimore County
410-285-9933 (Phone)
410-285-9557 (Fax)
smcgilloway at ccbcmd.edu   
 

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Maria Caratini-Prado
Sent: Fri 6/20/2008 6:20 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1059] Re: SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 23, Issue 42

This is my first time participating in a discussion thread for this group, and I am extremely impressed and truly glad that I subscribed!
 
 
 
 
Maria Caratini Prado, M. Ed. TESOL
Program Director
ESL/ESOL Teaching & Learning Programs
Continuing Education Division
Eastfield College, Texas
972-860-7659 office
972-860-8392 fax
mcaratini at dcccd.edu <mailto:mcaratini at dcccd.edu> 
www.eastfieldcollege.edu <http://www.eastfieldcollege.edu/>   
"Advancing English Education Globally"

>>> <specialtopics-request at nifl.gov> 6/20/2008 2:24 PM >>>
Send SpecialTopics mailing list submissions to
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To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
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Today's Topics:

   1. [SpecialTopics 1056] Re: Fwd: Auto-discard notification
      (Gretchen Bitterlin)
   2. [SpecialTopics 1057] Re: Textbooks and ESL Content Standards
      (Gretchen Bitterlin)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 11:49:11 -0700
From: "Gretchen Bitterlin" <gbitterl at sdccd.edu>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1056] Re: Fwd: Auto-discard notification
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <E2D643A171DE1A478B321DEB91F416DB0B2D27 at MCX.sdccd.loc>
Content-Type: text/plain;charset="us-ascii"

Hello everyone - I support what Karen Greer has said about the importance of
teacher training. I believe there is a huge gap between the standards out
there and what is actually happening in the ESL classrooms. Personally I have
found the EFF standards to have no direct relevance to teaching ESL. There
are good ESL content standards out there, which the textbook companies have
been following in writing new core textbooks, but as someone said, if the
teachers don't know how to use the textbook, then it is likely the standard
will not be implemented. We have a lot of work yet to do.
Gretchen Bitterlin
San Diego Continuing Education Program

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2008 6:52 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1040] Fwd: Auto-discard notification

Posted for Karen Greer who sent this message on June 17th

From: "Greer, Karen" <Karen.Greer at victoriacollege.edu>
Date: June 17, 2008 4:29:47 PM EDT
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 994] Re: ImplementingState 
AdultEducationContentStandards

Hats off to Federico for his description of our state's standards  
process. I am one of those teachers in the trenches and welcomed the  
standards. I was shown my classroom,the students, and a large book  
closet and that was my orientation. After many years, trial and  
error, and many hours in the bookroom , I have come up with a  
workable plan. The standards are very necessary and need to be the  
basis of good planning(foreign to some teachers}. Texas followed the  
introduction of the standards with concrete lesson plan training. A  
curriculum with concrete flow is very important and the standards  
give us a way to divide level instruction guidelines. I encourage all  
in this field to use the standards and it will only benefit our  
students.

Karen Greer, teacher
Victoria College Adult Ed. Victoria, Tx

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------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 12:04:52 -0700
From: "Gretchen Bitterlin" <gbitterl at sdccd.edu>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1057] Re: Textbooks and ESL Content Standards
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <E2D643A171DE1A478B321DEB91F416DB0B2D29 at MCX.sdccd.loc>
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The textbook checklists are very valuable. I am attaching one that our
district developed to evaluate core texts. It has 3 parts to it. It has
served us well in choosing texts for our program.
Gretchen Bitterlin
San Diego Continuing Education Program.

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Anderson, Philip
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2008 8:32 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1041] Re: Textbooks and ESL Content Standards

Thanks to Catherine for the checklist criteria for selecting a text.  I
did a few additions and revisions to adapt it for our programs in
Florida, and I am attaching it here, in case anyone finds it useful.  I
added three more criteria regarding the three "Cs" - Content Standards,
Components, and Cost.  Perhaps other criteria that are part of
components could be included: workbooks, reproducible masters, video,
and audio? 

CONTACT INFORMATION
Philip Anderson
Adult ESOL Program
Florida Department of Education
Tel (850) 245-9450

Please take a few minutes to provide feedback on the quality of service you
received from our staff. The Department of Education values your feedback as
a customer. Commissioner of Education Dr. Eric J. Smith is committed to
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completing the survey.

http://data.fldoe.org/cs/default.cfm?staff=Philip.Anderson at fldoe.org|11:31:50
Fri 20 Jun 2008

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Catherine Porter
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 4:39 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov; specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1026] Re: Textbooks and ESL Content Standards

This is Catherine Porter, from the Adult Learning Resource Center in
Illinois.  I would like to add my comments to the discussion about
publishers' textbook correlations with state content standards.  

In Illinois, as in many states, part-time ESL instructors are frequently
hired at the last minute, handed a textbook, and told to start teaching
the next day or week.  For this reason, it is essential that the book
both be pedagogically sound AND align with our Illinois ESL Content
Standards.  Furthermore, I (also a textbook writer!) agree with Arlene
Grognet's comments below that:

"As to David's question about textbook correlations with standards, I 
would look at all of them as spurious. (And this coming from a 
textbook writer!) A textbook is only as good as the Teachers' Manual 
which should accompany it. For each lesson, the Manual should give 
shape to the the standard, tell teachers how the linguistic skills 
they are teaching fit into language acquisition, give new and part-
time teachers step-by-step ways of  presenting and practicing a 
lesson, and give experienced teachers hints for expansion and 
extension of the lesson. Without that, textbooks are only page-turners."

To assist programs in selecting appropriate published materials, all
curriculum development teams who attend our state-sponsored "ESL
Curriculum Institutes" receive training in evaluating and selecting
appropriate published materials.  In Illinois, as in many states,
publishers have been quick to publish correlations between their core
series and our state standards.  In some cases these correlations are
accurate while in others they are a wild and imaginative stretch.  

We have found that it takes at least two hours of staff development to
train teachers and program coordinators to identify appropriate criteria
for selecting a core text. The attached checklist, "Ten Criteria for
Selecting a Core Text for ESL" has been extremely useful to Illinois
adult education programs. Using the checklist, participants in the ESL
Curriculum Institutes examine pages from popular textbooks to see if
they meet these ten criteria.  In addition to applying the ten criteria,
participants are also guided in identifying the "Three "Cs" for any
textbook series: Cost, Components (as Arlene says, a textbook is only as
good as its teacher's manual), and of course, Content Standards being
addressed.  

After this initial training on selecting an appropriate core text,
programs are encouraged to set up committees of teachers back at their
programs to review, select, and pilot new materials. Those of us working
with adult education instructors know how attached teachers become to
their materials; in perhaps no other area is "resistance to change" so
strong.  By involving teachers in the materials selection process, many
Illinois programs are selecting and implementing core ESL materials that
meet their students' needs and align with our state standards. 

Catherine Porter
Professional Development Specialist
Adult Learning Resource Center
Arlington Heights, IL 

-----Original Message-----
From:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David J. Rosen
Sent:Thu 6/19/2008 10:25 AM
To:specialtopics at nifl.gov
Cc:
Subject:[SpecialTopics 1016]  More questions on state content
standards

Posted on behalf of Arlene Grognet

From: aggrognet at aol.com
Date: June 19, 2008 10:59:52 AM EDT

Federico, Phil, et al-

I have read with interest all of the states' responses to the  
questions raised, but a computer glitch (now solved) has kept me from  
contributing. I will keep my remarks to ESOL, because that is what I  
know best. It seems that most ABE and GED students come to class with  
oral English. However, they lack some of the knowledge and skills  
needed to lead a full adult life. On the other hand, ESOL students  
may already have those skills, but they lack the oral English with  
which to express them. For ESOL students, learning English is not an  
end in itself; it is a tool with which to do something else! That  
something else may be to go to the doctor or shop for food and  
clothing; it may be to work in a factory or a restaurant; it may be  
to talk with the school personnel or read a note from the teacher; it  
may be to get th GED or go to college.

  I was struck how closely David Heath's description of teachers in  
Texas, matches that in Florida. Yet, I come to a different conclusion  
than he does. We need standards (not standardization) so that new and  
part-time teachers are oriented to what students should learn;  
experienced teachers have a reference guide for their teaching; and  
curriculum reflects the real world in which students have to  
communicate. I am a Florida resident, and participated in the  
standards setting workshops offered buy Susan Pimentel that Phil  
Anderson described. It was an interesting and challenging exercise,  
but one which new and part-time teachers would have benefited little  
from. I say this because professional development is out next step,  
and more than 4 hours of training on standards, no matter how good  
the training, with leave teachers angry and bored. I know that it is  
not enough, but state implementers have to realize that anything  
coming from the state is sacrosant and will be viewed with suspicion,  
if not hostility. If new teachers stick with the program, they will  
be back for more. If they quit, we haven't lost that much.

As to David's question about textbook correlations with standards, I  
would look at all of them as spurious. (And this coming from a  
textbook writer!) A textbook is only as good as the Teachers' Manual  
which should accompany it. For each lesson, the Manual should give  
shape to the the standard, tell teachers how the linguistic skills  
they are teaching fit into language acquisition, give new and part- 
time teachers step-by-step ways of  presenting and practicing a  
lesson, and give experienced teachers hints for expansion and  
extension of the lesson. Without that, textbooks are only page-turners.

As to what the federal government can do for standards: give money to  
each state for refinement,  implementation, and experimentation, and  
stay out of standards writing and setting. If the federal government  
gets into it, it becomes a slippery slope. Just look at standardized  
testing and NRS as examples.

One question I have concerns assessment. How does know when when a  
student is ready to advance with the integrated skills needed in  
language learning? Is there any one assessment that gives the teacher  
or the test administrator a good picture of the students' listening/ 
speaking and reading/writing skills, and is aligned with standards?

Allene Grognet
Vice President (Emeritus), Center for Applied Linguistics

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From pam_blundell at sde.state.ok.us  Sat Jun 21 09:48:50 2008
From: pam_blundell at sde.state.ok.us (Pam Blundell)
Date: Sat, 21 Jun 2008 08:48:50 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1064] Re:
 =?iso-8859-1?q?Content_Standards=3A_More_questions=2C_=09more?=
 =?iso-8859-1?q?__answers=2C_mor?=
In-Reply-To: <92407.21987.qm@web83312.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
References: <92407.21987.qm@web83312.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <fc.000f8dfd00deddc93b9aca001a239cfc.deddfe@sde.state.ok.us>

Hi Bonnie, In Oklahoma we have ESL teachers go through the same content
standards training in reading, math, and writing using our EFF
teaching/learning system
as the ABE teachers.  We have had numerous ESL teachers tell us how
appropriate the role maps and other tools are for their ESL students.  We
are currently starting
work to develop the speaking and listening curriculum frameworks and are
evaluating what we might need to do (if anything) to the reading and
writing frameworks
in order to use them as ESL standards as well as ABE.  It is a very
comprehensive system.  Our ESL teachers seem to be comfortable with it
even though in the beginning
they were not sure it would be relevant to their needs.  I think it is all
in how you present it, the training that is involved, and being open to
allow ESL teachers make
adjustments as they find necessary.  ESL students carry out roles as
family members, community members, and workers just as ABE students.  The
language they need
is related to all those roles and our reading and writing standards
address that.  Even the math standard which many of the ESL teachers
didn't think was relevant to ESL
has proven to be very relevant.  ESL students have to use math in their
everyday lives and there is language involved in math.
 
I am really anxious for us to have the speaking and listening work
completed.  This will probably be the doorway through which we introduce
standards-based instruction
in the future to ESL teachers.  But, in the meantime, many have walked
through the reading, math, and writing door and are doing very well.
 
Thanks for your comment.  
 
Pam
 
 
 
 
[ mailto:specialtopics at nifl.gov ]specialtopics at nifl.gov writes:

I'm replying to this particular post, but really, as I'm reflecting over
the whole discussion, to whomever it was who said that "EFF didn't seem to
relevant to ESOL students." I was wondering why. I've never been
explicitly trained in EFF but it has always intuitively seemed to make
sense to me that any learner, at whatever level, even basic learners, are
very quick to perceive what communication is all about, what the bigger
picture about their status is if they cannot communicate, how they are
perceived. As for decision making, problem solving, and the rest, everyone
does that all the time, and I don't think it's ever too early for
metacognition, even if it can't be explicitly expressed in language. I
wonder that learning might increase as awareness about the learning
process increases, consciously or not...
Just a thought.
Bonnie Odiorne, Ph.D. Writring Center, Post University

----- Original Message ----
From: "Kroeger, Miriam" <[ mailto:Miriam.Kroeger at azed.gov
]Miriam.Kroeger at azed.gov>
To: "specialtopics at nifl.gov" <[ mailto:specialtopics at nifl.gov
]specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 4:57:25 PM
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1027] Re: Content Standards: More questions, more
answers, more discussion-TM

Quite some good comments - if I can add a few - Fortunately, our choice to
develop stadnrds was made before OVAE and the NRS came out with the
standardized assessment mandate.  As a matter of fact, when we first
developed our standards, there were only 4 levels of ABE/ASE and 4 of ESOL
- we had to scramble when NRS changed things to six.  Recently we've seen
changes in "cut scores" for the mandated assessments.

As I've mentioned several times, our standards have been field-based form
the get-go. Teachers put their best efforts into this initiatives;
teachers believed in what they were doing and through sue continue to
believe in what was produced, and know that when we didn't get it quite
right the first time, they were/are involved in the updates.

One thing that we have to watch out for, and that is the "teaching to the
test" trap.  Of course if you test what you teach, that's different.  What
we found, and even, what we planned for, was that the standards were
"greater" than any test - the standards have more and are richer than a
TABE, CASAS, BEST, or GED Test.  It took as a while, and is still
something that we have to stop and think about but - if you teach with the
Standards, don't worry about the test.  What's on the test is in the
standards and so much more.  And that "more" is what better prepare
learners for the world beyond Adult Education.  Adult Education has to be
more than "just getting by".  For some of our learners it's their last
stop in "formal" education; for others it's the beginning of more higher e
ducation.  WE owe it to them to give them the tools to make informed
choices.

-Miriam Kroeger

-----Original Message-----
From: [ mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
]specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:[
mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov ]specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On
Behalf Of Rinderknecht, Gail A.
Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 7:32 AM
To: [ mailto:specialtopics at nifl.gov ]specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1012] Re: Content Standards: More questions, more
answers, more discussion-TM

I'm not sure if it the 6th grade level is legislatively mandated or just a
department of corrections goal,  but it's a something we try to achieve in
education within the limits of our capacity to serve the men.  For
example, I recently had a man assigned to my literacy class who was served
his entire life in special education.  He has an IQ of 50;  there is no
way that I will ever get him to the 6th grade level.  I have suggested
that he be allowed to opt out of education and be put in a supervised
vocational program.

And as someone earlier noted, we also use Plato to tutor our students
toward their GED.  I personally also use the REWARDS reading program to
advance reading levels.  It's published by Sopris and can be used
individually or with small groups to learn to decode multi-syllabic
words.  It's a totally scripted program, so a tutor or volunteer can be
taught to use the program in a short period of time.

To be quite frank, the educational community at large, i.e. the public
schools, do not think much of the GED.  I've heard this from
administrators and teachers alike even though we know that nearly
one-third of high school graduates could not pass the GED.  As I said
before, I have many high school graduates in my literacy program.  I don't
think having benchmarks will make anyone think better of the GED.  It's an
elitist thing at this point.

I find it to be enormously rewarding to the men to achieve their GED
especially considering many of those incarcerated have been suspended from
school many times over.  I hear over and over, "I didn't think I could do
this on my own."  It's exciting to see a grown man excited about learning
for the first time. Our benchmarks are simple:  pass a half test with a
500 or better;  pass the GED test with a 450 or better.  Complete all
tests.  And the final goal is a couple of polaroid pictures in a white
shirt and tie and cap and gown.  The pictures mean a lot to these men.

Gail

-----Original Message-----
From: [ mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
]specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Christensen, Lorraine
Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 9:01 AM
To: [ mailto:specialtopics at nifl.gov ]specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1011] Re: Content Standards: More questions,more
answers, more discussion-TM

Question for Gail:  Is it legislatively mandated that you bring an inmate
to a TABE 6 level before they no longer need to be assigned to school? 
While I agree with you that the number of graduates is important, I have
always believed that if we had particular "benchmarks"
we would be more accountable and in "respected" in the educational
community!

Lorraine Christensen

Women's Center - Maine Correctional

-----Original Message-----
From: [ mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
]specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:[ mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
]specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Rinderknecht, Gail A.
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 2:38 PM
To: [ mailto:specialtopics at nifl.gov ]specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 999] Re: Content Standards: More
questions,more answers, more discussion-TM

HURRAY!

Thank you, Mr. Mecham!.  You said it all.  For the past three years, I
have worked in two prisons in Iowa, and getting the men to read at a level
of speed and comprehension in order to pass the GED test, is my first
concern.  I have many high school "graduates" in my literacy classes.  In
Iowa, all inmates must be in literacy classes if they cannot demonstrate
the ability to read and comprehend at a 6th grade level.  This is the main
"standard and benchmark" that I have to work with.  A man must be able to
pass the Test of Adult Basic Education
(TABE) with a 6.0, or he is in literacy class.  A man without a high
school diploma or GED must attend GED classes although they can "age out"
with staff consent.

I taught special education in the public schools for 16 years and have
seen the rise and use of standards and benchmarks.  Although these are
wonderful guidelines for schools to help their teachers cover appropriate
subject matter at different ages to ensure a well-rounded education for
all students, I believe that at the adult level, teachers need to test,
assess and determine needs and deficits for individuals and proceed from
there.  Each of my students is an individual.  Each class is full of
individuals working on appropriate assignments for him.
Very rarely do I have a "class" where more than one man is working on the
same thing.  I treat my classroom as an old-fashioned resource room where
each person is receiving instruction and practice on the skill that he
needs to achieve his GED or increase his literacy.

By advocating standards and benchmarks for adult learners, I believe that
we will just be adding to the burden of paperwork to "prove" that we are
teaching.  Looking at the results of the teaching method is a far better
way to examine teaching success and learning.  My students, in the first
five months of this year, passed their GED tests with a 96% success rate. 
My little "resource" room seems to work fine without standards and
benchmarks other than those needed to pass the GED.

Gail A. Rinderknecht

Newton Correctional Facility

GED instructor/Des Moines Area Community College

Box 218

Newton, IA

________________________________

From: [ mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
]specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Mechem, Thompson
Sent: Wed 6/18/2008 8:19 AM
To: [ mailto:specialtopics at nifl.gov ]specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 999] Re: Content Standards: More questions,more
answers, more discussion-TM

I suppose in the abstract I have no objection to the Standards and
Benchmarks described in the various posts this week, but who are they for?
Certainly not the teachers. To take an example from my area of alleged
expertise, if students are studying to pass the GED test, then it is the
specific skill sets needed to pass the test that must drive the curriculum
and the teaching. There's a lot of math you can teach, but what math will
actually carry our students towards passing the GED tests? You can't
figure that out from any Standards document or Curriculum Frameworks or
whatever; you can know that only by learning better what literacy skills
and knowledge resonate on the tests (the GED Testing Service helps us with
that), and then developing the teaching techniques to bring the students
to that level. Our state GED Office and our Professional development unit
do a lot of work with Massachusetts GED teachers in this regard. The same
principle applies if you are helping Transiti
ons students do better on the AccuPlacer test or preparing immigrants to
pass the citizenship test (nice going, Big
Papi!) or raising a grandmother's literacy level so she can read the Bible.

Now, it probably takes a higher literacy level to pass the GED tests than
it does to graduate from high school, so a successful GED class is
certainly going to adhere to any legitimate set of Standards and
Benchmarks that a state could come up with. I guess what I am asking of
all the faceless bureaucrats (of which I am now one myself, I admit) is to
be able to see that for themselves instead of making teachers and program
directors jump through hoops with all kind of trumped-up documentary
"proof" that they are using the Standards. Just as you can see a
gorgeous-looking Lesson Plan without having any idea in the world whether
any learning is actually taking place in that class, so the kind of thing
often required for Standards-Based documentation, "I have such-and-such
Learning Objectives, which correspond to Benchmark 3.1.5 blah blah
blah..." doesn't tell you anything about what's really happening in the
classroom. I would like the monitors and evaluators to be able to obse
rve a classroom and know for themselves that high standards are being
adhered to so that the teachers and program directors can focus on the
learning needs of the students with no wasted motion.

Tom Mechem
GED State Chief Examiner
Department of Elementary & Secondary Education Commonwealth of
Massachusetts
781-338-6621
"GED to Ph.D."

-----Original Message-----
From: [ mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
]specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:[ mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
]specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 9:50 PM
To: [ mailto:specialtopics at nifl.gov ]specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 996] Content Standards: More questions, more
answers,more discussion

Colleagues,

Our Content Standards discussion continues through Friday.  I have some
more questions (see below) for guests and subscribers. I wonder if there
are some people with questions that they feel are "too basic" such as "How
do I find out what my state's Content Standards are, or if my state even
has them?"  No question about content standards is too basic. This is the
place to ask it.

I want to hear from teachers and administrators who are (or are not)
implementing content standards. Jon Engel (Thank you, Jon) spoke for
teachers who might be skeptical. Perhaps there are some teachers who are
skeptical that would be willing to speak for themselves now that Jon has
broached this.

Here are three more questions that were sent to me, for our guests and
others :

"Part-time teachers and planning time:  Teachers tell us that developing
lesson plans from standards takes more time because they have to spend
time learning the standards, aligning their activities to those standards,
and filling out more paper work to demonstrate compliance.  What are
states implementing standards doing to alleviate the pressure on already
burdened adult education teachers (low wages, low job security, part-time,
no benefits, little or no prep time, etc.)?"

"National standards: As a standards writer, I was struck by the wide
diversity of approaches to adult education content standards across states
(ranging from the very prescriptive and specific to the very broad and
general).  While I understand we live in a federal system in which states
can do whatever they deem best for their students, isn't there a value in
having a broader national discussion about what our adult students should
be able to know and do in order to be successful members of society or, at
a very minimum, shouldn't we have a common understanding about how content
standards are going to be used?"

"Assessment:  While states have been encouraged to develop widely
different content standards, the majority continue to use a very limited
set of approved standardized assessments that may or may not be very
closely aligned to those standards.  If due to increasingly tight
financial constraints states are generally unable to develop NRS-approved
standardized tests that are aligned with their standards, is it reasonable
to expect that their content standards will have an impact on instruction
and student performance?  Do teachers really have an incentive to teach
from those standards if what they are teaching is not going to show up in
the TABE or BEST Plus or CASAS?  Are there plans to develop such tests?"

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
[ mailto:djrosen at comcast.net ]djrosen at comcast.net

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Email delivered to pam_blundell at sde.state.ok.us

Pam Blundell, Assistant Director
Lifelong Learning Section
Oklahoma State Department of Education
2500 North Lincoln Blvd. Room 115
Oklahoma City, OK 73105-4599
405-521-3321
1-800-405-0355
pam_blundell at sde.state.ok.us

From gbundy at rmi.net  Sat Jun 21 11:01:08 2008
From: gbundy at rmi.net (Gail B)
Date: Sat, 21 Jun 2008 09:01:08 -0600 (GMT-06:00)
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1065] Re: Last day of state
	contentstandards	discussion: please weigh in!
Message-ID: <30932418.1214060468906.JavaMail.root@elwamui-wigeon.atl.sa.earthlink.net>

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From fsalas at hcde-texas.org  Sat Jun 21 15:20:48 2008
From: fsalas at hcde-texas.org (Federico Salas)
Date: Sat, 21 Jun 2008 14:20:48 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1066] Re: Content Standards: More questions,
	more answers, more discussion
References: <E43278D67408F248838A1BDB754306050C624F31@EV-SERVER.hcdemain.hcde.loc>
	<F942B8D193CE904C99D572746AB987E72B80A4@ANVEX01.campus.dmacc.edu>
Message-ID: <E43278D67408F248838A1BDB754306050B26388A@EV-SERVER.hcdemain.hcde.loc>

One of the wonderful things about these discussions is the opportunity for professionals to share and disagree; and disagree I must.  To me, if the test does not provide a reward and if students must be "bribed" to take it seriously, that's an indication that the test itself is not serious and should not be used.  Weeks every year are wasted in schools all over the nation, in my opinion, on test "pep rallies" and many students who pass the test are unable to explain what they learned, what they know, and how any of the information they regurgitated during the test is relevant to their lives.  
 
Instead of focusing our efforts on the test we should focus our attention on teaching; to that end good content standards and excellent professional development are our best allies.  
 
federico 
 
 
________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Rinderknecht, Gail A.
Sent: Thu 06/19/2008 12:22 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 1010] Re: Content Standards: More questions,more answers, more discussion

You decry the use of rewards, but for kids to take a test seriously, they need a reward.  In regular classes, the reward is a grade.  They often need something tangible to strive for other than the test score.  Standardized tests do not provide a reward for someone who is not internally motivated.  Even if the reward is "real pizza" for lunch instead of the school pizza or passes to the local movie theater, it may be enough to motivate some students to take the test more seriously than they otherwise would have.

Gail 

-----Original Message----- 
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Federico Salas 
Sent: Thu 6/19/2008 9:02 AM 
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1010] Re: Content Standards: More questions,more answers, more discussion 
  
To me the obvious problem with rewarding results on the test is that you 
are teaching test taking skills.  Then the standard is determined by the 
test, not by your instructional content standards as determined by 
students and colleagues.  Students may have a phenomenal passing rate on 
the test but be completely unable to actually use their skills and  in a 
practical application at work or as tap their knowledge  base as a 
springboard to learn more at college or the university.  Then programs 
that "offer rewards for improved test scores" have improved test scores 
but have they improved the proficiency of those test takers in their 
ability to succeed in life?  I am afraid not.  That is one of the most 
insidious problems of public education today.  Schools are ranked and 
rewarded on the performance of their students on standardized tests but 
nobody pays attention to whether the students have really learned their 
materials or simply learned to ace a test.  I believe the issue is with 
making the standardized test the focus of education.  If we focused on 
the content standards for instruction instead our success rate would 
over time improve. 

To me, focusing on the test is warranted only when the student has 
obtained sufficient command of the skills and knowledge and a few weeks 
before the test you pay attention to the form of the test, test 
strategies, etc.  But to devote your adult education program to the test 
skills rather than teach with a carefully considered set of academic and 
work related standards is a true disservice to our students. 

You should know I am an avowed enemy of standardized tests; I don't 
understand them, I don't like them, and I don't believe the scores tell 
us much about a student.  I also don't believe we are going to fix any 
of the problems in education if we continue focusing on "the test" 
instead of teaching.  Of course I went through my whole elementary, 
secondary, and a couple of years of university work in two other 
countries without ever once facing a standardized test.  Tests of my 
ability to explain scientific facts, yes; tests of my ability to relate 
knowledge from one field to knowledge from another, yes.  Tests that 
asked me to look for evidence in XX century culture of events that 
happened in the renaissance, yes.  But standardized tests? The first 
standardized test I ever took was the TOEFL to come to this country. But 
that's another story... 

federico 

Federico Salas-Isnardi, Assistant State Director 
Texas LEARNS 
6005 Westview Dr. 
Houston, TX 77055 
Direct: 713-696-0719 
Toll Free: 866-696-4233 
Fax: 713-696-0797 
  
The State Office of Adult Education and Family Literacy 
-----Original Message----- 
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov 
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Rinderknecht, Gail 
A. 
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 7:56 PM 
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 996] Content Standards: More questions, more 
answers,more discussion 

So I knew I shouldn't have started writing in response to this topic 
because I have such strong opinions about the matter.  

Iowa has instituted standards and benchmarks in the public schools and 
tests the daylights out of the students.  Personally, I believe that the 
success of the test often relies on the attitude of the teacher giving 
the test.  I can see this in the high school where I used to teach when 
I volunteer to read high school essays in the summer to evaluate 
reading.  The teachers whom I know emphasize the importance of the test 
have much better results than the teacher who says, "Hey, we have to do 
this.  I don't like it. You don't like it, Your parents don't like it. 
Just do it and get it over with."  Schools that offer rewards for 
improved test scores have improved test scores.  There are many 
variables when doing any kind of standardized testing to "evaluate 
teaching results".  And as far as getting the federal government 
involved in adult literacy, please, no.  Talk to any special education 
teacher ( me included) to find out about the results of federal mandates 
in education.  IEP's went from a simple three or four page document to 
over 12 pages listing standards and benchmarks that were to be worked on 
for each student.  If I had 20 students on my roster, most of whom I 
never saw but for whose educational programs I was still responsible, 
then I had 20 IEP's with massive amounts of bi-monthly or weekly testing 
to determine if progress was being made.  Charts had to be kept up on 
each goal, and I had very little time to teach let alone get to know my 
students.  Several times I introduced myself to a student at his IEP 
meeting because he was not available when I had a planning time.  When 
it got to the point where a graduation goal was deemed inappropriate and 
secondary to meeting the standards and benchmarks, I knew it was time 
for me to get out of special education in a high school. 

But that's beside the point, you might say; however, it isn't because at 
the prison I currently have at least 50 students.  If I had to show 
growth along prescribed standards and benchmarks, then I would be back 
to nothing but paperwork.  Oh, you should know, that I keep a running 
informal individual education plan for each of my men.  I have to for me 
as well as for them; otherwise I would forget who was doing what in 
which book.  

All I'm saying is, about the time you have mandated standards from the 
federal government, then you're going to have to prove that you're 
meeting those standards.  The fact that the men I work with in prison 
pass their tests would have little to do with it.   (Oh, and my 96% 
passing rate probably has something to do with my "captive" audience who 
are clean, well-fed, well-rested and required to be in class.)  I take 
very little credit for their success.  I am there;  they have the GED 
prep workbooks from several different companies.  I give assignments, 
and they work independently and ask questions when they have them.  They 
are in a safe, non-threatening atmosphere which for some of them is a 
first. 

Back to testing.  We TABE all offenders upon arrival to get a general 
reading level.  Then we give CASAS reading and math tests to establish 
deficits.  Every six months each man who has been in education classes 
is required to re-take the CASAS.  When a man completes his GED, the 
State also requires us to CASAS him again.  Usually the poor guy has 
been through the CASAS so many times and is so happy to have his GED 
that he scores his lowest scores on his last CASAS test.  This, of 
course, reflects poorly on me as a teacher.  I can motivate a student to 
complete his GED, but I cannot motivate him to try his hardest on a test 
that essentially means nothing to him.  Oh, and if he is released before 
he has completed his GED, which happens a lot, I have to CASAS him 
before he leaves.  And believe me, a man who is on his way home is not 
likely to try too hard on a test when all he can think about his 
home-cooked meals and the family and friends waiting for him. 

And we were also discussing planning time.  I plan on the run.  I walk 
around the room and look over shoulders and if someone is struggling, 
then perhaps a different book or some one-on-one time is warranted.  I 
might have 50 men to teach, but my room only has chairs for 15, so it's 
a constantly rotating group of guys from noon until 8 pm. Most of the 
men have jobs either within the prison or off-grounds, so I need to be 
there to catch them when they're available.  At the medium security site 
where I work from noon til 3 pm, class times are assigned.  At the 
minimum security site, I maintain a welcome mat approach:  come when 
you're well, willing and able, as long as you find five hours per week 
for class.  Like I said, I have a captive audience. 

Gail Rinderknecht 
GED instructor/ Des Moines Area Community College 
Newton Correctional Facility 
Newton, IA  50208 

And this has nothing to do with the topic, but our site is called 
"Riverview", but with the floods, it's been Lakeview.  We are all fine 
here, but have had to make room for some men where the jails were 
flooded.  The water here in central Iowa is thankfully receding, but 
it's heading downriver towards some of you. 

-----Original Message----- 
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David J. Rosen 
Sent: Tue 6/17/2008 8:50 PM 
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
Subject: [SpecialTopics 996]  Content Standards: More questions, more 
answers,more discussion 
  
Colleagues, 

Our Content Standards discussion continues through Friday.  I have  
some more questions (see below) for guests and subscribers. I wonder  
if there are some people with questions that they feel are "too  
basic" such as "How do I find out what my state's Content Standards  
are, or if my state even has them?"  No question about content  
standards is too basic. This is the place to ask it. 

I want to hear from teachers and administrators who are (or are not)  
implementing content standards. Jon Engel (Thank you, Jon) spoke for  
teachers who might be skeptical. Perhaps there are some teachers who  
are skeptical that would be willing to speak for themselves now that  
Jon has broached this. 

Here are three more questions that were sent to me, for our guests  
and others : 

"Part-time teachers and planning time:  Teachers tell us that  
developing lesson plans from standards takes more time because they  
have to spend time learning the standards, aligning their activities  
to those standards, and filling out more paper work to demonstrate  
compliance.  What are states implementing standards doing to  
alleviate the pressure on already burdened adult education teachers  
(low wages, low job security, part-time, no benefits, little or no  
prep time, etc.)?" 

"National standards: As a standards writer, I was struck by the wide  
diversity of approaches to adult education content standards across  
states (ranging from the very prescriptive and specific to the very  
broad and general).  While I understand we live in a federal system  
in which states can do whatever they deem best for their students,  
isn't there a value in having a broader national discussion about  
what our adult students should be able to know and do in order to be  
successful members of society or, at a very minimum, shouldn't we  
have a common understanding about how content standards are going to  
be used?" 

"Assessment:  While states have been encouraged to develop widely  
different content standards, the majority continue to use a very  
limited set of approved standardized assessments that may or may not  
be very closely aligned to those standards.  If due to increasingly  
tight financial constraints states are generally unable to develop  
NRS-approved standardized tests that are aligned with their  
standards, is it reasonable to expect that their content standards  
will have an impact on instruction and student performance?  Do  
teachers really have an incentive to teach from those standards if  
what they are teaching is not going to show up in the TABE or BEST  
Plus or CASAS?  Are there plans to develop such tests?" 

David J. Rosen 
Special Topics Discussion Moderator 
djrosen at comcast.net 

------------------------------- 
National Institute for Literacy 
Special Topics mailing list 
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov 
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics 
Email delivered to garinderknecht at dmacc.edu 

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From djrosen at comcast.net  Sun Jun 22 08:11:19 2008
From: djrosen at comcast.net (David J. Rosen)
Date: Sun, 22 Jun 2008 08:11:19 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1067]  State content standards discussion ends
Message-ID: <ADB816E3-09EE-4569-9718-D34E6A38C55D@comcast.net>

Colleagues,

The Content Standards discussion has now ended. No more posts will be  
accepted for this discussion.

If you wish to stay subscribed for the next discussion, which will be  
announced soon,  no further action is needed. If you wish to un- 
subscribe, go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics

David J. Rosen
djrosen at comcast.net

From info at nifl.gov  Thu Jun 26 10:23:35 2008
From: info at nifl.gov (info at nifl.gov)
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2008 10:23:35 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1068]  Institute Director Search Underway
Message-ID: <20080626142335.DA6DC11DA0@mail.nifl.gov>

Institute Director Search Underway

About the position: 
The Director of the National Institute for Literacy works with the Institute's Interagency Group, in consultation with the Advisory Board, in determining priorities and work projects related to the national effort to improve literacy. The Director supervises and guides the Institute's staff of sixteen employees using a variety of leadership skills to encourage a high performance workplace, develop staff leadership capacity, and promote flexibility to ensure that the Institute thrives in a changing environment. The Director ensures that agency administrative, management, and contracting processes are executed in accordance with the Institute's Interagency Agreement and federal regulations and policies. 

The Director serves as the senior staff person for the Interagency Group and Advisory Board to ensure the Institute fulfills its role as a leader in the field by keeping abreast of major research findings and innovations in education. The Director serves as a spokesperson for literacy issues and the Institute's liaison with literacy organizations. The Director guides strategic planning efforts, assesses future needs for projects and activities, and provides comprehensive recommendations on long-range project planning to the Interagency Group and the Advisory Board.

To learn more about the position or to apply: http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/career/NIFL_vacancy_11.html 

For additional information about the Institute and its staff, please visit the National Institute for Literacy website: 
http://www.nifl.gov 

 

From MMaralit at NIFL.gov  Tue Jul 15 16:11:09 2008
From: MMaralit at NIFL.gov (Maralit, Mary Jo)
Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:11:09 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1069]  A note of thanks...
Message-ID: <4062487BDB6029428A763CAEF4E1FE5B1B592D2B@wdcrobe2m03.ed.gov>

Dearest all,

I wanted to let you know that my last day at the National Institute for
Literacy will be Friday, July 18.  Next week, I will be moving to a position
at the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult
Education.

In the past 5 years of working at the National Institute for Literacy on the
LINCS project and with the discussion lists, I have learned a lot from the
field.  I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work with such a
wonderful, committed group adult education researchers, policymakers,
administrators, practitioners, and students. 

I hope that our paths cross in the near future.  Many thanks for your
support throughout the years.

Sincerely,
Jo Maralit

From djrosen1 at gmail.com  Wed Oct 15 08:04:45 2008
From: djrosen1 at gmail.com (djrosen1)
Date: Wed, 15 Oct 2008 08:04:45 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1070]  New Designs in Online and Distance Learning
Message-ID: <FDB4DA93-BA56-4FF2-8480-53D9EBC3DB02@gmail.com>

New Designs in Online and Distance Learning is a National Institute  
for Literacy Special Topics discussion that will be held from  
November 17th through November 21st, 2008. It will focus on two new  
adult education models: a national learning portal for English  
language learning at a distance, called USA Learns, and a web-based  
and telephone-based learning support system, called the Learner Web,  
for ABE, ASE and ELL students enrolled in classes to supplement their  
learning, as well as for those who study on their own. We have four  
distinguished guests, researchers as well as product developers, who  
will describe these two models and answer questions.

For USA Learns, our guests are John Fleischman and Dr. Jerome (Jere)  
Johnston. For the Learner Web our guests are Dr. Stephen Reder and  
Dr. Clare Strawn. You will find more information about them below.

Please forward this announcement to your colleagues who may be
interested in subscribing!

To subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:

http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics

One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can  
stay subscribed for the next discussion.

Description of the models

The Learner Web is a learning support system providing structure and  
resources for adults who want to accomplish specific learning  
objectives. A learner can access the system through the Internet. In  
addition to on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates support  
services from existing local education programs, community based  
organizations, tutors, and telephone helpers. The Learner Web  
consists of a Web-based software system that is implemented  
regionally. The System is organized around Learning Plans. A Learning  
Plan is a set of steps structured around achieving an identified  
goal. For example, if the goal is to get a GED, the steps might  
include finding out more about the tests, identifying what skills one  
needs to brush up on, learning new skills and knowledge, taking  
practice tests, etc. Each step is matched with online and community  
based resources and a workspace where learners can take assessments  
or save their work in an e-portfolio. The learner creates a personal  
profile, may take a short reading assessment and interest inventory,  
chooses a goal from the available list and follows the Learning Plan  
independently or with a tutor or a teacher. The Learning Plan is  
dynamically matched by the software to both the learner profile and  
educational resources. The learner?s progress is saved and can be  
returned to at any time via the internet. Learners can choose to  
share their workspace with a tutor or teacher.

The Learner Web has begun the second year of a three-year  
demonstration project in seven demonstration regions across the country.

U.S.A. Learns is a free Web site designed for adult learners with  
limited English language skills.  Instructional content focuses on  
the language and literacy skills that adults need for everyday  
survival.  While a broad range of adults can use U.S.A. Learns, it  
has been developed primarily for immigrants who cannot attend  
traditional classroom programs because of difficulty with schedules,  
transportation, or other barriers.  The site includes more than 400  
hours of instruction and offers an extensive array of video, audio  
and richly illustrated graphics and images.  The site layout was  
created with the inexperienced Web user in mind, and extensive built- 
in help features are available.  U.S.A. Learns can be used  
independently, but it can also be used in association with a teacher  
or tutor via an online management system.

Background on Discussion Guests

John Fleischman

With more than 25 years of experience in adult education as a  
teacher, administrator and project director, John Fleischman is  
currently responsible for information and educational technology  
operations at the Sacramento County Office of Education.  John  
possesses an extensive background with creating and implementing  
instructional and informational media for use in a variety of  
educational environments.  His present area of focus is on building  
Web-based solutions for education, including data management systems  
and comprehensive online learning resources.  Working at the state  
and national level, he provides oversight for a range of technology  
initiatives including the Outreach and Technology Assistance Network  
(www.otan.us) and Strengthening Programs Through Technology  
(www.adultedonline.org).  John is the author of numerous publications  
and is frequently requested as a presenter at both state and national  
conferences.

Jerome (Jere) Johnston is Research Professor at the University of  
Michigan?s Institute for Social Research.  For 40 years he has been  
studying ways that technology shapes what people learn.  In recent  
years Dr. Johnston has been exploring innovative ways to use  
technology in adult literacy.  He directs the Project IDEAL Support  
Center, supporting 25 states in their efforts to build distance  
learning programs for adult learners.  The Center provides technical  
assistance to states in the areas of training, research, and policy  
development (projectideal.org).

Stephen Reder is University Professor and Chair of the Department of  
Applied Linguistics at Portland State University.  His research and  
teaching interests focus on adult education and the processes of  
literacy and language development during adulthood.  Dr. Reder has  
served as the Principal Investigator for a number of major projects  
in adult education. Two recent projects, the Longitudinal Study of  
Adult Learning and the National Labsite for Adult ESOL, examine the  
ways adults acquire new literacy and language abilities and the roles  
which adult education programs and policies play in supporting that  
development.  The results of this research have led to the  
development of the Learner Web, an innovative online adult learning  
support system.  Professor Reder is the author of numerous  
publications about his research and its implications for adult  
education and adult literacy and language development. He has  
recently completed co-editing a volume with John Bynner, Tracking  
Adult Literacy and Numeracy Skills: Findings from Longitudinal  
Research.  A second book is in progress, Dropping Out and Moving On:  
Life, Literacy and Development among High School Dropouts. Dr. Reder  
actively works with networks of adult education researchers,  
practitioners and policymakers at the state, regional and national  
levels.

Clare Strawn is Assistant Professor at Portland State University,  
Portland, Oregon, and has been an analyst on the Longitudinal Study  
of Adult Learning. She is interested in patterns of program  
participation, the intersection of learning and community  
development, social capital influences on learning strategies, and  
technology. She has been a co-developer, with Steve Reder of the  
Learner Web and has been actively involved in the demonstration project.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen1 at gmail.com

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From kbeall at onlyinternet.net  Tue Oct 14 13:31:00 2008
From: kbeall at onlyinternet.net (Kaye Beall)
Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2008 13:31:00 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1071] New Issue of Focus on Basic--Health & Literacy
	Partnerships
Message-ID: <F68499745A314D7DB212C8D3836BB2B4@D14J7YD1>

Health and literacy are inextricably linked, and health and literacy
providers are working together in new and exciting ways to use that link for
positive results. The newest issue of Focus on Basics is packed with
articles on a wide variety of partnerships: between nursing and teacher
educators in the university, between medical schools and literacy programs,
between health educators and literacy students, between health planners and
literacy providers.  Also included in the issue is a long-awaited report on
a five-year study of the impact of a literacy curriculum that incorporate
health information on the literacy skills and health knowledge of learners,
a new way to look at what the health information in the National Assessment
of Adult Learning reveals, and how to use illustrations effectively in
health education materials.  Authors include Dr. Susan Levy and colleagues,
Dr. Andrew Pleasant, and Dr. Ian Bennett and colleagues, and National
Institute for Literacy's Health Literacy discussion list moderator Julie
McKinney, among others.

 

Download the new issue of Focus on Basics, Volume 9, Issue B, "Health &
Literacy Partnerships" from the right hand column of publisher World
Education's home page: www.worlded.org  or find the new issue and all past
issues at www.ncsall.net/fileadmin/resources/fob/2008/fob_9b.pdf and
www.ncsall.net/index.php?id=31 

 

 

Kaye Beall

Project Director

World Education

6760 West Street

Linn Grove, IN 46711

765-717-3942

kaye_beall at worlded.org

www.worlded.org

 

 

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From DJRosen at theworld.com  Wed Oct 29 21:38:11 2008
From: DJRosen at theworld.com (David Rosen)
Date: Wed, 29 Oct 2008 21:38:11 -0400
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1072] New Designs in Online and Distance Learning --
	your questions
Message-ID: <62DE7D26-C202-4DC1-9EC7-A6B2D0BE549C@theworld.com>

Special Topics Discussion Colleagues,

On November 17th we will begin a discussion of USA Learns and of
the Learner Web. You will find the description for this discussion  
below.
Judging by the number of new subscribers, this is a high-interest topic!
Now is the time to think about why you have subscribed:

What questions would you like to ask our guests?

Although your questions will not be posted until the discussion begins,
I would like to share them with our guests in advance.  Of course,
questions, comments, and dialogue, will also be welcome during the
discussion.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at theworld.com

------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
--------------------
New Designs in Online and Distance Learning is a National Institute
for Literacy Special Topics discussion that will be held from
November 17th through November 21st, 2008. It will focus on two new
adult education models: a national learning portal for English
language learning at a distance, called USA Learns, and a web-based
and telephone-based learning support system, called the Learner Web,
for ABE, ASE and ELL students enrolled in classes to supplement their
learning, as well as for those who study on their own. We have four
distinguished guests, researchers as well as product developers, who
will describe these two models and answer questions.

For USA Learns, our guests are John Fleischman and Dr. Jerome (Jere)
Johnston. For the Learner Web our guests are Dr. Stephen Reder and
Dr. Clare Strawn. You will find more information about them below.

Please forward this announcement to your colleagues who may be
interested in subscribing!

To subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:

http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics

One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can
stay subscribed for the next discussion.

Description of the models

The Learner Web is a learning support system providing structure and
resources for adults who want to accomplish specific learning
objectives. A learner can access the system through the Internet. In
addition to on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates support
services from existing local education programs, community based
organizations, tutors, and telephone helpers. The Learner Web
consists of a Web-based software system that is implemented
regionally. The System is organized around Learning Plans. A Learning
Plan is a set of steps structured around achieving an identified
goal. For example, if the goal is to get a GED, the steps might
include finding out more about the tests, identifying what skills one
needs to brush up on, learning new skills and knowledge, taking
practice tests, etc. Each step is matched with online and community
based resources and a workspace where learners can take assessments
or save their work in an e-portfolio. The learner creates a personal
profile, may take a short reading assessment and interest inventory,
chooses a goal from the available list and follows the Learning Plan
independently or with a tutor or a teacher. The Learning Plan is
dynamically matched by the software to both the learner profile and
educational resources. The learner?s progress is saved and can be
returned to at any time via the internet. Learners can choose to
share their workspace with a tutor or teacher.

The Learner Web has begun the second year of a three-year
demonstration project in seven demonstration regions across the country.

U.S.A. Learns is a free Web site designed for adult learners with
limited English language skills. Instructional content focuses on
the language and literacy skills that adults need for everyday
survival. While a broad range of adults can use U.S.A. Learns, it
has been developed primarily for immigrants who cannot attend
traditional classroom programs because of difficulty with schedules,
transportation, or other barriers. The site includes more than 400
hours of instruction and offers an extensive array of video, audio
and richly illustrated graphics and images. The site layout was
created with the inexperienced Web user in mind, and extensive built-
in help features are available. U.S.A. Learns can be used
independently, but it can also be used in association with a teacher
or tutor via an online management system.

Background on Discussion Guests

John Fleischman

With more than 25 years of experience in adult education as a
teacher, administrator and project director, John Fleischman is
currently responsible for information and educational technology
operations at the Sacramento County Office of Education. John
possesses an extensive background with creating and implementing
instructional and informational media for use in a variety of
educational environments. His present area of focus is on building
Web-based solutions for education, including data management systems
and comprehensive online learning resources. Working at the state
and national level, he provides oversight for a range of technology
initiatives including the Outreach and Technology Assistance Network
(www.otan.us) and Strengthening Programs Through Technology
(www.adultedonline.org). John is the author of numerous publications
and is frequently requested as a presenter at both state and national
conferences.

Jerome (Jere) Johnston is Research Professor at the University of
Michigan?s Institute for Social Research. For 40 years he has been
studying ways that technology shapes what people learn. In recent
years Dr. Johnston has been exploring innovative ways to use
technology in adult literacy. He directs the Project IDEAL Support
Center, supporting 25 states in their efforts to build distance
learning programs for adult learners. The Center provides technical
assistance to states in the areas of training, research, and policy
development (projectideal.org).

Stephen Reder is University Professor and Chair of the Department of
Applied Linguistics at Portland State University. His research and
teaching interests focus on adult education and the processes of
literacy and language development during adulthood. Dr. Reder has
served as the Principal Investigator for a number of major projects
in adult education. Two recent projects, the Longitudinal Study of
Adult Learning and the National Labsite for Adult ESOL, examine the
ways adults acquire new literacy and language abilities and the roles
which adult education programs and policies play in supporting that
development. The results of this research have led to the
development of the Learner Web, an innovative online adult learning
support system. Professor Reder is the author of numerous
publications about his research and its implications for adult
education and adult literacy and language development. He has
recently completed co-editing a volume with John Bynner, Tracking
Adult Literacy and Numeracy Skills: Findings from Longitudinal
Research. A second book is in progress, Dropping Out and Moving On:
Life, Literacy and Development among High School Dropouts. Dr. Reder
actively works with networks of adult education researchers,
practitioners and policymakers at the state, regional and national
levels.

Clare Strawn is Assistant Professor at Portland State University,
Portland, Oregon, and has been an analyst on the Longitudinal Study
of Adult Learning. She is interested in patterns of program
participation, the intersection of learning and community
development, social capital influences on learning strategies, and
technology. She has been a co-developer, with Steve Reder of the
Learner Web and has been actively involved in the demonstration project.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
DJRosen at theworld.com

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From DJRosen at theworld.com  Sun Nov  2 11:06:15 2008
From: DJRosen at theworld.com (David Rosen)
Date: Sun, 2 Nov 2008 11:06:15 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1073] New Designs in Online and Distance Learning --
	your questions
In-Reply-To: <62DE7D26-C202-4DC1-9EC7-A6B2D0BE549C@theworld.com>
References: <62DE7D26-C202-4DC1-9EC7-A6B2D0BE549C@theworld.com>
Message-ID: <6A0E8C72-84D4-49E8-B590-55F38EDFEF4F@theworld.com>

Colleagues,

As several people have recently signed up for the upcoming discussion  
here, New Designs in Online and Distance Learning, and since so far I  
have only received one question,  I would like to repeat my request  
for your questions for our guests:

What questions would you like to ask our guests?

Please look at the brief descriptions of the two models that you will  
see in my previous email message, included below. The federally- 
funded USA Learns will have a national launch in a few days, before  
our discussion begins. We'll have an announcement here of the web  
site so you can look at it if you like.  The Learner Web is a  
federally-funded demonstration project, available only for field  
testing in several selected regions around the country in Oregon,  
Minnesota, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and  
Washington, D.C. More information about the Learner Web, including  
two screen capture videos (if you register and log in), will be found  
at http://learnerweb.org

? What would you like our guests to cover or explain in their  
descriptions of USA Learns and the Learner Web when we begin the  
discussion on November 17th and 18th?
? Do you want to know how USA Learns and the Learner Web became  
federally-funded projects, what needs or research base they grew  
from, or other things about their history and development?
? Do you want to know how they differ from other online adult basic  
education and English language learning models? If so, which kinds:  
online courses, online course management systems, wikis, portals, or  
something else?
? If you are thinking about using either USA Learns or the Learner  
Web with your students, what is the situation you are hoping it will  
address? What group(s) of students, at what level(s) with what  
needs?  What questions do you have about the model's usefulness for  
that situation?

Think about why you have subscribed to the Special Topics discussion  
forum (or stayed subscribed) for this discussion, what you want to  
get from it. Frame a question or questions that will help our guests  
address your interest or need. You can send your questions by just  
replying to this message or by emailing them directly to me at  
djrosen at theworld.com. I will share the questions with our guests  
before the discussion begins, and the questions will be posted on or  
after November 17th. Of course more questions, observations, and  
dialogue will be welcome during the week of the discussion.

Finally, it's not too late for your colleagues to join this  
discussion. To subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can  
stay subscribed for the next discussion.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
DJRosen at theworld.com

On Oct 29, 2008, at 9:38 PM, David Rosen wrote:

> Special Topics Discussion Colleagues,
>
> On November 17th we will begin a discussion of USA Learns and of
> the Learner Web. You will find the description for this discussion  
> below.
> Judging by the number of new subscribers, this is a high-interest  
> topic!
> Now is the time to think about why you have subscribed:
>
> What questions would you like to ask our guests?
>
> Although your questions will not be posted until the discussion  
> begins,
> I would like to share them with our guests in advance.  Of course,
> questions, comments, and dialogue, will also be welcome during the
> discussion.
>
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at theworld.com
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 
> ----------------------
> New Designs in Online and Distance Learning is a National Institute
> for Literacy Special Topics discussion that will be held from
> November 17th through November 21st, 2008. It will focus on two new
> adult education models: a national learning portal for English
> language learning at a distance, called USA Learns, and a web-based
> and telephone-based learning support system, called the Learner Web,
> for ABE, ASE and ELL students enrolled in classes to supplement their
> learning, as well as for those who study on their own. We have four
> distinguished guests, researchers as well as product developers, who
> will describe these two models and answer questions.
>
> For USA Learns, our guests are John Fleischman and Dr. Jerome (Jere)
> Johnston. For the Learner Web our guests are Dr. Stephen Reder and
> Dr. Clare Strawn. You will find more information about them below.
>
> Please forward this announcement to your colleagues who may be
> interested in subscribing!
>
> To subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:
>
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
>
> One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can
> stay subscribed for the next discussion.
>
> Description of the models
>
> The Learner Web is a learning support system providing structure and
> resources for adults who want to accomplish specific learning
> objectives. A learner can access the system through the Internet. In
> addition to on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates support
> services from existing local education programs, community based
> organizations, tutors, and telephone helpers. The Learner Web
> consists of a Web-based software system that is implemented
> regionally. The System is organized around Learning Plans. A Learning
> Plan is a set of steps structured around achieving an identified
> goal. For example, if the goal is to get a GED, the steps might
> include finding out more about the tests, identifying what skills one
> needs to brush up on, learning new skills and knowledge, taking
> practice tests, etc. Each step is matched with online and community
> based resources and a workspace where learners can take assessments
> or save their work in an e-portfolio. The learner creates a personal
> profile, may take a short reading assessment and interest inventory,
> chooses a goal from the available list and follows the Learning Plan
> independently or with a tutor or a teacher. The Learning Plan is
> dynamically matched by the software to both the learner profile and
> educational resources. The learner?s progress is saved and can be
> returned to at any time via the internet. Learners can choose to
> share their workspace with a tutor or teacher.
>
> The Learner Web has begun the second year of a three-year
> demonstration project in seven demonstration regions across the  
> country.
>
> U.S.A. Learns is a free Web site designed for adult learners with
> limited English language skills. Instructional content focuses on
> the language and literacy skills that adults need for everyday
> survival. While a broad range of adults can use U.S.A. Learns, it
> has been developed primarily for immigrants who cannot attend
> traditional classroom programs because of difficulty with schedules,
> transportation, or other barriers. The site includes more than 400
> hours of instruction and offers an extensive array of video, audio
> and richly illustrated graphics and images. The site layout was
> created with the inexperienced Web user in mind, and extensive built-
> in help features are available. U.S.A. Learns can be used
> independently, but it can also be used in association with a teacher
> or tutor via an online management system.
>
>
> Background on Discussion Guests
>
> John Fleischman
>
> With more than 25 years of experience in adult education as a
> teacher, administrator and project director, John Fleischman is
> currently responsible for information and educational technology
> operations at the Sacramento County Office of Education. John
> possesses an extensive background with creating and implementing
> instructional and informational media for use in a variety of
> educational environments. His present area of focus is on building
> Web-based solutions for education, including data management systems
> and comprehensive online learning resources. Working at the state
> and national level, he provides oversight for a range of technology
> initiatives including the Outreach and Technology Assistance Network
> (www.otan.us) and Strengthening Programs Through Technology
> (www.adultedonline.org). John is the author of numerous publications
> and is frequently requested as a presenter at both state and national
> conferences.
>
> Jerome (Jere) Johnston is Research Professor at the University of
> Michigan?s Institute for Social Research. For 40 years he has been
> studying ways that technology shapes what people learn. In recent
> years Dr. Johnston has been exploring innovative ways to use
> technology in adult literacy. He directs the Project IDEAL Support
> Center, supporting 25 states in their efforts to build distance
> learning programs for adult learners. The Center provides technical
> assistance to states in the areas of training, research, and policy
> development (projectideal.org).
>
> Stephen Reder is University Professor and Chair of the Department of
> Applied Linguistics at Portland State University. His research and
> teaching interests focus on adult education and the processes of
> literacy and language development during adulthood. Dr. Reder has
> served as the Principal Investigator for a number of major projects
> in adult education. Two recent projects, the Longitudinal Study of
> Adult Learning and the National Labsite for Adult ESOL, examine the
> ways adults acquire new literacy and language abilities and the roles
> which adult education programs and policies play in supporting that
> development. The results of this research have led to the
> development of the Learner Web, an innovative online adult learning
> support system. Professor Reder is the author of numerous
> publications about his research and its implications for adult
> education and adult literacy and language development. He has
> recently completed co-editing a volume with John Bynner, Tracking
> Adult Literacy and Numeracy Skills: Findings from Longitudinal
> Research. A second book is in progress, Dropping Out and Moving On:
> Life, Literacy and Development among High School Dropouts. Dr. Reder
> actively works with networks of adult education researchers,
> practitioners and policymakers at the state, regional and national
> levels.
>
> Clare Strawn is Assistant Professor at Portland State University,
> Portland, Oregon, and has been an analyst on the Longitudinal Study
> of Adult Learning. She is interested in patterns of program
> participation, the intersection of learning and community
> development, social capital influences on learning strategies, and
> technology. She has been a co-developer, with Steve Reder of the
> Learner Web and has been actively involved in the demonstration  
> project.
>
>
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> DJRosen at theworld.com
>
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to  
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to djrosen1 at gmail.com

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From DJRosen at theworld.com  Fri Nov  7 11:21:40 2008
From: DJRosen at theworld.com (David J. Rosen)
Date: Fri, 7 Nov 2008 11:21:40 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1074]  USA Learns Launched Today,
	your questions for our guests
Message-ID: <DE6BFF2CCB7943A28CCBC63238784078@A1411>

Colleagues,

Many of you have sent questions for our guests in the upcoming discussion of USA Learns and the Learner Web. Thank you. Some of you have commented that you would like to see USA Learns before sending your questions. Now you can. USA Learns launched today. The web address is:

http://usalearns.org

Our discussion on the special topics discussion list begins in 10 days, on November 17th.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
DJRosen at theworld.com
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From DJRosen at theworld.com  Mon Nov 17 04:36:54 2008
From: DJRosen at theworld.com (David J. Rosen)
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 04:36:54 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1075]  New Designs in Online and Distance Learning
Message-ID: <B257B8BDB6814546B69BF068E033EC9D@A1411>

Special Topics Colleagues,

Today we begin a discussion of two new online and distance learning models specifically designed for adult literacy education, including ESL/ESOL.  They are the Learner Web and USA Learns. Each has much to offer, but they differ in their design, audiences, and also in their stage of development. USA  Learns, with core funding from the Office of Vocational and Adult Education, launched earlier this month (http://usalearns.org) and is a national adult ESL/ESOL portal. It is available now at no cost to adult learners everywhere.The Learner Web is beginning its second year of a three-year, federally-funded demonstration grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The Learner Web is available now only for piloting, and only in certain regions of the country.  I am an advisor to USA Learns, and am a Regional Implementation Advisor for the Learner Web, so I have had the privilege of watching both projects evolve.

We will begin today with a presentation of the Learner Web by Stephen Reder from Portland State University. He will be joined in the discussion by Clare Strawn, a co-developer with Steve, of the Learner Web. Clare is also on the Portland State University faculty. On Tuesday we will have a presentation about USA Learns by John Fleischman, from the Sacramento (CA) County Office of Education. John will be joined by Jere Johnston and Leslie Petty, both from the University of MIchigan.  They will also be joined by Sheryl Adler, from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Vocational and Adult Education as there may be questions about the development of USA Learns which she can best address.

I am delighted that our guests -- and you -- can join us for this discussion. Please feel free to post your questions and comments for our guests at any time this week.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at theworld.com
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From reders at pdx.edu  Sun Nov 16 21:09:44 2008
From: reders at pdx.edu (Steve Reder)
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2008 18:09:44 -0800
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1076] initial response to questions about Learner Web
Message-ID: <00d801c94859$8f587cc0$5074fc83@PSU.DS.PDX.EDU>

Hello, everyone.  We're delighted to have this opportunity to discuss the
Learner Web this week and to answer questions you have.  And, indeed, you've
already posed some excellent questions.  Before turning to specific
questions, however, let's briefly review what the Learner Web is, as it's
quite different in intent from other online or distance learning systems.  

 

The Learner Web is a learning support system intended to help adults reach
important learning goals they may have, such as obtaining a GED, improving
their English, transitioning to college, preparing for a particular career,
etc.  A learner can access the system through the Internet. In addition to
on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates support services from existing
local education programs, community based organizations, tutors, and
telephone helpers. The Learner Web consists of a Web-based software system
that is implemented regionally. The System is organized around Learning
Plans. A Learning Plan is a set of steps structured around achieving an
identified goal. For example, if the goal is to get a GED, the steps might
include finding out more about the tests, identifying what skills one needs
to brush up on, learning new skills and knowledge, taking practice tests,
etc. Each step is matched with online and community based resources and a
workspace where Learners can take assessments or save their work in an
e-portfolio. The Learner creates a personal profile, may take a short
reading assessment and interest inventory, chooses a goal from the available
list and follows the learning plan independently or with a tutor or a
teacher. The Learning Plan is dynamically matched by the software to both
the learner profile and educational resources. The Learner's progress is
saved and can be returned to at any time via the internet. Learners can
choose to share their workspace with a tutor or teacher. 

 

The Learner Web is being demonstrated in a number of sites across the
country over the next two years.  We plan to use the experiences of the
local communities and organizations involved in the demonstration to help us
design a sustainable national rollout starting in the fall of 2010.  It may
be possible for interested programs, organization or communities to join the
project and begin using the Learner Web before that time.  At the moment,
there are Learner Web implementations is Portland OR, St. Paul MN, Boston
MA, Providence RI, Westchester NY, Union County NJ and Washington DC.  

 

Now for some of your questions.  A couple people asked if LW could be used
by free-standing adult learners, that is, by adults who are not enrolled in
formal programs.  The answer to that depends on the Region implementing it.
During our demonstration project, some of our Regions are limiting its use
initially during the piloting period to students in their classes.  Other
regions are allowing learners to create their own accounts and use the
system independently.  Once Learners have accounts, they log in to the
system, select their goals, and start working on related Learning Plans
(which provide assessments and appropriate placements into Learning Plans).

 

Several questions asked about the reading, math, and computer skill levels
required to use the system.  We will have good answers to those questions
after we complete the piloting period currently underway.  For now, I would
say that we've seen adults with little previous education or native language
literacy struggle with the navigation within LW, while other adult students
find it relatively easy to use.  The difficulty experienced depends not just
on the Learner Web software itself (which we frequently revise to make
friendlier to a broader range of adult learners) but on the content of the
Learning Plans and Resources developed for the system.  Learning Plans can
be targeted to adults at different skill levels.  It is straightforward to
incorporate multilingual and multimedia content, prompts and assessments
into Learning Plans.

 

The LW design was based on research about adult learning that indicated that
adults with quite low levels of skill can and often do engage in
self-directed efforts to improve their basic skills.  But this research did
not focus specifically on the self-directed use of online tools, so it is
important to wait for the experience of our pilot sites with a range of
learners before answering the question.  We hope the integrated help systems
we have built into LW (including telephone based helpers) will scaffold its
use by low-skilled adults so that a broader skill range of adults may be
able to use the system than if they had to do it totally on their own.  We
plan to use videos, podcasts and other multimedia to provide initial
orientation to users.  A simple Learning Plan is being developed that will
teach users how to use the system.

 

Several questions asked about specific features of the LW system and how
they relate to features of web-based classroom platforms such as Moodle,
WiZiQ, etc.  Although there are some overlaps between LW and other such
systems, and indeed LW could be used as just a platform for an online
course, it is really designed for supporting a range of self-study and
blended learning models, working hand-in-hand with and coordinating
collaboration among community resources, programs and services to support
learners.  LW can also be used to add functionality and enhance other online
products; for example, a Learning Plan could wrap around an online product
and add telephone-based volunteers who help learners working with the other
online product.  Another example: using telephone-based volunteers as
conversation partners in an ESOL Learning Plan.  We see the LW as enhancing
and supplementing rather than replacing live teachers and classroom
interaction.  Tutors - either online or face-to-face - have roles in LW and
where available are easily integrated into Learning Plans.  Relatively
little social networking functionality is built directly into LW but it is
straightforward to add social networking sites/software as Resources in
Learning Plans.  

 

Assessment of progress in LW is measured directly in terms of learners'
completion of key steps and goals within particular Learning Plans.
Learning Plans may be designed so that the completion of some steps is
determined by learners themselves, whereas other steps require a teacher or
tutor using the LW to determine whether the step is completed by looking at
an assessment or assignment submitted by the learner.  Steps have workspace
items associated with them, which may be automatically scored tests or
assessments or assignments that must be graded by a teacher or other LW user
who views the learner's work.  If programs negotiate proxy hour equivalents
with their states for completion of key steps or goals in a Learning Plan,
those equivalents can be directly entered into the Learning Plan design and
automatically reported for NRS purposes.

 

We'll stop here.  We weren't able to respond here to all of the questions
initially posed, but I'm sure they'll come up as we continue the discussion
this week.  We're looking forward to it.

 

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From DJRosen at theworld.com  Mon Nov 17 05:27:43 2008
From: DJRosen at theworld.com (David J. Rosen)
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 05:27:43 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1077] Re: initial response to questions about
	Learner Web
References: <00d801c94859$8f587cc0$5074fc83@PSU.DS.PDX.EDU>
Message-ID: <C46DAC81562B4B1F9CBD7B6EAA6E41BF@A1411>

Thanks, Steve, for this thorough introduction. Those who would like to see a screen capture video showing what the Learner Web looks like from a learner or from an administrator point of view, could go to http://learnerweb.org (Select "View Demonstration" to request a password to view the video.)

One series of questions that I am sure many people have concerns telephone helpers. Who are they, what kinds of help do they provide, how are they recruited, how often do they do telephone helping, how do they differ from (face-to-face or online) tutors, and how is the privacy of the learner and the online helper protected?

Now would be a good time for others to post their questions about the Learner Web, too. What would you like to know?

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at theworld.com

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Steve Reder 
  To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
  Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2008 9:09 PM
  Subject: [SpecialTopics 1076] initial response to questions about Learner Web

  Hello, everyone.  We're delighted to have this opportunity to discuss the Learner Web this week and to answer questions you have.  And, indeed, you've already posed some excellent questions.  Before turning to specific questions, however, let's briefly review what the Learner Web is, as it's quite different in intent from other online or distance learning systems.  

   

  The Learner Web is a learning support system intended to help adults reach important learning goals they may have, such as obtaining a GED, improving their English, transitioning to college, preparing for a particular career, etc.  A learner can access the system through the Internet. In addition to on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates support services from existing local education programs, community based organizations, tutors, and telephone helpers. The Learner Web consists of a Web-based software system that is implemented regionally. The System is organized around Learning Plans. A Learning Plan is a set of steps structured around achieving an identified goal. For example, if the goal is to get a GED, the steps might include finding out more about the tests, identifying what skills one needs to brush up on, learning new skills and knowledge, taking practice tests, etc. Each step is matched with online and community based resources and a workspace where Learners can take assessments or save their work in an e-portfolio. The Learner creates a personal profile, may take a short reading assessment and interest inventory, chooses a goal from the available list and follows the learning plan independently or with a tutor or a teacher. The Learning Plan is dynamically matched by the software to both the learner profile and educational resources. The Learner's progress is saved and can be returned to at any time via the internet. Learners can choose to share their workspace with a tutor or teacher. 

   

  The Learner Web is being demonstrated in a number of sites across the country over the next two years.  We plan to use the experiences of the local communities and organizations involved in the demonstration to help us design a sustainable national rollout starting in the fall of 2010.  It may be possible for interested programs, organization or communities to join the project and begin using the Learner Web before that time.  At the moment, there are Learner Web implementations is Portland OR, St. Paul MN, Boston MA, Providence RI, Westchester NY, Union County NJ and Washington DC.  

   

  Now for some of your questions.  A couple people asked if LW could be used by free-standing adult learners, that is, by adults who are not enrolled in formal programs.  The answer to that depends on the Region implementing it.  During our demonstration project, some of our Regions are limiting its use initially during the piloting period to students in their classes.  Other regions are allowing learners to create their own accounts and use the system independently.  Once Learners have accounts, they log in to the system, select their goals, and start working on related Learning Plans (which provide assessments and appropriate placements into Learning Plans).

   

  Several questions asked about the reading, math, and computer skill levels required to use the system.  We will have good answers to those questions after we complete the piloting period currently underway.  For now, I would say that we've seen adults with little previous education or native language literacy struggle with the navigation within LW, while other adult students find it relatively easy to use.  The difficulty experienced depends not just on the Learner Web software itself (which we frequently revise to make friendlier to a broader range of adult learners) but on the content of the Learning Plans and Resources developed for the system.  Learning Plans can be targeted to adults at different skill levels.  It is straightforward to incorporate multilingual and multimedia content, prompts and assessments into Learning Plans.

   

  The LW design was based on research about adult learning that indicated that adults with quite low levels of skill can and often do engage in self-directed efforts to improve their basic skills.  But this research did not focus specifically on the self-directed use of online tools, so it is important to wait for the experience of our pilot sites with a range of learners before answering the question.  We hope the integrated help systems we have built into LW (including telephone based helpers) will scaffold its use by low-skilled adults so that a broader skill range of adults may be able to use the system than if they had to do it totally on their own.  We plan to use videos, podcasts and other multimedia to provide initial orientation to users.  A simple Learning Plan is being developed that will teach users how to use the system.

   

  Several questions asked about specific features of the LW system and how they relate to features of web-based classroom platforms such as Moodle, WiZiQ, etc.  Although there are some overlaps between LW and other such systems, and indeed LW could be used as just a platform for an online course, it is really designed for supporting a range of self-study and blended learning models, working hand-in-hand with and coordinating collaboration among community resources, programs and services to support learners.  LW can also be used to add functionality and enhance other online products; for example, a Learning Plan could wrap around an online product and add telephone-based volunteers who help learners working with the other online product.  Another example: using telephone-based volunteers as conversation partners in an ESOL Learning Plan.  We see the LW as enhancing and supplementing rather than replacing live teachers and classroom interaction.  Tutors - either online or face-to-face - have roles in LW and where available are easily integrated into Learning Plans.  Relatively little social networking functionality is built directly into LW but it is straightforward to add social networking sites/software as Resources in Learning Plans.  

   

  Assessment of progress in LW is measured directly in terms of learners' completion of key steps and goals within particular Learning Plans.  Learning Plans may be designed so that the completion of some steps is determined by learners themselves, whereas other steps require a teacher or tutor using the LW to determine whether the step is completed by looking at an assessment or assignment submitted by the learner.  Steps have workspace items associated with them, which may be automatically scored tests or assessments or assignments that must be graded by a teacher or other LW user who views the learner's work.  If programs negotiate proxy hour equivalents with their states for completion of key steps or goals in a Learning Plan, those equivalents can be directly entered into the Learning Plan design and automatically reported for NRS purposes.

   

  We'll stop here.  We weren't able to respond here to all of the questions initially posed, but I'm sure they'll come up as we continue the discussion this week.  We're looking forward to it.

   

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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  Special Topics mailing list
  SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
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From katherine.gotthardt at gmail.com  Sun Nov  2 17:26:49 2008
From: katherine.gotthardt at gmail.com (Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt)
Date: Sun, 2 Nov 2008 17:26:49 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1078] Re: New Designs in Online and Distance
	Learning -- your questions
In-Reply-To: <6A0E8C72-84D4-49E8-B590-55F38EDFEF4F@theworld.com>
References: <62DE7D26-C202-4DC1-9EC7-A6B2D0BE549C@theworld.com>
	<6A0E8C72-84D4-49E8-B590-55F38EDFEF4F@theworld.com>
Message-ID: <ac3a53cd0811021426l638a897oe73bcbf1d06fa56c@mail.gmail.com>

Hi David--
1.  It looks like these programs will be open source.  How do they differ
from other programs that are NOT open source?  For example, I worked with a
program called Project Connect which provided lessons in English language,
culture and civics.  Schools using the program must purchase a license.
Hence, the program is run through the school where there are designated
contacts who can also meet with students and provide a certain amount of
tech support. Are these programs similar?  If so, has there been any
feedback from subscription-only program providers?

2.  Are these programs meant to be used in tandem with live courses?  My
experience has been that pure distance education programs do not adequately
serve this community for a variety of reasons, including technological
barriers, students' inability to communicate problems, feelings of being
overwhelmed or intimidated, etc.
Thank you!  I look forward to the discussion and appreciate the reminder to
ask questions early!
On Sun, Nov 2, 2008 at 11:06 AM, David Rosen <DJRosen at theworld.com> wrote:

> Colleagues,
> As several people have recently signed up for the upcoming discussion
> here, *New Designs in Online and Distance Learning,* and since so far I
> have only received one question,  I would like to repeat my request for your
> questions for our guests:
>
> *What questions would you like to ask our guests? *
>
> Please look at the brief descriptions of the two models that you will see
> in my previous email message, included below. The federally-funded *USA
> Learns* will have a national launch in a few days, before our discussion
> begins. We'll have an announcement here of the web site so you can look at
> it if you like.  The *Learner Web* is a federally-funded demonstration
> project, available only for field testing in several selected regions around
> the country in Oregon, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New
> Jersey and Washington, D.C. More information about the *Learner Web*,
> including two screen capture videos (if you register and log in), will be
> found at http://learnerweb.org
>
> ? What would you like our guests to cover or explain in their descriptions
> of *USA Learns* and the *Learner Web* when we begin the discussion on
> November 17th and 18th?
> ? Do you want to know how *USA Learns* and the *Learner Web* became
> federally-funded projects, what needs or research base they grew from, or
> other things about their history and development?
> ? Do you want to know how they differ from other online adult basic
> education and English language learning models? If so, which kinds: online
> courses, online course management systems, wikis, portals, or something
> else?
> ? If you are thinking about using either *USA Learns* or the *Learner Web
> *with your students, what is the situation you are hoping it will address?
> What group(s) of students, at what level(s) with what needs?  What questions
> do you have about the model's usefulness for that situation?
>
> Think about why you have subscribed to the Special Topics discussion forum
> (or stayed subscribed) for this discussion, what *you* want to get from
> it. Frame a question or questions that will help our guests address your
> interest or need. You can send your questions by just replying to this
> message or by emailing them directly to me at djrosen at theworld.com. I will
> share the questions with our guests before the discussion begins, and
> the questions will be posted on or after November 17th. Of course more
> questions, observations, and dialogue will be welcome during the week of the
> discussion.
>
> Finally, it's not too late for your colleagues to join this discussion. To
> subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:
>  http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
> One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can stay
> subscribed for the next discussion.
>
>  David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> DJRosen at theworld.com
>
>
>
>   On Oct 29, 2008, at 9:38 PM, David Rosen wrote:
>
>   Special Topics Discussion Colleagues,
>
> On November 17th we will begin a discussion of USA Learns and of
> the Learner Web. You will find the description for this discussion below.
> Judging by the number of new subscribers, this is a high-interest topic!
> Now is the time to think about why you have subscribed:
>
> What questions would you like to ask our guests?
>
> Although your questions will not be posted until the discussion begins,
> I would like to share them with our guests in advance.  Of course,
> questions, comments, and dialogue, will also be welcome during the
> discussion.
>
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at theworld.com
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> New Designs in Online and Distance Learning is a National Institute
> for Literacy Special Topics discussion that will be held from
> November 17th through November 21st, 2008. It will focus on two new
> adult education models: a national learning portal for English
> language learning at a distance, called USA Learns, and a web-based
> and telephone-based learning support system, called the Learner Web,
> for ABE, ASE and ELL students enrolled in classes to supplement their
> learning, as well as for those who study on their own. We have four
> distinguished guests, researchers as well as product developers, who
> will describe these two models and answer questions.
>
> For USA Learns, our guests are John Fleischman and Dr. Jerome (Jere)
> Johnston. For the Learner Web our guests are Dr. Stephen Reder and
> Dr. Clare Strawn. You will find more information about them below.
>
> Please forward this announcement to your colleagues who may be
> interested in subscribing!
>
> To subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:
>
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
>
> One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can
> stay subscribed for the next discussion.
>
> Description of the models
>
> The Learner Web is a learning support system providing structure and
> resources for adults who want to accomplish specific learning
> objectives. A learner can access the system through the Internet. In
> addition to on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates support
> services from existing local education programs, community based
> organizations, tutors, and telephone helpers. The Learner Web
> consists of a Web-based software system that is implemented
> regionally. The System is organized around Learning Plans. A Learning
> Plan is a set of steps structured around achieving an identified
> goal. For example, if the goal is to get a GED, the steps might
> include finding out more about the tests, identifying what skills one
> needs to brush up on, learning new skills and knowledge, taking
> practice tests, etc. Each step is matched with online and community
> based resources and a workspace where learners can take assessments
> or save their work in an e-portfolio. The learner creates a personal
> profile, may take a short reading assessment and interest inventory,
> chooses a goal from the available list and follows the Learning Plan
> independently or with a tutor or a teacher. The Learning Plan is
> dynamically matched by the software to both the learner profile and
> educational resources. The learner's progress is saved and can be
> returned to at any time via the internet. Learners can choose to
> share their workspace with a tutor or teacher.
>
> The Learner Web has begun the second year of a three-year
> demonstration project in seven demonstration regions across the country.
>
> U.S.A. Learns is a free Web site designed for adult learners with
> limited English language skills. Instructional content focuses on
> the language and literacy skills that adults need for everyday
> survival. While a broad range of adults can use U.S.A. Learns, it
> has been developed primarily for immigrants who cannot attend
> traditional classroom programs because of difficulty with schedules,
> transportation, or other barriers. The site includes more than 400
> hours of instruction and offers an extensive array of video, audio
> and richly illustrated graphics and images. The site layout was
> created with the inexperienced Web user in mind, and extensive built-
> in help features are available. U.S.A. Learns can be used
> independently, but it can also be used in association with a teacher
> or tutor via an online management system.
>
>
> Background on Discussion Guests
>
> John Fleischman
>
> With more than 25 years of experience in adult education as a
> teacher, administrator and project director, John Fleischman is
> currently responsible for information and educational technology
> operations at the Sacramento County Office of Education. John
> possesses an extensive background with creating and implementing
> instructional and informational media for use in a variety of
> educational environments. His present area of focus is on building
> Web-based solutions for education, including data management systems
> and comprehensive online learning resources. Working at the state
> and national level, he provides oversight for a range of technology
> initiatives including the Outreach and Technology Assistance Network
> (www.otan.us) and Strengthening Programs Through Technology
> (www.adultedonline.org). John is the author of numerous publications
> and is frequently requested as a presenter at both state and national
> conferences.
>
> Jerome (Jere) Johnston is Research Professor at the University of
> Michigan's Institute for Social Research. For 40 years he has been
> studying ways that technology shapes what people learn. In recent
> years Dr. Johnston has been exploring innovative ways to use
> technology in adult literacy. He directs the Project IDEAL Support
> Center, supporting 25 states in their efforts to build distance
> learning programs for adult learners. The Center provides technical
> assistance to states in the areas of training, research, and policy
> development (projectideal.org).
>
> Stephen Reder is University Professor and Chair of the Department of
> Applied Linguistics at Portland State University. His research and
> teaching interests focus on adult education and the processes of
> literacy and language development during adulthood. Dr. Reder has
> served as the Principal Investigator for a number of major projects
> in adult education. Two recent projects, the Longitudinal Study of
> Adult Learning and the National Labsite for Adult ESOL, examine the
> ways adults acquire new literacy and language abilities and the roles
> which adult education programs and policies play in supporting that
> development. The results of this research have led to the
> development of the Learner Web, an innovative online adult learning
> support system. Professor Reder is the author of numerous
> publications about his research and its implications for adult
> education and adult literacy and language development. He has
> recently completed co-editing a volume with John Bynner, Tracking
> Adult Literacy and Numeracy Skills: Findings from Longitudinal
> Research. A second book is in progress, Dropping Out and Moving On:
> Life, Literacy and Development among High School Dropouts. Dr. Reder
> actively works with networks of adult education researchers,
> practitioners and policymakers at the state, regional and national
> levels.
>
> Clare Strawn is Assistant Professor at Portland State University,
> Portland, Oregon, and has been an analyst on the Longitudinal Study
> of Adult Learning. She is interested in patterns of program
> participation, the intersection of learning and community
> development, social capital influences on learning strategies, and
> technology. She has been a co-developer, with Steve Reder of the
> Learner Web and has been actively involved in the demonstration project.
>
>
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
>  DJRosen at theworld.com
>
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to djrosen1 at gmail.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to katherine.gotthardt at gmail.com
>

-- 
Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt
www.LuxuriousChoices.net
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From belinda.omenitsch at dc.gov  Sun Nov  2 18:55:22 2008
From: belinda.omenitsch at dc.gov (Omenitsch, Belinda (ES))
Date: Sun, 2 Nov 2008 18:55:22 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1079] Re: New Designs in Online and Distance
	Learning --your questions
References: <62DE7D26-C202-4DC1-9EC7-A6B2D0BE549C@theworld.com>
	<6A0E8C72-84D4-49E8-B590-55F38EDFEF4F@theworld.com>
Message-ID: <6F05F6E90C3F59488414B4E8E64564CA098E84@dcps-exch2k3-14.hq.dc_schools.k12.dc.us>

Hi,
I would like to know how I could get the information to the parents of the students at school?  I am at an elementary school in DC and I am sure that we have parents who could benefit from this.  Is this program set up for the individual or is it based on a model to augment formal programs?  If it is available for the individual then I might be able to arrange for parents to take the course during the school day at our school.
Thanks.
Belinda Omenitsch

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David Rosen
Sent: Sun 11/2/2008 11:06 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1073] New Designs in Online and Distance Learning --your questions

Colleagues, 

As several people have recently signed up for the upcoming discussion here, New Designs in Online and Distance Learning, and since so far I have only received one question,  I would like to repeat my request for your questions for our guests:

What questions would you like to ask our guests? 

Please look at the brief descriptions of the two models that you will see in my previous email message, included below. The federally-funded USA Learns will have a national launch in a few days, before our discussion begins. We'll have an announcement here of the web site so you can look at it if you like.  The Learner Web is a federally-funded demonstration project, available only for field testing in several selected regions around the country in Oregon, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and Washington, D.C. More information about the Learner Web, including two screen capture videos (if you register and log in), will be found at http://learnerweb.org <http://learnerweb.org/> 

* What would you like our guests to cover or explain in their descriptions of USA Learns and the Learner Web when we begin the discussion on November 17th and 18th?
* Do you want to know how USA Learns and the Learner Web became federally-funded projects, what needs or research base they grew from, or other things about their history and development?
* Do you want to know how they differ from other online adult basic education and English language learning models? If so, which kinds: online courses, online course management systems, wikis, portals, or something else? 
* If you are thinking about using either USA Learns or the Learner Web with your students, what is the situation you are hoping it will address? What group(s) of students, at what level(s) with what needs?  What questions do you have about the model's usefulness for that situation?

Think about why you have subscribed to the Special Topics discussion forum (or stayed subscribed) for this discussion, what you want to get from it. Frame a question or questions that will help our guests address your interest or need. You can send your questions by just replying to this message or by emailing them directly to me at djrosen at theworld.com. I will share the questions with our guests before the discussion begins, and the questions will be posted on or after November 17th. Of course more questions, observations, and dialogue will be welcome during the week of the discussion.

Finally, it's not too late for your colleagues to join this discussion. To subscribe to the discussion, one can go to: 
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can stay subscribed for the next discussion.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
DJRosen at theworld.com

On Oct 29, 2008, at 9:38 PM, David Rosen wrote:

	Special Topics Discussion Colleagues,

	On November 17th we will begin a discussion of USA Learns and of 
	the Learner Web. You will find the description for this discussion below. 
	Judging by the number of new subscribers, this is a high-interest topic!
	Now is the time to think about why you have subscribed: 

	What questions would you like to ask our guests? 

	Although your questions will not be posted until the discussion begins, 
	I would like to share them with our guests in advance.  Of course, 
	questions, comments, and dialogue, will also be welcome during the 
	discussion.

	David J. Rosen
	Special Topics Discussion Moderator
	djrosen at theworld.com

	--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	New Designs in Online and Distance Learning is a National Institute
	for Literacy Special Topics discussion that will be held from
	November 17th through November 21st, 2008. It will focus on two new
	adult education models: a national learning portal for English
	language learning at a distance, called USA Learns, and a web-based
	and telephone-based learning support system, called the Learner Web,
	for ABE, ASE and ELL students enrolled in classes to supplement their
	learning, as well as for those who study on their own. We have four
	distinguished guests, researchers as well as product developers, who
	will describe these two models and answer questions.

	For USA Learns, our guests are John Fleischman and Dr. Jerome (Jere)
	Johnston. For the Learner Web our guests are Dr. Stephen Reder and
	Dr. Clare Strawn. You will find more information about them below.

	Please forward this announcement to your colleagues who may be
	interested in subscribing!

	To subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:

	http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics

	One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can
	stay subscribed for the next discussion.

	Description of the models

	The Learner Web is a learning support system providing structure and
	resources for adults who want to accomplish specific learning
	objectives. A learner can access the system through the Internet. In
	addition to on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates support
	services from existing local education programs, community based
	organizations, tutors, and telephone helpers. The Learner Web
	consists of a Web-based software system that is implemented
	regionally. The System is organized around Learning Plans. A Learning
	Plan is a set of steps structured around achieving an identified
	goal. For example, if the goal is to get a GED, the steps might
	include finding out more about the tests, identifying what skills one
	needs to brush up on, learning new skills and knowledge, taking
	practice tests, etc. Each step is matched with online and community
	based resources and a workspace where learners can take assessments
	or save their work in an e-portfolio. The learner creates a personal
	profile, may take a short reading assessment and interest inventory,
	chooses a goal from the available list and follows the Learning Plan
	independently or with a tutor or a teacher. The Learning Plan is
	dynamically matched by the software to both the learner profile and
	educational resources. The learner's progress is saved and can be
	returned to at any time via the internet. Learners can choose to
	share their workspace with a tutor or teacher.

	The Learner Web has begun the second year of a three-year
	demonstration project in seven demonstration regions across the country.

	U.S.A. Learns is a free Web site designed for adult learners with
	limited English language skills. Instructional content focuses on
	the language and literacy skills that adults need for everyday
	survival. While a broad range of adults can use U.S.A. Learns, it
	has been developed primarily for immigrants who cannot attend
	traditional classroom programs because of difficulty with schedules,
	transportation, or other barriers. The site includes more than 400
	hours of instruction and offers an extensive array of video, audio
	and richly illustrated graphics and images. The site layout was
	created with the inexperienced Web user in mind, and extensive built-
	in help features are available. U.S.A. Learns can be used
	independently, but it can also be used in association with a teacher
	or tutor via an online management system.

	Background on Discussion Guests

	John Fleischman

	With more than 25 years of experience in adult education as a
	teacher, administrator and project director, John Fleischman is
	currently responsible for information and educational technology
	operations at the Sacramento County Office of Education. John
	possesses an extensive background with creating and implementing
	instructional and informational media for use in a variety of
	educational environments. His present area of focus is on building
	Web-based solutions for education, including data management systems
	and comprehensive online learning resources. Working at the state
	and national level, he provides oversight for a range of technology
	initiatives including the Outreach and Technology Assistance Network
	(www.otan.us <http://www.otan.us/> ) and Strengthening Programs Through Technology
	(www.adultedonline.org <http://www.adultedonline.org/> ). John is the author of numerous publications
	and is frequently requested as a presenter at both state and national
	conferences.

	Jerome (Jere) Johnston is Research Professor at the University of
	Michigan's Institute for Social Research. For 40 years he has been
	studying ways that technology shapes what people learn. In recent
	years Dr. Johnston has been exploring innovative ways to use
	technology in adult literacy. He directs the Project IDEAL Support
	Center, supporting 25 states in their efforts to build distance
	learning programs for adult learners. The Center provides technical
	assistance to states in the areas of training, research, and policy
	development (projectideal.org).

	Stephen Reder is University Professor and Chair of the Department of
	Applied Linguistics at Portland State University. His research and
	teaching interests focus on adult education and the processes of
	literacy and language development during adulthood. Dr. Reder has
	served as the Principal Investigator for a number of major projects
	in adult education. Two recent projects, the Longitudinal Study of
	Adult Learning and the National Labsite for Adult ESOL, examine the
	ways adults acquire new literacy and language abilities and the roles
	which adult education programs and policies play in supporting that
	development. The results of this research have led to the
	development of the Learner Web, an innovative online adult learning
	support system. Professor Reder is the author of numerous
	publications about his research and its implications for adult
	education and adult literacy and language development. He has
	recently completed co-editing a volume with John Bynner, Tracking
	Adult Literacy and Numeracy Skills: Findings from Longitudinal
	Research. A second book is in progress, Dropping Out and Moving On:
	Life, Literacy and Development among High School Dropouts. Dr. Reder
	actively works with networks of adult education researchers,
	practitioners and policymakers at the state, regional and national
	levels.

	Clare Strawn is Assistant Professor at Portland State University,
	Portland, Oregon, and has been an analyst on the Longitudinal Study
	of Adult Learning. She is interested in patterns of program
	participation, the intersection of learning and community
	development, social capital influences on learning strategies, and
	technology. She has been a co-developer, with Steve Reder of the
	Learner Web and has been actively involved in the demonstration project.

	David J. Rosen
	Special Topics Discussion Moderator
	DJRosen at theworld.com

	-------------------------------
	National Institute for Literacy
	Special Topics mailing list
	SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
	To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
	Email delivered to djrosen1 at gmail.com

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From dingram at Appalachiantech.edu  Mon Nov 17 09:37:20 2008
From: dingram at Appalachiantech.edu (Diane Ingram)
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 09:37:20 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1080] Re: initial response to questions about
	Learner Web
In-Reply-To: <00d801c94859$8f587cc0$5074fc83@PSU.DS.PDX.EDU>
Message-ID: <0F29A6ADD54029428A60D3E865123205034BE962@mail.Appalachiantech.edu>

The website mentions "650 resources' currently in the LW database.  What
are some of these resources, and can you give a scenario of how they
might be used?

 

Thanks,

Diane

 

Diane Ingram

Executive Director of Adult Education

Appalachian Technical College

100 Campus Drive

Jasper, GA 30143

706-253-4544

dingram at AppalachianTech.edu

 

A Unit of the Technical College System of Georgia

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Steve Reder
Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2008 9:10 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1076] initial response to questions about
Learner Web

 

Hello, everyone.  We're delighted to have this opportunity to discuss
the Learner Web this week and to answer questions you have.  And,
indeed, you've already posed some excellent questions.  Before turning
to specific questions, however, let's briefly review what the Learner
Web is, as it's quite different in intent from other online or distance
learning systems.  

 

The Learner Web is a learning support system intended to help adults
reach important learning goals they may have, such as obtaining a GED,
improving their English, transitioning to college, preparing for a
particular career, etc.  A learner can access the system through the
Internet. In addition to on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates
support services from existing local education programs, community based
organizations, tutors, and telephone helpers. The Learner Web consists
of a Web-based software system that is implemented regionally. The
System is organized around Learning Plans. A Learning Plan is a set of
steps structured around achieving an identified goal. For example, if
the goal is to get a GED, the steps might include finding out more about
the tests, identifying what skills one needs to brush up on, learning
new skills and knowledge, taking practice tests, etc. Each step is
matched with online and community based resources and a workspace where
Learners can take assessments or save their work in an e-portfolio. The
Learner creates a personal profile, may take a short reading assessment
and interest inventory, chooses a goal from the available list and
follows the learning plan independently or with a tutor or a teacher.
The Learning Plan is dynamically matched by the software to both the
learner profile and educational resources. The Learner's progress is
saved and can be returned to at any time via the internet. Learners can
choose to share their workspace with a tutor or teacher. 

 

The Learner Web is being demonstrated in a number of sites across the
country over the next two years.  We plan to use the experiences of the
local communities and organizations involved in the demonstration to
help us design a sustainable national rollout starting in the fall of
2010.  It may be possible for interested programs, organization or
communities to join the project and begin using the Learner Web before
that time.  At the moment, there are Learner Web implementations is
Portland OR, St. Paul MN, Boston MA, Providence RI, Westchester NY,
Union County NJ and Washington DC.  

 

Now for some of your questions.  A couple people asked if LW could be
used by free-standing adult learners, that is, by adults who are not
enrolled in formal programs.  The answer to that depends on the Region
implementing it.  During our demonstration project, some of our Regions
are limiting its use initially during the piloting period to students in
their classes.  Other regions are allowing learners to create their own
accounts and use the system independently.  Once Learners have accounts,
they log in to the system, select their goals, and start working on
related Learning Plans (which provide assessments and appropriate
placements into Learning Plans).

 

Several questions asked about the reading, math, and computer skill
levels required to use the system.  We will have good answers to those
questions after we complete the piloting period currently underway.  For
now, I would say that we've seen adults with little previous education
or native language literacy struggle with the navigation within LW,
while other adult students find it relatively easy to use.  The
difficulty experienced depends not just on the Learner Web software
itself (which we frequently revise to make friendlier to a broader range
of adult learners) but on the content of the Learning Plans and
Resources developed for the system.  Learning Plans can be targeted to
adults at different skill levels.  It is straightforward to incorporate
multilingual and multimedia content, prompts and assessments into
Learning Plans.

 

The LW design was based on research about adult learning that indicated
that adults with quite low levels of skill can and often do engage in
self-directed efforts to improve their basic skills.  But this research
did not focus specifically on the self-directed use of online tools, so
it is important to wait for the experience of our pilot sites with a
range of learners before answering the question.  We hope the integrated
help systems we have built into LW (including telephone based helpers)
will scaffold its use by low-skilled adults so that a broader skill
range of adults may be able to use the system than if they had to do it
totally on their own.  We plan to use videos, podcasts and other
multimedia to provide initial orientation to users.  A simple Learning
Plan is being developed that will teach users how to use the system.

 

Several questions asked about specific features of the LW system and how
they relate to features of web-based classroom platforms such as Moodle,
WiZiQ, etc.  Although there are some overlaps between LW and other such
systems, and indeed LW could be used as just a platform for an online
course, it is really designed for supporting a range of self-study and
blended learning models, working hand-in-hand with and coordinating
collaboration among community resources, programs and services to
support learners.  LW can also be used to add functionality and enhance
other online products; for example, a Learning Plan could wrap around an
online product and add telephone-based volunteers who help learners
working with the other online product.  Another example: using
telephone-based volunteers as conversation partners in an ESOL Learning
Plan.  We see the LW as enhancing and supplementing rather than
replacing live teachers and classroom interaction.  Tutors - either
online or face-to-face - have roles in LW and where available are easily
integrated into Learning Plans.  Relatively little social networking
functionality is built directly into LW but it is straightforward to add
social networking sites/software as Resources in Learning Plans.  

 

Assessment of progress in LW is measured directly in terms of learners'
completion of key steps and goals within particular Learning Plans.
Learning Plans may be designed so that the completion of some steps is
determined by learners themselves, whereas other steps require a teacher
or tutor using the LW to determine whether the step is completed by
looking at an assessment or assignment submitted by the learner.  Steps
have workspace items associated with them, which may be automatically
scored tests or assessments or assignments that must be graded by a
teacher or other LW user who views the learner's work.  If programs
negotiate proxy hour equivalents with their states for completion of key
steps or goals in a Learning Plan, those equivalents can be directly
entered into the Learning Plan design and automatically reported for NRS
purposes.

 

We'll stop here.  We weren't able to respond here to all of the
questions initially posed, but I'm sure they'll come up as we continue
the discussion this week.  We're looking forward to it.

 

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From gbundy at rmi.net  Sun Nov  2 20:39:00 2008
From: gbundy at rmi.net (Gail B)
Date: Sun, 2 Nov 2008 18:39:00 -0700 (GMT-07:00)
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1081] Re: New Designs in Online and Distance
 Learning --	your questions
Message-ID: <28338770.1225676340771.JavaMail.root@elwamui-chisos.atl.sa.earthlink.net>

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From kgianninoto at msde.state.md.us  Mon Nov  3 09:25:11 2008
From: kgianninoto at msde.state.md.us (Karen Gianninoto)
Date: Mon, 3 Nov 2008 09:25:11 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1082] Re: New Designs in Online and Distance
	Learning --your questions
References: <62DE7D26-C202-4DC1-9EC7-A6B2D0BE549C@theworld.com>
	<6A0E8C72-84D4-49E8-B590-55F38EDFEF4F@theworld.com>
Message-ID: <2433CF3169B9054193EB844AC38230CC06D5021A@msebex1.msde.net>

Good Morning,
 
I would like to know how the tool can be used with low level ESL and ABE learners and is this tool better suited for instructors, or intake/assessment specialists? (This is the person who provides orientation, gives the assessments, refers students to other resources, and tracks learner progress.  Is the tool feasible to use with large numbers of learners? (those programs over 1000.)
 
In addition, I would like to know more about how state standards and local curriculum can be used/integrated with this program.
 
Thanks,
 
Karen Lisch Gianninoto
Professional Development Specialist 
MSDE
200 W. Baltimore St. 
Baltimore, MD
410-767-4150
410-479-4542
410-924-1529

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David Rosen
Sent: Sun 11/2/2008 11:06 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1073] New Designs in Online and Distance Learning --your questions

Colleagues, 

As several people have recently signed up for the upcoming discussion here, New Designs in Online and Distance Learning, and since so far I have only received one question,  I would like to repeat my request for your questions for our guests:

What questions would you like to ask our guests? 

Please look at the brief descriptions of the two models that you will see in my previous email message, included below. The federally-funded USA Learns will have a national launch in a few days, before our discussion begins. We'll have an announcement here of the web site so you can look at it if you like.  The Learner Web is a federally-funded demonstration project, available only for field testing in several selected regions around the country in Oregon, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and Washington, D.C. More information about the Learner Web, including two screen capture videos (if you register and log in), will be found at http://learnerweb.org <http://learnerweb.org/> 

* What would you like our guests to cover or explain in their descriptions of USA Learns and the Learner Web when we begin the discussion on November 17th and 18th?
* Do you want to know how USA Learns and the Learner Web became federally-funded projects, what needs or research base they grew from, or other things about their history and development?
* Do you want to know how they differ from other online adult basic education and English language learning models? If so, which kinds: online courses, online course management systems, wikis, portals, or something else? 
* If you are thinking about using either USA Learns or the Learner Web with your students, what is the situation you are hoping it will address? What group(s) of students, at what level(s) with what needs?  What questions do you have about the model's usefulness for that situation?

Think about why you have subscribed to the Special Topics discussion forum (or stayed subscribed) for this discussion, what you want to get from it. Frame a question or questions that will help our guests address your interest or need. You can send your questions by just replying to this message or by emailing them directly to me at djrosen at theworld.com. I will share the questions with our guests before the discussion begins, and the questions will be posted on or after November 17th. Of course more questions, observations, and dialogue will be welcome during the week of the discussion.

Finally, it's not too late for your colleagues to join this discussion. To subscribe to the discussion, one can go to: 
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can stay subscribed for the next discussion.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
DJRosen at theworld.com

On Oct 29, 2008, at 9:38 PM, David Rosen wrote:

	Special Topics Discussion Colleagues,

	On November 17th we will begin a discussion of USA Learns and of 
	the Learner Web. You will find the description for this discussion below. 
	Judging by the number of new subscribers, this is a high-interest topic!
	Now is the time to think about why you have subscribed: 

	What questions would you like to ask our guests? 

	Although your questions will not be posted until the discussion begins, 
	I would like to share them with our guests in advance.  Of course, 
	questions, comments, and dialogue, will also be welcome during the 
	discussion.

	David J. Rosen
	Special Topics Discussion Moderator
	djrosen at theworld.com

	--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	New Designs in Online and Distance Learning is a National Institute
	for Literacy Special Topics discussion that will be held from
	November 17th through November 21st, 2008. It will focus on two new
	adult education models: a national learning portal for English
	language learning at a distance, called USA Learns, and a web-based
	and telephone-based learning support system, called the Learner Web,
	for ABE, ASE and ELL students enrolled in classes to supplement their
	learning, as well as for those who study on their own. We have four
	distinguished guests, researchers as well as product developers, who
	will describe these two models and answer questions.

	For USA Learns, our guests are John Fleischman and Dr. Jerome (Jere)
	Johnston. For the Learner Web our guests are Dr. Stephen Reder and
	Dr. Clare Strawn. You will find more information about them below.

	Please forward this announcement to your colleagues who may be
	interested in subscribing!

	To subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:

	http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics

	One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can
	stay subscribed for the next discussion.

	Description of the models

	The Learner Web is a learning support system providing structure and
	resources for adults who want to accomplish specific learning
	objectives. A learner can access the system through the Internet. In
	addition to on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates support
	services from existing local education programs, community based
	organizations, tutors, and telephone helpers. The Learner Web
	consists of a Web-based software system that is implemented
	regionally. The System is organized around Learning Plans. A Learning
	Plan is a set of steps structured around achieving an identified
	goal. For example, if the goal is to get a GED, the steps might
	include finding out more about the tests, identifying what skills one
	needs to brush up on, learning new skills and knowledge, taking
	practice tests, etc. Each step is matched with online and community
	based resources and a workspace where learners can take assessments
	or save their work in an e-portfolio. The learner creates a personal
	profile, may take a short reading assessment and interest inventory,
	chooses a goal from the available list and follows the Learning Plan
	independently or with a tutor or a teacher. The Learning Plan is
	dynamically matched by the software to both the learner profile and
	educational resources. The learner's progress is saved and can be
	returned to at any time via the internet. Learners can choose to
	share their workspace with a tutor or teacher.

	The Learner Web has begun the second year of a three-year
	demonstration project in seven demonstration regions across the country.

	U.S.A. Learns is a free Web site designed for adult learners with
	limited English language skills. Instructional content focuses on
	the language and literacy skills that adults need for everyday
	survival. While a broad range of adults can use U.S.A. Learns, it
	has been developed primarily for immigrants who cannot attend
	traditional classroom programs because of difficulty with schedules,
	transportation, or other barriers. The site includes more than 400
	hours of instruction and offers an extensive array of video, audio
	and richly illustrated graphics and images. The site layout was
	created with the inexperienced Web user in mind, and extensive built-
	in help features are available. U.S.A. Learns can be used
	independently, but it can also be used in association with a teacher
	or tutor via an online management system.

	Background on Discussion Guests

	John Fleischman

	With more than 25 years of experience in adult education as a
	teacher, administrator and project director, John Fleischman is
	currently responsible for information and educational technology
	operations at the Sacramento County Office of Education. John
	possesses an extensive background with creating and implementing
	instructional and informational media for use in a variety of
	educational environments. His present area of focus is on building
	Web-based solutions for education, including data management systems
	and comprehensive online learning resources. Working at the state
	and national level, he provides oversight for a range of technology
	initiatives including the Outreach and Technology Assistance Network
	(www.otan.us <http://www.otan.us/> ) and Strengthening Programs Through Technology
	(www.adultedonline.org <http://www.adultedonline.org/> ). John is the author of numerous publications
	and is frequently requested as a presenter at both state and national
	conferences.

	Jerome (Jere) Johnston is Research Professor at the University of
	Michigan's Institute for Social Research. For 40 years he has been
	studying ways that technology shapes what people learn. In recent
	years Dr. Johnston has been exploring innovative ways to use
	technology in adult literacy. He directs the Project IDEAL Support
	Center, supporting 25 states in their efforts to build distance
	learning programs for adult learners. The Center provides technical
	assistance to states in the areas of training, research, and policy
	development (projectideal.org).

	Stephen Reder is University Professor and Chair of the Department of
	Applied Linguistics at Portland State University. His research and
	teaching interests focus on adult education and the processes of
	literacy and language development during adulthood. Dr. Reder has
	served as the Principal Investigator for a number of major projects
	in adult education. Two recent projects, the Longitudinal Study of
	Adult Learning and the National Labsite for Adult ESOL, examine the
	ways adults acquire new literacy and language abilities and the roles
	which adult education programs and policies play in supporting that
	development. The results of this research have led to the
	development of the Learner Web, an innovative online adult learning
	support system. Professor Reder is the author of numerous
	publications about his research and its implications for adult
	education and adult literacy and language development. He has
	recently completed co-editing a volume with John Bynner, Tracking
	Adult Literacy and Numeracy Skills: Findings from Longitudinal
	Research. A second book is in progress, Dropping Out and Moving On:
	Life, Literacy and Development among High School Dropouts. Dr. Reder
	actively works with networks of adult education researchers,
	practitioners and policymakers at the state, regional and national
	levels.

	Clare Strawn is Assistant Professor at Portland State University,
	Portland, Oregon, and has been an analyst on the Longitudinal Study
	of Adult Learning. She is interested in patterns of program
	participation, the intersection of learning and community
	development, social capital influences on learning strategies, and
	technology. She has been a co-developer, with Steve Reder of the
	Learner Web and has been actively involved in the demonstration project.

	David J. Rosen
	Special Topics Discussion Moderator
	DJRosen at theworld.com

	-------------------------------
	National Institute for Literacy
	Special Topics mailing list
	SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
	To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
	Email delivered to djrosen1 at gmail.com

-------------- next part --------------
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From sdurman at jeffco.k12.co.us  Wed Nov  5 12:31:22 2008
From: sdurman at jeffco.k12.co.us (Durman Sherri L.)
Date: Wed, 5 Nov 2008 10:31:22 -0700
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1083] Re: New Designs in Online and Distance
	Learning --your questions
References: <62DE7D26-C202-4DC1-9EC7-A6B2D0BE549C@theworld.com>
	<6A0E8C72-84D4-49E8-B590-55F38EDFEF4F@theworld.com>
Message-ID: <917DC64C48E557458148F7DFB880C8FE027BBED2@EXCHANGE.jeffco.schools>

Yes, I want to know how they differ from other online adult basic education and English language learning models?  How does this work with adults?  Will you be covering life-skills based topics?
 
Sherri 

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David Rosen
Sent: Sun 11/2/2008 9:06 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1073] New Designs in Online and Distance Learning --your questions

Colleagues, 

As several people have recently signed up for the upcoming discussion here, New Designs in Online and Distance Learning, and since so far I have only received one question,  I would like to repeat my request for your questions for our guests:

What questions would you like to ask our guests? 

Please look at the brief descriptions of the two models that you will see in my previous email message, included below. The federally-funded USA Learns will have a national launch in a few days, before our discussion begins. We'll have an announcement here of the web site so you can look at it if you like.  The Learner Web is a federally-funded demonstration project, available only for field testing in several selected regions around the country in Oregon, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and Washington, D.C. More information about the Learner Web, including two screen capture videos (if you register and log in), will be found at http://learnerweb.org <http://learnerweb.org/> 

* What would you like our guests to cover or explain in their descriptions of USA Learns and the Learner Web when we begin the discussion on November 17th and 18th?
* Do you want to know how USA Learns and the Learner Web became federally-funded projects, what needs or research base they grew from, or other things about their history and development?
* Do you want to know how they differ from other online adult basic education and English language learning models? If so, which kinds: online courses, online course management systems, wikis, portals, or something else? 
* If you are thinking about using either USA Learns or the Learner Web with your students, what is the situation you are hoping it will address? What group(s) of students, at what level(s) with what needs?  What questions do you have about the model's usefulness for that situation?

Think about why you have subscribed to the Special Topics discussion forum (or stayed subscribed) for this discussion, what you want to get from it. Frame a question or questions that will help our guests address your interest or need. You can send your questions by just replying to this message or by emailing them directly to me at djrosen at theworld.com. I will share the questions with our guests before the discussion begins, and the questions will be posted on or after November 17th. Of course more questions, observations, and dialogue will be welcome during the week of the discussion.

Finally, it's not too late for your colleagues to join this discussion. To subscribe to the discussion, one can go to: 
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can stay subscribed for the next discussion.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
DJRosen at theworld.com

On Oct 29, 2008, at 9:38 PM, David Rosen wrote:

	Special Topics Discussion Colleagues,

	On November 17th we will begin a discussion of USA Learns and of 
	the Learner Web. You will find the description for this discussion below. 
	Judging by the number of new subscribers, this is a high-interest topic!
	Now is the time to think about why you have subscribed: 

	What questions would you like to ask our guests? 

	Although your questions will not be posted until the discussion begins, 
	I would like to share them with our guests in advance.  Of course, 
	questions, comments, and dialogue, will also be welcome during the 
	discussion.

	David J. Rosen
	Special Topics Discussion Moderator
	djrosen at theworld.com

	--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	New Designs in Online and Distance Learning is a National Institute
	for Literacy Special Topics discussion that will be held from
	November 17th through November 21st, 2008. It will focus on two new
	adult education models: a national learning portal for English
	language learning at a distance, called USA Learns, and a web-based
	and telephone-based learning support system, called the Learner Web,
	for ABE, ASE and ELL students enrolled in classes to supplement their
	learning, as well as for those who study on their own. We have four
	distinguished guests, researchers as well as product developers, who
	will describe these two models and answer questions.

	For USA Learns, our guests are John Fleischman and Dr. Jerome (Jere)
	Johnston. For the Learner Web our guests are Dr. Stephen Reder and
	Dr. Clare Strawn. You will find more information about them below.

	Please forward this announcement to your colleagues who may be
	interested in subscribing!

	To subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:

	http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics

	One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can
	stay subscribed for the next discussion.

	Description of the models

	The Learner Web is a learning support system providing structure and
	resources for adults who want to accomplish specific learning
	objectives. A learner can access the system through the Internet. In
	addition to on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates support
	services from existing local education programs, community based
	organizations, tutors, and telephone helpers. The Learner Web
	consists of a Web-based software system that is implemented
	regionally. The System is organized around Learning Plans. A Learning
	Plan is a set of steps structured around achieving an identified
	goal. For example, if the goal is to get a GED, the steps might
	include finding out more about the tests, identifying what skills one
	needs to brush up on, learning new skills and knowledge, taking
	practice tests, etc. Each step is matched with online and community
	based resources and a workspace where learners can take assessments
	or save their work in an e-portfolio. The learner creates a personal
	profile, may take a short reading assessment and interest inventory,
	chooses a goal from the available list and follows the Learning Plan
	independently or with a tutor or a teacher. The Learning Plan is
	dynamically matched by the software to both the learner profile and
	educational resources. The learner's progress is saved and can be
	returned to at any time via the internet. Learners can choose to
	share their workspace with a tutor or teacher.

	The Learner Web has begun the second year of a three-year
	demonstration project in seven demonstration regions across the country.

	U.S.A. Learns is a free Web site designed for adult learners with
	limited English language skills. Instructional content focuses on
	the language and literacy skills that adults need for everyday
	survival. While a broad range of adults can use U.S.A. Learns, it
	has been developed primarily for immigrants who cannot attend
	traditional classroom programs because of difficulty with schedules,
	transportation, or other barriers. The site includes more than 400
	hours of instruction and offers an extensive array of video, audio
	and richly illustrated graphics and images. The site layout was
	created with the inexperienced Web user in mind, and extensive built-
	in help features are available. U.S.A. Learns can be used
	independently, but it can also be used in association with a teacher
	or tutor via an online management system.

	Background on Discussion Guests

	John Fleischman

	With more than 25 years of experience in adult education as a
	teacher, administrator and project director, John Fleischman is
	currently responsible for information and educational technology
	operations at the Sacramento County Office of Education. John
	possesses an extensive background with creating and implementing
	instructional and informational media for use in a variety of
	educational environments. His present area of focus is on building
	Web-based solutions for education, including data management systems
	and comprehensive online learning resources. Working at the state
	and national level, he provides oversight for a range of technology
	initiatives including the Outreach and Technology Assistance Network
	(www.otan.us <http://www.otan.us/> ) and Strengthening Programs Through Technology
	(www.adultedonline.org <http://www.adultedonline.org/> ). John is the author of numerous publications
	and is frequently requested as a presenter at both state and national
	conferences.

	Jerome (Jere) Johnston is Research Professor at the University of
	Michigan's Institute for Social Research. For 40 years he has been
	studying ways that technology shapes what people learn. In recent
	years Dr. Johnston has been exploring innovative ways to use
	technology in adult literacy. He directs the Project IDEAL Support
	Center, supporting 25 states in their efforts to build distance
	learning programs for adult learners. The Center provides technical
	assistance to states in the areas of training, research, and policy
	development (projectideal.org).

	Stephen Reder is University Professor and Chair of the Department of
	Applied Linguistics at Portland State University. His research and
	teaching interests focus on adult education and the processes of
	literacy and language development during adulthood. Dr. Reder has
	served as the Principal Investigator for a number of major projects
	in adult education. Two recent projects, the Longitudinal Study of
	Adult Learning and the National Labsite for Adult ESOL, examine the
	ways adults acquire new literacy and language abilities and the roles
	which adult education programs and policies play in supporting that
	development. The results of this research have led to the
	development of the Learner Web, an innovative online adult learning
	support system. Professor Reder is the author of numerous
	publications about his research and its implications for adult
	education and adult literacy and language development. He has
	recently completed co-editing a volume with John Bynner, Tracking
	Adult Literacy and Numeracy Skills: Findings from Longitudinal
	Research. A second book is in progress, Dropping Out and Moving On:
	Life, Literacy and Development among High School Dropouts. Dr. Reder
	actively works with networks of adult education researchers,
	practitioners and policymakers at the state, regional and national
	levels.

	Clare Strawn is Assistant Professor at Portland State University,
	Portland, Oregon, and has been an analyst on the Longitudinal Study
	of Adult Learning. She is interested in patterns of program
	participation, the intersection of learning and community
	development, social capital influences on learning strategies, and
	technology. She has been a co-developer, with Steve Reder of the
	Learner Web and has been actively involved in the demonstration project.

	David J. Rosen
	Special Topics Discussion Moderator
	DJRosen at theworld.com

	-------------------------------
	National Institute for Literacy
	Special Topics mailing list
	SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
	To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
	Email delivered to djrosen1 at gmail.com

-------------- next part --------------
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From wistarwood at aol.com  Sat Nov  8 23:01:09 2008
From: wistarwood at aol.com (wistarwood at aol.com)
Date: Sat, 08 Nov 2008 23:01:09 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1084] Re: USA Learns Launched Today,
 your questions for our guests
In-Reply-To: <DE6BFF2CCB7943A28CCBC63238784078@A1411>
References: <DE6BFF2CCB7943A28CCBC63238784078@A1411>
Message-ID: <8CB1036EED6C1A8-B70-7CF@webmail-me08.sysops.aol.com>

This is good! Congratulations all around,
Bertie Wood

-----Original Message-----
From: David J. Rosen <DJRosen at theworld.com>
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Sent: Fri, 7 Nov 2008 8:21 am
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1074] USA Learns Launched Today, your questions for our guests

Colleagues,

?

Many of you have sent questions for our guests in?the upcoming discussion of USA Learns and the Learner Web. Thank you. Some of you have commented that you would like to see USA Learns before sending your questions. Now you can. USA Learns launched today. The web address is:

?

http://usalearns.org

?

Our discussion on the special topics discussion list?begins in 10 days, on November 17th.

?

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

DJRosen at theworld.com

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 
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Email delivered to wistarwood at aol.com

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From night-school at usa.net  Mon Nov 17 10:37:56 2008
From: night-school at usa.net (Terri Stone)
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 10:37:56 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1085] Re: initial response to questions
	about	Learner Web
Message-ID: <400mkqPK53904S09.1226936276@cmsweb09.cms.usa.net>

Hello David, Steve, and other participants:  I'd like, at this time, to
request a definition of "proxy hour equivalents" if I could.  Thank you, Terri
Stone, Webster, MA

------ Original Message ------
Received: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 05:29:26 AM EST
From: "David J. Rosen" <DJRosen at theworld.com>
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1077] Re: initial response to questions about	Learner
Web

> Thanks, Steve, for this thorough introduction. Those who would like to see a
screen capture video showing what the Learner Web looks like from a learner or
from an administrator point of view, could go to http://learnerweb.org (Select
"View Demonstration" to request a password to view the video.)
> 
> One series of questions that I am sure many people have concerns telephone
helpers. Who are they, what kinds of help do they provide, how are they
recruited, how often do they do telephone helping, how do they differ from
(face-to-face or online) tutors, and how is the privacy of the learner and the
online helper protected?
> 
> Now would be a good time for others to post their questions about the
Learner Web, too. What would you like to know?
> 
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at theworld.com
> 
> 
> 
> 
>   ----- Original Message ----- 
>   From: Steve Reder 
>   To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
>   Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2008 9:09 PM
>   Subject: [SpecialTopics 1076] initial response to questions about Learner
Web
> 
> 
>   Hello, everyone.  We're delighted to have this opportunity to discuss the
Learner Web this week and to answer questions you have.  And, indeed, you've
already posed some excellent questions.  Before turning to specific questions,
however, let's briefly review what the Learner Web is, as it's quite different
in intent from other online or distance learning systems.  
> 
>    
> 
>   The Learner Web is a learning support system intended to help adults reach
important learning goals they may have, such as obtaining a GED, improving
their English, transitioning to college, preparing for a particular career,
etc.  A learner can access the system through the Internet. In addition to
on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates support services from existing
local education programs, community based organizations, tutors, and telephone
helpers. The Learner Web consists of a Web-based software system that is
implemented regionally. The System is organized around Learning Plans. A
Learning Plan is a set of steps structured around achieving an identified
goal. For example, if the goal is to get a GED, the steps might include
finding out more about the tests, identifying what skills one needs to brush
up on, learning new skills and knowledge, taking practice tests, etc. Each
step is matched with online and community based resources and a workspace
where Learners can take assessments or save their work in an e-portfolio. The
Learner creates a personal profile, may take a short reading assessment and
interest inventory, chooses a goal from the available list and follows the
learning plan independently or with a tutor or a teacher. The Learning Plan is
dynamically matched by the software to both the learner profile and
educational resources. The Learner's progress is saved and can be returned to
at any time via the internet. Learners can choose to share their workspace
with a tutor or teacher. 
> 
>    
> 
>   The Learner Web is being demonstrated in a number of sites across the
country over the next two years.  We plan to use the experiences of the local
communities and organizations involved in the demonstration to help us design
a sustainable national rollout starting in the fall of 2010.  It may be
possible for interested programs, organization or communities to join the
project and begin using the Learner Web before that time.  At the moment,
there are Learner Web implementations is Portland OR, St. Paul MN, Boston MA,
Providence RI, Westchester NY, Union County NJ and Washington DC.  
> 
>    
> 
>   Now for some of your questions.  A couple people asked if LW could be used
by free-standing adult learners, that is, by adults who are not enrolled in
formal programs.  The answer to that depends on the Region implementing it. 
During our demonstration project, some of our Regions are limiting its use
initially during the piloting period to students in their classes.  Other
regions are allowing learners to create their own accounts and use the system
independently.  Once Learners have accounts, they log in to the system, select
their goals, and start working on related Learning Plans (which provide
assessments and appropriate placements into Learning Plans).
> 
>    
> 
>   Several questions asked about the reading, math, and computer skill levels
required to use the system.  We will have good answers to those questions
after we complete the piloting period currently underway.  For now, I would
say that we've seen adults with little previous education or native language
literacy struggle with the navigation within LW, while other adult students
find it relatively easy to use.  The difficulty experienced depends not just
on the Learner Web software itself (which we frequently revise to make
friendlier to a broader range of adult learners) but on the content of the
Learning Plans and Resources developed for the system.  Learning Plans can be
targeted to adults at different skill levels.  It is straightforward to
incorporate multilingual and multimedia content, prompts and assessments into
Learning Plans.
> 
>    
> 
>   The LW design was based on research about adult learning that indicated
that adults with quite low levels of skill can and often do engage in
self-directed efforts to improve their basic skills.  But this research did
not focus specifically on the self-directed use of online tools, so it is
important to wait for the experience of our pilot sites with a range of
learners before answering the question.  We hope the integrated help systems
we have built into LW (including telephone based helpers) will scaffold its
use by low-skilled adults so that a broader skill range of adults may be able
to use the system than if they had to do it totally on their own.  We plan to
use videos, podcasts and other multimedia to provide initial orientation to
users.  A simple Learning Plan is being developed that will teach users how to
use the system.
> 
>    
> 
>   Several questions asked about specific features of the LW system and how
they relate to features of web-based classroom platforms such as Moodle,
WiZiQ, etc.  Although there are some overlaps between LW and other such
systems, and indeed LW could be used as just a platform for an online course,
it is really designed for supporting a range of self-study and blended
learning models, working hand-in-hand with and coordinating collaboration
among community resources, programs and services to support learners.  LW can
also be used to add functionality and enhance other online products; for
example, a Learning Plan could wrap around an online product and add
telephone-based volunteers who help learners working with the other online
product.  Another example: using telephone-based volunteers as conversation
partners in an ESOL Learning Plan.  We see the LW as enhancing and
supplementing rather than replacing live teachers and classroom interaction. 
Tutors - either online or face-to-face - have roles in LW and where available
are easily integrated into Learning Plans.  Relatively little social
networking functionality is built directly into LW but it is straightforward
to add social networking sites/software as Resources in Learning Plans.  
> 
>    
> 
>   Assessment of progress in LW is measured directly in terms of learners'
completion of key steps and goals within particular Learning Plans.  Learning
Plans may be designed so that the completion of some steps is determined by
learners themselves, whereas other steps require a teacher or tutor using the
LW to determine whether the step is completed by looking at an assessment or
assignment submitted by the learner.  Steps have workspace items associated
with them, which may be automatically scored tests or assessments or
assignments that must be graded by a teacher or other LW user who views the
learner's work.  If programs negotiate proxy hour equivalents with their
states for completion of key steps or goals in a Learning Plan, those
equivalents can be directly entered into the Learning Plan design and
automatically reported for NRS purposes.
> 
>    
> 
>   We'll stop here.  We weren't able to respond here to all of the questions
initially posed, but I'm sure they'll come up as we continue the discussion
this week.  We're looking forward to it.
> 
>    
> 
> 
> 
>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> 
>   -------------------------------
>   National Institute for Literacy
>   Special Topics mailing list
>   SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
>   To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
>   Email delivered to djrosen1 at gmail.com

> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to night-school at usa.net

From DJRosen at theworld.com  Mon Nov 17 11:09:47 2008
From: DJRosen at theworld.com (David J. Rosen)
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:09:47 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1086]  Welcome, Your questions,
	and Posting Messages to the Discussion List
Message-ID: <1492CBEBCD3C4FAABFBBC8C6997E1BF5@A1411>

Colleagues,

Welcome to those who have just joined the discussion. You may wish to see the messages which were posted earlier today. They -- and all the discussion posts -- are archived at http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html

Thank you to everyone who has sent questions so far. I have posted those that appear to pertain to the Learner Web and am holding those that appear to be focused on USA Learns until tomorrow. 

There is plenty of opportunity for  more questions and comments. When you send a message to the discussion list, please email it to specialtopics at nifl.gov Please choose for a subject line one that pertains to your question or comment unless it is a reply to a message in the same thread. Please do not attach files as some subscribers cannot open them or read them. Include your text within the body of the message.

I look forward to receiving more of your questions and comments.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at theworld.com

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From mlanen at ndecboston.org  Mon Nov 17 11:23:23 2008
From: mlanen at ndecboston.org (Margaret Lanen)
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:23:23 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1087] Re: New Designs in Online and Distance Learning
In-Reply-To: <B257B8BDB6814546B69BF068E033EC9D@A1411>
References: <B257B8BDB6814546B69BF068E033EC9D@A1411>
Message-ID: <B58A3BE20AB3429EA506E5257C3F2E4B@ndecb.local>

The Learner Web is exciting with all its possibilities. It looks like a very
valuable tool. This would be a great opportunity for independent learners
with basic computer skills. Finding the learner's needs from the student
assessments and developing a learning plan with all the resources to help is
a creative use of technology for education. 

 

 

  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Monday, November 17, 2008 4:37 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1075] New Designs in Online and Distance Learning

 

Special Topics Colleagues,

 

Today we begin a discussion of two new online and distance learning models
specifically designed for adult literacy education, including ESL/ESOL.
They are the Learner Web and USA Learns. Each has much to offer, but they
differ in their design, audiences, and also in their stage of development.
USA  Learns, with core funding from the Office of Vocational and Adult
Education, launched earlier this month (http://usalearns.org) and is a
national adult ESL/ESOL portal. It is available now at no cost to adult
learners everywhere.The Learner Web is beginning its second year of a
three-year, federally-funded demonstration grant from the Institute of
Museum and Library Services. The Learner Web is available now only for
piloting, and only in certain regions of the country.  I am an advisor to
USA Learns, and am a Regional Implementation Advisor for the Learner Web, so
I have had the privilege of watching both projects evolve.

 

We will begin today with a presentation of the Learner Web by Stephen Reder
from Portland State University. He will be joined in the discussion by Clare
Strawn, a co-developer with Steve, of the Learner Web. Clare is also on the
Portland State University faculty. On Tuesday we will have a presentation
about USA Learns by John Fleischman, from the Sacramento (CA) County Office
of Education. John will be joined by Jere Johnston and Leslie Petty, both
from the University of MIchigan.  They will also be joined by Sheryl Adler,
from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Vocational and Adult
Education as there may be questions about the development of USA Learns
which she can best address.

 

I am delighted that our guests -- and you -- can join us for this
discussion. Please feel free to post your questions and comments for our
guests at any time this week.

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

djrosen at theworld.com

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From kathy_borgone at nbps.k12.nj.us  Mon Nov 17 11:34:18 2008
From: kathy_borgone at nbps.k12.nj.us (Kathy Borgone)
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:34:18 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1088]  Logistics
Message-ID: <EC93A6B4D1AD934880019CFDA7DBCD0904CE0A89@nbps-exchange.nbps.k12.nj.us>

Mr. Rosen
 
More a question on logistics for the moment - more content questions later!!!
I am catching bits and pieces of the excellent questions being proposed, but am in the middle of my classes, so was wondering if I will be able to catch up and keep track of all of the info as the week progresses?  I will be trying to jump in there in between classes and will try to view on my own time - but just wanted to make sure I can keep up as my schedule allows?
 
P.S. Was very impressed with my visit to usalearns - can't wait to get some individuals hooked up with this!!!
Thanks
M. Kathy Borgone - Instructor
New Brunswick Public Schools
ADULT LEARNING CENTER
268 Baldwin St. 2nd Fl.
New Brunswick, NJ  08901
(732)745-5300 xt. 4501
kathy_borgone at nbps.k12.nj.us
 

From DJRosen at theworld.com  Mon Nov 17 11:52:45 2008
From: DJRosen at theworld.com (David J. Rosen)
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:52:45 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1089] Re: Logistics
References: <EC93A6B4D1AD934880019CFDA7DBCD0904CE0A89@nbps-exchange.nbps.k12.nj.us>
Message-ID: <A6A7DF67880D4257A6E4336B5C6756E3@A1411>

Kathy and others,

----- Original Message ----- 
>From: "Kathy Borgone" <kathy_borgone at nbps.k12.nj.us>
>am catching bits and pieces of the excellent questions being proposed, but 
>am in the middle >of my classes, so was wondering if I will be able to 
>catch up and keep track of all of the >info as the week progresses?  I will 
>be trying to jump in there in between classes and will try >to view on my 
>own time - but just wanted to make sure I can keep up as my schedule 
> >allows?

Sure -- your questions would be welcome any time this week. The discussion 
doesn't end until Friday.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at theworld.com

From reders at pdx.edu  Mon Nov 17 11:43:57 2008
From: reders at pdx.edu (Steve Reder)
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 08:43:57 -0800
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1090] Re: initial response to questions aboutLearner
	Web
In-Reply-To: <C46DAC81562B4B1F9CBD7B6EAA6E41BF@A1411>
References: <00d801c94859$8f587cc0$5074fc83@PSU.DS.PDX.EDU>
	<C46DAC81562B4B1F9CBD7B6EAA6E41BF@A1411>
Message-ID: <006201c948d3$af7130e0$0502fea9@PSU.DS.PDX.EDU>

Good question, David.  The Learner Web (LW) has a number of user roles.  The
most important, of course, is the Learner.  There are also roles for a
number of assistants - individuals who use the LW to interact with Learners
in ways specified by particular learning plans.  There are various types of
assistants - Teachers, Tutors, Helpers, Counselors.  Helpers are
telephone-based volunteers who are matched to Learner's real-time requests
and connected via a toll-free telephone application that is closely
integrated into LW.  They can provide help with use of the LW software as
well as with particular topics or steps in Learning Plans.  Helpers have
profiles within the LW that indicate the kinds of topics they have
expertise/training to assist with - e.g., math, writing, etc.  When Learners
request help with a special topic, they can be are matched with Helpers
having that expertise who are currently online.  With the Learner's
permission, the Helper can view their screen.  The system connects the
learner and helper in a way that hides the each other's phone number.  One
part of the screen capture demo you mentioned illustrates how this happens.

 

Helper volunteers are recruited, trained and managed by programs,
organizations or coalitions implementing the Learner Web.  We have training
materials available that can be used in training for helper volunteers.
Helpers can work from any phone - whether at home, at work, in a homework
hotline-like calling center, a community-based organization calling center,
etc.  Helpers log in via the phone system and declare their availability for
a certain period of time.  The way the LW maintains confidentiality of the
phone numbers being used makes this very portable.  

 

I hope this answers some of the questions people may have about Helpers.

 

-Steve

 

 

 

 

 

 

  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Monday, November 17, 2008 2:28 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1077] Re: initial response to questions aboutLearner
Web

 

Thanks, Steve, for this thorough introduction. Those who would like to see a
screen capture video showing what the Learner Web looks like from a learner
or from an administrator point of view, could go to http://learnerweb.org
(Select "View Demonstration" to request a password to view the video.)

 

One series of questions that I am sure many people have concerns telephone
helpers. Who are they, what kinds of help do they provide, how are they
recruited, how often do they do telephone helping, how do they differ from
(face-to-face or online) tutors, and how is the privacy of the learner and
the online helper protected?

 

Now would be a good time for others to post their questions about the
Learner Web, too. What would you like to know?

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

djrosen at theworld.com

 

 

 

 

----- Original Message ----- 

From: Steve Reder <mailto:reders at pdx.edu>  

To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 

Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2008 9:09 PM

Subject: [SpecialTopics 1076] initial response to questions about Learner
Web

 

Hello, everyone.  We're delighted to have this opportunity to discuss the
Learner Web this week and to answer questions you have.  And, indeed, you've
already posed some excellent questions.  Before turning to specific
questions, however, let's briefly review what the Learner Web is, as it's
quite different in intent from other online or distance learning systems.  

 

The Learner Web is a learning support system intended to help adults reach
important learning goals they may have, such as obtaining a GED, improving
their English, transitioning to college, preparing for a particular career,
etc.  A learner can access the system through the Internet. In addition to
on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates support services from existing
local education programs, community based organizations, tutors, and
telephone helpers. The Learner Web consists of a Web-based software system
that is implemented regionally. The System is organized around Learning
Plans. A Learning Plan is a set of steps structured around achieving an
identified goal. For example, if the goal is to get a GED, the steps might
include finding out more about the tests, identifying what skills one needs
to brush up on, learning new skills and knowledge, taking practice tests,
etc. Each step is matched with online and community based resources and a
workspace where Learners can take assessments or save their work in an
e-portfolio. The Learner creates a personal profile, may take a short
reading assessment and interest inventory, chooses a goal from the available
list and follows the learning plan independently or with a tutor or a
teacher. The Learning Plan is dynamically matched by the software to both
the learner profile and educational resources. The Learner's progress is
saved and can be returned to at any time via the internet. Learners can
choose to share their workspace with a tutor or teacher. 

 

The Learner Web is being demonstrated in a number of sites across the
country over the next two years.  We plan to use the experiences of the
local communities and organizations involved in the demonstration to help us
design a sustainable national rollout starting in the fall of 2010.  It may
be possible for interested programs, organization or communities to join the
project and begin using the Learner Web before that time.  At the moment,
there are Learner Web implementations is Portland OR, St. Paul MN, Boston
MA, Providence RI, Westchester NY, Union County NJ and Washington DC.  

 

Now for some of your questions.  A couple people asked if LW could be used
by free-standing adult learners, that is, by adults who are not enrolled in
formal programs.  The answer to that depends on the Region implementing it.
During our demonstration project, some of our Regions are limiting its use
initially during the piloting period to students in their classes.  Other
regions are allowing learners to create their own accounts and use the
system independently.  Once Learners have accounts, they log in to the
system, select their goals, and start working on related Learning Plans
(which provide assessments and appropriate placements into Learning Plans).

 

Several questions asked about the reading, math, and computer skill levels
required to use the system.  We will have good answers to those questions
after we complete the piloting period currently underway.  For now, I would
say that we've seen adults with little previous education or native language
literacy struggle with the navigation within LW, while other adult students
find it relatively easy to use.  The difficulty experienced depends not just
on the Learner Web software itself (which we frequently revise to make
friendlier to a broader range of adult learners) but on the content of the
Learning Plans and Resources developed for the system.  Learning Plans can
be targeted to adults at different skill levels.  It is straightforward to
incorporate multilingual and multimedia content, prompts and assessments
into Learning Plans.

 

The LW design was based on research about adult learning that indicated that
adults with quite low levels of skill can and often do engage in
self-directed efforts to improve their basic skills.  But this research did
not focus specifically on the self-directed use of online tools, so it is
important to wait for the experience of our pilot sites with a range of
learners before answering the question.  We hope the integrated help systems
we have built into LW (including telephone based helpers) will scaffold its
use by low-skilled adults so that a broader skill range of adults may be
able to use the system than if they had to do it totally on their own.  We
plan to use videos, podcasts and other multimedia to provide initial
orientation to users.  A simple Learning Plan is being developed that will
teach users how to use the system.

 

Several questions asked about specific features of the LW system and how
they relate to features of web-based classroom platforms such as Moodle,
WiZiQ, etc.  Although there are some overlaps between LW and other such
systems, and indeed LW could be used as just a platform for an online
course, it is really designed for supporting a range of self-study and
blended learning models, working hand-in-hand with and coordinating
collaboration among community resources, programs and services to support
learners.  LW can also be used to add functionality and enhance other online
products; for example, a Learning Plan could wrap around an online product
and add telephone-based volunteers who help learners working with the other
online product.  Another example: using telephone-based volunteers as
conversation partners in an ESOL Learning Plan.  We see the LW as enhancing
and supplementing rather than replacing live teachers and classroom
interaction.  Tutors - either online or face-to-face - have roles in LW and
where available are easily integrated into Learning Plans.  Relatively
little social networking functionality is built directly into LW but it is
straightforward to add social networking sites/software as Resources in
Learning Plans.  

 

Assessment of progress in LW is measured directly in terms of learners'
completion of key steps and goals within particular Learning Plans.
Learning Plans may be designed so that the completion of some steps is
determined by learners themselves, whereas other steps require a teacher or
tutor using the LW to determine whether the step is completed by looking at
an assessment or assignment submitted by the learner.  Steps have workspace
items associated with them, which may be automatically scored tests or
assessments or assignments that must be graded by a teacher or other LW user
who views the learner's work.  If programs negotiate proxy hour equivalents
with their states for completion of key steps or goals in a Learning Plan,
those equivalents can be directly entered into the Learning Plan design and
automatically reported for NRS purposes.

 

We'll stop here.  We weren't able to respond here to all of the questions
initially posed, but I'm sure they'll come up as we continue the discussion
this week.  We're looking forward to it.

 

  _____  

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
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From reders at pdx.edu  Mon Nov 17 11:51:07 2008
From: reders at pdx.edu (Steve Reder)
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 08:51:07 -0800
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1091] Re: New Designs in Online and DistanceLearning
	-- your questions
In-Reply-To: <ac3a53cd0811021426l638a897oe73bcbf1d06fa56c@mail.gmail.com>
References: <62DE7D26-C202-4DC1-9EC7-A6B2D0BE549C@theworld.com><6A0E8C72-84D4-49E8-B590-55F38EDFEF4F@theworld.com>
	<ac3a53cd0811021426l638a897oe73bcbf1d06fa56c@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <006701c948d4$b0317e30$0502fea9@PSU.DS.PDX.EDU>

Good questions, Katherine.  During our demonstration project (through Sept
2010), Portland State university is hosting Learner Web for all users but it
will be freely distributed as open source towards the end of the project so
that others can host it as they wish.  The implementing regions in our
demonstration project are starting to discuss a planned national rollout
process.  Big issues will be deciding how best to provide needed training
and technical assistance to organizational users of the LW - the external
evaluation being conducted on the demonstration project will help us
identify some of the issues to consider in scaling up such training and
assistance.  We are developing a whole online library of multimedia videos
and manuals for training purposes. 

 

Learning plans (remember, these are the structured units of content for the
Learner Web platform) can be designed to blend the use of Learner Web with
live courses in a rich variety of ways.  We expect to have a number of
working and evaluated models developed through our demonstration project.

 

Hope this helps.  Thanks for your questions.

 

-Steve

 

  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt
Sent: Sunday, November 02, 2008 2:27 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1078] Re: New Designs in Online and DistanceLearning
-- your questions

 

Hi David--

1.  It looks like these programs will be open source.  How do they differ
from other programs that are NOT open source?  For example, I worked with a
program called Project Connect which provided lessons in English language,
culture and civics.  Schools using the program must purchase a license.
Hence, the program is run through the school where there are designated
contacts who can also meet with students and provide a certain amount of
tech support. Are these programs similar?  If so, has there been any
feedback from subscription-only program providers?

 

2.  Are these programs meant to be used in tandem with live courses?  My
experience has been that pure distance education programs do not adequately
serve this community for a variety of reasons, including technological
barriers, students' inability to communicate problems, feelings of being
overwhelmed or intimidated, etc.  

Thank you!  I look forward to the discussion and appreciate the reminder to
ask questions early!

On Sun, Nov 2, 2008 at 11:06 AM, David Rosen <DJRosen at theworld.com> wrote:

Colleagues, 

 

As several people have recently signed up for the upcoming discussion here,
New Designs in Online and Distance Learning, and since so far I have only
received one question,  I would like to repeat my request for your questions
for our guests:

 

What questions would you like to ask our guests? 

 

Please look at the brief descriptions of the two models that you will see in
my previous email message, included below. The federally-funded USA Learns
will have a national launch in a few days, before our discussion begins.
We'll have an announcement here of the web site so you can look at it if you
like.  The Learner Web is a federally-funded demonstration project,
available only for field testing in several selected regions around the
country in Oregon, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New
Jersey and Washington, D.C. More information about the Learner Web,
including two screen capture videos (if you register and log in), will be
found at http://learnerweb.org <http://learnerweb.org/> 

 

. What would you like our guests to cover or explain in their descriptions
of USA Learns and the Learner Web when we begin the discussion on November
17th and 18th?

. Do you want to know how USA Learns and the Learner Web became
federally-funded projects, what needs or research base they grew from, or
other things about their history and development?

. Do you want to know how they differ from other online adult basic
education and English language learning models? If so, which kinds: online
courses, online course management systems, wikis, portals, or something
else? 

. If you are thinking about using either USA Learns or the Learner Web with
your students, what is the situation you are hoping it will address? What
group(s) of students, at what level(s) with what needs?  What questions do
you have about the model's usefulness for that situation?

 

Think about why you have subscribed to the Special Topics discussion forum
(or stayed subscribed) for this discussion, what you want to get from it.
Frame a question or questions that will help our guests address your
interest or need. You can send your questions by just replying to this
message or by emailing them directly to me at djrosen at theworld.com. I will
share the questions with our guests before the discussion begins, and the
questions will be posted on or after November 17th. Of course more
questions, observations, and dialogue will be welcome during the week of the
discussion.

 

Finally, it's not too late for your colleagues to join this discussion. To
subscribe to the discussion, one can go to: 

http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics

One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can stay
subscribed for the next discussion.

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

DJRosen at theworld.com

 

 

 

On Oct 29, 2008, at 9:38 PM, David Rosen wrote:

 

Special Topics Discussion Colleagues,

 

On November 17th we will begin a discussion of USA Learns and of 

the Learner Web. You will find the description for this discussion below. 

Judging by the number of new subscribers, this is a high-interest topic!

Now is the time to think about why you have subscribed: 

 

What questions would you like to ask our guests? 

 

Although your questions will not be posted until the discussion begins, 

I would like to share them with our guests in advance.  Of course, 

questions, comments, and dialogue, will also be welcome during the 

discussion.

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

djrosen at theworld.com

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------

New Designs in Online and Distance Learning is a National Institute

for Literacy Special Topics discussion that will be held from

November 17th through November 21st, 2008. It will focus on two new

adult education models: a national learning portal for English

language learning at a distance, called USA Learns, and a web-based

and telephone-based learning support system, called the Learner Web,

for ABE, ASE and ELL students enrolled in classes to supplement their

learning, as well as for those who study on their own. We have four

distinguished guests, researchers as well as product developers, who

will describe these two models and answer questions.

 

For USA Learns, our guests are John Fleischman and Dr. Jerome (Jere)

Johnston. For the Learner Web our guests are Dr. Stephen Reder and

Dr. Clare Strawn. You will find more information about them below.

 

Please forward this announcement to your colleagues who may be

interested in subscribing!

 

To subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:

 

http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics

 

One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can

stay subscribed for the next discussion.

 

Description of the models

 

The Learner Web is a learning support system providing structure and

resources for adults who want to accomplish specific learning

objectives. A learner can access the system through the Internet. In

addition to on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates support

services from existing local education programs, community based

organizations, tutors, and telephone helpers. The Learner Web

consists of a Web-based software system that is implemented

regionally. The System is organized around Learning Plans. A Learning

Plan is a set of steps structured around achieving an identified

goal. For example, if the goal is to get a GED, the steps might

include finding out more about the tests, identifying what skills one

needs to brush up on, learning new skills and knowledge, taking

practice tests, etc. Each step is matched with online and community

based resources and a workspace where learners can take assessments

or save their work in an e-portfolio. The learner creates a personal

profile, may take a short reading assessment and interest inventory,

chooses a goal from the available list and follows the Learning Plan

independently or with a tutor or a teacher. The Learning Plan is

dynamically matched by the software to both the learner profile and

educational resources. The learner's progress is saved and can be

returned to at any time via the internet. Learners can choose to

share their workspace with a tutor or teacher.

 

The Learner Web has begun the second year of a three-year

demonstration project in seven demonstration regions across the country.

 

U.S.A. Learns is a free Web site designed for adult learners with

limited English language skills. Instructional content focuses on

the language and literacy skills that adults need for everyday

survival. While a broad range of adults can use U.S.A. Learns, it

has been developed primarily for immigrants who cannot attend

traditional classroom programs because of difficulty with schedules,

transportation, or other barriers. The site includes more than 400

hours of instruction and offers an extensive array of video, audio

and richly illustrated graphics and images. The site layout was

created with the inexperienced Web user in mind, and extensive built-

in help features are available. U.S.A. Learns can be used

independently, but it can also be used in association with a teacher

or tutor via an online management system.

 

 

Background on Discussion Guests

 

John Fleischman

 

With more than 25 years of experience in adult education as a

teacher, administrator and project director, John Fleischman is

currently responsible for information and educational technology

operations at the Sacramento County Office of Education. John

possesses an extensive background with creating and implementing

instructional and informational media for use in a variety of

educational environments. His present area of focus is on building

Web-based solutions for education, including data management systems

and comprehensive online learning resources. Working at the state

and national level, he provides oversight for a range of technology

initiatives including the Outreach and Technology Assistance Network

(www.otan.us <http://www.otan.us/> ) and Strengthening Programs Through
Technology

(www.adultedonline.org <http://www.adultedonline.org/> ). John is the author
of numerous publications

and is frequently requested as a presenter at both state and national

conferences.

 

Jerome (Jere) Johnston is Research Professor at the University of

Michigan's Institute for Social Research. For 40 years he has been

studying ways that technology shapes what people learn. In recent

years Dr. Johnston has been exploring innovative ways to use

technology in adult literacy. He directs the Project IDEAL Support

Center, supporting 25 states in their efforts to build distance

learning programs for adult learners. The Center provides technical

assistance to states in the areas of training, research, and policy

development (projectideal.org <http://projectideal.org/> ).

 

Stephen Reder is University Professor and Chair of the Department of

Applied Linguistics at Portland State University. His research and

teaching interests focus on adult education and the processes of

literacy and language development during adulthood. Dr. Reder has

served as the Principal Investigator for a number of major projects

in adult education. Two recent projects, the Longitudinal Study of

Adult Learning and the National Labsite for Adult ESOL, examine the

ways adults acquire new literacy and language abilities and the roles

which adult education programs and policies play in supporting that

development. The results of this research have led to the

development of the Learner Web, an innovative online adult learning

support system. Professor Reder is the author of numerous

publications about his research and its implications for adult

education and adult literacy and language development. He has

recently completed co-editing a volume with John Bynner, Tracking

Adult Literacy and Numeracy Skills: Findings from Longitudinal

Research. A second book is in progress, Dropping Out and Moving On:

Life, Literacy and Development among High School Dropouts. Dr. Reder

actively works with networks of adult education researchers,

practitioners and policymakers at the state, regional and national

levels.

 

Clare Strawn is Assistant Professor at Portland State University,

Portland, Oregon, and has been an analyst on the Longitudinal Study

of Adult Learning. She is interested in patterns of program

participation, the intersection of learning and community

development, social capital influences on learning strategies, and

technology. She has been a co-developer, with Steve Reder of the

Learner Web and has been actively involved in the demonstration project.

 

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

DJRosen at theworld.com

 

 

 

-------------------------------

National Institute for Literacy

Special Topics mailing list

SpecialTopics at nifl.gov

To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics

Email delivered to djrosen1 at gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to katherine.gotthardt at gmail.com

-- 
Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt
www.LuxuriousChoices.net

-------------- next part --------------
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From reders at pdx.edu  Mon Nov 17 11:53:36 2008
From: reders at pdx.edu (Steve Reder)
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 08:53:36 -0800
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1092] Re: New Designs in Online and DistanceLearning
	--your questions
In-Reply-To: <6F05F6E90C3F59488414B4E8E64564CA098E84@dcps-exch2k3-14.hq.dc_schools.k12.dc.us>
References: <62DE7D26-C202-4DC1-9EC7-A6B2D0BE549C@theworld.com><6A0E8C72-84D4-49E8-B590-55F38EDFEF4F@theworld.com>
	<6F05F6E90C3F59488414B4E8E64564CA098E84@dcps-exch2k3-14.hq.dc_schools.k12.dc.us>
Message-ID: <007401c948d5$08797020$0502fea9@PSU.DS.PDX.EDU>

Hi Belinda,

  One of our demonstration sites is Washington DC.  If you contact me
offline (reders at pdx.edu) I'll be glad to give you some specific contact
information so you can get in touch with the coordinator of the local
demonstration to pursue your question.

-Steve

 

  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Omenitsch, Belinda (ES)
Sent: Sunday, November 02, 2008 3:55 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1079] Re: New Designs in Online and DistanceLearning
--your questions

 

Hi,

I would like to know how I could get the information to the parents of the
students at school?  I am at an elementary school in DC and I am sure that
we have parents who could benefit from this.  Is this program set up for the
individual or is it based on a model to augment formal programs?  If it is
available for the individual then I might be able to arrange for parents to
take the course during the school day at our school.

Thanks.

Belinda Omenitsch

 

  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David Rosen
Sent: Sun 11/2/2008 11:06 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1073] New Designs in Online and Distance Learning
--your questions

Colleagues, 

 

As several people have recently signed up for the upcoming discussion here,
New Designs in Online and Distance Learning, and since so far I have only
received one question,  I would like to repeat my request for your questions
for our guests:

 

What questions would you like to ask our guests? 

 

Please look at the brief descriptions of the two models that you will see in
my previous email message, included below. The federally-funded USA Learns
will have a national launch in a few days, before our discussion begins.
We'll have an announcement here of the web site so you can look at it if you
like.  The Learner Web is a federally-funded demonstration project,
available only for field testing in several selected regions around the
country in Oregon, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New
Jersey and Washington, D.C. More information about the Learner Web,
including two screen capture videos (if you register and log in), will be
found at http://learnerweb.org <http://learnerweb.org/> 

 

* What would you like our guests to cover or explain in their descriptions
of USA Learns and the Learner Web when we begin the discussion on November
17th and 18th?

* Do you want to know how USA Learns and the Learner Web became
federally-funded projects, what needs or research base they grew from, or
other things about their history and development?

* Do you want to know how they differ from other online adult basic
education and English language learning models? If so, which kinds: online
courses, online course management systems, wikis, portals, or something
else? 

* If you are thinking about using either USA Learns or the Learner Web with
your students, what is the situation you are hoping it will address? What
group(s) of students, at what level(s) with what needs?  What questions do
you have about the model's usefulness for that situation?

 

Think about why you have subscribed to the Special Topics discussion forum
(or stayed subscribed) for this discussion, what you want to get from it.
Frame a question or questions that will help our guests address your
interest or need. You can send your questions by just replying to this
message or by emailing them directly to me at djrosen at theworld.com. I will
share the questions with our guests before the discussion begins, and the
questions will be posted on or after November 17th. Of course more
questions, observations, and dialogue will be welcome during the week of the
discussion.

 

Finally, it's not too late for your colleagues to join this discussion. To
subscribe to the discussion, one can go to: 

http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics

One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can stay
subscribed for the next discussion.

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

DJRosen at theworld.com

 

 

 

On Oct 29, 2008, at 9:38 PM, David Rosen wrote:

Special Topics Discussion Colleagues,

 

On November 17th we will begin a discussion of USA Learns and of 

the Learner Web. You will find the description for this discussion below. 

Judging by the number of new subscribers, this is a high-interest topic!

Now is the time to think about why you have subscribed: 

 

What questions would you like to ask our guests? 

 

Although your questions will not be posted until the discussion begins, 

I would like to share them with our guests in advance.  Of course, 

questions, comments, and dialogue, will also be welcome during the 

discussion.

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

djrosen at theworld.com

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------

New Designs in Online and Distance Learning is a National Institute

for Literacy Special Topics discussion that will be held from

November 17th through November 21st, 2008. It will focus on two new

adult education models: a national learning portal for English

language learning at a distance, called USA Learns, and a web-based

and telephone-based learning support system, called the Learner Web,

for ABE, ASE and ELL students enrolled in classes to supplement their

learning, as well as for those who study on their own. We have four

distinguished guests, researchers as well as product developers, who

will describe these two models and answer questions.

 

For USA Learns, our guests are John Fleischman and Dr. Jerome (Jere)

Johnston. For the Learner Web our guests are Dr. Stephen Reder and

Dr. Clare Strawn. You will find more information about them below.

 

Please forward this announcement to your colleagues who may be

interested in subscribing!

 

To subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:

 

http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics

 

One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can

stay subscribed for the next discussion.

 

Description of the models

 

The Learner Web is a learning support system providing structure and

resources for adults who want to accomplish specific learning

objectives. A learner can access the system through the Internet. In

addition to on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates support

services from existing local education programs, community based

organizations, tutors, and telephone helpers. The Learner Web

consists of a Web-based software system that is implemented

regionally. The System is organized around Learning Plans. A Learning

Plan is a set of steps structured around achieving an identified

goal. For example, if the goal is to get a GED, the steps might

include finding out more about the tests, identifying what skills one

needs to brush up on, learning new skills and knowledge, taking

practice tests, etc. Each step is matched with online and community

based resources and a workspace where learners can take assessments

or save their work in an e-portfolio. The learner creates a personal

profile, may take a short reading assessment and interest inventory,

chooses a goal from the available list and follows the Learning Plan

independently or with a tutor or a teacher. The Learning Plan is

dynamically matched by the software to both the learner profile and

educational resources. The learner's progress is saved and can be

returned to at any time via the internet. Learners can choose to

share their workspace with a tutor or teacher.

 

The Learner Web has begun the second year of a three-year

demonstration project in seven demonstration regions across the country.

 

U.S.A. Learns is a free Web site designed for adult learners with

limited English language skills. Instructional content focuses on

the language and literacy skills that adults need for everyday

survival. While a broad range of adults can use U.S.A. Learns, it

has been developed primarily for immigrants who cannot attend

traditional classroom programs because of difficulty with schedules,

transportation, or other barriers. The site includes more than 400

hours of instruction and offers an extensive array of video, audio

and richly illustrated graphics and images. The site layout was

created with the inexperienced Web user in mind, and extensive built-

in help features are available. U.S.A. Learns can be used

independently, but it can also be used in association with a teacher

or tutor via an online management system.

 

 

Background on Discussion Guests

 

John Fleischman

 

With more than 25 years of experience in adult education as a

teacher, administrator and project director, John Fleischman is

currently responsible for information and educational technology

operations at the Sacramento County Office of Education. John

possesses an extensive background with creating and implementing

instructional and informational media for use in a variety of

educational environments. His present area of focus is on building

Web-based solutions for education, including data management systems

and comprehensive online learning resources. Working at the state

and national level, he provides oversight for a range of technology

initiatives including the Outreach and Technology Assistance Network

(www.otan.us <http://www.otan.us/> ) and Strengthening Programs Through
Technology

(www.adultedonline.org <http://www.adultedonline.org/> ). John is the author
of numerous publications

and is frequently requested as a presenter at both state and national

conferences.

 

Jerome (Jere) Johnston is Research Professor at the University of

Michigan's Institute for Social Research. For 40 years he has been

studying ways that technology shapes what people learn. In recent

years Dr. Johnston has been exploring innovative ways to use

technology in adult literacy. He directs the Project IDEAL Support

Center, supporting 25 states in their efforts to build distance

learning programs for adult learners. The Center provides technical

assistance to states in the areas of training, research, and policy

development (projectideal.org).

 

Stephen Reder is University Professor and Chair of the Department of

Applied Linguistics at Portland State University. His research and

teaching interests focus on adult education and the processes of

literacy and language development during adulthood. Dr. Reder has

served as the Principal Investigator for a number of major projects

in adult education. Two recent projects, the Longitudinal Study of

Adult Learning and the National Labsite for Adult ESOL, examine the

ways adults acquire new literacy and language abilities and the roles

which adult education programs and policies play in supporting that

development. The results of this research have led to the

development of the Learner Web, an innovative online adult learning

support system. Professor Reder is the author of numerous

publications about his research and its implications for adult

education and adult literacy and language development. He has

recently completed co-editing a volume with John Bynner, Tracking

Adult Literacy and Numeracy Skills: Findings from Longitudinal

Research. A second book is in progress, Dropping Out and Moving On:

Life, Literacy and Development among High School Dropouts. Dr. Reder

actively works with networks of adult education researchers,

practitioners and policymakers at the state, regional and national

levels.

 

Clare Strawn is Assistant Professor at Portland State University,

Portland, Oregon, and has been an analyst on the Longitudinal Study

of Adult Learning. She is interested in patterns of program

participation, the intersection of learning and community

development, social capital influences on learning strategies, and

technology. She has been a co-developer, with Steve Reder of the

Learner Web and has been actively involved in the demonstration project.

 

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

DJRosen at theworld.com

 

 

 

-------------------------------

National Institute for Literacy

Special Topics mailing list

SpecialTopics at nifl.gov

To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics

Email delivered to djrosen1 at gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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From reders at pdx.edu  Mon Nov 17 11:58:00 2008
From: reders at pdx.edu (Steve Reder)
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 08:58:00 -0800
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1093] Re: initial response to questions aboutLearner
	Web
In-Reply-To: <0F29A6ADD54029428A60D3E865123205034BE962@mail.Appalachiantech.edu>
References: <00d801c94859$8f587cc0$5074fc83@PSU.DS.PDX.EDU>
	<0F29A6ADD54029428A60D3E865123205034BE962@mail.Appalachiantech.edu>
Message-ID: <007d01c948d5$a6264690$0502fea9@PSU.DS.PDX.EDU>

Thanks for your question, Diane.  These resources are things like websites,
print materials, local programs - a variety of online and offline learning
resources.  Learning Plans match Learners to relevant resources at each of
their steps (based on information in this resource database).   So in a
Learning Plan directed towards the goal of passing the GED, different
content resources (reading, math, science, ..) would be presented to
Learners as they progress through different content areas and skill levels.

 

-Steve 

 

  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Diane Ingram
Sent: Monday, November 17, 2008 6:37 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1080] Re: initial response to questions aboutLearner
Web

 

The website mentions "650 resources' currently in the LW database.  What are
some of these resources, and can you give a scenario of how they might be
used?

 

Thanks,

Diane

 

Diane Ingram

Executive Director of Adult Education

Appalachian Technical College

100 Campus Drive

Jasper, GA 30143

706-253-4544

dingram at AppalachianTech.edu

 

A Unit of the Technical College System of Georgia

  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Steve Reder
Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2008 9:10 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1076] initial response to questions about Learner
Web

 

Hello, everyone.  We're delighted to have this opportunity to discuss the
Learner Web this week and to answer questions you have.  And, indeed, you've
already posed some excellent questions.  Before turning to specific
questions, however, let's briefly review what the Learner Web is, as it's
quite different in intent from other online or distance learning systems.  

 

The Learner Web is a learning support system intended to help adults reach
important learning goals they may have, such as obtaining a GED, improving
their English, transitioning to college, preparing for a particular career,
etc.  A learner can access the system through the Internet. In addition to
on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates support services from existing
local education programs, community based organizations, tutors, and
telephone helpers. The Learner Web consists of a Web-based software system
that is implemented regionally. The System is organized around Learning
Plans. A Learning Plan is a set of steps structured around achieving an
identified goal. For example, if the goal is to get a GED, the steps might
include finding out more about the tests, identifying what skills one needs
to brush up on, learning new skills and knowledge, taking practice tests,
etc. Each step is matched with online and community based resources and a
workspace where Learners can take assessments or save their work in an
e-portfolio. The Learner creates a personal profile, may take a short
reading assessment and interest inventory, chooses a goal from the available
list and follows the learning plan independently or with a tutor or a
teacher. The Learning Plan is dynamically matched by the software to both
the learner profile and educational resources. The Learner's progress is
saved and can be returned to at any time via the internet. Learners can
choose to share their workspace with a tutor or teacher. 

 

The Learner Web is being demonstrated in a number of sites across the
country over the next two years.  We plan to use the experiences of the
local communities and organizations involved in the demonstration to help us
design a sustainable national rollout starting in the fall of 2010.  It may
be possible for interested programs, organization or communities to join the
project and begin using the Learner Web before that time.  At the moment,
there are Learner Web implementations is Portland OR, St. Paul MN, Boston
MA, Providence RI, Westchester NY, Union County NJ and Washington DC.  

 

Now for some of your questions.  A couple people asked if LW could be used
by free-standing adult learners, that is, by adults who are not enrolled in
formal programs.  The answer to that depends on the Region implementing it.
During our demonstration project, some of our Regions are limiting its use
initially during the piloting period to students in their classes.  Other
regions are allowing learners to create their own accounts and use the
system independently.  Once Learners have accounts, they log in to the
system, select their goals, and start working on related Learning Plans
(which provide assessments and appropriate placements into Learning Plans).

 

Several questions asked about the reading, math, and computer skill levels
required to use the system.  We will have good answers to those questions
after we complete the piloting period currently underway.  For now, I would
say that we've seen adults with little previous education or native language
literacy struggle with the navigation within LW, while other adult students
find it relatively easy to use.  The difficulty experienced depends not just
on the Learner Web software itself (which we frequently revise to make
friendlier to a broader range of adult learners) but on the content of the
Learning Plans and Resources developed for the system.  Learning Plans can
be targeted to adults at different skill levels.  It is straightforward to
incorporate multilingual and multimedia content, prompts and assessments
into Learning Plans.

 

The LW design was based on research about adult learning that indicated that
adults with quite low levels of skill can and often do engage in
self-directed efforts to improve their basic skills.  But this research did
not focus specifically on the self-directed use of online tools, so it is
important to wait for the experience of our pilot sites with a range of
learners before answering the question.  We hope the integrated help systems
we have built into LW (including telephone based helpers) will scaffold its
use by low-skilled adults so that a broader skill range of adults may be
able to use the system than if they had to do it totally on their own.  We
plan to use videos, podcasts and other multimedia to provide initial
orientation to users.  A simple Learning Plan is being developed that will
teach users how to use the system.

 

Several questions asked about specific features of the LW system and how
they relate to features of web-based classroom platforms such as Moodle,
WiZiQ, etc.  Although there are some overlaps between LW and other such
systems, and indeed LW could be used as just a platform for an online
course, it is really designed for supporting a range of self-study and
blended learning models, working hand-in-hand with and coordinating
collaboration among community resources, programs and services to support
learners.  LW can also be used to add functionality and enhance other online
products; for example, a Learning Plan could wrap around an online product
and add telephone-based volunteers who help learners working with the other
online product.  Another example: using telephone-based volunteers as
conversation partners in an ESOL Learning Plan.  We see the LW as enhancing
and supplementing rather than replacing live teachers and classroom
interaction.  Tutors - either online or face-to-face - have roles in LW and
where available are easily integrated into Learning Plans.  Relatively
little social networking functionality is built directly into LW but it is
straightforward to add social networking sites/software as Resources in
Learning Plans.  

 

Assessment of progress in LW is measured directly in terms of learners'
completion of key steps and goals within particular Learning Plans.
Learning Plans may be designed so that the completion of some steps is
determined by learners themselves, whereas other steps require a teacher or
tutor using the LW to determine whether the step is completed by looking at
an assessment or assignment submitted by the learner.  Steps have workspace
items associated with them, which may be automatically scored tests or
assessments or assignments that must be graded by a teacher or other LW user
who views the learner's work.  If programs negotiate proxy hour equivalents
with their states for completion of key steps or goals in a Learning Plan,
those equivalents can be directly entered into the Learning Plan design and
automatically reported for NRS purposes.

 

We'll stop here.  We weren't able to respond here to all of the questions
initially posed, but I'm sure they'll come up as we continue the discussion
this week.  We're looking forward to it.

 

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From margotwalsh at msn.com  Mon Nov 17 11:56:13 2008
From: margotwalsh at msn.com (Margot Walsh)
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 16:56:13 +0000
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1094]  recession tool
In-Reply-To: <B58A3BE20AB3429EA506E5257C3F2E4B@ndecb.local>
References: <B257B8BDB6814546B69BF068E033EC9D@A1411>
	<B58A3BE20AB3429EA506E5257C3F2E4B@ndecb.local>
Message-ID: <COL102-W347840E47123515548DC8AA6130@phx.gbl>

Yes I agree and am looking forward to signing up for the demo.  This resource is especially useful during these times of economic and funding uncertainty.  

From: mlanen at ndecboston.orgTo: specialtopics at nifl.govDate: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:23:23 -0500Subject: [SpecialTopics 1087] Re: New Designs in Online and Distance Learning

The Learner Web is exciting with all its possibilities. It looks like a very valuable tool. This would be a great opportunity for independent learners with basic computer skills. Finding the learner?s needs from the student assessments and developing a learning plan with all the resources to help is a creative use of technology for education. 
 
 

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. RosenSent: Monday, November 17, 2008 4:37 AMTo: specialtopics at nifl.govSubject: [SpecialTopics 1075] New Designs in Online and Distance Learning
 

Special Topics Colleagues,

 

Today we begin a discussion of two new online and distance learning models specifically designed for adult literacy education, including ESL/ESOL.  They are the Learner Web and USA Learns. Each has much to offer, but they differ in their design, audiences, and also in their stage of development. USA  Learns, with core funding from the Office of Vocational and Adult Education, launched earlier this month (http://usalearns.org) and is a national adult ESL/ESOL portal. It is available now at no cost to adult learners everywhere.The Learner Web is beginning its second year of a three-year, federally-funded demonstration grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The Learner Web is available now only for piloting, and only in certain regions of the country.  I am an advisor to USA Learns, and am a Regional Implementation Advisor for the Learner Web, so I have had the privilege of watching both projects evolve.

 

We will begin today with a presentation of the Learner Web by Stephen Reder from Portland State University. He will be joined in the discussion by Clare Strawn, a co-developer with Steve, of the Learner Web. Clare is also on the Portland State University faculty. On Tuesday we will have a presentation about USA Learns by John Fleischman, from the Sacramento (CA) County Office of Education. John will be joined by Jere Johnston and Leslie Petty, both from the University of MIchigan.  They will also be joined by Sheryl Adler, from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Vocational and Adult Education as there may be questions about the development of USA Learns which she can best address.

 

I am delighted that our guests -- and you -- can join us for this discussion. Please feel free to post your questions and comments for our guests at any time this week.

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

djrosen at theworld.com
_________________________________________________________________
Get 30 Free Emoticons for your Windows Live Messenger
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From Janet_Isserlis at brown.edu  Mon Nov 17 12:04:35 2008
From: Janet_Isserlis at brown.edu (Janet Isserlis)
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:04:35 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1095] Re: New Designs in Online and
 DistanceLearning--your questions
In-Reply-To: <007401c948d5$08797020$0502fea9@PSU.DS.PDX.EDU>
Message-ID: <C5470E53.26DCA%Janet_Isserlis@brown.edu>

Steve and all

If you can find this information, it would likely be of great interest to
many ? as there are numerous understandings of intergenerational literacy,
parent involvement and community literacy initiatives that may be informed
by such activity/interaction.

thanks
Janet

From: Steve Reder <reders at pdx.edu>
Reply-To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:53:36 -0500
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Conversation: [SpecialTopics 1079] Re: New Designs in Online and
DistanceLearning --your questions
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1092] Re: New Designs in Online and
DistanceLearning--your questions

Hi Belinda,
  One of our demonstration sites is Washington DC.  If you contact me
offline (reders at pdx.edu) I?ll be glad to give you some specific contact
information so you can get in touch with the coordinator of the local
demonstration to pursue your question.
-Steve
 

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Omenitsch, Belinda (ES)
Sent: Sunday, November 02, 2008 3:55 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1079] Re: New Designs in Online and DistanceLearning
--your questions
 

Hi,

I would like to know how I could get the information to the parents of the
students at school?  I am at an elementary school in DC and I am sure that
we have parents who could benefit from this.  Is this program set up for the
individual or is it based on a model to augment formal programs?  If it is
available for the individual then I might be able to arrange for parents to
take the course during the school day at our school.

Thanks.

Belinda Omenitsch

 

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David Rosen
Sent: Sun 11/2/2008 11:06 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1073] New Designs in Online and Distance Learning
--your questions

Colleagues, 

 

As several people have recently signed up for the upcoming discussion here,
New Designs in Online and Distance Learning, and since so far I have only
received one question,  I would like to repeat my request for your questions
for our guests:

 

What questions would you like to ask our guests?

 

Please look at the brief descriptions of the two models that you will see in
my previous email message, included below. The federally-funded USA Learns
will have a national launch in a few days, before our discussion begins.
We'll have an announcement here of the web site so you can look at it if you
like.  The Learner Web is a federally-funded demonstration project,
available only for field testing in several selected regions around the
country in Oregon, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New
Jersey and Washington, D.C. More information about the Learner Web,
including two screen capture videos (if you register and log in), will be
found at http://learnerweb.org <http://learnerweb.org/>

 

? What would you like our guests to cover or explain in their descriptions
of USA Learns and the Learner Web when we begin the discussion on November
17th and 18th?

? Do you want to know how USA Learns and the Learner Web became
federally-funded projects, what needs or research base they grew from, or
other things about their history and development?

? Do you want to know how they differ from other online adult basic
education and English language learning models? If so, which kinds: online
courses, online course management systems, wikis, portals, or something
else? 

? If you are thinking about using either USA Learns or the Learner Web with
your students, what is the situation you are hoping it will address? What
group(s) of students, at what level(s) with what needs?  What questions do
you have about the model's usefulness for that situation?

 

Think about why you have subscribed to the Special Topics discussion forum
(or stayed subscribed) for this discussion, what you want to get from it.
Frame a question or questions that will help our guests address your
interest or need. You can send your questions by just replying to this
message or by emailing them directly to me at djrosen at theworld.com. I will
share the questions with our guests before the discussion begins, and the
questions will be posted on or after November 17th. Of course more
questions, observations, and dialogue will be welcome during the week of the
discussion.

 

Finally, it's not too late for your colleagues to join this discussion. To
subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:

http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics

One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can stay
subscribed for the next discussion.

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

DJRosen at theworld.com

 

 

 

On Oct 29, 2008, at 9:38 PM, David Rosen wrote:

Special Topics Discussion Colleagues,

 

On November 17th we will begin a discussion of USA Learns and of

the Learner Web. You will find the description for this discussion below.

Judging by the number of new subscribers, this is a high-interest topic!

Now is the time to think about why you have subscribed:

 

What questions would you like to ask our guests?

 

Although your questions will not be posted until the discussion begins,

I would like to share them with our guests in advance.  Of course,

questions, comments, and dialogue, will also be welcome during the

discussion.

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

djrosen at theworld.com

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------

New Designs in Online and Distance Learning is a National Institute

for Literacy Special Topics discussion that will be held from

November 17th through November 21st, 2008. It will focus on two new

adult education models: a national learning portal for English

language learning at a distance, called USA Learns, and a web-based

and telephone-based learning support system, called the Learner Web,

for ABE, ASE and ELL students enrolled in classes to supplement their

learning, as well as for those who study on their own. We have four

distinguished guests, researchers as well as product developers, who

will describe these two models and answer questions.

 

For USA Learns, our guests are John Fleischman and Dr. Jerome (Jere)

Johnston. For the Learner Web our guests are Dr. Stephen Reder and

Dr. Clare Strawn. You will find more information about them below.

 

Please forward this announcement to your colleagues who may be

interested in subscribing!

 

To subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:

 

http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics

 

One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can

stay subscribed for the next discussion.

 

Description of the models

 

The Learner Web is a learning support system providing structure and

resources for adults who want to accomplish specific learning

objectives. A learner can access the system through the Internet. In

addition to on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates support

services from existing local education programs, community based

organizations, tutors, and telephone helpers. The Learner Web

consists of a Web-based software system that is implemented

regionally. The System is organized around Learning Plans. A Learning

Plan is a set of steps structured around achieving an identified

goal. For example, if the goal is to get a GED, the steps might

include finding out more about the tests, identifying what skills one

needs to brush up on, learning new skills and knowledge, taking

practice tests, etc. Each step is matched with online and community

based resources and a workspace where learners can take assessments

or save their work in an e-portfolio. The learner creates a personal

profile, may take a short reading assessment and interest inventory,

chooses a goal from the available list and follows the Learning Plan

independently or with a tutor or a teacher. The Learning Plan is

dynamically matched by the software to both the learner profile and

educational resources. The learner?s progress is saved and can be

returned to at any time via the internet. Learners can choose to

share their workspace with a tutor or teacher.

 

The Learner Web has begun the second year of a three-year

demonstration project in seven demonstration regions across the country.

 

U.S.A. Learns is a free Web site designed for adult learners with

limited English language skills. Instructional content focuses on

the language and literacy skills that adults need for everyday

survival. While a broad range of adults can use U.S.A. Learns, it

has been developed primarily for immigrants who cannot attend

traditional classroom programs because of difficulty with schedules,

transportation, or other barriers. The site includes more than 400

hours of instruction and offers an extensive array of video, audio

and richly illustrated graphics and images. The site layout was

created with the inexperienced Web user in mind, and extensive built-

in help features are available. U.S.A. Learns can be used

independently, but it can also be used in association with a teacher

or tutor via an online management system.

 

 

Background on Discussion Guests

 

John Fleischman

 

With more than 25 years of experience in adult education as a

teacher, administrator and project director, John Fleischman is

currently responsible for information and educational technology

operations at the Sacramento County Office of Education. John

possesses an extensive background with creating and implementing

instructional and informational media for use in a variety of

educational environments. His present area of focus is on building

Web-based solutions for education, including data management systems

and comprehensive online learning resources. Working at the state

and national level, he provides oversight for a range of technology

initiatives including the Outreach and Technology Assistance Network

(www.otan.us <http://www.otan.us/> ) and Strengthening Programs Through
Technology

(www.adultedonline.org <http://www.adultedonline.org/> ). John is the author
of numerous publications

and is frequently requested as a presenter at both state and national

conferences.

 

Jerome (Jere) Johnston is Research Professor at the University of

Michigan?s Institute for Social Research. For 40 years he has been

studying ways that technology shapes what people learn. In recent

years Dr. Johnston has been exploring innovative ways to use

technology in adult literacy. He directs the Project IDEAL Support

Center, supporting 25 states in their efforts to build distance

learning programs for adult learners. The Center provides technical

assistance to states in the areas of training, research, and policy

development (projectideal.org).

 

Stephen Reder is University Professor and Chair of the Department of

Applied Linguistics at Portland State University. His research and

teaching interests focus on adult education and the processes of

literacy and language development during adulthood. Dr. Reder has

served as the Principal Investigator for a number of major projects

in adult education. Two recent projects, the Longitudinal Study of

Adult Learning and the National Labsite for Adult ESOL, examine the

ways adults acquire new literacy and language abilities and the roles

which adult education programs and policies play in supporting that

development. The results of this research have led to the

development of the Learner Web, an innovative online adult learning

support system. Professor Reder is the author of numerous

publications about his research and its implications for adult

education and adult literacy and language development. He has

recently completed co-editing a volume with John Bynner, Tracking

Adult Literacy and Numeracy Skills: Findings from Longitudinal

Research. A second book is in progress, Dropping Out and Moving On:

Life, Literacy and Development among High School Dropouts. Dr. Reder

actively works with networks of adult education researchers,

practitioners and policymakers at the state, regional and national

levels.

 

Clare Strawn is Assistant Professor at Portland State University,

Portland, Oregon, and has been an analyst on the Longitudinal Study

of Adult Learning. She is interested in patterns of program

participation, the intersection of learning and community

development, social capital influences on learning strategies, and

technology. She has been a co-developer, with Steve Reder of the

Learner Web and has been actively involved in the demonstration project.

 

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

DJRosen at theworld.com

 
 
 

-------------------------------

National Institute for Literacy

Special Topics mailing list

SpecialTopics at nifl.gov

To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics

Email delivered to djrosen1 at gmail.com
 

 

 
 

 

 

 

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From macdonaldt at mac.com  Mon Nov 17 15:34:27 2008
From: macdonaldt at mac.com (Tom Macdonald)
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 15:34:27 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1096]  LearnerWeb and digital literacy
Message-ID: <6AA55859-8A6A-41ED-B143-04F693EE282A@mac.com>

Hi Steve,

I hope these questions are clear and on topic -- if not, maybe we'll  
have the chance to talk some other time...

As near as I understand it, the Learner Web has two facets.

First, it acts as a central repository for resources (online and  
otherwise) which have been identified by teachers as useful learning  
opportunities. What's important about this is the potential to collect  
and publish local resources such as teacher-made, online learning  
activities, or local physical resources which offer learning  
activities or opportunities.

Second, it acts as a structure (or workspace) which scaffolds these  
resources by nesting them within a step-by-step, goal-oriented  
learning plan. Both physical and virtual resources provide the main  
content of the lesson plans in a Learning Plan.

My questions have to do with digital literacy generally and navigation  
specifically. Will the LearnerWeb help learners develop basic computer  
skills such as mouse manipulation, keyboarding, printing, web  
browsing, etc., or are these prerequisite skills? Can it help learners  
develop a more informed sense of what the internet is and what  
information and communication possiblities there are? (...or is the  
development of this "informed sense" even necessary to use the  
LearnerWeb effectively)?

The LearnerWeb as repository suggests a navigational structure of a  
simple directory of hyperlinks; the LearnerWeb as scaffold suggests a  
more complicated, pre-planned interplay of sites (the familiar  
LearnerWeb home from which the learner ventures out into the world of  
virtual or physical resources and to which the learner returns for  
further guidance). How important are the learner's navigational skills  
- not just cursor movement or double-clicking but having a sense of  
where in the virtual world they are and where they are going? 

From maureenh at azcallateen.k12.az.us  Mon Nov 17 12:27:50 2008
From: maureenh at azcallateen.k12.az.us (maureen hoyt)
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 10:27:50 -0700
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1097] Re: initial response to questions
	aboutLearnerWeb
Message-ID: <77B24677B57F9646B244B93AE6B95C7901888B32@acat-exch.azcallateen.k12.az.us>

I imagine you might have many learners from other countries. This might
lead to other literacy programs globally soliciting volunteers---

 

Maureen Hoyt

Basic Education Manager

ACYR 

602-252-6721ext 223

fax: 602-252-2952

www.azcallateen.k12.az.us

www.az-aall.org

Equal Opportunity Employer/Program. Auxiliary aids and services are
available upon request to individuals with disabilities.

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Steve Reder
Sent: Monday, November 17, 2008 9:44 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1090] Re: initial response to questions
aboutLearnerWeb

 

Good question, David.  The Learner Web (LW) has a number of user roles.
The most important, of course, is the Learner.  There are also roles for
a number of assistants - individuals who use the LW to interact with
Learners in ways specified by particular learning plans.  There are
various types of assistants - Teachers, Tutors, Helpers, Counselors.
Helpers are telephone-based volunteers who are matched to Learner's
real-time requests and connected via a toll-free telephone application
that is closely integrated into LW.  They can provide help with use of
the LW software as well as with particular topics or steps in Learning
Plans.  Helpers have profiles within the LW that indicate the kinds of
topics they have expertise/training to assist with - e.g., math,
writing, etc.  When Learners request help with a special topic, they can
be are matched with Helpers having that expertise who are currently
online.  With the Learner's permission, the Helper can view their
screen.  The system connects the learner and helper in a way that hides
the each other's phone number.  One part of the screen capture demo you
mentioned illustrates how this happens.

 

Helper volunteers are recruited, trained and managed by programs,
organizations or coalitions implementing the Learner Web.  We have
training materials available that can be used in training for helper
volunteers.  Helpers can work from any phone - whether at home, at work,
in a homework hotline-like calling center, a community-based
organization calling center, etc.  Helpers log in via the phone system
and declare their availability for a certain period of time.  The way
the LW maintains confidentiality of the phone numbers being used makes
this very portable.  

 

I hope this answers some of the questions people may have about Helpers.

 

-Steve

 

 

 

 

 

 

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Monday, November 17, 2008 2:28 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1077] Re: initial response to questions
aboutLearner Web

 

Thanks, Steve, for this thorough introduction. Those who would like to
see a screen capture video showing what the Learner Web looks like from
a learner or from an administrator point of view, could go to
http://learnerweb.org (Select "View Demonstration" to request a password
to view the video.)

 

One series of questions that I am sure many people have concerns
telephone helpers. Who are they, what kinds of help do they provide, how
are they recruited, how often do they do telephone helping, how do they
differ from (face-to-face or online) tutors, and how is the privacy of
the learner and the online helper protected?

 

Now would be a good time for others to post their questions about the
Learner Web, too. What would you like to know?

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

djrosen at theworld.com

 

 

 

 

	----- Original Message ----- 

	From: Steve Reder <mailto:reders at pdx.edu>  

	To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 

	Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2008 9:09 PM

	Subject: [SpecialTopics 1076] initial response to questions
about Learner Web

	 

	Hello, everyone.  We're delighted to have this opportunity to
discuss the Learner Web this week and to answer questions you have.
And, indeed, you've already posed some excellent questions.  Before
turning to specific questions, however, let's briefly review what the
Learner Web is, as it's quite different in intent from other online or
distance learning systems.  

	 

	The Learner Web is a learning support system intended to help
adults reach important learning goals they may have, such as obtaining a
GED, improving their English, transitioning to college, preparing for a
particular career, etc.  A learner can access the system through the
Internet. In addition to on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates
support services from existing local education programs, community based
organizations, tutors, and telephone helpers. The Learner Web consists
of a Web-based software system that is implemented regionally. The
System is organized around Learning Plans. A Learning Plan is a set of
steps structured around achieving an identified goal. For example, if
the goal is to get a GED, the steps might include finding out more about
the tests, identifying what skills one needs to brush up on, learning
new skills and knowledge, taking practice tests, etc. Each step is
matched with online and community based resources and a workspace where
Learners can take assessments or save their work in an e-portfolio. The
Learner creates a personal profile, may take a short reading assessment
and interest inventory, chooses a goal from the available list and
follows the learning plan independently or with a tutor or a teacher.
The Learning Plan is dynamically matched by the software to both the
learner profile and educational resources. The Learner's progress is
saved and can be returned to at any time via the internet. Learners can
choose to share their workspace with a tutor or teacher. 

	 

	The Learner Web is being demonstrated in a number of sites
across the country over the next two years.  We plan to use the
experiences of the local communities and organizations involved in the
demonstration to help us design a sustainable national rollout starting
in the fall of 2010.  It may be possible for interested programs,
organization or communities to join the project and begin using the
Learner Web before that time.  At the moment, there are Learner Web
implementations is Portland OR, St. Paul MN, Boston MA, Providence RI,
Westchester NY, Union County NJ and Washington DC.  

	 

	Now for some of your questions.  A couple people asked if LW
could be used by free-standing adult learners, that is, by adults who
are not enrolled in formal programs.  The answer to that depends on the
Region implementing it.  During our demonstration project, some of our
Regions are limiting its use initially during the piloting period to
students in their classes.  Other regions are allowing learners to
create their own accounts and use the system independently.  Once
Learners have accounts, they log in to the system, select their goals,
and start working on related Learning Plans (which provide assessments
and appropriate placements into Learning Plans).

	 

	Several questions asked about the reading, math, and computer
skill levels required to use the system.  We will have good answers to
those questions after we complete the piloting period currently
underway.  For now, I would say that we've seen adults with little
previous education or native language literacy struggle with the
navigation within LW, while other adult students find it relatively easy
to use.  The difficulty experienced depends not just on the Learner Web
software itself (which we frequently revise to make friendlier to a
broader range of adult learners) but on the content of the Learning
Plans and Resources developed for the system.  Learning Plans can be
targeted to adults at different skill levels.  It is straightforward to
incorporate multilingual and multimedia content, prompts and assessments
into Learning Plans.

	 

	The LW design was based on research about adult learning that
indicated that adults with quite low levels of skill can and often do
engage in self-directed efforts to improve their basic skills.  But this
research did not focus specifically on the self-directed use of online
tools, so it is important to wait for the experience of our pilot sites
with a range of learners before answering the question.  We hope the
integrated help systems we have built into LW (including telephone based
helpers) will scaffold its use by low-skilled adults so that a broader
skill range of adults may be able to use the system than if they had to
do it totally on their own.  We plan to use videos, podcasts and other
multimedia to provide initial orientation to users.  A simple Learning
Plan is being developed that will teach users how to use the system.

	 

	Several questions asked about specific features of the LW system
and how they relate to features of web-based classroom platforms such as
Moodle, WiZiQ, etc.  Although there are some overlaps between LW and
other such systems, and indeed LW could be used as just a platform for
an online course, it is really designed for supporting a range of
self-study and blended learning models, working hand-in-hand with and
coordinating collaboration among community resources, programs and
services to support learners.  LW can also be used to add functionality
and enhance other online products; for example, a Learning Plan could
wrap around an online product and add telephone-based volunteers who
help learners working with the other online product.  Another example:
using telephone-based volunteers as conversation partners in an ESOL
Learning Plan.  We see the LW as enhancing and supplementing rather than
replacing live teachers and classroom interaction.  Tutors - either
online or face-to-face - have roles in LW and where available are easily
integrated into Learning Plans.  Relatively little social networking
functionality is built directly into LW but it is straightforward to add
social networking sites/software as Resources in Learning Plans.  

	 

	Assessment of progress in LW is measured directly in terms of
learners' completion of key steps and goals within particular Learning
Plans.  Learning Plans may be designed so that the completion of some
steps is determined by learners themselves, whereas other steps require
a teacher or tutor using the LW to determine whether the step is
completed by looking at an assessment or assignment submitted by the
learner.  Steps have workspace items associated with them, which may be
automatically scored tests or assessments or assignments that must be
graded by a teacher or other LW user who views the learner's work.  If
programs negotiate proxy hour equivalents with their states for
completion of key steps or goals in a Learning Plan, those equivalents
can be directly entered into the Learning Plan design and automatically
reported for NRS purposes.

	 

	We'll stop here.  We weren't able to respond here to all of the
questions initially posed, but I'm sure they'll come up as we continue
the discussion this week.  We're looking forward to it.

	 

	
________________________________

	-------------------------------
	National Institute for Literacy
	Special Topics mailing list
	SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
	To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go
to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
	Email delivered to djrosen1 at gmail.com

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From reders at pdx.edu  Mon Nov 17 14:33:35 2008
From: reders at pdx.edu (Steve Reder)
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:33:35 -0800
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1098] Re: New Designs in Online and DistanceLearning
	--your questions
In-Reply-To: <2433CF3169B9054193EB844AC38230CC06D5021A@msebex1.msde.net>
References: <62DE7D26-C202-4DC1-9EC7-A6B2D0BE549C@theworld.com><6A0E8C72-84D4-49E8-B590-55F38EDFEF4F@theworld.com>
	<2433CF3169B9054193EB844AC38230CC06D5021A@msebex1.msde.net>
Message-ID: <010601c948eb$62514ee0$0502fea9@PSU.DS.PDX.EDU>

Thanks for your good questions, Karen.  Learning Plans can de developed for
a range of skill levels.  As I mentioned in my first response, we won't know
what the lower limit on skill levels will prove to be until we have gotten
farther into our piloting process.  There are roles for individuals to do
intake/assessment within Learner Web, and fairly powerful and flexible ways
to build assessment & intake processes into Learning Plans.  Completion of
particular Steps and Goals can be given proxy hour equivalents so that data
reported out by the Learner Web about student progress through Learning
Plans can include proxy hour equivalents.  But these correspondences, of
course, must be negotiated by programs in advance with their state directors
in order to be used for NRS accountability reporting.

-Steve

  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Karen Gianninoto
Sent: Monday, November 03, 2008 6:25 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1082] Re: New Designs in Online and DistanceLearning
--your questions

 

Good Morning,

 

I would like to know how the tool can be used with low level ESL and ABE
learners and is this tool better suited for instructors, or
intake/assessment specialists? (This is the person who provides orientation,
gives the assessments, refers students to other resources, and tracks
learner progress.  Is the tool feasible to use with large numbers of
learners? (those programs over 1000.)

 

In addition, I would like to know more about how state standards and local
curriculum can be used/integrated with this program.

 

Thanks,

 

Karen Lisch Gianninoto

Professional Development Specialist 

MSDE

200 W. Baltimore St. 

Baltimore, MD

410-767-4150

410-479-4542

410-924-1529

 

  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David Rosen
Sent: Sun 11/2/2008 11:06 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1073] New Designs in Online and Distance Learning
--your questions

Colleagues, 

 

As several people have recently signed up for the upcoming discussion here,
New Designs in Online and Distance Learning, and since so far I have only
received one question,  I would like to repeat my request for your questions
for our guests:

 

What questions would you like to ask our guests? 

 

Please look at the brief descriptions of the two models that you will see in
my previous email message, included below. The federally-funded USA Learns
will have a national launch in a few days, before our discussion begins.
We'll have an announcement here of the web site so you can look at it if you
like.  The Learner Web is a federally-funded demonstration project,
available only for field testing in several selected regions around the
country in Oregon, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New
Jersey and Washington, D.C. More information about the Learner Web,
including two screen capture videos (if you register and log in), will be
found at http://learnerweb.org <http://learnerweb.org/> 

 

* What would you like our guests to cover or explain in their descriptions
of USA Learns and the Learner Web when we begin the discussion on November
17th and 18th?

* Do you want to know how USA Learns and the Learner Web became
federally-funded projects, what needs or research base they grew from, or
other things about their history and development?

* Do you want to know how they differ from other online adult basic
education and English language learning models? If so, which kinds: online
courses, online course management systems, wikis, portals, or something
else? 

* If you are thinking about using either USA Learns or the Learner Web with
your students, what is the situation you are hoping it will address? What
group(s) of students, at what level(s) with what needs?  What questions do
you have about the model's usefulness for that situation?

 

Think about why you have subscribed to the Special Topics discussion forum
(or stayed subscribed) for this discussion, what you want to get from it.
Frame a question or questions that will help our guests address your
interest or need. You can send your questions by just replying to this
message or by emailing them directly to me at djrosen at theworld.com. I will
share the questions with our guests before the discussion begins, and the
questions will be posted on or after November 17th. Of course more
questions, observations, and dialogue will be welcome during the week of the
discussion.

 

Finally, it's not too late for your colleagues to join this discussion. To
subscribe to the discussion, one can go to: 

http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics

One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can stay
subscribed for the next discussion.

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

DJRosen at theworld.com

 

 

 

On Oct 29, 2008, at 9:38 PM, David Rosen wrote:

Special Topics Discussion Colleagues,

 

On November 17th we will begin a discussion of USA Learns and of 

the Learner Web. You will find the description for this discussion below. 

Judging by the number of new subscribers, this is a high-interest topic!

Now is the time to think about why you have subscribed: 

 

What questions would you like to ask our guests? 

 

Although your questions will not be posted until the discussion begins, 

I would like to share them with our guests in advance.  Of course, 

questions, comments, and dialogue, will also be welcome during the 

discussion.

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

djrosen at theworld.com

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------

New Designs in Online and Distance Learning is a National Institute

for Literacy Special Topics discussion that will be held from

November 17th through November 21st, 2008. It will focus on two new

adult education models: a national learning portal for English

language learning at a distance, called USA Learns, and a web-based

and telephone-based learning support system, called the Learner Web,

for ABE, ASE and ELL students enrolled in classes to supplement their

learning, as well as for those who study on their own. We have four

distinguished guests, researchers as well as product developers, who

will describe these two models and answer questions.

 

For USA Learns, our guests are John Fleischman and Dr. Jerome (Jere)

Johnston. For the Learner Web our guests are Dr. Stephen Reder and

Dr. Clare Strawn. You will find more information about them below.

 

Please forward this announcement to your colleagues who may be

interested in subscribing!

 

To subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:

 

http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics

 

One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can

stay subscribed for the next discussion.

 

Description of the models

 

The Learner Web is a learning support system providing structure and

resources for adults who want to accomplish specific learning

objectives. A learner can access the system through the Internet. In

addition to on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates support

services from existing local education programs, community based

organizations, tutors, and telephone helpers. The Learner Web

consists of a Web-based software system that is implemented

regionally. The System is organized around Learning Plans. A Learning

Plan is a set of steps structured around achieving an identified

goal. For example, if the goal is to get a GED, the steps might

include finding out more about the tests, identifying what skills one

needs to brush up on, learning new skills and knowledge, taking

practice tests, etc. Each step is matched with online and community

based resources and a workspace where learners can take assessments

or save their work in an e-portfolio. The learner creates a personal

profile, may take a short reading assessment and interest inventory,

chooses a goal from the available list and follows the Learning Plan

independently or with a tutor or a teacher. The Learning Plan is

dynamically matched by the software to both the learner profile and

educational resources. The learner's progress is saved and can be

returned to at any time via the internet. Learners can choose to

share their workspace with a tutor or teacher.

 

The Learner Web has begun the second year of a three-year

demonstration project in seven demonstration regions across the country.

 

U.S.A. Learns is a free Web site designed for adult learners with

limited English language skills. Instructional content focuses on

the language and literacy skills that adults need for everyday

survival. While a broad range of adults can use U.S.A. Learns, it

has been developed primarily for immigrants who cannot attend

traditional classroom programs because of difficulty with schedules,

transportation, or other barriers. The site includes more than 400

hours of instruction and offers an extensive array of video, audio

and richly illustrated graphics and images. The site layout was

created with the inexperienced Web user in mind, and extensive built-

in help features are available. U.S.A. Learns can be used

independently, but it can also be used in association with a teacher

or tutor via an online management system.

 

 

Background on Discussion Guests

 

John Fleischman

 

With more than 25 years of experience in adult education as a

teacher, administrator and project director, John Fleischman is

currently responsible for information and educational technology

operations at the Sacramento County Office of Education. John

possesses an extensive background with creating and implementing

instructional and informational media for use in a variety of

educational environments. His present area of focus is on building

Web-based solutions for education, including data management systems

and comprehensive online learning resources. Working at the state

and national level, he provides oversight for a range of technology

initiatives including the Outreach and Technology Assistance Network

(www.otan.us <http://www.otan.us/> ) and Strengthening Programs Through
Technology

(www.adultedonline.org <http://www.adultedonline.org/> ). John is the author
of numerous publications

and is frequently requested as a presenter at both state and national

conferences.

 

Jerome (Jere) Johnston is Research Professor at the University of

Michigan's Institute for Social Research. For 40 years he has been

studying ways that technology shapes what people learn. In recent

years Dr. Johnston has been exploring innovative ways to use

technology in adult literacy. He directs the Project IDEAL Support

Center, supporting 25 states in their efforts to build distance

learning programs for adult learners. The Center provides technical

assistance to states in the areas of training, research, and policy

development (projectideal.org).

 

Stephen Reder is University Professor and Chair of the Department of

Applied Linguistics at Portland State University. His research and

teaching interests focus on adult education and the processes of

literacy and language development during adulthood. Dr. Reder has

served as the Principal Investigator for a number of major projects

in adult education. Two recent projects, the Longitudinal Study of

Adult Learning and the National Labsite for Adult ESOL, examine the

ways adults acquire new literacy and language abilities and the roles

which adult education programs and policies play in supporting that

development. The results of this research have led to the

development of the Learner Web, an innovative online adult learning

support system. Professor Reder is the author of numerous

publications about his research and its implications for adult

education and adult literacy and language development. He has

recently completed co-editing a volume with John Bynner, Tracking

Adult Literacy and Numeracy Skills: Findings from Longitudinal

Research. A second book is in progress, Dropping Out and Moving On:

Life, Literacy and Development among High School Dropouts. Dr. Reder

actively works with networks of adult education researchers,

practitioners and policymakers at the state, regional and national

levels.

 

Clare Strawn is Assistant Professor at Portland State University,

Portland, Oregon, and has been an analyst on the Longitudinal Study

of Adult Learning. She is interested in patterns of program

participation, the intersection of learning and community

development, social capital influences on learning strategies, and

technology. She has been a co-developer, with Steve Reder of the

Learner Web and has been actively involved in the demonstration project.

 

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

DJRosen at theworld.com

 

 

 

-------------------------------

National Institute for Literacy

Special Topics mailing list

SpecialTopics at nifl.gov

To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics

Email delivered to djrosen1 at gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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From reders at pdx.edu  Mon Nov 17 14:38:04 2008
From: reders at pdx.edu (Steve Reder)
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:38:04 -0800
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1099] Re: New Designs in Online and DistanceLearning
	--your questions
In-Reply-To: <917DC64C48E557458148F7DFB880C8FE027BBED2@EXCHANGE.jeffco.schools>
References: <62DE7D26-C202-4DC1-9EC7-A6B2D0BE549C@theworld.com><6A0E8C72-84D4-49E8-B590-55F38EDFEF4F@theworld.com>
	<917DC64C48E557458148F7DFB880C8FE027BBED2@EXCHANGE.jeffco.schools>
Message-ID: <010f01c948ec$02c27570$0502fea9@PSU.DS.PDX.EDU>

Thanks, Sherri.  I tried to describe in my initial response how a "learning
support system" like the Learner Web differs from other types of online
products.  You can also find some information about that on the project
website, www.learnerweb.org <http://www.learnerweb.org/> .  We hope that a
variety of organizations will develop Learning Plans for various
life-skills.  As developers of the Learner Web platform, we want to
encourage and support others to develop content for it.  That is already
happening in the areas of family literacy and college transition, for
example.  Anyone interested in possibly developing Learning Plans in other
areas should contact me (reders at pdx.edu).

 

-Steve

 

  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Durman Sherri L.
Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 2008 9:31 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1083] Re: New Designs in Online and DistanceLearning
--your questions

 

Yes, I want to know how they differ from other online adult basic education
and English language learning models?  How does this work with adults?  Will
you be covering life-skills based topics?

 

Sherri 

 

  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David Rosen
Sent: Sun 11/2/2008 9:06 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1073] New Designs in Online and Distance Learning
--your questions

Colleagues, 

 

As several people have recently signed up for the upcoming discussion here,
New Designs in Online and Distance Learning, and since so far I have only
received one question,  I would like to repeat my request for your questions
for our guests:

 

What questions would you like to ask our guests? 

 

Please look at the brief descriptions of the two models that you will see in
my previous email message, included below. The federally-funded USA Learns
will have a national launch in a few days, before our discussion begins.
We'll have an announcement here of the web site so you can look at it if you
like.  The Learner Web is a federally-funded demonstration project,
available only for field testing in several selected regions around the
country in Oregon, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New
Jersey and Washington, D.C. More information about the Learner Web,
including two screen capture videos (if you register and log in), will be
found at http://learnerweb.org <http://learnerweb.org/> 

 

* What would you like our guests to cover or explain in their descriptions
of USA Learns and the Learner Web when we begin the discussion on November
17th and 18th?

* Do you want to know how USA Learns and the Learner Web became
federally-funded projects, what needs or research base they grew from, or
other things about their history and development?

* Do you want to know how they differ from other online adult basic
education and English language learning models? If so, which kinds: online
courses, online course management systems, wikis, portals, or something
else? 

* If you are thinking about using either USA Learns or the Learner Web with
your students, what is the situation you are hoping it will address? What
group(s) of students, at what level(s) with what needs?  What questions do
you have about the model's usefulness for that situation?

 

Think about why you have subscribed to the Special Topics discussion forum
(or stayed subscribed) for this discussion, what you want to get from it.
Frame a question or questions that will help our guests address your
interest or need. You can send your questions by just replying to this
message or by emailing them directly to me at djrosen at theworld.com. I will
share the questions with our guests before the discussion begins, and the
questions will be posted on or after November 17th. Of course more
questions, observations, and dialogue will be welcome during the week of the
discussion.

 

Finally, it's not too late for your colleagues to join this discussion. To
subscribe to the discussion, one can go to: 

http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics

One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can stay
subscribed for the next discussion.

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

DJRosen at theworld.com

 

 

 

On Oct 29, 2008, at 9:38 PM, David Rosen wrote:

Special Topics Discussion Colleagues,

 

On November 17th we will begin a discussion of USA Learns and of 

the Learner Web. You will find the description for this discussion below. 

Judging by the number of new subscribers, this is a high-interest topic!

Now is the time to think about why you have subscribed: 

 

What questions would you like to ask our guests? 

 

Although your questions will not be posted until the discussion begins, 

I would like to share them with our guests in advance.  Of course, 

questions, comments, and dialogue, will also be welcome during the 

discussion.

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

djrosen at theworld.com

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------

New Designs in Online and Distance Learning is a National Institute

for Literacy Special Topics discussion that will be held from

November 17th through November 21st, 2008. It will focus on two new

adult education models: a national learning portal for English

language learning at a distance, called USA Learns, and a web-based

and telephone-based learning support system, called the Learner Web,

for ABE, ASE and ELL students enrolled in classes to supplement their

learning, as well as for those who study on their own. We have four

distinguished guests, researchers as well as product developers, who

will describe these two models and answer questions.

 

For USA Learns, our guests are John Fleischman and Dr. Jerome (Jere)

Johnston. For the Learner Web our guests are Dr. Stephen Reder and

Dr. Clare Strawn. You will find more information about them below.

 

Please forward this announcement to your colleagues who may be

interested in subscribing!

 

To subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:

 

http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics

 

One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can

stay subscribed for the next discussion.

 

Description of the models

 

The Learner Web is a learning support system providing structure and

resources for adults who want to accomplish specific learning

objectives. A learner can access the system through the Internet. In

addition to on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates support

services from existing local education programs, community based

organizations, tutors, and telephone helpers. The Learner Web

consists of a Web-based software system that is implemented

regionally. The System is organized around Learning Plans. A Learning

Plan is a set of steps structured around achieving an identified

goal. For example, if the goal is to get a GED, the steps might

include finding out more about the tests, identifying what skills one

needs to brush up on, learning new skills and knowledge, taking

practice tests, etc. Each step is matched with online and community

based resources and a workspace where learners can take assessments

or save their work in an e-portfolio. The learner creates a personal

profile, may take a short reading assessment and interest inventory,

chooses a goal from the available list and follows the Learning Plan

independently or with a tutor or a teacher. The Learning Plan is

dynamically matched by the software to both the learner profile and

educational resources. The learner's progress is saved and can be

returned to at any time via the internet. Learners can choose to

share their workspace with a tutor or teacher.

 

The Learner Web has begun the second year of a three-year

demonstration project in seven demonstration regions across the country.

 

U.S.A. Learns is a free Web site designed for adult learners with

limited English language skills. Instructional content focuses on

the language and literacy skills that adults need for everyday

survival. While a broad range of adults can use U.S.A. Learns, it

has been developed primarily for immigrants who cannot attend

traditional classroom programs because of difficulty with schedules,

transportation, or other barriers. The site includes more than 400

hours of instruction and offers an extensive array of video, audio

and richly illustrated graphics and images. The site layout was

created with the inexperienced Web user in mind, and extensive built-

in help features are available. U.S.A. Learns can be used

independently, but it can also be used in association with a teacher

or tutor via an online management system.

 

 

Background on Discussion Guests

 

John Fleischman

 

With more than 25 years of experience in adult education as a

teacher, administrator and project director, John Fleischman is

currently responsible for information and educational technology

operations at the Sacramento County Office of Education. John

possesses an extensive background with creating and implementing

instructional and informational media for use in a variety of

educational environments. His present area of focus is on building

Web-based solutions for education, including data management systems

and comprehensive online learning resources. Working at the state

and national level, he provides oversight for a range of technology

initiatives including the Outreach and Technology Assistance Network

(www.otan.us <http://www.otan.us/> ) and Strengthening Programs Through
Technology

(www.adultedonline.org <http://www.adultedonline.org/> ). John is the author
of numerous publications

and is frequently requested as a presenter at both state and national

conferences.

 

Jerome (Jere) Johnston is Research Professor at the University of

Michigan's Institute for Social Research. For 40 years he has been

studying ways that technology shapes what people learn. In recent

years Dr. Johnston has been exploring innovative ways to use

technology in adult literacy. He directs the Project IDEAL Support

Center, supporting 25 states in their efforts to build distance

learning programs for adult learners. The Center provides technical

assistance to states in the areas of training, research, and policy

development (projectideal.org).

 

Stephen Reder is University Professor and Chair of the Department of

Applied Linguistics at Portland State University. His research and

teaching interests focus on adult education and the processes of

literacy and language development during adulthood. Dr. Reder has

served as the Principal Investigator for a number of major projects

in adult education. Two recent projects, the Longitudinal Study of

Adult Learning and the National Labsite for Adult ESOL, examine the

ways adults acquire new literacy and language abilities and the roles

which adult education programs and policies play in supporting that

development. The results of this research have led to the

development of the Learner Web, an innovative online adult learning

support system. Professor Reder is the author of numerous

publications about his research and its implications for adult

education and adult literacy and language development. He has

recently completed co-editing a volume with John Bynner, Tracking

Adult Literacy and Numeracy Skills: Findings from Longitudinal

Research. A second book is in progress, Dropping Out and Moving On:

Life, Literacy and Development among High School Dropouts. Dr. Reder

actively works with networks of adult education researchers,

practitioners and policymakers at the state, regional and national

levels.

 

Clare Strawn is Assistant Professor at Portland State University,

Portland, Oregon, and has been an analyst on the Longitudinal Study

of Adult Learning. She is interested in patterns of program

participation, the intersection of learning and community

development, social capital influences on learning strategies, and

technology. She has been a co-developer, with Steve Reder of the

Learner Web and has been actively involved in the demonstration project.

 

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

DJRosen at theworld.com

 

 

 

-------------------------------

National Institute for Literacy

Special Topics mailing list

SpecialTopics at nifl.gov

To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics

Email delivered to djrosen1 at gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-------------- next part --------------
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From DJRosen at theworld.com  Mon Nov 17 18:17:47 2008
From: DJRosen at theworld.com (David J. Rosen)
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 18:17:47 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1100] Re: Learner Web's  Learning Plans
References: <62DE7D26-C202-4DC1-9EC7-A6B2D0BE549C@theworld.com><6A0E8C72-84D4-49E8-B590-55F38EDFEF4F@theworld.com><917DC64C48E557458148F7DFB880C8FE027BBED2@EXCHANGE.jeffco.schools>
	<010f01c948ec$02c27570$0502fea9@PSU.DS.PDX.EDU>
Message-ID: <3180806D6B54427182E9E93077995007@A1411>

Steve,

I wonder if you could briefly describe a couple of the LW Learning Plans, 
perhaps one being developed by a LW region or collaboration of regions, and 
another being developed by an individual or organization. I find this 
process of collaborative courriculum development at the regional and 
national level one of the LW's most interesting features. It is rare that 
adult education teacher/curriculum developers from different parts of the 
country have an opportunity to work together in this way.

David

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at theworld.com

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Reder" <reders at pdx.edu>
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Sent: Monday, November 17, 2008 2:38 PM
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1099] Re: New Designs in Online and 
DistanceLearning--your questions

> Thanks, Sherri.  I tried to describe in my initial response how a 
> "learning
> support system" like the Learner Web differs from other types of online
> products.  You can also find some information about that on the project
> website, www.learnerweb.org <http://www.learnerweb.org/> .  We hope that a
> variety of organizations will develop Learning Plans for various
> life-skills.  As developers of the Learner Web platform, we want to
> encourage and support others to develop content for it.  That is already
> happening in the areas of family literacy and college transition, for
> example.  Anyone interested in possibly developing Learning Plans in other
> areas should contact me (reders at pdx.edu).
>
>
>
> -Steve
>
>
>
>  _____
>
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov 
> [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
> On Behalf Of Durman Sherri L.
> Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 2008 9:31 AM
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 1083] Re: New Designs in Online and 
> DistanceLearning
> --your questions
>
>
>
> Yes, I want to know how they differ from other online adult basic 
> education
> and English language learning models?  How does this work with adults? 
> Will
> you be covering life-skills based topics?
>
>
>
> Sherri
>
>
>
>  _____
>
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David Rosen
> Sent: Sun 11/2/2008 9:06 AM
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 1073] New Designs in Online and Distance Learning
> --your questions
>
> Colleagues,
>
>
>
> As several people have recently signed up for the upcoming discussion 
> here,
> New Designs in Online and Distance Learning, and since so far I have only
> received one question,  I would like to repeat my request for your 
> questions
> for our guests:
>
>
>
> What questions would you like to ask our guests?
>
>
>
> Please look at the brief descriptions of the two models that you will see 
> in
> my previous email message, included below. The federally-funded USA Learns
> will have a national launch in a few days, before our discussion begins.
> We'll have an announcement here of the web site so you can look at it if 
> you
> like.  The Learner Web is a federally-funded demonstration project,
> available only for field testing in several selected regions around the
> country in Oregon, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New
> Jersey and Washington, D.C. More information about the Learner Web,
> including two screen capture videos (if you register and log in), will be
> found at http://learnerweb.org <http://learnerweb.org/>
>
>
>
> * What would you like our guests to cover or explain in their descriptions
> of USA Learns and the Learner Web when we begin the discussion on November
> 17th and 18th?
>
> * Do you want to know how USA Learns and the Learner Web became
> federally-funded projects, what needs or research base they grew from, or
> other things about their history and development?
>
> * Do you want to know how they differ from other online adult basic
> education and English language learning models? If so, which kinds: online
> courses, online course management systems, wikis, portals, or something
> else?
>
> * If you are thinking about using either USA Learns or the Learner Web 
> with
> your students, what is the situation you are hoping it will address? What
> group(s) of students, at what level(s) with what needs?  What questions do
> you have about the model's usefulness for that situation?
>
>
>
> Think about why you have subscribed to the Special Topics discussion forum
> (or stayed subscribed) for this discussion, what you want to get from it.
> Frame a question or questions that will help our guests address your
> interest or need. You can send your questions by just replying to this
> message or by emailing them directly to me at djrosen at theworld.com. I will
> share the questions with our guests before the discussion begins, and the
> questions will be posted on or after November 17th. Of course more
> questions, observations, and dialogue will be welcome during the week of 
> the
> discussion.
>
>
>
> Finally, it's not too late for your colleagues to join this discussion. To
> subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:
>
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
>
> One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can stay
> subscribed for the next discussion.
>
>
>
> David J. Rosen
>
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
>
> DJRosen at theworld.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Oct 29, 2008, at 9:38 PM, David Rosen wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> Special Topics Discussion Colleagues,
>
>
>
> On November 17th we will begin a discussion of USA Learns and of
>
> the Learner Web. You will find the description for this discussion below.
>
> Judging by the number of new subscribers, this is a high-interest topic!
>
> Now is the time to think about why you have subscribed:
>
>
>
> What questions would you like to ask our guests?
>
>
>
> Although your questions will not be posted until the discussion begins,
>
> I would like to share them with our guests in advance.  Of course,
>
> questions, comments, and dialogue, will also be welcome during the
>
> discussion.
>
>
>
> David J. Rosen
>
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
>
> djrosen at theworld.com
>
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> ----------------
>
> New Designs in Online and Distance Learning is a National Institute
>
> for Literacy Special Topics discussion that will be held from
>
> November 17th through November 21st, 2008. It will focus on two new
>
> adult education models: a national learning portal for English
>
> language learning at a distance, called USA Learns, and a web-based
>
> and telephone-based learning support system, called the Learner Web,
>
> for ABE, ASE and ELL students enrolled in classes to supplement their
>
> learning, as well as for those who study on their own. We have four
>
> distinguished guests, researchers as well as product developers, who
>
> will describe these two models and answer questions.
>
>
>
> For USA Learns, our guests are John Fleischman and Dr. Jerome (Jere)
>
> Johnston. For the Learner Web our guests are Dr. Stephen Reder and
>
> Dr. Clare Strawn. You will find more information about them below.
>
>
>
> Please forward this announcement to your colleagues who may be
>
> interested in subscribing!
>
>
>
> To subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:
>
>
>
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
>
>
>
> One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can
>
> stay subscribed for the next discussion.
>
>
>
> Description of the models
>
>
>
> The Learner Web is a learning support system providing structure and
>
> resources for adults who want to accomplish specific learning
>
> objectives. A learner can access the system through the Internet. In
>
> addition to on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates support
>
> services from existing local education programs, community based
>
> organizations, tutors, and telephone helpers. The Learner Web
>
> consists of a Web-based software system that is implemented
>
> regionally. The System is organized around Learning Plans. A Learning
>
> Plan is a set of steps structured around achieving an identified
>
> goal. For example, if the goal is to get a GED, the steps might
>
> include finding out more about the tests, identifying what skills one
>
> needs to brush up on, learning new skills and knowledge, taking
>
> practice tests, etc. Each step is matched with online and community
>
> based resources and a workspace where learners can take assessments
>
> or save their work in an e-portfolio. The learner creates a personal
>
> profile, may take a short reading assessment and interest inventory,
>
> chooses a goal from the available list and follows the Learning Plan
>
> independently or with a tutor or a teacher. The Learning Plan is
>
> dynamically matched by the software to both the learner profile and
>
> educational resources. The learner's progress is saved and can be
>
> returned to at any time via the internet. Learners can choose to
>
> share their workspace with a tutor or teacher.
>
>
>
> The Learner Web has begun the second year of a three-year
>
> demonstration project in seven demonstration regions across the country.
>
>
>
> U.S.A. Learns is a free Web site designed for adult learners with
>
> limited English language skills. Instructional content focuses on
>
> the language and literacy skills that adults need for everyday
>
> survival. While a broad range of adults can use U.S.A. Learns, it
>
> has been developed primarily for immigrants who cannot attend
>
> traditional classroom programs because of difficulty with schedules,
>
> transportation, or other barriers. The site includes more than 400
>
> hours of instruction and offers an extensive array of video, audio
>
> and richly illustrated graphics and images. The site layout was
>
> created with the inexperienced Web user in mind, and extensive built-
>
> in help features are available. U.S.A. Learns can be used
>
> independently, but it can also be used in association with a teacher
>
> or tutor via an online management system.
>
>
>
>
>
> Background on Discussion Guests
>
>
>
> John Fleischman
>
>
>
> With more than 25 years of experience in adult education as a
>
> teacher, administrator and project director, John Fleischman is
>
> currently responsible for information and educational technology
>
> operations at the Sacramento County Office of Education. John
>
> possesses an extensive background with creating and implementing
>
> instructional and informational media for use in a variety of
>
> educational environments. His present area of focus is on building
>
> Web-based solutions for education, including data management systems
>
> and comprehensive online learning resources. Working at the state
>
> and national level, he provides oversight for a range of technology
>
> initiatives including the Outreach and Technology Assistance Network
>
> (www.otan.us <http://www.otan.us/> ) and Strengthening Programs Through
> Technology
>
> (www.adultedonline.org <http://www.adultedonline.org/> ). John is the 
> author
> of numerous publications
>
> and is frequently requested as a presenter at both state and national
>
> conferences.
>
>
>
> Jerome (Jere) Johnston is Research Professor at the University of
>
> Michigan's Institute for Social Research. For 40 years he has been
>
> studying ways that technology shapes what people learn. In recent
>
> years Dr. Johnston has been exploring innovative ways to use
>
> technology in adult literacy. He directs the Project IDEAL Support
>
> Center, supporting 25 states in their efforts to build distance
>
> learning programs for adult learners. The Center provides technical
>
> assistance to states in the areas of training, research, and policy
>
> development (projectideal.org).
>
>
>
> Stephen Reder is University Professor and Chair of the Department of
>
> Applied Linguistics at Portland State University. His research and
>
> teaching interests focus on adult education and the processes of
>
> literacy and language development during adulthood. Dr. Reder has
>
> served as the Principal Investigator for a number of major projects
>
> in adult education. Two recent projects, the Longitudinal Study of
>
> Adult Learning and the National Labsite for Adult ESOL, examine the
>
> ways adults acquire new literacy and language abilities and the roles
>
> which adult education programs and policies play in supporting that
>
> development. The results of this research have led to the
>
> development of the Learner Web, an innovative online adult learning
>
> support system. Professor Reder is the author of numerous
>
> publications about his research and its implications for adult
>
> education and adult literacy and language development. He has
>
> recently completed co-editing a volume with John Bynner, Tracking
>
> Adult Literacy and Numeracy Skills: Findings from Longitudinal
>
> Research. A second book is in progress, Dropping Out and Moving On:
>
> Life, Literacy and Development among High School Dropouts. Dr. Reder
>
> actively works with networks of adult education researchers,
>
> practitioners and policymakers at the state, regional and national
>
> levels.
>
>
>
> Clare Strawn is Assistant Professor at Portland State University,
>
> Portland, Oregon, and has been an analyst on the Longitudinal Study
>
> of Adult Learning. She is interested in patterns of program
>
> participation, the intersection of learning and community
>
> development, social capital influences on learning strategies, and
>
> technology. She has been a co-developer, with Steve Reder of the
>
> Learner Web and has been actively involved in the demonstration project.
>
>
>
>
>
> David J. Rosen
>
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
>
> DJRosen at theworld.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
>
> National Institute for Literacy
>
> Special Topics mailing list
>
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
>
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
>
> Email delivered to djrosen1 at gmail.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to djrosen at theworld.com 

From katherine.gotthardt at gmail.com  Mon Nov 17 19:10:39 2008
From: katherine.gotthardt at gmail.com (Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt)
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:10:39 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1101] Re: New Designs in Online and DistanceLearning
	-- your questions
In-Reply-To: <006701c948d4$b0317e30$0502fea9@PSU.DS.PDX.EDU>
References: <62DE7D26-C202-4DC1-9EC7-A6B2D0BE549C@theworld.com>
	<6A0E8C72-84D4-49E8-B590-55F38EDFEF4F@theworld.com>
	<ac3a53cd0811021426l638a897oe73bcbf1d06fa56c@mail.gmail.com>
	<006701c948d4$b0317e30$0502fea9@PSU.DS.PDX.EDU>
Message-ID: <ac3a53cd0811171610q40adaac5r8ccb24f6e8426551@mail.gmail.com>

Yes, this does help, and you answered my second question in your
introduction.  You're good!  : )

On Mon, Nov 17, 2008 at 11:51 AM, Steve Reder <reders at pdx.edu> wrote:

>  Good questions, Katherine.  During our demonstration project (through
> Sept 2010), Portland State university is hosting Learner Web for all users
> but it will be freely distributed as open source towards the end of the
> project so that others can host it as they wish.  The implementing regions
> in our demonstration project are starting to discuss a planned national
> rollout process.  Big issues will be deciding how best to provide needed
> training and technical assistance to organizational users of the LW ? the
> external evaluation being conducted on the demonstration project will help
> us identify some of the issues to consider in scaling up such training and
> assistance.  We are developing a whole online library of multimedia videos
> and manuals for training purposes.
>
>
>
> Learning plans (remember, these are the structured units of content for the
> Learner Web platform) can be designed to blend the use of Learner Web with
> live courses in a rich variety of ways.  We expect to have a number of
> working and evaluated models developed through our demonstration project.
>
>
>
> Hope this helps.  Thanks for your questions.
>
>
>
> -Steve
>
>
>  ------------------------------
>
> *From:* specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:
> specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] *On Behalf Of *Katherine Mercurio
> Gotthardt
> *Sent:* Sunday, November 02, 2008 2:27 PM
> *To:* specialtopics at nifl.gov
> *Subject:* [SpecialTopics 1078] Re: New Designs in Online and
> DistanceLearning -- your questions
>
>
>
> Hi David--
>
> 1.  It looks like these programs will be open source.  How do they differ
> from other programs that are NOT open source?  For example, I worked with a
> program called Project Connect which provided lessons in English language,
> culture and civics.  Schools using the program must purchase a license.
> Hence, the program is run through the school where there are designated
> contacts who can also meet with students and provide a certain amount of
> tech support. Are these programs similar?  If so, has there been any
> feedback from subscription-only program providers?
>
>
>
> 2.  Are these programs meant to be used in tandem with live courses?  My
> experience has been that pure distance education programs do not adequately
> serve this community for a variety of reasons, including technological
> barriers, students' inability to communicate problems, feelings of being
> overwhelmed or intimidated, etc.
>
> Thank you!  I look forward to the discussion and appreciate the reminder to
> ask questions early!
>
> On Sun, Nov 2, 2008 at 11:06 AM, David Rosen <DJRosen at theworld.com> wrote:
>
> Colleagues,
>
>
>
> As several people have recently signed up for the upcoming discussion
> here, *New Designs in Online and Distance Learning,* and since so far I
> have only received one question,  I would like to repeat my request for your
> questions for our guests:
>
>
>
> *What questions would you like to ask our guests? *
>
>
>
> Please look at the brief descriptions of the two models that you will see
> in my previous email message, included below. The federally-funded *USA
> Learns* will have a national launch in a few days, before our discussion
> begins. We'll have an announcement here of the web site so you can look at
> it if you like.  The *Learner Web* is a federally-funded demonstration
> project, available only for field testing in several selected regions around
> the country in Oregon, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New
> Jersey and Washington, D.C. More information about the *Learner Web*,
> including two screen capture videos (if you register and log in), will be
> found at http://learnerweb.org
>
>
>
> ? What would you like our guests to cover or explain in their descriptions
> of *USA Learns* and the *Learner Web* when we begin the discussion on
> November 17th and 18th?
>
> ? Do you want to know how *USA Learns* and the *Learner Web* became
> federally-funded projects, what needs or research base they grew from, or
> other things about their history and development?
>
> ? Do you want to know how they differ from other online adult basic
> education and English language learning models? If so, which kinds: online
> courses, online course management systems, wikis, portals, or something
> else?
>
> ? If you are thinking about using either *USA Learns* or the *Learner Web
> *with your students, what is the situation you are hoping it will address?
> What group(s) of students, at what level(s) with what needs?  What questions
> do you have about the model's usefulness for that situation?
>
>
>
> Think about why you have subscribed to the Special Topics discussion forum
> (or stayed subscribed) for this discussion, what *you* want to get from
> it. Frame a question or questions that will help our guests address your
> interest or need. You can send your questions by just replying to this
> message or by emailing them directly to me at djrosen at theworld.com. I will
> share the questions with our guests before the discussion begins, and
> the questions will be posted on or after November 17th. Of course more
> questions, observations, and dialogue will be welcome during the week of the
> discussion.
>
>
>
> Finally, it's not too late for your colleagues to join this discussion. To
> subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:
>
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
>
> One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can stay
> subscribed for the next discussion.
>
>
>
> David J. Rosen
>
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
>
> DJRosen at theworld.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Oct 29, 2008, at 9:38 PM, David Rosen wrote:
>
>
>
>   Special Topics Discussion Colleagues,
>
>
>
> On November 17th we will begin a discussion of USA Learns and of
>
> the Learner Web. You will find the description for this discussion below.
>
> Judging by the number of new subscribers, this is a high-interest topic!
>
> Now is the time to think about why you have subscribed:
>
>
>
> What questions would you like to ask our guests?
>
>
>
> Although your questions will not be posted until the discussion begins,
>
> I would like to share them with our guests in advance.  Of course,
>
> questions, comments, and dialogue, will also be welcome during the
>
> discussion.
>
>
>
> David J. Rosen
>
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
>
> djrosen at theworld.com
>
>
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> New Designs in Online and Distance Learning is a National Institute
>
> for Literacy Special Topics discussion that will be held from
>
> November 17th through November 21st, 2008. It will focus on two new
>
> adult education models: a national learning portal for English
>
> language learning at a distance, called USA Learns, and a web-based
>
> and telephone-based learning support system, called the Learner Web,
>
> for ABE, ASE and ELL students enrolled in classes to supplement their
>
> learning, as well as for those who study on their own. We have four
>
> distinguished guests, researchers as well as product developers, who
>
> will describe these two models and answer questions.
>
>
>
> For USA Learns, our guests are John Fleischman and Dr. Jerome (Jere)
>
> Johnston. For the Learner Web our guests are Dr. Stephen Reder and
>
> Dr. Clare Strawn. You will find more information about them below.
>
>
>
> Please forward this announcement to your colleagues who may be
>
> interested in subscribing!
>
>
>
> To subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:
>
>
>
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
>
>
>
> One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can
>
> stay subscribed for the next discussion.
>
>
>
> Description of the models
>
>
>
> The Learner Web is a learning support system providing structure and
>
> resources for adults who want to accomplish specific learning
>
> objectives. A learner can access the system through the Internet. In
>
> addition to on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates support
>
> services from existing local education programs, community based
>
> organizations, tutors, and telephone helpers. The Learner Web
>
> consists of a Web-based software system that is implemented
>
> regionally. The System is organized around Learning Plans. A Learning
>
> Plan is a set of steps structured around achieving an identified
>
> goal. For example, if the goal is to get a GED, the steps might
>
> include finding out more about the tests, identifying what skills one
>
> needs to brush up on, learning new skills and knowledge, taking
>
> practice tests, etc. Each step is matched with online and community
>
> based resources and a workspace where learners can take assessments
>
> or save their work in an e-portfolio. The learner creates a personal
>
> profile, may take a short reading assessment and interest inventory,
>
> chooses a goal from the available list and follows the Learning Plan
>
> independently or with a tutor or a teacher. The Learning Plan is
>
> dynamically matched by the software to both the learner profile and
>
> educational resources. The learner's progress is saved and can be
>
> returned to at any time via the internet. Learners can choose to
>
> share their workspace with a tutor or teacher.
>
>
>
> The Learner Web has begun the second year of a three-year
>
> demonstration project in seven demonstration regions across the country.
>
>
>
> U.S.A. Learns is a free Web site designed for adult learners with
>
> limited English language skills. Instructional content focuses on
>
> the language and literacy skills that adults need for everyday
>
> survival. While a broad range of adults can use U.S.A. Learns, it
>
> has been developed primarily for immigrants who cannot attend
>
> traditional classroom programs because of difficulty with schedules,
>
> transportation, or other barriers. The site includes more than 400
>
> hours of instruction and offers an extensive array of video, audio
>
> and richly illustrated graphics and images. The site layout was
>
> created with the inexperienced Web user in mind, and extensive built-
>
> in help features are available. U.S.A. Learns can be used
>
> independently, but it can also be used in association with a teacher
>
> or tutor via an online management system.
>
>
>
>
>
> Background on Discussion Guests
>
>
>
> John Fleischman
>
>
>
> With more than 25 years of experience in adult education as a
>
> teacher, administrator and project director, John Fleischman is
>
> currently responsible for information and educational technology
>
> operations at the Sacramento County Office of Education. John
>
> possesses an extensive background with creating and implementing
>
> instructional and informational media for use in a variety of
>
> educational environments. His present area of focus is on building
>
> Web-based solutions for education, including data management systems
>
> and comprehensive online learning resources. Working at the state
>
> and national level, he provides oversight for a range of technology
>
> initiatives including the Outreach and Technology Assistance Network
>
> (www.otan.us) and Strengthening Programs Through Technology
>
> (www.adultedonline.org). John is the author of numerous publications
>
> and is frequently requested as a presenter at both state and national
>
> conferences.
>
>
>
> Jerome (Jere) Johnston is Research Professor at the University of
>
> Michigan's Institute for Social Research. For 40 years he has been
>
> studying ways that technology shapes what people learn. In recent
>
> years Dr. Johnston has been exploring innovative ways to use
>
> technology in adult literacy. He directs the Project IDEAL Support
>
> Center, supporting 25 states in their efforts to build distance
>
> learning programs for adult learners. The Center provides technical
>
> assistance to states in the areas of training, research, and policy
>
> development (projectideal.org).
>
>
>
> Stephen Reder is University Professor and Chair of the Department of
>
> Applied Linguistics at Portland State University. His research and
>
> teaching interests focus on adult education and the processes of
>
> literacy and language development during adulthood. Dr. Reder has
>
> served as the Principal Investigator for a number of major projects
>
> in adult education. Two recent projects, the Longitudinal Study of
>
> Adult Learning and the National Labsite for Adult ESOL, examine the
>
> ways adults acquire new literacy and language abilities and the roles
>
> which adult education programs and policies play in supporting that
>
> development. The results of this research have led to the
>
> development of the Learner Web, an innovative online adult learning
>
> support system. Professor Reder is the author of numerous
>
> publications about his research and its implications for adult
>
> education and adult literacy and language development. He has
>
> recently completed co-editing a volume with John Bynner, Tracking
>
> Adult Literacy and Numeracy Skills: Findings from Longitudinal
>
> Research. A second book is in progress, Dropping Out and Moving On:
>
> Life, Literacy and Development among High School Dropouts. Dr. Reder
>
> actively works with networks of adult education researchers,
>
> practitioners and policymakers at the state, regional and national
>
> levels.
>
>
>
> Clare Strawn is Assistant Professor at Portland State University,
>
> Portland, Oregon, and has been an analyst on the Longitudinal Study
>
> of Adult Learning. She is interested in patterns of program
>
> participation, the intersection of learning and community
>
> development, social capital influences on learning strategies, and
>
> technology. She has been a co-developer, with Steve Reder of the
>
> Learner Web and has been actively involved in the demonstration project.
>
>
>
>
>
> David J. Rosen
>
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
>
> DJRosen at theworld.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
>
> National Institute for Literacy
>
> Special Topics mailing list
>
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
>
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
>
> Email delivered to djrosen1 at gmail.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to katherine.gotthardt at gmail.com
>
>
>
>
> --
> Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt
> www.LuxuriousChoices.net
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to katherine.gotthardt at gmail.com
>

-- 
Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt
www.LuxuriousChoices.net
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From JUDY.MORTRUDE at spps.org  Mon Nov 17 19:55:46 2008
From: JUDY.MORTRUDE at spps.org (JUDY.MORTRUDE at spps.org)
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 18:55:46 -0600
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1102] Re: Learner Web's  Learning Plans
Message-ID: <OFF9005B07.F6E22CD8-ON86257505.00051B15-86257505.00051B1B@spps.org>

Steve
As one of the Learner Web pilot sites, St. Paul has learned this about
Learner Web -- it isn't Rosetta Stone or Lifetime Library or any other
computer-assisted instruction.

Rather, the learning plans are evolving structures that our agencies
(libraries, community based organizations, school district, workforce
centers, etc) will implement to support the adult learner as s/he moves
around and through the systems of our community.

It's what makes Learner Web difficult to describe but ultimately so
powerful.

Judy Mortrude
ABE Supervisor
Saint Paul Adult Learning

      To:   <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
      cc:
      bcc:
      Subject:    [SpecialTopics 1100] Re: Learner Web's  Learning Plans
"David J. Rosen" <DJRosen at theworld.com>
Sent by: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
11/17/2008 06:17 PM EST
Please respond to specialtopics           <font size=-1></font>

Steve,

I wonder if you could briefly describe a couple of the LW Learning Plans,
perhaps one being developed by a LW region or collaboration of regions, and
another being developed by an individual or organization. I find this
process of collaborative courriculum development at the regional and
national level one of the LW's most interesting features. It is rare that
adult education teacher/curriculum developers from different parts of the
country have an opportunity to work together in this way.

David

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at theworld.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve Reder" <reders at pdx.edu>
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Sent: Monday, November 17, 2008 2:38 PM
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1099] Re: New Designs in Online and
DistanceLearning--your questions

> Thanks, Sherri.  I tried to describe in my initial response how a
> "learning
> support system" like the Learner Web differs from other types of online
> products.  You can also find some information about that on the project
> website, www.learnerweb.org <http://www.learnerweb.org/> .  We hope that
a
> variety of organizations will develop Learning Plans for various
> life-skills.  As developers of the Learner Web platform, we want to
> encourage and support others to develop content for it.  That is already
> happening in the areas of family literacy and college transition, for
> example.  Anyone interested in possibly developing Learning Plans in
other
> areas should contact me (reders at pdx.edu).
>
>
>
> -Steve
>
>
>
>  _____
>
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
> [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
> On Behalf Of Durman Sherri L.
> Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 2008 9:31 AM
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 1083] Re: New Designs in Online and
> DistanceLearning
> --your questions
>
>
>
> Yes, I want to know how they differ from other online adult basic
> education
> and English language learning models?  How does this work with adults?
> Will
> you be covering life-skills based topics?
>
>
>
> Sherri
>
>
>
>  _____
>
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David Rosen
> Sent: Sun 11/2/2008 9:06 AM
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 1073] New Designs in Online and Distance Learning
> --your questions
>
> Colleagues,
>
>
>
> As several people have recently signed up for the upcoming discussion
> here,
> New Designs in Online and Distance Learning, and since so far I have only
> received one question,  I would like to repeat my request for your
> questions
> for our guests:
>
>
>
> What questions would you like to ask our guests?
>
>
>
> Please look at the brief descriptions of the two models that you will see
> in
> my previous email message, included below. The federally-funded USA
Learns
> will have a national launch in a few days, before our discussion begins.
> We'll have an announcement here of the web site so you can look at it if
> you
> like.  The Learner Web is a federally-funded demonstration project,
> available only for field testing in several selected regions around the
> country in Oregon, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New
> Jersey and Washington, D.C. More information about the Learner Web,
> including two screen capture videos (if you register and log in), will be
> found at http://learnerweb.org <http://learnerweb.org/>
>
>
>
> * What would you like our guests to cover or explain in their
descriptions
> of USA Learns and the Learner Web when we begin the discussion on
November
> 17th and 18th?
>
> * Do you want to know how USA Learns and the Learner Web became
> federally-funded projects, what needs or research base they grew from, or
> other things about their history and development?
>
> * Do you want to know how they differ from other online adult basic
> education and English language learning models? If so, which kinds:
online
> courses, online course management systems, wikis, portals, or something
> else?
>
> * If you are thinking about using either USA Learns or the Learner Web
> with
> your students, what is the situation you are hoping it will address? What
> group(s) of students, at what level(s) with what needs?  What questions
do
> you have about the model's usefulness for that situation?
>
>
>
> Think about why you have subscribed to the Special Topics discussion
forum
> (or stayed subscribed) for this discussion, what you want to get from it.
> Frame a question or questions that will help our guests address your
> interest or need. You can send your questions by just replying to this
> message or by emailing them directly to me at djrosen at theworld.com. I
will
> share the questions with our guests before the discussion begins, and the
> questions will be posted on or after November 17th. Of course more
> questions, observations, and dialogue will be welcome during the week of
> the
> discussion.
>
>
>
> Finally, it's not too late for your colleagues to join this discussion.
To
> subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:
>
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
>
> One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can stay
> subscribed for the next discussion.
>
>
>
> David J. Rosen
>
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
>
> DJRosen at theworld.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Oct 29, 2008, at 9:38 PM, David Rosen wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> Special Topics Discussion Colleagues,
>
>
>
> On November 17th we will begin a discussion of USA Learns and of
>
> the Learner Web. You will find the description for this discussion below.
>
> Judging by the number of new subscribers, this is a high-interest topic!
>
> Now is the time to think about why you have subscribed:
>
>
>
> What questions would you like to ask our guests?
>
>
>
> Although your questions will not be posted until the discussion begins,
>
> I would like to share them with our guests in advance.  Of course,
>
> questions, comments, and dialogue, will also be welcome during the
>
> discussion.
>
>
>
> David J. Rosen
>
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
>
> djrosen at theworld.com
>
>
>
>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> ----------------
>
> New Designs in Online and Distance Learning is a National Institute
>
> for Literacy Special Topics discussion that will be held from
>
> November 17th through November 21st, 2008. It will focus on two new
>
> adult education models: a national learning portal for English
>
> language learning at a distance, called USA Learns, and a web-based
>
> and telephone-based learning support system, called the Learner Web,
>
> for ABE, ASE and ELL students enrolled in classes to supplement their
>
> learning, as well as for those who study on their own. We have four
>
> distinguished guests, researchers as well as product developers, who
>
> will describe these two models and answer questions.
>
>
>
> For USA Learns, our guests are John Fleischman and Dr. Jerome (Jere)
>
> Johnston. For the Learner Web our guests are Dr. Stephen Reder and
>
> Dr. Clare Strawn. You will find more information about them below.
>
>
>
> Please forward this announcement to your colleagues who may be
>
> interested in subscribing!
>
>
>
> To subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:
>
>
>
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
>
>
>
> One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can
>
> stay subscribed for the next discussion.
>
>
>
> Description of the models
>
>
>
> The Learner Web is a learning support system providing structure and
>
> resources for adults who want to accomplish specific learning
>
> objectives. A learner can access the system through the Internet. In
>
> addition to on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates support
>
> services from existing local education programs, community based
>
> organizations, tutors, and telephone helpers. The Learner Web
>
> consists of a Web-based software system that is implemented
>
> regionally. The System is organized around Learning Plans. A Learning
>
> Plan is a set of steps structured around achieving an identified
>
> goal. For example, if the goal is to get a GED, the steps might
>
> include finding out more about the tests, identifying what skills one
>
> needs to brush up on, learning new skills and knowledge, taking
>
> practice tests, etc. Each step is matched with online and community
>
> based resources and a workspace where learners can take assessments
>
> or save their work in an e-portfolio. The learner creates a personal
>
> profile, may take a short reading assessment and interest inventory,
>
> chooses a goal from the available list and follows the Learning Plan
>
> independently or with a tutor or a teacher. The Learning Plan is
>
> dynamically matched by the software to both the learner profile and
>
> educational resources. The learner's progress is saved and can be
>
> returned to at any time via the internet. Learners can choose to
>
> share their workspace with a tutor or teacher.
>
>
>
> The Learner Web has begun the second year of a three-year
>
> demonstration project in seven demonstration regions across the country.
>
>
>
> U.S.A. Learns is a free Web site designed for adult learners with
>
> limited English language skills. Instructional content focuses on
>
> the language and literacy skills that adults need for everyday
>
> survival. While a broad range of adults can use U.S.A. Learns, it
>
> has been developed primarily for immigrants who cannot attend
>
> traditional classroom programs because of difficulty with schedules,
>
> transportation, or other barriers. The site includes more than 400
>
> hours of instruction and offers an extensive array of video, audio
>
> and richly illustrated graphics and images. The site layout was
>
> created with the inexperienced Web user in mind, and extensive built-
>
> in help features are available. U.S.A. Learns can be used
>
> independently, but it can also be used in association with a teacher
>
> or tutor via an online management system.
>
>
>
>
>
> Background on Discussion Guests
>
>
>
> John Fleischman
>
>
>
> With more than 25 years of experience in adult education as a
>
> teacher, administrator and project director, John Fleischman is
>
> currently responsible for information and educational technology
>
> operations at the Sacramento County Office of Education. John
>
> possesses an extensive background with creating and implementing
>
> instructional and informational media for use in a variety of
>
> educational environments. His present area of focus is on building
>
> Web-based solutions for education, including data management systems
>
> and comprehensive online learning resources. Working at the state
>
> and national level, he provides oversight for a range of technology
>
> initiatives including the Outreach and Technology Assistance Network
>
> (www.otan.us <http://www.otan.us/> ) and Strengthening Programs Through
> Technology
>
> (www.adultedonline.org <http://www.adultedonline.org/> ). John is the
> author
> of numerous publications
>
> and is frequently requested as a presenter at both state and national
>
> conferences.
>
>
>
> Jerome (Jere) Johnston is Research Professor at the University of
>
> Michigan's Institute for Social Research. For 40 years he has been
>
> studying ways that technology shapes what people learn. In recent
>
> years Dr. Johnston has been exploring innovative ways to use
>
> technology in adult literacy. He directs the Project IDEAL Support
>
> Center, supporting 25 states in their efforts to build distance
>
> learning programs for adult learners. The Center provides technical
>
> assistance to states in the areas of training, research, and policy
>
> development (projectideal.org).
>
>
>
> Stephen Reder is University Professor and Chair of the Department of
>
> Applied Linguistics at Portland State University. His research and
>
> teaching interests focus on adult education and the processes of
>
> literacy and language development during adulthood. Dr. Reder has
>
> served as the Principal Investigator for a number of major projects
>
> in adult education. Two recent projects, the Longitudinal Study of
>
> Adult Learning and the National Labsite for Adult ESOL, examine the
>
> ways adults acquire new literacy and language abilities and the roles
>
> which adult education programs and policies play in supporting that
>
> development. The results of this research have led to the
>
> development of the Learner Web, an innovative online adult learning
>
> support system. Professor Reder is the author of numerous
>
> publications about his research and its implications for adult
>
> education and adult literacy and language development. He has
>
> recently completed co-editing a volume with John Bynner, Tracking
>
> Adult Literacy and Numeracy Skills: Findings from Longitudinal
>
> Research. A second book is in progress, Dropping Out and Moving On:
>
> Life, Literacy and Development among High School Dropouts. Dr. Reder
>
> actively works with networks of adult education researchers,
>
> practitioners and policymakers at the state, regional and national
>
> levels.
>
>
>
> Clare Strawn is Assistant Professor at Portland State University,
>
> Portland, Oregon, and has been an analyst on the Longitudinal Study
>
> of Adult Learning. She is interested in patterns of program
>
> participation, the intersection of learning and community
>
> development, social capital influences on learning strategies, and
>
> technology. She has been a co-developer, with Steve Reder of the
>
> Learner Web and has been actively involved in the demonstration project.
>
>
>
>
>
> David J. Rosen
>
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
>
> DJRosen at theworld.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
>
> National Institute for Literacy
>
> Special Topics mailing list
>
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
>
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
>
> Email delivered to djrosen1 at gmail.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to djrosen at theworld.com

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to judy.mortrude at spps.org

From kathy_borgone at nbps.k12.nj.us  Mon Nov 17 22:21:48 2008
From: kathy_borgone at nbps.k12.nj.us (Kathy Borgone)
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 22:21:48 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1103] Re: Learner Web's  Learning Plans
References: <OFF9005B07.F6E22CD8-ON86257505.00051B15-86257505.00051B1B@spps.org>
Message-ID: <EC93A6B4D1AD934880019CFDA7DBCD0904CE0A8C@nbps-exchange.nbps.k12.nj.us>

Judy
As one of the pilot sites for the Learner Web, I would be interested in hearing your thoughts.  You said it was a "powerful"  tool.  That leads me to believe that you are very encouraged based on what you have seen thus far .  I teach ABE and ESL and was wondering if you were equally pleased with the potential interaction students could have with the Learner Web?
Thanks!!
 
M. Kathy Borgone - Instructor
New Brunswick Public Schools
ADULT LEARNING CENTER
268 Baldwin St. 2nd Fl.
New Brunswick, NJ  08901
(732)745-5300 xt. 4501
kathy_borgone at nbps.k12.nj.us
 

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of JUDY.MORTRUDE at spps.org
Sent: Mon 11/17/2008 7:55 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1102] Re: Learner Web's Learning Plans

Steve
As one of the Learner Web pilot sites, St. Paul has learned this about
Learner Web -- it isn't Rosetta Stone or Lifetime Library or any other
computer-assisted instruction.

Rather, the learning plans are evolving structures that our agencies
(libraries, community based organizations, school district, workforce
centers, etc) will implement to support the adult learner as s/he moves
around and through the systems of our community.

It's what makes Learner Web difficult to describe but ultimately so
powerful.

Judy Mortrude
ABE Supervisor
Saint Paul Adult Learning

      To:   <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
      cc:
      bcc:
      Subject:    [SpecialTopics 1100] Re: Learner Web's  Learning Plans
"David J. Rosen" <DJRosen at theworld.com>
Sent by: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
11/17/2008 06:17 PM EST
Please respond to specialtopics           <font size=-1></font>

Steve,

I wonder if you could briefly describe a couple of the LW Learning Plans,
perhaps one being developed by a LW region or collaboration of regions, and
another being developed by an individual or organization. I find this
process of collaborative courriculum development at the regional and
national level one of the LW's most interesting features. It is rare that
adult education teacher/curriculum developers from different parts of the
country have an opportunity to work together in this way.

David

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at theworld.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Steve Reder" <reders at pdx.edu>
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Sent: Monday, November 17, 2008 2:38 PM
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1099] Re: New Designs in Online and
DistanceLearning--your questions

> Thanks, Sherri.  I tried to describe in my initial response how a
> "learning
> support system" like the Learner Web differs from other types of online
> products.  You can also find some information about that on the project
> website, www.learnerweb.org <http://www.learnerweb.org/> .  We hope that
a
> variety of organizations will develop Learning Plans for various
> life-skills.  As developers of the Learner Web platform, we want to
> encourage and support others to develop content for it.  That is already
> happening in the areas of family literacy and college transition, for
> example.  Anyone interested in possibly developing Learning Plans in
other
> areas should contact me (reders at pdx.edu).
>
>
>
> -Steve
>
>
>
>  _____
>
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
> [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
> On Behalf Of Durman Sherri L.
> Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 2008 9:31 AM
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 1083] Re: New Designs in Online and
> DistanceLearning
> --your questions
>
>
>
> Yes, I want to know how they differ from other online adult basic
> education
> and English language learning models?  How does this work with adults?
> Will
> you be covering life-skills based topics?
>
>
>
> Sherri
>
>
>
>  _____
>
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David Rosen
> Sent: Sun 11/2/2008 9:06 AM
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 1073] New Designs in Online and Distance Learning
> --your questions
>
> Colleagues,
>
>
>
> As several people have recently signed up for the upcoming discussion
> here,
> New Designs in Online and Distance Learning, and since so far I have only
> received one question,  I would like to repeat my request for your
> questions
> for our guests:
>
>
>
> What questions would you like to ask our guests?
>
>
>
> Please look at the brief descriptions of the two models that you will see
> in
> my previous email message, included below. The federally-funded USA
Learns
> will have a national launch in a few days, before our discussion begins.
> We'll have an announcement here of the web site so you can look at it if
> you
> like.  The Learner Web is a federally-funded demonstration project,
> available only for field testing in several selected regions around the
> country in Oregon, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New
> Jersey and Washington, D.C. More information about the Learner Web,
> including two screen capture videos (if you register and log in), will be
> found at http://learnerweb.org <http://learnerweb.org/>  <http://learnerweb.org/>
>
>
>
> * What would you like our guests to cover or explain in their
descriptions
> of USA Learns and the Learner Web when we begin the discussion on
November
> 17th and 18th?
>
> * Do you want to know how USA Learns and the Learner Web became
> federally-funded projects, what needs or research base they grew from, or
> other things about their history and development?
>
> * Do you want to know how they differ from other online adult basic
> education and English language learning models? If so, which kinds:
online
> courses, online course management systems, wikis, portals, or something
> else?
>
> * If you are thinking about using either USA Learns or the Learner Web
> with
> your students, what is the situation you are hoping it will address? What
> group(s) of students, at what level(s) with what needs?  What questions
do
> you have about the model's usefulness for that situation?
>
>
>
> Think about why you have subscribed to the Special Topics discussion
forum
> (or stayed subscribed) for this discussion, what you want to get from it.
> Frame a question or questions that will help our guests address your
> interest or need. You can send your questions by just replying to this
> message or by emailing them directly to me at djrosen at theworld.com. I
will
> share the questions with our guests before the discussion begins, and the
> questions will be posted on or after November 17th. Of course more
> questions, observations, and dialogue will be welcome during the week of
> the
> discussion.
>
>
>
> Finally, it's not too late for your colleagues to join this discussion.
To
> subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:
>
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
>
> One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can stay
> subscribed for the next discussion.
>
>
>
> David J. Rosen
>
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
>
> DJRosen at theworld.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Oct 29, 2008, at 9:38 PM, David Rosen wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> Special Topics Discussion Colleagues,
>
>
>
> On November 17th we will begin a discussion of USA Learns and of
>
> the Learner Web. You will find the description for this discussion below.
>
> Judging by the number of new subscribers, this is a high-interest topic!
>
> Now is the time to think about why you have subscribed:
>
>
>
> What questions would you like to ask our guests?
>
>
>
> Although your questions will not be posted until the discussion begins,
>
> I would like to share them with our guests in advance.  Of course,
>
> questions, comments, and dialogue, will also be welcome during the
>
> discussion.
>
>
>
> David J. Rosen
>
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
>
> djrosen at theworld.com
>
>
>
>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> ----------------
>
> New Designs in Online and Distance Learning is a National Institute
>
> for Literacy Special Topics discussion that will be held from
>
> November 17th through November 21st, 2008. It will focus on two new
>
> adult education models: a national learning portal for English
>
> language learning at a distance, called USA Learns, and a web-based
>
> and telephone-based learning support system, called the Learner Web,
>
> for ABE, ASE and ELL students enrolled in classes to supplement their
>
> learning, as well as for those who study on their own. We have four
>
> distinguished guests, researchers as well as product developers, who
>
> will describe these two models and answer questions.
>
>
>
> For USA Learns, our guests are John Fleischman and Dr. Jerome (Jere)
>
> Johnston. For the Learner Web our guests are Dr. Stephen Reder and
>
> Dr. Clare Strawn. You will find more information about them below.
>
>
>
> Please forward this announcement to your colleagues who may be
>
> interested in subscribing!
>
>
>
> To subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:
>
>
>
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
>
>
>
> One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can
>
> stay subscribed for the next discussion.
>
>
>
> Description of the models
>
>
>
> The Learner Web is a learning support system providing structure and
>
> resources for adults who want to accomplish specific learning
>
> objectives. A learner can access the system through the Internet. In
>
> addition to on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates support
>
> services from existing local education programs, community based
>
> organizations, tutors, and telephone helpers. The Learner Web
>
> consists of a Web-based software system that is implemented
>
> regionally. The System is organized around Learning Plans. A Learning
>
> Plan is a set of steps structured around achieving an identified
>
> goal. For example, if the goal is to get a GED, the steps might
>
> include finding out more about the tests, identifying what skills one
>
> needs to brush up on, learning new skills and knowledge, taking
>
> practice tests, etc. Each step is matched with online and community
>
> based resources and a workspace where learners can take assessments
>
> or save their work in an e-portfolio. The learner creates a personal
>
> profile, may take a short reading assessment and interest inventory,
>
> chooses a goal from the available list and follows the Learning Plan
>
> independently or with a tutor or a teacher. The Learning Plan is
>
> dynamically matched by the software to both the learner profile and
>
> educational resources. The learner's progress is saved and can be
>
> returned to at any time via the internet. Learners can choose to
>
> share their workspace with a tutor or teacher.
>
>
>
> The Learner Web has begun the second year of a three-year
>
> demonstration project in seven demonstration regions across the country.
>
>
>
> U.S.A. Learns is a free Web site designed for adult learners with
>
> limited English language skills. Instructional content focuses on
>
> the language and literacy skills that adults need for everyday
>
> survival. While a broad range of adults can use U.S.A. Learns, it
>
> has been developed primarily for immigrants who cannot attend
>
> traditional classroom programs because of difficulty with schedules,
>
> transportation, or other barriers. The site includes more than 400
>
> hours of instruction and offers an extensive array of video, audio
>
> and richly illustrated graphics and images. The site layout was
>
> created with the inexperienced Web user in mind, and extensive built-
>
> in help features are available. U.S.A. Learns can be used
>
> independently, but it can also be used in association with a teacher
>
> or tutor via an online management system.
>
>
>
>
>
> Background on Discussion Guests
>
>
>
> John Fleischman
>
>
>
> With more than 25 years of experience in adult education as a
>
> teacher, administrator and project director, John Fleischman is
>
> currently responsible for information and educational technology
>
> operations at the Sacramento County Office of Education. John
>
> possesses an extensive background with creating and implementing
>
> instructional and informational media for use in a variety of
>
> educational environments. His present area of focus is on building
>
> Web-based solutions for education, including data management systems
>
> and comprehensive online learning resources. Working at the state
>
> and national level, he provides oversight for a range of technology
>
> initiatives including the Outreach and Technology Assistance Network
>
> (www.otan.us <http://www.otan.us/> ) and Strengthening Programs Through
> Technology
>
> (www.adultedonline.org <http://www.adultedonline.org/> ). John is the
> author
> of numerous publications
>
> and is frequently requested as a presenter at both state and national
>
> conferences.
>
>
>
> Jerome (Jere) Johnston is Research Professor at the University of
>
> Michigan's Institute for Social Research. For 40 years he has been
>
> studying ways that technology shapes what people learn. In recent
>
> years Dr. Johnston has been exploring innovative ways to use
>
> technology in adult literacy. He directs the Project IDEAL Support
>
> Center, supporting 25 states in their efforts to build distance
>
> learning programs for adult learners. The Center provides technical
>
> assistance to states in the areas of training, research, and policy
>
> development (projectideal.org).
>
>
>
> Stephen Reder is University Professor and Chair of the Department of
>
> Applied Linguistics at Portland State University. His research and
>
> teaching interests focus on adult education and the processes of
>
> literacy and language development during adulthood. Dr. Reder has
>
> served as the Principal Investigator for a number of major projects
>
> in adult education. Two recent projects, the Longitudinal Study of
>
> Adult Learning and the National Labsite for Adult ESOL, examine the
>
> ways adults acquire new literacy and language abilities and the roles
>
> which adult education programs and policies play in supporting that
>
> development. The results of this research have led to the
>
> development of the Learner Web, an innovative online adult learning
>
> support system. Professor Reder is the author of numerous
>
> publications about his research and its implications for adult
>
> education and adult literacy and language development. He has
>
> recently completed co-editing a volume with John Bynner, Tracking
>
> Adult Literacy and Numeracy Skills: Findings from Longitudinal
>
> Research. A second book is in progress, Dropping Out and Moving On:
>
> Life, Literacy and Development among High School Dropouts. Dr. Reder
>
> actively works with networks of adult education researchers,
>
> practitioners and policymakers at the state, regional and national
>
> levels.
>
>
>
> Clare Strawn is Assistant Professor at Portland State University,
>
> Portland, Oregon, and has been an analyst on the Longitudinal Study
>
> of Adult Learning. She is interested in patterns of program
>
> participation, the intersection of learning and community
>
> development, social capital influences on learning strategies, and
>
> technology. She has been a co-developer, with Steve Reder of the
>
> Learner Web and has been actively involved in the demonstration project.
>
>
>
>
>
> David J. Rosen
>
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
>
> DJRosen at theworld.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
>
> National Institute for Literacy
>
> Special Topics mailing list
>
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
>
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
>
> Email delivered to djrosen1 at gmail.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to djrosen at theworld.com

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to judy.mortrude at spps.org

-------------------------------
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To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to kathy_borgone at nbps.k12.nj.us

-------------- next part --------------
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From reders at pdx.edu  Tue Nov 18 02:14:43 2008
From: reders at pdx.edu (Steve Reder)
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 23:14:43 -0800
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1104] Re: LearnerWeb and digital literacy
In-Reply-To: <6AA55859-8A6A-41ED-B143-04F693EE282A@mac.com>
References: <6AA55859-8A6A-41ED-B143-04F693EE282A@mac.com>
Message-ID: <001601c9494d$5487b8a0$5074fc83@PSU.DS.PDX.EDU>

Tom - great questions.  We will have multimedia materials (e.g., videos
showing how to do things on LW) to help Learners with basic digital literacy
and navigation skills for the LW.  We also hope that various types of
assistants (including telephone-based Helpers) can help adults get started
using the LW.  For example, an adult walks into a public library and the
reference librarian notices that the adult has trouble reading some of the
materials of interest.  The librarian might sit down with the adult, make
them a LW account on the spot, help them get started with an appropriate
Learning Plan and show them how to get help when it's needed.  All of these
things may scaffold some adult with weak computer skills to get started.
But how low a skill level can be effectively scaffolded in this way?  We
don't know yet but should have more information about this as our piloting
process continues.

Hope this helps a bit.
-Steve
-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Tom Macdonald
Sent: Monday, November 17, 2008 12:34 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1096] LearnerWeb and digital literacy

Hi Steve,

I hope these questions are clear and on topic -- if not, maybe we'll  
have the chance to talk some other time...

As near as I understand it, the Learner Web has two facets.

First, it acts as a central repository for resources (online and  
otherwise) which have been identified by teachers as useful learning  
opportunities. What's important about this is the potential to collect  
and publish local resources such as teacher-made, online learning  
activities, or local physical resources which offer learning  
activities or opportunities.

Second, it acts as a structure (or workspace) which scaffolds these  
resources by nesting them within a step-by-step, goal-oriented  
learning plan. Both physical and virtual resources provide the main  
content of the lesson plans in a Learning Plan.

My questions have to do with digital literacy generally and navigation  
specifically. Will the LearnerWeb help learners develop basic computer  
skills such as mouse manipulation, keyboarding, printing, web  
browsing, etc., or are these prerequisite skills? Can it help learners  
develop a more informed sense of what the internet is and what  
information and communication possiblities there are? (...or is the  
development of this "informed sense" even necessary to use the  
LearnerWeb effectively)?

The LearnerWeb as repository suggests a navigational structure of a  
simple directory of hyperlinks; the LearnerWeb as scaffold suggests a  
more complicated, pre-planned interplay of sites (the familiar  
LearnerWeb home from which the learner ventures out into the world of  
virtual or physical resources and to which the learner returns for  
further guidance). How important are the learner's navigational skills  
- not just cursor movement or double-clicking but having a sense of  
where in the virtual world they are and where they are going? 
-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to reders at pdx.edu

From reders at pdx.edu  Tue Nov 18 02:30:25 2008
From: reders at pdx.edu (Steve Reder)
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 23:30:25 -0800
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1105] Re: Learner Web's  Learning Plans
In-Reply-To: <3180806D6B54427182E9E93077995007@A1411>
References: <62DE7D26-C202-4DC1-9EC7-A6B2D0BE549C@theworld.com><6A0E8C72-84D4-49E8-B590-55F38EDFEF4F@theworld.com><917DC64C48E557458148F7DFB880C8FE027BBED2@EXCHANGE.jeffco.schools><010f01c948ec$02c27570$0502fea9@PSU.DS.PDX.EDU>
	<3180806D6B54427182E9E93077995007@A1411>
Message-ID: <001b01c9494f$85ec9c10$5074fc83@PSU.DS.PDX.EDU>

David - I'd be glad to mention a couple examples.  The National College
Transition Network (NCTN) is developing a Learning Plan to support the
successful transition of adult education students into postsecondary
institutions.   An example of cross-site collaboration on a Learning Plan
would be that between the St. Paul Literacy Consortium and Union County
College in New Jersey, who are working together on Learning Plans for
preparation for specific career tracks.

In general, Learning Plan designers can set attributes on their plans so
that they can be shared by other Regions implementing Learner Web.  We hope
this sharing of Learning Plans will encourage organizations and communities
to develop still more Learning Plans.  Our partners are engaged in an
interesting discussion about how we will maintain content quality standards
in our Learning Plans and their associated Resources.  A number of
alternative processes are being considered.
-Steve 
-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Monday, November 17, 2008 3:18 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1100] Re: Learner Web's Learning Plans

Steve,

I wonder if you could briefly describe a couple of the LW Learning Plans, 
perhaps one being developed by a LW region or collaboration of regions, and 
another being developed by an individual or organization. I find this 
process of collaborative courriculum development at the regional and 
national level one of the LW's most interesting features. It is rare that 
adult education teacher/curriculum developers from different parts of the 
country have an opportunity to work together in this way.

David

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at theworld.com

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Reder" <reders at pdx.edu>
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Sent: Monday, November 17, 2008 2:38 PM
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1099] Re: New Designs in Online and 
DistanceLearning--your questions

> Thanks, Sherri.  I tried to describe in my initial response how a 
> "learning
> support system" like the Learner Web differs from other types of online
> products.  You can also find some information about that on the project
> website, www.learnerweb.org <http://www.learnerweb.org/> .  We hope that a
> variety of organizations will develop Learning Plans for various
> life-skills.  As developers of the Learner Web platform, we want to
> encourage and support others to develop content for it.  That is already
> happening in the areas of family literacy and college transition, for
> example.  Anyone interested in possibly developing Learning Plans in other
> areas should contact me (reders at pdx.edu).
>
>
>
> -Steve
>
>
>
>  _____
>
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov 
> [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
> On Behalf Of Durman Sherri L.
> Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 2008 9:31 AM
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 1083] Re: New Designs in Online and 
> DistanceLearning
> --your questions
>
>
>
> Yes, I want to know how they differ from other online adult basic 
> education
> and English language learning models?  How does this work with adults? 
> Will
> you be covering life-skills based topics?
>
>
>
> Sherri
>
>
>
>  _____
>
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David Rosen
> Sent: Sun 11/2/2008 9:06 AM
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 1073] New Designs in Online and Distance Learning
> --your questions
>
> Colleagues,
>
>
>
> As several people have recently signed up for the upcoming discussion 
> here,
> New Designs in Online and Distance Learning, and since so far I have only
> received one question,  I would like to repeat my request for your 
> questions
> for our guests:
>
>
>
> What questions would you like to ask our guests?
>
>
>
> Please look at the brief descriptions of the two models that you will see 
> in
> my previous email message, included below. The federally-funded USA Learns
> will have a national launch in a few days, before our discussion begins.
> We'll have an announcement here of the web site so you can look at it if 
> you
> like.  The Learner Web is a federally-funded demonstration project,
> available only for field testing in several selected regions around the
> country in Oregon, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New
> Jersey and Washington, D.C. More information about the Learner Web,
> including two screen capture videos (if you register and log in), will be
> found at http://learnerweb.org <http://learnerweb.org/>
>
>
>
> * What would you like our guests to cover or explain in their descriptions
> of USA Learns and the Learner Web when we begin the discussion on November
> 17th and 18th?
>
> * Do you want to know how USA Learns and the Learner Web became
> federally-funded projects, what needs or research base they grew from, or
> other things about their history and development?
>
> * Do you want to know how they differ from other online adult basic
> education and English language learning models? If so, which kinds: online
> courses, online course management systems, wikis, portals, or something
> else?
>
> * If you are thinking about using either USA Learns or the Learner Web 
> with
> your students, what is the situation you are hoping it will address? What
> group(s) of students, at what level(s) with what needs?  What questions do
> you have about the model's usefulness for that situation?
>
>
>
> Think about why you have subscribed to the Special Topics discussion forum
> (or stayed subscribed) for this discussion, what you want to get from it.
> Frame a question or questions that will help our guests address your
> interest or need. You can send your questions by just replying to this
> message or by emailing them directly to me at djrosen at theworld.com. I will
> share the questions with our guests before the discussion begins, and the
> questions will be posted on or after November 17th. Of course more
> questions, observations, and dialogue will be welcome during the week of 
> the
> discussion.
>
>
>
> Finally, it's not too late for your colleagues to join this discussion. To
> subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:
>
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
>
> One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can stay
> subscribed for the next discussion.
>
>
>
> David J. Rosen
>
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
>
> DJRosen at theworld.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Oct 29, 2008, at 9:38 PM, David Rosen wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> Special Topics Discussion Colleagues,
>
>
>
> On November 17th we will begin a discussion of USA Learns and of
>
> the Learner Web. You will find the description for this discussion below.
>
> Judging by the number of new subscribers, this is a high-interest topic!
>
> Now is the time to think about why you have subscribed:
>
>
>
> What questions would you like to ask our guests?
>
>
>
> Although your questions will not be posted until the discussion begins,
>
> I would like to share them with our guests in advance.  Of course,
>
> questions, comments, and dialogue, will also be welcome during the
>
> discussion.
>
>
>
> David J. Rosen
>
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
>
> djrosen at theworld.com
>
>
>
>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> ----------------
>
> New Designs in Online and Distance Learning is a National Institute
>
> for Literacy Special Topics discussion that will be held from
>
> November 17th through November 21st, 2008. It will focus on two new
>
> adult education models: a national learning portal for English
>
> language learning at a distance, called USA Learns, and a web-based
>
> and telephone-based learning support system, called the Learner Web,
>
> for ABE, ASE and ELL students enrolled in classes to supplement their
>
> learning, as well as for those who study on their own. We have four
>
> distinguished guests, researchers as well as product developers, who
>
> will describe these two models and answer questions.
>
>
>
> For USA Learns, our guests are John Fleischman and Dr. Jerome (Jere)
>
> Johnston. For the Learner Web our guests are Dr. Stephen Reder and
>
> Dr. Clare Strawn. You will find more information about them below.
>
>
>
> Please forward this announcement to your colleagues who may be
>
> interested in subscribing!
>
>
>
> To subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:
>
>
>
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
>
>
>
> One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can
>
> stay subscribed for the next discussion.
>
>
>
> Description of the models
>
>
>
> The Learner Web is a learning support system providing structure and
>
> resources for adults who want to accomplish specific learning
>
> objectives. A learner can access the system through the Internet. In
>
> addition to on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates support
>
> services from existing local education programs, community based
>
> organizations, tutors, and telephone helpers. The Learner Web
>
> consists of a Web-based software system that is implemented
>
> regionally. The System is organized around Learning Plans. A Learning
>
> Plan is a set of steps structured around achieving an identified
>
> goal. For example, if the goal is to get a GED, the steps might
>
> include finding out more about the tests, identifying what skills one
>
> needs to brush up on, learning new skills and knowledge, taking
>
> practice tests, etc. Each step is matched with online and community
>
> based resources and a workspace where learners can take assessments
>
> or save their work in an e-portfolio. The learner creates a personal
>
> profile, may take a short reading assessment and interest inventory,
>
> chooses a goal from the available list and follows the Learning Plan
>
> independently or with a tutor or a teacher. The Learning Plan is
>
> dynamically matched by the software to both the learner profile and
>
> educational resources. The learner's progress is saved and can be
>
> returned to at any time via the internet. Learners can choose to
>
> share their workspace with a tutor or teacher.
>
>
>
> The Learner Web has begun the second year of a three-year
>
> demonstration project in seven demonstration regions across the country.
>
>
>
> U.S.A. Learns is a free Web site designed for adult learners with
>
> limited English language skills. Instructional content focuses on
>
> the language and literacy skills that adults need for everyday
>
> survival. While a broad range of adults can use U.S.A. Learns, it
>
> has been developed primarily for immigrants who cannot attend
>
> traditional classroom programs because of difficulty with schedules,
>
> transportation, or other barriers. The site includes more than 400
>
> hours of instruction and offers an extensive array of video, audio
>
> and richly illustrated graphics and images. The site layout was
>
> created with the inexperienced Web user in mind, and extensive built-
>
> in help features are available. U.S.A. Learns can be used
>
> independently, but it can also be used in association with a teacher
>
> or tutor via an online management system.
>
>
>
>
>
> Background on Discussion Guests
>
>
>
> John Fleischman
>
>
>
> With more than 25 years of experience in adult education as a
>
> teacher, administrator and project director, John Fleischman is
>
> currently responsible for information and educational technology
>
> operations at the Sacramento County Office of Education. John
>
> possesses an extensive background with creating and implementing
>
> instructional and informational media for use in a variety of
>
> educational environments. His present area of focus is on building
>
> Web-based solutions for education, including data management systems
>
> and comprehensive online learning resources. Working at the state
>
> and national level, he provides oversight for a range of technology
>
> initiatives including the Outreach and Technology Assistance Network
>
> (www.otan.us <http://www.otan.us/> ) and Strengthening Programs Through
> Technology
>
> (www.adultedonline.org <http://www.adultedonline.org/> ). John is the 
> author
> of numerous publications
>
> and is frequently requested as a presenter at both state and national
>
> conferences.
>
>
>
> Jerome (Jere) Johnston is Research Professor at the University of
>
> Michigan's Institute for Social Research. For 40 years he has been
>
> studying ways that technology shapes what people learn. In recent
>
> years Dr. Johnston has been exploring innovative ways to use
>
> technology in adult literacy. He directs the Project IDEAL Support
>
> Center, supporting 25 states in their efforts to build distance
>
> learning programs for adult learners. The Center provides technical
>
> assistance to states in the areas of training, research, and policy
>
> development (projectideal.org).
>
>
>
> Stephen Reder is University Professor and Chair of the Department of
>
> Applied Linguistics at Portland State University. His research and
>
> teaching interests focus on adult education and the processes of
>
> literacy and language development during adulthood. Dr. Reder has
>
> served as the Principal Investigator for a number of major projects
>
> in adult education. Two recent projects, the Longitudinal Study of
>
> Adult Learning and the National Labsite for Adult ESOL, examine the
>
> ways adults acquire new literacy and language abilities and the roles
>
> which adult education programs and policies play in supporting that
>
> development. The results of this research have led to the
>
> development of the Learner Web, an innovative online adult learning
>
> support system. Professor Reder is the author of numerous
>
> publications about his research and its implications for adult
>
> education and adult literacy and language development. He has
>
> recently completed co-editing a volume with John Bynner, Tracking
>
> Adult Literacy and Numeracy Skills: Findings from Longitudinal
>
> Research. A second book is in progress, Dropping Out and Moving On:
>
> Life, Literacy and Development among High School Dropouts. Dr. Reder
>
> actively works with networks of adult education researchers,
>
> practitioners and policymakers at the state, regional and national
>
> levels.
>
>
>
> Clare Strawn is Assistant Professor at Portland State University,
>
> Portland, Oregon, and has been an analyst on the Longitudinal Study
>
> of Adult Learning. She is interested in patterns of program
>
> participation, the intersection of learning and community
>
> development, social capital influences on learning strategies, and
>
> technology. She has been a co-developer, with Steve Reder of the
>
> Learner Web and has been actively involved in the demonstration project.
>
>
>
>
>
> David J. Rosen
>
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
>
> DJRosen at theworld.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
>
> National Institute for Literacy
>
> Special Topics mailing list
>
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
>
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
>
> Email delivered to djrosen1 at gmail.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----

> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
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Email delivered to reders at pdx.edu

From DJRosen at theworld.com  Tue Nov 18 08:29:43 2008
From: DJRosen at theworld.com (David J. Rosen)
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:29:43 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1106]  USA Learns
Message-ID: <342B39F195D64260AD9A38E606FEE696@A1411>

Colleagues,

Thanks for all your interesting questions. Although you can continue to ask questions and comment on the Learner Web, I'd like to have John Fleischman present USA Learns now, and then I'll post more of your questions for John, Jere, Leslie and Sheryl, as well as for Steve and Clare.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at theworld.com
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From Gary.Upham at maine.gov  Tue Nov 18 07:06:49 2008
From: Gary.Upham at maine.gov (Upham, Gary)
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 07:06:49 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1107] Re: SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 26, Issue 8
In-Reply-To: <mailman.106692.1226941087.14302.specialtopics@nifl.gov>
References: <mailman.106692.1226941087.14302.specialtopics@nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <4CB17D33C0F89345847A40593C9EB8EBE5DF88@SOM-TEAQASMAIL2.som.w2k.state.me.us>

Good morning.  I am the principal at the Maine State Prison, where we
have an active education department but little resources available.  I
also am President Elect of the Maine Adult Corrections association.  Due
to the nature of this program our access for inmates (which
demographically would have about 25-50% of a population that could use
this program), is not available through the web.  How can we access and
is it a possibility to create a special program for this population?  My
goal is that all facilities would have access to programs like this in a
secure web environment.

Thanks
Gary Upham/MSP

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of
specialtopics-request at nifl.gov
Sent: Monday, November 17, 2008 11:58 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 26, Issue 8

Send SpecialTopics mailing list submissions to
	specialtopics at nifl.gov

To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
	http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
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When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
than "Re: Contents of SpecialTopics digest..."

Today's Topics:

   1. [SpecialTopics 1091] Re: New Designs in Online and
      DistanceLearning	-- your questions (Steve Reder)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 08:51:07 -0800
From: "Steve Reder" <reders at pdx.edu>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1091] Re: New Designs in Online and
	DistanceLearning	-- your questions
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <006701c948d4$b0317e30$0502fea9 at PSU.DS.PDX.EDU>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Good questions, Katherine.  During our demonstration project (through
Sept
2010), Portland State university is hosting Learner Web for all users
but it
will be freely distributed as open source towards the end of the project
so
that others can host it as they wish.  The implementing regions in our
demonstration project are starting to discuss a planned national rollout
process.  Big issues will be deciding how best to provide needed
training
and technical assistance to organizational users of the LW - the
external
evaluation being conducted on the demonstration project will help us
identify some of the issues to consider in scaling up such training and
assistance.  We are developing a whole online library of multimedia
videos
and manuals for training purposes. 

 

Learning plans (remember, these are the structured units of content for
the
Learner Web platform) can be designed to blend the use of Learner Web
with
live courses in a rich variety of ways.  We expect to have a number of
working and evaluated models developed through our demonstration
project.

 

Hope this helps.  Thanks for your questions.

 

-Steve

 

  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt
Sent: Sunday, November 02, 2008 2:27 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1078] Re: New Designs in Online and
DistanceLearning
-- your questions

 

Hi David--

1.  It looks like these programs will be open source.  How do they
differ
from other programs that are NOT open source?  For example, I worked
with a
program called Project Connect which provided lessons in English
language,
culture and civics.  Schools using the program must purchase a license.
Hence, the program is run through the school where there are designated
contacts who can also meet with students and provide a certain amount of
tech support. Are these programs similar?  If so, has there been any
feedback from subscription-only program providers?

 

2.  Are these programs meant to be used in tandem with live courses?  My
experience has been that pure distance education programs do not
adequately
serve this community for a variety of reasons, including technological
barriers, students' inability to communicate problems, feelings of being
overwhelmed or intimidated, etc.  

Thank you!  I look forward to the discussion and appreciate the reminder
to
ask questions early!

On Sun, Nov 2, 2008 at 11:06 AM, David Rosen <DJRosen at theworld.com>
wrote:

Colleagues, 

 

As several people have recently signed up for the upcoming discussion
here,
New Designs in Online and Distance Learning, and since so far I have
only
received one question,  I would like to repeat my request for your
questions
for our guests:

 

What questions would you like to ask our guests? 

 

Please look at the brief descriptions of the two models that you will
see in
my previous email message, included below. The federally-funded USA
Learns
will have a national launch in a few days, before our discussion begins.
We'll have an announcement here of the web site so you can look at it if
you
like.  The Learner Web is a federally-funded demonstration project,
available only for field testing in several selected regions around the
country in Oregon, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New
Jersey and Washington, D.C. More information about the Learner Web,
including two screen capture videos (if you register and log in), will
be
found at http://learnerweb.org <http://learnerweb.org/> 

 

. What would you like our guests to cover or explain in their
descriptions
of USA Learns and the Learner Web when we begin the discussion on
November
17th and 18th?

. Do you want to know how USA Learns and the Learner Web became
federally-funded projects, what needs or research base they grew from,
or
other things about their history and development?

. Do you want to know how they differ from other online adult basic
education and English language learning models? If so, which kinds:
online
courses, online course management systems, wikis, portals, or something
else? 

. If you are thinking about using either USA Learns or the Learner Web
with
your students, what is the situation you are hoping it will address?
What
group(s) of students, at what level(s) with what needs?  What questions
do
you have about the model's usefulness for that situation?

 

Think about why you have subscribed to the Special Topics discussion
forum
(or stayed subscribed) for this discussion, what you want to get from
it.
Frame a question or questions that will help our guests address your
interest or need. You can send your questions by just replying to this
message or by emailing them directly to me at djrosen at theworld.com. I
will
share the questions with our guests before the discussion begins, and
the
questions will be posted on or after November 17th. Of course more
questions, observations, and dialogue will be welcome during the week of
the
discussion.

 

Finally, it's not too late for your colleagues to join this discussion.
To
subscribe to the discussion, one can go to: 

http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics

One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can stay
subscribed for the next discussion.

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

DJRosen at theworld.com

 

 

 

On Oct 29, 2008, at 9:38 PM, David Rosen wrote:

 

Special Topics Discussion Colleagues,

 

On November 17th we will begin a discussion of USA Learns and of 

the Learner Web. You will find the description for this discussion
below. 

Judging by the number of new subscribers, this is a high-interest topic!

Now is the time to think about why you have subscribed: 

 

What questions would you like to ask our guests? 

 

Although your questions will not be posted until the discussion begins, 

I would like to share them with our guests in advance.  Of course, 

questions, comments, and dialogue, will also be welcome during the 

discussion.

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

djrosen at theworld.com

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
----------------

New Designs in Online and Distance Learning is a National Institute

for Literacy Special Topics discussion that will be held from

November 17th through November 21st, 2008. It will focus on two new

adult education models: a national learning portal for English

language learning at a distance, called USA Learns, and a web-based

and telephone-based learning support system, called the Learner Web,

for ABE, ASE and ELL students enrolled in classes to supplement their

learning, as well as for those who study on their own. We have four

distinguished guests, researchers as well as product developers, who

will describe these two models and answer questions.

 

For USA Learns, our guests are John Fleischman and Dr. Jerome (Jere)

Johnston. For the Learner Web our guests are Dr. Stephen Reder and

Dr. Clare Strawn. You will find more information about them below.

 

Please forward this announcement to your colleagues who may be

interested in subscribing!

 

To subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:

 

http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics

 

One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can

stay subscribed for the next discussion.

 

Description of the models

 

The Learner Web is a learning support system providing structure and

resources for adults who want to accomplish specific learning

objectives. A learner can access the system through the Internet. In

addition to on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates support

services from existing local education programs, community based

organizations, tutors, and telephone helpers. The Learner Web

consists of a Web-based software system that is implemented

regionally. The System is organized around Learning Plans. A Learning

Plan is a set of steps structured around achieving an identified

goal. For example, if the goal is to get a GED, the steps might

include finding out more about the tests, identifying what skills one

needs to brush up on, learning new skills and knowledge, taking

practice tests, etc. Each step is matched with online and community

based resources and a workspace where learners can take assessments

or save their work in an e-portfolio. The learner creates a personal

profile, may take a short reading assessment and interest inventory,

chooses a goal from the available list and follows the Learning Plan

independently or with a tutor or a teacher. The Learning Plan is

dynamically matched by the software to both the learner profile and

educational resources. The learner's progress is saved and can be

returned to at any time via the internet. Learners can choose to

share their workspace with a tutor or teacher.

 

The Learner Web has begun the second year of a three-year

demonstration project in seven demonstration regions across the country.

 

U.S.A. Learns is a free Web site designed for adult learners with

limited English language skills. Instructional content focuses on

the language and literacy skills that adults need for everyday

survival. While a broad range of adults can use U.S.A. Learns, it

has been developed primarily for immigrants who cannot attend

traditional classroom programs because of difficulty with schedules,

transportation, or other barriers. The site includes more than 400

hours of instruction and offers an extensive array of video, audio

and richly illustrated graphics and images. The site layout was

created with the inexperienced Web user in mind, and extensive built-

in help features are available. U.S.A. Learns can be used

independently, but it can also be used in association with a teacher

or tutor via an online management system.

 

 

Background on Discussion Guests

 

John Fleischman

 

With more than 25 years of experience in adult education as a

teacher, administrator and project director, John Fleischman is

currently responsible for information and educational technology

operations at the Sacramento County Office of Education. John

possesses an extensive background with creating and implementing

instructional and informational media for use in a variety of

educational environments. His present area of focus is on building

Web-based solutions for education, including data management systems

and comprehensive online learning resources. Working at the state

and national level, he provides oversight for a range of technology

initiatives including the Outreach and Technology Assistance Network

(www.otan.us <http://www.otan.us/> ) and Strengthening Programs Through
Technology

(www.adultedonline.org <http://www.adultedonline.org/> ). John is the
author
of numerous publications

and is frequently requested as a presenter at both state and national

conferences.

 

Jerome (Jere) Johnston is Research Professor at the University of

Michigan's Institute for Social Research. For 40 years he has been

studying ways that technology shapes what people learn. In recent

years Dr. Johnston has been exploring innovative ways to use

technology in adult literacy. He directs the Project IDEAL Support

Center, supporting 25 states in their efforts to build distance

learning programs for adult learners. The Center provides technical

assistance to states in the areas of training, research, and policy

development (projectideal.org <http://projectideal.org/> ).

 

Stephen Reder is University Professor and Chair of the Department of

Applied Linguistics at Portland State University. His research and

teaching interests focus on adult education and the processes of

literacy and language development during adulthood. Dr. Reder has

served as the Principal Investigator for a number of major projects

in adult education. Two recent projects, the Longitudinal Study of

Adult Learning and the National Labsite for Adult ESOL, examine the

ways adults acquire new literacy and language abilities and the roles

which adult education programs and policies play in supporting that

development. The results of this research have led to the

development of the Learner Web, an innovative online adult learning

support system. Professor Reder is the author of numerous

publications about his research and its implications for adult

education and adult literacy and language development. He has

recently completed co-editing a volume with John Bynner, Tracking

Adult Literacy and Numeracy Skills: Findings from Longitudinal

Research. A second book is in progress, Dropping Out and Moving On:

Life, Literacy and Development among High School Dropouts. Dr. Reder

actively works with networks of adult education researchers,

practitioners and policymakers at the state, regional and national

levels.

 

Clare Strawn is Assistant Professor at Portland State University,

Portland, Oregon, and has been an analyst on the Longitudinal Study

of Adult Learning. She is interested in patterns of program

participation, the intersection of learning and community

development, social capital influences on learning strategies, and

technology. She has been a co-developer, with Steve Reder of the

Learner Web and has been actively involved in the demonstration project.

 

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

DJRosen at theworld.com

 

 

 

-------------------------------

National Institute for Literacy

Special Topics mailing list

SpecialTopics at nifl.gov

To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics

Email delivered to djrosen1 at gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-------------------------------
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To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to katherine.gotthardt at gmail.com

-- 
Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt
www.LuxuriousChoices.net

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End of SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 26, Issue 8
********************************************

From jfleischman at scoe.net  Sun Nov 16 16:08:13 2008
From: jfleischman at scoe.net (John Fleischman)
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2008 13:08:13 -0800
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1108]  U.S.A. Learns overview
Message-ID: <fc.004c56fb03a5c3a3004c56fb03a5c3a3.3a5c3f9@scoe.net>

U.S.A Learns ? A New Web Resource to Help Immigrants Learn English

On November 7, 2008, the Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE),
U.S. Department of Education announced the availability of U.S.A. Learns ?
a new Web site to help immigrants learn English (www.usalearns.org).  The
site was developed by Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) in
conjunction with the University of Michigan and Project IDEAL, as part of
a larger project on technology innovations and distance learning for adult
education (www.adultedonline.org).  

U.S.A. Learns is a free ESL instructional program developed primarily for
immigrant adults with limited English language skills who cannot attend
traditional classroom programs because of difficulty with schedules,
transportation, or other barriers. The site offers practice activities in
listening, reading, writing and speaking skills as well as life skills
necessary for success at work and in the community.  All instructional
materials are online; there are no videos, workbooks, or other materials
for printing. Learners can use U.S.A. Learns independently or under the
auspices of a tutor or teacher. The potential learner might work from
home, a public library, or a workplace setting.

Three Courses of Study

The U.S.A. Learns Web site consists of 3 distinct programs:

- First English Course:  20 video-based, beginner-level units
- Second English Course:  17 video-based, intermediate-level units
- Practice English and Reading:  42 intermediate-level stories and
activities

The First English Course in intended for beginning-level learners
functioning at NRS levels 2-3.  These students are often considered Low
Beginning to High Beginning ESL.  
  
The Second English Course is intended for learners functioning at NRS
levels 4-5, generally considered Low Intermediate to High Intermediate
ESL. Some aspects of this course may contain slightly lower and higher
level material.  Those familiar with English for All developed by SCOE
will recognize the Second English Course as an upgrade and expansion of
that popular online course.
  
The activities in the Practice English and Reading section will be
beneficial to ABE and GED students, as well as immigrants building their
English skills. The stories in this section are designed to build
vocabulary and comprehension skills.

Computer Skills and Technical Requirements

Learners do not need advanced computer skills to use U.S.A. Learns.  Our
usability testing to date indicates that learners with fairly limited
computer skills and only moderate educational attainment in their native
country can do well in the program.

Basic computer skills needed to navigate the learning activities:
- Mouse (click and scroll)
- Keyboard (letters, punctuation, backspace, shift key, space bar)
- Web browser (open a browser, navigate a basic Web site, click buttons
and links)

Hardware Requirements

The U.S.A. Learns site is accessible from almost any computer with a fast
Internet connection. U.S.A. Learns will not operate via a dial-up modem
connection. 

Learners need a computer with: 
- A fast broadband Internet connection (384 Kbps or faster).
- An up-to-date Web browser with the Flash plug-in.
- A sound card.
- Speakers or headphones.? 

A microphone connected to the computer is recommended for speaking
practice, but use of the microphone is optional. 

School or Classroom Use

The wide bandwidth requirements for U.S.A. Learns make it unsuitable for
use in classrooms or computer labs.  Even with a fast Internet connection
in the school or lab, simultaneous use by as few as three learners could
slow the program to a crawl and make the learning experience frustrating.

The Role of Teachers and Tutors with U.S.A. Learns

U.S.A. Learns is designed primarily for individual distance learning
outside of the traditional classroom.  But a tutor or teacher can use the
Web site's learning management system to create an online class and
support one or more students in their studies. The learning management
system enables educators to view students' work and provide feedback
online.

Teacher management features allow teachers to:
- Create an online class.
- Print an instruction document to help learners sign up for the online
class.
- Monitor a student's progress and scores.
- Score and comment on writing assignments.
- Post messages to the online class.? 

To access the management system, go to www.usalearns.org/teacher.
Students who enroll in an online class with a teacher go to
www.usalearns.org/class.

One of the appeals of distance learning is the freedom it gives students
to study at their own pace and at times and places convenient to their
busy everyday schedules.  However, it also removes the social support of a
classroom teacher and fellow students who offer encouragement, feedback
and motivation. Teachers and tutors of U.S.A. Learns will need to develop
strategies to support and motivate students to stay focused on their
learning needs and goals in the online learning environment.

The official fact sheet on U.S.A. Learns can be found at:
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ovae/pi/AdultEd/factsh/usa-learns-fs_0811.pdf
 

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From Janet_Isserlis at brown.edu  Tue Nov 18 08:40:08 2008
From: Janet_Isserlis at brown.edu (Janet Isserlis)
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:40:08 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1109]  less unclear?
In-Reply-To: <CA0ECC04F7944C058DE43228CB85428C@A1411>
Message-ID: <C5482FE8.26E51%Janet_Isserlis@brown.edu>

Colleagues - David has kindly pointed out that the question I'd posed
yesterday about intergenerational learning was not altogether clear.

Trying again:

I was hoping, Steve, to ask you - and others involved - to speak to the
notions of what  happens when computer and schools spaces, normally made
available to kids,  become available to adults.

An earlier message had contained a question about what /how the program in
DC would  communicate information about themselves to parents.  While Steve
offered contact information for that program, I was also hoping that he,
and/or anyone working at that site, might say a bit more about what, if any,
parent engagement/inclusion had developed.

hope this helps

thanks

Janet

From e.b.shupe at lycos.com  Mon Nov 17 16:28:24 2008
From: e.b.shupe at lycos.com (e s)
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 16:28:24 -0500 (EST)
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1110] [RE] New Designs in Online and Distance
	Learning
Message-ID: <20081117162824.HM.0000000000004Cg@e.b.shupe.bos-mail-wwl15.lycos.com>

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From gbitterl at sdccd.edu  Mon Nov  3 12:49:57 2008
From: gbitterl at sdccd.edu (Gretchen Bitterlin)
Date: Mon, 3 Nov 2008 09:49:57 -0800
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1111] Re: New Designs in Online and Distance
	Learning --your questions
In-Reply-To: <6A0E8C72-84D4-49E8-B590-55F38EDFEF4F@theworld.com>
References: <62DE7D26-C202-4DC1-9EC7-A6B2D0BE549C@theworld.com>
	<6A0E8C72-84D4-49E8-B590-55F38EDFEF4F@theworld.com>
Message-ID: <E2D643A171DE1A478B321DEB91F416DB1326FD@MCX.sdccd.loc>

I would like to know what NRS levels  USA Learns was written for. I would
also like to hear about the proposed  online and distance learning models for
using it.

Thank you,

 

Gretchen Bitterlin

ESL Program Chair

ESL Resource Office

4343 Ocean View Blvd.

San Diego, CA 92113

619-388-4946

 

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of David Rosen
Sent: Sunday, November 02, 2008 8:06 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1073] New Designs in Online and Distance Learning
--your questions

 

Colleagues,

 

As several people have recently signed up for the upcoming discussion here,
New Designs in Online and Distance Learning, and since so far I have only
received one question,  I would like to repeat my request for your questions
for our guests:

 

What questions would you like to ask our guests? 

 

Please look at the brief descriptions of the two models that you will see in
my previous email message, included below. The federally-funded USA Learns
will have a national launch in a few days, before our discussion begins.
We'll have an announcement here of the web site so you can look at it if you
like.  The Learner Web is a federally-funded demonstration project, available
only for field testing in several selected regions around the country in
Oregon, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and
Washington, D.C. More information about the Learner Web, including two screen
capture videos (if you register and log in), will be found at
http://learnerweb.org

 

* What would you like our guests to cover or explain in their descriptions of
USA Learns and the Learner Web when we begin the discussion on November 17th
and 18th?

* Do you want to know how USA Learns and the Learner Web became
federally-funded projects, what needs or research base they grew from, or
other things about their history and development?

* Do you want to know how they differ from other online adult basic education
and English language learning models? If so, which kinds: online courses,
online course management systems, wikis, portals, or something else? 

* If you are thinking about using either USA Learns or the Learner Web with
your students, what is the situation you are hoping it will address? What
group(s) of students, at what level(s) with what needs?  What questions do
you have about the model's usefulness for that situation?

 

Think about why you have subscribed to the Special Topics discussion forum
(or stayed subscribed) for this discussion, what you want to get from it.
Frame a question or questions that will help our guests address your interest
or need. You can send your questions by just replying to this message or by
emailing them directly to me at djrosen at theworld.com. I will share the
questions with our guests before the discussion begins, and the questions
will be posted on or after November 17th. Of course more questions,
observations, and dialogue will be welcome during the week of the discussion.

 

Finally, it's not too late for your colleagues to join this discussion. To
subscribe to the discussion, one can go to: 

http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics

One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can stay
subscribed for the next discussion.

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

DJRosen at theworld.com

 

 

 

On Oct 29, 2008, at 9:38 PM, David Rosen wrote:

Special Topics Discussion Colleagues,

 

On November 17th we will begin a discussion of USA Learns and of 

the Learner Web. You will find the description for this discussion below. 

Judging by the number of new subscribers, this is a high-interest topic!

Now is the time to think about why you have subscribed: 

 

What questions would you like to ask our guests? 

 

Although your questions will not be posted until the discussion begins, 

I would like to share them with our guests in advance.  Of course, 

questions, comments, and dialogue, will also be welcome during the 

discussion.

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

djrosen at theworld.com

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------

New Designs in Online and Distance Learning is a National Institute

for Literacy Special Topics discussion that will be held from

November 17th through November 21st, 2008. It will focus on two new

adult education models: a national learning portal for English

language learning at a distance, called USA Learns, and a web-based

and telephone-based learning support system, called the Learner Web,

for ABE, ASE and ELL students enrolled in classes to supplement their

learning, as well as for those who study on their own. We have four

distinguished guests, researchers as well as product developers, who

will describe these two models and answer questions.

 

For USA Learns, our guests are John Fleischman and Dr. Jerome (Jere)

Johnston. For the Learner Web our guests are Dr. Stephen Reder and

Dr. Clare Strawn. You will find more information about them below.

 

Please forward this announcement to your colleagues who may be

interested in subscribing!

 

To subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:

 

http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics

 

One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can

stay subscribed for the next discussion.

 

Description of the models

 

The Learner Web is a learning support system providing structure and

resources for adults who want to accomplish specific learning

objectives. A learner can access the system through the Internet. In

addition to on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates support

services from existing local education programs, community based

organizations, tutors, and telephone helpers. The Learner Web

consists of a Web-based software system that is implemented

regionally. The System is organized around Learning Plans. A Learning

Plan is a set of steps structured around achieving an identified

goal. For example, if the goal is to get a GED, the steps might

include finding out more about the tests, identifying what skills one

needs to brush up on, learning new skills and knowledge, taking

practice tests, etc. Each step is matched with online and community

based resources and a workspace where learners can take assessments

or save their work in an e-portfolio. The learner creates a personal

profile, may take a short reading assessment and interest inventory,

chooses a goal from the available list and follows the Learning Plan

independently or with a tutor or a teacher. The Learning Plan is

dynamically matched by the software to both the learner profile and

educational resources. The learner's progress is saved and can be

returned to at any time via the internet. Learners can choose to

share their workspace with a tutor or teacher.

 

The Learner Web has begun the second year of a three-year

demonstration project in seven demonstration regions across the country.

 

U.S.A. Learns is a free Web site designed for adult learners with

limited English language skills. Instructional content focuses on

the language and literacy skills that adults need for everyday

survival. While a broad range of adults can use U.S.A. Learns, it

has been developed primarily for immigrants who cannot attend

traditional classroom programs because of difficulty with schedules,

transportation, or other barriers. The site includes more than 400

hours of instruction and offers an extensive array of video, audio

and richly illustrated graphics and images. The site layout was

created with the inexperienced Web user in mind, and extensive built-

in help features are available. U.S.A. Learns can be used

independently, but it can also be used in association with a teacher

or tutor via an online management system.

 

 

Background on Discussion Guests

 

John Fleischman

 

With more than 25 years of experience in adult education as a

teacher, administrator and project director, John Fleischman is

currently responsible for information and educational technology

operations at the Sacramento County Office of Education. John

possesses an extensive background with creating and implementing

instructional and informational media for use in a variety of

educational environments. His present area of focus is on building

Web-based solutions for education, including data management systems

and comprehensive online learning resources. Working at the state

and national level, he provides oversight for a range of technology

initiatives including the Outreach and Technology Assistance Network

(www.otan.us) and Strengthening Programs Through Technology

(www.adultedonline.org). John is the author of numerous publications

and is frequently requested as a presenter at both state and national

conferences.

 

Jerome (Jere) Johnston is Research Professor at the University of

Michigan's Institute for Social Research. For 40 years he has been

studying ways that technology shapes what people learn. In recent

years Dr. Johnston has been exploring innovative ways to use

technology in adult literacy. He directs the Project IDEAL Support

Center, supporting 25 states in their efforts to build distance

learning programs for adult learners. The Center provides technical

assistance to states in the areas of training, research, and policy

development (projectideal.org).

 

Stephen Reder is University Professor and Chair of the Department of

Applied Linguistics at Portland State University. His research and

teaching interests focus on adult education and the processes of

literacy and language development during adulthood. Dr. Reder has

served as the Principal Investigator for a number of major projects

in adult education. Two recent projects, the Longitudinal Study of

Adult Learning and the National Labsite for Adult ESOL, examine the

ways adults acquire new literacy and language abilities and the roles

which adult education programs and policies play in supporting that

development. The results of this research have led to the

development of the Learner Web, an innovative online adult learning

support system. Professor Reder is the author of numerous

publications about his research and its implications for adult

education and adult literacy and language development. He has

recently completed co-editing a volume with John Bynner, Tracking

Adult Literacy and Numeracy Skills: Findings from Longitudinal

Research. A second book is in progress, Dropping Out and Moving On:

Life, Literacy and Development among High School Dropouts. Dr. Reder

actively works with networks of adult education researchers,

practitioners and policymakers at the state, regional and national

levels.

 

Clare Strawn is Assistant Professor at Portland State University,

Portland, Oregon, and has been an analyst on the Longitudinal Study

of Adult Learning. She is interested in patterns of program

participation, the intersection of learning and community

development, social capital influences on learning strategies, and

technology. She has been a co-developer, with Steve Reder of the

Learner Web and has been actively involved in the demonstration project.

 

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

DJRosen at theworld.com

 

 

 

-------------------------------

National Institute for Literacy

Special Topics mailing list

SpecialTopics at nifl.gov

To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics

Email delivered to djrosen1 at gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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From gbundy at rmi.net  Mon Nov 17 12:25:37 2008
From: gbundy at rmi.net (Gail B)
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:25:37 -0500 (GMT-05:00)
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1112] Re: initial response to questions
 aboutLearner	Web
Message-ID: <25881950.1226942737720.JavaMail.root@elwamui-little.atl.sa.earthlink.net>

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From holly at dilatush.com  Sun Nov  2 12:06:12 2008
From: holly at dilatush.com (Holly Dilatush)
Date: Sun, 02 Nov 2008 17:06:12 -0000
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1113] Re: New Designs in Online and Distance
	Learning -- your questions
In-Reply-To: <6A0E8C72-84D4-49E8-B590-55F38EDFEF4F@theworld.com>
References: <62DE7D26-C202-4DC1-9EC7-A6B2D0BE549C@theworld.com>
	<6A0E8C72-84D4-49E8-B590-55F38EDFEF4F@theworld.com>
Message-ID: <a305dbd10811020906s68f44258uc11cdad057287cde@mail.gmail.com>

Hello David, all,
Bring on the guilt! I'm very intrigued by The Learner Web and USA Learns
projects (especially USA Learns).  I've just made time to read through FAQs
and explore the Learner Web site.

Concerns I have stem primarily from direct learner support
(effectiveness/meaningful learning/encouragement) and funding.

I am a hands-on learner, and feel I need to explore the site as a learner
would before I can formulate more questions.  Now, I'm a bit confused.

As an online learner (I've completed many courses through many online
mediums -- WebCT, D2L, Yahoo groups, Moodle, more -- and am presently
completing a master's online).  Through these experiences, and as a
facilitator for online classes of my own planning, I know that some courses
can feel like "going through the motions" (and satisfying required
'evidence' of participation in educational opportunities) and yet not really
propel one to meaningful learning; others can be incredible life-changing
experiences.  Except for a few cases, it is also my belief that
blended/hybrid models engage and promote retention, motivation, meaningful
learning MUCH more than 'solo' pure online efforts.

? Do you want to know how *USA Learns* and the *Learner Web* became
federally-funded projects, what needs or research base they grew from, or
other things about their history and development?

*Definitely, yes. I'm interested in knowing whether the developers' personal
experience in online learning was tapped as models were explored*
**
*Have all of the developers themselves been online learners -- synchronous,
asynchronous, team/group projects or solo, self-paced or timelined, etc.?*

>  ? Do you want to know how they differ from other online adult basic
> education and English language learning models? If so, which kinds: online
> courses, online course management systems, wikis, portals, or something
> else?
>

*a comparison chart would be useful for reflection.  But every online
learning adventure I've been on has been different.  There are SO many
'little things' that affect positive outcomes.  *
**
*I'm an advocate for Moodles, or other platforms that allow photos (or other
avatars of choice) so that each communication with another person 'feels'
more personal.  Will either USA Learns or the Learner Web include a feature
like this?*
**
*Will social networking components be built into either USA Learns or
Learner Web?*
**

>  ? If you are thinking about using either *USA Learns* or the *Learner Web
> *with your students, what is the situation you are hoping it will address?
> What group(s) of students, at what level(s) with what needs?  What questions
> do you have about the model's usefulness for that situation?
>

*I use WiZiQ (interactive whiteboards/web-based classrooms) and Moodles.  In
what ways will these programs offer the same options, in which ways more
options, in which ways less?  Presently, I'm facilitating private tutoring
-- Basic Literacy, Pronunciation, Citizenship, Writing, Reading
comprehension, Listening and Speaking, Idioms, "USA culture and history",
using Drama in ESOL, GRE prep, TOEFL prep, business English -- a wide
range!  *
**
*I'll be actively following this discussion.  *
*As always, thank YOU, David, for all your efforts and contributions,*
*Holly*
Holly (Dilatush)
Charlottesville, VA USA
ABA Virtual Learning Center
holly at dilatush.com
(434) 960.7177 cell phone
(434) 295.9716 home phone
[OK to call 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. EST / GMT -5 time]

"Live with intention. Share inside~out smiles, inspire hope, seek awe and
nurture in nature."  (original by Holly)

http://tales-around-the-world.blogspot.com
http://abavirtual-learningcenter.org
http://blogblossoms.edublogs.org
*Twitter and Skype IDs = smilin7
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From katherine.gotthardt at gmail.com  Mon Nov 17 08:08:14 2008
From: katherine.gotthardt at gmail.com (Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt)
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 08:08:14 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1114] Re: initial response to questions about
	Learner Web
In-Reply-To: <C46DAC81562B4B1F9CBD7B6EAA6E41BF@A1411>
References: <00d801c94859$8f587cc0$5074fc83@PSU.DS.PDX.EDU>
	<C46DAC81562B4B1F9CBD7B6EAA6E41BF@A1411>
Message-ID: <ac3a53cd0811170508g1e899297j259e01fe4bbf14d3@mail.gmail.com>

Whew!  Yes, thank you for this start.  I had other questions as well that I
submitted, but David also stated some of my questions, especially those
related to telephone help.  I've not had tremendous success with this since
first, many learners are not fluent enough to communicate their questions
and second, they are shy about actually USING the language.  Students in
live classes are pretty much put on the spot and MUST speak English, but
it's easy to avoid calling a stranger.  I suspect this would add to
retention problems.

I'm also wondering if this program is a Federal program, the one President
Bush suggested last year.

On Mon, Nov 17, 2008 at 5:27 AM, David J. Rosen <DJRosen at theworld.com>wrote:

>  Thanks, Steve, for this thorough introduction. Those who would like to
> see a screen capture video showing what the Learner Web looks like from a
> learner or from an administrator point of view, could go to
> http://learnerweb.org (Select "View Demonstration" to request a password
> to view the video.)
>
> One series of questions that I am sure many people have concerns telephone
> helpers. Who are they, what kinds of help do they provide, how are they
> recruited, how often do they do telephone helping, how do they differ from
> (face-to-face or online) tutors, and how is the privacy of the learner and
> the online helper protected?
>
> Now would be a good time for others to post their questions about the
> Learner Web, too. What would you like to know?
>
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at theworld.com
>
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> *From:* Steve Reder <reders at pdx.edu>
> *To:* specialtopics at nifl.gov
> *Sent:* Sunday, November 16, 2008 9:09 PM
> *Subject:* [SpecialTopics 1076] initial response to questions about
> Learner Web
>
>  Hello, everyone.  We're delighted to have this opportunity to discuss the
> Learner Web this week and to answer questions you have.  And, indeed, you've
> already posed some excellent questions.  Before turning to specific
> questions, however, let's briefly review what the Learner Web is, as it's
> quite different in intent from other online or distance learning systems.
>
>
>
> The Learner Web is a *learning support system* intended to help adults
> reach important learning goals they may have, such as obtaining a GED,
> improving their English, transitioning to college, preparing for a
> particular career, etc.  A learner can access the system through the
> Internet. In addition to on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates
> support services from existing local education programs, community based
> organizations, tutors, and telephone helpers. The Learner Web consists of a
> Web-based software system that is implemented regionally. The System is
> organized around Learning Plans. A Learning Plan is a set of steps
> structured around achieving an identified goal. For example, if the goal is
> to get a GED, the steps might include finding out more about the tests,
> identifying what skills one needs to brush up on, learning new skills and
> knowledge, taking practice tests, etc. Each step is matched with online and
> community based resources and a workspace where Learners can take
> assessments or save their work in an e-portfolio. The Learner creates a
> personal profile, may take a short reading assessment and interest
> inventory, chooses a goal from the available list and follows the learning
> plan independently or with a tutor or a teacher. The Learning Plan is
> dynamically matched by the software to both the learner profile and
> educational resources. The Learner's progress is saved and can be returned
> to at any time via the internet. Learners can choose to share their
> workspace with a tutor or teacher.
>
>
>
> The Learner Web is being demonstrated in a number of sites across the
> country over the next two years.  We plan to use the experiences of the
> local communities and organizations involved in the demonstration to help us
> design a sustainable national rollout starting in the fall of 2010.  It may
> be possible for interested programs, organization or communities to join the
> project and begin using the Learner Web before that time.  At the moment,
> there are Learner Web implementations is Portland OR, St. Paul MN, Boston
> MA, Providence RI, Westchester NY, Union County NJ and Washington DC.
>
>
>
> Now for some of your questions.  A couple people asked if LW could be used
> by free-standing adult learners, that is, by adults who are not enrolled in
> formal programs.  The answer to that depends on the Region implementing it.
> During our demonstration project, some of our Regions are limiting its use
> initially during the piloting period to students in their classes.  Other
> regions are allowing learners to create their own accounts and use the
> system independently.  Once Learners have accounts, they log in to the
> system, select their goals, and start working on related Learning Plans
> (which provide assessments and appropriate placements into Learning Plans).
>
>
>
> Several questions asked about the reading, math, and computer skill levels
> required to use the system.  We will have good answers to those questions
> after we complete the piloting period currently underway.  For now, I would
> say that we've seen adults with little previous education or native language
> literacy struggle with the navigation within LW, while other adult students
> find it relatively easy to use.  The difficulty experienced depends not just
> on the Learner Web software itself (which we frequently revise to make
> friendlier to a broader range of adult learners) but on the content of the
> Learning Plans and Resources developed for the system.  Learning Plans can
> be targeted to adults at different skill levels.  It is straightforward to
> incorporate multilingual and multimedia content, prompts and assessments
> into Learning Plans.
>
>
>
> The LW design was based on research about adult learning that indicated
> that adults with quite low levels of skill can and often do engage in
> self-directed efforts to improve their basic skills.  But this research did
> not focus specifically on the self-directed use of online tools, so it is
> important to wait for the experience of our pilot sites with a range of
> learners before answering the question.  We hope the integrated help systems
> we have built into LW (including telephone based helpers) will scaffold its
> use by low-skilled adults so that a broader skill range of adults may be
> able to use the system than if they had to do it totally on their own.  We
> plan to use videos, podcasts and other multimedia to provide initial
> orientation to users.  A simple Learning Plan is being developed that will
> teach users how to use the system.
>
>
>
> Several questions asked about specific features of the LW system and how
> they relate to features of web-based classroom platforms such as Moodle,
> WiZiQ, etc.  Although there are some overlaps between LW and other such
> systems, and indeed LW could be used as just a platform for an online
> course, it is really designed for supporting a range of self-study and
> blended learning models, working hand-in-hand with and coordinating
> collaboration among community resources, programs and services to support
> learners.  LW can also be used to add functionality and enhance other online
> products; for example, a Learning Plan could wrap around an online product
> and add telephone-based volunteers who help learners working with the other
> online product.  Another example: using telephone-based volunteers as
> conversation partners in an ESOL Learning Plan.  We see the LW as enhancing
> and supplementing rather than replacing live teachers and classroom
> interaction.  Tutors ? either online or face-to-face ? have roles in LW and
> where available are easily integrated into Learning Plans.  Relatively
> little social networking functionality is built directly into LW but it is
> straightforward to add social networking sites/software as Resources in
> Learning Plans.
>
>
>
> Assessment of progress in LW is measured directly in terms of learners'
> completion of key steps and goals within particular Learning Plans.
> Learning Plans may be designed so that the completion of some steps is
> determined by learners themselves, whereas other steps require a teacher or
> tutor using the LW to determine whether the step is completed by looking at
> an assessment or assignment submitted by the learner.  Steps have workspace
> items associated with them, which may be automatically scored tests or
> assessments or assignments that must be graded by a teacher or other LW user
> who views the learner's work.  If programs negotiate proxy hour equivalents
> with their states for completion of key steps or goals in a Learning Plan,
> those equivalents can be directly entered into the Learning Plan design and
> automatically reported for NRS purposes.
>
>
>
> We'll stop here.  We weren't able to respond here to all of the questions
> initially posed, but I'm sure they'll come up as we continue the discussion
> this week.  We're looking forward to it.
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to djrosen1 at gmail.com
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to katherine.gotthardt at gmail.com
>

-- 
Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt
www.LuxuriousChoices.net
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From mlanen at ndecboston.org  Tue Nov  4 12:28:28 2008
From: mlanen at ndecboston.org (Margaret Lanen)
Date: Tue, 4 Nov 2008 12:28:28 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1115] Re: New Designs in Online and Distance
	Learning --your questions
In-Reply-To: <6A0E8C72-84D4-49E8-B590-55F38EDFEF4F@theworld.com>
References: <62DE7D26-C202-4DC1-9EC7-A6B2D0BE549C@theworld.com>
	<6A0E8C72-84D4-49E8-B590-55F38EDFEF4F@theworld.com>
Message-ID: <3F1B3696F3EA4331BAE5D008327FFB1D@ndecb.local>

Hello David,

 

The discussion looks very interesting. Here are my questions for USA Learns:

 

1. We are currently offering an online class for intermediate level ESOL
students using English for All. We understand that USA Learns uses similar
content for its intermediate level course. Please describe the difference
between the intermediate level course in USA Learns and English for All.

 

2. Can a student make a smooth transition from EFA to USA Learns or does the
student need to complete EFA if he/she is enrolled in that class? 

 

I am waiting for my account to be created for Learner Web. (I hope I put in
the correct region affiliation. (Boston) and referred by (David Rosen). I
signed in several hours ago but have not received a reply.

 

Thank you.

 

Margaret Lanen

 

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of David Rosen
Sent: Sunday, November 02, 2008 11:06 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1073] New Designs in Online and Distance Learning
--your questions

 

Colleagues,

 

As several people have recently signed up for the upcoming discussion here,
New Designs in Online and Distance Learning, and since so far I have only
received one question,  I would like to repeat my request for your questions
for our guests:

 

What questions would you like to ask our guests? 

 

Please look at the brief descriptions of the two models that you will see in
my previous email message, included below. The federally-funded USA Learns
will have a national launch in a few days, before our discussion begins.
We'll have an announcement here of the web site so you can look at it if you
like.  The Learner Web is a federally-funded demonstration project,
available only for field testing in several selected regions around the
country in Oregon, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New
Jersey and Washington, D.C. More information about the Learner Web,
including two screen capture videos (if you register and log in), will be
found at http://learnerweb.org

 

. What would you like our guests to cover or explain in their descriptions
of USA Learns and the Learner Web when we begin the discussion on November
17th and 18th?

. Do you want to know how USA Learns and the Learner Web became
federally-funded projects, what needs or research base they grew from, or
other things about their history and development?

. Do you want to know how they differ from other online adult basic
education and English language learning models? If so, which kinds: online
courses, online course management systems, wikis, portals, or something
else? 

. If you are thinking about using either USA Learns or the Learner Web with
your students, what is the situation you are hoping it will address? What
group(s) of students, at what level(s) with what needs?  What questions do
you have about the model's usefulness for that situation?

 

Think about why you have subscribed to the Special Topics discussion forum
(or stayed subscribed) for this discussion, what you want to get from it.
Frame a question or questions that will help our guests address your
interest or need. You can send your questions by just replying to this
message or by emailing them directly to me at djrosen at theworld.com. I will
share the questions with our guests before the discussion begins, and the
questions will be posted on or after November 17th. Of course more
questions, observations, and dialogue will be welcome during the week of the
discussion.

 

Finally, it's not too late for your colleagues to join this discussion. To
subscribe to the discussion, one can go to: 

http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics

One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can stay
subscribed for the next discussion.

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

DJRosen at theworld.com

 

 

 

On Oct 29, 2008, at 9:38 PM, David Rosen wrote:

Special Topics Discussion Colleagues,

 

On November 17th we will begin a discussion of USA Learns and of 

the Learner Web. You will find the description for this discussion below. 

Judging by the number of new subscribers, this is a high-interest topic!

Now is the time to think about why you have subscribed: 

 

What questions would you like to ask our guests? 

 

Although your questions will not be posted until the discussion begins, 

I would like to share them with our guests in advance.  Of course, 

questions, comments, and dialogue, will also be welcome during the 

discussion.

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

djrosen at theworld.com

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------

New Designs in Online and Distance Learning is a National Institute

for Literacy Special Topics discussion that will be held from

November 17th through November 21st, 2008. It will focus on two new

adult education models: a national learning portal for English

language learning at a distance, called USA Learns, and a web-based

and telephone-based learning support system, called the Learner Web,

for ABE, ASE and ELL students enrolled in classes to supplement their

learning, as well as for those who study on their own. We have four

distinguished guests, researchers as well as product developers, who

will describe these two models and answer questions.

 

For USA Learns, our guests are John Fleischman and Dr. Jerome (Jere)

Johnston. For the Learner Web our guests are Dr. Stephen Reder and

Dr. Clare Strawn. You will find more information about them below.

 

Please forward this announcement to your colleagues who may be

interested in subscribing!

 

To subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:

 

http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics

 

One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can

stay subscribed for the next discussion.

 

Description of the models

 

The Learner Web is a learning support system providing structure and

resources for adults who want to accomplish specific learning

objectives. A learner can access the system through the Internet. In

addition to on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates support

services from existing local education programs, community based

organizations, tutors, and telephone helpers. The Learner Web

consists of a Web-based software system that is implemented

regionally. The System is organized around Learning Plans. A Learning

Plan is a set of steps structured around achieving an identified

goal. For example, if the goal is to get a GED, the steps might

include finding out more about the tests, identifying what skills one

needs to brush up on, learning new skills and knowledge, taking

practice tests, etc. Each step is matched with online and community

based resources and a workspace where learners can take assessments

or save their work in an e-portfolio. The learner creates a personal

profile, may take a short reading assessment and interest inventory,

chooses a goal from the available list and follows the Learning Plan

independently or with a tutor or a teacher. The Learning Plan is

dynamically matched by the software to both the learner profile and

educational resources. The learner's progress is saved and can be

returned to at any time via the internet. Learners can choose to

share their workspace with a tutor or teacher.

 

The Learner Web has begun the second year of a three-year

demonstration project in seven demonstration regions across the country.

 

U.S.A. Learns is a free Web site designed for adult learners with

limited English language skills. Instructional content focuses on

the language and literacy skills that adults need for everyday

survival. While a broad range of adults can use U.S.A. Learns, it

has been developed primarily for immigrants who cannot attend

traditional classroom programs because of difficulty with schedules,

transportation, or other barriers. The site includes more than 400

hours of instruction and offers an extensive array of video, audio

and richly illustrated graphics and images. The site layout was

created with the inexperienced Web user in mind, and extensive built-

in help features are available. U.S.A. Learns can be used

independently, but it can also be used in association with a teacher

or tutor via an online management system.

 

 

Background on Discussion Guests

 

John Fleischman

 

With more than 25 years of experience in adult education as a

teacher, administrator and project director, John Fleischman is

currently responsible for information and educational technology

operations at the Sacramento County Office of Education. John

possesses an extensive background with creating and implementing

instructional and informational media for use in a variety of

educational environments. His present area of focus is on building

Web-based solutions for education, including data management systems

and comprehensive online learning resources. Working at the state

and national level, he provides oversight for a range of technology

initiatives including the Outreach and Technology Assistance Network

(www.otan.us) and Strengthening Programs Through Technology

(www.adultedonline.org). John is the author of numerous publications

and is frequently requested as a presenter at both state and national

conferences.

 

Jerome (Jere) Johnston is Research Professor at the University of

Michigan's Institute for Social Research. For 40 years he has been

studying ways that technology shapes what people learn. In recent

years Dr. Johnston has been exploring innovative ways to use

technology in adult literacy. He directs the Project IDEAL Support

Center, supporting 25 states in their efforts to build distance

learning programs for adult learners. The Center provides technical

assistance to states in the areas of training, research, and policy

development (projectideal.org).

 

Stephen Reder is University Professor and Chair of the Department of

Applied Linguistics at Portland State University. His research and

teaching interests focus on adult education and the processes of

literacy and language development during adulthood. Dr. Reder has

served as the Principal Investigator for a number of major projects

in adult education. Two recent projects, the Longitudinal Study of

Adult Learning and the National Labsite for Adult ESOL, examine the

ways adults acquire new literacy and language abilities and the roles

which adult education programs and policies play in supporting that

development. The results of this research have led to the

development of the Learner Web, an innovative online adult learning

support system. Professor Reder is the author of numerous

publications about his research and its implications for adult

education and adult literacy and language development. He has

recently completed co-editing a volume with John Bynner, Tracking

Adult Literacy and Numeracy Skills: Findings from Longitudinal

Research. A second book is in progress, Dropping Out and Moving On:

Life, Literacy and Development among High School Dropouts. Dr. Reder

actively works with networks of adult education researchers,

practitioners and policymakers at the state, regional and national

levels.

 

Clare Strawn is Assistant Professor at Portland State University,

Portland, Oregon, and has been an analyst on the Longitudinal Study

of Adult Learning. She is interested in patterns of program

participation, the intersection of learning and community

development, social capital influences on learning strategies, and

technology. She has been a co-developer, with Steve Reder of the

Learner Web and has been actively involved in the demonstration project.

 

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

DJRosen at theworld.com

 

 

 

-------------------------------

National Institute for Literacy

Special Topics mailing list

SpecialTopics at nifl.gov

To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics

Email delivered to djrosen1 at gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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From tammy.turner at health.gatech.edu  Mon Nov 17 12:57:05 2008
From: tammy.turner at health.gatech.edu (Tammy M. Turner)
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:57:05 -0500 (EST)
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1116] Re: New Designs in Online and Distance Learning
In-Reply-To: <B257B8BDB6814546B69BF068E033EC9D@A1411>
Message-ID: <848540057.3940201226944625711.JavaMail.root@mail3.gatech.edu>

How accessible is a program, like USA Learns, in prisons, jails, or juvenile facilities? 

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David J. Rosen" <DJRosen at theworld.com> 
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
Sent: Monday, November 17, 2008 4:36:54 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern 
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1075] ?New Designs in Online and Distance Learning 

Special Topics Colleagues, 

Today we begin a discussion of two new online and distance learning models specifically designed for adult literacy education, including ESL/ESOL.? They are the Learner Web and USA Learns. Each has much to offer, but they differ in their design, audiences, and also in their stage of development. USA? Learns,?with core funding?from the Office of Vocational and Adult Education, launched earlier this month ( http://usalearns.org ) and is a national?adult?ESL/ESOL portal. It is available now?at no cost?to adult learners everywhere.The Learner Web is beginning its second year of a three-year, federally-funded demonstration grant from the Institute?of Museum and Library Services.?The Learner Web?is available now?only?for piloting, and only in certain regions of the country.? I am an advisor to USA Learns, and am a Regional Implementation Advisor?for the Learner Web, so?I have had the privilege of watching both projects evolve. 

We will begin today?with a presentation of the Learner Web by Stephen Reder from Portland State University. He will be joined in the discussion by Clare Strawn, a co-developer with Steve, of the Learner Web.?Clare is?also on the Portland State University faculty. On Tuesday we will have a presentation?about USA Learns by John Fleischman, from the Sacramento (CA) County Office of Education.?John will be joined by Jere Johnston and Leslie Petty, both from the University of MIchigan.??They will also be joined by Sheryl Adler, from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Vocational and Adult Education as there may be questions about the development of USA Learns which she can best address. 

I am delighted that our guests -- and you -- can join us for this discussion. Please feel free to post your questions and comments?for our guests at any time this week. 

David J. Rosen 
Special Topics Discussion Moderator 
djrosen at theworld.com 
------------------------------- National Institute for Literacy Special Topics mailing list SpecialTopics at nifl.gov To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics Email delivered to tammy.turner at health.gatech.edu 

-- 
Tammy M. Turner, MPH CHES 
Alcohol & Other Drug Prevention Coordinator 
Georgia Institute of Technology 
Stamps Health Services 
Department of Health Promotion 
740 Ferst Drive NW 
Atlanta, GA 30332-0470 
404-894-0473 
Tammy.Turner at health.gatech.edu 
http://www.health.gatech.edu 

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From DJRosen at theworld.com  Tue Nov 18 09:18:33 2008
From: DJRosen at theworld.com (David J. Rosen)
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 09:18:33 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1117] Re: Learner Web's  Learning Plans
References: <OF660BD7B5.D4CD2D7E-ON86257505.004C7DCD-86257505.004C7DD5@spps.org>
Message-ID: <0249B5E85DB041728B02E6046673212B@A1411>

Posted for Judy Mortrude:
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: JUDY.MORTRUDE at spps.org 
  To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
  Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2008 8:55 AM
  Subject: Re: [SpecialTopics 1103] Re: Learner Web's Learning Plans

  Kathy

  The learning plans we've launched thus far are primarily ESL -- we plan to have the work readiness ABE plans up in December.  It's been really interesting to see ESL adults use LW.  While many of these learners have used ESL software, all of these adults are new to online learning -- LW has been their first "invitation" to this type of instruction and they have been really compelled to dig into it.  

  In this pilot stage, learners are using the LW under our observation -- in classes.  In other words, these adults find LW through us.  In my opinion, the real strength of LW will be when adults find us (educators, workforce development staff, libraries, community ed resources, etc) through the LW.

  Judy

  "Kathy Borgone" <kathy_borgone at nbps.k12.nj.us>
  Sent by: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
  11/17/2008 10:21 PM EST
  Please respond to specialtopics

  To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
  cc: 
  bcc: 
  Subject: [SpecialTopics 1103] Re: Learner Web's Learning Plans

  Judy
  As one of the pilot sites for the Learner Web, I would be interested in hearing your thoughts.  You said it was a "powerful"  tool.  That leads me to believe that you are very encouraged based on what you have seen thus far .  I teach ABE and ESL and was wondering if you were equally pleased with the potential interaction students could have with the Learner Web?
  Thanks!!

  M. Kathy Borgone - Instructor
  New Brunswick Public Schools
  ADULT LEARNING CENTER
  268 Baldwin St. 2nd Fl.
  New Brunswick, NJ  08901
  (732)745-5300 xt. 4501
  kathy_borgone at nbps.k12.nj.us

  ________________________________

  From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of JUDY.MORTRUDE at spps.org
  Sent: Mon 11/17/2008 7:55 PM
  To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
  Subject: [SpecialTopics 1102] Re: Learner Web's Learning Plans

  Steve
  As one of the Learner Web pilot sites, St. Paul has learned this about
  Learner Web -- it isn't Rosetta Stone or Lifetime Library or any other
  computer-assisted instruction.

  Rather, the learning plans are evolving structures that our agencies
  (libraries, community based organizations, school district, workforce
  centers, etc) will implement to support the adult learner as s/he moves
  around and through the systems of our community.

  It's what makes Learner Web difficult to describe but ultimately so
  powerful.

  Judy Mortrude
  ABE Supervisor
  Saint Paul Adult Learning

      To:   <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
      cc:
      bcc:
      Subject:    [SpecialTopics 1100] Re: Learner Web's  Learning Plans
  "David J. Rosen" <DJRosen at theworld.com>
  Sent by: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
  11/17/2008 06:17 PM EST
  Please respond to specialtopics           <font size=-1></font>

  Steve,

  I wonder if you could briefly describe a couple of the LW Learning Plans,
  perhaps one being developed by a LW region or collaboration of regions, and
  another being developed by an individual or organization. I find this
  process of collaborative courriculum development at the regional and
  national level one of the LW's most interesting features. It is rare that
  adult education teacher/curriculum developers from different parts of the
  country have an opportunity to work together in this way.

  David

  David J. Rosen
  Special Topics Discussion Moderator
  djrosen at theworld.com

  ----- Original Message -----
  From: "Steve Reder" <reders at pdx.edu>
  To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
  Sent: Monday, November 17, 2008 2:38 PM
  Subject: [SpecialTopics 1099] Re: New Designs in Online and
  DistanceLearning--your questions

  > Thanks, Sherri.  I tried to describe in my initial response how a
  > "learning
  > support system" like the Learner Web differs from other types of online
  > products.  You can also find some information about that on the project
  > website, www.learnerweb.org <http://www.learnerweb.org/> .  We hope that
  a
  > variety of organizations will develop Learning Plans for various
  > life-skills.  As developers of the Learner Web platform, we want to
  > encourage and support others to develop content for it.  That is already
  > happening in the areas of family literacy and college transition, for
  > example.  Anyone interested in possibly developing Learning Plans in
  other
  > areas should contact me (reders at pdx.edu).
  >
  >
  >
  > -Steve
  >
  >
  >
  >  _____
  >
  > From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
  > [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
  > On Behalf Of Durman Sherri L.
  > Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 2008 9:31 AM
  > To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
  > Subject: [SpecialTopics 1083] Re: New Designs in Online and
  > DistanceLearning
  > --your questions
  >
  >
  >
  > Yes, I want to know how they differ from other online adult basic
  > education
  > and English language learning models?  How does this work with adults?
  > Will
  > you be covering life-skills based topics?
  >
  >
  >
  > Sherri
  >
  >
  >
  >  _____
  >
  > From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David Rosen
  > Sent: Sun 11/2/2008 9:06 AM
  > To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
  > Subject: [SpecialTopics 1073] New Designs in Online and Distance Learning
  > --your questions
  >
  > Colleagues,
  >
  >
  >
  > As several people have recently signed up for the upcoming discussion
  > here,
  > New Designs in Online and Distance Learning, and since so far I have only
  > received one question,  I would like to repeat my request for your
  > questions
  > for our guests:
  >
  >
  >
  > What questions would you like to ask our guests?
  >
  >
  >
  > Please look at the brief descriptions of the two models that you will see
  > in
  > my previous email message, included below. The federally-funded USA
  Learns
  > will have a national launch in a few days, before our discussion begins.
  > We'll have an announcement here of the web site so you can look at it if
  > you
  > like.  The Learner Web is a federally-funded demonstration project,
  > available only for field testing in several selected regions around the
  > country in Oregon, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New
  > Jersey and Washington, D.C. More information about the Learner Web,
  > including two screen capture videos (if you register and log in), will be
  > found at http://learnerweb.org <http://learnerweb.org/>  <http://learnerweb.org/>
  >
  >
  >
  > * What would you like our guests to cover or explain in their
  descriptions
  > of USA Learns and the Learner Web when we begin the discussion on
  November
  > 17th and 18th?
  >
  > * Do you want to know how USA Learns and the Learner Web became
  > federally-funded projects, what needs or research base they grew from, or
  > other things about their history and development?
  >
  > * Do you want to know how they differ from other online adult basic
  > education and English language learning models? If so, which kinds:
  online
  > courses, online course management systems, wikis, portals, or something
  > else?
  >
  > * If you are thinking about using either USA Learns or the Learner Web
  > with
  > your students, what is the situation you are hoping it will address? What
  > group(s) of students, at what level(s) with what needs?  What questions
  do
  > you have about the model's usefulness for that situation?
  >
  >
  >
  > Think about why you have subscribed to the Special Topics discussion
  forum
  > (or stayed subscribed) for this discussion, what you want to get from it.
  > Frame a question or questions that will help our guests address your
  > interest or need. You can send your questions by just replying to this
  > message or by emailing them directly to me at djrosen at theworld.com. I
  will
  > share the questions with our guests before the discussion begins, and the
  > questions will be posted on or after November 17th. Of course more
  > questions, observations, and dialogue will be welcome during the week of
  > the
  > discussion.
  >
  >
  >
  > Finally, it's not too late for your colleagues to join this discussion.
  To
  > subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:
  >
  > http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
  >
  > One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can stay
  > subscribed for the next discussion.
  >
  >
  >
  > David J. Rosen
  >
  > Special Topics Discussion Moderator
  >
  > DJRosen at theworld.com
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >
  > On Oct 29, 2008, at 9:38 PM, David Rosen wrote:
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >
  > Special Topics Discussion Colleagues,
  >
  >
  >
  > On November 17th we will begin a discussion of USA Learns and of
  >
  > the Learner Web. You will find the description for this discussion below.
  >
  > Judging by the number of new subscribers, this is a high-interest topic!
  >
  > Now is the time to think about why you have subscribed:
  >
  >
  >
  > What questions would you like to ask our guests?
  >
  >
  >
  > Although your questions will not be posted until the discussion begins,
  >
  > I would like to share them with our guests in advance.  Of course,
  >
  > questions, comments, and dialogue, will also be welcome during the
  >
  > discussion.
  >
  >
  >
  > David J. Rosen
  >
  > Special Topics Discussion Moderator
  >
  > djrosen at theworld.com
  >
  >
  >
  >
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  > ----------------
  >
  > New Designs in Online and Distance Learning is a National Institute
  >
  > for Literacy Special Topics discussion that will be held from
  >
  > November 17th through November 21st, 2008. It will focus on two new
  >
  > adult education models: a national learning portal for English
  >
  > language learning at a distance, called USA Learns, and a web-based
  >
  > and telephone-based learning support system, called the Learner Web,
  >
  > for ABE, ASE and ELL students enrolled in classes to supplement their
  >
  > learning, as well as for those who study on their own. We have four
  >
  > distinguished guests, researchers as well as product developers, who
  >
  > will describe these two models and answer questions.
  >
  >
  >
  > For USA Learns, our guests are John Fleischman and Dr. Jerome (Jere)
  >
  > Johnston. For the Learner Web our guests are Dr. Stephen Reder and
  >
  > Dr. Clare Strawn. You will find more information about them below.
  >
  >
  >
  > Please forward this announcement to your colleagues who may be
  >
  > interested in subscribing!
  >
  >
  >
  > To subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:
  >
  >
  >
  > http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
  >
  >
  >
  > One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can
  >
  > stay subscribed for the next discussion.
  >
  >
  >
  > Description of the models
  >
  >
  >
  > The Learner Web is a learning support system providing structure and
  >
  > resources for adults who want to accomplish specific learning
  >
  > objectives. A learner can access the system through the Internet. In
  >
  > addition to on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates support
  >
  > services from existing local education programs, community based
  >
  > organizations, tutors, and telephone helpers. The Learner Web
  >
  > consists of a Web-based software system that is implemented
  >
  > regionally. The System is organized around Learning Plans. A Learning
  >
  > Plan is a set of steps structured around achieving an identified
  >
  > goal. For example, if the goal is to get a GED, the steps might
  >
  > include finding out more about the tests, identifying what skills one
  >
  > needs to brush up on, learning new skills and knowledge, taking
  >
  > practice tests, etc. Each step is matched with online and community
  >
  > based resources and a workspace where learners can take assessments
  >
  > or save their work in an e-portfolio. The learner creates a personal
  >
  > profile, may take a short reading assessment and interest inventory,
  >
  > chooses a goal from the available list and follows the Learning Plan
  >
  > independently or with a tutor or a teacher. The Learning Plan is
  >
  > dynamically matched by the software to both the learner profile and
  >
  > educational resources. The learner's progress is saved and can be
  >
  > returned to at any time via the internet. Learners can choose to
  >
  > share their workspace with a tutor or teacher.
  >
  >
  >
  > The Learner Web has begun the second year of a three-year
  >
  > demonstration project in seven demonstration regions across the country.
  >
  >
  >
  > U.S.A. Learns is a free Web site designed for adult learners with
  >
  > limited English language skills. Instructional content focuses on
  >
  > the language and literacy skills that adults need for everyday
  >
  > survival. While a broad range of adults can use U.S.A. Learns, it
  >
  > has been developed primarily for immigrants who cannot attend
  >
  > traditional classroom programs because of difficulty with schedules,
  >
  > transportation, or other barriers. The site includes more than 400
  >
  > hours of instruction and offers an extensive array of video, audio
  >
  > and richly illustrated graphics and images. The site layout was
  >
  > created with the inexperienced Web user in mind, and extensive built-
  >
  > in help features are available. U.S.A. Learns can be used
  >
  > independently, but it can also be used in association with a teacher
  >
  > or tutor via an online management system.
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >
  > Background on Discussion Guests
  >
  >
  >
  > John Fleischman
  >
  >
  >
  > With more than 25 years of experience in adult education as a
  >
  > teacher, administrator and project director, John Fleischman is
  >
  > currently responsible for information and educational technology
  >
  > operations at the Sacramento County Office of Education. John
  >
  > possesses an extensive background with creating and implementing
  >
  > instructional and informational media for use in a variety of
  >
  > educational environments. His present area of focus is on building
  >
  > Web-based solutions for education, including data management systems
  >
  > and comprehensive online learning resources. Working at the state
  >
  > and national level, he provides oversight for a range of technology
  >
  > initiatives including the Outreach and Technology Assistance Network
  >
  > (www.otan.us <http://www.otan.us/> ) and Strengthening Programs Through
  > Technology
  >
  > (www.adultedonline.org <http://www.adultedonline.org/> ). John is the
  > author
  > of numerous publications
  >
  > and is frequently requested as a presenter at both state and national
  >
  > conferences.
  >
  >
  >
  > Jerome (Jere) Johnston is Research Professor at the University of
  >
  > Michigan's Institute for Social Research. For 40 years he has been
  >
  > studying ways that technology shapes what people learn. In recent
  >
  > years Dr. Johnston has been exploring innovative ways to use
  >
  > technology in adult literacy. He directs the Project IDEAL Support
  >
  > Center, supporting 25 states in their efforts to build distance
  >
  > learning programs for adult learners. The Center provides technical
  >
  > assistance to states in the areas of training, research, and policy
  >
  > development (projectideal.org).
  >
  >
  >
  > Stephen Reder is University Professor and Chair of the Department of
  >
  > Applied Linguistics at Portland State University. His research and
  >
  > teaching interests focus on adult education and the processes of
  >
  > literacy and language development during adulthood. Dr. Reder has
  >
  > served as the Principal Investigator for a number of major projects
  >
  > in adult education. Two recent projects, the Longitudinal Study of
  >
  > Adult Learning and the National Labsite for Adult ESOL, examine the
  >
  > ways adults acquire new literacy and language abilities and the roles
  >
  > which adult education programs and policies play in supporting that
  >
  > development. The results of this research have led to the
  >
  > development of the Learner Web, an innovative online adult learning
  >
  > support system. Professor Reder is the author of numerous
  >
  > publications about his research and its implications for adult
  >
  > education and adult literacy and language development. He has
  >
  > recently completed co-editing a volume with John Bynner, Tracking
  >
  > Adult Literacy and Numeracy Skills: Findings from Longitudinal
  >
  > Research. A second book is in progress, Dropping Out and Moving On:
  >
  > Life, Literacy and Development among High School Dropouts. Dr. Reder
  >
  > actively works with networks of adult education researchers,
  >
  > practitioners and policymakers at the state, regional and national
  >
  > levels.
  >
  >
  >
  > Clare Strawn is Assistant Professor at Portland State University,
  >
  > Portland, Oregon, and has been an analyst on the Longitudinal Study
  >
  > of Adult Learning. She is interested in patterns of program
  >
  > participation, the intersection of learning and community
  >
  > development, social capital influences on learning strategies, and
  >
  > technology. She has been a co-developer, with Steve Reder of the
  >
  > Learner Web and has been actively involved in the demonstration project.
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >
  > David J. Rosen
  >
  > Special Topics Discussion Moderator
  >
  > DJRosen at theworld.com
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >
  > -------------------------------
  >
  > National Institute for Literacy
  >
  > Special Topics mailing list
  >
  > SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
  >
  > To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
  > http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
  >
  > Email delivered to djrosen1 at gmail.com
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >

  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  > -------------------------------
  > National Institute for Literacy
  > Special Topics mailing list
  > SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
  > To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
  > http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
  > Email delivered to djrosen at theworld.com

  -------------------------------
  National Institute for Literacy
  Special Topics mailing list
  SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
  To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
  http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
  Email delivered to judy.mortrude at spps.org

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  Special Topics mailing list
  SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
  To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
  Email delivered to kathy_borgone at nbps.k12.nj.us

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  Email delivered to judy.mortrude at spps.org
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From DJRosen at theworld.com  Tue Nov 18 09:21:08 2008
From: DJRosen at theworld.com (David J. Rosen)
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 09:21:08 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1118] Re: New Designs in Online and DistanceLearning
References: <B257B8BDB6814546B69BF068E033EC9D@A1411><848540057.3940201226944625711.JavaMail.root@mail3.gatech.edu>
	<C3685E8CDEECC046905D5C1F9AF949521C624E@ceaoffice.CEANATIONAL.local>
Message-ID: <CEC329FCF64B48218D32745685A026CF@A1411>

Posted for Steve Steurer
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Steve Steurer 
  To: Tammy M. Turner ; specialtopics at nifl.gov 
  Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2008 9:09 AM
  Subject: RE: [SpecialTopics 1116] Re: New Designs in Online and DistanceLearning

  Internet is not allowed in prison and jail education classrooms so there is no accessibility.   Some juvenile facilities may have limited access to the Internet,  but generally incarcerated or detained youth do not have Internet.   The issue with the prisons is security and cost and there is little interest among departments of corrections putting Internet into prisons.   

   

  Steve

   

  Stephen J. Steurer, Ph.D.

  Correctional Education Association

  8182 Lark Brown Road  #202

  Elkridge, MD  21044

  Tel: 443-459-3080 x11

  Fax: 443-459-3088

  www.ceanational.org

  Email: ssteurer at ceanational.org

  "Transforming Lives"

   

  From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Tammy M. Turner
  Sent: Monday, November 17, 2008 12:57 PM
  To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
  Subject: [SpecialTopics 1116] Re: New Designs in Online and Distance Learning

   

  How accessible is a program, like USA Learns, in prisons, jails, or juvenile facilities?

   

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From leslie.lpetty at gmail.com  Tue Nov 18 09:28:24 2008
From: leslie.lpetty at gmail.com (Leslie Petty)
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 09:28:24 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1119] Re: New Designs in Online and Distance Learning
In-Reply-To: <848540057.3940201226944625711.JavaMail.root@mail3.gatech.edu>
References: <B257B8BDB6814546B69BF068E033EC9D@A1411>
	<848540057.3940201226944625711.JavaMail.root@mail3.gatech.edu>
Message-ID: <66d7e2a90811180628t2cdfd567u996117ca5a98e4a1@mail.gmail.com>

Tammy,That would depend on the policies of those institutions.  USAL is
freely available on the Internet, so accessibility would be limited by the
restrictions on Web use and access at the institution.  There are no DVDs,
CDs or print materials; everything is online.

Leslie

On Mon, Nov 17, 2008 at 12:57 PM, Tammy M. Turner <
tammy.turner at health.gatech.edu> wrote:

> How accessible is a program, like USA Learns, in prisons, jails, or
> juvenile facilities?
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "David J. Rosen" <DJRosen at theworld.com>
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Sent: Monday, November 17, 2008 4:36:54 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 1075]  New Designs in Online and Distance Learning
>
>  Special Topics Colleagues,
>
> Today we begin a discussion of two new online and distance learning models
> specifically designed for adult literacy education, including ESL/ESOL.
> They are the Learner Web and USA Learns. Each has much to offer, but they
> differ in their design, audiences, and also in their stage of development.
> USA  Learns, with core funding from the Office of Vocational and Adult
> Education, launched earlier this month (http://usalearns.org) and is a
> national adult ESL/ESOL portal. It is available now at no cost to adult
> learners everywhere.The Learner Web is beginning its second year of a
> three-year, federally-funded demonstration grant from the Institute of
> Museum and Library Services. The Learner Web is available now only for
> piloting, and only in certain regions of the country.  I am an advisor to
> USA Learns, and am a Regional Implementation Advisor for the Learner Web,
> so I have had the privilege of watching both projects evolve.
>
> We will begin today with a presentation of the Learner Web by Stephen Reder
> from Portland State University. He will be joined in the discussion by Clare
> Strawn, a co-developer with Steve, of the Learner Web. Clare is also on the
> Portland State University faculty. On Tuesday we will have a
> presentation about USA Learns by John Fleischman, from the Sacramento (CA)
> County Office of Education. John will be joined by Jere Johnston and Leslie
> Petty, both from the University of MIchigan.  They will also be joined by
> Sheryl Adler, from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Vocational
> and Adult Education as there may be questions about the development of USA
> Learns which she can best address.
>
> I am delighted that our guests -- and you -- can join us for this
> discussion. Please feel free to post your questions and comments for our
> guests at any time this week.
>
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at theworld.com
>
> ------------------------------- National Institute for Literacy Special
> Topics mailing list SpecialTopics at nifl.gov To unsubscribe or change your
> subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics Email delivered to
> tammy.turner at health.gatech.edu
>
> --
> Tammy M. Turner, MPH CHES
> Alcohol & Other Drug Prevention Coordinator
> Georgia Institute of Technology
> Stamps Health Services
> Department of Health Promotion
> 740 Ferst Drive NW
> Atlanta, GA 30332-0470
> 404-894-0473
> Tammy.Turner at health.gatech.edu
> http://www.health.gatech.edu
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to leslie.lpetty at gmail.com
>

-- 
Leslie Petty, Ed.D.
Associate Director
Project IDEAL Support Center
University of Michigan
734-425-0748
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From leslie.lpetty at gmail.com  Tue Nov 18 09:28:39 2008
From: leslie.lpetty at gmail.com (Leslie Petty)
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 09:28:39 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1120] Re: New Designs in Online and Distance
	Learning --your questions
In-Reply-To: <E2D643A171DE1A478B321DEB91F416DB1326FD@MCX.sdccd.loc>
References: <62DE7D26-C202-4DC1-9EC7-A6B2D0BE549C@theworld.com>
	<6A0E8C72-84D4-49E8-B590-55F38EDFEF4F@theworld.com>
	<E2D643A171DE1A478B321DEB91F416DB1326FD@MCX.sdccd.loc>
Message-ID: <66d7e2a90811180628ydd642beu7374f39b3398b1f2@mail.gmail.com>

Gretchen,The First English Course is intended for beginning-level learners
functioning at NRS levels 2-3.  These students are often considered Low
Beginning to High Beginning ESL.  The Second English Course is intended for
learners functioning at NRS levels 4-5, generally considered Low
Intermediate to High Intermediate ESL.  The stories and activities in
the Practice
English and Reading section are designed to build vocabulary and reading
comprehension skills and are geared primarily for Intermediate ESL students.

At this time, we are not aware of specific online or distance learning
models.  The establishment of Proxy Contact Hours will be an important
element in its use for distance learning (for agencies that want to include
those students in the NRS).   Because there is a unit mastery quiz for every
unit in the First and Second English courses, a mastery model should fit.  But
a study needs to be done to establish the number of Proxy Contact Hours
 that should be earned for demonstrating mastery on the quizzes.  The study
will require assembling panels of teachers to establish norms for the hours
associated with completing the work in a unit.  It may be quite awhile
before this work is completed.

Leslie

On Mon, Nov 3, 2008 at 12:49 PM, Gretchen Bitterlin <gbitterl at sdccd.edu>wrote:

>  I would like to know what NRS levels  USA Learns was written for. I would
> also like to hear about the proposed  online and distance learning models
> for using it.
>
> Thank you,
>
>
>
> Gretchen Bitterlin
>
> ESL Program Chair
>
> ESL Resource Office
>
> 4343 Ocean View Blvd.
>
> San Diego, CA 92113
>
> 619-388-4946
>
>
>   ------------------------------
>
> *From:* specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:
> specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] *On Behalf Of *David Rosen
> *Sent:* Sunday, November 02, 2008 8:06 AM
> *To:* specialtopics at nifl.gov
> *Subject:* [SpecialTopics 1073] New Designs in Online and Distance
> Learning --your questions
>
>
>
> Colleagues,
>
>
>
> As several people have recently signed up for the upcoming discussion
> here, *New Designs in Online and Distance Learning,* and since so far I
> have only received one question,  I would like to repeat my request for your
> questions for our guests:
>
>
>
> *What questions would you like to ask our guests? *
>
>
>
> Please look at the brief descriptions of the two models that you will see
> in my previous email message, included below. The federally-funded *USA
> Learns* will have a national launch in a few days, before our discussion
> begins. We'll have an announcement here of the web site so you can look at
> it if you like.  The *Learner Web* is a federally-funded demonstration
> project, available only for field testing in several selected regions around
> the country in Oregon, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New
> Jersey and Washington, D.C. More information about the *Learner Web*,
> including two screen capture videos (if you register and log in), will be
> found at http://learnerweb.org
>
>
>
> ? What would you like our guests to cover or explain in their descriptions
> of *USA Learns* and the *Learner Web* when we begin the discussion on
> November 17th and 18th?
>
> ? Do you want to know how *USA Learns* and the *Learner Web* became
> federally-funded projects, what needs or research base they grew from, or
> other things about their history and development?
>
> ? Do you want to know how they differ from other online adult basic
> education and English language learning models? If so, which kinds: online
> courses, online course management systems, wikis, portals, or something
> else?
>
> ? If you are thinking about using either *USA Learns* or the *Learner Web
> *with your students, what is the situation you are hoping it will address?
> What group(s) of students, at what level(s) with what needs?  What questions
> do you have about the model's usefulness for that situation?
>
>
>
> Think about why you have subscribed to the Special Topics discussion forum
> (or stayed subscribed) for this discussion, what *you* want to get from
> it. Frame a question or questions that will help our guests address your
> interest or need. You can send your questions by just replying to this
> message or by emailing them directly to me at djrosen at theworld.com. I will
> share the questions with our guests before the discussion begins, and
> the questions will be posted on or after November 17th. Of course more
> questions, observations, and dialogue will be welcome during the week of the
> discussion.
>
>
>
> Finally, it's not too late for your colleagues to join this discussion. To
> subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:
>
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
>
> One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can stay
> subscribed for the next discussion.
>
>
>
> David J. Rosen
>
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
>
> DJRosen at theworld.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Oct 29, 2008, at 9:38 PM, David Rosen wrote:
>
>
>
>  Special Topics Discussion Colleagues,
>
>
>
> On November 17th we will begin a discussion of USA Learns and of
>
> the Learner Web. You will find the description for this discussion below.
>
> Judging by the number of new subscribers, this is a high-interest topic!
>
> Now is the time to think about why you have subscribed:
>
>
>
> What questions would you like to ask our guests?
>
>
>
> Although your questions will not be posted until the discussion begins,
>
> I would like to share them with our guests in advance.  Of course,
>
> questions, comments, and dialogue, will also be welcome during the
>
> discussion.
>
>
>
> David J. Rosen
>
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
>
> djrosen at theworld.com
>
>
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> New Designs in Online and Distance Learning is a National Institute
>
> for Literacy Special Topics discussion that will be held from
>
> November 17th through November 21st, 2008. It will focus on two new
>
> adult education models: a national learning portal for English
>
> language learning at a distance, called USA Learns, and a web-based
>
> and telephone-based learning support system, called the Learner Web,
>
> for ABE, ASE and ELL students enrolled in classes to supplement their
>
> learning, as well as for those who study on their own. We have four
>
> distinguished guests, researchers as well as product developers, who
>
> will describe these two models and answer questions.
>
>
>
> For USA Learns, our guests are John Fleischman and Dr. Jerome (Jere)
>
> Johnston. For the Learner Web our guests are Dr. Stephen Reder and
>
> Dr. Clare Strawn. You will find more information about them below.
>
>
>
> Please forward this announcement to your colleagues who may be
>
> interested in subscribing!
>
>
>
> To subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:
>
>
>
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
>
>
>
> One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can
>
> stay subscribed for the next discussion.
>
>
>
> Description of the models
>
>
>
> The Learner Web is a learning support system providing structure and
>
> resources for adults who want to accomplish specific learning
>
> objectives. A learner can access the system through the Internet. In
>
> addition to on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates support
>
> services from existing local education programs, community based
>
> organizations, tutors, and telephone helpers. The Learner Web
>
> consists of a Web-based software system that is implemented
>
> regionally. The System is organized around Learning Plans. A Learning
>
> Plan is a set of steps structured around achieving an identified
>
> goal. For example, if the goal is to get a GED, the steps might
>
> include finding out more about the tests, identifying what skills one
>
> needs to brush up on, learning new skills and knowledge, taking
>
> practice tests, etc. Each step is matched with online and community
>
> based resources and a workspace where learners can take assessments
>
> or save their work in an e-portfolio. The learner creates a personal
>
> profile, may take a short reading assessment and interest inventory,
>
> chooses a goal from the available list and follows the Learning Plan
>
> independently or with a tutor or a teacher. The Learning Plan is
>
> dynamically matched by the software to both the learner profile and
>
> educational resources. The learner's progress is saved and can be
>
> returned to at any time via the internet. Learners can choose to
>
> share their workspace with a tutor or teacher.
>
>
>
> The Learner Web has begun the second year of a three-year
>
> demonstration project in seven demonstration regions across the country.
>
>
>
> U.S.A. Learns is a free Web site designed for adult learners with
>
> limited English language skills. Instructional content focuses on
>
> the language and literacy skills that adults need for everyday
>
> survival. While a broad range of adults can use U.S.A. Learns, it
>
> has been developed primarily for immigrants who cannot attend
>
> traditional classroom programs because of difficulty with schedules,
>
> transportation, or other barriers. The site includes more than 400
>
> hours of instruction and offers an extensive array of video, audio
>
> and richly illustrated graphics and images. The site layout was
>
> created with the inexperienced Web user in mind, and extensive built-
>
> in help features are available. U.S.A. Learns can be used
>
> independently, but it can also be used in association with a teacher
>
> or tutor via an online management system.
>
>
>
>
>
> Background on Discussion Guests
>
>
>
> John Fleischman
>
>
>
> With more than 25 years of experience in adult education as a
>
> teacher, administrator and project director, John Fleischman is
>
> currently responsible for information and educational technology
>
> operations at the Sacramento County Office of Education. John
>
> possesses an extensive background with creating and implementing
>
> instructional and informational media for use in a variety of
>
> educational environments. His present area of focus is on building
>
> Web-based solutions for education, including data management systems
>
> and comprehensive online learning resources. Working at the state
>
> and national level, he provides oversight for a range of technology
>
> initiatives including the Outreach and Technology Assistance Network
>
> (www.otan.us) and Strengthening Programs Through Technology
>
> (www.adultedonline.org). John is the author of numerous publications
>
> and is frequently requested as a presenter at both state and national
>
> conferences.
>
>
>
> Jerome (Jere) Johnston is Research Professor at the University of
>
> Michigan's Institute for Social Research. For 40 years he has been
>
> studying ways that technology shapes what people learn. In recent
>
> years Dr. Johnston has been exploring innovative ways to use
>
> technology in adult literacy. He directs the Project IDEAL Support
>
> Center, supporting 25 states in their efforts to build distance
>
> learning programs for adult learners. The Center provides technical
>
> assistance to states in the areas of training, research, and policy
>
> development (projectideal.org).
>
>
>
> Stephen Reder is University Professor and Chair of the Department of
>
> Applied Linguistics at Portland State University. His research and
>
> teaching interests focus on adult education and the processes of
>
> literacy and language development during adulthood. Dr. Reder has
>
> served as the Principal Investigator for a number of major projects
>
> in adult education. Two recent projects, the Longitudinal Study of
>
> Adult Learning and the National Labsite for Adult ESOL, examine the
>
> ways adults acquire new literacy and language abilities and the roles
>
> which adult education programs and policies play in supporting that
>
> development. The results of this research have led to the
>
> development of the Learner Web, an innovative online adult learning
>
> support system. Professor Reder is the author of numerous
>
> publications about his research and its implications for adult
>
> education and adult literacy and language development. He has
>
> recently completed co-editing a volume with John Bynner, Tracking
>
> Adult Literacy and Numeracy Skills: Findings from Longitudinal
>
> Research. A second book is in progress, Dropping Out and Moving On:
>
> Life, Literacy and Development among High School Dropouts. Dr. Reder
>
> actively works with networks of adult education researchers,
>
> practitioners and policymakers at the state, regional and national
>
> levels.
>
>
>
> Clare Strawn is Assistant Professor at Portland State University,
>
> Portland, Oregon, and has been an analyst on the Longitudinal Study
>
> of Adult Learning. She is interested in patterns of program
>
> participation, the intersection of learning and community
>
> development, social capital influences on learning strategies, and
>
> technology. She has been a co-developer, with Steve Reder of the
>
> Learner Web and has been actively involved in the demonstration project.
>
>
>
>
>
> David J. Rosen
>
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
>
> DJRosen at theworld.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
>
> National Institute for Literacy
>
> Special Topics mailing list
>
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
>
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
>
> Email delivered to djrosen1 at gmail.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to lpetty at twmi.rr.com
>

-- 
Leslie Petty, Ed.D.
Associate Director
Project IDEAL Support Center
University of Michigan
734-425-0748
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From SSteurer at ceanational.org  Tue Nov 18 09:39:05 2008
From: SSteurer at ceanational.org (Steve Steurer)
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 09:39:05 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1121] Re: New Designs in Online and Distance Learning
In-Reply-To: <66d7e2a90811180628t2cdfd567u996117ca5a98e4a1@mail.gmail.com>
References: <B257B8BDB6814546B69BF068E033EC9D@A1411><848540057.3940201226944625711.JavaMail.root@mail3.gatech.edu>
	<66d7e2a90811180628t2cdfd567u996117ca5a98e4a1@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <C3685E8CDEECC046905D5C1F9AF949521C6254@ceaoffice.CEANATIONAL.local>

The policies are ironclad nationwide.   Prison systems do not allow
Internet into the classrooms.   There are a few extremely restricted
experiments with highly secure sites.   And I do mean a few.    

 

Steve

 

Stephen J. Steurer, Ph.D.

Correctional Education Association

8182 Lark Brown Road  #202

Elkridge, MD  21044

Tel: 443-459-3080 x11

Fax: 443-459-3088

www.ceanational.org <http://www.ceanational.org> 

Email: ssteurer at ceanational.org <mailto:ssteurer at ceanational.org> 

"Transforming Lives"

 

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Leslie Petty
Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2008 9:28 AM
To: Tammy M. Turner; specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1119] Re: New Designs in Online and Distance
Learning

 

Tammy,

That would depend on the policies of those institutions.  USAL is freely
available on the Internet, so accessibility would be limited by the
restrictions on Web use and access at the institution.  There are no
DVDs, CDs or print materials; everything is online.

 

Leslie

On Mon, Nov 17, 2008 at 12:57 PM, Tammy M. Turner
<tammy.turner at health.gatech.edu> wrote:

How accessible is a program, like USA Learns, in prisons, jails, or
juvenile facilities?

 

----- Original Message -----
From: "David J. Rosen" <DJRosen at theworld.com>
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Sent: Monday, November 17, 2008 4:36:54 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1075]  New Designs in Online and Distance
Learning

Special Topics Colleagues,

 

Today we begin a discussion of two new online and distance learning
models specifically designed for adult literacy education, including
ESL/ESOL.  They are the Learner Web and USA Learns. Each has much to
offer, but they differ in their design, audiences, and also in their
stage of development. USA  Learns, with core funding from the Office of
Vocational and Adult Education, launched earlier this month
(http://usalearns.org) and is a national adult ESL/ESOL portal. It is
available now at no cost to adult learners everywhere.The Learner Web is
beginning its second year of a three-year, federally-funded
demonstration grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
The Learner Web is available now only for piloting, and only in certain
regions of the country.  I am an advisor to USA Learns, and am a
Regional Implementation Advisor for the Learner Web, so I have had the
privilege of watching both projects evolve.

 

We will begin today with a presentation of the Learner Web by Stephen
Reder from Portland State University. He will be joined in the
discussion by Clare Strawn, a co-developer with Steve, of the Learner
Web. Clare is also on the Portland State University faculty. On Tuesday
we will have a presentation about USA Learns by John Fleischman, from
the Sacramento (CA) County Office of Education. John will be joined by
Jere Johnston and Leslie Petty, both from the University of MIchigan.
They will also be joined by Sheryl Adler, from the U.S. Department of
Education's Office of Vocational and Adult Education as there may be
questions about the development of USA Learns which she can best
address.

 

I am delighted that our guests -- and you -- can join us for this
discussion. Please feel free to post your questions and comments for our
guests at any time this week.

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

djrosen at theworld.com

 

------------------------------- National Institute for Literacy Special
Topics mailing list SpecialTopics at nifl.gov To unsubscribe or change your
subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics Email delivered to
tammy.turner at health.gatech.edu

-- 
Tammy M. Turner, MPH CHES
Alcohol & Other Drug Prevention Coordinator
Georgia Institute of Technology
Stamps Health Services
Department of Health Promotion
740 Ferst Drive NW
Atlanta, GA 30332-0470
404-894-0473
Tammy.Turner at health.gatech.edu
http://www.health.gatech.edu

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to leslie.lpetty at gmail.com

-- 
Leslie Petty, Ed.D.
Associate Director
Project IDEAL Support Center
University of Michigan
734-425-0748

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From leslie.lpetty at gmail.com  Tue Nov 18 09:45:58 2008
From: leslie.lpetty at gmail.com (Leslie Petty)
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 09:45:58 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1122] Re: New Designs in Online and Distance Learning
In-Reply-To: <C3685E8CDEECC046905D5C1F9AF949521C6254@ceaoffice.CEANATIONAL.local>
References: <B257B8BDB6814546B69BF068E033EC9D@A1411>
	<848540057.3940201226944625711.JavaMail.root@mail3.gatech.edu>
	<66d7e2a90811180628t2cdfd567u996117ca5a98e4a1@mail.gmail.com>
	<C3685E8CDEECC046905D5C1F9AF949521C6254@ceaoffice.CEANATIONAL.local>
Message-ID: <66d7e2a90811180645w3264180u88590ebec79db39a@mail.gmail.com>

Steve,Thanks for the clarification. Based on this information, there would
not be any access to USAL in those settings, since everything is online.

Leslie

On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 9:39 AM, Steve Steurer <SSteurer at ceanational.org>wrote:

>  The policies are ironclad nationwide.   Prison systems do not allow
> Internet into the classrooms.   There are a few extremely restricted
> experiments with highly secure sites.   And I do mean a few.
>
>
>
> *S*teve
>
>
>
> Stephen J. Steurer, Ph.D.
>
> Correctional Education Association
>
> 8182 Lark Brown Road  #202
>
> Elkridge, MD  21044
>
> Tel: 443-459-3080 x11
>
> Fax: 443-459-3088
>
> www.ceanational.org
>
> Email: ssteurer at ceanational.org
>
> "Transforming Lives"
>
>
>
> *From:* specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:
> specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] *On Behalf Of *Leslie Petty
> *Sent:* Tuesday, November 18, 2008 9:28 AM
> *To:* Tammy M. Turner; specialtopics at nifl.gov
> *Subject:* [SpecialTopics 1119] Re: New Designs in Online and Distance
> Learning
>
>
>
> Tammy,
>
> That would depend on the policies of those institutions.  USAL is freely
> available on the Internet, so accessibility would be limited by the
> restrictions on Web use and access at the institution.  There are no DVDs,
> CDs or print materials; everything is online.
>
>
>
> Leslie
>
> On Mon, Nov 17, 2008 at 12:57 PM, Tammy M. Turner <
> tammy.turner at health.gatech.edu> wrote:
>
> How accessible is a program, like USA Learns, in prisons, jails, or
> juvenile facilities?
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "David J. Rosen" <DJRosen at theworld.com>
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Sent: Monday, November 17, 2008 4:36:54 AM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 1075]  New Designs in Online and Distance Learning
>
> Special Topics Colleagues,
>
>
>
> Today we begin a discussion of two new online and distance learning models
> specifically designed for adult literacy education, including ESL/ESOL.
> They are the Learner Web and USA Learns. Each has much to offer, but they
> differ in their design, audiences, and also in their stage of development.
> USA  Learns, with core funding from the Office of Vocational and Adult
> Education, launched earlier this month (http://usalearns.org) and is a
> national adult ESL/ESOL portal. It is available now at no cost to adult
> learners everywhere.The Learner Web is beginning its second year of a
> three-year, federally-funded demonstration grant from the Institute of
> Museum and Library Services. The Learner Web is available now only for
> piloting, and only in certain regions of the country.  I am an advisor to
> USA Learns, and am a Regional Implementation Advisor for the Learner Web,
> so I have had the privilege of watching both projects evolve.
>
>
>
> We will begin today with a presentation of the Learner Web by Stephen Reder
> from Portland State University. He will be joined in the discussion by Clare
> Strawn, a co-developer with Steve, of the Learner Web. Clare is also on the
> Portland State University faculty. On Tuesday we will have a
> presentation about USA Learns by John Fleischman, from the Sacramento (CA)
> County Office of Education. John will be joined by Jere Johnston and Leslie
> Petty, both from the University of MIchigan.  They will also be joined by
> Sheryl Adler, from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Vocational
> and Adult Education as there may be questions about the development of USA
> Learns which she can best address.
>
>
>
> I am delighted that our guests -- and you -- can join us for this
> discussion. Please feel free to post your questions and comments for our
> guests at any time this week.
>
>
>
> David J. Rosen
>
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
>
> djrosen at theworld.com
>
>
>
> ------------------------------- National Institute for Literacy Special
> Topics mailing list SpecialTopics at nifl.gov To unsubscribe or change your
> subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics Email delivered to
> tammy.turner at health.gatech.edu
>
> --
> Tammy M. Turner, MPH CHES
> Alcohol & Other Drug Prevention Coordinator
> Georgia Institute of Technology
> Stamps Health Services
> Department of Health Promotion
> 740 Ferst Drive NW
> Atlanta, GA 30332-0470
> 404-894-0473
> Tammy.Turner at health.gatech.edu
> http://www.health.gatech.edu
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to leslie.lpetty at gmail.com
>
>
>
>
> --
> Leslie Petty, Ed.D.
> Associate Director
> Project IDEAL Support Center
> University of Michigan
> 734-425-0748
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to lpetty at twmi.rr.com
>

-- 
Leslie Petty, Ed.D.
Associate Director
Project IDEAL Support Center
University of Michigan
734-425-0748
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From leslie.lpetty at gmail.com  Tue Nov 18 10:56:37 2008
From: leslie.lpetty at gmail.com (Leslie Petty)
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 10:56:37 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1123] Re: New Designs in Online and Distance
	Learning --your questions
In-Reply-To: <6F05F6E90C3F59488414B4E8E64564CA098E84@dcps-exch2k3-14.hq.dc_schools.k12.dc.us>
References: <62DE7D26-C202-4DC1-9EC7-A6B2D0BE549C@theworld.com>
	<6A0E8C72-84D4-49E8-B590-55F38EDFEF4F@theworld.com>
	<6F05F6E90C3F59488414B4E8E64564CA098E84@dcps-exch2k3-14.hq.dc_schools.k12.dc.us>
Message-ID: <66d7e2a90811180756y74a718dbl56b87ed6ecc6dc8d@mail.gmail.com>

Belinda,
U.S.A. Learns is primarily designed for individual, independent learners,
but it is also possible for teachers or tutors to use this as with a group
of students. It is available free to anyone with computer and Internet
access.   You could certainly make it available to parents of the children
at your school to access whenever they wanted.  As we were testing the
usability of the site with adult learners, we found a great deal of interest
among our testers in getting other family members to use the site.

There is one important caveat, however.   The wide bandwidth requirements
for U.S.A. Learns make it unsuitable for use in classrooms or computer labs.
Even with a fast Internet connection in the school or lab, simultaneous use
by just a few learners could slow the program to a crawl and make the
learning experience frustrating.

Leslie

On Sun, Nov 2, 2008 at 6:55 PM, Omenitsch, Belinda (ES) <
belinda.omenitsch at dc.gov> wrote:

> Hi,
> I would like to know how I could get the information to the parents of the
> students at school?  I am at an elementary school in DC and I am sure that
> we have parents who could benefit from this.  Is this program set up for the
> individual or is it based on a model to augment formal programs?  If it is
> available for the individual then I might be able to arrange for parents to
> take the course during the school day at our school.
> Thanks.
> Belinda Omenitsch
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David Rosen
> Sent: Sun 11/2/2008 11:06 AM
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 1073] New Designs in Online and Distance Learning
> --your questions
>
>
> Colleagues,
>
> As several people have recently signed up for the upcoming discussion here,
> New Designs in Online and Distance Learning, and since so far I have only
> received one question,  I would like to repeat my request for your questions
> for our guests:
>
> What questions would you like to ask our guests?
>
> Please look at the brief descriptions of the two models that you will see
> in my previous email message, included below. The federally-funded USA
> Learns will have a national launch in a few days, before our discussion
> begins. We'll have an announcement here of the web site so you can look at
> it if you like.  The Learner Web is a federally-funded demonstration
> project, available only for field testing in several selected regions around
> the country in Oregon, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New
> Jersey and Washington, D.C. More information about the Learner Web,
> including two screen capture videos (if you register and log in), will be
> found at http://learnerweb.org <http://learnerweb.org/>
>
> * What would you like our guests to cover or explain in their descriptions
> of USA Learns and the Learner Web when we begin the discussion on November
> 17th and 18th?
> * Do you want to know how USA Learns and the Learner Web became
> federally-funded projects, what needs or research base they grew from, or
> other things about their history and development?
> * Do you want to know how they differ from other online adult basic
> education and English language learning models? If so, which kinds: online
> courses, online course management systems, wikis, portals, or something
> else?
> * If you are thinking about using either USA Learns or the Learner Web with
> your students, what is the situation you are hoping it will address? What
> group(s) of students, at what level(s) with what needs?  What questions do
> you have about the model's usefulness for that situation?
>
> Think about why you have subscribed to the Special Topics discussion forum
> (or stayed subscribed) for this discussion, what you want to get from it.
> Frame a question or questions that will help our guests address your
> interest or need. You can send your questions by just replying to this
> message or by emailing them directly to me at djrosen at theworld.com. I will
> share the questions with our guests before the discussion begins, and the
> questions will be posted on or after November 17th. Of course more
> questions, observations, and dialogue will be welcome during the week of the
> discussion.
>
> Finally, it's not too late for your colleagues to join this discussion. To
> subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
> One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can stay
> subscribed for the next discussion.
>
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> DJRosen at theworld.com
>
>
>
> On Oct 29, 2008, at 9:38 PM, David Rosen wrote:
>
>
>        Special Topics Discussion Colleagues,
>
>        On November 17th we will begin a discussion of USA Learns and of
>        the Learner Web. You will find the description for this discussion
> below.
>        Judging by the number of new subscribers, this is a high-interest
> topic!
>        Now is the time to think about why you have subscribed:
>
>        What questions would you like to ask our guests?
>
>        Although your questions will not be posted until the discussion
> begins,
>        I would like to share them with our guests in advance.  Of course,
>        questions, comments, and dialogue, will also be welcome during the
>        discussion.
>
>        David J. Rosen
>        Special Topics Discussion Moderator
>        djrosen at theworld.com
>
>
>  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>        New Designs in Online and Distance Learning is a National Institute
>        for Literacy Special Topics discussion that will be held from
>        November 17th through November 21st, 2008. It will focus on two new
>        adult education models: a national learning portal for English
>        language learning at a distance, called USA Learns, and a web-based
>        and telephone-based learning support system, called the Learner Web,
>        for ABE, ASE and ELL students enrolled in classes to supplement
> their
>        learning, as well as for those who study on their own. We have four
>        distinguished guests, researchers as well as product developers, who
>        will describe these two models and answer questions.
>
>        For USA Learns, our guests are John Fleischman and Dr. Jerome (Jere)
>        Johnston. For the Learner Web our guests are Dr. Stephen Reder and
>        Dr. Clare Strawn. You will find more information about them below.
>
>        Please forward this announcement to your colleagues who may be
>        interested in subscribing!
>
>        To subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:
>
>        http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
>
>        One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can
>        stay subscribed for the next discussion.
>
>        Description of the models
>
>        The Learner Web is a learning support system providing structure and
>        resources for adults who want to accomplish specific learning
>        objectives. A learner can access the system through the Internet. In
>        addition to on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates support
>        services from existing local education programs, community based
>        organizations, tutors, and telephone helpers. The Learner Web
>        consists of a Web-based software system that is implemented
>        regionally. The System is organized around Learning Plans. A
> Learning
>        Plan is a set of steps structured around achieving an identified
>        goal. For example, if the goal is to get a GED, the steps might
>        include finding out more about the tests, identifying what skills
> one
>        needs to brush up on, learning new skills and knowledge, taking
>        practice tests, etc. Each step is matched with online and community
>        based resources and a workspace where learners can take assessments
>        or save their work in an e-portfolio. The learner creates a personal
>        profile, may take a short reading assessment and interest inventory,
>        chooses a goal from the available list and follows the Learning Plan
>        independently or with a tutor or a teacher. The Learning Plan is
>        dynamically matched by the software to both the learner profile and
>        educational resources. The learner's progress is saved and can be
>        returned to at any time via the internet. Learners can choose to
>        share their workspace with a tutor or teacher.
>
>        The Learner Web has begun the second year of a three-year
>        demonstration project in seven demonstration regions across the
> country.
>
>        U.S.A. Learns is a free Web site designed for adult learners with
>        limited English language skills. Instructional content focuses on
>        the language and literacy skills that adults need for everyday
>        survival. While a broad range of adults can use U.S.A. Learns, it
>        has been developed primarily for immigrants who cannot attend
>        traditional classroom programs because of difficulty with schedules,
>        transportation, or other barriers. The site includes more than 400
>        hours of instruction and offers an extensive array of video, audio
>        and richly illustrated graphics and images. The site layout was
>        created with the inexperienced Web user in mind, and extensive
> built-
>        in help features are available. U.S.A. Learns can be used
>        independently, but it can also be used in association with a teacher
>        or tutor via an online management system.
>
>
>        Background on Discussion Guests
>
>        John Fleischman
>
>        With more than 25 years of experience in adult education as a
>        teacher, administrator and project director, John Fleischman is
>        currently responsible for information and educational technology
>        operations at the Sacramento County Office of Education. John
>        possesses an extensive background with creating and implementing
>        instructional and informational media for use in a variety of
>        educational environments. His present area of focus is on building
>        Web-based solutions for education, including data management systems
>        and comprehensive online learning resources. Working at the state
>        and national level, he provides oversight for a range of technology
>        initiatives including the Outreach and Technology Assistance Network
>         (www.otan.us <http://www.otan.us/> ) and Strengthening Programs
> Through Technology
>        (www.adultedonline.org <http://www.adultedonline.org/> ). John is
> the author of numerous publications
>         and is frequently requested as a presenter at both state and
> national
>        conferences.
>
>        Jerome (Jere) Johnston is Research Professor at the University of
>        Michigan's Institute for Social Research. For 40 years he has been
>        studying ways that technology shapes what people learn. In recent
>        years Dr. Johnston has been exploring innovative ways to use
>        technology in adult literacy. He directs the Project IDEAL Support
>        Center, supporting 25 states in their efforts to build distance
>        learning programs for adult learners. The Center provides technical
>        assistance to states in the areas of training, research, and policy
>        development (projectideal.org).
>
>        Stephen Reder is University Professor and Chair of the Department of
>        Applied Linguistics at Portland State University. His research and
>        teaching interests focus on adult education and the processes of
>        literacy and language development during adulthood. Dr. Reder has
>        served as the Principal Investigator for a number of major projects
>        in adult education. Two recent projects, the Longitudinal Study of
>        Adult Learning and the National Labsite for Adult ESOL, examine the
>        ways adults acquire new literacy and language abilities and the
> roles
>        which adult education programs and policies play in supporting that
>        development. The results of this research have led to the
>        development of the Learner Web, an innovative online adult learning
>        support system. Professor Reder is the author of numerous
>        publications about his research and its implications for adult
>        education and adult literacy and language development. He has
>        recently completed co-editing a volume with John Bynner, Tracking
>        Adult Literacy and Numeracy Skills: Findings from Longitudinal
>        Research. A second book is in progress, Dropping Out and Moving On:
>        Life, Literacy and Development among High School Dropouts. Dr. Reder
>        actively works with networks of adult education researchers,
>        practitioners and policymakers at the state, regional and national
>        levels.
>
>        Clare Strawn is Assistant Professor at Portland State University,
>        Portland, Oregon, and has been an analyst on the Longitudinal Study
>        of Adult Learning. She is interested in patterns of program
>        participation, the intersection of learning and community
>        development, social capital influences on learning strategies, and
>        technology. She has been a co-developer, with Steve Reder of the
>        Learner Web and has been actively involved in the demonstration
> project.
>
>
>        David J. Rosen
>        Special Topics Discussion Moderator
>        DJRosen at theworld.com
>
>
>
>
>        -------------------------------
>        National Institute for Literacy
>        Special Topics mailing list
>        SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
>        To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
>        Email delivered to djrosen1 at gmail.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to lpetty at twmi.rr.com
>

-- 
Leslie Petty, Ed.D.
Associate Director
Project IDEAL Support Center
University of Michigan
734-425-0748
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From DJRosen at theworld.com  Tue Nov 18 11:23:23 2008
From: DJRosen at theworld.com (David J. Rosen)
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 11:23:23 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1124]  List Netiquette
Message-ID: <1C1A5A9E56D64CF8AEED23B2138FC2E7@A1411>

Special Topics Colleagues, 

To avoid getting so many postings in a day some subscribers may choose to get postings in one daily digest. To learn how to do this, go to: http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/discussions/help/help_mailman.html#digest

For everyone who posts a message, it would be kind to all readers, but especially to those who get messages in a daily digest format, if you would remove from your post the previously quoted messages (except for the particular message or segment of a message you are replying to).This would mean much less scrolling through irrelevant content for digest format readers.

Thanks.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at theworld.com

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From cvctwin51 at aol.com  Tue Nov 18 11:30:33 2008
From: cvctwin51 at aol.com (cvctwin51 at aol.com)
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 11:30:33 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1125] Re: SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 26, Issue 8
In-Reply-To: <4CB17D33C0F89345847A40593C9EB8EBE5DF88@SOM-TEAQASMAIL2.som.w2k.state.me.us>
References: <mailman.106692.1226941087.14302.specialtopics@nifl.gov>
	<4CB17D33C0F89345847A40593C9EB8EBE5DF88@SOM-TEAQASMAIL2.som.w2k.state.me.us>
Message-ID: <8CB17B21CE52A43-260-A98@WEBMAIL-MB16.sysops.aol.com>

 Teaching in the corrections environment is also very near and dear to me.? I have taught GED classes at Denver County Jail for over 5 years.? The nonprofit organization I work for does its best to provide resources, but at the moment the only resources we have are print materials. 

I see three benefits to creating a GED online for corrections.? One, students can work at their own pace. Hopefully, the program is learner-centered so they only have to work on the subjects they need.? Two, some of my students are not familiar with the computer, which is a handicap when it comes times to apply for a job.? Using a computer would give them practice in computer skills as well as GED.? Three, many of my students have marginal jobs (I am in the work release program now) and earning a GED enables them to get a "real" job and hopefully, stay out of trouble.? Working on a computer may provide more motivation to stay in class or attract students who want a faster paced lesson.

If we had a national GED program in a secure web environment for corrections, many teachers could work online with the students.? All the "brainpower" for targeting their education would not have to be in the building.? Outside teachers who love adult learning and online education could be used to create lessons for the students.? And they could work with onsite personnel to reach even more inmates.

 

Carolyn Carter
The Learning Source

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Upham, Gary <Gary.Upham at maine.gov>
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Sent: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 5:06 am
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1107] Re: SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 26, Issue 8

Good morning.  I am the principal at the Maine State Prison, where we
have an active education department but little resources available.  I
also am President Elect of the Maine Adult Corrections association.  Due
to the nature of this program our access for inmates (which
demographically would have about 25-50% of a population that could use
this program), is not available through the web.  How can we access and
is it a possibility to create a special program for this population?  My
goal is that all facilities would have access to programs like this in a
secure web environment.

Thanks
Gary Upham/MSP

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of
specialtopics-request at nifl.gov
Sent: Monday, November 17, 2008 11:58 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 26, Issue 8

Send SpecialTopics mailing list submissions to
    specialtopics at nifl.gov

To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
    http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
    specialtopics-request at nifl.gov

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    specialtopics-owner at nifl.gov

When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
than "Re: Contents of SpecialTopics digest..."

Today's Topics:

   1. [SpecialTopics 1091] Re: New Designs in Online and
      DistanceLearning  -- your questions (Steve Reder)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 08:51:07 -0800
From: "Steve Reder" <reders at pdx.edu>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1091] Re: New Designs in Online and
    DistanceLearning    -- your questions
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <006701c948d4$b0317e30$0502fea9 at PSU.DS.PDX.EDU>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Good questions, Katherine.  During our demonstration project (through
Sept
2010), Portland State university is hosting Learner Web for all users
but it
will be freely distributed as open source towards the end of the project
so
that others can host it as they wish.  The implementing regions in our
demonstration project are starting to discuss a planned national rollout
process.  Big issues will be deciding how best to provide needed
training
and technical assistance to organizational users of the LW - the
external
evaluation being conducted on the demonstration project will help us
identify some of the issues to consider in scaling up such training and
assistance.  We are developing a whole online library of multimedia
videos
and manuals for training purposes. 

 

Learning plans (remember, these are the structured units of content for
the
Learner Web platform) can be designed to blend the use of Learner Web
with
live courses in a rich variety of ways.  We expect to have a number of
working and evaluated models developed through our demonstration
project.

 

Hope this helps.  Thanks for your questions.

 

-Steve

 

  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt
Sent: Sunday, November 02, 2008 2:27 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1078] Re: New Designs in Online and
DistanceLearning
-- your questions

 

Hi David--

1.  It looks like these programs will be open source.  How do they
differ
from other programs that are NOT open source?  For example, I worked
with a
program called Project Connect which provided lessons in English
language,
culture and civics.  Schools using the program must purchase a license.
Hence, the program is run through the school where there are designated
contacts who can also meet with students and provide a certain amount of
tech support. Are these programs similar?  If so, has there been any
feedback from subscription-only program providers?

 

2.  Are these programs meant to be used in tandem with live courses?  My
experience has been that pure distance education programs do not
adequately
serve this community for a variety of reasons, including technological
barriers, students' inability to communicate problems, feelings of being
overwhelmed or intimidated, etc.  

Thank you!  I look forward to the discussion and appreciate the reminder
to
ask questions early!

On Sun, Nov 2, 2008 at 11:06 AM, David Rosen <DJRosen at theworld.com>
wrote:

Colleagues, 

 

As several people have recently signed up for the upcoming discussion
here,
New Designs in Online and Distance Learning, and since so far I have
only
received one question,  I would like to repeat my request for your
questions
for our guests:

 

What questions would you like to ask our guests? 

 

Please look at the brief descriptions of the two models that you will
see in
my previous email message, included below. The federally-funded USA
Learns
will have a national launch in a few days, before our discussion begins.
We'll have an announcement here of the web site so you can look at it if
you
like.  The Learner Web is a federally-funded demonstration project,
available only for field testing in several selected regions around the
country in Oregon, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New
Jersey and Washington, D.C. More information about the Learner Web,
including two screen capture videos (if you register and log in), will
be
found at http://learnerweb.org <http://learnerweb.org/> 

 

. What would you like our guests to cover or explain in their
descriptions
of USA Learns and the Learner Web when we begin the discussion on
November
17th and 18th?

. Do you want to know how USA Learns and the Learner Web became
federally-funded projects, what needs or research base they grew from,
or
other things about their history and development?

. Do you want to know how they differ from other online adult basic
education and English language learning models? If so, which kinds:
online
courses, online course management systems, wikis, portals, or something
else? 

. If you are thinking about using either USA Learns or the Learner Web
with
your students, what is the situation you are hoping it will address?
What
group(s) of students, at what level(s) with what needs?  What questions
do
you have about the model's usefulness for that situation?

 

Think about why you have subscribed to the Special Topics discussion
forum
(or stayed subscribed) for this discussion, what you want to get from
it.
Frame a question or questions that will help our guests address your
interest or need. You can send your questions by just replying to this
message or by emailing them directly to me at djrosen at theworld.com. I
will
share the questions with our guests before the discussion begins, and
the
questions will be posted on or after November 17th. Of course more
questions, observations, and dialogue will be welcome during the week of
the
discussion.

 

Finally, it's not too late for your colleagues to join this discussion.
To
subscribe to the discussion, one can go to: 

http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics

One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can stay
subscribed for the next discussion.

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

DJRosen at theworld.com

 

 

 

On Oct 29, 2008, at 9:38 PM, David Rosen wrote:

 

Special Topics Discussion Colleagues,

 

On November 17th we will begin a discussion of USA Learns and of 

the Learner Web. You will find the description for this discussion
below. 

Judging by the number of new subscribers, this is a high-interest topic!

Now is the time to think about why you have subscribed: 

 

What questions would you like to ask our guests? 

 

Although your questions will not be posted until the discussion begins, 

I would like to share them with our guests in advance.  Of course, 

questions, comments, and dialogue, will also be welcome during the 

discussion.

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

djrosen at theworld.com

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
----------------

New Designs in Online and Distance Learning is a National Institute

for Literacy Special Topics discussion that will be held from

November 17th through November 21st, 2008. It will focus on two new

adult education models: a national learning portal for English

language learning at a distance, called USA Learns, and a web-based

and telephone-based learning support system, called the Learner Web,

for ABE, ASE and ELL students enrolled in classes to supplement their

learning, as well as for those who study on their own. We have four

distinguished guests, researchers as well as product developers, who

will describe these two models and answer questions.

 

For USA Learns, our guests are John Fleischman and Dr. Jerome (Jere)

Johnston. For the Learner Web our guests are Dr. Stephen Reder and

Dr. Clare Strawn. You will find more information about them below.

 

Please forward this announcement to your colleagues who may be

interested in subscribing!

 

To subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:

 

http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics

 

One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can

stay subscribed for the next discussion.

 

Description of the models

 

The Learner Web is a learning support system providing structure and

resources for adults who want to accomplish specific learning

objectives. A learner can access the system through the Internet. In

addition to on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates support

services from existing local education programs, community based

organizations, tutors, and telephone helpers. The Learner Web

consists of a Web-based software system that is implemented

regionally. The System is organized around Learning Plans. A Learning

Plan is a set of steps structured around achieving an identified

goal. For example, if the goal is to get a GED, the steps might

include finding out more about the tests, identifying what skills one

needs to brush up on, learning new skills and knowledge, taking

practice tests, etc. Each step is matched with online and community

based resources and a workspace where learners can take assessments

or save their work in an e-portfolio. The learner creates a personal

profile, may take a short reading assessment and interest inventory,

chooses a goal from the available list and follows the Learning Plan

independently or with a tutor or a teacher. The Learning Plan is

dynamically matched by the software to both the learner profile and

educational resources. The learner's progress is saved and can be

returned to at any time via the internet. Learners can choose to

share their workspace with a tutor or teacher.

 

The Learner Web has begun the second year of a three-year

demonstration project in seven demonstration regions across the country.

 

U.S.A. Learns is a free Web site designed for adult learners with

limited English language skills. Instructional content focuses on

the language and literacy skills that adults need for everyday

survival. While a broad range of adults can use U.S.A. Learns, it

has been developed primarily for immigrants who cannot attend

traditional classroom programs because of difficulty with schedules,

transportation, or other barriers. The site includes more than 400

hours of instruction and offers an extensive array of video, audio

and richly illustrated graphics and images. The site layout was

created with the inexperienced Web user in mind, and extensive built-

in help features are available. U.S.A. Learns can be used

independently, but it can also be used in association with a teacher

or tutor via an online management system.

 

 

Background on Discussion Guests

 

John Fleischman

 

With more than 25 years of experience in adult education as a

teacher, administrator and project director, John Fleischman is

currently responsible for information and educational technology

operations at the Sacramento County Office of Education. John

possesses an extensive background with creating and implementing

instructional and informational media for use in a variety of

educational environments. His present area of focus is on building

Web-based solutions for education, including data management systems

and comprehensive online learning resources. Working at the state

and national level, he provides oversight for a range of technology

initiatives including the Outreach and Technology Assistance Network

(www.otan.us <http://www.otan.us/> ) and Strengthening Programs Through
Technology

(www.adultedonline.org <http://www.adultedonline.org/> ). John is the
author
of numerous publications

and is frequently requested as a presenter at both state and national

conferences.

 

Jerome (Jere) Johnston is Research Professor at the University of

Michigan's Institute for Social Research. For 40 years he has been

studying ways that technology shapes what people learn. In recent

years Dr. Johnston has been exploring innovative ways to use

technology in adult literacy. He directs the Project IDEAL Support

Center, supporting 25 states in their efforts to build distance

learning programs for adult learners. The Center provides technical

assistance to states in the areas of training, research, and policy

development (projectideal.org <http://projectideal.org/> ).

 

Stephen Reder is University Professor and Chair of the Department of

Applied Linguistics at Portland State University. His research and

teaching interests focus on adult education and the processes of

literacy and language development during adulthood. Dr. Reder has

served as the Principal Investigator for a number of major projects

in adult education. Two recent projects, the Longitudinal Study of

Adult Learning and the National Labsite for Adult ESOL, examine the

ways adults acquire new literacy and language abilities and the roles

which adult education programs and policies play in supporting that

development. The results of this research have led to the

development of the Learner Web, an innovative online adult learning

support system. Professor Reder is the author of numerous

publications about his research and its implications for adult

education and adult literacy and language development. He has

recently completed co-editing a volume with John Bynner, Tracking

Adult Literacy and Numeracy Skills: Findings from Longitudinal

Research. A second book is in progress, Dropping Out and Moving On:

Life, Literacy and Development among High School Dropouts. Dr. Reder

actively works with networks of adult education researchers,

practitioners and policymakers at the state, regional and national

levels.

 

Clare Strawn is Assistant Professor at Portland State University,

Portland, Oregon, and has been an analyst on the Longitudinal Study

of Adult Learning. She is interested in patterns of program

participation, the intersection of learning and community

development, social capital influences on learning strategies, and

technology. She has been a co-developer, with Steve Reder of the

Learner Web and has been actively involved in the demonstration project.

 

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

DJRosen at theworld.com

 

 

 

-------------------------------

National Institute for Literacy

Special Topics mailing list

SpecialTopics at nifl.gov

To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics

Email delivered to djrosen1 at gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to katherine.gotthardt at gmail.com

-- 
Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt
www.LuxuriousChoices.net

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------------------------------

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics

End of SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 26, Issue 8
********************************************
-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to cvctwin51 at aol.com

 

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From reders at pdx.edu  Tue Nov 18 11:43:18 2008
From: reders at pdx.edu (Steve Reder)
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:43:18 -0800
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1126] Re: initial response to questions
	aboutLearner	Web
In-Reply-To: <25881950.1226942737720.JavaMail.root@elwamui-little.atl.sa.earthlink.net>
References: <25881950.1226942737720.JavaMail.root@elwamui-little.atl.sa.earthlink.net>
Message-ID: <004c01c9499c$c2c92de0$0502fea9@PSU.DS.PDX.EDU>

Thanks, Gail.

  The demonstration sites are just starting to pilot their activities.  St.
Paul will be the first to try the telephone based helpers.  The idea is to
use a volunteer program that's already operating not to create something
entirely new.  And you don't have to use that component if you don't have
such a program or don't want to use it.  Learner Web is not intended to be a
simple plug-and-play online product, it's designed to help link and
coordinate different programs and resources (like volunteers) in a community
to support their learners.  So it does require some staffing to implement
and manage but hopefully it becomes well integrated into the local structure
of adult ed. 

-Steve

 

  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Gail B
Sent: Monday, November 17, 2008 9:26 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1112] Re: initial response to questions aboutLearner
Web

 

While the work and talent that has gone into developing the modules looks
impressive -- Quite frankly the set up for the Learner Web sounds like an
administrative headache -- especially the part about having tutors or
helpers available online -- is there a pilot program that actually has this
model set up -- what are the costs of managing the program?  

Thank you.

Gail Bundy

-----Original Message----- 
From: Steve Reder 
Sent: Nov 17, 2008 11:43 AM 
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1090] Re: initial response to questions aboutLearner
Web 

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From bob42886 at aol.com  Tue Nov 18 15:45:22 2008
From: bob42886 at aol.com (bob42886 at aol.com)
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:45:22 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1127]  (no subject)
Message-ID: <8CB17D5B5E46476-1298-66B@WEBMAIL-MC19.sysops.aol.com>

This sounds like a great program being offered. Are there any volunteer opportunities in Atlanta,GA?
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From holly at dilatush.com  Tue Nov 18 12:36:44 2008
From: holly at dilatush.com (Holly Dilatush)
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 12:36:44 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1128] Re: SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 26, Issue 8
In-Reply-To: <8CB17B21CE52A43-260-A98@WEBMAIL-MB16.sysops.aol.com>
References: <mailman.106692.1226941087.14302.specialtopics@nifl.gov>
	<4CB17D33C0F89345847A40593C9EB8EBE5DF88@SOM-TEAQASMAIL2.som.w2k.state.me.us>
	<8CB17B21CE52A43-260-A98@WEBMAIL-MB16.sysops.aol.com>
Message-ID: <a305dbd10811180936u557ac034qe4b8808d40607b9c@mail.gmail.com>

Yes, yes, yes, yes -- if both of these programs (LearnerWeb and USALearns)
could somehow NOT be part of the perpetuating failure of digital divide
syndrome, it would be an excellent modeling of hope and make headway through
the "invisibility" barriers facing marginalized groups.
holly

On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 11:30 AM, <cvctwin51 at aol.com> wrote:

> Teaching in the corrections environment is also very near and dear to me.
> I have taught GED classes at Denver County Jail for over 5 years.  The
> nonprofit organization I work for does its best to provide resources, but at
> the moment the only resources we have are print materials.
>
> I see three benefits to creating a GED online for corrections.  One,
> students can work at their own pace. Hopefully, the program is
> learner-centered so they only have to work on the subjects they need.  Two,
> some of my students are not familiar with the computer, which is a handicap
> when it comes times to apply for a job.  Using a computer would give them
> practice in computer skills as well as GED.  Three, many of my students have
> marginal jobs (I am in the work release program now) and earning a GED
> enables them to get a "real" job and hopefully, stay out of trouble.
> Working on a computer may provide more motivation to stay in class or
> attract students who want a faster paced lesson.
>
> If we had a national GED program in a secure web environment for
> corrections, many teachers could work online with the students.  All the
> "brainpower" for targeting their education would not have to be in the
> building.  Outside teachers who love adult learning and online education
> could be used to create lessons for the students.  And they could work with
> onsite personnel to reach even more inmates.
>
> Carolyn Carter
> The Learning Source
>

-- 
Holly (Dilatush)
ESOL Coordinator/Facilitator/Instructor
ABA Virtual Learning Center
Charlottesville, VA USA
holly at dilatush.com
(434) 960.7177 cell phone
(434) 295.9716 home phone
[OK to call 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. EST / GMT -5 time]

"Live with intention. Share inside~out smiles, inspire hope, seek awe and
nurture in nature."  (original by Holly)

Plan to attend TESOL 2009!   http://www.tesol.org/s_tesol/convention2009/

My presentation: Exploring Intercultural Communication and Conflict
Resolution Through Drama; Reflecting Online:
3/28/2009 at 12:30 PM in room 603 at the Colorado Convention Center.

http://tales-around-the-world.blogspot.com
http://abavirtual-learningcenter.org
http://blogblossoms.edublogs.org
*Twitter and Skype IDs = smilin7
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From jfleischman at scoe.net  Tue Nov 18 17:46:12 2008
From: jfleischman at scoe.net (John Fleischman)
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 14:46:12 -0800
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1129] Re:
 =?iso-8859-1?q?New_Designs_in_Online_and_Distance_=09Learning?=
 =?iso-8859-1?q?__--_your?=
In-Reply-To: <a305dbd10811020906s68f44258uc11cdad057287cde@mail.gmail.com>
References: <62DE7D26-C202-4DC1-9EC7-A6B2D0BE549C@theworld.com> <	>
	<6A0E8C72-84D4-49E8-B590-55F38EDFEF4F@theworld.com>
	<a305dbd10811020906s68f44258uc11cdad057287cde@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <fc.004c56fb03a6af113b9aca00999cb499.3a6cc26@scoe.net>

Greetings, Holly.  Let me see if I can answer some of your questions....
For those that I can't answer, I'm sure some of my colleagues will
chime-in.

You ask how personal experience in online learning was tapped as we
explored models for online learning.  Most of the development team have
some experience in taking online courses and all have experience in
developing online content.  In my shop (Sacramento County Office of
Education) we have used a variety of learning management systems including
WebCT, Blackboard and Moodle.  And most all of us are seasoned users of
various other Internet-based synchronous and asynchronous technologies. 
All of these technologies were considered as we thought about the design
for U.S.A. Learns.  The development team felt that the most important
criteria was keeping things simple for users... an intuitive interface,
clear menu structures, flexibility with accessing course content,
context-based help, and "clean" screen designs.  We looked at dozens of
the commercial and open source learning management systems but none had
what we believed was the right look, feel, and set of tools.  For these
reasons we decided to develop our own customized system to deliver the
content.  

You also asked about possible use of social networking, avatars, or simple
content authoring.  The larger vision for U.S.A. Learns is to develop a
true adult education portal.  Given the reality of time and financial
constraints, we have developed a comprehensive ESL online curriculum that
is coupled with a very simple management system.  My vision of a larger
system (a true portal) would include communication and collaboration
tools, a variety of structured course content, a learning object
repository, personalization and customization of content, teacher content
authoring capabilities, etc.  

Please let me know if you'd me to elaborate on any of the above.

John

specialtopics at nifl.gov on Sunday, November 02, 2008 at 9:06 AM -0800 wrote:
>Hello David, all, 
>Bring on the guilt! I'm very intrigued by The Learner Web and USA Learns
>projects (especially USA Learns).  I've just made time to read through
>FAQs and explore the Learner Web site.  
> 
>Concerns I have stem primarily from direct learner support
>(effectiveness/meaningful learning/encouragement) and funding.
> 
>I am a hands-on learner, and feel I need to explore the site as a learner
>would before I can formulate more questions.  Now, I'm a bit confused.  
> 
>As an online learner (I've completed many courses through many online
>mediums -- WebCT, D2L, Yahoo groups, Moodle, more -- and am presently
>completing a master's online).  Through these experiences, and as a
>facilitator for online classes of my own planning, I know that some
>courses can feel like "going through the motions" (and satisfying
>required 'evidence' of participation in educational opportunities) and
>yet not really propel one to meaningful learning; others can be
>incredible life-changing experiences.  Except for a few cases, it is also
>my belief that blended/hybrid models engage and promote retention,
>motivation, meaningful learning MUCH more than 'solo' pure online
>efforts. 
> 
>? Do you want to know how USA Learns and the Learner Web became
>federally-funded projects, what needs or research base they grew from, or
>other things about their history and development?
> 
>Definitely, yes. I'm interested in knowing whether the developers'
>personal experience in online learning was tapped as models were explored
> 
>Have all of the developers themselves been online learners --
>synchronous, asynchronous, team/group projects or solo, self-paced or
>timelined, etc.?
> 
>
>
>
>? Do you want to know how they differ from other online adult basic
>education and English language learning models? If so, which kinds:
>online courses, online course management systems, wikis, portals, or
>something else? 
>
> 
>a comparison chart would be useful for reflection.  But every online
>learning adventure I've been on has been different.  There are SO many
>'little things' that affect positive outcomes.  
> 
>I'm an advocate for Moodles, or other platforms that allow photos (or
>other avatars of choice) so that each communication with another person
>'feels' more personal.  Will either USA Learns or the Learner Web include
>a feature like this?
> 
>Will social networking components be built into either USA Learns or
>Learner Web?
> 
>
>
>? If you are thinking about using either USA Learns or the Learner Web
>with your students, what is the situation you are hoping it will address?
>What group(s) of students, at what level(s) with what needs?  What
>questions do you have about the model's usefulness for that situation?
>
> 
>I use WiZiQ (interactive whiteboards/web-based classrooms) and Moodles. 
>In what ways will these programs offer the same options, in which ways
>more options, in which ways less?  Presently, I'm facilitating private
>tutoring -- Basic Literacy, Pronunciation, Citizenship, Writing, Reading
>comprehension, Listening and Speaking, Idioms, "USA culture and history",
>using Drama in ESOL, GRE prep, TOEFL prep, business English -- a wide
>range!  
> 
>I'll be actively following this discussion.  
>As always, thank YOU, David, for all your efforts and contributions,
>Holly

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From jfleischman at scoe.net  Tue Nov 18 18:09:08 2008
From: jfleischman at scoe.net (John Fleischman)
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:09:08 -0800
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1130] Re:
 =?iso-8859-1?q?New_Designs_in_Online_and_Distance_=09Learning?=
 =?iso-8859-1?q?__--your_q?=
In-Reply-To: <3F1B3696F3EA4331BAE5D008327FFB1D@ndecb.local>
References: <62DE7D26-C202-4DC1-9EC7-A6B2D0BE549C@theworld.com> <,	>
	<6A0E8C72-84D4-49E8-B590-55F38EDFEF4F@theworld.com> <,>
	<3F1B3696F3EA4331BAE5D008327FFB1D@ndecb.local>
Message-ID: <fc.004c56fb03a6cc3d3b9aca00999cb499.3a6d14e@scoe.net>

Hello, Margaret.  I'm pleased to hear that you're using English for All. 
That Web site was created here at Sacramento County Office of Education
and will continue to be supported by OTAN (www.otan.us), a CA statewide
leadership project.

You're right, U.S.A. Learns (USAL) Second English Course is based on
English for All (EFA).  But you might think of USAL as EFA on steroids. 
Our creative team of content experts, led by Evelyn Fella, have made
significant modifications, things that have been asked for since EFA was
created more than 7 years ago.  Some of the differences between the old
(EFA) and the new (USAL Second English Course) include:

- Vocabulary: words are presented individually with audio and definitions;
learners match words with definitions

- Spelling: learners listen to a word or phrase, spell it, then get
immediate feedback

- Listening: learners click a word or words they hear in a sentence;
learners listen and read text; learners listen to characters in context
and "click" on the person who said it.

- Dictation: learners listen to a sentence then type what they hear and
get feedback

- Grammar: charts and tables are presented with comprehension checks

Of particular note is the addition of listen and record (Say it!)
exercises where learners can record and play back an oral exercise,
comparing their pronunciation with that of a native English speaker.
 Another new feature is writing exercises. If the learner is studying the
Second English Course while enrolled in a USAL "class," the teacher or
tutor can review the writing and provide feedback right in the online
record.

Evelyn may want to add her two cents on the additional changes
(improvements) that have been made.

A student does not need to complete EFA before using USAL.  USAL was
designed with the idea that it would serve learners at a distance.  As
Leslie has pointed out, USAL was not designed for use in school or agency
computer labs (at least not if you want to stay on good terms with your
computer network manager).  EFA includes a hybrid (CD-ROM) version which
is more appropriate for use in labs.  

John

specialtopics at nifl.gov on Tuesday, November 04, 2008 at 9:28 AM -0800
wrote:
>The discussion looks very interesting. Here are my questions for USA
>Learns:
>
>1. We are currently offering an online class for intermediate level ESOL
>students using English for All. We understand that USA Learns uses
>similar content for its intermediate level course. Please describe the
>difference between the intermediate level course in USA Learns and
>English for All.
>
>2. Can a student make a smooth transition from EFA to USA Learns or does
>the student need to complete EFA if he/she is enrolled in that class? 
>

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From KathyE at monte.k12.co.us  Tue Nov 18 13:12:21 2008
From: KathyE at monte.k12.co.us (Ellithorpe, Kathy)
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 11:12:21 -0700
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1131] Re: SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 26, Issue 23
In-Reply-To: <mailman.106932.1227027166.14302.specialtopics@nifl.gov>
References: <mailman.106932.1227027166.14302.specialtopics@nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <7A7D7C482D76B04E873747A9621D8F4603113FBD@post.monte.k12.co.us>

I work at an on line/on site alternative school.  We are state of the
art in some ways and struggle as many of you do in other ways.  We use
Moodle as a way to track seat time .  I have put my ESL/ELL classes
there and am in the process of putting the GED component there. The
Moodle site tracks seat time and in managed by the on line director.  He
registers students for the various classes.  This program would work
well in the prison setting as well as for on line and distance
education.   

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of
specialtopics-request at nifl.gov
Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2008 9:53 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 26, Issue 23

Send SpecialTopics mailing list submissions to
	specialtopics at nifl.gov

To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
	http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
	specialtopics-request at nifl.gov

You can reach the person managing the list at
	specialtopics-owner at nifl.gov

When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than
"Re: Contents of SpecialTopics digest..."

Today's Topics:

   1. [SpecialTopics 1124]  List Netiquette (David J. Rosen)
   2. [SpecialTopics 1125] Re: SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 26, Issue
      8 (cvctwin51 at aol.com)
   3. [SpecialTopics 1126] Re: initial response to questions
      aboutLearner	Web (Steve Reder)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 11:23:23 -0500
From: "David J. Rosen" <DJRosen at theworld.com>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1124]  List Netiquette
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <1C1A5A9E56D64CF8AEED23B2138FC2E7 at A1411>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Special Topics Colleagues, 

To avoid getting so many postings in a day some subscribers may choose
to get postings in one daily digest. To learn how to do this, go to:
http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/discussions/help/help_mailman.html#digest

For everyone who posts a message, it would be kind to all readers, but
especially to those who get messages in a daily digest format, if you
would remove from your post the previously quoted messages (except for
the particular message or segment of a message you are replying to).This
would mean much less scrolling through irrelevant content for digest
format readers.

Thanks.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at theworld.com

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Message: 2
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 11:30:33 -0500
From: cvctwin51 at aol.com
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1125] Re: SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 26, Issue
	8
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Message-ID: <8CB17B21CE52A43-260-A98 at WEBMAIL-MB16.sysops.aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

 Teaching in the corrections environment is also very near and dear to
me.? I have taught GED classes at Denver County Jail for over 5 years.?
The nonprofit organization I work for does its best to provide
resources, but at the moment the only resources we have are print
materials. 

I see three benefits to creating a GED online for corrections.? One,
students can work at their own pace. Hopefully, the program is
learner-centered so they only have to work on the subjects they need.?
Two, some of my students are not familiar with the computer, which is a
handicap when it comes times to apply for a job.? Using a computer would
give them practice in computer skills as well as GED.? Three, many of my
students have marginal jobs (I am in the work release program now) and
earning a GED enables them to get a "real" job and hopefully, stay out
of trouble.? Working on a computer may provide more motivation to stay
in class or attract students who want a faster paced lesson.

If we had a national GED program in a secure web environment for
corrections, many teachers could work online with the students.? All the
"brainpower" for targeting their education would not have to be in the
building.? Outside teachers who love adult learning and online education
could be used to create lessons for the students.? And they could work
with onsite personnel to reach even more inmates.

 

Carolyn Carter
The Learning Source

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Upham, Gary <Gary.Upham at maine.gov>
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Sent: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 5:06 am
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1107] Re: SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 26, Issue 8

Good morning.  I am the principal at the Maine State Prison, where we
have an active education department but little resources available.  I
also am President Elect of the Maine Adult Corrections association.  Due
to the nature of this program our access for inmates (which
demographically would have about 25-50% of a population that could use
this program), is not available through the web.  How can we access and
is it a possibility to create a special program for this population?  My
goal is that all facilities would have access to programs like this in a
secure web environment.

Thanks
Gary Upham/MSP

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of
specialtopics-request at nifl.gov
Sent: Monday, November 17, 2008 11:58 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 26, Issue 8

Send SpecialTopics mailing list submissions to
    specialtopics at nifl.gov

To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
    http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
    specialtopics-request at nifl.gov

You can reach the person managing the list at
    specialtopics-owner at nifl.gov

When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than
"Re: Contents of SpecialTopics digest..."

Today's Topics:

   1. [SpecialTopics 1091] Re: New Designs in Online and
      DistanceLearning  -- your questions (Steve Reder)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 08:51:07 -0800
From: "Steve Reder" <reders at pdx.edu>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1091] Re: New Designs in Online and
    DistanceLearning    -- your questions
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <006701c948d4$b0317e30$0502fea9 at PSU.DS.PDX.EDU>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Good questions, Katherine.  During our demonstration project (through
Sept 2010), Portland State university is hosting Learner Web for all
users but it will be freely distributed as open source towards the end
of the project so that others can host it as they wish.  The
implementing regions in our demonstration project are starting to
discuss a planned national rollout process.  Big issues will be deciding
how best to provide needed training and technical assistance to
organizational users of the LW - the external evaluation being conducted
on the demonstration project will help us identify some of the issues to
consider in scaling up such training and assistance.  We are developing
a whole online library of multimedia videos and manuals for training
purposes. 

 

Learning plans (remember, these are the structured units of content for
the Learner Web platform) can be designed to blend the use of Learner
Web with live courses in a rich variety of ways.  We expect to have a
number of working and evaluated models developed through our
demonstration project.

 

Hope this helps.  Thanks for your questions.

 

-Steve

 

  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt
Sent: Sunday, November 02, 2008 2:27 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1078] Re: New Designs in Online and
DistanceLearning
-- your questions

 

Hi David--

1.  It looks like these programs will be open source.  How do they
differ from other programs that are NOT open source?  For example, I
worked with a program called Project Connect which provided lessons in
English language, culture and civics.  Schools using the program must
purchase a license.
Hence, the program is run through the school where there are designated
contacts who can also meet with students and provide a certain amount of
tech support. Are these programs similar?  If so, has there been any
feedback from subscription-only program providers?

 

2.  Are these programs meant to be used in tandem with live courses?  My
experience has been that pure distance education programs do not
adequately serve this community for a variety of reasons, including
technological barriers, students' inability to communicate problems,
feelings of being overwhelmed or intimidated, etc.  

Thank you!  I look forward to the discussion and appreciate the reminder
to ask questions early!

On Sun, Nov 2, 2008 at 11:06 AM, David Rosen <DJRosen at theworld.com>
wrote:

Colleagues, 

 

As several people have recently signed up for the upcoming discussion
here, New Designs in Online and Distance Learning, and since so far I
have only received one question,  I would like to repeat my request for
your questions for our guests:

 

What questions would you like to ask our guests? 

 

Please look at the brief descriptions of the two models that you will
see in my previous email message, included below. The federally-funded
USA Learns will have a national launch in a few days, before our
discussion begins.
We'll have an announcement here of the web site so you can look at it if
you like.  The Learner Web is a federally-funded demonstration project,
available only for field testing in several selected regions around the
country in Oregon, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New
Jersey and Washington, D.C. More information about the Learner Web,
including two screen capture videos (if you register and log in), will
be found at http://learnerweb.org <http://learnerweb.org/> 

 

. What would you like our guests to cover or explain in their
descriptions of USA Learns and the Learner Web when we begin the
discussion on November 17th and 18th?

. Do you want to know how USA Learns and the Learner Web became
federally-funded projects, what needs or research base they grew from,
or other things about their history and development?

. Do you want to know how they differ from other online adult basic
education and English language learning models? If so, which kinds:
online
courses, online course management systems, wikis, portals, or something
else? 

. If you are thinking about using either USA Learns or the Learner Web
with your students, what is the situation you are hoping it will
address?
What
group(s) of students, at what level(s) with what needs?  What questions
do you have about the model's usefulness for that situation?

 

Think about why you have subscribed to the Special Topics discussion
forum (or stayed subscribed) for this discussion, what you want to get
from it.
Frame a question or questions that will help our guests address your
interest or need. You can send your questions by just replying to this
message or by emailing them directly to me at djrosen at theworld.com. I
will share the questions with our guests before the discussion begins,
and the questions will be posted on or after November 17th. Of course
more questions, observations, and dialogue will be welcome during the
week of the discussion.

 

Finally, it's not too late for your colleagues to join this discussion.
To
subscribe to the discussion, one can go to: 

http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics

One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can stay
subscribed for the next discussion.

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

DJRosen at theworld.com

 

 

 

On Oct 29, 2008, at 9:38 PM, David Rosen wrote:

 

Special Topics Discussion Colleagues,

 

On November 17th we will begin a discussion of USA Learns and of 

the Learner Web. You will find the description for this discussion
below. 

Judging by the number of new subscribers, this is a high-interest topic!

Now is the time to think about why you have subscribed: 

 

What questions would you like to ask our guests? 

 

Although your questions will not be posted until the discussion begins, 

I would like to share them with our guests in advance.  Of course, 

questions, comments, and dialogue, will also be welcome during the 

discussion.

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

djrosen at theworld.com

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
----------------

New Designs in Online and Distance Learning is a National Institute

for Literacy Special Topics discussion that will be held from

November 17th through November 21st, 2008. It will focus on two new

adult education models: a national learning portal for English

language learning at a distance, called USA Learns, and a web-based

and telephone-based learning support system, called the Learner Web,

for ABE, ASE and ELL students enrolled in classes to supplement their

learning, as well as for those who study on their own. We have four

distinguished guests, researchers as well as product developers, who

will describe these two models and answer questions.

 

For USA Learns, our guests are John Fleischman and Dr. Jerome (Jere)

Johnston. For the Learner Web our guests are Dr. Stephen Reder and

Dr. Clare Strawn. You will find more information about them below.

 

Please forward this announcement to your colleagues who may be

interested in subscribing!

 

To subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:

 

http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics

 

One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can

stay subscribed for the next discussion.

 

Description of the models

 

The Learner Web is a learning support system providing structure and

resources for adults who want to accomplish specific learning

objectives. A learner can access the system through the Internet. In

addition to on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates support

services from existing local education programs, community based

organizations, tutors, and telephone helpers. The Learner Web

consists of a Web-based software system that is implemented

regionally. The System is organized around Learning Plans. A Learning

Plan is a set of steps structured around achieving an identified

goal. For example, if the goal is to get a GED, the steps might

include finding out more about the tests, identifying what skills one

needs to brush up on, learning new skills and knowledge, taking

practice tests, etc. Each step is matched with online and community

based resources and a workspace where learners can take assessments

or save their work in an e-portfolio. The learner creates a personal

profile, may take a short reading assessment and interest inventory,

chooses a goal from the available list and follows the Learning Plan

independently or with a tutor or a teacher. The Learning Plan is

dynamically matched by the software to both the learner profile and

educational resources. The learner's progress is saved and can be

returned to at any time via the internet. Learners can choose to

share their workspace with a tutor or teacher.

 

The Learner Web has begun the second year of a three-year

demonstration project in seven demonstration regions across the country.

 

U.S.A. Learns is a free Web site designed for adult learners with

limited English language skills. Instructional content focuses on

the language and literacy skills that adults need for everyday

survival. While a broad range of adults can use U.S.A. Learns, it

has been developed primarily for immigrants who cannot attend

traditional classroom programs because of difficulty with schedules,

transportation, or other barriers. The site includes more than 400

hours of instruction and offers an extensive array of video, audio

and richly illustrated graphics and images. The site layout was

created with the inexperienced Web user in mind, and extensive built-

in help features are available. U.S.A. Learns can be used

independently, but it can also be used in association with a teacher

or tutor via an online management system.

 

 

Background on Discussion Guests

 

John Fleischman

 

With more than 25 years of experience in adult education as a

teacher, administrator and project director, John Fleischman is

currently responsible for information and educational technology

operations at the Sacramento County Office of Education. John

possesses an extensive background with creating and implementing

instructional and informational media for use in a variety of

educational environments. His present area of focus is on building

Web-based solutions for education, including data management systems

and comprehensive online learning resources. Working at the state

and national level, he provides oversight for a range of technology

initiatives including the Outreach and Technology Assistance Network

(www.otan.us <http://www.otan.us/> ) and Strengthening Programs Through
Technology

(www.adultedonline.org <http://www.adultedonline.org/> ). John is the
author of numerous publications

and is frequently requested as a presenter at both state and national

conferences.

 

Jerome (Jere) Johnston is Research Professor at the University of

Michigan's Institute for Social Research. For 40 years he has been

studying ways that technology shapes what people learn. In recent

years Dr. Johnston has been exploring innovative ways to use

technology in adult literacy. He directs the Project IDEAL Support

Center, supporting 25 states in their efforts to build distance

learning programs for adult learners. The Center provides technical

assistance to states in the areas of training, research, and policy

development (projectideal.org <http://projectideal.org/> ).

 

Stephen Reder is University Professor and Chair of the Department of

Applied Linguistics at Portland State University. His research and

teaching interests focus on adult education and the processes of

literacy and language development during adulthood. Dr. Reder has

served as the Principal Investigator for a number of major projects

in adult education. Two recent projects, the Longitudinal Study of

Adult Learning and the National Labsite for Adult ESOL, examine the

ways adults acquire new literacy and language abilities and the roles

which adult education programs and policies play in supporting that

development. The results of this research have led to the

development of the Learner Web, an innovative online adult learning

support system. Professor Reder is the author of numerous

publications about his research and its implications for adult

education and adult literacy and language development. He has

recently completed co-editing a volume with John Bynner, Tracking

Adult Literacy and Numeracy Skills: Findings from Longitudinal

Research. A second book is in progress, Dropping Out and Moving On:

Life, Literacy and Development among High School Dropouts. Dr. Reder

actively works with networks of adult education researchers,

practitioners and policymakers at the state, regional and national

levels.

 

Clare Strawn is Assistant Professor at Portland State University,

Portland, Oregon, and has been an analyst on the Longitudinal Study

of Adult Learning. She is interested in patterns of program

participation, the intersection of learning and community

development, social capital influences on learning strategies, and

technology. She has been a co-developer, with Steve Reder of the

Learner Web and has been actively involved in the demonstration project.

 

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

DJRosen at theworld.com

 

 

 

-------------------------------

National Institute for Literacy

Special Topics mailing list

SpecialTopics at nifl.gov

To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics

Email delivered to djrosen1 at gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to katherine.gotthardt at gmail.com

--
Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt
www.LuxuriousChoices.net

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Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics

End of SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 26, Issue 8
********************************************
-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to cvctwin51 at aol.com

 

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Message: 3
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:43:18 -0800
From: "Steve Reder" <reders at pdx.edu>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1126] Re: initial response to questions
	aboutLearner	Web
To: "'Gail B'" <gbundy at rmi.net>, <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <004c01c9499c$c2c92de0$0502fea9 at PSU.DS.PDX.EDU>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Thanks, Gail.

  The demonstration sites are just starting to pilot their activities.
St.
Paul will be the first to try the telephone based helpers.  The idea is
to
use a volunteer program that's already operating not to create something
entirely new.  And you don't have to use that component if you don't
have
such a program or don't want to use it.  Learner Web is not intended to
be a
simple plug-and-play online product, it's designed to help link and
coordinate different programs and resources (like volunteers) in a
community
to support their learners.  So it does require some staffing to
implement
and manage but hopefully it becomes well integrated into the local
structure
of adult ed. 

-Steve

 

  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Gail B
Sent: Monday, November 17, 2008 9:26 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1112] Re: initial response to questions
aboutLearner
Web

 

While the work and talent that has gone into developing the modules
looks
impressive -- Quite frankly the set up for the Learner Web sounds like
an
administrative headache -- especially the part about having tutors or
helpers available online -- is there a pilot program that actually has
this
model set up -- what are the costs of managing the program?  

Thank you.

Gail Bundy

-----Original Message----- 
From: Steve Reder 
Sent: Nov 17, 2008 11:43 AM 
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1090] Re: initial response to questions
aboutLearner
Web 

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------------------------------

-------------------------------
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Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics

End of SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 26, Issue 23
*********************************************

From mvaughn2 at student.gsu.edu  Tue Nov 18 16:43:02 2008
From: mvaughn2 at student.gsu.edu (Melissa Vaughn)
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:43:02 +0000
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1132] Re: New Designs in Online and
	Distance	Learning --your questions
In-Reply-To: <66d7e2a90811180756y74a718dbl56b87ed6ecc6dc8d@mail.gmail.com>
References: <62DE7D26-C202-4DC1-9EC7-A6B2D0BE549C@theworld.com>
	<6A0E8C72-84D4-49E8-B590-55F38EDFEF4F@theworld.com>
	<6F05F6E90C3F59488414B4E8E64564CA098E84@dcps-exch2k3-14.hq.dc_schools.k12.dc.us>,
	<66d7e2a90811180756y74a718dbl56b87ed6ecc6dc8d@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <545F95234CD17A4CACA1C7B0C34801783FDEA3246E@BL2PRD0101MB013.prod.exchangelabs.com>

Could this program be accessed from a public library computer?
Melissa Speight Vaughn
________________________________
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Leslie Petty [leslie.lpetty at gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2008 7:56 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1123] Re: New Designs in Online and Distance Learning --your questions

Belinda,
U.S.A. Learns is primarily designed for individual, independent learners, but it is also possible for teachers or tutors to use this as with a group of students. It is available free to anyone with computer and Internet access.   You could certainly make it available to parents of the children at your school to access whenever they wanted.  As we were testing the usability of the site with adult learners, we found a great deal of interest among our testers in getting other family members to use the site.

There is one important caveat, however.   The wide bandwidth requirements for U.S.A. Learns make it unsuitable for use in classrooms or computer labs. Even with a fast Internet connection in the school or lab, simultaneous use by just a few learners could slow the program to a crawl and make the learning experience frustrating.

Leslie

On Sun, Nov 2, 2008 at 6:55 PM, Omenitsch, Belinda (ES) <belinda.omenitsch at dc.gov<mailto:belinda.omenitsch at dc.gov>> wrote:
Hi,
I would like to know how I could get the information to the parents of the students at school?  I am at an elementary school in DC and I am sure that we have parents who could benefit from this.  Is this program set up for the individual or is it based on a model to augment formal programs?  If it is available for the individual then I might be able to arrange for parents to take the course during the school day at our school.
Thanks.
Belinda Omenitsch

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov<mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov> on behalf of David Rosen
Sent: Sun 11/2/2008 11:06 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov<mailto:specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1073] New Designs in Online and Distance Learning --your questions

Colleagues,

As several people have recently signed up for the upcoming discussion here, New Designs in Online and Distance Learning, and since so far I have only received one question,  I would like to repeat my request for your questions for our guests:

What questions would you like to ask our guests?

Please look at the brief descriptions of the two models that you will see in my previous email message, included below. The federally-funded USA Learns will have a national launch in a few days, before our discussion begins. We'll have an announcement here of the web site so you can look at it if you like.  The Learner Web is a federally-funded demonstration project, available only for field testing in several selected regions around the country in Oregon, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and Washington, D.C. More information about the Learner Web, including two screen capture videos (if you register and log in), will be found at http://learnerweb.org <http://learnerweb.org/>

* What would you like our guests to cover or explain in their descriptions of USA Learns and the Learner Web when we begin the discussion on November 17th and 18th?
* Do you want to know how USA Learns and the Learner Web became federally-funded projects, what needs or research base they grew from, or other things about their history and development?
* Do you want to know how they differ from other online adult basic education and English language learning models? If so, which kinds: online courses, online course management systems, wikis, portals, or something else?
* If you are thinking about using either USA Learns or the Learner Web with your students, what is the situation you are hoping it will address? What group(s) of students, at what level(s) with what needs?  What questions do you have about the model's usefulness for that situation?

Think about why you have subscribed to the Special Topics discussion forum (or stayed subscribed) for this discussion, what you want to get from it. Frame a question or questions that will help our guests address your interest or need. You can send your questions by just replying to this message or by emailing them directly to me at djrosen at theworld.com<mailto:djrosen at theworld.com>. I will share the questions with our guests before the discussion begins, and the questions will be posted on or after November 17th. Of course more questions, observations, and dialogue will be welcome during the week of the discussion.

Finally, it's not too late for your colleagues to join this discussion. To subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can stay subscribed for the next discussion.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
DJRosen at theworld.com<mailto:DJRosen at theworld.com>

On Oct 29, 2008, at 9:38 PM, David Rosen wrote:

       Special Topics Discussion Colleagues,

       On November 17th we will begin a discussion of USA Learns and of
       the Learner Web. You will find the description for this discussion below.
       Judging by the number of new subscribers, this is a high-interest topic!
       Now is the time to think about why you have subscribed:

       What questions would you like to ask our guests?

       Although your questions will not be posted until the discussion begins,
       I would like to share them with our guests in advance.  Of course,
       questions, comments, and dialogue, will also be welcome during the
       discussion.

       David J. Rosen
       Special Topics Discussion Moderator
       djrosen at theworld.com<mailto:djrosen at theworld.com>

       --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       New Designs in Online and Distance Learning is a National Institute
       for Literacy Special Topics discussion that will be held from
       November 17th through November 21st, 2008. It will focus on two new
       adult education models: a national learning portal for English
       language learning at a distance, called USA Learns, and a web-based
       and telephone-based learning support system, called the Learner Web,
       for ABE, ASE and ELL students enrolled in classes to supplement their
       learning, as well as for those who study on their own. We have four
       distinguished guests, researchers as well as product developers, who
       will describe these two models and answer questions.

       For USA Learns, our guests are John Fleischman and Dr. Jerome (Jere)
       Johnston. For the Learner Web our guests are Dr. Stephen Reder and
       Dr. Clare Strawn. You will find more information about them below.

       Please forward this announcement to your colleagues who may be
       interested in subscribing!

       To subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:

       http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics

       One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can
       stay subscribed for the next discussion.

       Description of the models

       The Learner Web is a learning support system providing structure and
       resources for adults who want to accomplish specific learning
       objectives. A learner can access the system through the Internet. In
       addition to on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates support
       services from existing local education programs, community based
       organizations, tutors, and telephone helpers. The Learner Web
       consists of a Web-based software system that is implemented
       regionally. The System is organized around Learning Plans. A Learning
       Plan is a set of steps structured around achieving an identified
       goal. For example, if the goal is to get a GED, the steps might
       include finding out more about the tests, identifying what skills one
       needs to brush up on, learning new skills and knowledge, taking
       practice tests, etc. Each step is matched with online and community
       based resources and a workspace where learners can take assessments
       or save their work in an e-portfolio. The learner creates a personal
       profile, may take a short reading assessment and interest inventory,
       chooses a goal from the available list and follows the Learning Plan
       independently or with a tutor or a teacher. The Learning Plan is
       dynamically matched by the software to both the learner profile and
       educational resources. The learner's progress is saved and can be
       returned to at any time via the internet. Learners can choose to
       share their workspace with a tutor or teacher.

       The Learner Web has begun the second year of a three-year
       demonstration project in seven demonstration regions across the country.

       U.S.A. Learns is a free Web site designed for adult learners with
       limited English language skills. Instructional content focuses on
       the language and literacy skills that adults need for everyday
       survival. While a broad range of adults can use U.S.A. Learns, it
       has been developed primarily for immigrants who cannot attend
       traditional classroom programs because of difficulty with schedules,
       transportation, or other barriers. The site includes more than 400
       hours of instruction and offers an extensive array of video, audio
       and richly illustrated graphics and images. The site layout was
       created with the inexperienced Web user in mind, and extensive built-
       in help features are available. U.S.A. Learns can be used
       independently, but it can also be used in association with a teacher
       or tutor via an online management system.

       Background on Discussion Guests

       John Fleischman

       With more than 25 years of experience in adult education as a
       teacher, administrator and project director, John Fleischman is
       currently responsible for information and educational technology
       operations at the Sacramento County Office of Education. John
       possesses an extensive background with creating and implementing
       instructional and informational media for use in a variety of
       educational environments. His present area of focus is on building
       Web-based solutions for education, including data management systems
       and comprehensive online learning resources. Working at the state
       and national level, he provides oversight for a range of technology
       initiatives including the Outreach and Technology Assistance Network
       (www.otan.us<http://www.otan.us> <http://www.otan.us/> ) and Strengthening Programs Through Technology
       (www.adultedonline.org<http://www.adultedonline.org> <http://www.adultedonline.org/> ). John is the author of numerous publications
       and is frequently requested as a presenter at both state and national
       conferences.

       Jerome (Jere) Johnston is Research Professor at the University of
       Michigan's Institute for Social Research. For 40 years he has been
       studying ways that technology shapes what people learn. In recent
       years Dr. Johnston has been exploring innovative ways to use
       technology in adult literacy. He directs the Project IDEAL Support
       Center, supporting 25 states in their efforts to build distance
       learning programs for adult learners. The Center provides technical
       assistance to states in the areas of training, research, and policy
       development (projectideal.org<http://projectideal.org>).

       Stephen Reder is University Professor and Chair of the Department of
       Applied Linguistics at Portland State University. His research and
       teaching interests focus on adult education and the processes of
       literacy and language development during adulthood. Dr. Reder has
       served as the Principal Investigator for a number of major projects
       in adult education. Two recent projects, the Longitudinal Study of
       Adult Learning and the National Labsite for Adult ESOL, examine the
       ways adults acquire new literacy and language abilities and the roles
       which adult education programs and policies play in supporting that
       development. The results of this research have led to the
       development of the Learner Web, an innovative online adult learning
       support system. Professor Reder is the author of numerous
       publications about his research and its implications for adult
       education and adult literacy and language development. He has
       recently completed co-editing a volume with John Bynner, Tracking
       Adult Literacy and Numeracy Skills: Findings from Longitudinal
       Research. A second book is in progress, Dropping Out and Moving On:
       Life, Literacy and Development among High School Dropouts. Dr. Reder
       actively works with networks of adult education researchers,
       practitioners and policymakers at the state, regional and national
       levels.

       Clare Strawn is Assistant Professor at Portland State University,
       Portland, Oregon, and has been an analyst on the Longitudinal Study
       of Adult Learning. She is interested in patterns of program
       participation, the intersection of learning and community
       development, social capital influences on learning strategies, and
       technology. She has been a co-developer, with Steve Reder of the
       Learner Web and has been actively involved in the demonstration project.

       David J. Rosen
       Special Topics Discussion Moderator
       DJRosen at theworld.com<mailto:DJRosen at theworld.com>

       -------------------------------
       National Institute for Literacy
       Special Topics mailing list
       SpecialTopics at nifl.gov<mailto:SpecialTopics at nifl.gov>
       To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
       Email delivered to djrosen1 at gmail.com<mailto:djrosen1 at gmail.com>

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov<mailto:SpecialTopics at nifl.gov>
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to lpetty at twmi.rr.com<mailto:lpetty at twmi.rr.com>

--
Leslie Petty, Ed.D.
Associate Director
Project IDEAL Support Center
University of Michigan
734-425-0748
-------------- next part --------------
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From belinda.omenitsch at dc.gov  Tue Nov 18 19:06:01 2008
From: belinda.omenitsch at dc.gov (Omenitsch, Belinda (ES))
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:06:01 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1133] Re: New Designs in Online andDistance	Learning
	--your questions
References: <62DE7D26-C202-4DC1-9EC7-A6B2D0BE549C@theworld.com><6A0E8C72-84D4-49E8-B590-55F38EDFEF4F@theworld.com><6F05F6E90C3F59488414B4E8E64564CA098E84@dcps-exch2k3-14.hq.dc_schools.k12.dc.us>,
	<66d7e2a90811180756y74a718dbl56b87ed6ecc6dc8d@mail.gmail.com>
	<545F95234CD17A4CACA1C7B0C34801783FDEA3246E@BL2PRD0101MB013.prod.exchangelabs.com>
Message-ID: <6F05F6E90C3F59488414B4E8E64564CA098EB6@dcps-exch2k3-14.hq.dc_schools.k12.dc.us>

Thanks,  Our parent room has a couple of computers so we can make sure that people go online one at a time.  We are excited about it and trying to contact parents who might be interested.  Even if they stay for a time after they drop the kids or come early to pick them up.  In my current role as literacy professional developer   I think that anything I can do to help parents improve their skills will benefit the students.
Belinda

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Melissa Vaughn
Sent: Tue 11/18/2008 4:43 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1132] Re: New Designs in Online andDistance Learning --your questions

Could this program be accessed from a public library computer?
Melissa Speight Vaughn
________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Leslie Petty [leslie.lpetty at gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2008 7:56 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1123] Re: New Designs in Online and Distance Learning --your questions

Belinda,
U.S.A. Learns is primarily designed for individual, independent learners, but it is also possible for teachers or tutors to use this as with a group of students. It is available free to anyone with computer and Internet access.   You could certainly make it available to parents of the children at your school to access whenever they wanted.  As we were testing the usability of the site with adult learners, we found a great deal of interest among our testers in getting other family members to use the site. 

There is one important caveat, however.   The wide bandwidth requirements for U.S.A. Learns make it unsuitable for use in classrooms or computer labs. Even with a fast Internet connection in the school or lab, simultaneous use by just a few learners could slow the program to a crawl and make the learning experience frustrating.

Leslie

On Sun, Nov 2, 2008 at 6:55 PM, Omenitsch, Belinda (ES) <belinda.omenitsch at dc.gov> wrote:

	Hi,
	I would like to know how I could get the information to the parents of the students at school?  I am at an elementary school in DC and I am sure that we have parents who could benefit from this.  Is this program set up for the individual or is it based on a model to augment formal programs?  If it is available for the individual then I might be able to arrange for parents to take the course during the school day at our school.
	Thanks.
	Belinda Omenitsch
	
	________________________________
	
	From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David Rosen
	Sent: Sun 11/2/2008 11:06 AM
	To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
	Subject: [SpecialTopics 1073] New Designs in Online and Distance Learning --your questions
	

	Colleagues,
	
	As several people have recently signed up for the upcoming discussion here, New Designs in Online and Distance Learning, and since so far I have only received one question,  I would like to repeat my request for your questions for our guests:
	
	What questions would you like to ask our guests?
	
	
	Please look at the brief descriptions of the two models that you will see in my previous email message, included below. The federally-funded USA Learns will have a national launch in a few days, before our discussion begins. We'll have an announcement here of the web site so you can look at it if you like.  The Learner Web is a federally-funded demonstration project, available only for field testing in several selected regions around the country in Oregon, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and Washington, D.C. More information about the Learner Web, including two screen capture videos (if you register and log in), will be found at http://learnerweb.org <http://learnerweb.org/>  <http://learnerweb.org/>
	

	* What would you like our guests to cover or explain in their descriptions of USA Learns and the Learner Web when we begin the discussion on November 17th and 18th?
	* Do you want to know how USA Learns and the Learner Web became federally-funded projects, what needs or research base they grew from, or other things about their history and development?
	* Do you want to know how they differ from other online adult basic education and English language learning models? If so, which kinds: online courses, online course management systems, wikis, portals, or something else?
	* If you are thinking about using either USA Learns or the Learner Web with your students, what is the situation you are hoping it will address? What group(s) of students, at what level(s) with what needs?  What questions do you have about the model's usefulness for that situation?
	
	Think about why you have subscribed to the Special Topics discussion forum (or stayed subscribed) for this discussion, what you want to get from it. Frame a question or questions that will help our guests address your interest or need. You can send your questions by just replying to this message or by emailing them directly to me at djrosen at theworld.com. I will share the questions with our guests before the discussion begins, and the questions will be posted on or after November 17th. Of course more questions, observations, and dialogue will be welcome during the week of the discussion.
	
	Finally, it's not too late for your colleagues to join this discussion. To subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:
	http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
	One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can stay subscribed for the next discussion.
	
	David J. Rosen
	Special Topics Discussion Moderator
	DJRosen at theworld.com
	
	
	
	On Oct 29, 2008, at 9:38 PM, David Rosen wrote:
	
	
	       Special Topics Discussion Colleagues,
	
	       On November 17th we will begin a discussion of USA Learns and of
	       the Learner Web. You will find the description for this discussion below.
	       Judging by the number of new subscribers, this is a high-interest topic!
	       Now is the time to think about why you have subscribed:
	
	       What questions would you like to ask our guests?
	
	       Although your questions will not be posted until the discussion begins,
	       I would like to share them with our guests in advance.  Of course,
	       questions, comments, and dialogue, will also be welcome during the
	       discussion.
	
	       David J. Rosen
	       Special Topics Discussion Moderator
	       djrosen at theworld.com
	
	       --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
	       New Designs in Online and Distance Learning is a National Institute
	       for Literacy Special Topics discussion that will be held from
	       November 17th through November 21st, 2008. It will focus on two new
	       adult education models: a national learning portal for English
	       language learning at a distance, called USA Learns, and a web-based
	       and telephone-based learning support system, called the Learner Web,
	       for ABE, ASE and ELL students enrolled in classes to supplement their
	       learning, as well as for those who study on their own. We have four
	       distinguished guests, researchers as well as product developers, who
	       will describe these two models and answer questions.
	
	       For USA Learns, our guests are John Fleischman and Dr. Jerome (Jere)
	       Johnston. For the Learner Web our guests are Dr. Stephen Reder and
	       Dr. Clare Strawn. You will find more information about them below.
	
	       Please forward this announcement to your colleagues who may be
	       interested in subscribing!
	
	       To subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:
	
	       http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
	
	       One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can
	       stay subscribed for the next discussion.
	
	       Description of the models
	
	       The Learner Web is a learning support system providing structure and
	       resources for adults who want to accomplish specific learning
	       objectives. A learner can access the system through the Internet. In
	       addition to on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates support
	       services from existing local education programs, community based
	       organizations, tutors, and telephone helpers. The Learner Web
	       consists of a Web-based software system that is implemented
	       regionally. The System is organized around Learning Plans. A Learning
	       Plan is a set of steps structured around achieving an identified
	       goal. For example, if the goal is to get a GED, the steps might
	       include finding out more about the tests, identifying what skills one
	       needs to brush up on, learning new skills and knowledge, taking
	       practice tests, etc. Each step is matched with online and community
	       based resources and a workspace where learners can take assessments
	       or save their work in an e-portfolio. The learner creates a personal
	       profile, may take a short reading assessment and interest inventory,
	       chooses a goal from the available list and follows the Learning Plan
	       independently or with a tutor or a teacher. The Learning Plan is
	       dynamically matched by the software to both the learner profile and
	       educational resources. The learner's progress is saved and can be
	       returned to at any time via the internet. Learners can choose to
	       share their workspace with a tutor or teacher.
	
	       The Learner Web has begun the second year of a three-year
	       demonstration project in seven demonstration regions across the country.
	
	       U.S.A. Learns is a free Web site designed for adult learners with
	       limited English language skills. Instructional content focuses on
	       the language and literacy skills that adults need for everyday
	       survival. While a broad range of adults can use U.S.A. Learns, it
	       has been developed primarily for immigrants who cannot attend
	       traditional classroom programs because of difficulty with schedules,
	       transportation, or other barriers. The site includes more than 400
	       hours of instruction and offers an extensive array of video, audio
	       and richly illustrated graphics and images. The site layout was
	       created with the inexperienced Web user in mind, and extensive built-
	       in help features are available. U.S.A. Learns can be used
	       independently, but it can also be used in association with a teacher
	       or tutor via an online management system.
	
	
	       Background on Discussion Guests
	
	       John Fleischman
	
	       With more than 25 years of experience in adult education as a
	       teacher, administrator and project director, John Fleischman is
	       currently responsible for information and educational technology
	       operations at the Sacramento County Office of Education. John
	       possesses an extensive background with creating and implementing
	       instructional and informational media for use in a variety of
	       educational environments. His present area of focus is on building
	       Web-based solutions for education, including data management systems
	       and comprehensive online learning resources. Working at the state
	       and national level, he provides oversight for a range of technology
	       initiatives including the Outreach and Technology Assistance Network
	
	       (www.otan.us <http://www.otan.us/>  <http://www.otan.us/> ) and Strengthening Programs Through Technology
	       (www.adultedonline.org <http://www.adultedonline.org/>  <http://www.adultedonline.org/> ). John is the author of numerous publications
	
	       and is frequently requested as a presenter at both state and national
	       conferences.
	
	       Jerome (Jere) Johnston is Research Professor at the University of
	       Michigan's Institute for Social Research. For 40 years he has been
	       studying ways that technology shapes what people learn. In recent
	       years Dr. Johnston has been exploring innovative ways to use
	       technology in adult literacy. He directs the Project IDEAL Support
	       Center, supporting 25 states in their efforts to build distance
	       learning programs for adult learners. The Center provides technical
	       assistance to states in the areas of training, research, and policy
	       development (projectideal.org <http://projectideal.org/> ).
	
	       Stephen Reder is University Professor and Chair of the Department of
	       Applied Linguistics at Portland State University. His research and
	       teaching interests focus on adult education and the processes of
	       literacy and language development during adulthood. Dr. Reder has
	       served as the Principal Investigator for a number of major projects
	       in adult education. Two recent projects, the Longitudinal Study of
	       Adult Learning and the National Labsite for Adult ESOL, examine the
	       ways adults acquire new literacy and language abilities and the roles
	       which adult education programs and policies play in supporting that
	       development. The results of this research have led to the
	       development of the Learner Web, an innovative online adult learning
	       support system. Professor Reder is the author of numerous
	       publications about his research and its implications for adult
	       education and adult literacy and language development. He has
	       recently completed co-editing a volume with John Bynner, Tracking
	       Adult Literacy and Numeracy Skills: Findings from Longitudinal
	       Research. A second book is in progress, Dropping Out and Moving On:
	       Life, Literacy and Development among High School Dropouts. Dr. Reder
	       actively works with networks of adult education researchers,
	       practitioners and policymakers at the state, regional and national
	       levels.
	
	       Clare Strawn is Assistant Professor at Portland State University,
	       Portland, Oregon, and has been an analyst on the Longitudinal Study
	       of Adult Learning. She is interested in patterns of program
	       participation, the intersection of learning and community
	       development, social capital influences on learning strategies, and
	       technology. She has been a co-developer, with Steve Reder of the
	       Learner Web and has been actively involved in the demonstration project.
	
	
	       David J. Rosen
	       Special Topics Discussion Moderator
	       DJRosen at theworld.com
	
	
	
	
	       -------------------------------
	       National Institute for Literacy
	       Special Topics mailing list
	       SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
	       To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
	       Email delivered to djrosen1 at gmail.com
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	

	-------------------------------
	National Institute for Literacy
	Special Topics mailing list
	SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
	To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
	Email delivered to lpetty at twmi.rr.com
	

-- 
Leslie Petty, Ed.D.
Associate Director
Project IDEAL Support Center
University of Michigan
734-425-0748

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From jfleischman at scoe.net  Tue Nov 18 18:28:26 2008
From: jfleischman at scoe.net (John Fleischman)
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:28:26 -0800
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1134] Re:
 =?iso-8859-1?q?New_Designs_in_Online_and_=09Distance=09=09Lea?=
 =?iso-8859-1?q?rning__--your_q?=
In-Reply-To: <545F95234CD17A4CACA1C7B0C34801783FDEA3246E@BL2PRD0101MB013.prod.exchangelabs.com>
References: <62DE7D26-C202-4DC1-9EC7-A6B2D0BE549C@theworld.com> <	>
	<6A0E8C72-84D4-49E8-B590-55F38EDFEF4F@theworld.com> <	>
	<6F05F6E90C3F59488414B4E8E64564CA098E84@dcps-exch2k3-14.hq.dc_schools.k12.dc.us>
	<,	> <66d7e2a90811180756y74a718dbl56b87ed6ecc6dc8d@mail.gmail.com>
	<545F95234CD17A4CACA1C7B0C34801783FDEA3246E@BL2PRD0101MB013.prod.exchangelabs.com>
Message-ID: <fc.004c56fb03a6d4af3b9aca00999cb499.3a6d51b@scoe.net>

Absolutely!  U.S.A. Learns is perfect for a public library setting.  Most
libraries have fast Internet connections and many have workstations
equipped with headphones.

John

specialtopics at nifl.gov on Tuesday, November 18, 2008 at 1:43 PM -0800
wrote:
>Could this program be accessed from a public library computer?
>Melissa Speight Vaughn
>
>
>---------------------------------------------------------------------------From:
>specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf
>Of Leslie Petty [leslie.lpetty at gmail.com]
>Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2008 7:56 AM
>To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
>Subject: [SpecialTopics 1123] Re: New Designs in Online and Distance
>Learning --your questions
>
>
>Belinda,
>U.S.A. Learns is primarily designed for individual, independent learners,
>but it is also possible for teachers or tutors to use this as with a
>group of students. It is available free to anyone with computer and
>Internet access.   You could certainly make it available to parents of
>the children at your school to access whenever they wanted.  As we were
>testing the usability of the site with adult learners, we found a great
>deal of interest among our testers in getting other family members to use
>the site. 
>
>There is one important caveat, however.   The wide bandwidth requirements
>for U.S.A. Learns make it unsuitable for use in classrooms or computer
>labs. Even with a fast Internet connection in the school or lab,
>simultaneous use by just a few learners could slow the program to a crawl
>and make the learning experience frustrating.
>
>Leslie
>
>On Sun, Nov 2, 2008 at 6:55 PM, Omenitsch, Belinda (ES)  <[
>mailto:belinda.omenitsch at dc.gov ]belinda.omenitsch at dc.gov> wrote:
>
>
>Hi,
>I would like to know how I could get the information to the parents of
>the students at school?  I am at an elementary school in DC and I am sure
>that we have parents who could benefit from this.  Is this program set up
>for the individual or is it based on a model to augment formal programs?
> If it is available for the individual then I might be able to arrange
>for parents to take the course during the school day at our school.
>Thanks.
>Belinda Omenitsch

-------------- next part --------------
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From DJRosen at theworld.com  Tue Nov 18 19:12:48 2008
From: DJRosen at theworld.com (David J. Rosen)
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:12:48 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1135] Welcome to those who have recently joined the
	discussion
Message-ID: <85BA4F9A598C42849BDF51F3BAA3A39B@A1411>

Special Topics Colleagues, 

For those who have just joined us and want to catch up, and for others who may want to find a particular post, you will find an archive of this discussion (and all Special Topics discussions) at http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html

We welcome your questions and comments on both the Learner Web (LW) and USA Learns (USAL).

A couple of people have asked how USA Learns and The Learner Web may be used to count NRS distance learning equivalents to class time. For the benefit of those who are not familiar with this, perhaps Sheryl Adler from the U.S. Department of Education could explain the Department's policy on counting Distance Learning for NRS reporting. Then perhaps someone from USA Learns and someone from the Learner Web could describe how parts of each model's curriculum (or in the LW Model, "Learning Plan") might be awarded equivalent class time -- referring to policy at a national or at a state level. If this isn't clear yet in the model, what is the process you envision for getting NRS approval of distance learning equivalency?

Several people are interested in how the Learner Web or USA Learns might be used, perhaps in a closed internal system, inside corrections facilities. If this were possible, it could be a terrific service for those incarcerated in corrections institutions or county jails. It would enable inmates to begin to use the model inside and, when released, to continue their learning on the outside. I imagine there might be a challenges in transfering the progress records from the closed inside to the open web-based versions, but perhaps with additional resources this problem could be solved, I wonder if funding from the recently passed Second Chance Act could support developing the inside versions and a transition interface to the open web-based version for released inmates. (See Special Topics Discussion on transitions from transitions to community, message 918,
http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/000930.html
for a description of the Second Chance Act.)

Several people have commented on the Learner Web's ability to be regionally (locally) tailored and to include face-to-face as well as online learning resources. One person has observed that this sounded complicated, involving  local effort and costs. I wonder if Steve or Clare, or those who are working in Leraner Web regional pilots, might like to comment on the opportunities and challenges of this _regional_ learning support model.

Does anyone see ways in which the Learner Web and USA Learns might be used together, where they add value to each other? Perhaps our guests would also care to comment on that.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at theworld.com

 
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From leslie.lpetty at gmail.com  Tue Nov 18 21:05:23 2008
From: leslie.lpetty at gmail.com (Leslie Petty)
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:05:23 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1136] Re: New Designs in Online and Distance
	Learning --your questions
In-Reply-To: <545F95234CD17A4CACA1C7B0C34801783FDEA3246E@BL2PRD0101MB013.prod.exchangelabs.com>
References: <62DE7D26-C202-4DC1-9EC7-A6B2D0BE549C@theworld.com>
	<6A0E8C72-84D4-49E8-B590-55F38EDFEF4F@theworld.com>
	<6F05F6E90C3F59488414B4E8E64564CA098E84@dcps-exch2k3-14.hq.dc_schools.k12.dc.us>
	<66d7e2a90811180756y74a718dbl56b87ed6ecc6dc8d@mail.gmail.com>
	<545F95234CD17A4CACA1C7B0C34801783FDEA3246E@BL2PRD0101MB013.prod.exchangelabs.com>
Message-ID: <66d7e2a90811181805t63c395e1uff5b8a7b3186361d@mail.gmail.com>

Definitely. We even did some of our usability testing with users working on
library computers.  Of course, individual libraries may have different
filtering programs, but I don't think that this would fall into the category
of blocked sites.
On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 4:43 PM, Melissa Vaughn <mvaughn2 at student.gsu.edu>wrote:

>  Could this program be accessed from a public library computer?
>  Melissa Speight Vaughn
>  ------------------------------
> *From:* specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On
> Behalf Of Leslie Petty [leslie.lpetty at gmail.com]
> *Sent:* Tuesday, November 18, 2008 7:56 AM
> *To:* specialtopics at nifl.gov
> *Subject:* [SpecialTopics 1123] Re: New Designs in Online and Distance
> Learning --your questions
>
>  Belinda,
> U.S.A. Learns is primarily designed for individual, independent learners,
> but it is also possible for teachers or tutors to use this as with a group
> of students. It is available free to anyone with computer and Internet
> access.   You could certainly make it available to parents of the children
> at your school to access whenever they wanted.  As we were testing the
> usability of the site with adult learners, we found a great deal of interest
> among our testers in getting other family members to use the site.
>
> There is one important caveat, however.   The wide bandwidth requirements
> for U.S.A. Learns make it unsuitable for use in classrooms or computer labs.
> Even with a fast Internet connection in the school or lab, simultaneous use
> by just a few learners could slow the program to a crawl and make the
> learning experience frustrating.
>
> Leslie
>
> On Sun, Nov 2, 2008 at 6:55 PM, Omenitsch, Belinda (ES) <
> belinda.omenitsch at dc.gov> wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>> I would like to know how I could get the information to the parents of the
>> students at school?  I am at an elementary school in DC and I am sure that
>> we have parents who could benefit from this.  Is this program set up for the
>> individual or is it based on a model to augment formal programs?  If it is
>> available for the individual then I might be able to arrange for parents to
>> take the course during the school day at our school.
>> Thanks.
>> Belinda Omenitsch
>>
>> ________________________________
>>
>> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David Rosen
>> Sent: Sun 11/2/2008 11:06 AM
>> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
>> Subject: [SpecialTopics 1073] New Designs in Online and Distance Learning
>> --your questions
>>
>>
>> Colleagues,
>>
>> As several people have recently signed up for the upcoming discussion
>> here, New Designs in Online and Distance Learning, and since so far I have
>> only received one question,  I would like to repeat my request for your
>> questions for our guests:
>>
>> What questions would you like to ask our guests?
>>
>>  Please look at the brief descriptions of the two models that you will see
>> in my previous email message, included below. The federally-funded USA
>> Learns will have a national launch in a few days, before our discussion
>> begins. We'll have an announcement here of the web site so you can look at
>> it if you like.  The Learner Web is a federally-funded demonstration
>> project, available only for field testing in several selected regions around
>> the country in Oregon, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New
>> Jersey and Washington, D.C. More information about the Learner Web,
>> including two screen capture videos (if you register and log in), will be
>> found at http://learnerweb.org <http://learnerweb.org/>
>>
>> * What would you like our guests to cover or explain in their descriptions
>> of USA Learns and the Learner Web when we begin the discussion on November
>> 17th and 18th?
>> * Do you want to know how USA Learns and the Learner Web became
>> federally-funded projects, what needs or research base they grew from, or
>> other things about their history and development?
>> * Do you want to know how they differ from other online adult basic
>> education and English language learning models? If so, which kinds: online
>> courses, online course management systems, wikis, portals, or something
>> else?
>> * If you are thinking about using either USA Learns or the Learner Web
>> with your students, what is the situation you are hoping it will address?
>> What group(s) of students, at what level(s) with what needs?  What questions
>> do you have about the model's usefulness for that situation?
>>
>> Think about why you have subscribed to the Special Topics discussion forum
>> (or stayed subscribed) for this discussion, what you want to get from it.
>> Frame a question or questions that will help our guests address your
>> interest or need. You can send your questions by just replying to this
>> message or by emailing them directly to me at djrosen at theworld.com. I
>> will share the questions with our guests before the discussion begins, and
>> the questions will be posted on or after November 17th. Of course more
>> questions, observations, and dialogue will be welcome during the week of the
>> discussion.
>>
>> Finally, it's not too late for your colleagues to join this discussion. To
>> subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:
>> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
>> One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can stay
>> subscribed for the next discussion.
>>
>> David J. Rosen
>> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
>> DJRosen at theworld.com
>>
>>
>>
>> On Oct 29, 2008, at 9:38 PM, David Rosen wrote:
>>
>>
>>        Special Topics Discussion Colleagues,
>>
>>        On November 17th we will begin a discussion of USA Learns and of
>>        the Learner Web. You will find the description for this discussion
>> below.
>>        Judging by the number of new subscribers, this is a high-interest
>> topic!
>>        Now is the time to think about why you have subscribed:
>>
>>        What questions would you like to ask our guests?
>>
>>        Although your questions will not be posted until the discussion
>> begins,
>>        I would like to share them with our guests in advance.  Of course,
>>        questions, comments, and dialogue, will also be welcome during the
>>        discussion.
>>
>>        David J. Rosen
>>        Special Topics Discussion Moderator
>>        djrosen at theworld.com
>>
>>
>>  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>        New Designs in Online and Distance Learning is a National Institute
>>        for Literacy Special Topics discussion that will be held from
>>        November 17th through November 21st, 2008. It will focus on two new
>>        adult education models: a national learning portal for English
>>        language learning at a distance, called USA Learns, and a web-based
>>        and telephone-based learning support system, called the Learner
>> Web,
>>        for ABE, ASE and ELL students enrolled in classes to supplement
>> their
>>        learning, as well as for those who study on their own. We have four
>>        distinguished guests, researchers as well as product developers,
>> who
>>        will describe these two models and answer questions.
>>
>>        For USA Learns, our guests are John Fleischman and Dr. Jerome
>> (Jere)
>>        Johnston. For the Learner Web our guests are Dr. Stephen Reder and
>>        Dr. Clare Strawn. You will find more information about them below.
>>
>>        Please forward this announcement to your colleagues who may be
>>        interested in subscribing!
>>
>>        To subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:
>>
>>        http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
>>
>>        One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can
>>        stay subscribed for the next discussion.
>>
>>        Description of the models
>>
>>        The Learner Web is a learning support system providing structure
>> and
>>        resources for adults who want to accomplish specific learning
>>        objectives. A learner can access the system through the Internet.
>> In
>>        addition to on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates support
>>        services from existing local education programs, community based
>>        organizations, tutors, and telephone helpers. The Learner Web
>>        consists of a Web-based software system that is implemented
>>        regionally. The System is organized around Learning Plans. A
>> Learning
>>        Plan is a set of steps structured around achieving an identified
>>        goal. For example, if the goal is to get a GED, the steps might
>>        include finding out more about the tests, identifying what skills
>> one
>>        needs to brush up on, learning new skills and knowledge, taking
>>        practice tests, etc. Each step is matched with online and community
>>        based resources and a workspace where learners can take assessments
>>        or save their work in an e-portfolio. The learner creates a
>> personal
>>        profile, may take a short reading assessment and interest
>> inventory,
>>        chooses a goal from the available list and follows the Learning
>> Plan
>>        independently or with a tutor or a teacher. The Learning Plan is
>>        dynamically matched by the software to both the learner profile and
>>        educational resources. The learner's progress is saved and can be
>>        returned to at any time via the internet. Learners can choose to
>>        share their workspace with a tutor or teacher.
>>
>>        The Learner Web has begun the second year of a three-year
>>        demonstration project in seven demonstration regions across the
>> country.
>>
>>        U.S.A. Learns is a free Web site designed for adult learners with
>>        limited English language skills. Instructional content focuses on
>>        the language and literacy skills that adults need for everyday
>>        survival. While a broad range of adults can use U.S.A. Learns, it
>>        has been developed primarily for immigrants who cannot attend
>>        traditional classroom programs because of difficulty with
>> schedules,
>>        transportation, or other barriers. The site includes more than 400
>>        hours of instruction and offers an extensive array of video, audio
>>        and richly illustrated graphics and images. The site layout was
>>        created with the inexperienced Web user in mind, and extensive
>> built-
>>        in help features are available. U.S.A. Learns can be used
>>        independently, but it can also be used in association with a
>> teacher
>>        or tutor via an online management system.
>>
>>
>>        Background on Discussion Guests
>>
>>        John Fleischman
>>
>>        With more than 25 years of experience in adult education as a
>>        teacher, administrator and project director, John Fleischman is
>>        currently responsible for information and educational technology
>>        operations at the Sacramento County Office of Education. John
>>        possesses an extensive background with creating and implementing
>>        instructional and informational media for use in a variety of
>>        educational environments. His present area of focus is on building
>>        Web-based solutions for education, including data management
>> systems
>>        and comprehensive online learning resources. Working at the state
>>        and national level, he provides oversight for a range of technology
>>        initiatives including the Outreach and Technology Assistance
>> Network
>>         (www.otan.us <http://www.otan.us/> ) and Strengthening Programs
>> Through Technology
>>        (www.adultedonline.org <http://www.adultedonline.org/> ). John is
>> the author of numerous publications
>>         and is frequently requested as a presenter at both state and
>> national
>>        conferences.
>>
>>        Jerome (Jere) Johnston is Research Professor at the University of
>>        Michigan's Institute for Social Research. For 40 years he has been
>>        studying ways that technology shapes what people learn. In recent
>>        years Dr. Johnston has been exploring innovative ways to use
>>        technology in adult literacy. He directs the Project IDEAL Support
>>        Center, supporting 25 states in their efforts to build distance
>>        learning programs for adult learners. The Center provides technical
>>        assistance to states in the areas of training, research, and policy
>>        development (projectideal.org).
>>
>>        Stephen Reder is University Professor and Chair of the Department
>> of
>>        Applied Linguistics at Portland State University. His research and
>>        teaching interests focus on adult education and the processes of
>>        literacy and language development during adulthood. Dr. Reder has
>>        served as the Principal Investigator for a number of major projects
>>        in adult education. Two recent projects, the Longitudinal Study of
>>        Adult Learning and the National Labsite for Adult ESOL, examine the
>>        ways adults acquire new literacy and language abilities and the
>> roles
>>        which adult education programs and policies play in supporting that
>>        development. The results of this research have led to the
>>        development of the Learner Web, an innovative online adult learning
>>        support system. Professor Reder is the author of numerous
>>        publications about his research and its implications for adult
>>        education and adult literacy and language development. He has
>>        recently completed co-editing a volume with John Bynner, Tracking
>>        Adult Literacy and Numeracy Skills: Findings from Longitudinal
>>        Research. A second book is in progress, Dropping Out and Moving On:
>>        Life, Literacy and Development among High School Dropouts. Dr.
>> Reder
>>        actively works with networks of adult education researchers,
>>        practitioners and policymakers at the state, regional and national
>>        levels.
>>
>>        Clare Strawn is Assistant Professor at Portland State University,
>>        Portland, Oregon, and has been an analyst on the Longitudinal Study
>>        of Adult Learning. She is interested in patterns of program
>>        participation, the intersection of learning and community
>>        development, social capital influences on learning strategies, and
>>        technology. She has been a co-developer, with Steve Reder of the
>>        Learner Web and has been actively involved in the demonstration
>> project.
>>
>>
>>        David J. Rosen
>>        Special Topics Discussion Moderator
>>        DJRosen at theworld.com
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>        -------------------------------
>>        National Institute for Literacy
>>        Special Topics mailing list
>>        SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
>>        To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
>> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
>>        Email delivered to djrosen1 at gmail.com
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> -------------------------------
>> National Institute for Literacy
>> Special Topics mailing list
>> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
>> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
>> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
>> Email delivered to lpetty at twmi.rr.com
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Leslie Petty, Ed.D.
> Associate Director
> Project IDEAL Support Center
> University of Michigan
> 734-425-0748
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to lpetty at twmi.rr.com
>

-- 
Leslie Petty, Ed.D.
Associate Director
Project IDEAL Support Center
University of Michigan
734-425-0748
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From niki.davis at canterbury.ac.nz  Tue Nov 18 20:33:26 2008
From: niki.davis at canterbury.ac.nz (Niki Davis)
Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:33:26 +1300
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1137] Re: Research into New Designs in ODL -- What
 are the critical success factors for e-learning & adult basic skills?
In-Reply-To: <mailman.107007.1227053897.14302.specialtopics@nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <55025CE0F3F0314AA67262F1ACD68DFDC71C54@ucexchange5.canterbury.ac.nz>

I am impressed with the level of discussion and the developments
underway and achieved to benefit adults with low levels of literacy and
numeracy, so first of all thank you.

My new question is on the research dimension and references to
literature you know. I am currently leading a project for the New
Zealand Ministry of Education asking: "What are the critical success
factors in the use of e-learning (including learning blended into F2F)
to improve the literacy and/or numeracy for adults who need to develop
them, including ESOL and other diverse learners such as indigenous
people?"
(You may like to note that we have a Blog
http://e-learninglln.blogspot.com/ with links to expert webinars on this
topic.)

Looking forward to hearing about research that informed your R&D and
also about research on the current initiatives being discussed.

Regards,
Niki
Niki Davis PhD

Canterbury University Professor of e-Learning
Visiting Professor, University of Oxford Internet Institute, UK
College of Education
University of Canterbury
Te Whare Wananga O Waitaha
Private Bag 4800
Christchurch 8140

DDI: (64 3) 345 8246
Extn: 44246
208 Otakaro on Dovedale Campus
Email: Niki.Davis at canterbury.ac.nz

From wrmuth at vcu.edu  Tue Nov 18 19:50:05 2008
From: wrmuth at vcu.edu (William R Muth/FS/VCU)
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:50:05 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1138] Re: Welcome to those who have recently joined
	the	discussion
In-Reply-To: <85BA4F9A598C42849BDF51F3BAA3A39B@A1411>
Message-ID: <OF0DD3355E.46221977-ON85257506.0002C79E-85257506.00049194@vcu.edu>

David, 

Excellent point about importing USA Learns and The Learner Web into closed 
systems such as prisons. There are numerous technical and political 
barriers, but none are insurmountable. The Federal Prison System (FPS) 
presently downloads its law library updates from an outside vender. Once a 
month, FPS downloads new case law, etc. and distributes the new inventory 
via an internal network, to all prisons in the system (even to lock down 
units like segregation and protective custody). Thus, at least in FPS, the 
infrastructure is there. Of course, student records could not be shared 
externally while the learner was incarcerated (for security reasons, not 
technical), but could be upon release. Transference of electronic records 
is a major ReEntry goal of FPS anyway.

I no longer work for FPS, but would be happy to join up with others to 
approach the FPS folks about this very interesting idea. 
Thank you, David, for imagining this for us...
Bill Muth

"David J. Rosen" <DJRosen at theworld.com> 
Sent by: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
11/18/2008 07:22 PM
Please respond to
specialtopics at nifl.gov

To
<specialtopics at nifl.gov>
cc

Subject
[SpecialTopics 1135] Welcome to those who have recently joined the 
discussion

Special Topics Colleagues, 
 
For those who have just joined us and want to catch up, and for others who 
may want to find a particular post, you will find an archive of this 
discussion (and all Special Topics discussions) at 
http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html
 
We welcome your questions and comments on both the Learner Web (LW) and 
USA Learns (USAL).
 
A couple of people have asked how USA Learns and The Learner Web may be 
used to count NRS distance learning equivalents to class time. For the 
benefit of those who are not familiar with this, perhaps Sheryl Adler from 
the U.S. Department of Education could explain the Department's policy on 
counting Distance Learning for NRS reporting. Then perhaps someone from 
USA Learns and someone from the Learner Web could describe how parts of 
each model's curriculum (or in the LW Model, "Learning Plan") might be 
awarded equivalent class time -- referring to policy at a national or at a 
state level. If this isn't clear yet in the model, what is the process you 
envision for getting NRS approval of distance learning equivalency?
 
Several people are interested in how the Learner Web or USA Learns might 
be used, perhaps in a closed internal system, inside corrections 
facilities. If this were possible, it could be a terrific service for 
those incarcerated in corrections institutions or county jails. It would 
enable inmates to begin to use the model inside and, when released, to 
continue their learning on the outside. I imagine there might be a 
challenges in transfering the progress records from the closed inside to 
the open web-based versions, but perhaps with additional resources this 
problem could be solved, I wonder if funding from the recently passed 
Second Chance Act could support developing the inside versions and a 
transition interface to the open web-based version for released inmates. 
(See Special Topics Discussion on transitions from transitions to 
community, message 918,
http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/000930.html
for a description of the Second Chance Act.)
 
Several people have commented on the Learner Web's ability to be 
regionally (locally) tailored and to include face-to-face as well as 
online learning resources. One person has observed that this sounded 
complicated, involving  local effort and costs. I wonder if Steve or 
Clare, or those who are working in Leraner Web regional pilots, might like 
to comment on the opportunities and challenges of this _regional_ learning 
support model.
 
Does anyone see ways in which the Learner Web and USA Learns might be used 
together, where they add value to each other? Perhaps our guests would 
also care to comment on that.
 
David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at theworld.com
 
 
 -------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to wrmuth at vcu.edu
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From leslie.lpetty at gmail.com  Tue Nov 18 21:11:13 2008
From: leslie.lpetty at gmail.com (Leslie Petty)
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:11:13 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1139] Re: Welcome to those who have recently joined
	the discussion
In-Reply-To: <85BA4F9A598C42849BDF51F3BAA3A39B@A1411>
References: <85BA4F9A598C42849BDF51F3BAA3A39B@A1411>
Message-ID: <66d7e2a90811181811n566a606bqfa2def6d550dbca2@mail.gmail.com>

Hi, I'll respond to David's question about awarding equivalent class time -
"Proxy contact hours" - for USAL.  As of now, there are no proxy contact
hours assigned to USAL.  However, as there is a unit mastery quiz for every
unit in the two courses, a mastery model should fit.  But a study needs to
be done to establish the number of Proxy Contact Hours  that should be
earned for demonstrating mastery on the quizzes.  The study will require
assembling panels of teachers to establish norms for the hours associated
with completing the work in a unit.  It may be quite awhile before this work
is completed.   The Second English Course is a re-work and expansion of English
for All.  Currently many states offer six hours credit for demonstrating
mastery of each unit. This is probably a conservative number for the hours
that would be awarded for mastery of Second English Course units, and might
be used in the interim until the needed research is completed.
The following resources provide more information about Proxy Contact Hours:
NRS Distance Learning Policy Statement
http://www.optimalsolutionsgroup.com/sdm2008/PDF/NRSGuidelinesforDistanceEducationfinal.pdf

Distance Learning Policy Guidance (particularly starting on p. 11)
http://projectideal.org/pdf/Print%20Resources/DistLearningPolicyGuidance.pdf

I hope that helps.

Leslie

On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 7:12 PM, David J. Rosen <DJRosen at theworld.com>wrote:

>  Special Topics Colleagues,
>
>
> A couple of people have asked how USA Learns and The Learner Web may be
> used to count NRS distance learning equivalents to class time. For the
> benefit of those who are not familiar with this, perhaps Sheryl Adler from
> the U.S. Department of Education could explain the Department's policy on
> counting Distance Learning for NRS reporting. Then perhaps someone from USA
> Learns and someone from the Learner Web could describe how parts of each
> model's curriculum (or in the LW Model, "Learning Plan") might be awarded
> equivalent class time -- referring to policy at a national or at a state
> level. If this isn't clear yet in the model, what is the process you
> envision for getting NRS approval of distance learning equivalency?
>
>
>

-- 
Leslie Petty, Ed.D.
Associate Director
Project IDEAL Support Center
University of Michigan
734-425-0748
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From leslie.lpetty at gmail.com  Tue Nov 18 21:16:11 2008
From: leslie.lpetty at gmail.com (Leslie Petty)
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:16:11 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1140] Re: List Netiquette
In-Reply-To: <1C1A5A9E56D64CF8AEED23B2138FC2E7@A1411>
References: <1C1A5A9E56D64CF8AEED23B2138FC2E7@A1411>
Message-ID: <66d7e2a90811181816i65e4f12s9aae3b936ebac889@mail.gmail.com>

Thanks for your questions and your interest in U.S.A. Learns. David had sent
us a summary of the questions he received prior to the start of this
discussion.  I thought I'd try and answer several of them in a "batch" in an
effort to reduce somewhat the volume of emails.  Let me know if you'd like
more information about any of these issues.  Here goes....

*I am a retired ABE/ESL program manager. Occasionally individuals come into
my life who need ABE/ESL training. Can USA Learns and the Learner Web be
used to help them? How? *
U.S.A. Learns can be a useful resource for students who need ESL instruction
and who have access to a computer with Internet access (at home, in a public
library, at a friend's home, work, school, etc.).  You can suggest that they
use the site for independent English language learning.  Or, you might
decide to create a class on USAL and have students enroll to work with you
(or refer them to a teacher who has a class on the site).   The site is
currently focused on ESL, but the Practice English and Reading section
contains activities that would also be beneficial to ABE students. The
stories and activities in this section are designed to build vocabulary and
reading comprehension skills.

*What types of orientation do these learning models provide for the learner?
*
USAL offers an on-line guided registration, including animated help
features.  Students can listen to the introductory instructions in either
English or Spanish.  There are animated help features built into the site to
explain how to register, complete activities, etc.

*What level of technology is needed for learners to use USA Learns and the
Learner Web - including:
Basic prerequisite computer skills:*
?    Mouse  (click and scroll)
?    Keyboard (letters, punctuation, backspace, shift key, space bar)
?    Web browser (open a browser, navigate a basic Web site, click buttons
and links)
?
*User's computer hardware/software skills *:
?    User's computer requirements: memory, processing, internet connection,
etc.) A fast broadband Internet connection (384 Kpbs or faster)
?    An up-to-date Web browser with the Flash plug-in
?    A sound card (Speakers or headphone are necessary; microphone is
optional but very useful).
*
Do these models use tutors? If so, face-to-face? Online?*
 USAL can be used either by students working independently or by students
working with a teacher/tutor.  That interaction can be entirely online or
can be an extension or supplement to FTF meetings or classes.

>
*Will many of the resources include audio files?*
There is audio throughout USAL, in both the activities and the help
features.

*Do the models include life-skills based topics?*
USAL provides contextualized instruction and emphasizes topics likely to be
important to the immigrant population.  Students have told us that they like
the fact that they are learning English while also learning about life in
the US and issues that they face in their daily lives.

Let me know if you these answers raise more questions for you or if you just
want to explore any of these topics further.
Leslie
-- 
Leslie Petty, Ed.D.
Associate Director
Project IDEAL Support Center
University of Michigan
734-425-0748
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From leslie.lpetty at gmail.com  Tue Nov 18 21:25:07 2008
From: leslie.lpetty at gmail.com (Leslie Petty)
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:25:07 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1141] Re: New Designs in Online andDistance Learning
	--your questions
In-Reply-To: <6F05F6E90C3F59488414B4E8E64564CA098EB6@dcps-exch2k3-14.hq.dc_schools.k12.dc.us>
References: <62DE7D26-C202-4DC1-9EC7-A6B2D0BE549C@theworld.com>
	<6A0E8C72-84D4-49E8-B590-55F38EDFEF4F@theworld.com>
	<6F05F6E90C3F59488414B4E8E64564CA098E84@dcps-exch2k3-14.hq.dc_schools.k12.dc.us>
	<66d7e2a90811180756y74a718dbl56b87ed6ecc6dc8d@mail.gmail.com>
	<545F95234CD17A4CACA1C7B0C34801783FDEA3246E@BL2PRD0101MB013.prod.exchangelabs.com>
	<6F05F6E90C3F59488414B4E8E64564CA098EB6@dcps-exch2k3-14.hq.dc_schools.k12.dc.us>
Message-ID: <66d7e2a90811181825v7f630816x49849cf2a216195c@mail.gmail.com>

That sounds like a great way to use USAL.  We conducted some of our
usability testing with parents who had access to computers at their
children's school and they were quite excited about being able to use the
program.  We also found that people who used the program really wanted their
friends and family to use it as well (something we couldn't let them during
the testing period), so if you can get a few parents interested, word of
mouth may do the rest.  I'd love to know how your efforts work.
Leslie

On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 7:06 PM, Omenitsch, Belinda (ES) <
belinda.omenitsch at dc.gov> wrote:

> Thanks,  Our parent room has a couple of computers so we can make sure that
> people go online one at a time.  We are excited about it and trying to
> contact parents who might be interested.  Even if they stay for a time after
> they drop the kids or come early to pick them up.  In my current role as
> literacy professional developer   I think that anything I can do to help
> parents improve their skills will benefit the students.
> Belinda
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Melissa Vaughn
> Sent: Tue 11/18/2008 4:43 PM
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 1132] Re: New Designs in Online andDistance
> Learning --your questions
>
>
> Could this program be accessed from a public library computer?
> Melissa Speight Vaughn
> ________________________________
>
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On
> Behalf Of Leslie Petty [leslie.lpetty at gmail.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2008 7:56 AM
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 1123] Re: New Designs in Online and Distance
> Learning --your questions
>
>
> Belinda,
> U.S.A. Learns is primarily designed for individual, independent learners,
> but it is also possible for teachers or tutors to use this as with a group
> of students. It is available free to anyone with computer and Internet
> access.   You could certainly make it available to parents of the children
> at your school to access whenever they wanted.  As we were testing the
> usability of the site with adult learners, we found a great deal of interest
> among our testers in getting other family members to use the site.
>
> There is one important caveat, however.   The wide bandwidth requirements
> for U.S.A. Learns make it unsuitable for use in classrooms or computer labs.
> Even with a fast Internet connection in the school or lab, simultaneous use
> by just a few learners could slow the program to a crawl and make the
> learning experience frustrating.
>
> Leslie
>
>
> On Sun, Nov 2, 2008 at 6:55 PM, Omenitsch, Belinda (ES) <
> belinda.omenitsch at dc.gov> wrote:
>
>
>        Hi,
>        I would like to know how I could get the information to the parents
> of the students at school?  I am at an elementary school in DC and I am sure
> that we have parents who could benefit from this.  Is this program set up
> for the individual or is it based on a model to augment formal programs?  If
> it is available for the individual then I might be able to arrange for
> parents to take the course during the school day at our school.
>        Thanks.
>        Belinda Omenitsch
>
>        ________________________________
>
>        From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David Rosen
>        Sent: Sun 11/2/2008 11:06 AM
>        To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
>        Subject: [SpecialTopics 1073] New Designs in Online and Distance
> Learning --your questions
>
>
>
>        Colleagues,
>
>        As several people have recently signed up for the upcoming
> discussion here, New Designs in Online and Distance Learning, and since so
> far I have only received one question,  I would like to repeat my request
> for your questions for our guests:
>
>        What questions would you like to ask our guests?
>
>
>         Please look at the brief descriptions of the two models that you
> will see in my previous email message, included below. The federally-funded
> USA Learns will have a national launch in a few days, before our discussion
> begins. We'll have an announcement here of the web site so you can look at
> it if you like.  The Learner Web is a federally-funded demonstration
> project, available only for field testing in several selected regions around
> the country in Oregon, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New
> Jersey and Washington, D.C. More information about the Learner Web,
> including two screen capture videos (if you register and log in), will be
> found at http://learnerweb.org <http://learnerweb.org/>  <
> http://learnerweb.org/>
>
>
>        * What would you like our guests to cover or explain in their
> descriptions of USA Learns and the Learner Web when we begin the discussion
> on November 17th and 18th?
>        * Do you want to know how USA Learns and the Learner Web became
> federally-funded projects, what needs or research base they grew from, or
> other things about their history and development?
>        * Do you want to know how they differ from other online adult basic
> education and English language learning models? If so, which kinds: online
> courses, online course management systems, wikis, portals, or something
> else?
>        * If you are thinking about using either USA Learns or the Learner
> Web with your students, what is the situation you are hoping it will
> address? What group(s) of students, at what level(s) with what needs?  What
> questions do you have about the model's usefulness for that situation?
>
>        Think about why you have subscribed to the Special Topics discussion
> forum (or stayed subscribed) for this discussion, what you want to get from
> it. Frame a question or questions that will help our guests address your
> interest or need. You can send your questions by just replying to this
> message or by emailing them directly to me at djrosen at theworld.com. I will
> share the questions with our guests before the discussion begins, and the
> questions will be posted on or after November 17th. Of course more
> questions, observations, and dialogue will be welcome during the week of the
> discussion.
>
>        Finally, it's not too late for your colleagues to join this
> discussion. To subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:
>        http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
>        One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can
> stay subscribed for the next discussion.
>
>        David J. Rosen
>        Special Topics Discussion Moderator
>        DJRosen at theworld.com
>
>
>
>        On Oct 29, 2008, at 9:38 PM, David Rosen wrote:
>
>
>               Special Topics Discussion Colleagues,
>
>               On November 17th we will begin a discussion of USA Learns and
> of
>               the Learner Web. You will find the description for this
> discussion below.
>               Judging by the number of new subscribers, this is a
> high-interest topic!
>               Now is the time to think about why you have subscribed:
>
>               What questions would you like to ask our guests?
>
>               Although your questions will not be posted until the
> discussion begins,
>               I would like to share them with our guests in advance.  Of
> course,
>               questions, comments, and dialogue, will also be welcome
> during the
>               discussion.
>
>               David J. Rosen
>               Special Topics Discussion Moderator
>               djrosen at theworld.com
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>               New Designs in Online and Distance Learning is a National
> Institute
>               for Literacy Special Topics discussion that will be held from
>               November 17th through November 21st, 2008. It will focus on
> two new
>               adult education models: a national learning portal for
> English
>               language learning at a distance, called USA Learns, and a
> web-based
>               and telephone-based learning support system, called the
> Learner Web,
>               for ABE, ASE and ELL students enrolled in classes to
> supplement their
>               learning, as well as for those who study on their own. We
> have four
>               distinguished guests, researchers as well as product
> developers, who
>               will describe these two models and answer questions.
>
>               For USA Learns, our guests are John Fleischman and Dr. Jerome
> (Jere)
>               Johnston. For the Learner Web our guests are Dr. Stephen
> Reder and
>               Dr. Clare Strawn. You will find more information about them
> below.
>
>               Please forward this announcement to your colleagues who may
> be
>               interested in subscribing!
>
>               To subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:
>
>               http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics
>
>               One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or
> one can
>               stay subscribed for the next discussion.
>
>               Description of the models
>
>               The Learner Web is a learning support system providing
> structure and
>               resources for adults who want to accomplish specific learning
>               objectives. A learner can access the system through the
> Internet. In
>               addition to on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates
> support
>               services from existing local education programs, community
> based
>               organizations, tutors, and telephone helpers. The Learner Web
>               consists of a Web-based software system that is implemented
>               regionally. The System is organized around Learning Plans. A
> Learning
>               Plan is a set of steps structured around achieving an
> identified
>               goal. For example, if the goal is to get a GED, the steps
> might
>               include finding out more about the tests, identifying what
> skills one
>               needs to brush up on, learning new skills and knowledge,
> taking
>               practice tests, etc. Each step is matched with online and
> community
>               based resources and a workspace where learners can take
> assessments
>               or save their work in an e-portfolio. The learner creates a
> personal
>               profile, may take a short reading assessment and interest
> inventory,
>               chooses a goal from the available list and follows the
> Learning Plan
>               independently or with a tutor or a teacher. The Learning Plan
> is
>               dynamically matched by the software to both the learner
> profile and
>               educational resources. The learner's progress is saved and
> can be
>               returned to at any time via the internet. Learners can choose
> to
>               share their workspace with a tutor or teacher.
>
>               The Learner Web has begun the second year of a three-year
>               demonstration project in seven demonstration regions across
> the country.
>
>               U.S.A. Learns is a free Web site designed for adult learners
> with
>               limited English language skills. Instructional content
> focuses on
>               the language and literacy skills that adults need for
> everyday
>               survival. While a broad range of adults can use U.S.A.
> Learns, it
>               has been developed primarily for immigrants who cannot attend
>               traditional classroom programs because of difficulty with
> schedules,
>               transportation, or other barriers. The site includes more
> than 400
>               hours of instruction and offers an extensive array of video,
> audio
>               and richly illustrated graphics and images. The site layout
> was
>               created with the inexperienced Web user in mind, and
> extensive built-
>               in help features are available. U.S.A. Learns can be used
>               independently, but it can also be used in association with a
> teacher
>               or tutor via an online management system.
>
>
>               Background on Discussion Guests
>
>               John Fleischman
>
>               With more than 25 years of experience in adult education as a
>               teacher, administrator and project director, John Fleischman
> is
>               currently responsible for information and educational
> technology
>               operations at the Sacramento County Office of Education. John
>               possesses an extensive background with creating and
> implementing
>               instructional and informational media for use in a variety of
>               educational environments. His present area of focus is on
> building
>               Web-based solutions for education, including data management
> systems
>               and comprehensive online learning resources. Working at the
> state
>               and national level, he provides oversight for a range of
> technology
>               initiatives including the Outreach and Technology Assistance
> Network
>
>                (www.otan.us <http://www.otan.us/>  <http://www.otan.us/> )
> and Strengthening Programs Through Technology
>               (www.adultedonline.org <http://www.adultedonline.org/>  <
> http://www.adultedonline.org/> ). John is the author of numerous
> publications
>
>               and is frequently requested as a presenter at both state and
> national
>               conferences.
>
>               Jerome (Jere) Johnston is Research Professor at the
> University of
>               Michigan's Institute for Social Research. For 40 years he has
> been
>               studying ways that technology shapes what people learn. In
> recent
>               years Dr. Johnston has been exploring innovative ways to use
>               technology in adult literacy. He directs the Project IDEAL
> Support
>               Center, supporting 25 states in their efforts to build
> distance
>               learning programs for adult learners. The Center provides
> technical
>               assistance to states in the areas of training, research, and
> policy
>                development (projectideal.org <http://projectideal.org/> ).
>
>               Stephen Reder is University Professor and Chair of the
> Department of
>               Applied Linguistics at Portland State University. His
> research and
>               teaching interests focus on adult education and the processes
> of
>               literacy and language development during adulthood. Dr. Reder
> has
>               served as the Principal Investigator for a number of major
> projects
>               in adult education. Two recent projects, the Longitudinal
> Study of
>               Adult Learning and the National Labsite for Adult ESOL,
> examine the
>               ways adults acquire new literacy and language abilities and
> the roles
>               which adult education programs and policies play in
> supporting that
>               development. The results of this research have led to the
>               development of the Learner Web, an innovative online adult
> learning
>               support system. Professor Reder is the author of numerous
>               publications about his research and its implications for
> adult
>               education and adult literacy and language development. He has
>               recently completed co-editing a volume with John Bynner,
> Tracking
>               Adult Literacy and Numeracy Skills: Findings from
> Longitudinal
>               Research. A second book is in progress, Dropping Out and
> Moving On:
>               Life, Literacy and Development among High School Dropouts.
> Dr. Reder
>               actively works with networks of adult education researchers,
>               practitioners and policymakers at the state, regional and
> national
>               levels.
>
>               Clare Strawn is Assistant Professor at Portland State
> University,
>               Portland, Oregon, and has been an analyst on the Longitudinal
> Study
>               of Adult Learning. She is interested in patterns of program
>               participation, the intersection of learning and community
>               development, social capital influences on learning
> strategies, and
>               technology. She has been a co-developer, with Steve Reder of
> the
>               Learner Web and has been actively involved in the
> demonstration project.
>
>
>               David J. Rosen
>               Special Topics Discussion Moderator
>               DJRosen at theworld.com
>
>
>
>
>               -------------------------------
>               National Institute for Literacy
>               Special Topics mailing list
>               SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
>               To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please
> go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
>               Email delivered to djrosen1 at gmail.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>        -------------------------------
>        National Institute for Literacy
>        Special Topics mailing list
>        SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
>        To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
>        Email delivered to lpetty at twmi.rr.com
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> Leslie Petty, Ed.D.
> Associate Director
> Project IDEAL Support Center
> University of Michigan
> 734-425-0748
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to lpetty at twmi.rr.com
>

-- 
Leslie Petty, Ed.D.
Associate Director
Project IDEAL Support Center
University of Michigan
734-425-0748
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From DJRosen at theworld.com  Tue Nov 18 21:25:21 2008
From: DJRosen at theworld.com (David J. Rosen)
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:25:21 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1142] EFA compared with USA Learns - EFA users
	please weigh in
Message-ID: <C89819844976460AACB680B7F78601BA@A1411>

Colleagues,

I suspect there are some experienced users of English For All (EFA) listening in on this discussion. Perhaps some of you, by now, have had a chance to look at USA Learns. What do you think? Is USA Learns, as John put it, EFA on steroids? Do you like the changes you see? Do they address concerns you yourself might have raised about EFA? What changes are you looking forward to using with your adult English Language distance education learners?

Do you think that USA Learns has significantly different low(er) level content than EFA?

Do you agree that it makes sense to have everything on the USA Learns web site? Do you think something has been lost by not having print materials?

What features, if any, do you think are innovative, that make especially good use of a web site as a medium for instruction?

How do you address the concern that someone raised that learning English using distance learning might not provide enough opportunity to use and practice the language?

John, Jere, and Leslie, please feel free to add to this list of questions for EFA users who might have by now spent some time looking at USAL.  

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Leader
djrosen at theworld.com
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From LaFerlazzo at aol.com  Tue Nov 18 21:56:36 2008
From: LaFerlazzo at aol.com (LaFerlazzo at aol.com)
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:56:36 EST
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1143] Re: USA Learns.
Message-ID: <c54.3c21fcd7.3654da64@aol.com>

Hi, Everybody,
 
My high school students have been using USA Learns a couple of times a week  
since it "opened for business" and have found it very engaging and useful (as  
have I!).  Both they and I have particularly liked how easy it is for  
students to listen and then record (and subsequently listen) to their repeating  
words.
 
In fact, when I tell students during the last fifteen minutes of class that  
they can log-off and go to any of the other 9,000 links on my website, well 
over  half the class typically chooses to stay on USA Learns, which has been  
surprising to me since many of those other links are pretty engaging  games.
 
I have to say that I didn't realize until I saw the email here that it was  
possible to set-up virtual classrooms and for teachers to check student  work.  
That will come in handy for our Family Literacy Project where we  provide 
home computers and Internet access to immigrant families.
 
Congratulations to everybody involved in its development!
 
Larry Ferlazzo
Luther Burbank High School
_http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/_ (http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/) 
Sacramento, CA

**************Get the Moviefone Toolbar. Showtimes, theaters, movie news & 
more!(http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x1212774565x1200812037/aol?redir=htt
p://toolbar.aol.com/moviefone/download.html?ncid=emlcntusdown00000001)
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From leslie.lpetty at gmail.com  Tue Nov 18 23:15:35 2008
From: leslie.lpetty at gmail.com (Leslie Petty)
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 23:15:35 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1144] Re: USA Learns.
In-Reply-To: <c54.3c21fcd7.3654da64@aol.com>
References: <c54.3c21fcd7.3654da64@aol.com>
Message-ID: <66d7e2a90811182015h753de289gbeda2d9dc5525414@mail.gmail.com>

Larry,Thanks for the feedback!  This is the first I've heard of anyone using
it with high school students so it's exciting to hear how they're reacting
to it.

Leslie

On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 9:56 PM, <LaFerlazzo at aol.com> wrote:

>  Hi, Everybody,
>
> My high school students have been using USA Learns a couple of times a week
> since it "opened for business" and have found it very engaging and useful
> (as have I!).  Both they and I have particularly liked how easy it is for
> students to listen and then record (and subsequently listen) to their
> repeating words.
>
> In fact, when I tell students during the last fifteen minutes of class that
> they can log-off and go to any of the other 9,000 links on my website, well
> over half the class typically chooses to stay on USA Learns, which has been
> surprising to me since many of those other links are pretty engaging games.
>
> I have to say that I didn't realize until I saw the email here that it was
> possible to set-up virtual classrooms and for teachers to check student
> work.  That will come in handy for our Family Literacy Project where we
> provide home computers and Internet access to immigrant families.
>
> Congratulations to everybody involved in its development!
>
> Larry Ferlazzo
> Luther Burbank High School
> http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/
> Sacramento, CA
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
> Get the Moviefone Toolbar<http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x1212774565x1200812037/aol?redir=http://toolbar.aol.com/moviefone/download.html?ncid=emlcntusdown00000001>.
> Showtimes, theaters, movie news & more!
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to lpetty at twmi.rr.com
>

-- 
Leslie Petty, Ed.D.
Associate Director
Project IDEAL Support Center
University of Michigan
734-425-0748
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From evfella at san.rr.com  Wed Nov 19 00:17:32 2008
From: evfella at san.rr.com (Evelyn Fella)
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:17:32 -0800
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1144] Re: New Designs in Online and Distance
	Learning --your q
In-Reply-To: <fc.004c56fb03a6cc3d3b9aca00999cb499.3a6d14e@scoe.net>
References: <62DE7D26-C202-4DC1-9EC7-A6B2D0BE549C@theworld.com> <,
	> <6A0E8C72-84D4-49E8-B590-55F38EDFEF4F@theworld.com> <,
	> <3F1B3696F3EA4331BAE5D008327FFB1D@ndecb.local>
	<fc.004c56fb03a6cc3d3b9aca00999cb499.3a6d14e@scoe.net>
Message-ID: <E2F1C19E-11A7-4D67-8775-D6CEDC84780A@san.rr.com>

Hello Margaret and all EFA users,

I love John's description of what we did to EFA as "efa on  
steroids."  It sounds illegal, but empowering.  I hope only the later  
is true.  Let me add to what John has listed on the differences (and  
similarities) of EFA and Second Course in USAL.

- All sections within each episode are the same, though we have  
renamed a couple. So, for example, Comprehension is now called Story  
Startup and Special Skills is called Making Choices.  Your students  
could use EFA (and the CDs if they are using those) to watch the  
video segments, but get more practice with the activities on the USAL  
site.

- Each Unit (aka episode in efa) offers 20 vocabulary words with  
definitions and a variety of activities as John mentioned: matching,  
spelling and, speaking (Say It) just on the word level. These words  
are taken from the script and they are used throughout in readings,  
comprehension questions, listening activities, and dictation so  
students can practice the words in context.  Each unit has 20 new  
words. The videos do a fine job of recycling vocabulary so words that  
are learned in one unit are repeated in other stories and students  
get a review in other stories.  In Study Tools (top right corner),  
students will find a glossary of all the words and definitions (and  
audio) presented in Second Course.  (also in the other two courses)
For current EFA users, the words are NOT the same as those in EFA, so  
material you may have created may not work with USAL vocabulary.  A  
scope and sequence will be posted later and all words are listed in  
that document.

- In order to build background knowledge to increase comprehension of  
the video segment, there is a short pre-reading, called Getting  
Ready. There is always a question at the end of the reading asking  
the student to listen for a specific piece of information in the  
video.  The answer to that question is always contained in the first  
question following the video viewing.  In some cases, the students  
are asked to predict what they think will happen in the video segment  
based on what they already know.

-All video segments are followed by a variety of activities to  
encourage students to listen again and work with the language of the  
script.  To keep learners motivated, the activities vary using audio,  
images, or video clips.

-Dictation and writing that can be corrected -- In USAL students can  
get feedback on writing in dictation activities or activities that  
have only one correct answer.  In order to use the "active" skill of  
writing, we used this kind of activity in some Grammar activities  
where students are asked to type the correct past tense form of a  
verb or to put words in the correct order of a sentence when this is  
the only grammatically correct order.

-Writing -- There is at least one open-ended writing activity in each  
unit. The computer can not give feedback on these writing activities,  
but as John noted, teachers can see and comment on the writing if the  
student is enrolled in a class.
Because the basic design for USAL was for an independent learner, we  
were concerned about learners who may not have a teacher, tutor or  
even a peer who would give feedback. We look forward to what research  
tells us about open-ended writing in this kind of program.

-Grammar - the grammar points are the same as in EFA (the wizard  
introduces them) but activities are more numerous in USAL and we hope  
more directed to ESL students' problems. Grammar is presented in  
charts, but usually practiced in context. Sometimes students listen  
for the grammar in the context of the script; sometimes they repeat  
sentences or write sentences using the grammar point.

-Life Skills activities have been revamped and they always appear in  
the Life Skills section. :). You may find the flyer or want ad is  
very similar to what existed in EFA, but the comprehension questions  
are different.

-Activities using critical thinking skills.  In USAL students are  
asked to draw conclusions, make connections, determine sequence.

-Learning Log - This is a very simple form of self-assessment, asking  
students to check words and skills they have learned at the end of  
the unit.

Let me know if you still have more questions.

Evelyn Fella

On Nov 18, 2008, at 3:09 PM, John Fleischman wrote:

> Hello, Margaret.  I'm pleased to hear that you're using English for  
> All.  That Web site was created here at Sacramento County Office of  
> Education and will continue to be supported by OTAN (www.otan.us),  
> a CA statewide leadership project.
>
> You're right, U.S.A. Learns (USAL) Second English Course is based  
> on English for All (EFA).  But you might think of USAL as EFA on  
> steroids.  Our creative team of content experts, led by Evelyn  
> Fella, have made significant modifications, things that have been  
> asked for since EFA was created more than 7 years ago.  Some of the  
> differences between the old (EFA) and the new (USAL Second English  
> Course) include:
>
> - Vocabulary: words are presented individually with audio and  
> definitions; learners match words with definitions
>
> - Spelling: learners listen to a word or phrase, spell it, then get  
> immediate feedback
>
> - Listening: learners click a word or words they hear in a  
> sentence; learners listen and read text; learners listen to  
> characters in context and "click" on the person who said it.
>
> - Dictation: learners listen to a sentence then type what they hear  
> and get feedback
>
> - Grammar: charts and tables are presented with comprehension checks
>
> Of particular note is the addition of listen and record (Say it!)  
> exercises where learners can record and play back an oral exercise,  
> comparing their pronunciation with that of a native English  
> speaker.  Another new feature is writing exercises. If the learner  
> is studying the Second English Course while enrolled in a USAL  
> "class," the teacher or tutor can review the writing and provide  
> feedback right in the online record.
>
> Evelyn may want to add her two cents on the additional changes  
> (improvements) that have been made.
>
> A student does not need to complete EFA before using USAL.  USAL  
> was designed with the idea that it would serve learners at a  
> distance.  As Leslie has pointed out, USAL was not designed for use  
> in school or agency computer labs (at least not if you want to stay  
> on good terms with your computer network manager).  EFA includes a  
> hybrid (CD-ROM) version which is more appropriate for use in labs.
>
> John
>
> specialtopics at nifl.gov on Tuesday, November 04, 2008 at 9:28 AM  
> -0800 wrote:
> The discussion looks very interesting. Here are my questions for  
> USA Learns:
>
> 1. We are currently offering an online class for intermediate level  
> ESOL students using English for All. We understand that USA Learns  
> uses similar content for its intermediate level course. Please  
> describe the difference between the intermediate level course in  
> USA Learns and English for All.
>
> 2. Can a student make a smooth transition from EFA to USA Learns or  
> does the student need to complete EFA if he/she is enrolled in that  
> class?
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to  
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to evfella at san.rr.com

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From reders at pdx.edu  Wed Nov 19 01:44:12 2008
From: reders at pdx.edu (Steve Reder)
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 22:44:12 -0800
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1145] Re: less unclear?
In-Reply-To: <C5482FE8.26E51%Janet_Isserlis@brown.edu>
References: <CA0ECC04F7944C058DE43228CB85428C@A1411>
	<C5482FE8.26E51%Janet_Isserlis@brown.edu>
Message-ID: <009301c94a12$3bc45880$5074fc83@PSU.DS.PDX.EDU>

Thanks for clarifying your questions, Janet.  Piloting activities have just
begun in DC, so I can't report in summary fashion about what has developed
yet.  I offered to provide the contact information offline to the person
wanting to find out about how to make the use of the Learner Web available
to parents in the DC area.  I'm happy to do that person-to-person but
probably shouldn't pout the contact details into this public space (without
first checking).  

With respect to your question about what happens when school spaces become
available to adults, we have a lot of experience teaching ESL to parents of
elementary school kids in school spaces, and that's quite interesting, but
those instructional activities typically have not involved the use of
technology.

Hope this helps a bit.
-Steve

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Janet Isserlis
Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2008 5:40 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1109] less unclear?

Colleagues - David has kindly pointed out that the question I'd posed
yesterday about intergenerational learning was not altogether clear.

Trying again:

I was hoping, Steve, to ask you - and others involved - to speak to the
notions of what  happens when computer and schools spaces, normally made
available to kids,  become available to adults.

An earlier message had contained a question about what /how the program in
DC would  communicate information about themselves to parents.  While Steve
offered contact information for that program, I was also hoping that he,
and/or anyone working at that site, might say a bit more about what, if any,
parent engagement/inclusion had developed.

hope this helps

thanks

Janet

-------------------------------
National Institute for Literacy
Special Topics mailing list
SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
Email delivered to reders at pdx.edu

From manos at twcny.rr.com  Wed Nov 19 05:26:30 2008
From: manos at twcny.rr.com (Theresa Pagano)
Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2008 05:26:30 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1146] Re: We are enthused with USA Learns!
In-Reply-To: <C89819844976460AACB680B7F78601BA@A1411>
Message-ID: <20081119102636.UTHU2107.hrndva-omta03.mail.rr.com@WSLCLaptop202>

Buenos d?as a todos.  

 

This is my first time corresponding with all of you.

 

I have just introduced USA Learns to the mid-intermediate ESOL adult
learners at the West Side Learning Center.  (past two weeks) 

We have established a specific time and day each week for a Learners?
Circle.  Interested ELL adults and a facilitator meet to discuss, share, and
clarify any topics of choice from the learners? USA Learns experiences.  We
hope to evolve into a ?language partners? format (peer-to-peer) with
language partners deciding on their face-to-face meeting time and place.  A
quarterly get-together of everyone participating is planned for Saturdays,
including ?la familia?.

 

We are introducing USA Learns to our local library branches for those
learners without home-based technology. 

 

Observation:  Those learners with higher formal education in their heritage
language and experience with technology have become engaged in USA Learns
very quickly.  Others have become so motivated by the integration of
language and technology learning that they arrive early and stay later than
class times in order to use it.

 

I enjoy the information shared through these Special Topics conversations.

 

Hasta pronto,

 

Theresa Pagano

MANOS and West Side Learning Center

Partners in Learning, Inc. & Syracuse City School District

"A community connected by diverse cultural and language-learning
experiences."

(315) 435-4967

 <mailto:manos at twcny.rr.com> manos at twcny.rr.com

 <mailto:manos at twcny.rr.com>  

 

  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of David J. Rosen
Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2008 9:25 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1142] EFA compared with USA Learns - EFA usersplease
weigh in

 

Colleagues,

 

I suspect there are some experienced users of English For All (EFA)
listening in on this discussion. Perhaps some of you, by now, have had a
chance to look at USA Learns. What do you think? Is USA Learns, as John put
it, EFA on steroids? Do you like the changes you see? Do they address
concerns you yourself might have raised about EFA? What changes are you
looking forward to using with your adult English Language distance education
learners?

 

Do you think that USA Learns has significantly different low(er) level
content than EFA?

 

Do you agree that it makes sense to have everything on the USA Learns web
site? Do you think something has been lost by not having print materials?

 

What features, if any, do you think are innovative, that make especially
good use of a web site as a medium for instruction?

 

How do you address the concern that someone raised that learning English
using distance learning might not provide enough opportunity to use and
practice the language?

 

John, Jere, and Leslie, please feel free to add to this list of questions
for EFA users who might have by now spent some time looking at USAL.  

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Leader

djrosen at theworld.com

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From leslie.lpetty at gmail.com  Wed Nov 19 07:28:58 2008
From: leslie.lpetty at gmail.com (Leslie Petty)
Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2008 07:28:58 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1147] Re: We are enthused with USA Learns!
In-Reply-To: <20081119102636.UTHU2107.hrndva-omta03.mail.rr.com@WSLCLaptop202>
References: <C89819844976460AACB680B7F78601BA@A1411>
	<20081119102636.UTHU2107.hrndva-omta03.mail.rr.com@WSLCLaptop202>
Message-ID: <66d7e2a90811190428x8382f03u2d6614acece13067@mail.gmail.com>

Theresa,What a wonderful model!  You've found a way to combine the social
element of language learning with the technology-based approach.  I'd love
to hear more from you as it progresses.

Your observation that learners with high levels of education in their
heritage language and computer skills picked up very quickly matches what we
observed in the usability testing we did.  But we also found that students
with lower levels of education in their home countries (sixth grade or
lower), at beginning ESL levels and with only modest computer skills were
also able to effectively use the site.  They used a straightforward approach
and went through the activities sequentially (by clicking "take me to my
next activity" when they signed-in to the site) but made steady progress.
 There were some technical demands that were challenging for them, but they
didn't deter the students from using the site.  These basic skills could
certainly be developed in a traditional classroom program or in the FTF
component of your approach.  In fact, many of these students significantly
exceeded the amount of time we asked them to spend in the site during the
usability test.  They were also very interested in having family members and
friends use the site (another reason I find your model so exciting).

Thanks for sharing your experience and insight.

Leslie

On Wed, Nov 19, 2008 at 5:26 AM, Theresa Pagano <manos at twcny.rr.com> wrote:

>  Buenos d?as a todos.
>
>
>
> This is my first time corresponding with all of you.
>
>
>
> I have just introduced USA Learns to the mid-intermediate ESOL adult
> learners at the West Side Learning Center.  (past two weeks)
>
> We have established a specific time and day each week for a Learners'
> Circle.  Interested ELL adults and a facilitator meet to discuss, share, and
> clarify any topics of choice from the learners' USA Learns experiences.  We
> hope to evolve into a 'language partners' format (peer-to-peer) with
> language partners deciding on their face-to-face meeting time and place.  A
> quarterly get-together of everyone participating is planned for Saturdays,
> including 'la familia'.
>
>
>
> We are introducing USA Learns to our local library branches for those
> learners without home-based technology.
>
>
>
> Observation:  Those learners with higher formal education in their heritage
> language and experience with technology have become engaged in USA Learns
> very quickly.  Others have become so motivated by the integration of
> language and technology learning that they arrive early and stay later than
> class times in order to use it.
>
>
>
> I enjoy the information shared through these Special Topics conversations.
>
>
>
> Hasta pronto,
>
>
>
> *Theresa Pagano*
>
> *MANOS and West Side Learning Center*
>
> *Partners in Learning, Inc. & Syracuse City School District*
>
> *"A community connected by diverse cultural and language-learning
> experiences."*
>
> *(315) 435-4967*
>
> *manos at twcny.rr.com*
>
> * <manos at twcny.rr.com>* **
>
>
>  ------------------------------
>
>
>
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From DJRosen at theworld.com  Wed Nov 19 08:07:18 2008
From: DJRosen at theworld.com (David J. Rosen)
Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2008 08:07:18 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1148] A Concern about Confidentiality and Security
	of Student Information
Message-ID: <EFB03456A95B4985BB833CDA7B028945@A1411>

Message forwarded for Betsy Rubin:

-----Original Message-----
From: Betsy Rubin - Literacy Works [mailto:literacyworks.betsyrubin at gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2008 10:52 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: USA Learns Concern

Hello,

USA Learns looks like it could be a wonderful resource. However, I feel uneasy about some of the statements about how users' information could be used.  
 
I have a concern about the confidentiality and security of student information, particularly if users of the site don't carefully read the privacy policy.
 
Can you please comment on the quote below from the USA Learns website?  I have placed asterisks around the key parts of the quote.
 
The USA Learns website's "About" page states:
 
"Be aware that **any personal information you might disclose**, including performance records of Learners, in the process of using the Courses, Units, Lessons, and Activities provided on the Site **should be considered public information** even though some of this information is accessible only with proper sign-in identification.  The Sacramento County Office of Education encourages you to be cautious about incorporating personal information in Lessons and Activities available on the Site.
 
"Are there any **circumstances in which The Sacramento County Office of Education would disclose information to third parties**?

Under normal circumstances, The Sacramento County Office of Education does not disclose information to third parties.  **Exceptional circumstances could include**: 

Protecting the integrity and security of our Site 

Precautions against liability 

Protection of the safety, rights, or property of users or others 

**Response to requirements of the judicial process or, to the extent permitted by law, requests of law enforcement or public safety agencies**.

Even in these circumstances, **we would release your account information only if we felt it was reasonably necessary**."

Thanks very much for responding to this question.

Betsy Rubin
Chicago, IL

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From Janet_Isserlis at brown.edu  Wed Nov 19 09:00:19 2008
From: Janet_Isserlis at brown.edu (Janet Isserlis)
Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2008 09:00:19 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1149] Re: less unclear?
In-Reply-To: <009301c94a12$3bc45880$5074fc83@PSU.DS.PDX.EDU>
Message-ID: <C5498623.26F26%Janet_Isserlis@brown.edu>

Thanks, Steve, it does help.

I was also thinking about a project in Vancouver that I'd been part of in
the mid-90s, through a grant from Apple Canada.  We were able to get a
computer lab into a neighbourhood school that had been designated as needing
particular assistance/support [ vis a vis issues of poverty].  Although this
was in the just pre-and early internet day, (and we weren't online) we found
that having the computers available to kids and situated in the same room as
the adults ESL conversation classes enabled:

- K-8 students to come in during the day with their teachers to learn to use
the computers and to use the computers for various projects;

- parents/adults to see kids using the technology and become interested (to
varying degrees) in learning to use them themselves;

- community people to come in after school hours to learn to use the
computers and/or to use them for various purposes of their own.

part of a larger movement towards making schools open, useful spaces.

Appreciate that the DC site is new, but hope that in time we can learn more
about their work.

thanks

Janet

> From: Steve Reder <reders at pdx.edu>
> Reply-To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
> Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 22:44:12 -0800
> To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 1145] Re: less unclear?
> 
> Thanks for clarifying your questions, Janet.  Piloting activities have just
> begun in DC, so I can't report in summary fashion about what has developed
> yet.  I offered to provide the contact information offline to the person
> wanting to find out about how to make the use of the Learner Web available
> to parents in the DC area.  I'm happy to do that person-to-person but
> probably shouldn't pout the contact details into this public space (without
> first checking). 
> 
> With respect to your question about what happens when school spaces become
> available to adults, we have a lot of experience teaching ESL to parents of
> elementary school kids in school spaces, and that's quite interesting, but
> those instructional activities typically have not involved the use of
> technology.
> 
> Hope this helps a bit.
> -Steve
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
> On Behalf Of Janet Isserlis
> Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2008 5:40 AM
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 1109] less unclear?
> 
> Colleagues - David has kindly pointed out that the question I'd posed
> yesterday about intergenerational learning was not altogether clear.
> 
> Trying again:
> 
> I was hoping, Steve, to ask you - and others involved - to speak to the
> notions of what  happens when computer and schools spaces, normally made
> available to kids,  become available to adults.
> 
> An earlier message had contained a question about what /how the program in
> DC would  communicate information about themselves to parents.  While Steve
> offered contact information for that program, I was also hoping that he,
> and/or anyone working at that site, might say a bit more about what, if any,
> parent engagement/inclusion had developed.
> 
> hope this helps
> 
> thanks
> 
> Janet
> 
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to reders at pdx.edu
> 
> 
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to janet_isserlis at brown.edu

From lori_savage at nbps.k12.nj.us  Wed Nov 19 08:49:20 2008
From: lori_savage at nbps.k12.nj.us (Lori Savage)
Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2008 08:49:20 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1150] Re: List Netiquette
References: <1C1A5A9E56D64CF8AEED23B2138FC2E7@A1411>
	<66d7e2a90811181816i65e4f12s9aae3b936ebac889@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <EC93A6B4D1AD934880019CFDA7DBCD0904239AE1@nbps-exchange.nbps.k12.nj.us>

This "batch" format is extremely helpful.  The volume of emails is a little overwhelming.  What I have been able to read is very interesting and useful.  I am particularly interested in USA Learns, and how it can be used as a resource for all levels of ESL instruction.
 
Thanks,
 
Lori Savage
ESL/Civics Instructor
New Brunswick Public Schools
Adult Learning Center

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Leslie Petty
Sent: Tue 11/18/2008 9:16 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1140] Re: List Netiquette

Thanks for your questions and your interest in U.S.A. Learns. David had sent us a summary of the questions he received prior to the start of this discussion.  I thought I'd try and answer several of them in a "batch" in an effort to reduce somewhat the volume of emails.  Let me know if you'd like more information about any of these issues.  Here goes....

I am a retired ABE/ESL program manager. Occasionally individuals come into my life who need ABE/ESL training. Can USA Learns and the Learner Web be used to help them? How? 
U.S.A. Learns can be a useful resource for students who need ESL instruction and who have access to a computer with Internet access (at home, in a public library, at a friend's home, work, school, etc.).  You can suggest that they use the site for independent English language learning.  Or, you might decide to create a class on USAL and have students enroll to work with you (or refer them to a teacher who has a class on the site).   The site is currently focused on ESL, but the Practice English and Reading section contains activities that would also be beneficial to ABE students. The stories and activities in this section are designed to build vocabulary and reading comprehension skills.

What types of orientation do these learning models provide for the learner? 
USAL offers an on-line guided registration, including animated help features.  Students can listen to the introductory instructions in either English or Spanish.  There are animated help features built into the site to explain how to register, complete activities, etc.

What level of technology is needed for learners to use USA Learns and the Learner Web - including: 
Basic prerequisite computer skills:
*    Mouse  (click and scroll)
*    Keyboard (letters, punctuation, backspace, shift key, space bar)
*    Web browser (open a browser, navigate a basic Web site, click buttons and links)
*    
User's computer hardware/software skills :
*    User's computer requirements: memory, processing, internet connection, etc.) A fast broadband Internet connection (384 Kpbs or faster)
*    An up-to-date Web browser with the Flash plug-in
*    A sound card (Speakers or headphone are necessary; microphone is optional but very useful).

Do these models use tutors? If so, face-to-face? Online?
 USAL can be used either by students working independently or by students working with a teacher/tutor.  That interaction can be entirely online or can be an extension or supplement to FTF meetings or classes. 

Will many of the resources include audio files?
There is audio throughout USAL, in both the activities and the help features.

Do the models include life-skills based topics? 
USAL provides contextualized instruction and emphasizes topics likely to be important to the immigrant population.  Students have told us that they like the fact that they are learning English while also learning about life in the US and issues that they face in their daily lives.

Let me know if you these answers raise more questions for you or if you just want to explore any of these topics further. 

Leslie
-- 
Leslie Petty, Ed.D.
Associate Director
Project IDEAL Support Center
University of Michigan
734-425-0748

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From KathyE at monte.k12.co.us  Wed Nov 19 13:10:54 2008
From: KathyE at monte.k12.co.us (Ellithorpe, Kathy)
Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2008 11:10:54 -0700
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1151] Re: SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 26, Issue 29
In-Reply-To: <mailman.9.1227114004.3255.specialtopics@nifl.gov>
References: <mailman.9.1227114004.3255.specialtopics@nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <7A7D7C482D76B04E873747A9621D8F4603114240@post.monte.k12.co.us>

I have been on the USA Learns site.  I have linked it wiith my Moodle
site for ESL.  My learners just love it and so do I!  There is ample
information and opportunity for most levels of language learning here.
It's a great way to  get learners on the internet and used to technology
that they will probably have to know at some point.  
Grat1

-----Original Message-----
From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of
specialtopics-request at nifl.gov
Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2008 10:00 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 26, Issue 29

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Today's Topics:

   1. [SpecialTopics 1147] Re: We are enthused with USA Learns!
      (Leslie Petty)
   2. [SpecialTopics 1148] A Concern about Confidentiality and
      Security	of Student Information (David J. Rosen)
   3. [SpecialTopics 1149] Re: less unclear? (Janet Isserlis)
   4. [SpecialTopics 1150] Re: List Netiquette (Lori Savage)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2008 07:28:58 -0500
From: "Leslie Petty" <leslie.lpetty at gmail.com>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1147] Re: We are enthused with USA Learns!
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Message-ID:
	<66d7e2a90811190428x8382f03u2d6614acece13067 at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Theresa,What a wonderful model!  You've found a way to combine the
social element of language learning with the technology-based approach.
I'd love to hear more from you as it progresses.

Your observation that learners with high levels of education in their
heritage language and computer skills picked up very quickly matches
what we observed in the usability testing we did.  But we also found
that students with lower levels of education in their home countries
(sixth grade or lower), at beginning ESL levels and with only modest
computer skills were also able to effectively use the site.  They used a
straightforward approach and went through the activities sequentially
(by clicking "take me to my next activity" when they signed-in to the
site) but made steady progress.
 There were some technical demands that were challenging for them, but
they didn't deter the students from using the site.  These basic skills
could certainly be developed in a traditional classroom program or in
the FTF component of your approach.  In fact, many of these students
significantly exceeded the amount of time we asked them to spend in the
site during the usability test.  They were also very interested in
having family members and friends use the site (another reason I find
your model so exciting).

Thanks for sharing your experience and insight.

Leslie

On Wed, Nov 19, 2008 at 5:26 AM, Theresa Pagano <manos at twcny.rr.com>
wrote:

>  Buenos d?as a todos.
>
>
>
> This is my first time corresponding with all of you.
>
>
>
> I have just introduced USA Learns to the mid-intermediate ESOL adult 
> learners at the West Side Learning Center.  (past two weeks)
>
> We have established a specific time and day each week for a Learners'
> Circle.  Interested ELL adults and a facilitator meet to discuss, 
> share, and clarify any topics of choice from the learners' USA Learns 
> experiences.  We hope to evolve into a 'language partners' format 
> (peer-to-peer) with language partners deciding on their face-to-face 
> meeting time and place.  A quarterly get-together of everyone 
> participating is planned for Saturdays, including 'la familia'.
>
>
>
> We are introducing USA Learns to our local library branches for those 
> learners without home-based technology.
>
>
>
> Observation:  Those learners with higher formal education in their 
> heritage language and experience with technology have become engaged 
> in USA Learns very quickly.  Others have become so motivated by the 
> integration of language and technology learning that they arrive early

> and stay later than class times in order to use it.
>
>
>
> I enjoy the information shared through these Special Topics
conversations.
>
>
>
> Hasta pronto,
>
>
>
> *Theresa Pagano*
>
> *MANOS and West Side Learning Center*
>
> *Partners in Learning, Inc. & Syracuse City School District*
>
> *"A community connected by diverse cultural and language-learning
> experiences."*
>
> *(315) 435-4967*
>
> *manos at twcny.rr.com*
>
> * <manos at twcny.rr.com>* **
>
>
>  ------------------------------
>
>
>
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Message: 2
Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2008 08:07:18 -0500
From: "David J. Rosen" <DJRosen at theworld.com>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1148] A Concern about Confidentiality and
	Security	of Student Information
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <EFB03456A95B4985BB833CDA7B028945 at A1411>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Message forwarded for Betsy Rubin:

-----Original Message-----
From: Betsy Rubin - Literacy Works
[mailto:literacyworks.betsyrubin at gmail.com]
Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2008 10:52 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: USA Learns Concern

Hello,

USA Learns looks like it could be a wonderful resource. However, I feel
uneasy about some of the statements about how users' information could
be used.  
 
I have a concern about the confidentiality and security of student
information, particularly if users of the site don't carefully read the
privacy policy.
 
Can you please comment on the quote below from the USA Learns website?
I have placed asterisks around the key parts of the quote.
 
The USA Learns website's "About" page states:
 
"Be aware that **any personal information you might disclose**,
including performance records of Learners, in the process of using the
Courses, Units, Lessons, and Activities provided on the Site **should be
considered public information** even though some of this information is
accessible only with proper sign-in identification.  The Sacramento
County Office of Education encourages you to be cautious about
incorporating personal information in Lessons and Activities available
on the Site.
 
"Are there any **circumstances in which The Sacramento County Office of
Education would disclose information to third parties**?

Under normal circumstances, The Sacramento County Office of Education
does not disclose information to third parties.  **Exceptional
circumstances could include**: 

Protecting the integrity and security of our Site 

Precautions against liability 

Protection of the safety, rights, or property of users or others 

**Response to requirements of the judicial process or, to the extent
permitted by law, requests of law enforcement or public safety
agencies**.

Even in these circumstances, **we would release your account information
only if we felt it was reasonably necessary**."

Thanks very much for responding to this question.

Betsy Rubin
Chicago, IL

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Message: 3
Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2008 09:00:19 -0500
From: Janet Isserlis <Janet_Isserlis at brown.edu>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1149] Re: less unclear?
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID: <C5498623.26F26%Janet_Isserlis at brown.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="US-ASCII"

Thanks, Steve, it does help.

I was also thinking about a project in Vancouver that I'd been part of
in the mid-90s, through a grant from Apple Canada.  We were able to get
a computer lab into a neighbourhood school that had been designated as
needing particular assistance/support [ vis a vis issues of poverty].
Although this was in the just pre-and early internet day, (and we
weren't online) we found that having the computers available to kids and
situated in the same room as the adults ESL conversation classes
enabled:

- K-8 students to come in during the day with their teachers to learn to
use the computers and to use the computers for various projects;

- parents/adults to see kids using the technology and become interested
(to varying degrees) in learning to use them themselves;

- community people to come in after school hours to learn to use the
computers and/or to use them for various purposes of their own.

part of a larger movement towards making schools open, useful spaces.

Appreciate that the DC site is new, but hope that in time we can learn
more about their work.

thanks

Janet

> From: Steve Reder <reders at pdx.edu>
> Reply-To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
> Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 22:44:12 -0800
> To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 1145] Re: less unclear?
> 
> Thanks for clarifying your questions, Janet.  Piloting activities have

> just begun in DC, so I can't report in summary fashion about what has 
> developed yet.  I offered to provide the contact information offline 
> to the person wanting to find out about how to make the use of the 
> Learner Web available to parents in the DC area.  I'm happy to do that

> person-to-person but probably shouldn't pout the contact details into 
> this public space (without first checking).
> 
> With respect to your question about what happens when school spaces 
> become available to adults, we have a lot of experience teaching ESL 
> to parents of elementary school kids in school spaces, and that's 
> quite interesting, but those instructional activities typically have 
> not involved the use of technology.
> 
> Hope this helps a bit.
> -Steve
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov 
> [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
> On Behalf Of Janet Isserlis
> Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2008 5:40 AM
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 1109] less unclear?
> 
> Colleagues - David has kindly pointed out that the question I'd posed 
> yesterday about intergenerational learning was not altogether clear.
> 
> Trying again:
> 
> I was hoping, Steve, to ask you - and others involved - to speak to 
> the notions of what  happens when computer and schools spaces, 
> normally made available to kids,  become available to adults.
> 
> An earlier message had contained a question about what /how the 
> program in DC would  communicate information about themselves to 
> parents.  While Steve offered contact information for that program, I 
> was also hoping that he, and/or anyone working at that site, might say

> a bit more about what, if any, parent engagement/inclusion had
developed.
> 
> hope this helps
> 
> thanks
> 
> Janet
> 
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
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> Email delivered to reders at pdx.edu
> 
> 
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
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> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to janet_isserlis at brown.edu

------------------------------

Message: 4
Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2008 08:49:20 -0500
From: "Lori Savage" <lori_savage at nbps.k12.nj.us>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1150] Re: List Netiquette
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Message-ID:
	
<EC93A6B4D1AD934880019CFDA7DBCD0904239AE1 at nbps-exchange.nbps.k12.nj.us>
	
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

This "batch" format is extremely helpful.  The volume of emails is a
little overwhelming.  What I have been able to read is very interesting
and useful.  I am particularly interested in USA Learns, and how it can
be used as a resource for all levels of ESL instruction.
 
Thanks,
 
Lori Savage
ESL/Civics Instructor
New Brunswick Public Schools
Adult Learning Center

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Leslie Petty
Sent: Tue 11/18/2008 9:16 PM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1140] Re: List Netiquette

Thanks for your questions and your interest in U.S.A. Learns. David had
sent us a summary of the questions he received prior to the start of
this discussion.  I thought I'd try and answer several of them in a
"batch" in an effort to reduce somewhat the volume of emails.  Let me
know if you'd like more information about any of these issues.  Here
goes....

I am a retired ABE/ESL program manager. Occasionally individuals come
into my life who need ABE/ESL training. Can USA Learns and the Learner
Web be used to help them? How? 
U.S.A. Learns can be a useful resource for students who need ESL
instruction and who have access to a computer with Internet access (at
home, in a public library, at a friend's home, work, school, etc.).  You
can suggest that they use the site for independent English language
learning.  Or, you might decide to create a class on USAL and have
students enroll to work with you (or refer them to a teacher who has a
class on the site).   The site is currently focused on ESL, but the
Practice English and Reading section contains activities that would also
be beneficial to ABE students. The stories and activities in this
section are designed to build vocabulary and reading comprehension
skills.

What types of orientation do these learning models provide for the
learner? 
USAL offers an on-line guided registration, including animated help
features.  Students can listen to the introductory instructions in
either English or Spanish.  There are animated help features built into
the site to explain how to register, complete activities, etc.

What level of technology is needed for learners to use USA Learns and
the Learner Web - including: 
Basic prerequisite computer skills:
*    Mouse  (click and scroll)
*    Keyboard (letters, punctuation, backspace, shift key, space bar)
*    Web browser (open a browser, navigate a basic Web site, click
buttons and links)
*    
User's computer hardware/software skills :
*    User's computer requirements: memory, processing, internet
connection, etc.) A fast broadband Internet connection (384 Kpbs or
faster)
*    An up-to-date Web browser with the Flash plug-in
*    A sound card (Speakers or headphone are necessary; microphone is
optional but very useful).

Do these models use tutors? If so, face-to-face? Online?
 USAL can be used either by students working independently or by
students working with a teacher/tutor.  That interaction can be entirely
online or can be an extension or supplement to FTF meetings or classes. 

Will many of the resources include audio files?
There is audio throughout USAL, in both the activities and the help
features.

Do the models include life-skills based topics? 
USAL provides contextualized instruction and emphasizes topics likely to
be important to the immigrant population.  Students have told us that
they like the fact that they are learning English while also learning
about life in the US and issues that they face in their daily lives.

Let me know if you these answers raise more questions for you or if you
just want to explore any of these topics further. 

Leslie
--
Leslie Petty, Ed.D.
Associate Director
Project IDEAL Support Center
University of Michigan
734-425-0748

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*********************************************

From mlanen at ndecboston.org  Wed Nov 19 14:54:00 2008
From: mlanen at ndecboston.org (Margaret Lanen)
Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:54:00 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1151] Re: New Designs in Online and DistanceLearning
	--your q
In-Reply-To: <E2F1C19E-11A7-4D67-8775-D6CEDC84780A@san.rr.com>
References: <62DE7D26-C202-4DC1-9EC7-A6B2D0BE549C@theworld.com> <,
	> <6A0E8C72-84D4-49E8-B590-55F38EDFEF4F@theworld.com> <, >
	<3F1B3696F3EA4331BAE5D008327FFB1D@ndecb.local><fc.004c56fb03a6cc3d3b9aca00999cb499.3a6d14e@scoe.net>
	<E2F1C19E-11A7-4D67-8775-D6CEDC84780A@san.rr.com>
Message-ID: <700C5965CBAC41E087FFE6AC53B77C7F@ndecb.local>

Thank you, John and Evelyn for describing the differences between USA Learns
and English for All.

 

USA Learns has many components that were lacking in English for All. We
found the need to add listening, speaking and writing activities in Moodle
for our students but USA Learns has incorporated these skills and many
others. The content of the videos is helpful for immigrants to understand US
culture and the vocabulary introduces the learners to unfamiliar terms. I
look forward to using this program.

 

Margaret

 

  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Evelyn Fella
Sent: Wednesday, November 19, 2008 12:18 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1144] Re: New Designs in Online and DistanceLearning
--your q

 

Hello Margaret and all EFA users,

 

I love John's description of what we did to EFA as "efa on steroids." It
sounds illegal, but empowering. I hope only the later is true. Let me add to
what John has listed on the differences (and similarities) of EFA and Second
Course in USAL.

 

- All sections within each episode are the same, though we have renamed a
couple. So, for example, Comprehension is now called Story Startup and
Special Skills is called Making Choices. Your students could use EFA (and
the CDs if they are using those) to watch the video segments, but get more
practice with the activities on the USAL site.

 

- Each Unit (aka episode in efa) offers 20 vocabulary words with definitions
and a variety of activities as John mentioned: matching, spelling and,
speaking (Say It) just on the word level. These words are taken from the
script and they are used throughout in readings, comprehension questions,
listening activities, and dictation so students can practice the words in
context. Each unit has 20 new words. The videos do a fine job of recycling
vocabulary so words that are learned in one unit are repeated in other
stories and students get a review in other stories. In Study Tools (top
right corner), students will find a glossary of all the words and
definitions (and audio) presented in Second Course. (also in the other two
courses) 

For current EFA users, the words are NOT the same as those in EFA, so
material you may have created may not work with USAL vocabulary. A scope and
sequence will be posted later and all words are listed in that document. 

 

- In order to build background knowledge to increase comprehension of the
video segment, there is a short pre-reading, called Getting Ready. There is
always a question at the end of the reading asking the student to listen for
a specific piece of information in the video. The answer to that question is
always contained in the first question following the video viewing. In some
cases, the students are asked to predict what they think will happen in the
video segment based on what they already know. 

 

-All video segments are followed by a variety of activities to encourage
students to listen again and work with the language of the script. To keep
learners motivated, the activities vary using audio, images, or video clips.

 

-Dictation and writing that can be corrected -- In USAL students can get
feedback on writing in dictation activities or activities that have only one
correct answer. In order to use the "active" skill of writing, we used this
kind of activity in some Grammar activities where students are asked to type
the correct past tense form of a verb or to put words in the correct order
of a sentence when this is the only grammatically correct order.

 

-Writing -- There is at least one open-ended writing activity in each unit.
The computer can not give feedback on these writing activities, but as John
noted, teachers can see and comment on the writing if the student is
enrolled in a class. 

Because the basic design for USAL was for an independent learner, we were
concerned about learners who may not have a teacher, tutor or even a peer
who would give feedback. We look forward to what research tells us about
open-ended writing in this kind of program.

 

-Grammar - the grammar points are the same as in EFA (the wizard introduces
them) but activities are more numerous in USAL and we hope more directed to
ESL students' problems. Grammar is presented in charts, but usually
practiced in context. Sometimes students listen for the grammar in the
context of the script; sometimes they repeat sentences or write sentences
using the grammar point.

 

-Life Skills activities have been revamped and they always appear in the
Life Skills section. :). You may find the flyer or want ad is very similar
to what existed in EFA, but the comprehension questions are different.

 

-Activities using critical thinking skills. In USAL students are asked to
draw conclusions, make connections, determine sequence.

 

-Learning Log - This is a very simple form of self-assessment, asking
students to check words and skills they have learned at the end of the unit.

 

Let me know if you still have more questions.

 

Evelyn Fella

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Nov 18, 2008, at 3:09 PM, John Fleischman wrote:

Hello, Margaret. I'm pleased to hear that you're using English for All. That
Web site was created here at Sacramento County Office of Education and will
continue to be supported by OTAN (www.otan.us), a CA statewide leadership
project.

 

You're right, U.S.A. Learns (USAL) Second English Course is based on English
for All (EFA). But you might think of USAL as EFA on steroids. Our creative
team of content experts, led by Evelyn Fella, have made significant
modifications, things that have been asked for since EFA was created more
than 7 years ago. Some of the differences between the old (EFA) and the new
(USAL Second English Course) include:

 

- Vocabulary: words are presented individually with audio and definitions;
learners match words with definitions

 

- Spelling: learners listen to a word or phrase, spell it, then get
immediate feedback

 

- Listening: learners click a word or words they hear in a sentence;
learners listen and read text; learners listen to characters in context and
"click" on the person who said it.

 

- Dictation: learners listen to a sentence then type what they hear and get
feedback

 

- Grammar: charts and tables are presented with comprehension checks

 

Of particular note is the addition of listen and record (Say it!) exercises
where learners can record and play back an oral exercise, comparing their
pronunciation with that of a native English speaker. Another new feature is
writing exercises. If the learner is studying the Second English Course
while enrolled in a USAL "class," the teacher or tutor can review the
writing and provide feedback right in the online record.

 

Evelyn may want to add her two cents on the additional changes
(improvements) that have been made.

 

A student does not need to complete EFA before using USAL. USAL was designed
with the idea that it would serve learners at a distance. As Leslie has
pointed out, USAL was not designed for use in school or agency computer labs
(at least not if you want to stay on good terms with your computer network
manager). EFA includes a hybrid (CD-ROM) version which is more appropriate
for use in labs. 

 

John

 

specialtopics at nifl.gov on Tuesday, November 04, 2008 at 9:28 AM -0800 wrote:

The discussion looks very interesting. Here are my questions for USA Learns:

 

1. We are currently offering an online class for intermediate level ESOL
students using English for All. We understand that USA Learns uses similar
content for its intermediate level course. Please describe the difference
between the intermediate level course in USA Learns and English for All.

 

2. Can a student make a smooth transition from EFA to USA Learns or does the
student need to complete EFA if he/she is enrolled in that class? 

-------------------------------

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Email delivered to evfella at san.rr.com

 

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From leslie.lpetty at gmail.com  Wed Nov 19 16:14:32 2008
From: leslie.lpetty at gmail.com (Leslie Petty)
Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2008 16:14:32 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1152] Second round of answers to the preliminary
	questions
Message-ID: <66d7e2a90811191314p7d5ce17fjff2103b1cebb0cd2@mail.gmail.com>

Thanks again for all of your questions about U.S.A. Learns.  You're
certainly keeping us busy and thinking at this end!  Here's another "batch"
of answers to a few more of the questions that you submitted to David before
we started the discussion:

*How is learner progress measured?  *

In USAL, this varies by activity type.  For some activities (e.g, watching a
video clip), students simply receive an indication that they completed the
activity. For activities where students provide answers (e.g., activities
with multiple choice responses), they receive a percentage indicating their
correct responses.  If scores fall below a certain level, students receive a
message suggesting they might want to do the activity again.  Still other
activities (e.g., dictation, spelling) provide feedback that indicates where
they have made errors and are given opportunities to correct themselves.
Students can re-do any activity until they have mastered the content.
Registered users of the site will see their progress charted on the lesson,
activity and unit menus each time they come to the site.  In addition, there
are unit tests built into the first two courses.  There is no feedback
mechanism for writing activities, unless the student is working with a
teacher or tutor.  Students who are working with a teacher or tutor in USAL
can receive feedback on their writing from their teacher tutor through the
site's learning management system.

*In adult education programs, an important emphasis is standardized
assessment of learner skills in order to appropriately place students at the
correct NRS instructional level.  How does USA Learns handle assessment and
placement? Does the on-line system conduct some sort of on-line assessment
of skills that then directs the learner to on-line lessons at the
appropriate level?*

U.S.A. Learns does not include any online learner intake assessments at this
time.  Students either self-select into one of the courses in USAL or are
directed to a particular course by their teacher or tutor. In our usability
studies, students were assigned to courses by their teachers.  A few
indicated that they had tried the other courses, but quickly realized that
the materials were not at their level, suggesting that students may be able
to identify which course is the best place for them to start.  We also found
that students tended to go through the courses sequentially, rather than by
selecting lessons either on specific skills (e.g., spelling, reading
comprehension) or topic (e.g., employment).

*As an online learner (I've completed many courses through many online
mediums -- WebCT, D2L, Yahoo groups, Moodle, more -- and am presently
completing a master's online) and as a facilitator for online classes of my
own planning, I know that some courses can feel like "going through the
motions" (and satisfying required 'evidence' of participation in educational
opportunities) and yet not really propel one to meaningful learning; others
can be incredible life-changing experiences.  Except for a few cases, I
believe that blended/hybrid models engage and promote retention, motivation,
meaningful learning MUCH more than 'solo' pure online efforts. Could you
comment on this?  *

At Project IDEAL, we have always encouraged the hybrid model for many of the
same reasons you cite. The entire project staff was certainly cognizant of
these concerns when we were planning the structure and activities in USAL
and attempted to provide supports, tools and engaging content to help
maximize student interest.  It's important to keep in mind that U.S.A.
Learns was developed of as proof-of-concept of the use of an online portal
to serve adult learners.  The feedback we received from learners in the
development stages has been positive, but since it just launched a week ago,
the effectiveness of the model has yet to be fully evaluated.  Our limited
work with students thus far suggests that the content and activities are
sufficiently engaging to keep students working (at far greater levels than
we had anticipated).  For example, in one of our usability studies, students
were required to spend at least two hours a week, for three weeks, working
on the site.  We had students spending two, three and in some cases four
times that many hours (as documented by their log-ins, not
self-reports).  Also,
it is possible for teachers or tutors to create classes on USAL, which would
provide the hybrid approach for students who prefer that model of learning.

*Are these models feasible to use with large numbers of learners? (those
programs over 1000.*

U.S.A. Learns has the capability to easily support that many independent
learners, working from their homes or computers in various locations.
However, because of its wide bandwidth requirements, it could not be used in
lab settings because it slows significantly, making it a frustrating
learning experience for students.

-- 
Leslie Petty, Ed.D.
Associate Director
Project IDEAL Support Center
University of Michigan
734-425-0748
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From leslie.lpetty at gmail.com  Wed Nov 19 18:30:19 2008
From: leslie.lpetty at gmail.com (Leslie Petty)
Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:30:19 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1153]  Questions about ESL instruction and USAL
Message-ID: <66d7e2a90811191530o4ed94d17yc27baaedd4c24cd3@mail.gmail.com>

Several of the preliminary questions asked about ESL instruction in online
environments. We (John, Evelyn, Jere and I) hope that these answers both
provide some clarification and also stimulate further discussion.  Leslie

*How do the models provide ESL/ESOL instruction in the four language skills:
listening, speaking reading and writing? It seems like a non-facilitated
on-line course could address the two receptive skills (listening, reading),
but how does it address the two productive skills (speaking, writing)?*

USAL provides lots of activities focused on listening and reading, the two
receptive language skills. Focused listening activities are used throughout
both First and Second Course.  Each course also offers a wide-range of
reading activities. Students will encounter realistic Life Skills reading
tasks such as lists, flyers, schedules, and rental agreements as well as
informational prose reading about life skill topics.

USAL offers two types of writing activities. In the first, the writing task
must have a single correct answer in order for the computer to give
feedback.  An example of this is traditional dictation where students listen
to a prompt and are asked to write what they hear. Some activities pose a
question and ask for a written answer. Others ask students to type a
sentence using the words given on screen. Again, because there is only one
correct answer, the program is able to show the student his errors and allow
corrections.  Not only are these types of writing activities very popular
with students, they help students make the connections between language they
hear and the written form. The grammar activities help students to write
sentences using correct syntax and put into practice the presented grammar
point.

The second type of writing activity is a open-ended question for which the
computer can give no feedback. If a student is studying USAL with a teacher
or tutor, the teacher/tutor can provide feedback on writing activities and
communicate with the student through the system.

For the most part speaking activities in USAL allow the student to repeat
what she/he hears, record his/her voice, listen to the playback and* *compare
his/her pronunciation to that of a native speaker.  In First Course, there
are some "open ended" speaking activities in which students are asked a
personal question such as "When is your birthday?*"  *In these types of
questions, the student can playback and self-assess his/her pronunciation,
but can not compare it to a native speaker's.

*An important principle of second language acquisition is negotiating
meaning through interactivity.  Classroom teachers accomplish this through
pair and group work, through task-based learning, and project-based
learning.  How can a non-facilitated on-line learning system or model
address this principle of language acquisition?*

This is an excellent question, and one that we don't really have an answer
to at this stage in the development of USAL.  In doing our usability
testing, we did notice that most of the students were very anxious to get
other family members involved in studying USAL with them; perhaps students
who are studying independently may develop their own opportunities in this
regard.  If students are registered in a class through USAL, it may be
possible for a teacher/tutor to provide ways for students to write emails to
each other (or just to the teacher/tutor) or for the tutor to contact the
student via phone and talk about the unit.  Another possibility might be the
type of Learner's Circles that Theresa Pagano talked about earlier in this
discussion.

We'd love to hear your thoughts about this.

*An important function of a "live" teacher in the classroom is to provide
feedback to learners about their use of the language. Similarly, through
pair and group work, adult learners are made aware of when their English
language utterances are comprehensible to listeners and when there are
communication breakdowns*. *How does a non-facilitated on-line learning
system provide feedback to learners about the accuracy and success of their
English utterances?*

USAL (or anything we've seen online) cannot compete with a live teacher in
this regard. The question refers specifically to the students "use of the
language."  As we see with Speaking and Writing, the two "productive"
language skills, the computer cannot provide feedback on anything that is
not pre-determined. USAL can provide this type of feedback to learners only in
the most limited ways (e.g., allowing them to hear their speech played back
and comparing it to a native speaker).  We can only hope that with the
abundance of listening activities students perform in the course of the
program, their ability to self-assess the sounds of their own language might
become more accurate.

-- 
Leslie Petty, Ed.D.
Associate Director
Project IDEAL Support Center
University of Michigan
734-425-0748
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From jfleischman at scoe.net  Wed Nov 19 17:18:01 2008
From: jfleischman at scoe.net (John Fleischman)
Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:18:01 -0800
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1154] Re:
 =?iso-8859-1?q?A_Concern_about_Confidentiality_and_Security_?=
 =?iso-8859-1?q?=09of__Student?=
In-Reply-To: <EFB03456A95B4985BB833CDA7B028945@A1411>
References: <EFB03456A95B4985BB833CDA7B028945@A1411>
Message-ID: <fc.004c56fb03a706623b9aca00b040ec38.3a75c30@scoe.net>

Hello, Betsy.  I understand your concerns.  Seeing all of the "legalese"
can make anyone a bit wary.

Early on in the development of USAL we were determined to make the site
require a login for all users.  Our rationale was simple: users that
register and login have a much better experience... their scores are
tracked and reported, when they return to the site they're dropped back in
exactly where they left off, if they forget their password we can send 'em
a reminder, plus we would have the potential of offering a great deal of
customization if use patterns can be tracked.  But our USAL Advisors
warned us that many users would not use the site if we required a login.
So we relented and decided to allow users to simply login as a visitor
with no tracking and no footprints left behind.  

As you know, we also offer independent users the ability to login to the
site so that they can have the obvious benefits.  Of course, it is
possible for a student to login as an individual user and use a total
bogus email address and name.  That way there would be no identify
specific information being tracked.  And even as a student enrolled as
part of a class, it is possible to use a fake email address.

The language used for the privacy policy is pretty standard stuff.  We
certainly never expect to be required to release student information, of
any kind.  And we go to extraordinary measures to protect data.  We have a
very sophisticated data center with multiple firewalls and other security
measures.  However, there is a VERY slim chance that we could get a court
order of some type that MIGHT require us to release stored information. 
So, with that understanding, we felt that it would be prudent to include
the "fine print."

USAL was developed for OVAE by the Sacramento County Office of Education
(a regional service agency) in partnership with the University of
Michigan.  We will never disclose, sell, or release any contact
information or student data to any other entity except if mandated by the
legal system.

Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

John

specialtopics at nifl.gov on Wednesday, November 19, 2008 at 5:07 AM -0800
wrote:
>Message forwarded for Betsy Rubin:
> 
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Betsy Rubin - Literacy Works
>[mailto:literacyworks.betsyrubin at gmail.com]
>Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2008 10:52 PM
>To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
>Subject: USA Learns Concern
>
> 
>Hello,
> 
>USA Learns looks like it could be a wonderful resource. However, I feel
>uneasy about some of the statements about how users' information could be
>used.  
> 
>I have a concern about the confidentiality and security of student
>information, particularly if users of the site don't carefully read the
>privacy policy.
> 
>Can you please comment on the quote below from the USA Learns website?  I
>have placed asterisks around the key parts of the quote.
> 
>The USA Learns website's "About" page states:
> 
>"Be aware that **any personal information you might disclose**, including
>performance records of Learners, in the process of using the Courses,
>Units, Lessons, and Activities provided on the Site **should be
>considered public information** even though some of this information is
>accessible only with proper sign-in identification.  The Sacramento
>County Office of Education encourages you to be cautious about
>incorporating personal information in Lessons and Activities available on
>the Site.
> 
>"Are there any **circumstances in which The Sacramento County Office of
>Education would disclose information to third parties**?
>
>Under normal circumstances, The Sacramento County Office of Education
>does not disclose information to third parties.  **Exceptional
>circumstances could include**: 
>
>Protecting the integrity and security of our Site 
>
>Precautions against liability 
>
>Protection of the safety, rights, or property of users or others 
>
>**Response to requirements of the judicial process or, to the extent
>permitted by law, requests of law enforcement or public safety agencies**.
>
>Even in these circumstances, **we would release your account information
>only if we felt it was reasonably necessary**."
>
> 
>Thanks very much for responding to this question.
> 
>Betsy Rubin
>Chicago, IL
>
>-------------------------------
>National Institute for Literacy
>Special Topics mailing list
>SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
>To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
>http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
>Email delivered to jfleischman at scoe.net

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From clare at pdx.edu  Wed Nov 19 17:42:41 2008
From: clare at pdx.edu (Clare Strawn)
Date: Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:42:41 -0800
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1155] Re: New Designs in Online and Distance Learning
Message-ID: <000e01c94a98$21d4d310$96befc83@PSU.DS.PDX.EDU>

Hi, I'm joining the discussion after presenting Learner Web at the National
college Transition Network conference in Providence. So I want to put in my
2 cents worth on some of the previously posted topics. 

On the combined topics of reaching parents of school children and use at
libraries:

Goodling Institute for Research in Family Literacy is developing a Family
Literacy learning plan that supports parents reading with young children. I
believe this plan involves getting library books out of the library. I can
imagine it being introduced to Even Start and Head Start parents and other
types of programs hosted by schools and libraries. Many schools offer adult
education programs after hours.  I think it is a great idea to send
information about these tools home to parents with school children.

The Learner Web is funded by the Institute of Library and Museum Services
and all of our pilot sites include a public or academic library.  Most
libraries have public access computer use with internet access through which
patrons can access these tools.  Here in Portland, OR., a library branch is
piloting Learner Web in their lab with a volunteer assistant and dedicated
hours.

 

On the topic of "Resources" and "Regions"
As Steve said, Resources are a variety of online and community-based,
face-to-face resource to support learning. There are currently way more than
650 Resources because all of the partners are entering resources that are
connected to their Regional implementation and to their specific Learning
Plans. Some implementers are developing Curriculum content specifically for
the Learner Web, some are modifying content they use in the classroom and
some are drawing exclusively on content that is already available on line
(USA Learns is a "Resource" in the Learner Web).  I think the biggest
challenge regarding content is that most of what is currently available is
the equivalent of digital workbooks that do not engage all of the different
learning styles and modalities that are possible. This is rapidly changing,
however. The web content available now is much richer then what was
available two years ago when we first started the Resource data base.

  Regional implementation is an important underlying concept of the Learner
Web.  As everyone knows, URL's frequently become out dated. Each Region can
monitor the URLS being used through the Resource Administrator function.
This de-centralizes the burden and makes it more sustainable. Regions add to
the shared Resource data base and can choose to share each other's
Resources. 

 

On the topic of research behind the Learner Web, I refer people to the
Longitudinal Study of Adult Learning www.lsal.pdx.edu
<http://www.lsal.pdx.edu/> .  I recently posted a paper there discussing the
relationship between literacy proficiency and technology use among adults
who didn't finish high school, the findings of which support the development
of the Learner Web concept.

 

Clare Strawn

Learner Web

Portland State University

503-725-8720

clare at pdx.edu

 

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From laferlazzo at aol.com  Thu Nov 20 10:32:52 2008
From: laferlazzo at aol.com (laferlazzo at aol.com)
Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:32:52 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1156] Re: We are enthused with USA Learns!
In-Reply-To: <66d7e2a90811190428x8382f03u2d6614acece13067@mail.gmail.com>
References: <C89819844976460AACB680B7F78601BA@A1411><20081119102636.UTHU2107.hrndva-omta03.mail.rr.com@WSLCLaptop202>
	<66d7e2a90811190428x8382f03u2d6614acece13067@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <8CB193C63012CAA-820-567@WEBMAIL-MC07.sysops.aol.com>

I just read in the Learning The Language blog (http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/learning-the-language/2008/11/state_department_to_create_onl.html) about a new State Department plan to create an online EFL program for students outside of the United States.

Is this going to be connected to USA Learns?? Does anybody know anything about this?

Larry Ferlazzo
Luther Burbank High School
Sacramento, CA

-----Original Message-----
From: Leslie Petty <leslie.lpetty at gmail.com>
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Sent: Wed, 19 Nov 2008 4:28 am
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1147] Re: We are enthused with USA Learns!

Theresa,
What a wonderful model! ?You've found a way to combine the social element of language learning with the technology-based approach. ?I'd love to hear more from you as it progresses.?

Your observation that learners with high levels of education in their heritage language and computer skills picked up very quickly matches what we observed in the usability testing we did. ?But we also found that students with lower levels of education in their home countries (sixth grade or lower), at beginning ESL levels and with only modest computer skills were also able to effectively use the site. ?They used a straightforward approach and went through the activities sequentially (by clicking "take me to my next activity" when they signed-in to the site) but made steady progress. ?There were some technical demands that were challenging for them, but they didn't deter the students from using the site. ?These basic skills could
 certainly be developed in a traditional classroom program or in the FTF component of your approach. ?In fact, many of these students significantly exceeded the amount of time we asked them to spend in the site during the usability test. ?They were also very interested in having family members and friends use the site (another reason I find your model so exciting). ?

Thanks for sharing your experience and insight.

Leslie

On Wed, Nov 19, 2008 at 5:26 AM, Theresa Pagano <manos at twcny.rr.com> wrote:

Buenos d?as a todos.? 

?

This is my first time corresponding with all of you.

?

I have just introduced USA Learns to the mid-intermediate ESOL adult learners at the West Side Learning Center. ?(past two weeks) 

We have established a specific time and day each week for a Learners' Circle. ?Interested ELL adults and a facilitator meet to discuss, share, and clarify any topics of choice from the learners' USA Learns experiences. ?We hope to evolve into a 'language partners' format (peer-to-peer) with language partners deciding on their face-to-face meeting time and place.? A quarterly get-together of everyone participating is planned for Saturdays, including 'la familia'.

?

We are introducing USA Learns to our local library branches for those learners without home-based technology. 

?

Observation:? Those learners with higher formal education in their heritage language and experience with technology have become engaged in USA Learns20very quickly. ?Others have become so motivated by the integration of language and technology learning that they arrive early and stay later than class times in order to use it.

?

I enjoy the information shared through these Special Topics conversations.

?

Hasta pronto,

?

Theresa Pagano

MANOS and West Side Learning Center

Partners in Learning, Inc. & Syracuse City School District

"A community connected by diverse cultural and language-learning experiences."

(315) 435-4967

manos at twcny.rr.com

?

?

-------------------------------
ational Institute for Literacy
pecial Topics mailing list
pecialTopics at nifl.gov
o unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 
ttp://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
mail delivered to laferlazzo at aol.com

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From leslie.lpetty at gmail.com  Thu Nov 20 19:15:29 2008
From: leslie.lpetty at gmail.com (Leslie Petty)
Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2008 19:15:29 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1157]  Usability issues with U.S.A. Learns
Message-ID: <66d7e2a90811201615x1a17bd4ds92e10f64b2d03912@mail.gmail.com>

Hello, again.  A few of the questions David received asked about use online
tools by adults in the target audience for USAL.  I hope the following
responses will help to begin to answer some of those concerns.

*About ten years ago, I conducted a thorough review of secondary literature
on online learning specifically asking questions related to the use of
online learning for the pre-GED adult learner. At that time the research
seemed to indicate that online learning was most successful for people who
were already successful readers and linear learners -- that the use of
online learning courses added an additional burden to learners who were
visual or kinesthetic or social learners -- and /or who had difficulty with
reading. I wonder if the guests would speak directly to how their systems
address those issues of learning modality -- and reading levels.*

The USAL materials were developed in conjunction with a panel of ESL experts
and field tested with students from a variety of educational and native
language backgrounds.  Audio and video play a key role in the activities
throughout the site, so that learners are not relying exclusively on print.
  Visual learners are likely to find much that fits with their learning
styles, but it may be more challenging for kinesthetic or social learners
(unless the social learners enroll in a class with a teacher or tutor using
USAL).  However, the site does require that students have at least a basic
reading level in English in order to be able to effectively navigate the
site and understand the lessons/activities. In conducting our usability
studies, we found that learners with low levels of education in their native
countries (6th grade or lower), who were at the Beginning ESL levels, and
had limited computer skills were not only able to navigate the site and
complete the activities, but were so engaged that they spent significantly
more time working than we had asked them to.  In addition, they wanted to
have their family members use the site.  The only area where we noticed
hesitation on their part was when it came to writing in English:  many of
the students either avoided writing activities or indicated that they were
difficult for them.

*What evidence and experience do the designers have about the use of online
tools by people with very low literacy?*

SCOE has extensive experience in developing online resources for adult
learners. The site was designed for ease of use:  It contains a collection
of 15 activity templates that cover the most commonly used learning
activities in online adult education.  The templates all have a common look
and feel and a minimal set of features to increase the likelihood that users
will find the site easy to navigate. Directions, activities and feedback are
minimalist in design, require little reading, and appear in the same place
on every screen.  An animated introductory help feature, with audio
available in English and Spanish allows users to take an animated tour to
learn how to use the site.  Video and audio are used extensively throughout
the activities, including opportunities for learners to record and playback
their spoken English

However, as we've noted before, we didn't know how well this approach would
work with low-level learners and learners with minimal computer skills. Our
usability testing has provided some insights into that, but clearly there's
still a great deal to be learned.  Some students had difficulty getting
through the registration process (we have since simplified it) but once
students got into the activities, they had only minor problems.  One concern
was how well students would be able to navigate through the site so they
could progress through the activities.  In the usability study, we found
that almost all of the students progressed through the site in a sequential
fashion, by clicking on the link to "take me to my next activity."   They
were able to continue studying and making progress, even if they didn't have
a sophisticated schema about how the site was organized.  Several students
commented that the site was very easy to use and that it progressed in a
step-by-step fashion.

*How low do the models go?*

We don't know this yet. At this point, we've seen students with a 6th grade
or lower education in their native countries, limited English proficiency
and modest (at best) computer skills successfully engage USAL, get to their
next activity and complete lessons.
Leslie

-- 
Leslie Petty, Ed.D.
Associate Director
Project IDEAL Support Center
University of Michigan
734-425-0748
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From stacey.downey at dc.gov  Thu Nov 20 09:32:07 2008
From: stacey.downey at dc.gov (Downey, Stacey (OSSE))
Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2008 09:32:07 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1158] Re: SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 26, Issue 8
In-Reply-To: <8CB17B21CE52A43-260-A98@WEBMAIL-MB16.sysops.aol.com>
References: <mailman.106692.1226941087.14302.specialtopics@nifl.gov><4CB17D33C0F89345847A40593C9EB8EBE5DF88@SOM-TEAQASMAIL2.som.w2k.state.me.us>
	<8CB17B21CE52A43-260-A98@WEBMAIL-MB16.sysops.aol.com>
Message-ID: <9297128BF469784A9E4B428FB1D2ABEF466B19@emo-exch2k3-s33.dcgov.priv>

At the Rutgers University, Center for Women and Work (CWW) Sloan
Conference on E-Learning last December, there were excellent panels on:

 

The Road to Work from Prison to Community: The Role of Computer-Based
Learning
Part One: Vision of Technology, Education, and the Prison Re-entry
System

 

The presenters talked about efforts in NJ to provide computer assisted
learning opportunities (though in closed computer environments) for
incarcerated men and women and then, interestingly, how they have can
extend learning post-release with a program that places computers in the
home.  

http://sloanelearning.wiki.zoho.com/900am-on-14-Dec.html

http://sloanelearning.wiki.zoho.com/10am-on-14-Dec.html

 

Perhaps someone from Rutgers University's CWW can speak more about their
fine work in New Jersey.  

 

And please tell us if NJ has found a way for the assessment scores,
computer based learning scores, modules completed, etc. that an
individual completes in a closed computer system while incarcerated can
be - with the re-entrant's permission -- uploaded to the web-based
version of that same software to provide continuity of learning.

 

Stacey Downey 

Stacey Downey 

Literacy Resource Center Coordinator 

Division of Education Excellence, Adult and Family Education 

Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE)

Government of the District of Columbia

51 N Street NE, 7th Floor

Washington, DC 20002

Direct:  202-741-5530

Fax:  202-741-0229

stacey.downey at dc.gov

www.osse.dc.gov

 

________________________________

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of cvctwin51 at aol.com
Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2008 11:31 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1125] Re: SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 26, Issue 8

 

Teaching in the corrections environment is also very near and dear to
me.  I have taught GED classes at Denver County Jail for over 5 years.
The nonprofit organization I work for does its best to provide
resources, but at the moment the only resources we have are print
materials. 

I see three benefits to creating a GED online for corrections.  One,
students can work at their own pace. Hopefully, the program is
learner-centered so they only have to work on the subjects they need.
Two, some of my students are not familiar with the computer, which is a
handicap when it comes times to apply for a job.  Using a computer would
give them practice in computer skills as well as GED.  Three, many of my
students have marginal jobs (I am in the work release program now) and
earning a GED enables them to get a "real" job and hopefully, stay out
of trouble.  Working on a computer may provide more motivation to stay
in class or attract students who want a faster paced lesson.

If we had a national GED program in a secure web environment for
corrections, many teachers could work online with the students.  All the
"brainpower" for targeting their education would not have to be in the
building.  Outside teachers who love adult learning and online education
could be used to create lessons for the students.  And they could work
with onsite personnel to reach even more inmates.

 

Carolyn Carter
The Learning Source

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Upham, Gary <Gary.Upham at maine.gov>
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Sent: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 5:06 am
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1107] Re: SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 26, Issue 8

Good morning.  I am the principal at the Maine State Prison, where we

have an active education department but little resources available.  I

also am President Elect of the Maine Adult Corrections association.  Due

to the nature of this program our access for inmates (which

demographically would have about 25-50% of a population that could use

this program), is not available through the web.  How can we access and

is it a possibility to create a special program for this population?  My

goal is that all facilities would have access to programs like this in a

secure web environment.

Thanks

Gary Upham/MSP

-----Original Message-----

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov

[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
<mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov?> ] On Behalf Of

specialtopics-request at nifl.gov

Sent: Monday, November 17, 2008 11:58 AM

To: specialtopics at nifl.gov

Subject: SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 26, Issue 8

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Today's Topics:

   1. [SpecialTopics 1091] Re: New Designs in Online and

      DistanceLearning  -- your questions (Steve Reder)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1

Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 08:51:07 -0800

From: "Steve Reder" <reders at pdx.edu>

Subject: [SpecialTopics 1091] Re: New Designs in Online and

    DistanceLearning    -- your questions

To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>

Message-ID: <006701c948d4$b0317e30$0502fea9 at PSU.DS.PDX.EDU>

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Good questions, Katherine.  During our demonstration project (through

Sept

2010), Portland State university is hosting Learner Web for all users

but it

will be freely distributed as open source towards the end of the project

so

that others can host it as they wish.  The implementing regions in our

demonstration project are starting to discuss a planned national rollout

process.  Big issues will be deciding how best to provide needed

training

and technical assistance to organizational users of the LW - the

external

evaluation being conducted on the demonstration project will help us

identify some of the issues to consider in scaling up such training and

assistance.  We are developing a whole online library of multimedia

videos

and manuals for training purposes. 

 

Learning plans (remember, these are the structured units of content for

the

Learner Web platform) can be designed to blend the use of Learner Web

with

live courses in a rich variety of ways.  We expect to have a number of

working and evaluated models developed through our demonstration

project.

 

Hope this helps.  Thanks for your questions.

 

-Steve

 

  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov

[mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov
<mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov?> ]

On Behalf Of Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt

Sent: Sunday, November 02, 2008 2:27 PM

To: specialtopics at nifl.gov

Subject: [SpecialTopics 1078] Re: New Designs in Online and

DistanceLearning

-- your questions

 

Hi David--

1.  It looks like these programs will be open source.  How do they

differ

from other programs that are NOT open source?  For example, I worked

with a

program called Project Connect which provided lessons in English

language,

culture and civics.  Schools using the program must purchase a license.

Hence, the program is run through the school where there are designated

contacts who can also meet with students and provide a certain amount of

tech support. Are these programs similar?  If so, has there been any

feedback from subscription-only program providers?

 

2.  Are these programs meant to be used in tandem with live courses?  My

experience has been that pure distance education programs do not

adequately

serve this community for a variety of reasons, including technological

barriers, students' inability to communicate problems, feelings of being

overwhelmed or intimidated, etc.  

Thank you!  I look forward to the discussion and appreciate the reminder

to

ask questions early!

On Sun, Nov 2, 2008 at 11:06 AM, David Rosen <DJRosen at theworld.com>

wrote:

Colleagues, 

 

As several people have recently signed up for the upcoming discussion

here,

New Designs in Online and Distance Learning, and since so far I have

only

received one question,  I would like to repeat my request for your

questions

for our guests:

 

What questions would you like to ask our guests? 

 

Please look at the brief descriptions of the two models that you will

see in

my previous email message, included below. The federally-funded USA

Learns

will have a national launch in a few days, before our discussion begins.

We'll have an announcement here of the web site so you can look at it if

you

like.  The Learner Web is a federally-funded demonstration project,

available only for field testing in several selected regions around the

country in Oregon, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New

Jersey and Washington, D.C. More information about the Learner Web,

including two screen capture videos (if you register and log in), will

be

found at http://learnerweb.org <http://learnerweb.org/> 

 

. What would you like our guests to cover or explain in their

descriptions

of USA Learns and the Learner Web when we begin the discussion on

November

17th and 18th?

. Do you want to know how USA Learns and the Learner Web became

federally-funded projects, what needs or research base they grew from,

or

other things about their history and development?

. Do you want to know how they differ from other online adult basic

education and English language learning models? If so, which kinds:

online

courses, online course management systems, wikis, portals, or something

else? 

. If you are thinking about using either USA Learns or the Learner Web

with

your students, what is the situation you are hoping it will address?

What

group(s) of students, at what level(s) with what needs?  What questions

do

you have about the model's usefulness for that situation?

 

Think about why you have subscribed to the Special Topics discussion

forum

(or stayed subscribed) for this discussion, what you want to get from

it.

Frame a question or questions that will help our guests address your

interest or need. You can send your questions by just replying to this

message or by emailing them directly to me at djrosen at theworld.com. I

will

share the questions with our guests before the discussion begins, and

the

questions will be posted on or after November 17th. Of course more

questions, observations, and dialogue will be welcome during the week of

the

discussion.

 

Finally, it's not too late for your colleagues to join this discussion.

To

subscribe to the discussion, one can go to: 

http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics

One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can stay

subscribed for the next discussion.

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

DJRosen at theworld.com

 

 

 

On Oct 29, 2008, at 9:38 PM, David Rosen wrote:

 

Special Topics Discussion Colleagues,

 

On November 17th we will begin a discussion of USA Learns and of 

the Learner Web. You will find the description for this discussion

below. 

Judging by the number of new subscribers, this is a high-interest topic!

Now is the time to think about why you have subscribed: 

 

What questions would you like to ask our guests? 

 

Although your questions will not be posted until the discussion begins, 

I would like to share them with our guests in advance.  Of course, 

questions, comments, and dialogue, will also be welcome during the 

discussion.

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

djrosen at theworld.com

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------

----

----------------

New Designs in Online and Distance Learning is a National Institute

for Literacy Special Topics discussion that will be held from

November 17th through November 21st, 2008. It will focus on two new

adult education models: a national learning portal for English

language learning at a distance, called USA Learns, and a web-based

and telephone-based learning support system, called the Learner Web,

for ABE, ASE and ELL students enrolled in classes to supplement their

learning, as well as for those who study on their own. We have four

distinguished guests, researchers as well as product developers, who

will describe these two models and answer questions.

 

For USA Learns, our guests are John Fleischman and Dr. Jerome (Jere)

Johnston. For the Learner Web our guests are Dr. Stephen Reder and

Dr. Clare Strawn. You will find more information about them below.

 

Please forward this announcement to your colleagues who may be

interested in subscribing!

 

To subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:

 

http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics

 

One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can

stay subscribed for the next discussion.

 

Description of the models

 

The Learner Web is a learning support system providing structure and

resources for adults who want to accomplish specific learning

objectives. A learner can access the system through the Internet. In

addition to on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates support

services from existing local education programs, community based

organizations, tutors, and telephone helpers. The Learner Web

consists of a Web-based software system that is implemented

regionally. The System is organized around Learning Plans. A Learning

Plan is a set of steps structured around achieving an identified

goal. For example, if the goal is to get a GED, the steps might

include finding out more about the tests, identifying what skills one

needs to brush up on, learning new skills and knowledge, taking

practice tests, etc. Each step is matched with online and community

based resources and a workspace where learners can take assessments

or save their work in an e-portfolio. The learner creates a personal

profile, may take a short reading assessment and interest inventory,

chooses a goal from the available list and follows the Learning Plan

independently or with a tutor or a teacher. The Learning Plan is

dynamically matched by the software to both the learner profile and

educational resources. The learner's progress is saved and can be

returned to at any time via the internet. Learners can choose to

share their workspace with a tutor or teacher.

 

The Learner Web has begun the second year of a three-year

demonstration project in seven demonstration regions across the country.

 

U.S.A. Learns is a free Web site designed for adult learners with

limited English language skills. Instructional content focuses on

the language and literacy skills that adults need for everyday

survival. While a broad range of adults can use U.S.A. Learns, it

has been developed primarily for immigrants who cannot attend

traditional classroom programs because of difficulty with schedules,

transportation, or other barriers. The site includes more than 400

hours of instruction and offers an extensive array of video, audio

and richly illustrated graphics and images. The site layout was

created with the inexperienced Web user in mind, and extensive built-

in help features are available. U.S.A. Learns can be used

independently, but it can also be used in association with a teacher

or tutor via an online management system.

 

 

Background on Discussion Guests

 

John Fleischman

 

With more than 25 years of experience in adult education as a

teacher, administrator and project director, John Fleischman is

currently responsible for information and educational technology

operations at the Sacramento County Office of Education. John

possesses an extensive background with creating and implementing

instructional and informational media for use in a variety of

educational environments. His present area of focus is on building

Web-based solutions for education, including data management systems

and comprehensive online learning resources. Working at the state

and national level, he provides oversight for a range of technology

initiatives including the Outreach and Technology Assistance Network

(www.otan.us <http://www.otan.us/> ) and Strengthening Programs Through

Technology

(www.adultedonline.org <http://www.adultedonline.org/> ). John is the

author

of numerous publications

and is frequently requested as a presenter at both state and national

conferences.

 

Jerome (Jere) Johnston is Research Professor at the University of

Michigan's Institute for Social Research. For 40 years he has been

studying ways that technology shapes what people learn. In recent

years Dr. Johnston has been exploring innovative ways to use

technology in adult literacy. He directs the Project IDEAL Support

Center, supporting 25 states in their efforts to build distance

learning programs for adult learners. The Center provides technical

assistance to states in the areas of training, research, and policy

development (projectideal.org <http://projectideal.org/> ).

 

Stephen Reder is University Professor and Chair of the Department of

Applied Linguistics at Portland State University. His research and

teaching interests focus on adult education and the processes of

literacy and language development during adulthood. Dr. Reder has

served as the Principal Investigator for a number of major projects

in adult education. Two recent projects, the Longitudinal Study of

Adult Learning and the National Labsite for Adult ESOL, examine the

ways adults acquire new literacy and language abilities and the roles

which adult education programs and policies play in supporting that

development. The results of this research have led to the

development of the Learner Web, an innovative online adult learning

support system. Professor Reder is the author of numerous

publications about his research and its implications for adult

education and adult literacy and language development. He has

recently completed co-editing a volume with John Bynner, Tracking

Adult Literacy and Numeracy Skills: Findings from Longitudinal

Research. A second book is in progress, Dropping Out and Moving On:

Life, Literacy and Development among High School Dropouts. Dr. Reder

actively works with networks of adult education researchers,

practitioners and policymakers at the state, regional and national

levels.

 

Clare Strawn is Assistant Professor at Portland State University,

Portland, Oregon, and has been an analyst on the Longitudinal Study

of Adult Learning. She is interested in patterns of program

participation, the intersection of learning and community

development, social capital influences on learning strategies, and

technology. She has been a co-developer, with Steve Reder of the

Learner Web and has been actively involved in the demonstration project.

 

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

DJRosen at theworld.com

 

 

 

-------------------------------

National Institute for Literacy

Special Topics mailing list

SpecialTopics at nifl.gov

To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to

http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics

Email delivered to djrosen1 at gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-------------------------------

National Institute for Literacy

Special Topics mailing list

SpecialTopics at nifl.gov

To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to

http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics

Email delivered to katherine.gotthardt at gmail.com

-- 

Katherine Mercurio Gotthardt

www.LuxuriousChoices.net

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Special Topics mailing list

SpecialTopics at nifl.gov

To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to

http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics

End of SpecialTopics Digest, Vol 26, Issue 8

********************************************

-------------------------------

National Institute for Literacy

Special Topics mailing list

SpecialTopics at nifl.gov

To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to 

http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics

Email delivered to cvctwin51 at aol.com

 

________________________________

You Rock! One month of free movies delivered by mail from
blockbuster.com
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From djrosen1 at gmail.com  Fri Nov 21 12:45:20 2008
From: djrosen1 at gmail.com (djrosen1)
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:45:20 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1159] Fwd: Learner Web - A Regional Partner
	Perspective
References: <859978.44247.qm@web52701.mail.re2.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <582D49FF-76B1-4DBA-9A4B-D4089C1C7557@gmail.com>

Forwarded for Karisa Tashjian

Begin forwarded message:

> From: karisa tashjian <ktashjian at yahoo.com>
> Date: November 20, 2008 10:23:00 AM EST
> Subject: Learner Web - A Regional Partner Perspective
>
>
> As a regional partner, I'd like to emphasize a few points about the  
> Learner Web.  First, this is an initiative that is fully  
> "grassroots".  The idea comes from and continues to develop from  
> practitioners across the nation.  Second, this approach does  
> present some challenges in terms of local fundraising and  
> coordination, however, I look at the Learner Web as something that  
> "if we build it, they will come".  As it becomes more fully  
> developed, I am certain that support will continue to build.   
> Finally, I believe that the Learner Web will not only benefit  
> learners but also community organizations and teachers as well.  As  
> Learning Plans are developed, teachers are working together and  
> connecting with community organizations.  I can't imagine anything  
> better to help learners!
>
> Best regards,
> Karisa Tashjian
> Literacy Program Coordinator
> The Rhode Island Family Literacy Initiative (RIFLI)
> (: 401.455.8185
> *: ktashjian at provlib.org
> :: http://www.rifli.org
>
>
> --- On Tue, 11/18/08, David J. Rosen <DJRosen at theworld.com> wrote:
> From: David J. Rosen <DJRosen at theworld.com>
> Subject: [SpecialTopics 1135] Welcome to those who have recently  
> joined the discussion
> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
> Date: Tuesday, November 18, 2008, 7:12 PM
>
> Special Topics Colleagues,
>
> For those who have just joined us and want to catch up, and for  
> others who may want to find a particular post, you will find an  
> archive of this discussion (and all Special Topics discussions) at  
> http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html
>
> We welcome your questions and comments on both the Learner Web (LW)  
> and USA Learns (USAL).
>
> A couple of people have asked how USA Learns and The Learner Web  
> may be used to count NRS distance learning equivalents to class  
> time. For the benefit of those who are not familiar with this,  
> perhaps Sheryl Adler from the U.S. Department of Education could  
> explain the Department's policy on counting Distance Learning for  
> NRS reporting. Then perhaps someone from USA Learns and someone  
> from the Learner Web could describe how parts of each model's  
> curriculum (or in the LW Model, "Learning Plan") might be awarded  
> equivalent class time -- referring to policy at a national or at a  
> state level. If this isn't clear yet in the model, what is the  
> process you envision for getting NRS approval of distance learning  
> equivalency?
>
> Several people are interested in how the Learner Web or USA Learns  
> might be used, perhaps in a closed internal system, inside  
> corrections facilities. If this were possible, it could be a  
> terrific service for those incarcerated in corrections institutions  
> or county jails. It would enable inmates to begin to use the model  
> inside and, when released, to continue their learning on the  
> outside. I imagine there might be a challenges in transfering the  
> progress records from the closed inside to the open web-based  
> versions, but perhaps with additional resources this problem could  
> be solved, I wonder if funding from the recently passed Second  
> Chance Act could support developing the inside versions and a  
> transition interface to the open web-based version for released  
> inmates. (See Special Topics Discussion on transitions from  
> transitions to community, message 918,
> http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/000930.html
> for a description of the Second Chance Act.)
>
> Several people have commented on the Learner Web's ability to be  
> regionally (locally) tailored and to include face-to-face as well  
> as online learning resources. One person has observed that this  
> sounded complicated, involving  local effort and costs. I wonder if  
> Steve or Clare, or those who are working in Leraner Web regional  
> pilots, might like to comment on the opportunities and challenges  
> of this _regional_ learning support model.
>
> Does anyone see ways in which the Learner Web and USA Learns might  
> be used together, where they add value to each other? Perhaps our  
> guests would also care to comment on that.
>
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> djrosen at theworld.com
>
>
>
> ------------------------------- National Institute for Literacy  
> Special Topics mailing list SpecialTopics at nifl.gov To unsubscribe  
> or change your subscription settings, please go to http:// 
> www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics Email delivered to  
> ktashjian at yahoo.com
>

From maureenh at azcallateen.k12.az.us  Fri Nov 21 13:47:54 2008
From: maureenh at azcallateen.k12.az.us (maureen hoyt)
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2008 11:47:54 -0700
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1160] Re: Usability issues with U.S.A. Learns
Message-ID: <77B24677B57F9646B244B93AE6B95C7901888B54@acat-exch.azcallateen.k12.az.us>

I agree that USA learns is an excellent resource. I think previous
studies used primarily text based on line programs that did not have
audio. It will be interesting to see how basic skills readers will
benefit from this program.

 

Maureen Hoyt

Basic Education Manager

ACYR 

602-252-6721ext 223

fax: 602-252-2952

www.azcallateen.k12.az.us

www.az-aall.org

Equal Opportunity Employer/Program. Auxiliary aids and services are
available upon request to individuals with disabilities.

 

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From stacey.downey at dc.gov  Fri Nov 21 13:56:47 2008
From: stacey.downey at dc.gov (Downey, Stacey (OSSE))
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:56:47 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1161]  Learner Web Active in DC
Message-ID: <9297128BF469784A9E4B428FB1D2ABEF466B41@emo-exch2k3-s33.dcgov.priv>

Thank you, Belinda and Janet, for your interest in the Learner Web
activity in Washington, DC.   

 

The District of Columbia is one of the Learner Web demonstration
regions.  The DC partnership is made up of:

 

*      DC Public Library

*      Office of the State Superintendent of Education, Adult and Family
Education

*      University of the District of Columbia, Workforce Development 

 

The DC design is to dramatically increase access points to the Learner
Web and online learning opportunities.  Adult education providers,
library staff, Lifelong Learning Coaches, Lifelong Learning Centers, and
workforce development centers would make sure that DC residents are
aware of the Learner Web as an adult education/post-secondary transition
option. 

 

Learner Web participants in the adult education strand will be assessed
in adult education programs in the state assessment system which is
CASAS.  Interested candidates can get an introduction to the Learner Web
at adult education centers, the library, Workforce Development Centers,
or on board the Transformer
<http://osse.dc.gov/seo/cwp/view,A,1222,Q,561746.asp#4> , a mobile
technology unit that is used for outreach and special events around the
city.  The University is working on learning plans to support
individuals working toward certifications, preparing for the ACCUPLACER,
and transitioning to college.

 

The DC region has developed a learning plan called GED - Start Here.  It
details the parts of the GED and what is involved in preparing fore the
exam.  The plan links to local resources like the local GED Testing
Center, the Read Out Loud hotline, and local program providers.   DC has
also contributed to the GED learning plans and is working on a learning
plan on interpreting graphs and charts for the GED.

 

We are absolutely interested in ways that the Learner Web can support
parents.  Supporting family literacy and family learning programs is
stated in the Office of the State Superintendent's 5-year strategic plan
<http://newsroom.dc.gov/show.aspx/agency/seo/section/2/release/15123>
that was released this fall. 

 

Stacey Downey

 

Stacey Downey 

Literacy Resource Center Coordinator 

Division of Education Excellence, Adult and Family Education 

Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE)

Government of the District of Columbia

51 N Street NE, 7th Floor

Washington, DC 20002

Direct:  202-741-5530

Fax:  202-741-0229

stacey.downey at dc.gov

www.osse.dc.gov

 

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From djrosen at theworld.com  Fri Nov 21 13:54:47 2008
From: djrosen at theworld.com (David Rosen)
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:54:47 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1162]  New Designs in Online and Distance Learning
Message-ID: <AF879F7D-BBC2-41D5-B02E-43D07E06302D@theworld.com>

Colleagues,

Today is the last day of our discussion on New Designs in Online and  
Distance Learning, the Learner Web and USA Learns. Although you are  
welcome to send comments and questions throughout the day, and our  
guests may yet respond to them, I want to take this opportunity to  
express my appreciation to all of our guests, and especially to Steve  
Reder, John Fleischman, and Leslie Petty who put in a great deal of  
time this week to answer your questions with care and thoroughness. I  
also want to thank all of the subscribers who have posted questions  
and comments. It was delightful to read comments from some of the  
Learner Web pilot regions and from those who have begun to use USA  
Learns.

For those who may have signed up in the middle, the entire discussion  
is archived at http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/ 
date.html  Between this discussion and the next one (not yet  
scheduled) the Special Topics list will go silent.  Thanks for  
joining us.

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
DJRosen at theworld.com

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From leslie.lpetty at gmail.com  Fri Nov 21 15:20:36 2008
From: leslie.lpetty at gmail.com (Leslie Petty)
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2008 15:20:36 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1163] Re: New Designs in Online and Distance Learning
In-Reply-To: <AF879F7D-BBC2-41D5-B02E-43D07E06302D@theworld.com>
References: <AF879F7D-BBC2-41D5-B02E-43D07E06302D@theworld.com>
Message-ID: <66d7e2a90811211220m45536a27uae8ee399a90aded3@mail.gmail.com>

David, Thank you for your skillful moderation (from across the world, no
less!) and your efforts to make this happen.

Leslie

On Fri, Nov 21, 2008 at 1:54 PM, David Rosen <djrosen at theworld.com> wrote:

> Colleagues,
> Today is the last day of our discussion on New Designs in Online and
> Distance Learning, the Learner Web and USA Learns. Although you are
> welcome to send comments and questions throughout the day, and our guests
> may yet respond to them, I want to take this opportunity to express my
> appreciation to all of our guests, and especially to Steve Reder, John
> Fleischman, and Leslie Petty who put in a great deal of time this week to
> answer your questions with care and thoroughness. I also want to thank all
> of the subscribers who have posted questions and comments. It was delightful
> to read comments from some of the Learner Web pilot regions and from those
> who have begun to use USA Learns.
>
> For those who may have signed up in the middle, the entire discussion is
> archived at http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html Between this discussion and the next one (not yet scheduled) the Special
> Topics list will go silent.  Thanks for joining us.
>
>
>
> David J. Rosen
> Special Topics Discussion Moderator
> DJRosen at theworld.com
>
>
>
>
>
> -------------------------------
> National Institute for Literacy
> Special Topics mailing list
> SpecialTopics at nifl.gov
> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to
> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics
> Email delivered to lpetty at twmi.rr.com
>

-- 
Leslie Petty, Ed.D.
Associate Director
Project IDEAL Support Center
University of Michigan
734-425-0748
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From JURMO at ucc.edu  Fri Nov 21 17:56:45 2008
From: JURMO at ucc.edu (JURMO at ucc.edu)
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:56:45 -0500
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1164] Re: Learner Web Active in Union County, NJ
References: <9297128BF469784A9E4B428FB1D2ABEF466B41@emo-exch2k3-s33.dcgov.priv>
Message-ID: <355865D6A500D84D960A0083B5FFF71F0446E1E6@crexc02.campus.ucc.edu>

Hi, Everyone,

I just want to take a few units of cyberspace to tell those interested in Learner Web about what we are doing at Union County College in New Jersey.

We are developing a Learner Web component which we call "Learner Web Career Pathways."   It is organized around three major goals:

1.  Develop a career plan.
2.  Develop transferable work-readiness skills.
3. Understand career options in various industries. 

My UCC colleagues and I have put most of our effort so far into developing activities and on-line resources for Goal 1 ("Develop a career plan.")  We are borrowing ideas from existing career awareness/curricula (especially the terrific "Getting There" curriculum developed 10 years ago by the people at the Center for Literacy Studies at the University of Tennessee) and are creating a step-by-step series of activities which learners can use to identify career goals, explore their strengths and challenges, prepare resumes and job interviewing skills, understand training and education options that can help them move ahead with their careers, and otherwise create a career plan for themselves.   We are field testing these activities with various populations of the learners in our adult basic education and workforce development programs, including ex-offenders, public assistance recipients, and English language learners.   Our instructors are being very creative in using the Learner Web framework to help learners not only think through various aspects of a career plan but to get comfortable using the Internet as a tool for learning.   For example, in one class, learners who wanted to explore options in various careers used O*NET to research the requirements and benefits of the jobs they were interested in, synthesized what they learned and presented a concise summary of that information in PowerPoint presentations.  

We are now also beginning to develop a learning plan (i.e., system of organizing activities related to a particular learning goal) for Goal 3 ("Understand career options in various industries").  Because we are already in various stages of developing career pathway programs for several industries, we are now assembling learning activities (with corresponding links to existing relevant web sites) which learners can use to understand career options in sales and customer service jobs, the transportation/logistics/distribution industry, "green collar" jobs, and healthcare (especially eldercare).  

We hope to also work with our Learner Web colleagues in St. Paul, Minnesota to develop a learning plan for Goal 2 ("Develop transferable work-readiness skills").  A learner could use these resources to prepare for entry in many different types of jobs as well as for use in the Work Readiness Credential exam. 

We see these LW learning plans as a way to organize the work-related learning activities we are  in many cases already doing with our learners.  LW is also proving to be a great way to help our learners feel comfortable using the Internet as a learning tool.   We have begun training our instructors in the use of Learner Web and will be inviting them to help us field test and develop it further. 

There's plenty more work for us to do to develop our section of Learner Web.  We look forward to moving ahead with this work and to sharing what we come up with when it's ready. (We hope that will be in early 2009, resources permitting.)

All the best,

Paul Jurmo, Ed.D.
Dean, Economic Development and Continuing Education
Union County College
New Jersey

Thank you, Belinda and Janet, for your interest in the Learner Web
activity in Washington, DC.   

 

The District of Columbia is one of the Learner Web demonstration
regions.  The DC partnership is made up of:

 

*      DC Public Library

*      Office of the State Superintendent of Education, Adult and Family
Education

*      University of the District of Columbia, Workforce Development 

 

The DC design is to dramatically increase access points to the Learner
Web and online learning opportunities.  Adult education providers,
library staff, Lifelong Learning Coaches, Lifelong Learning Centers, and
workforce development centers would make sure that DC residents are
aware of the Learner Web as an adult education/post-secondary transition
option. 

 

Learner Web participants in the adult education strand will be assessed
in adult education programs in the state assessment system which is
CASAS.  Interested candidates can get an introduction to the Learner Web
at adult education centers, the library, Workforce Development Centers,
or on board the Transformer
<http://osse.dc.gov/seo/cwp/view,A,1222,Q,561746.asp#4> , a mobile
technology unit that is used for outreach and special events around the
city.  The University is working on learning plans to support
individuals working toward certifications, preparing for the ACCUPLACER,
and transitioning to college.

 

The DC region has developed a learning plan called GED - Start Here.  It
details the parts of the GED and what is involved in preparing fore the
exam.  The plan links to local resources like the local GED Testing
Center, the Read Out Loud hotline, and local program providers.   DC has
also contributed to the GED learning plans and is working on a learning
plan on interpreting graphs and charts for the GED.

 

We are absolutely interested in ways that the Learner Web can support
parents.  Supporting family literacy and family learning programs is
stated in the Office of the State Superintendent's 5-year strategic plan
<http://newsroom.dc.gov/show.aspx/agency/seo/section/2/release/15123>
that was released this fall. 

 

Stacey Downey

 

Stacey Downey 

Literacy Resource Center Coordinator 

Division of Education Excellence, Adult and Family Education 

Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE)

Government of the District of Columbia

51 N Street NE, 7th Floor

Washington, DC 20002

Direct:  202-741-5530

Fax:  202-741-0229

stacey.downey at dc.gov

www.osse.dc.gov

 

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From reders at pdx.edu  Fri Nov 21 19:01:40 2008
From: reders at pdx.edu (Steve Reder)
Date: Fri, 21 Nov 2008 16:01:40 -0800
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1165] Re: New Designs in Online and Distance Learning
In-Reply-To: <AF879F7D-BBC2-41D5-B02E-43D07E06302D@theworld.com>
References: <AF879F7D-BBC2-41D5-B02E-43D07E06302D@theworld.com>
Message-ID: <000001c94c35$7f032520$0502fea9@PSU.DS.PDX.EDU>

I'd like to add my thanks to David for his expert moderation and to everyone
who participated in a very stimulating and thoughtful week of discussion.  

-Steve Reder

 

  _____  

From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of David Rosen
Sent: Friday, November 21, 2008 10:55 AM
To: specialtopics at nifl.gov
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1162] New Designs in Online and Distance Learning

 

Colleagues,

 

Today is the last day of our discussion on New Designs in Online and
Distance Learning, the Learner Web and USA Learns. Although you are welcome
to send comments and questions throughout the day, and our guests may yet
respond to them, I want to take this opportunity to express my appreciation
to all of our guests, and especially to Steve Reder, John Fleischman, and
Leslie Petty who put in a great deal of time this week to answer your
questions with care and thoroughness. I also want to thank all of the
subscribers who have posted questions and comments. It was delightful to
read comments from some of the Learner Web pilot regions and from those who
have begun to use USA Learns. 

 

For those who may have signed up in the middle, the entire discussion is
archived at http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/specialtopics/2008/date.html
Between this discussion and the next one (not yet scheduled) the Special
Topics list will go silent. Thanks for joining us.

 

 

David J. Rosen

Special Topics Discussion Moderator

DJRosen at theworld.com

 

 

 

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