NCSALL and Goodling Institute Study Circle Guide: Rethinking Instruction and Participation for Adult Basic Education
Author: Jones, R.
Date: 2005-07-00
Type: Guides - Non-Classroom
Subjects: Feedback (Response),Delivery Systems,Program Design,Educational Research,Student Participation,Adult Basic Education,Adult Learning,Academic Persistence,Adult Students,Discussion Groups,Independent Study,Adult Literacy,Learner Engagement,Curriculum Design,Electronic Learning,Synchronous Communication,Guides

This guide addresses issues around organizing learning services for students in ways that make sense for them, and what the research says about it. The focus is on the structure and organization of instruction and how practitioners can broaden the range of options that students have so that classes aren't the only option. This guide provides all the necessary materials and clear instructions to plan and facilitate a three-session study circle. Each session lasts three hours. In Session One, Program Participation and Self-Directed Learning, the study circle group will share information about their interest and experience with program participation and self-directed learning and how the topic relates to their own work contexts. Participants will examine research from National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy's (NCSALL's) Longitudinal Study of Adult Learning (LSAL), which addresses these two issues in adult literacy and education. The study circle members will take part in an activity that begins to deconstruct what it means to participate and engage in self-study efforts. Session two, Delivery Systems and Student Participation, gives participants the opportunity to engage with current research and find its relevance to their own practice by (1) exploring the notion of "delivery systems," (2) making personal connections to research, and (3) discussing implications for curriculum and program design. The group will look at the NCSALL Adult Student Persistence Study results and examine ways the results relate to larger program and learning issues. In the final session, Session Three, Diversity in Adult Learning and Education, the group will focus on the idea that people learn in different configurations. Three different types of programs will be examined: (1) online, (2) distance, and (3) face-to-face. Participants will be asked to apply the research they have read to different situations. Each session includes activities to help participants discuss the readings and to generate ideas for applying what they've learned in their classrooms and programs. The direction that the discussions go will vary with the concerns of each group. It is important that discussions and activities meet the needs of all the group members. The facilitator needs to be flexible and may need to modify some activities to fit the needs and learning styles of study circle group participants. Six appendices are included: (1) Study Circle Flyer; (2) Pre-Meeting Packet of Readings and Handouts; (3) Session One Materials; (4) Session Two Materials; (5) Resources for the Facilitator; and (6) Feedback Form for NCSALL. [This document was funded by the Educational Research and Development Centers Program.]