Hello Katrina, Barbara and others,

Katrina, is myskillstutor the student log-in page for the online   
computer-assisted instruction product,  "Skills Tutor" ? I am not  
familiar with "A+ Anywhere".  Is this the A+ Anywhere Learning  
System? [ http://www.amered.com/awl_products.php ] ?  Can you tell us  
how you use these products, and when you would use one rather than  
the other?  Can you also tell us what you have in mind for developing  
your own online courses?  And are you using Blackboard because it is  
available to you or for some other reason?

Recently I have been trying to sort out "distance learning" from  
"integrated learning".  Here's the definition I am working from now.   
I wonder if this is useful to you, Katrina, as from your description  
you seem to be doing both?  I also wonder if this distinction is  
useful to you, Barbara?  It should be useful to funders who may need  
to decide what is/isn't distance learning.

Distance learning (DL) (whether pure, supported, or blended/hybrid)  
has as its main characteristic that students do not come to a face-to- 
face class or tutorial as their primary source of instruction. So  
this would include correspondence courses, online learning, and TV  
broadcast learning (often with accompanying print materials).  It  
might include a teacher (not primarily face-to-face in the same  
physical place.)  It might be available for people on waiting lists  
for classes. And it might be a way to help students who are primarily  
interested in self-study, with a little assistance from a Web site or  
online or telephone tutor, counselor and/or mentor.

Integrated learning (which uses technology and some elements of DL)   
is face-to-face classroom learning or tutorials with supplemental or  
temporary uses of online or digital learning resources.  This is a  
way to supplement, enrich or extend learning for those who come to  
class or tutorials, or to provide short-term solutions for those who  
temporarily cannot attend class, so they do not have to drop out.  
Face-to-face learning activities are integrated with online or  
digital media learning activities used in the program, at home, or  
elsewhere.

Students might access digital learning activities for either DL or  
integrated models through the use of computers, dvd players, web- 
accessed mobile phones or pdas, MP3 players, and whatever is next in  
the evolving world of portable digital technology.

Of course, a DL student could become an Integrated learning student  
or vice versa.  And a self-study or waiting list learner might not  
(or might) be enrolled as a student.

I have been working on a concept I call a Seamless System of Adult  
Education and Literacy, particularly on the online component.  I will  
be glad to e-mail the current draft to those who may be interested.

David J. Rosen
djrosen at comcast.net


On May 13, 2006, at 4:19 PM, Katrina Hinson wrote:


> We use myskillstutor and A+  anywhere for online instruction. We're

> looking at building/designing blackboard courses as well but havent'

> started those yet. The database refers to the database for both

> myskillstutor and A+.

>

> Katrina

>

>>>> "Julie  McKinney" <julie_mcKinney at worlded.org> 05/12/06 12:25 PM

>>>>

> Does anyone else out there do any kind of distance education or have

> methods to keep students studying when have to drop class for a while?

> Part of the NCSALL research Barb mentioned suggests that most

> students,

> over the course of several years, are forced to move in and out of

> class

> programs, due to changing life circumstances. This means that programs

> will need to move toward offering support for students to keep

> learning

> during their out-of-class phases. So it is interesting to hear about

> Katrina's program and others that are working towards that.

>

> Katrina, I'm also curious to know what you mean when you put students

> "in the database" and what your "online component" is like?

>

> Julie

>

> Julie McKinney

> Discussion List Moderator

> World Education/NCSALL

> jmckinney at worlded.org

>

>>>> khinson at future-gate.com 05/12/06 6:56 AM >>>

> I thought I might have misunderstood. However, I do think my program

> is

> moving in the direction you're talking about. I know we're looking at

> growing our distance education component in basic skills to do just

> what

> you're talking about. We want to be able to reach students who can't

> come to a "normal/regular" class time but who are motivated to learn

> on

> their own.  The software we use has an online component to it that

> makes

> this a viable option for us - in addition we're looking at creating

> some

> components similar to blackboard courses that we can offer that

> address

> the needs of our students as well. What we've talked about doing is at

> least having them come out to do a pre/post test, some kind of midterm

> and some kind of exit exam if they're adult high school oriented and

> if

> they're GED oriented, they would have to come on campus to take their

> practice test and the offical test. If they're improving they're basic

> skills for employment etc, they would just need to demonstrate

> progress

> on their pre/post test scores.  There are ways to capture "seat" time

> for such students as well even if they are not part of a "traditona"

> environment. The whole idea is to find ways to help students progress

> towards their goal even when they feel like life is preventing them

> from

> doing so. We also have video component with workbook materials.

> Students

> who can't come/enroll in a class can "check" out the videos, complete

> the workbook component and any other materials that the instructor

> deems

> necessary and still make progress towards whatever the desired

> goal/outcome might be.  What we run into is trying not to pull

> students

> from the existing classes for these options but to actually target the

>

> information to that population who really needs this kind of option in

> order to pursue their goals.

> We're only in the beginning phases of this - well, we've been working

> on

> it for almost a year and still trying to get the glitches out.

>

> Regards

> Katrina Hinson

>>>> Barbara Garner <b.garner4 at verizon.net>  >>>

> It's great, Katrina, that you have students who do homework while a

> program is in session and even more wonderful that some do online work

> during school breaks.

>

> You're right, though, my interest right now, is a little different:

> I"m

> curious about whether anyone is expressly doing things to let students

> know that if they have to stop coming for some reason, they can

> continue

> to study on their own. Does anyone do that, and introduce students to

> self-study materials they can purchse or borrow, or online resources?

> Barb Garner

> ====================

> From: Katrina Hinson <khinson at future-gate.com>

> Date: Thu May 11 18:42:04 CDT 2006

> To: focusonbasics at nifl.gov, b.garner4 at verizon.net

> Subject: Re: [FocusOnBasics 271]  Supporting out of school study

>

> I'm not exactly sure I understand the question or if I read it

> correctly. At first glance however, what springs to mind for me is my

> students who study outside of class as well as attend on a regular or

> semi-regular basis.  My most successful students are the ones who

> study

> in and out of class. They'll ask for additional work or they'll work

> online via several computer programs we use. They'll even actively

> seek

> out information online to use as study aids such as math websites or

> practice test websites etc.  We don't have any formal supports in

> place

> for students but I do know that sometimes teachers will come by and

> say

> 'can you put John/Jane Smith in the database so they can do some work

> online during Spring Break or Semester Break etc." Most of the time

> when

> I've encountered students who are not actively participating in class

> or

> in a program, it's usually because they don't have the time to devote

> to

> studying whether it's because of work, family or personal reasons etc.

> We do try to accomodate students though and our online component

> allows

> us to help students who sometimes cannot attend a traditional

> classroom

> setting.  At the moment that's all I can think of.

>

>

> Katrina

>

>>>> Barbara Garner <b.garner4 at verizon.net> 05/11/06 8:46 AM >>>

> Research coming out the NCSALL Lab School in Portland, OR, finds that

> many people who have participated in ABE or would be good candidates

> for

> ABE study on their own.

>

> Has anyone's program taken this into account and put into place

> supports for students who want to continue to study on their own when

> not actively participating in a program? If so, what do these supports

> look like? How has it gone?

>

> Barb Garner

> Editor, Focus on Basics

> Sharon, MA

> b.garner4 at verizon.net

>

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David Rosen
djrosen at comcast.net