Hello,
In Massachusetts we are piloting a distance learning initiative with six
programs throughout the state.  Visit our website at
www.anywhereanytimeabe.org .  You will see in the section, "Meet the DL
Programs", that all of the programs are slightly different in program
design, population served, curriculum, and delivery of services.

Our initiative serves learners who are not able to attend regular classes.
Some of our dl programs have developed a strong relationship with the
classroom based program in their agency so that learners who stop out of a
regular class are able to transition into the distance learning program
immediately.  This strong relationship entails not only making appropriate
referrals to the distance learning program, but also preparing the learner
for independent learning while they are still in the classroom.  When time
management skills, computer literacy, goal setting,and study skills are a
part of both the classroom and dl curricula, the transition for learners
will go more smoothly and they are more likely to remain engaged.  The key
is to develop that relationship between the classroom and the dl program
staff so that they can create a referral system and a curriculum that will
prepare the learner for self-directed study.

Jennifer Rafferty
DL Project Manager
The Adult Literacy Resource Institute

-----Original Message-----
From: focusonbasics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:focusonbasics-bounces at nifl.gov]On Behalf Of Steve Quann
Sent: Monday, May 15, 2006 10:53 AM
To: focusonbasics at nifl.gov
Subject: [FocusOnBasics 281] Re: Supporting out of school study


This message is in response to Julie's question and is from Diana Satin
who is not presently on the listserve:

Hello there --

Our school has just started a program like that. We invite ESL students
who
are SPL (student performance level) 4-6 from our wait list and SPL 4-6

students who have been in our regular, face-to-face classes but had to
stop
for a time or drop out because of a change in their work schedule,
family
illness, etc. We're using the free English for All course, along with
writing assignments, and telephone/in-person work on conversation and
pronunciation. Students are *quite* appreciative of this opportunity to

study when they can fit it into their busy schedules, and we're very
glad to
be able to offer it. It fills an important void in the educational
needs
people in our communities have.

We consider students enrolled after they've completed the two
orientation
meetings.

We assess them using REEP at the second orientation meeting, and again
later
on in the year. Neither the BEST nor the REEP is a perfect fit for EFA,
but
they are the only standardized assessments available for ESL at the
moment,
and the REEP fits better because of the predominant use of text in the

curriculum.

Sometimes, when students have to stop classes for a while, our program
has
also set them up with a tutor to work individually.

Hope this helps. I'd love to hear about others' programs as well.

Diana Satin
Jamaica Plain Community Centers
Adult Learning Program
144 McBride Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
617.635.5201
dianaalp at goowy.com



>>> julie_mcKinney at worlded.org 05/12 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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