> PD list:

>

> I think healthy debate (debate that is focused on issues rather than

> people) is essential for the progress of our field.

>

> What I've learned about adult education in the 20 years I've been in the

> field:

>

> -there is no evidence-based or scientific theory of anything that applies

> across-the-board to all adults receiving our services.

>

> -many of the students that do receive our services didn't fit into the

> evidence-based or scientifically validated methods of teaching during

> their earlier years, which is often why many end up in adult education

> programs as adults - therefore, it may not be so wise to find

> evidence-based or scientifically validated methods (if they, in fact,

> exist) and apply them strictly to the various populations of adults we

> serve.

>

> -no matter how far I move up the administrative ladder in this field, or

> how many letters I add after my name, I've remained committed to working

> with adults (currently through one-on-one tutoring) to help, in some

> small way, keep my work grounded in reality - I learned early on in this

> field, to trust only what I know to be true through my own experiences

> with those adults I'm working with (and it may seem like a limited

> perspective, but what I've also found to be true is that the few adults

> I'm working with are no different than those in our system around the

> globe) - and what I've learned from my personal experience is that

> attention to strengths is essential to effective learning (call it

> "multiple intelligences" or "learning styles" whatever you want - the

> importance is helping the adult become aware of the process of learning

> that works best for them based on their strengths - and the process is

> different for each adult - I have seen an adult FINALLY understand how

> words are put together and recognize their common parts and patterns

> because of being able to manipulate letter tiles - I do not need a

> research study to convince me that this was a valid learning experience

> for this particular learner - the validation was when he began to read

> and spell words after YEARS of failed attempts at trying to learn how to

> do this.

>

> -if you support the fundamental assumptions of adult learning theory,

> i.e., adults learn best when connected to their experiences, adults learn

> best when relevant, based on their needs and goals, etc. - then you

> support the idea of MI and learning styles.

>

> -is their anyone in our field that believes sufficient research exists to

> inform our practice?  We do not receive enough funding in adult education

> to support the necessary services we need to provide let alone funnel

> into significant research that would better inform our field - does that

> mean we should abandon PD efforts and methods of service delivery we know

> from our own experiences to be effective practice?  It is my fear that if

> we rely only on evidence-based, scientifically validated teaching in

> adult education, we will be perpetuating -for many adult learners- a

> system of service delivery that "leaves behind" adults who were "left

> behind" as children (hope you get my subtlety here).

>

> Incidentally, I do believe there is significant research -at least the

> kind I find to be most trustworthy and relevant - that supports the idea

> of multiple intelligences and learning styles; but wanted my response to

> speak to the idea that maybe evidence-based and scientifically validated

> research isn't all that it's cracked up to be - and a heavy reliance on

> it might do more harm than good to our field.

>

> -Jeff Fantine

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>>

>>

>>>  Colleagues: I have followed discussions on several NIFL-sponsored

>>> discussion

>>>  lists recently in which people have advocated teaching to learning

>>>  styles  or

>>>  to multiple intelligences. This is strange to me given that the federal

>>>  government has argued for the use of evidence-based, scientifically

>>>  validated approaches to adult literacy education (see the What Works

>>>  Clearinghouse sponsored by the U.S Department of Education). But by

>>>  even loose standards of evidence, there is no credible evidence to

>>>  support teaching to a person's learning style, preferred learning

>>>  modality (i.e., visual, auditory, kinesthetic), multiple

>>>  intelligences, right brain-left brain preference, or other very

>>>  malformed ideas. Indeed, there are a wide variety of so-called

>>>  learning styles (impusive vs reflective; introverted vs extroverted;

>>>  field dependent vs field dependent and on and on)and no research on

>>>  how a teacher can take all of them into account everyday and over

>>>  weeks and months. It is not even certain that a learning style stays

>>>  the same from the beginning of a course to the end of the course.

>>>  While I understand the desire of the NIFL to promote useful

>>>  discussions among  adult

>>>  literacy educators, with only a minimum of censorship, it strikes me as

>>>  counter productive to advocate for evidence-based, scientifically

>>> validated

>>>  teaching while also permitting the advertisement of commercial

>>>  workshops that are based on poorly formed concepts and devoid of

>>>  empirical evidence for the efficacy of such ideas and the practices

>>>  based on them. Tom  Sticht

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

>>>  National Institute for Literacy

>>>  Adult Literacy Professional Development mailing list

>>>  professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov

>>>

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

>>> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/professionaldevelopment

>>>

>>>  Email delivered to amuro5 at epcc.edu

>>>

>>>  Professional Development section of the Adult Literacy Education Wiki

>>>

>>> http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Adult_Literacy_Professional_Devel

>>> opment

>>>

>>>

>>>

>>>

>>>

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

>> National Institute for Literacy

>> Adult Literacy Professional Development mailing list

>> professionaldevelopment at nifl.gov

>>

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

>> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/professionaldevelopment

>>

>> Email delivered to bonniesophia at sbcglobal.net

>>

>> Professional Development section of the Adult Literacy Education Wiki

>> http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Adult_Literacy_Professional_Develo

>> pment

>>

>

>

>

> Jeffrey A. Fantine

> Director, Literacy Center

> College of Education

> Ohio University

> 340 McCracken Hall

> Athens, OH  45701

> 800-753-1519

> Fax: 740-593-2834

> www.ohio.edu/literacy

>

> “You must be the change you want to see in the world.” - Mahatma Gandhi




Jeffrey A. Fantine
Director, Literacy Center
College of Education
Ohio University
340 McCracken Hall
Athens, OH  45701
800-753-1519
Fax: 740-593-2834
www.ohio.edu/literacy

“You must be the change you want to see in the world.” - Mahatma Gandhi