Hi everyone,

In addition to the pre-assessment resources Shannon has shared, I would also like to share with you the URL for the Massachusetts ABE Distance Learning Project.  www.anywhereanytimeabe.org .  Over the past two years, we have developed the Orientation Modules section.  It is actually being revised and updated as we engage in this discussion, so I encourage you to visit the site again in the next month because you will find that the resources have additional notes to the instructor as well as more interactive features and revised handouts.  

The Orientation Modules were created thinking of both the distance learner and the classroom learner.  One of our visions for this section of our website was to see classroom programs incorporate content from the Orientation Modules into their curriculum so that classroom learners would be prepared for distance learning should they ever need to “stop out” of the classroom.   In fact, the content developers, who are both classroom and dl instructors, use the materials with both groups of learners.

We created the modules thinking they could be used according to the needs of the learner.  Our dl pilot programs are not required to complete the modules with distance learners during the orientation process, but they are encouraged to use the resources and adapt them.  We generated all of the topics through discussions and focus groups with our dl pilot programs. The topics include:  setting goals, barriers and supports, independent learning, technical skills, time management and study skills, and communication skills.  

As for your question about distance learning curricula, Massachusetts has implemented a variety of commercially produced curricula over the past eight years.  During the pilot phase from 2004-07, programs were funded to pilot commercially produced curricula for which the state had purchased licenses.  They were not funded to create curricula, although there is one ESOL dl pilot that had developed a homegrown curriculum prior to being funded.  Of course, teachers supplement these curricular packages with their own materials to fill in gaps and to provide additional practice.  We call these other materials “supplemental”, based on Project IDEAL’s system for collecting proxy seat time for distance learners.   There are currently three models I am aware of that have been created to approximate seat time for distance learners: the teacher judgment model, the student mastery model, and the clock time model.  So, depending on the curriculum/a and the kind of delivery(e.g. multimedia, computer-based) a state chooses, this will dictate the way the proxy seat time is collected.   Project IDEAL has a publication on this topic of seat time, it is Paper 2#, Measuring Contact Hours and Educational Progress in Distance Education, and can be accessed at their website at www.projectideal.org under the Publications section.  


One of the big questions we asked ourselves while piloting the commercially produced curricula was, do these curricula align with our state Curriculum Frameworks and our standardized assessment for ABE learners (the MAPT)?   This past fiscal year, we examined the frameworks and the ABE curricular package that is currently being used in MA with dl pilots, so we have a better sense of where there will be a need to supplement our ABE dl curriculum.   






Jennifer Rafferty
jennifer.rafferty at umb.edu




-----Original Message-----
From: assessment-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of Marie Cora
Sent: Thu 7/12/2007 2:28 PM
To: 'The Assessment Discussion List'
Subject: [Assessment 851] Re: DL curriculum and materials
 
Hi Shannon and everyone,
 
Wow, thanks for all these great resources!  I see that you advocate a
variety of pre-assessments in order to best determine a person's
readiness, which makes a lot of sense to me.
 
It made me think of something else:  what is there in the way of
curriculum and materials used in DL?  Do folks focus on 'commercial
packages' or materials generated by the feds or states, or do programs
develop their own curriculum and materials?  I ask this because if there
are particular requirements around assessing and reporting, then each of
these pieces would be affected by the other.  And I would assume that
some things work better together than others.
 
How does all that work in programs?
 
Thanks,
 
Marie Cora
Assessment Discussion List Moderator
 
-----Original Message-----
From: assessment-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:assessment-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Shannon Young
Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2007 4:16 PM
To: The Assessment Discussion List
Subject: [Assessment 847] Re: Screening for success
 
Hi Laura,

I think the idea of a tryout period that Marie mentioned is a good one.
We also recommend careful pre-screening.  During the first round of
Project IDEAL experiments, several states opened their distance programs
to any and all who expressed interest.  This approach proved problematic
in many cases-students whose skills, abilities, and/or dispositions
didn't match well with distance study quickly became frustrated. As a
result, drop-out rates were high.   Programs discovered that they needed
to carefully pre-screen students in several arenas to ensure a good fit.
Many now begin by surveying students on their learning styles and
preferences, time management skills, and motivation, using their
responses as a jumping off point to talk about what distance study
entails.   Once some students understand what's involved in being a
distance learner, they realize a classroom program makes more sense for
them.  Prescreening also includes assessing students' technology skills
and access as well as their basic literacy skills.  This combination of
pre-assessments helps teachers better determine (1) which students are
potentially good candidates for distance and (2) what, if any, baseline
training is needed.    

These days, there are a variety of "is distance learning for me?"
self-assessments available online for students.  I've included a sample
of some I've come across to give you an idea of what types of
topics/issues distance programs are addressing.  

Guilford Technical Community College
(http://www.gtcc.cc.nc.us/distance/dlForMe.html)
--An original and entertaining approach to helping students determine
whether distance learning makes sense for them. 
 
Student Online Readiness Tool (SORT)  http://www.alt.usg.edu/sort/
--Six section self-assessment created by the University System of
Georgia designed to help students determine whether they should study
online.  The six areas are: Technology experience, access to tools,
study habits, lifestyle, goals and purposes, and learning preferences.
 
Online Readiness Quiz
(http://www.pima.edu/cgi-bin/onlineReadiness/quiz.pl)

--This 41-item quiz from Pima Community College assesses potential
distance students in four areas:  computer and technology skills, time
management, learning environment, and study and reading skills.

Minnesota Virtual University:  Are Distance Learning Courses for You?
(http://www.mnvu.org/mnvu/5102.jsp)

--Provides a computer scored self-assessment for distance learners.

Shannon

On 7/11/07 11:47 AM, "Marie Cora" <marie.cora at hotspurpartners.com>
wrote:
Hi Laura, Welcome and thanks for your question - which is an excellent
one!  I'm also looking forward to hearing from subscribers on this
question.
 
Some discussion on this can be found in one of the suggested resources,
entitled "Pre-assessments for on-line learning".  Go to:
http://dev.nifl.gov/lincs/discussions/assessment/07assess_distance_1.htm
l
 
The information in the discussion opens with a focus on "wait periods"
or "tryout periods" so that prospective students can self-determine
their ability and commitment, but it winds around to discuss assessing
skills that people need to engage in technology and distance learning.  
 
I'd be very much interested in what List Subscribers think about that
discussion and Laura's questions below.
 
Marie Cora
Assessment Discussion List Moderator
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: assessment-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:assessment-bounces at nifl.gov]
<mailto:assessment-bounces at nifl.gov%5d>  On Behalf Of Laura Chenven
Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2007 10:45 AM
To: The Assessment Discussion List
Subject: [Assessment 842] Re: Questions for discussion

Let me raise another question.  I am new to this list so it may be
something that many of you have already discussed.  

I work with a national labor/management partnership that supports
training and education for the incumbent healthcare workforce.  We are
supporting several distance learning and hybrid nursing programs.
Because these programs are asynchronous for the most part and can fit
into many workers busy schedules, there is a great deal of interest in
them.  However, because we realize that distance learning may not be the
best modality for everyone, we want to be able to be able to screen for
students who are most likely to be successful in this kind of program
and also pinpoint other students who may be successful with some extra
help up front.

I'd love to hear others experiences with this type of screening.  Do you
find it necessary? Is it helpful?  What have you learned.
I'm looking forward to hearing from you.

Laura Chenven
H-CAP National Coordinator
202 257-7108
lchenven at 1199etjsp.org
  _____  


From: assessment-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:assessment-bounces at nifl.gov]
<mailto:assessment-bounces at nifl.gov%5d>  On Behalf Of Marie Cora
Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2007 10:34 AM
To: Assessment at nifl.gov
Subject: [Assessment 834] Questions for discussion
Hi everyone,
 
It's very quiet out there!  I've had many new subscribers join our List,
so I know this is of interest to you all.   I know you have questions
and I know you have experiences to share. Please post them now!
 
Here is one of my questions for this discussion, which actually has
already been asked within the suggested preparations by our guests
Shannon and Jennifer:
 
Post-testing:  How is this done?  How do you get that important
follow-up measure from students?  I have experience in DL within
professional development only (not with ABE/ESOL students) - and I know
how difficult follow-up is with the professional population.  The same
goes for regular classroom-based programs - getting full test scores can
be really hard.  So I am extremely interested in hearing from folks
about the strategies and methods they use to get DL students to complete
the full cycle including the post-test.
 
Do federal requirements allow for any flexibility/creativity in this
regard? Can you use formative assessment and other types of measures to
help demonstrate achievement?
 
Do Project IDEAL states do their assessment in the same way, or are you
able to alter your approach depending on certain things (levels of
funding; timing; some F2F ("face-to-face")/no F2F; staffing; etc)?
 
Thanks!!


Marie Cora
 
 
 
Marie Cora
marie.cora at hotspurpartners.com  <mailto:marie.cora at hotspurpartners.com>
<mailto:marie.cora at hotspurpartners.com> 
NIFL Assessment Discussion List Moderator
http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/assessment
Coordinator, LINCS Assessment Special Collection
http://literacy.kent.edu/Midwest/assessment/

 

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-- 
Shannon J. Young
Program Manager, Project IDEAL / AdultEd Online
Senior Research Area Specialist, Program on Teaching, Learning, &
Technology
Institute for Social Research, The University of Michigan
    
5116 ISR, 426 Thompson Street, Ann Arbor, MI  48106-1248
Ph:         (734) 763-5325
Fax:       (734) 615-6638
Email:     shannony at umich.edu
Websites:      http://projectideal.org      http://www.adultedonline.org