Great!  (maybe I should drive out since I'm only 20 miles away?!)  And
what patterns of involvement do you see?  Higher English proficiency
visitors or lower?  Visitors coming many time or only once or twice?  Do
visitors eventually become registered learners?  I'd love to know more
about the project!  Thanks for sharing, Lydia.

 

Heidi

 

________________________________

From: technology-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:technology-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Lydia Bratton
Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2007 1:00 PM
To: The Technology and Literacy Discussion List
Subject: [Technology 1058] Re: findings on evidence of improvement
...onlinelearning

 

Yes, Prince William County Public Schools of Manassas, VA has a new
program for Adult ESOL students that is online called "Project Connect."
In addition, there is a Project Connect Skill Building class that has an
instructor available for two hours once a week. Any ESOL adult may stop
by and register and receive some computer literacy skills. 

 

-Lydia

ESOL Adult Ed. Teacher

"Silver-Pacuilla, Heidi" <HSilver-Pacuilla at air.org> wrote:

	Hello Tina, this is a great on-the-ground story!  It certainly
confirms what other practitioner-researchers are saying, that learning
computer literacy is a great motivator and a great medium to engage
adult learners.  It is of concern, however, that so few adults who could
benefit find the time and flexibility in their lives to be involved.  We
certainly know many are not able to learn computer literacy on their own
for lack of access to the equipment.  Researchers in Wales and Western
England found that very few adult learners made use of public computers,
either, although they knew they were available.  

	 

	Does anyone have a drop-in lab where adults who are not part of
a program can come in and receive some guidance on computer literacy?
Libraries are an example, but don't always have someone available to
provide the coaching...

	 

	Heidi

	 

	
________________________________


	From: technology-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:technology-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Tina_Luffman at yc.edu
	Sent: Wednesday, June 13, 2007 11:38 AM
	To: The Technology and Literacy Discussion List
	Subject: [Technology 1056] Re: findings on evidence of
improvement of literacy and language skills through technology

	 

	
	Hi Heidi, 
	
	I have worked with ESL students through our college's ABE
Transition program doing computer workshops. These workshops were not
widely attended because of work schedules, but the people who came were
so excited to have the opportunity to learn some basic computer skills.
I had never seen a group of people smile so much and be so delighted. I
feel that regardless of how much ESL learning we can certainly claim
students are learning from technology, learning technology is in and of
itself a great incentive for the lowest skilled people we serve at
Yavapai College, and meets daily needs for these students as they wish
to improve in workforce development. 
	
	Tina 
	
	Tina Luffman
	Coordinator, Developmental Education
	Verde Valley Campus
	928-634-6544
	tina_luffman at yc.edu 

"Silver-Pacuilla, Heidi" <HSilver-Pacuilla at air.org> 
Sent by: technology-bounces at nifl.gov 

06/13/2007 06:42 AM 

Please respond to
The Technology and Literacy Discussion List <technology at nifl.gov>

To

<technology at nifl.gov> 

cc

 

Subject

[Technology 1055] findings on evidence of improvement of literacy
and language skills through technology

 

 

 

	
	
	
	Hello everyone - here is another chunk of my data to share for
member
	checking with you.  Does this resonate?  Can you share an
example that
	confirms or challenges these findings? 
	
	**My key question to the group is: What has been your experience
with
	the lowest skilled students?  
	
	Thanks!  Heidi Silver-Pacuilla
	
	++++++++++++
	
	To recap, I am posting preliminary findings (and not my full
methodology
	or bibliography since both are currently incomplete) from the
published
	and posted literature on adult online literacy and language
learning.  I
	hope you find them validating or provocative (or both!) and can
join in
	a lively discussion of what's actually happening in your school
or
	program. 
	
	This is the second of the three main areas I am sharing with the
	listserv: program implementation issues, evidence of
improvements of
	basic literacy and language skills, and student skills and
dispositions
	associated with successful technology-based and online learning.

	
	Here are some key findings from the review of studies reporting
evidence
	of improvement of basic literacy and language skills:
	
	There is growing evidence that adult learners' work with
computer-based
	or online materials that are supplemental to adult literacy and
ESOL
	classes contributes positively to their overall literacy and
language
	acquisition plus complementary learning skills.  The evaluations
	reviewed were of supplemental materials available to students
with some
	type of program support (on-site trained teacher or support
person,
	support person available online, tech support available through
the
	program, and/or automated feedback system in the program) and
varying
	degrees of integration with the regular class curriculum.  
	
	Importantly, the supplemental materials and online interfaces
were
	either uniquely developed or chosen for adult literacy and
language
	learners.  Programs have documented successful use of these
materials
	with all levels of students, including those with the lowest
levels of
	literacy and English proficiency.
	
	Quantifying specific academic skills achievement is difficult to
	pinpoint, but several significant studies report learning gains
	attributable to the supplemental use of technology in
instruction and
	practice. It must be acknowledged that there is still no "body
of
	evidence" with repeated and comparable studies that can
definitely
	answer questions about particular interventions used with
particular
	literacy or language levels with predictable results. 
	
	How do these findings correlate with your experience and
knowledge?  
	----------------------------------------------------
	National Institute for Literacy
	Technology and Literacy mailing list
	Technology at nifl.gov
	To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go
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	Email delivered to tina_luffman at yc.edu

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	National Institute for Literacy
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