I require only 5 hours on line a week and excuse students who have any
kind of excuse. Next year the program(s) will be available on the
Internet, which may help some. The course can run indefinitely- I have a
few students who have been with me over a year. I hope that the new ITTS
program will help students with lower math skills. I also offer
tutorials for students who have time to come in, but most don't have the
time.
The frustrating thing for me is the large number of students who come in
with good intentions, do the assessment, load the program at home, then
stop and do not respond to my emails or calls- 
There are those few who stick with it and have some success, which is
gratifying.
 
Maureen Hoyt
Basic Education Manager
ACYR 
602-252-6721ext 223
fax: 602-252-2952
www.azcallateen.k12.az.us
www.az-aall.org
 
-----Original Message-----
From: technology-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:technology-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Lissa probus
Sent: Wednesday, June 27, 2007 11:05 AM
To: The Technology and Literacy Discussion List
Subject: [Technology 1143] Re: pre assessments for online learning
 
Don't forget that normal academic attrition will include things like
(got a job, kids sick, don't have time, Etc.), this is neither a failure
of your program or of personal discipline. Its just life. Life happens.
Including basic access to tech support for virus protection could be
helpful - my university offers some, but I paid for more. Internet
turned off is a huge problem ( and one that I often face at the end of
the semester as internet access is expensive!). Consider including some
support for planning the expense, back up resources - can the course be
done at a local library?

If many of your students have job and kid problems, is there a way to
make participation asynchronous and allow them to work over longer
periods?

Personal discipline is a matter of working with individual motivation,
and you can find supporting research in searches of SRL in DL (
self-regulated learning). Even minimal personal feedback has been shown
to improve SRL in transitional learners. There is a link between
learning level and SRL, as well as an engagement issue if you are
dealing with adult learners. If your adult learners are experiencing low
SRL, try to tie the learning to things they need to do. If the new
capacities are understood to be both valuable and achievable, and the
course criteria are such that design meets audience needs, then assess
attrition based on issues that would not allow an I or W at a community
college. make sure not to blame your self or your students for poverty,
family or the digital divide - these are the reasons for your
intervention in the first place. 
On 6/27/07, maureen hoyt <maureenh at azcallateen.k12.az.us> wrote:
Almost all of my distance students who did not continue in the MHC
program had either  technical difficulties (computer virus, Internet
turned off ) or personal problems (got a job, kids sick, don't have
time, Etc.). Even though most had good technical skills- and the program
really doesn't require much- the personal discipline required was the
obstacle. I'm doing the stats on the course now, and it's not looking
pretty!!
I will need to screen next year for reading levels. My DL grant is
funded "on probation" and the stats so far have a very low success rate
with lower level readers (below 8 grade). For those who can do supported
distance only, I will give some Internet resources for those who are on
a lower level, but they'll have to do that independently.
 
Maureen Hoyt
Basic Education Manager
ACYR 
602-252-6721ext 223
fax: 602-252-2952
www.azcallateen.k12.az.us 
www.az-aall.org 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: technology-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:technology-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Lissa probus
Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2007 3:48 PM
To: The Technology and Literacy Discussion List
Subject: [Technology 1132] Re: pre assessments for online learning
 
Melinda - 

I want to respond to your statement:
"We've found that students often think that the computer skills they
have  are sufficient for a DL course, when they aren't.  (They may
e-mail and use the internet, but not know how to save files, upload
files, use discussion boards, use digital drop boxes, use virtual
classrooms, etc., etc.)."

The problem with assessing for these skills seems to me to be that they
are course and interface specific. As a doc student, I have used several
versions of blackboard, three university email systems and programmed
web sites to accept user content. I still have to learn how to save
files, upload files, use discussion boards, use digital drop boxes, use
virtual classrooms, etc., etc anew with every new system I encounter. I
know many ways this CAN work, but it is essential that technical support
for the specific interface be included in the instruction and targeted
at the learning group expected to use the interface. This is not like
climbing the stairs to enter the building - its as if new ways of
building stairs were being invented every day - sometimes at the same
building! Interestingly enough, this is occasionally an exercise in
internet history, while many commecial websites make this interface
seamless and intuitive - many educational providers are either at the
mercy of an antiquated system or buying an interface that is not
consistently applied. 
On 6/26/07, Silver-Pacuilla, Heidi < HSilver-Pacuilla at air.org
<mailto:HSilver-Pacuilla at air.org> > wrote:
Hi everyone - great to see the conversation keeping up at such a robust
level!  I just wanted to raise a point from my research review as well
as my personal work and research with students. I would caution against
pre-assessments that screen people out of classes.  Pre assessments in
our literacy and ESOL world should screen people *into* the right
environments for their skills, otherwise we will lose them - again.
Students who responded to evaluations of their online learning
experience unanimously say that they learned computer skills AND
self-directed learning habits *by* participating.  This is a very fine
line in service delivery, I know, but I think the key is to encourage
students to try and then have supports on hand as/when they need them.
We also have to keep pushing to produce and use better, more responsive
instructional materials that teach the skills necessary to learn from
them.
Good luck to all of us!
 
Heidi Silver-Pacuilla, Ph.D. 
American Institutes for Research 
1000 Thomas Jefferson Street NW 
Washington, DC  20007 
202.403.5218 (Phone)
202.403.5454 (Fax)
________________________________

From: technology-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto: technology-bounces at nifl.gov
<mailto:technology-bounces at nifl.gov> ] On Behalf Of Melinda Hefner
Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2007 12:27 PM
To: The Technology and Literacy Discussion List
Subject: [Technology 1126] Re: Tryout periods
 
I'm so glad to hear that your students' computer literacy skills are
assessed.  We've found that students often think that the computer
skills they have  are sufficient for a DL course, when they aren't.
(They may e-mail and use the internet, but not know how to save files,
upload files, use discussion boards, use digital drop boxes, use virtual
classrooms, etc., etc.).  
 
You didn't mention this, but I assume that the assessments also measure
sefl-management skills, learning styles, lifestyle considerations,
hardware and software requirements, etc. Measuring students' perceptions
of DL courses is also helpful since many first-time DL students think
that DL courses are easier than seated or hybrid courses.
 
I've seen lots of DL readiness assessments, but often they only address
computer skills rather than also addressing the areas I mentioned above.
As DL courses become more and more common and as student learning and
student satisfaction data are analyzed, I believe that the importance of
comprehensive distance learning readiness will emerge.
 
 
Melinda M. Hefner
Director, Literacy Support Services
 
Basic Skills Department
Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute
2855 Hickory Blvd.
Hudson, North Carolina  28638
Office:  (828) 726-2245
FAX:     (828) 726-2266
 
 
 

 
 

>>> "Susan Jones" < SUJones at parkland.edu <mailto:SUJones at parkland.edu> >

06/26/07 11:09 AM >>>
I have seen exactly such readiness assessments.  I'm pretty sure I had
to take one before I took an online course here in 2000... but it wasn't
a grad program.  Starting recently, *all* our students have to take a
"computer competency" assessment and course placement is recommended
from that. (We have several levels of basic computer competency
classes.) 

Susan Jones
Academic Development Specialist
Academic Development Center
Parkland College
Champaign, IL  61821
sujones at parkland.edu
Webmastress,
http://www.resourceroom.net
http://bicyclecu.blogspot.com



>>> Melinda Hefner <mhefner at cccti.edu> 6/25/2007 2:41 PM >>>

I'm jumping in here mid-stream so this may have been discussed
previously.  

I have rarely seen in DL courses, especially for DL literacy courses,
any kind of distance learning readiness assessment.  You're so right
when you say that "...it seems reasonable that we help them find the
instructional method or class that best fits their needs and learning
styles."  I'm in a 100% online grad program and several of the folks
have dropped out because their technical skills simply weren't adequate.
I've found too many educators who have discounted the DL readiness piece
and go on to blame the students for not being successful.

Melinda M. Hefner
Director, Literacy Support Services

Basic Skills Department
Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute
2855 Hickory Blvd.
Hudson, North Carolina  28638
Office:  (828) 726-2245
FAX:     (828) 726-2266







>>> Leslie Petty <lpetty at twmi.rr.com> 06/25/07 10:40 AM >>>


I agree.  Some of the states in Project IDEAL have found that students
who have an extensive orientation to the distance material - including
plenty of time to "play" and get a feel for this instructional approach
- tend to persist longer.  If we want students to be successful, it
seems reasonable that we help them find the instructional method or
class that best fits their needs and learning styles.  It's hard for
them to make an informed decision about distance if they're unfamiliar
with it, so the idea of try-out periods makes a great deal of sense.

Leslie Petty

Wendy Quinones wrote: 
I'm a little late getting back to this, but I love the point you made, 
Nancy, about the try-out being a learning experience even if the course 
isn't completed.  I've found that to be the case with PD online as well,

with teachers trying out the online experience and deciding they
definitely 
don't like it and leaving; others finding that the material or the 
participant interaction to be so valuable that they persist in the face
of 
all kinds of technical and personal difficulties.  Not too different
from 
our students, I think.  In this age of accountability we focus perhaps
to 
much on outcomes and not enough on process and what can be learned from
it, 
regardless of outcome.

Wendy Quinones
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <nancy.friday at alphaplus.ca>
To: "The Technology and Literacy Discussion List" <technology at nifl.gov>
Sent: Friday, June 15, 2007 2:03 PM
Subject: [Technology 1073] Re: Tryout periods


  
Hi,

Nancy from Toronto here again in response to the issue of learner 
retention.
Recruitment and retention have been the focus of much discussion during 
the
distance delivery research we have been engaged in at the AlphaPlus
Centre 
with
the four sites that have been exploring distance delivery.

Retention has also been a noted interest in what happens in short online

courses
that we have developed and delivered as part of AlphaRoute for the past 
three
years.  Our emerging and currently only form of new content for
AlphaRoute 
this
year is online courses.  Our courses are four weeks long.  For the first

two
years they were delivered in a discussion forum - Web Board (supported
by 
an
external course web site) as part of AlphaRoute.  This year we are 
offering the
courses in Moodle.  You can take a look at the course topic list and 
external
course web sites at:
www.resources.alpharoute.org > Resources > Online courses for adult 
literacy
students

What we have found in terms of retention is that for the first two
weeks,
students are gung-ho, and then we see a drop-off in week three that is 
sustained
through week four.  Generally we have found that a third of the students

that
enroll in a course complete it and receive a course certificate of
participation.

Interesting what you share David about a two-week period being perhaps
the 
right
amount to try-out time.

I should note that we acknowledge there is a continuum of learning for
us 
all,
and so for a student to take the step and enroll in an AlphaRoute online

course
is in fact a learning step.  Trying it out for a week or two to see how
it 
works
and then not continuing is also learning.  Committing to take the course

and
complete the work to achieve the certificate at the end (and learning
some 
cool
stuff along the way) is a goal for us.  And in the world of
demonstrating
literacy learning and a range of skills, can make for a great 
demonstration.
But we would like to think that our courses are so valuable to learners 
and
engaging that they will all move from start to finish.  It isn't
realistic 
that
they will though - because of that continuum of learning.


>From the stats and knowledge of the programs that the students enrolled

in 
    
the
      
courses come from, the highest retention rates come from students whose
instructor has included the AlphaRoute online course within their 
instruction
and where students are in a computer lab at the same time taking the 
course.  So
motivation and support (instructor and peer) are onsite.  However, the 
course
facilitator is at a distance and does contribute to a motivating and 
retention
aspect of student support.  The development of online courses in 
AlphaRoute has
not been done within a research project or model.  We are learning as we

go and
writing articles and sharing information as we learn.  Our challenge at 
this
point is to focus on that three week drop-off reality and see what we
can 
do
from the course content and development side to attempt to support 
learners in
sustaining their involvement past that drop-off point.

Any suggestions or ideas from the range of instructors and researchers
participating in this discussion are more than welcome!

Nancy Friday









"David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net> on 06/15/2007 09:01:41 AM

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








To:      The Technology and Literacy Discussion List
         <technology at nifl.gov>

cc:      (bcc: Nancy Friday)



Subject: [Technology 1064]  Tryout periods








Distance Learning Technology Colleagues,

Earlier this week, in response to a message Heidi Silver-Pacuilla had
posted, Holly Dilatush wrote:

"too many learners register, show up one week, then drop before/
without completing 12 hours/first episode.   Follow-up (to attempt to
determine WHY) has been challenging -- guesswork more than documented
responses.   There
are SO many extenuating circumstances."

For many adult learners, especially those who choose online options,
and for many reasons, we need to design/include/expect a "tryout
period" a short online learning experience -- perhaps two weeks --
sampling the material, process and technology used in the longer,
online learning.  At the end of the tryout, participants can stop (if
they were experimenting with the medium, are not happy with the
content, can't make the longer commitment, or for any other reason).
Those who are ready to commit, can do so, and at that point begin to
be counted in the DOE-funded system.

Does an example of this already exist somewhere?  If so, how is the
tryout period funded? (State and local funders and private funders
need to pick up the costs of this "tryout")

I believe we need the same sort of tryout period for teachers doing
online professional development.  Does a model of this exist somewhere?

Your thoughts?


David J. Rosen
djrosen at comcast.net 



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===========================================================
Nancy Friday
AlphaRoute Coordinator
AlphaPlus Centre  (http://alphaplus.ca) <http://alphaplus.ca%29> 
Telephone: (416) 322-1012 x.305
Fax: 1-800-788-1417
TTY: 1-800-788-1912
nancy.friday at alphaplus.ca 
============================================================


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-- 
*********************************
Leslie Petty
Associate Director, Project IDEAL
University of Michigan
Institute for Social Research
734-425-0748
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