Hello Matthias,

On Aug 27, 2007, at 3:32 PM, you wrote:


> In Canada, we had the same questions coming into providing more  

> online options for ABE learners starting in 2003. Over the course  

> of the three years of the pilot project, we found out that the  

> demographic of learners targeted and reached was quite different to  

> the one of regular classroom-based or one-on-one literacy programs  

> as the participating programs offered learners more flexibility in  

> their learning options. >From a funding perspective that meant that  

> the amount of learners to be serviced in the future for the same  

> amount of funding is larger and more cost-effective options are  

> needed, which in some cases online option can provide. Overall I  

> think that by providing more flexibility to learners the quality of  

> services has improved, also because it's more reflective of the  

> demands in today's society re the use of learning technology. And  

> it has helped to reach learners that were marginalized by not being  

> able to attend regular programs in the past.

>

> Matthias Sturm


Can you tell us a little more, please?

1) Were those in the pilot project who were using online learning  
doing it as pure distance learning or was this a blended (supported,  
hybrid) model?

2) Exactly how did the demographics change with those who chose to  
participate in the pilot? How did they differ from those served in  
regular classrooms? Students' goals? Literacy levels? Geography (more  
rural?) In other ways?  For example, if you are familiar with the  
Reder and Strawn Longitudinal study (LSAL)  in Portland Oregon, would  
you describe the pilot study participants as primarily "self study"  
people?

3) Are you saying that you found online learning more cost-effective?  
If so, can you tell us why?

4) Why has quality of services improved? Is this because with  
combinations of face-to-face and online learning students have  
greater intensity of learning, i.e. more time on task? Or is it  
something else?

Thanks.  I look forward to learning more about the pilot project and  
to seeing your answers to these questions.

All the best,

David

David J. Rosen
djrosen at comcast.net




>

> ________________________________

>

> From: technology-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of John Fleischman

> Sent: Sat 25-Aug-07 9:21 PM

> To: The Technology and Literacy Discussion List

> Subject: [Technology 1233] Re: Homeland Security question

>

>

> By most estimates, we're reaching less than 10% of the adults that  

> need to improve their literacy skills.  With the rapid advancement  

> of the Internet and broadband connectivity, it may be possible to  

> reach some of those adults who are unwilling or unable to  

> participate in face-to-face adult education programs provided by  

> public and not-for-profit entities.  Yes, the potential students'  

> lack of computers and Internet access may be problem, but it may  

> not be as great as you think.  Our initial research is showing  

> significant shifts in both access to computers and connectivity.

>

> Is there reason to think that adults in need of literacy and  

> English language services would engage in independent learning? The  

> Longitudinal Study of Adult Learners (LSAL) provides strong  

> evidence that as many as 65% of adults needing additional services  

> engage in some form of self-study (Reder & Strawn, 2006).  While  

> the LSAL does not specifically address Web-based resources, a  

> portal with a variety of content and appropriate support structures  

> should appeal to adults who have easy access to the Web and are  

> comfortable interacting with Web-based materials.

>

> A comprehensive online resource could also serve as mechanism to  

> increase intensity of instruction in conjunction with traditional  

> delivery systems.  If designed appropriately, the online resource  

> could serve independent learners as well as those "connected" to a  

> tutor or teacher.  The plan is to have this new resource as an  

> addition, not a replacement for our current system.

>

> John Fleischman

>

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

> on Saturday, August 25, 2007 at 1:05 PM -0800 wrote:

> Everytime I hear about this issue, I wonder if the existence of  

> these free electronic resources will lead to huge reductions in  

> government funding for the face-to-face adult education programs  

> currently provided by the states. With that possibility in mind,  

> I'm also concerned about potential students' lack of computers and  

> Internet access, not to mention the relative benefits of learning  

> exclusively online versus learning in a classroom with colleagues  

> and teachers. But if this new resource will be an addition to our  

> current resources rather than a replacement for all or part of what  

> we're doing now, I'm all for it.

> Debra Morris Smith

>

>

> On 8/24/07, John Fleischman <jfleischman at scoe.net  

> <mailto:jfleischman at scoe.net> > wrote:

>

>

>

> Greetings, Larry and Barry.  And greetings to NIFL Tech Listserv  

> subscribers.  John Fleischman here at the Sacramento County Office  

> of Education.

>

> I believe I can shed some light on the August 10th announcement by  

> President Bush and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff.   

> See: < http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/ 

> 2007/08/20070810.html <http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/ 

> 2007/08/20070810.html> >.

>

> The announcement by the Administration focused on improving border  

> security and immigration.  The last item on the list, number 26,  

> indicates, "The Department of Education will launch a free, Web- 

> based portal to help immigrants learn English, and expand this  

> model over time.

>

> The development of this portal is an outgrowth of a currently  

> funded Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) project  

> entitled Strengthening Programs Through Technology (AKA AdultEd  

> Online), a partnership between my office and the University of  

> Michigan.  The contract was awarded to develop a number of  

> technology resources for adult education including exploring the  

> feasibility of building a Web portal where adult learners could  

> find instructional materials on subjects ranging from learning  

> English to preparing for the G.E.D.  To better understand the  

> design features a portal should have, a prototype is being built  

> first.  The prototype will contain learning materials in three  

> areas: a beginning-level English course, a mid-level English  

> course, and activities for improving reading, writing and life skills.

>

> The prototype should be complete on January 31, 2008.  It will then  

> undergo several months of field testing with learners.  By  

> September a refined portal should be ready to launch for use by  

> adults anywhere in the United States.  The portal begins with a  

> focus on learning English, but the portal is expected to expand  

> over time, with the addition of materials in areas such as civics  

> and basic skills.

>

> Over the next couple of months we'll be sharing more information  

> about the portal.  We also look forward to getting stakeholder  

> input as we conduct field testing during Winter-Spring of 2008.

>

> John Fleischman

> jfleischman at scoe.net <mailto:jfleischman at scoe.net>

>

> Jerome Johnston

>  jerej at umich.edu <mailto:jerej at umich.edu>

>

>

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

> <mailto:technology at nifl.gov> > on Wednesday, August 15, 2007 at  

> 1:35 AM -0800 wrote:

>  On Tuesday the Department of Homeland Security announced 25 new  

> measures to address "border security" and "immigration  

> challenges."  I would actually characterize many, if not most, of  

> them as anti-immigrant.

>

> There is one, however, that teachers of English Language Learners,  

> and their students, might find helpful.  It is, not surprisingly,  

> the last one on the list.

>

> The announcement stated that the "Department of Education will  

> launch a free, web-based portal to help immigrants learn English..."

>

> The announcement gives absolutely no other details about when it  

> will begin, what might be included, or who in the Department of  

> Education is actually doing it.

>

> Does anyone know more?

>

> Larry Ferlazzo

>   http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/ <http:// 

> larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/>

>

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

> <mailto:technology at nifl.gov> > on Wednesday, August 22, 2007 at  

> 5:28 AM -0800 wrote:

> I will have to learn more about the site, but I think many students  

> will view the help skeptically because of past experience.  After  

> September 11th, NYC asked all immigrants (legal and illegal) to  

> register to help the city better understand its friends vs..  

> enemies.  Many immigrants did so, and those illegals (Mexican,  

> Irish, Danish, Congolese, etc.) were shipped off over the next  

> couple of years.

>

> So, what am I getting at?  Some classes build progressively and  

> want individual student identification so that a student can leave  

> mid-class and pick-up where they left off. Could this individual ID  

> hurt the student's status: I am thinking that even if the DHS site  

> does not ask for personal information it can be gotten other ways,  

> like using a "  jon.smith at yahoo.com <mailto:jon.smith at yahoo.com>  "  

> address to track to the user's more personal information of locale.

>

> Barry Burkett,

> Frankfort, KY

>

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

> <mailto:technology at nifl.gov> > on Wednesday, August 22, 2007 at  

> 4:48 PM -0800 wrote:

> Barry makes an excellent point.  I think the public statement said  

> it would be run through the Education Department, but that doesn't  

> mean they wouldn't share information.

>

> I still haven't found anyone who knows anything more about it than  

> what was said on the release.

>

> Larry Ferlazzo

>

>

> <winmail.dat>

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