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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Hi Marie:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Great point---<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>As I just stated in my last email, our
primary focus is how the information we derive from our data can benefit our students.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>We recently completed a two year study on
learner goals, and completely revised our goal setting process. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>In the beginning of the year, students
select at least 3 goals that they want to work on. (We use pictures for
beginner ESOL students and more advanced students who can help translate.)
The process is somewhat driven by the DOE mandates, but we pride ourselves in
having an entire page of “other” goals that students can
identify. While the DOE requirements provide the basic structure for our
goal setting process, we are not limited by it. Each month, students
answer three questions in their blue books around the goals they have selected:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<ol style='margin-top:0in' start=1 type=1>
<li class=MsoNormal style='color:navy;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><font size=2
color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>What
they did in the past month towards meeting their goals<o:p></o:p></span></font></li>
<li class=MsoNormal style='color:navy;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><font size=2
color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>What
they plan to do in the upcoming month to meet their goals<o:p></o:p></span></font></li>
<li class=MsoNormal style='color:navy;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><font size=2
color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>What
we can do to assist them.<o:p></o:p></span></font></li>
</ol>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Instructors collect the goals books each
month and review them. We work as a team to assist students where we
can. When a student meets a goal, the instructor notifies the office
staff (there is a paper trail) so we can enter it into the system (or not
depending on the goal and student authorization to release the
information). This allows us to quantify our learner’s progress
towards their goals in a data base that yields useful information.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>In the beginning of the year, when
instructors collect the goals books for the first time, they review the
information around what goals students have set. This allows them to
integrate goals into the curriculum and instruction, and provides
administrative staff with information to help planning for the year. For
example, many students this year have selected health-related goals, so we have
the Director of Interpreter Services from our local hospital coming to speak
with students around patient rights and access to health care resources in the
community. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>We also have conversation classes that
allow us to focus on clusters of goals. For example, we might do a series
on Citizenship if we have several students with that goal. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>In many ways, helping our students
articulate and achieve their goals relates directly to the retention and
attendance issue. The best way to retain students is when they see a
direct result from their participation that is relevant to their daily lives.
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>At the end of the year, we collate all the
information around student goal achievement. We have an annual year-end
student achievement ceremony, and on each table we place a tent card. On
the outside it says simply “Did you know that…” and on the
inside, we include information about student goal achievements. For
example, it might say that 6 students became American citizens, or 5 students
bought new homes, or 12 students got raises. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>This helps communicate the impact of our
program to our community partners and funders in a real and meaningful way.
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>This is a great example of how we are able
to serve our funders (by quantifying data to meet the state accountability standard
around student goal setting) in a way that truly focuses on meeting our
students’ needs. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Luanne <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<div>
<div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>
<hr size=2 width="100%" align=center tabindex=-1>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>
assessment-bounces@nifl.gov [mailto:assessment-bounces@nifl.gov] <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>Marie Cora<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Thursday, April 19, 2007
8:46 AM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> Assessment@nifl.gov<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> [Assessment 753] Using
Student Goals as Data</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Hi everyone,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Wow, what a super discussion! So rich and full of
great ideas, interesting comments, excellent questions, and thoughtful
challenges. I usually contribute more myself but I’m just reading
and soaking it in at this point. I am cutting and pasting the discussion
into a user-friendly document, which I will make available once our Guest Panel
concludes tomorrow. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>We are really covering a lot of ground here! Just
curious (because it is a focus on mine within the realm of accountability):
a number of folks have discussed issues of retention and the types of
strategies that they employ in their programming, but I don’t think that
anyone has mentioned if they use student-stated goals to track retention,
trends in learning or program offerings, etc. Perhaps the use of student
goals is more easily applicable at the classroom/teaching level (not sure!),
but I just wanted to know if anyone out there makes programmatic decisions
based in part on the reasons why students come to your programs. I am not
referring to learning gains (reading, writing, math, ESOL, etc), but rather to
students’ ultimate purposes for attending, like getting a better job,
helping kids with homework, buying a home, becoming a citizen, etc. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Thoughts on this?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Thanks!<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Marie<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:PersonName w:st="on"><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Marie Cora</span></font></st1:PersonName><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><a href="mailto:marie.cora@hotspurpartners.com"><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>marie.cora@hotspurpartners.com</span></font></a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>NIFL Assessment Discussion List Moderator</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><a href="http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/assessment">http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/assessment</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Coordinator, LINCS Assessment Special Collection</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><a href="http://literacy.kent.edu/Midwest/assessment/">http://literacy.kent.edu/Midwest/assessment/</a></span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> </span><o:p></o:p></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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