Hello all,
I weigh in on the side of creativity!  My class created the virtual visit
that David Rosen mentions, and I can tell you that the experience allowed
students to enter history in a way I can't imagine anything else would have.
It allowed them to see what could have been a dry subject (GED Social
Studies materials, for example) as something that affected real humans, that
real people participated in.  It gave them a new framework for all of the
history and social studies we were studying, as well as a real and shared
experience to write about.

Had it occurred early in the year, I'm sure my students would have
objected.  But by then I had perfected my answer to the perennial question,
"Will it be on the test?"  Now I simply say, "Yes."  You'd be amazed at how
seldom I have been called upon to justify the answer!  But it's not hard --
history is a subject, critical thinking is required, and so on.

Finally another possible way to reduce at least student pressure for a
test-driven curriculum is to give homework out of the Steck-Vaughn skills
books.  They are cheap (maybe $2 apiece or so) and they keep students happy,
along with giving you material for discussing test-taking skills -- which,
after all, is a form of critical thinking.

Having said all of that, I have also struggled with theme-based learning.
The same issues of open enrollment and spotty attendance plague me.  I'm
trying it again this year, though, with lower-level students (GLE about 3-6)
who generally tend to have better attendance than higher levels.  I'm
keeping my fingers crossed!

Wendy Quinones


On 10/11/07, djrosen at comcast.net <djrosen at comcast.net> wrote:

>

> Assessment Colleagues,

>

> I have some assessment questions below, but first please look at the

> following two examples of creative, theme-based and project-based GED

> teaching:

>

> 1. The Fabric of History curriculum -- designed for young adults who are

> not usually excited about learning American History, but who are interested

> in clothes and fashion, a whole American history curriculum built on this

> theme:

>

> http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Fabric_of_History

>

> 2. A Virtual Visit to a Lowell, Massachusetts Mill museum -- a Web site

> designed by and for young adults in a GED preparation program  that features

> a visit to a 19th century mill and readings, writings and discussion about

> the period.

>

> http://tech.worlded.org/docs/lowell/home.htm

>

> My Overall Question: How should we assess learning in creative GED

> programs? Consider the examples above, the theme-based CUNY GED program that

> Kate Brandt has written about here, and other examples from this disscussion

> and elsewhere:

>

> How should we do summative assessment for a creative GED program?  How

> should we do formative assessment?

>

> 1) Summative Assessment

>

> Are scores on the GED test all we need?  Or do we also need to know, for

> example:

>

> a. College as a Goal. How many/what percent of GED program participants

> hold the goal of going to college, and how has that changed from the

> beginning to the end of the program?

> b. College Preparation. For those who hold this goal, how many/what

> percent are prepared for college? For example, how many have been admitted

> to college, and how many/what percent have been admitted as regular, not

> developmental studies, students? How many have high GED scores as one

> indication of preparation for college level work? How many, particularly

> "first generation" college students, have learned about the culture of

> higher education and how to navigate it successfully ?

> c. Success in college. How many of the GED program graduates complete the

> first year of college? How many complete a two-year degree? A four-year

> degree?

> d. What else should be assessed at the end of the program or later to

> determine impact or effect of the GED program?

>

> 2) Formative Assessment

>

> Formative assessment is systematic measuring of learning progress or

> learning about how-to-learn strategies for the students themselves and for

> their teacher or tutor.

>

> What formative assessment tools are/could be effective  in creative GED

> programs, for example in programs that use themes or learning projects:

> Dialogue journals? (Online or hold-in-the-hand) portfolios? Videotaped

> demonstrations of application of skills, knowledge or understanding?

>  Assessments of attitude changes? Something else?

>

>

> David J. Rosen

> djrosen at comcast.net

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> ---------- Forwarded message ----------

> From: djrosen at comcast.net

> To: The Assessment Discussion List <assessment at nifl.gov>

> Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2007 13:27:13 +0000

> Subject: Assessing Creative GED Programs

>

>

> ---------- Forwarded message ----------

> From: djrosen at comcast.net

> To: The Assessment Discussion List <assessment at nifl.gov>

> Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2007 13:16:44 +0000

> Subject: Assessing Creative GED Programs

>

>

> ---------- Forwarded message ----------

> From: djrosen at comcast.net

> To: The Assessment Discussion List <assessment at nifl.gov>

> Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2007 13:07:20 +0000

> Subject: Assessing Creative GED Programs

>

>

> ---------- Forwarded message ----------

> From: djrosen at comcast.net

> To: The Assessment Discussion List <assessment at nifl.gov>

> Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2007 13:04:50 +0000

> Subject: Assessing Creative GED Programs

>

>

> ---------- Forwarded message ----------

> From: djrosen at comcast.net

> To: The Assessment Discussion List <assessment at nifl.gov>

> Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2007 13:02:49 +0000

> Subject: Re: [Assessment 954] Re: Obstacles to GED Creativity and How to

> Overcome them

>

>

> ---------- Forwarded message ----------

> From: Kate.Brandt at mail.cuny.edu

> To: The Assessment Discussion List <assessment at nifl.gov>

> Date: Wed, 10 Oct 2007 19:28:58 +0000

> Subject: [Assessment 954] Re: Obstacles to GED Creativity and How to

> Overcome them

>

> Hi, colleagues,

>

> In response to David Rosen's questions, I think I'll respond to number

> four.  Because I work at an institution where theme-based teaching in GED

> classrooms is policy, I think I'm in a good position to speak to this one.

>

> The City University of New York has taken a theme-based approach to

> instruction, particularly GED instruction, for at least a decade now.

> There are eleven campuses throughout New York City where GED classes are

> offered.  The administrators and teachers who work at these sites are

> overseen by CUNY's Central Office and so there is a community of sorts

> between CUNY adult literacy teachers and administrators across the campuses.

>   While theme-based teaching, when it was introduced, encountered some

> resistance from teachers, there was also a lot of enthusiasm for it.  Having

> a community allowed teachers who were trying out this new approach to share

> materials and experiences, both at their campus programs and across

> programs.

>

> In addition to supporting each other, teachers were--and are--supported by

> a team of staff developers who work with them in a number of ways:

>  team-teaching, periodic campus meetings, seminars, conferences, online

> fora, and more. One of the seminars that is run regularly is a curriculum

> development seminar in which teachers are paid to work with staff

> developers, first in a group setting, and then one-on-one, to produce

> curricula that they can use in their own teaching and which are also

> available to other CUNY teachers in "ready to use" form.

>

> I do think this approach to teaching is challenging and that institutional

> support makes a world of difference.    In our curriculum development

> seminars teachers have the chance to plan instruction carefully, thinking

> about the broad concepts they want to get across, the texts and other

> materials they will use, the learning goals they have for students, and the

> way that the many threads that must be included in GED instruction can be

> "braided" together.   While it's challenging, I also think planning in this

> way forces teachers to think about teaching in a deep and detailed way.

>  They must really think through each class--what students will learn; which

> activities they will engage in; which texts will be used and why.

>

> As a staff developer, I work with teachers who vary widely in terms of

> their approaches to teaching.  Some of the teachers I work with would be

> considered "traditional," while others favor "student-centered" learning and

> still others mix a variety of styles.  It can be hard to get teachers who

> have never tried an activity like student role play to take the risk.  As

> part of a group of teachers taking part in a seminar, though, that teacher

> is more likely to try it out.

>

> So I do think theme-based teaching is a challenge, but well worth it.  And

> my experience has shown me that institutional support makes all the

> difference.

>

> Kate Brandt

>

>

>   *djrosen at comcast.net*

> Sent by: assessment-bounces at nifl.gov

>

> 10/10/2007 12:02 PM   Please respond to

> The Assessment Discussion List <assessment at nifl.gov>

>

>    To

> The Assessment Discussion List <assessment at nifl.gov>  cc

>   Subject

> [Assessment 952] Obstacles to GED Creativity and How to Overcome

>  them

>

>

>

>

> Assessment Colleagues,

>

> Several obstacles to GED program creativity have been mentioned, and there

> are are others. I would be interested in hearing how creative GED

> practitioners have overcome each of these challenges. I hope those who have

> solutions will pick one or more of these challenges and address them in this

> discussion.  How have you pushed back the pressure for GED programs to be

> primarily test preparation, not substantive learning?  How have you

> successfully addressed these constraints?

>

> 1) Students'  determination to pass the test in the shortest time possible

> 2) Students' holding the goal "getting the GED" as an unexamined act of

> faith that this is what they need that "having the certificate or diploma"

> will meet their needs

> 3) Students' belief that "real school" looks just like the often failed)

> schools they have attended, traditional models of  schooling

> 4) Teachers' lack of experience (and therefore discomfort) with creative

> teaching such as theme-based or project-based learning

> 5) Accountability  for "GED outcomes" within a short time period from

> funders at the national, state and/or local level.

> 6) Other obstacles or constraints, especially those that are unique to GED

> Preparation programs or, Adult Secondary Education.

>

>

> David J. Rosen

> djrosen at comcast.net

>

>

>

>

>

> ----- Message from "Donna Curry" <donnac at gwi.net> on Wed, 10 Oct 2007

> 14:31:53 +0000 -----   *To:*

> "The Assessment Discussion List" <assessment at nifl.gov>  *Subject:*

> [Assessment 951] GED: What you need to know

> Hi. I'd like to add my two-cents to the discussion about the need to help

> students get their GED quickly.

>

> I'm on a local shellfish committee looking for wardens to check out the

> clam flats.  When I asked what the requirements were for being a warden, I

> was told they needed to have a GED or high school diploma.  This struck me

> so I asked why. I was told that the warden would have to send in periodic

> reports based on his/her findings so s/he needed "at least a GED."

>

> I worry about the disconnect between our teaching just to the test (in

> writing, for example, the test requires students to write an "essay") and

> what the broader community and business people are expecting our adult

> learners to be able to do once they have a GED (such as write short reports,

> but rarely an "essay").

>

> Are we explicit in the skills that we're teaching so that students can

> actually use what they've learned after they pass their GED?? Do we give

> them opportunities to transfer their learning from the workbook (or

> computer) to real-life situations so they know how to use different skills

> in different situations?

>

>

> Donna

>

> Donna Curry

> Center for Literacy Studies

> University of Tennessee

> ("branch office" - Westport Island, Maine)

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