David and All,

Let's not confuse critical thinking with creativity.  Critical thinking is a 
learned process, whereas, creativity is a mental vision and can be nurtured, 
but not necessarily learned..  In Adult Education creativity is not a 
necessary skill, while critical thinking should be paramount.

I work in ASE through competency-based performance assessment programs such 
as the Adult Diploma Program and the National External Diploma Program. 
This work has allowed me to focus on what adults need to know and be able to 
do and this information has changed over the years.  Most states' education 
systems are moving toward being standards driven.Adult Education seems to be 
GED driven.  As such, is limited to just what is necessary to pass the GED. 
The need for competency/proficiency based instruction and assessment is 
apparent, at least to me.

In today's world, critical thinking should be high on the list of 
competencies that need to be learned.  Merely passing a standardized test 
does not guarantee that the adult is able to think critically. Yet, from the 
perspective of the instructors, administrators, students, and policy makers, 
passing the test has become paramount  in Adult Education. Outcomes has been 
translated to mean numbers of GED passers. Minimally passing the GED is 
"good enough" as a good outcome. If the student can just pass the GED, all 
will be well.   Not necessarily so!

Adult Education needs complete reform.  Let's look at what the metacognative 
research tells us and design a system around what essential knowledge and 
skills are needed today, embedding critical thinking/reading skills into all 
activities. Refocus the outcome from just passing the GED to a performance 
based demonstration of competencies based on what adults need to know and be 
able to do today.  Passing the GED will still be an attainable measure, but 
only one of many that need to be achieved.  Instructors and students must 
know that building a strong foundation of basic knowledge and thinking 
skills will lead to passing the test.  A strong foundation will, more 
importantly, guarantee success for the next steps beyond high school 
certification and provide the cognitive functional skills needed in our 
complex world. This must be communicated to the learners from the beginning 
upon entering AE programs.  Learners must be given the opportunity to 
understand what commitment in time and effort is needed on the path to skill 
building and filling in gaps process in order to achieve their goals. 
Changing the paradigm will be a win-win for everyone and the outcomes will 
be more meaningful.

Donna  Chambers




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David J. Rosen" <djrosen at comcast.net>
To: "The Assessment Discussion List" <assessment at nifl.gov>
Sent: Friday, October 26, 2007 10:53 PM
Subject: [Assessment 1005] Re: GED Discussion - what you need to know!


Assessment colleagues,

Toni asked what we mean by creativity.  Good question. I'll give it a
shot.

Is creativity a means to an end -- that is, with creative teaching
approaches will more students have more and higher academic skills,
better test scores? Or is creativity itself an end -- that is, do we
want students to be both academically prepared and creative? Or
both?  And where do critical skills fit in?

I would argue, as Marc Tucker does, that we need both high academic
skills and creativity, and I would put critical thinking in both
these catregories, both as a means and as an end. Our adult secondary
education (e.g. GED) programs should provide students with the
opportunity to have academic skills that are strong enough to succeed
in college, strong critical thinking skills (these may be inseparable
from strong academic skills), and the skills of creative problem
solving.

Since this is the assessment list, let me ask what are we measuring
now adult secondary education programs?

• Perhaps academic skills, at least through standardized tests
• Are we measuring critical thinking skills, and if so how?
• I am not aware that anyone in adult literacy education is measuring
creative skills.

If Marc Tucker is right, we are not paying attention to one of the
greatest economic assets, one of the historic strengths of the U.S. I
agree with Tucker and believe that the nearly exclusive focus on high
stakes basic skills tests for K-12, and the focus on only traditional
basic skills for the GED tests disrespects important creative skills
like the ability to look at a problem freshly and from different
perspectives, the ability to try out and evaluate a range of
solutions, the ability to represent an idea with an image, a moving
image, a drawing; a metaphor or other figurative language, or
rhetoric; and the ability to understand and follow, but instead to
disregard instructions or traditional paths of thinking (what we now
often describe as "thinking outside the box").

Are these goals that every GED student has or should have. No. Should
they be? Not necessarily.  But for students who see the GED or high
school diploma as a way out of poverty, as a stepping stone to stable
employment and self-sufficiency, as a key to open the door to
successful post-secondary learning, these are the skills we should be
teaching and measuring: academic skills, including critical thinking
and creativity.

I invite your comments on this.

David J. Rosen
djrosen at comcast.net



On Oct 26, 2007, at 3:39 PM, Borge, Toni F wrote:


> When we are referring to creativity do we mean teaching critical

> thinking skills which once our students know how to think in a

> critical thinking way they will be successful in achieving their

> education and other life goals. However, just like K-12 education,

> adult education is captured on the high stakes spinning wheel of

> accountability which stifles creativity and teachers teach to the

> test.

>

> Toni Borge

>

> BHCC

> Adult Education & Transitions Program

>

> Boston, MA

>

>

>

> From: assessment-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:assessment-

> bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of shirley ledet

> Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2007 4:30 PM

> To: The Assessment Discussion List

> Subject: [Assessment 1001] Re: GED Discussion - what you need to know!

>

>

>

> I agree that creativity is not the enemy of success on standardized

> test.  We need look no further then those who have been successful

> on any type of test.  We tend to use terms like natuarally gifted,

> just smart, etc.  If you speak to these folks they are well

> rounded, enjoy reading, mvies, theater, they tend to use terms like

> "I don't know, I just know stuff."  Researchers have found that

> this may be the reason for disparity between ethnicity. I believe

> there is more disparity between socio economic background then

> ethnicity. Exposure to the arts, banking industry, faculty,

> medicine, legal issues as part of your everyday life tends to offer

> more of an advantage when testing then someone whose only exposure

> is to go to school and study hard. My students participate in a

> quite a few creative projects and those that "get into it" tend to

> do better in all subjects. Those that feel it is a waste of time

> and they just want to "study for the GED" are generally frustrated

> when "all of their hard work does not pay off like they would

> like."  Creativity also leads to retention; especially those

> activities that have to be completed in increments.  Let's bring on

> more creativity!

>

> Shirley Ledet

>

> GED Instructor

>

> NHC-Carver

>

> djrosen at comcast.net wrote:

>

> Colleagues,

>

> I am a proponent of creativity in adult literacy education --

> indeed in all education. As Marc Tucker, President of the National

> Center for Education and the Economy, has said in a presention

> recently to the National Commission on Adult Literacy, http://

> www.caalusa.org/video/choices.html , the U.S. education system --

> and he includes adult education, cannot be competitive without high

> academic standards AND creativity.

>

> But many GED teachers and administrators believe that their

> students will not pass the GED unless they focus on skills and

> knowledge needed to pass the test, that creativity is a

> "distraction" and a time-waster. (Many K-12 teachers,

> administrators or policy makers also believe creativity distracts

> from passing high stakes tests.) I hate to be the one to raise this

> issue, but it's the key question on the minds of many GED teachers

> and administrators, so I invite the panelists to address it.

>

> Is creativity a distraction or is it essential for success? Why?

>

>

> David J. Rosen

> djrosen at comcast.net

>

> -------------- Original message ----------------------

> From: "Marie Cora"

> > Hi everyone,

> >

> > We've had several new subscribers over the past day, and so I

> wanted to

> > give a quick reminder where you can get the information on this

> > discussion. For the full announcement, information on guests, and

> > suggested resources go to:

> >

> > http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/discussions/assessment/

> 07creativityGED.html

> >

> > If you missed the posts from yesterday - there were a couple -

> you can

> > catch up in the archives at:

> > http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/assessment/2007/date.html

> >

> > Please post your questions and also your own experiences to share

> now!

> >

> > Thanks!!

> >

> > Marie Cora

> > Assessment Discussion List Moderator

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Marie Cora

> > marie.cora at hotspurpartners.com

> > NIFL Assessment Discussion List Moderator

> > http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/assessment

> >

> >

>

>

>

> From: "Marie Cora" <marie.cora at hotspurpartners.com>

> To: <Assessment at nifl.gov>

> Subject: [Assessment 942] GED Discussion - what you need to know!

> Date: Tue, 9 Oct 2007 14:43:14 +0000

>

> Hi everyone,

>

>

>

> We’ve had several new subscribers over the past day, and so I

> wanted to give a quick reminder where you can get the information

> on this discussion.  For the full announcement, information on

> guests, and suggested resources go to:

>

>

>

> http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/discussions/assessment/07creativityGED.html

>

>

>

> If you missed the posts from yesterday – there were a couple – you

> can catch up in the archives at:  http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/

> assessment/2007/date.html

>

>

>

> Please post your questions and also your own experiences to share now!

>

>

>

> Thanks!!

>

>

>

> Marie Cora

>

> Assessment Discussion List Moderator

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Marie Cora

>

> marie.cora at hotspurpartners.com

>

> NIFL Assessment Discussion List Moderator

>

> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/assessment

>

>

>

>

>

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