Writing from Bunker Hill Community College Boston one of the 5 colleges
profiled in Torchlights in ESL;  I can confirm that the majority of GED
and ESOL students place into developmental math.  That said, 90% of all
students who enroll in community  colleges  in Massachusetts place into
at least one developmental course.   And this is the trend nationwide.

 


>From my experience there are a number of factors that play into

developmental placement; one that Tom mentioned is the lack of alignment
between the Massachusetts Adult Curriculum Frameworks and community
college math or English curriculum - and between Adult Ed ESOL and
community college ESOL curriculum also.  It also should be noted a large
number of high school graduates who pass the MCAS - Massachusetts state
K-12 competency test also test into developmental classes, again lack of
alignment between the  secondary education  and community college
curriculum is a factor.  Steps are being taken to address this issue.

 

Another factor is test taking skills.  Students need to learn how to
take a computerized test. The test taking strategies we learned about
skipping the questions you know and then go back or review the
questions after you have completed the test can't be done on a
computerized test.  Also many students do not take the time to read the
directions carefully.  You can't go back and correct on a computerized
test.

 

Instead of thinking how to get students to pass Accuplacer, I would
recommend the focus should be on what math and English academic skills
that are required to place into college level classes and adapt the
curriculum to address these deficiencies.

Toni

 

 

 

From: assessment-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:assessment-bounces at nifl.gov]
On Behalf Of Mechem, Thompson
Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2009 9:57 AM
To: The Assessment Discussion List
Subject: [Assessment 1574] Re: Reply to Questions 1 and 2

 

Stephanie, et al.---

 

In our state we also find that the low academic skill level of GED
diploma recipients is, if not the biggest barrier to post-secondary
education, at least a very major one. A huge majority of GED students
end up in college developmental courses from which they never emerge.
The unindicted co-conspirator in all this is the ACCUPLACER, the
placement test that all applicants to Massachusetts state colleges must
take. Our data shows that while GED grads do very well on the reading
part of the ACCUPLACER and quite well on the Writing in terms of
avoiding developmental courses, on the the Math they do very, very
poorly. There is no correlation between GED math and ACCUPLACER/college
Algebra: a person can get an 800 on the GED math test and still test
into developmental math at a community college. I am working with GED
math teachers around Massachusetts to develop a GED curriculum that will
allow students to pass the GED test with all due speed and also pass the
ACCUPLACER math test.

Tom Mechem 
GED State Chief Examiner 
Department of Elementary & Secondary Education 
Commonwealth of Massachusetts 
781-338-6621 
"GED to Ph.D." 

	-----Original Message-----
	From: assessment-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:assessment-bounces at nifl.gov]On Behalf Of Stephanie Moran
	Sent: Monday, February 02, 2009 3:28 PM
	To: 'The Assessment Discussion List'
	Subject: [Assessment 1563] Reply to Questions 1 and 2

	1.        The low skill level of many students trying to
transition from GED to college may be the biggest barrier. We are part
of the SUN grant/College Connection grant here in Colorado, so we are in
the middle of  doing exactly this-working in an intensive 8-week program
that is attempting to help our GED grads accelerate their skill levels
in reading, writing, math, study skills, critical thinking-and learn how
to "do college" as well as explore career options. Our students are
dedicated, but many nevertheless lack more sophisticated skills. One of
our grant goals is to help them successfully pass through their current
remedial course, and if they are at the 030 or 060 level, to perhaps
skip over the next one into the higher 060/090 or into credit-bearing
courses altogether.

	--Study skills of students-many GED students are episodic in
their attendance and can still pull off a solid GED score, but college
demands  consistent and focused show-up-and-suit-up skills that may be
unfamiliar if not downright foreign to GED grads.

	--Another barrier is that some teachers perceive their primary
role as helping students earn the GED and although such teachers often
support post-GED studies, they don't want to push students or focus on
higher-level skills. This creates a de facto tracking system, and it may
be that centers will need to formalize such tracking so that students
who know they want to go on to post-GED studies can work with those
teachers.

	2.  Resources:  Having GED teachers who also teach as adjuncts
for community colleges is hugely helpful because we understand both
systems and what is required for a student to be successful in a college
environment; we also can tutor and advocate in a way that teachers who
teach at only one level may not be able or willing to do as effectively.

	--THE SUN/ College Connection grant has given us time and
funding to develop curriculum, to work in close collaboration with other
teacher/team members, and to introduce this approach to the community
colleges.

	 

	Stephanie Moran

	Durango, CO

	 

	From: assessment-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:assessment-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Marie Cora
	Sent: Monday, February 02, 2009 7:52 AM
	To: Assessment at nifl.gov
	Subject: [Assessment 1557] Transitions Discussion begins today!

	 

	Good morning, afternoon and evening to you all.

	 

	Today begins our week-long discussion on Transitions in Adult
Education.  

	 

	For full information on this discussion, go to:

	 

	
http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/discussions/assessment/09transitions.html

	 

	I have some questions for subscribers:

	 

	1.  What seem to pose the biggest obstacles for your program
when trying to successfully transition adult students from one education
level to another, or from education to the workforce?  What does your
program try to do about this?

	 

	2.  What resources have you found helpful when trying to
successfully transition a student?  How have they been helpful?

	 

	3.  Please comment on the Introduction and/or Recommended
Preparations for this Discussion, found at the announcement URL above.

	 

	Please post your questions and share your experiences now.  

	 

	Thanks!!

	 

	Marie Cora

	Assessment Discussion List Moderator

	 

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