Return-Path: <nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.9.3/8.9.0.Beta5/980425bjb) with SMTP id JAA29780; Mon, 24 Apr 2000 09:57:56 -0400 (EDT) Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2000 09:57:56 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <Pine.SGI.3.95.1000424094200.20463F-100000@world.std.com> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: David J Rosen <DJRosen@world.std.com> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-4EFF:973] Name Survey X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Status: RO Content-Length: 4464 Lines: 135 NIFL-EFF Colleagues, The survey to find a name for a system of adult education is now over. Here are the results: Respondents' Demographics: 943 people responded to the survey, of whom: 82% were female, and 18% were male 54% were teachers, tutors or instructors 38% were learning center or program administrators 23% were staff development providers 10% were current or former adult learners or adult new readers 11% were researchers 11% were undergraduate or graduate students 7% were state or national level administrators 4% were librarians 1% were funders 16% described themselves as "other" Residence: 31% Northeast 27% Midwest/central 17% Southeast 16% Southwest 9% Northwest Services they provide, use or study: Adult basic education 73% Adult basic literacy 68% Adult ESL/ESOL 63% Adult secondary ed. 37% Job or voc. training 32% Higher ed. 13% Early childhood ed 12% K-12 education 8% Other: 27% And now, the names: The top six names, those which got 60% or more in these three categories: one of the best, good or okay name; and which fewer than 10% of those responding said was a name they could not live with, were: NAME Total of Best Can't live best, good with this and okay name ___________ _____ __________ 1. Adult Education (AE) 72% 23% 5% 2. Adult Basic Education (ABE) 66% 13% 7% 3. Adult Education and Family Literacy (AEFLA) 66% 12% 7% 4. Adult Basic and Literacy Education (ABLE) 64% 16% 6% 5. Adult Learning and Literacy (ALL) 63% 14% 8% 6. Adult Education and Literacy (AEL) 62% 8% 7% Some observations: I think this survey had a good response rate. I expected at least 500, and would have been surprised if more than 1,000 people responded. There is, of course, a built-in bias, that only people with access to the World Wide Web, could participate. Given that, I was pleased that 10% of the participants (90 people) were or are adult literacy students/adult new readers. I monitored the survey regularly. From the third or fourth day, the results were quite consistent until the end. Although I tried to make it clear that this was to be the name of a >system<, none of the top choices included the word "system." Several people commented that they didn't like the word "system" in the name. Some people appeared to choose a name because it was broad, and therefore inclusive. Others felt that a broad name didn't distinguish what our field does from other kinds of education like it. One name achieved, and two others came very close to achieving, a 2/3 supportive vote. All of these six names, it could be argued, are serious contenders. Where do we go from here? We could stop with this and let the Literacy Summit/post-Summit forums provide some direction. Or we could have one more online names survey with only these six names to attempt to choose the one best name. If we do that, I hope there will be some discussion on the NLA list first of the pros and cons of each of these choices. I could summarize these and post the summary with the next survey. I am sure that many people are wondering who has the authority to make this decision. I believe we do: adult learners, practitioners and other supporters of adult literacy/basic education (including ESOL) if we can come up with a name we all agree on and if we just use it. While there are already names for Acts of Congress which address what we do, and for government agencies which administer these laws, there is no name yet for a system of adult (basic/literacy/ESOL) services, the way there is for Elementary and Secondary Education (K-12) and Higher Education (Higher Ed). Many of you will recall that the purpose of doing this survey was to get a name for a system we would then build, a system for which we would get respectable funding, a system with a name we could get behind, a name that legislators and other policy makers could easily understand, and that had a reasonably pleasing acronym. That is still the goal. Granted, once we have a name we can agree on, there is much work ahead to build the system. But a name we could agree on would help. Over the next few days discussion of this survey, its results, and next steps, will take place on the National Literacy Advocacy (NLA) List. To subscribe to the NLA list, send an email message to: majordomo@world.std.com saying (only) subscribe nla David J. Rosen NLA List Moderator
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