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 VAA17508; Tue, 6 Jun 2000 21:45:39 -0400 (EDT) Date: Tue, 6 Jun 2000 21:45:39 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <44.44e483a.266f0201@aol.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: PDRNRI@aol.com To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-4eff@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-4EFF:1053] RI study circle on EFF/ state standards X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: AOL 4.0 for Mac - Post-GM sub 66 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Status: O Content-Length: 2661 Lines: 61 Hello Everyone, The NCSALL study circle on EFF and the Rhode Island Adult Ed. Standards Development process recently completed the third of its four sessions. The discussions on the need for standards in our state and our field; the strengths, weaknesses, successes and shortcomings of our state's development process; and the development and utility of EFF have been lively and illuminating. Though we haven't yet formally evaluated the process, unsolicited comments on its value have been universally positive. The participants - volunteers all (both to the study circle and the state standards effort) - deeply appreciate the opportunity to study standards reform in general and EFF in particular. Moreover, they've been very clear in their analysis of how the process impacts their work in standards development. In the interest of keeping these posts brief, I'll post my notes on our meetings to this list in segements over the next week or so. I'll begin in this post by reviewing the circle's context and purpose. I'll follow with posts on readings, activities, discussions, and plans for the final meeting/study circle product. I welcome any feedback you might provide along the way. Overview Last fall, a volunteer group of practitioners convened a standards development effort at the request of members of the state's General Assembly. The aim was to create a set of performance standards for the state's ESOL, Citizenship and Literacy programs. Many of the volunteers in the group had little or no background in standards development and expressed an interest in learning more. As part of my work for the NCSALL Practitioner Dissemination and Research Network, I agreed to develop and facilitate a study circle that would enable practitioners to examine both the EFF standards development process and Rhode island's process. The aim was to see how EFF's work might inform our own. As part of the project, I'm doing a practitioner inquiry project aimed at assessing the study circle's value as a means of engaging practitioners with EFF. I developed and circulated a survey prior to our first study circle meeting which inquired into practitioner's familiarity with EFF, with standards and standards development in general, and with study circles. Additionally, a group discussion was held at the top of the first meeting to inquire further into practitioners goals for the process. A second survey will follow the conclusion of the study circle, and responses will be compared. My next post will outline the readings and summarize our first meeting. Respectfully, David Hayes
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Mon Oct 29 2001 - 15:04:12 EST