Return-Path: <nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id j9BK4lG05402; Tue, 11 Oct 2005 16:04:47 -0400 (EDT) Date: Tue, 11 Oct 2005 16:04:47 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <925FA600-720F-4DAF-A00A-9C603DF6A086@comcast.net> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: David Rosen <djrosen@comcast.net> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-technology@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-TECHNOLOGY:3811] RE: (How) can low-level readers/speakers (of English and other languages) use distance learning effectively? X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: Apple Mail (2.734) Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed Status: O Content-Length: 5431 Lines: 135 Hello Gina, Thanks a lot. This rich and thoughtful description is very helpful. I have used Moodle, too, and I agree it is terrific. Especially as it is free, but also because it can be tailored to meet the needs of the learners. I would also like to hear from others who have helped low-level readers/speakers (of English and other languages) use distance learning effectively. David J. Rosen djrosen@comcast.net On Oct 11, 2005, at 12:47 PM, Bennett, Gina wrote: > Hi David, > > Not sure if this constitutes 'professional wisdom' or just > 'practitioner > experience' (probably the latter). Our College has been offering a > certified Licensed Practical Nursing program for the past 4 years to a > learner group which might fit your criteria. We offer the theory > part of > our LPN program (approx. 8 months) entirely by distance delivery, to a > rather special learner audience. Most of the students in this program > are foreign-trained healthcare professionals, seeking licensure in > Canada, and living about 1000 km from our campus. For the most > part, the > students have a somewhat limited facility with English (spoken & > written) and often VERY limited computer skills. We have learned a few > things over the years about making the program work & at this > point, our > retention rate is about 90%. Some notes on what we do & how we do it: > > -- early on, we switched learning management systems to something > easier > for the students to use. We started with WebCT the first year & found > that almost none of the students would use it: they simply > communicated > with the instructor by mail (mostly) or telephone (sometimes). For the > past 2 1/2 years, we have been using Moodle which the students find > much > easier to use. They need a course management system in which it is > impossible to get lost & also a limited number of basic tools (we use > mostly linear resources for reading, lots of discussion forums, & > on-screen writing assignments). > -- we provide an on-site orientation to the learning management > system & > the online program. > -- we schedule frequent, short assignments & maintain tight deadlines > -- the instructor for the program schedules a regular (once per month) > on-site workshop to keep in touch with students > -- we make ample use of non-technical support systems. For example, we > provide a toll-free phone number for students to call us with > technical > problems. > > Of course, there is still plenty of room for improvement. If we could > assign more money & time to this program, I would recommend: > -- increase the on-site orientation significantly. At the moment, we > provide one full day of technical orientation. Most students would > benefit from at least twice that amount. Students with next-to-no > computer skills (many of these students are in the 40s-50s age > range)would benefit from 3 or 4 days to improve their basic computer > competencies: opening & closing programs, super-basic file management, > getting familiar with the keyboard, basic troubleshooting. > -- add some kind of easy-to-use desktop-sharing or application-sharing > facility (e.g. Shinkuro). This would make our lives so much easier! As > the primary person responsible for supporting the instructor & the > technical needs of the students, I spend HOURS talking on the phone > with > distraut, frustrated students. I have a hard time understanding their > spoken English sometimes & they have a hard time understanding my > computer directions. If I could see what they're doing, & demonstrate > on-screen how to do it the right way, I think we'd all be happier. > > Sooo... I guess our approach could be summed up as 'high-touch, > low-tech'. I can't stress the importance of the high-touch part. In my > experience, low-literacy students need a warm body who is > approachable & > patient. Of course, it would be best if that warm body were available > on-site to help (such as an on-site tutor or mentor)... The high-touch > can be provided at a distance but it is harder & it does take time. > > Hope this helps, > Gina > > ------------------- > Gina Bennett > eLearning Support & Coordination > College of the Rockies > Box 8500 > Cranbrook, BC V1C 5L7 > 250.489.8287 > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: nifl-technology@nifl.gov [mailto:nifl-technology@nifl.gov] On > Behalf Of David Rosen > Sent: October 11, 2005 9:46 AM > To: Multiple recipients of list > Subject: [NIFL-TECHNOLOGY:3808] (How) can low-level readers/ > speakers (of > English and other languages) use distance learning effectively? > > > NIFL-Technology Colleagues, > > One of the questions posted on the Adult Literacy Education Wiki, in > the Technology area, > > http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/ > AleTechnologyQuestions is > > (How) can low-level readers/speakers (of English and other languages) > use distance learning effectively? > > I wonder if you have, or aware of, professional wisdom or research > which addresses this question. If you are on another electronic list > where there may be practitioners or researchers who could answer > this, please forward this post to that list and ask that replies be > made to the nifl-techology list or to me. (To subscribe to nifl- > technology, go to http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/discussions/nifl- > technology/technology_literacy.html) > > > David J. Rosen > djrosen@comcast.net > > >
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