Return-Path: <nifl-workplace@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id f55Ix0f21245; Tue, 5 Jun 2001 14:59:01 -0400 (EDT) Date: Tue, 5 Jun 2001 14:59:01 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <NEBBJKHLILOPLOFAODCNOEMFCBAA.bethodom@literacyaction.org> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-workplace@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-workplace@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-workplace@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Beth Odom" <bethodom@literacyaction.org> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-workplace@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-WORKPLACE:193] Re: Retention Comment X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook IMO, Build 9.0.2416 (9.0.2910.0) Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Type: text/plain; Status: O Content-Length: 3561 Lines: 91 I must agree with Terry and Walter. At least that has been my experience the past 15 years in adult literacy. In observing the discussion of EFF and now this topic, I find it interesting that so many seem to make the assumption that "adult literacy learners" are much different than ourselves as adult learners. True, they lack the same level of language skills, academic sophistication and information processing skills that "we" possess. But I would argue that why we choose to learn what we learn is quite similar. They are adults: parents, workers, heads of households with a multitude of responsibilities and commitments, often with fewer time management skills than those with higher literacy levels. I ask myself as one might ask them, "With all of the daily demands on my time and energy, would I stay in a program, class, etc...that was not related to some specific goal?" Of course not! It would be absurd. Adult literacy students think so too. That being said, I have observed two things that muddy the issue. 1. Students who are not getting what they need out of class frequently blame themselves and are reluctant to voice a comment such as, "This class isn't helping me." or "The work we do in class is not helping me meet my goals." Instead, they reference something else as the problem or say nothing at all, just leave. 2. Well-meaning, even "good" teachers get bogged down in the skills and concepts they need to cover. We get consumed with What we are teaching and forget to reinforce Why we are teaching it. Students often cannot make this connection between what they learn in the classroom and why/how it will be useful in the real world. And unfortunately, often instructors cannot help the student make the connection in anything more than a very general way. That's not enough. Teachers must facilitate discussions and ask questions that allow students to reason through how what they are learning will help them meet their goals in specific, concrete ways. And we need to do this repeatedly, throughout a student's time with us. Stepping off my soap box for now. Elizabeth Odom Instructional Design Specialist Literacy Action Inc. Atlanta, GA 30303 -----Original Message----- From: nifl-workplace@nifl.gov [mailto:nifl-workplace@nifl.gov]On Behalf Of Walter F. Wallace Sent: Tuesday, June 05, 2001 12:39 PM To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: [NIFL-WORKPLACE:192] Re: Retention Comment --- nifl-workplace@nifl.gov wrote: "The setting an adult learner works with in does not make any difference they do not persist longer in a program where instruction relates to their specific goals." Do you agree with this statement? --- end of quote --- Nope. My experience over the years suggests quite the contrary. A good reference point grounded in a NCSALL research project suggests four critical pillars for persistence: 1. awareness and management of the positive and negative forces that help and hinder persistence 2. self-efficacy 3. establishment of a goal by the student 4. progress toward reaching a goal. In my work with adult learners over the past 25 or so years -- ranging from low-literacy folks to high achieving physicians in training -- learning and working toward specific goals is a key driver that keeps the adult in an educational program. The NCSALL piece can be found in Focus on Basics (http://gseweb.harvard.edu/~ncsall/fob/2000/comings.html). Be well, Walter Walter Wallace Graduate Medical Education Office Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center walter.f.wallace@hitchcock.org
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