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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Hi all,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>The online link to Jackie Taylor’s article
that George mentions, “Tapping Online Professional Development Through
Communities of Practice: Examples from the NIFL Discussion Lists”, is at <a
href="http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/publications/pdf/ABELJournal08PD.pdf">http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/publications/pdf/ABELJournal08PD.pdf</a>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoAutoSig><em><i><font size=3 color=navy face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:navy'>Donna Brian</span></font></i></em><font
color=navy><span style='color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoAutoSig><em><i><font size=3 color=navy face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:navy'>Moderator, LINCS Workplace Literacy
Discussion List</span></font></i></em><font color=navy><span style='color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoAutoSig><em><i><font size=3 color=navy face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:navy'>Off-list contact <b><span style='font-weight:
bold'><a href="mailto:djgbrian@utk.edu">djgbrian@utk.edu</a></span></b></span></font></i></em><font
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>
assessment-bounces@nifl.gov [mailto:assessment-bounces@nifl.gov] <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>George Demetrion<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Wednesday, December 17, 2008
11:01 AM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> assessment@nifl.gov<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> [Assessment 1541] Re:
Getting staff to use data</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=2 face=Verdana><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Verdana'>Good morning Roger and all.<br>
<br>
A couple of thoughts on theory:<br>
<br>
If one defines that as a construction, then theory, articulated or not as such,
is inescapable in any learning process. For me the question is less whether
there is too much or two little theory, but its cogency in relationship to
whatever prroblem or issue is at hand-oftentimes in the very shaping of the
problem statement itself. The same goes with practice; not so much on
whether its short or long, but its quality and comprehesiveness in relationship
to the focus of study or problem situation. In this respect, Kolb's cycle
of learning is as useful as anything <a
href="http://www.infed.org/biblio/b-explrn.htm">http://www.infed.org/biblio/b-explrn.htm</a>.
See also the links to Dewey and Lewin which can be accessed from this page.<br>
<br>
What is needed is good praxis <a
href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praxis_(process">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praxis_(process</a>).
Of course what this is in any context may be contestable, but working toward
developing good praxis among an informed body of participants in a
given field is as decent a way of moving forward as any. On the
latter, the communities of practice literature is worth taking a look at: <a
href="http://www.ewenger.com/theory/">http://www.ewenger.com/theory/</a>. Note,
too Jackie Taylor's recent article in the Fall 2008 Volume of the ABE
Journal titled "Tapping Online Professional Development Through
Communities of Practice: Examples from the NIFL Discussion Lists.
The work of Lytle and Cochram-Smith on Teacher Research is important too in
working toward the process of bringing theory and practice in closer
alignment. The abundance of technical work on 20th century learning
theory also needs to be factored in, where we don't jump into simplistic one
theory solutions like MI, for example. Broadly speaking, theoretical work
and formal research in adult literacy needs to be embedded wkithin educational
scholarship as a whole. We've got a ways to go. Working through the
difficult issue of good theory cosntruction is an essential part of the
process.<br>
<br>
George Demetrion <br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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font-family:Verdana'><br>
From: bergroger@mac.com<br>
To: cjones@theliteracycenter-lv.org; assessment@nifl.gov<br>
Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2008 10:20:23 -0500<br>
CC: bergroger@mac.com<br>
Subject: [Assessment 1540] Re: Getting staff to use data<br>
<br>
As a former training manager I know that some companies would insist on an exit
test for employees. Lucent had exit tests. Employees had to demonstrate
that they had "passed" the course. These examinations were not
perfunctory. There is a body research that indicates that managers who
monitor the specifics of the knowledge and skills that were trained get a
bigger bang for their training buck. Both of these outcome measures are
not the norm but they do occur. In the ed biz and adult ed biz we usually
do neither. As a tenured full professor at the University of Nebrasksa ,
I have taught ed grad courses. Most ed grad degrees are long on
theory and woefully short on practice. Biz training is short of theory
and longer on practice. And Adult Ed professional development is...<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face=Helvetica><span
style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:black'>Roger Berg<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face=Helvetica><span
style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:black'>Strategic/Community
Planner<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face=Helvetica><span
style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:black'>Literacy Program of
Greater Plymouth at the Plymouth Public Library<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face=Helvetica><span
style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:black'>11 Hall Street<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face=Helvetica><span
style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:black'>Plymouth, MA 02360<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face=Helvetica><span
style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:black'>508 746 6345<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face=Helvetica><span
style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:black'>roger_berg@mac.com<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face=Helvetica><span
style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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font-family:Verdana'></span><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'>On Dec 17, 2008, at 9:07 AM, Carol Jones wrote:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
<blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Verdana><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Verdana'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Interesting discussion. In my
experience, those instructors who seek to participate in professional
development opportunities are those who are open to trying new teaching
strategies and personal improvement. They are not frightened of admitting
that there is always more to learn…which seems to be what we hope for in
students too. Resistance to participation in training, on the other hand,
is not often a sign of a strong instructor. Of course, just attending is
not the important thing, but actually trying to find at least one thing to add
to the bag of tricks is the key. I’m not sure that you can measure this
formally, but I suspect that if you could review performance reviews of both
groups, you’d find that those who openly participate in professional
development are identified as better instructors across the board.</span></font><font
color=black><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'> </span></font><font color=black><span
style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 color=black face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;color:black;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><span
class=ecapple-converted-space><font size=2 color=black face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;color:black'> </span></font></span><font
size=2 color=black face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;
color:black'>assessment-bounces@nifl.gov<span class=ecapple-converted-space> </span>[mailto:assessment-bounces@nifl.gov]<span
class=ecapple-converted-space> </span><b><span style='font-weight:bold'>On
Behalf Of<span class=ecapple-converted-space> </span></span></b>Roger Berg<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b><span
class=ecapple-converted-space> </span>Tuesday, December 16, 2008 12:08 PM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b><span
class=ecapple-converted-space> </span>The Assessment Discussion List<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Cc:</span></b><span
class=ecapple-converted-space> </span>Roger Berg<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b><span
class=ecapple-converted-space> </span>[Assessment 1535] Re: Getting staff
to use data</span></font><font color=black><span style='color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>There appears to be the assumption that
participating in professional development improves instruction. I would
not be surprised to find an small positive effect but could it be that the
'better" instructors attend PD while the others.....<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>Roger Berg<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>Strategic/Community Planner<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
</div>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>Literacy Program of Greater<span
class=ecapple-converted-space> </span>Plymouth<span
class=ecapple-converted-space> </span>at the<span
class=ecapple-converted-space> </span>Plymouth<span
class=ecapple-converted-space> </span>Public Library<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>11 Hall Street<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>Plymouth,<span
class=ecapple-converted-space> </span>MA<span
class=ecapple-converted-space> </span>02360<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
</div>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>508 746 6345<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>roger_berg@mac.com<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=4 color=black face=Helvetica><span
style='font-size:15.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:black'>-------------------------------<br>
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