Hi everyone,
My name is Jennifer Rafferty and I oversee the Massachusetts ABE Distance
Learning Project.  We have been serving adults (both ABE/GED and ESOL) with
blended learning since 1999. In the past two years, our dl staff has engaged
in a series of discussions about the skills that are needed to be successful
in a distance/blended program.  Our discussions started off as brainstorming
sessions and eventually turned into a project of developing a resource
packet that instructors can use to help learners prepare for distance
education.  While our resource packet and web modules are only in the
formative stage as of 2007, and we have not standardized the use of these
resources across all dl programs, the packet might shed some light on the
skills that all classroom programs should consider incorporating into their
curricula.  I believe that these skills should be recognized and practiced
in classroom settings so that learners who "stop out" can more easily make
the transition into distance/blended learning.  The resource packet and the
orientation modules are available at:
http://anywhereanytimeabe.org/?page_id=51 .

All the best,
Jennifer Rafferty



-----Original Message-----
From: focusonbasics-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:focusonbasics-bounces at nifl.gov]On Behalf Of Julie McKinney
Sent: Wednesday, January 24, 2007 1:53 PM
To: focusonbasics at nifl.gov
Subject: [FocusOnBasics 608] Re: self study discussion


Thanks, Steve and Clare for sharing the LSAL results and your
interpretations. It seems from your results that self-study is both more
common and more effective than we have tended to think over the years,
and that it could be very significant to work harder at encouraging it.

I wonder if learners who have "learned how to learn" as Clare says, or
focused on self-study skills during their program participation, are
more likely to self-study, and if their self-study is more effective?
Steve, Clare, is there any data to answer this?

If we assume that our students are likely self-study at some point,
wether combined with or outside of a program, there is probably a lot we
can do to encourage that while they are with us. I, too, would love to
hear some answers to Clare's question about "how teachers incorporate
the project of "learning how to learn" into the curriculum, giving
learners tools for self
study and lifelong learning."

Teachers, please tell us what you have done in this regard!

All the best,
Julie

Julie McKinney
Discussion List Moderator
World Education/NCSALL
jmckinney at worlded.org


>>> "Clare Strawn" <clare at pdx.edu> 01/22/07 3:55 PM >>>

Hello - This is Clare Strawn. I have been working with Steve on the
Longitudinal Study since the start. Most of my analytic work has been on
understanding patterns of participation in adult education programs. I
am
interested in hearing if and how teachers incorporate the project of
"learning how to learn" into the curriculum, giving learners tools for
self
study and lifelong learning.

I'm looking forward to participating in this discussion with you.

Clare

In response to the question about how we retained our sample.  From the
beginning of the study we decided to invest in building relationships
with
our respondents. We value their contributions with payment. We have an
in-house system for keeping in touch with people by calling them every
three
months to update our information. It is also very important to ask them
for
contacts of friends and relatives who can help us find them when we
loose
contact with us.

Clare


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