OK - I'm going to play devil's advocate here. What about the following 2 
scenarios:

1) We offer what is clearly labeled a course in "Excel Basics" or an 
"Introduction to the Adult Learner" - describing the target as "those new 
to the topic."  And yet even with that we have a broad range of "skill 
levels" - one person who is competent in using a computer, but has never 
used Excel sitting next to someone who still has difficulty using a mouse - 
or whose keyboarding skills are extremely low.  Or we have a participant 
with 20 years education experience, sitting next to one who came to AE 
fresh out of college, or one who has worked several years in Adult 
corporate training but has no formal Education training?

2) Funding is provided for only one "workshop/course/training" during this 
time frame or in this area of the state.  We have a clear request from our 
statewide needs assessment for help with the topic of "multi-level 
instruction."  How do we present this material such that the new folks 
aren't overwhelmed, but the more experienced AE folks feel challenged/get 
what they need?

[Please note I am truly playing Devil's advocate here - I know what *we* 
did to solve these issues, but would like to see if there are other ideas 
out there that we haven't tried or thought of]

Duren Thompson
Tennessee State leadership Team
Center for Literacy Studies

At 02:46 PM 11/3/2005 -0600, Chris Francisco wrote:

>Jeff and All,

>

>I completely agree with your statements.  Good on you!

>

>peace and love,

>

>Chris

>

>

>>This question gets at the heart of "practice what you preach" in adult 

>>education (at least in my opinion):  the art of facilitating multi-level 

>>classrooms, integrating the strategy of peer tutoring, review and 

>>reinforce of learning, building on learners' prior knowledge.  These 

>>ideas that we suggest be a fundamental part of the learning environment 

>>for our adult learners in basic skills programs should be the same ideas 

>>that we build our PD around:   build on participants' prior knowledge, 

>>network and share ideas, engage more experienced participants to extend 

>>dialogue, or challenge the more experienced participants to extend or 

>>reinforce what they know (or think they know).  I think it's important to 

>>know your audience ALWAYS - and never plan an event so tightly that it 

>>isn't flexible enough to adjust to the varied experience of your audience.

>>

>>Jeff Fantine

>>Director, Literacy Center

>>College of Education

>>Ohio University

>>338 McCracken Hall

>>Athens, OH  45701

>>800-753-1519

>>fax:  740-593-2834

>>

>>

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