You have given us a great list of strategies, Duren.  Here's another  
for computer training/professional development, which may be  
applicable in other PD areas too.

~ ask participants to complete a quiz (perhaps online) before coming  
to training that includes performing tasks that would be needed in  
the training (e.g. correctly typing or cutting and pasting a URL in a  
browser, minimizing a window, opening two windows and switching back  
and forth between them, etc.) If participants get below a certain %  
ask them to come to a one-hour pre-training activity where they will  
get special help with these skills.

I sometimes ask people to pair up at one computer in a lab (if they  
wish) so they can help each other. This doesn't always help.  I  
wonder if you -- or others -- have suggestions about how to pair  
people up.  These might have applicability to other PD areas too.

David J. Rosen
djrosen at comcast.net



On Nov 4, 2005, at 1:55 PM, Duren Thompson wrote:


> I like all your strategies for writing a more accurate description  

> - and we've used many of them.

> In particular, your phrasing "...who are comfortable using a  

> computer and competent with basic word processing, but who have  

> little or no experience using a spreadsheet" is almost word for  

> word what we've used.

>

> Our experience, however, is that folks attend anyway.  We can only  

> assume one of the following:

>  - they don't know what "competent with basic word processing" is.  

> They can type a letter and print it, but they always save to the  

> default location, and use the spacebar instead of tabs or indents  

> (for example).

>  - They think of themselves as comfortable using a computer - but  

> they've only ever worked on one computer, set up exactly their way,  

> and are lost if the one at the training doesn't exactly match what  

> they are used to.

> - are desperate to learn anything about computers and this the only  

> thing they could find, fit in their schedule, or that was  

> recommended to them

>  - Someone told them they *had to come*

>  - What they wanted couldn't be found, so they came to this instead

>

> Lastly, we've found that a lot of folks don't read past the title  

> of the session to see the description (and check boxes that said "I  

> read this" without reading either).  Some folks have indicated that  

> if the description is too long - they won't attend, or simply stop  

> reading after the first paragraph (like in a newspaper).

>

> No matter how hard we try on the front end, we will almost *always*  

> end up with a challenging mix of folks in a workshop.

>

> What are specific strategies that you-all have found are helpful in  

> coping with these "mixes?"

>

> For computer classes, we do always try to build in some sort of  

> "pre-assessment" task or question to get an idea of how comfortable  

> people are with basic keyboarding and mouse tasks, and plan on at  

> least one "helper" per 10 attendees (in addition to the facilitator).

> Some other strategies we've used are:

> ~ Have them rate themselves, on paper, as to how many years  

> experience they have  (or how "expert" they feel) with computers  

> and then "line up" according to comfort level/experience and then  

> the facilitator works to pair more experienced folks with less  

> experience folks in class.

> ~ For face to face sessions on using the internet, have  

> participants go on a short web-quest (even just "open Internet  

> Explorer and go to the web site on your handout" can tell us a LOT  

> about a user's skill and comfort level)

> ~ For sessions not based on the internet, simply having them insert  

> a floppy or CD and open a file will tell us a lot - asking them to  

> save a file can be especially informative.

> ~ For online courses,  we request they register using our online  

> form.  Anyone who faxes or US mails us their registration is tagged  

> as someone who will need extra support. As are those who have to  

> call us to ask how to fill in or submit an online form. Those that  

> register using someone else's e-mail address (like their supervisor  

> or their husband) are likewise "tagged."

> ~ If we have concern that a particular topic or group will have  

> difficulties, recruit teacher experts to attend sessions as extra  

> helpers.

> ~ If we have enough helpers, and only or two people are *really*  

> struggling, one helper simply hangs out with the "challenged" person 

> (s) and the other helper works with the rest of the room.

> ~ Helpers quickly identify left-handers or those with visual  

> impairments and make adjustments to the computer they are working on.

> ~ If using laptops in your presentation, ALWAYS have a mouse for  

> every laptop.  Touchpads are a real challenge for almost everyone.   

> Some will also have trouble with the more condensed keyboard.

> ~ For those who have trouble using a mouse, helpers show them how  

> to use keyboard shortcuts and arrow keys to move around on the  

> computer. For those with trouble keyboarding, show them how o use  

> the mouse to do as much as possible.

> ~ Avoid session tasks that require folks to do a lot of keyboarding  

> - unless that is what you are teaching.  Have a file with pre- 

> prepared data for them to work with in spreadsheets, word  

> processing or databases.  They can create a couple of records, and  

> then move on with the other skills for the session.

>

> Whew!  any other ideas for tech sessions? Ideas for non-tech  

> sessions (like ESOL content?)

>

> Duren

>

>

>> >===== Original Message From David Rosen <djrosen at comcast.net> =====

>> Duren and others,

>>

>> One important piece that _is_ in our control as professional

>> developers is to be sure that the course, workshop, presentation,

>> study group or other PD offering is very carefully and clearly

>> described.  A good description might include:

>>

>> 1) intended participants' knowledge and experience (An "Excel Basics"

>> workshop might describe the intended participants as those "who are

>> comfortable using a computer and competent with basic word

>> processing, but who have little or no experience using a  

>> spreadsheet")

>> 2) what the PD offering is (and isn't) intended to do (e.g. "Enable

>> participants to organize a set of numerical data in a basic

>> spreadsheet, but not to use formulas other than those which involve

>> addition or multiplication")

>> 3) how the offering will be conducted: in a lab, a discussion group,

>> as a presentation with opportunities to practice, as an online

>> course, etc.

>> 4) the presenter's name and experience

>> 5) what is required of the participants (e.g. "Given a set of data,

>> produce a functional spreadsheet with accurate labels and correct

>> formulae.")

>> 6) if credit or CEUs are available (or not).

>> 7) referral to other related offerings, if available, which may be

>> for more (or less) experienced participants

>>

>> In addition, if the PD offering requires registration, the

>> registration form could be designed so that it requires a signature

>> after a sentence that says "I have read the description of this

>> (course, workshop, etc.) and believe that it is intended for someone

>> with my level of experience."

>>

>> In the evaluation of the offering you could ask participants to say

>> whether it was at the right level and, if not, to review the

>> description and indicate how the description could be improved.

>>

>> I wonder if others have suggestions or additions to what should be

>> included in a good PD offering description.

>>

>> David J. Rosen

>> djrosen at comcast.net

>>

>>

>>

>> On Nov 4, 2005, at 11:31 AM, Duren Thompson wrote:

>>

>> > 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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>> >>

>> >>

>> >>

>> >>

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