What a wonderful twist on an old idea!  I usually ask participants to
say out loud one thing they want to get out of that training and I write
it up on newsprint.  At the end, or as they talk, I try to address their
concerns by saying whether the training will cover it or where to go if
it doesn't.  The downside of my approach is that it can get lengthy - I
like your suggestion of having people write it down and keeping it in
mind as they go through the training.  The classroom application is also
great.

Maria Elena Gonzalez
Adult Literacy Resource Institute/Boston

-----Original Message-----
From: professionaldevelopment-bounces at dev.nifl.gov
[mailto:professionaldevelopment-bounces at dev.nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Duren
Thompson
Sent: Friday, November 04, 2005 5:15 PM
To: ProfessionalDevelopment at dev.nifl.gov
Subject: [ProfessionalDevelopment] A "pre-assessment strategy" for
ANYworkshop!

One neat *strategy* for "pre-assessment" I have seen was at
pre-conference 
session at COABE 3 years ago.  So simple and yet it changed my whole
"take" 
on participating in the session.

After the facilitator briefly went over the Agenda for the course, she
said 
(something like):
"OK - that's the intent of this session - the information I planned to 
cover. Now I'd like you to think about *your* goals in coming to this 
session. Think a minute and jot down on a piece of paper *one thing* you

want to get out of this session.  *One thing* you'd like to walk away
with."

We had think time, jotted our notes, and then she had everyone say what 
their one thing was and wrote it on Newsprint/Easel-sized sticky-note
paper 
and stuck the pages up on the wall.  When this was done she said (and
this 
was the very important part):

"These are great - and some things I hadn't initially planned on 
covering.  OK - now I want you to keep this goal of yours in mind during

the session. It is your job to make sure that *you* leave this session
with 
that goal met. Ask questions, remind me, the facilitator, to address the

issue, work with your peers at your table, etc. *You* are responsible
for 
ensuring that this session meets *your* needs."

She went on to explain that this was a great way to assist adult
learners 
to take responsibility for their own learning as well.

Changed my whole approach to the session.  At the end she went back to 
these pages and asked us to ask ourselves "Did I get what I wanted to
get 
out of this session?  If not, what can I do now/next to try to attain
this 
goal?"

Duren Thompson
PS (I'm working on digging up the presenter's name - she was high up in
the 
NASSLN organization and the session was on LD - at Columbus?)



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