Hello David, Steve, and other participants:  I'd like, at this time, to
request a definition of "proxy hour equivalents" if I could.  Thank you, Terri
Stone, Webster, MA

------ Original Message ------
Received: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 05:29:26 AM EST
From: "David J. Rosen" <DJRosen at theworld.com>
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1077] Re: initial response to questions about	Learner
Web


> Thanks, Steve, for this thorough introduction. Those who would like to see a

screen capture video showing what the Learner Web looks like from a learner or
from an administrator point of view, could go to http://learnerweb.org (Select
"View Demonstration" to request a password to view the video.)

> 

> One series of questions that I am sure many people have concerns telephone

helpers. Who are they, what kinds of help do they provide, how are they
recruited, how often do they do telephone helping, how do they differ from
(face-to-face or online) tutors, and how is the privacy of the learner and the
online helper protected?

> 

> Now would be a good time for others to post their questions about the

Learner Web, too. What would you like to know?

> 

> David J. Rosen

> Special Topics Discussion Moderator

> djrosen at theworld.com

> 

> 

> 

> 

>   ----- Original Message ----- 

>   From: Steve Reder 

>   To: specialtopics at nifl.gov 

>   Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2008 9:09 PM

>   Subject: [SpecialTopics 1076] initial response to questions about Learner

Web

> 

> 

>   Hello, everyone.  We're delighted to have this opportunity to discuss the

Learner Web this week and to answer questions you have.  And, indeed, you've
already posed some excellent questions.  Before turning to specific questions,
however, let's briefly review what the Learner Web is, as it's quite different
in intent from other online or distance learning systems.  

> 

>    

> 

>   The Learner Web is a learning support system intended to help adults reach

important learning goals they may have, such as obtaining a GED, improving
their English, transitioning to college, preparing for a particular career,
etc.  A learner can access the system through the Internet. In addition to
on-line resources, the Learner Web integrates support services from existing
local education programs, community based organizations, tutors, and telephone
helpers. The Learner Web consists of a Web-based software system that is
implemented regionally. The System is organized around Learning Plans. A
Learning Plan is a set of steps structured around achieving an identified
goal. For example, if the goal is to get a GED, the steps might include
finding out more about the tests, identifying what skills one needs to brush
up on, learning new skills and knowledge, taking practice tests, etc. Each
step is matched with online and community based resources and a workspace
where Learners can take assessments or save their work in an e-portfolio. The
Learner creates a personal profile, may take a short reading assessment and
interest inventory, chooses a goal from the available list and follows the
learning plan independently or with a tutor or a teacher. The Learning Plan is
dynamically matched by the software to both the learner profile and
educational resources. The Learner's progress is saved and can be returned to
at any time via the internet. Learners can choose to share their workspace
with a tutor or teacher. 

> 

>    

> 

>   The Learner Web is being demonstrated in a number of sites across the

country over the next two years.  We plan to use the experiences of the local
communities and organizations involved in the demonstration to help us design
a sustainable national rollout starting in the fall of 2010.  It may be
possible for interested programs, organization or communities to join the
project and begin using the Learner Web before that time.  At the moment,
there are Learner Web implementations is Portland OR, St. Paul MN, Boston MA,
Providence RI, Westchester NY, Union County NJ and Washington DC.  

> 

>    

> 

>   Now for some of your questions.  A couple people asked if LW could be used

by free-standing adult learners, that is, by adults who are not enrolled in
formal programs.  The answer to that depends on the Region implementing it. 
During our demonstration project, some of our Regions are limiting its use
initially during the piloting period to students in their classes.  Other
regions are allowing learners to create their own accounts and use the system
independently.  Once Learners have accounts, they log in to the system, select
their goals, and start working on related Learning Plans (which provide
assessments and appropriate placements into Learning Plans).

> 

>    

> 

>   Several questions asked about the reading, math, and computer skill levels

required to use the system.  We will have good answers to those questions
after we complete the piloting period currently underway.  For now, I would
say that we've seen adults with little previous education or native language
literacy struggle with the navigation within LW, while other adult students
find it relatively easy to use.  The difficulty experienced depends not just
on the Learner Web software itself (which we frequently revise to make
friendlier to a broader range of adult learners) but on the content of the
Learning Plans and Resources developed for the system.  Learning Plans can be
targeted to adults at different skill levels.  It is straightforward to
incorporate multilingual and multimedia content, prompts and assessments into
Learning Plans.

> 

>    

> 

>   The LW design was based on research about adult learning that indicated

that adults with quite low levels of skill can and often do engage in
self-directed efforts to improve their basic skills.  But this research did
not focus specifically on the self-directed use of online tools, so it is
important to wait for the experience of our pilot sites with a range of
learners before answering the question.  We hope the integrated help systems
we have built into LW (including telephone based helpers) will scaffold its
use by low-skilled adults so that a broader skill range of adults may be able
to use the system than if they had to do it totally on their own.  We plan to
use videos, podcasts and other multimedia to provide initial orientation to
users.  A simple Learning Plan is being developed that will teach users how to
use the system.

> 

>    

> 

>   Several questions asked about specific features of the LW system and how

they relate to features of web-based classroom platforms such as Moodle,
WiZiQ, etc.  Although there are some overlaps between LW and other such
systems, and indeed LW could be used as just a platform for an online course,
it is really designed for supporting a range of self-study and blended
learning models, working hand-in-hand with and coordinating collaboration
among community resources, programs and services to support learners.  LW can
also be used to add functionality and enhance other online products; for
example, a Learning Plan could wrap around an online product and add
telephone-based volunteers who help learners working with the other online
product.  Another example: using telephone-based volunteers as conversation
partners in an ESOL Learning Plan.  We see the LW as enhancing and
supplementing rather than replacing live teachers and classroom interaction. 
Tutors - either online or face-to-face - have roles in LW and where available
are easily integrated into Learning Plans.  Relatively little social
networking functionality is built directly into LW but it is straightforward
to add social networking sites/software as Resources in Learning Plans.  

> 

>    

> 

>   Assessment of progress in LW is measured directly in terms of learners'

completion of key steps and goals within particular Learning Plans.  Learning
Plans may be designed so that the completion of some steps is determined by
learners themselves, whereas other steps require a teacher or tutor using the
LW to determine whether the step is completed by looking at an assessment or
assignment submitted by the learner.  Steps have workspace items associated
with them, which may be automatically scored tests or assessments or
assignments that must be graded by a teacher or other LW user who views the
learner's work.  If programs negotiate proxy hour equivalents with their
states for completion of key steps or goals in a Learning Plan, those
equivalents can be directly entered into the Learning Plan design and
automatically reported for NRS purposes.

> 

>    

> 

>   We'll stop here.  We weren't able to respond here to all of the questions

initially posed, but I'm sure they'll come up as we continue the discussion
this week.  We're looking forward to it.

> 

>    

> 

> 

> 

>

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