Steve,

I wonder if you could briefly describe a couple of the LW Learning Plans, 
perhaps one being developed by a LW region or collaboration of regions, and 
another being developed by an individual or organization. I find this 
process of collaborative courriculum development at the regional and 
national level one of the LW's most interesting features. It is rare that 
adult education teacher/curriculum developers from different parts of the 
country have an opportunity to work together in this way.

David

David J. Rosen
Special Topics Discussion Moderator
djrosen at theworld.com

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Reder" <reders at pdx.edu>
To: <specialtopics at nifl.gov>
Sent: Monday, November 17, 2008 2:38 PM
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1099] Re: New Designs in Online and 
DistanceLearning--your questions



> Thanks, Sherri.  I tried to describe in my initial response how a 

> "learning

> support system" like the Learner Web differs from other types of online

> products.  You can also find some information about that on the project

> website, www.learnerweb.org <http://www.learnerweb.org/> .  We hope that a

> variety of organizations will develop Learning Plans for various

> life-skills.  As developers of the Learner Web platform, we want to

> encourage and support others to develop content for it.  That is already

> happening in the areas of family literacy and college transition, for

> example.  Anyone interested in possibly developing Learning Plans in other

> areas should contact me (reders at pdx.edu).

>

>

>

> -Steve

>

>

>

>  _____

>

> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov 

> [mailto:specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov]

> On Behalf Of Durman Sherri L.

> Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 2008 9:31 AM

> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov

> Subject: [SpecialTopics 1083] Re: New Designs in Online and 

> DistanceLearning

> --your questions

>

>

>

> Yes, I want to know how they differ from other online adult basic 

> education

> and English language learning models?  How does this work with adults? 

> Will

> you be covering life-skills based topics?

>

>

>

> Sherri

>

>

>

>  _____

>

> From: specialtopics-bounces at nifl.gov on behalf of David Rosen

> Sent: Sun 11/2/2008 9:06 AM

> To: specialtopics at nifl.gov

> Subject: [SpecialTopics 1073] New Designs in Online and Distance Learning

> --your questions

>

> Colleagues,

>

>

>

> As several people have recently signed up for the upcoming discussion 

> here,

> New Designs in Online and Distance Learning, and since so far I have only

> received one question,  I would like to repeat my request for your 

> questions

> for our guests:

>

>

>

> What questions would you like to ask our guests?

>

>

>

> Please look at the brief descriptions of the two models that you will see 

> in

> my previous email message, included below. The federally-funded USA Learns

> will have a national launch in a few days, before our discussion begins.

> We'll have an announcement here of the web site so you can look at it if 

> you

> like.  The Learner Web is a federally-funded demonstration project,

> available only for field testing in several selected regions around the

> country in Oregon, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New

> Jersey and Washington, D.C. More information about the Learner Web,

> including two screen capture videos (if you register and log in), will be

> found at http://learnerweb.org <http://learnerweb.org/>

>

>

>

> * What would you like our guests to cover or explain in their descriptions

> of USA Learns and the Learner Web when we begin the discussion on November

> 17th and 18th?

>

> * Do you want to know how USA Learns and the Learner Web became

> federally-funded projects, what needs or research base they grew from, or

> other things about their history and development?

>

> * Do you want to know how they differ from other online adult basic

> education and English language learning models? If so, which kinds: online

> courses, online course management systems, wikis, portals, or something

> else?

>

> * If you are thinking about using either USA Learns or the Learner Web 

> with

> your students, what is the situation you are hoping it will address? What

> group(s) of students, at what level(s) with what needs?  What questions do

> you have about the model's usefulness for that situation?

>

>

>

> Think about why you have subscribed to the Special Topics discussion forum

> (or stayed subscribed) for this discussion, what you want to get from it.

> Frame a question or questions that will help our guests address your

> interest or need. You can send your questions by just replying to this

> message or by emailing them directly to me at djrosen at theworld.com. I will

> share the questions with our guests before the discussion begins, and the

> questions will be posted on or after November 17th. Of course more

> questions, observations, and dialogue will be welcome during the week of 

> the

> discussion.

>

>

>

> Finally, it's not too late for your colleagues to join this discussion. To

> subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:

>

> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics

>

> One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can stay

> subscribed for the next discussion.

>

>

>

> David J. Rosen

>

> Special Topics Discussion Moderator

>

> DJRosen at theworld.com

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> On Oct 29, 2008, at 9:38 PM, David Rosen wrote:

>

>

>

>

>

> Special Topics Discussion Colleagues,

>

>

>

> On November 17th we will begin a discussion of USA Learns and of

>

> the Learner Web. You will find the description for this discussion below.

>

> Judging by the number of new subscribers, this is a high-interest topic!

>

> Now is the time to think about why you have subscribed:

>

>

>

> What questions would you like to ask our guests?

>

>

>

> Although your questions will not be posted until the discussion begins,

>

> I would like to share them with our guests in advance.  Of course,

>

> questions, comments, and dialogue, will also be welcome during the

>

> discussion.

>

>

>

> David J. Rosen

>

> Special Topics Discussion Moderator

>

> djrosen at theworld.com

>

>

>

> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

> ----------------

>

> New Designs in Online and Distance Learning is a National Institute

>

> for Literacy Special Topics discussion that will be held from

>

> November 17th through November 21st, 2008. It will focus on two new

>

> adult education models: a national learning portal for English

>

> language learning at a distance, called USA Learns, and a web-based

>

> and telephone-based learning support system, called the Learner Web,

>

> for ABE, ASE and ELL students enrolled in classes to supplement their

>

> learning, as well as for those who study on their own. We have four

>

> distinguished guests, researchers as well as product developers, who

>

> will describe these two models and answer questions.

>

>

>

> For USA Learns, our guests are John Fleischman and Dr. Jerome (Jere)

>

> Johnston. For the Learner Web our guests are Dr. Stephen Reder and

>

> Dr. Clare Strawn. You will find more information about them below.

>

>

>

> Please forward this announcement to your colleagues who may be

>

> interested in subscribing!

>

>

>

> To subscribe to the discussion, one can go to:

>

>

>

> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/specialtopics

>

>

>

> One can unsubscribe later by going to the same web page or one can

>

> stay subscribed for the next discussion.

>

>

>

> Description of the models

>

>

>

> The Learner Web is a learning support system providing structure and

>

> resources for adults who want to accomplish specific learning

>

> objectives. 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 has begun the second year of a three-year

>

> demonstration project in seven demonstration regions across the country.

>

>

>

> U.S.A. Learns is a free Web site designed for adult learners with

>

> limited English language skills. Instructional content focuses on

>

> the language and literacy skills that adults need for everyday

>

> survival. While a broad range of adults can use U.S.A. Learns, it

>

> has been developed primarily for immigrants who cannot attend

>

> traditional classroom programs because of difficulty with schedules,

>

> transportation, or other barriers. The site includes more than 400

>

> hours of instruction and offers an extensive array of video, audio

>

> and richly illustrated graphics and images. The site layout was

>

> created with the inexperienced Web user in mind, and extensive built-

>

> in help features are available. U.S.A. Learns can be used

>

> independently, but it can also be used in association with a teacher

>

> or tutor via an online management system.

>

>

>

>

>

> Background on Discussion Guests

>

>

>

> John Fleischman

>

>

>

> With more than 25 years of experience in adult education as a

>

> teacher, administrator and project director, John Fleischman is

>

> currently responsible for information and educational technology

>

> operations at the Sacramento County Office of Education. John

>

> possesses an extensive background with creating and implementing

>

> instructional and informational media for use in a variety of

>

> educational environments. His present area of focus is on building

>

> Web-based solutions for education, including data management systems

>

> and comprehensive online learning resources. Working at the state

>

> and national level, he provides oversight for a range of technology

>

> initiatives including the Outreach and Technology Assistance Network

>

> (www.otan.us <http://www.otan.us/> ) and Strengthening Programs Through

> Technology

>

> (www.adultedonline.org <http://www.adultedonline.org/> ). John is the 

> author

> of numerous publications

>

> and is frequently requested as a presenter at both state and national

>

> conferences.

>

>

>

> Jerome (Jere) Johnston is Research Professor at the University of

>

> Michigan's Institute for Social Research. For 40 years he has been

>

> studying ways that technology shapes what people learn. In recent

>

> years Dr. Johnston has been exploring innovative ways to use

>

> technology in adult literacy. He directs the Project IDEAL Support

>

> Center, supporting 25 states in their efforts to build distance

>

> learning programs for adult learners. The Center provides technical

>

> assistance to states in the areas of training, research, and policy

>

> development (projectideal.org).

>

>

>

> Stephen Reder is University Professor and Chair of the Department of

>

> Applied Linguistics at Portland State University. His research and

>

> teaching interests focus on adult education and the processes of

>

> literacy and language development during adulthood. Dr. Reder has

>

> served as the Principal Investigator for a number of major projects

>

> in adult education. Two recent projects, the Longitudinal Study of

>

> Adult Learning and the National Labsite for Adult ESOL, examine the

>

> ways adults acquire new literacy and language abilities and the roles

>

> which adult education programs and policies play in supporting that

>

> development. The results of this research have led to the

>

> development of the Learner Web, an innovative online adult learning

>

> support system. Professor Reder is the author of numerous

>

> publications about his research and its implications for adult

>

> education and adult literacy and language development. He has

>

> recently completed co-editing a volume with John Bynner, Tracking

>

> Adult Literacy and Numeracy Skills: Findings from Longitudinal

>

> Research. A second book is in progress, Dropping Out and Moving On:

>

> Life, Literacy and Development among High School Dropouts. Dr. Reder

>

> actively works with networks of adult education researchers,

>

> practitioners and policymakers at the state, regional and national

>

> levels.

>

>

>

> Clare Strawn is Assistant Professor at Portland State University,

>

> Portland, Oregon, and has been an analyst on the Longitudinal Study

>

> of Adult Learning. She is interested in patterns of program

>

> participation, the intersection of learning and community

>

> development, social capital influences on learning strategies, and

>

> technology. She has been a co-developer, with Steve Reder of the

>

> Learner Web and has been actively involved in the demonstration project.

>

>

>

>

>

> David J. Rosen

>

> Special Topics Discussion Moderator

>

> DJRosen at theworld.com

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> -------------------------------

>

> National Institute for Literacy

>

> Special Topics mailing list

>

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>

> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to

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>

> Email delivered to djrosen1 at gmail.com

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>



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