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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Thanks, Gail.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'> The demonstration sites are just
starting to pilot their activities. <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">St.
Paul</st1:place></st1:City> will be the first to try the telephone based
helpers. The idea is to use a volunteer program that’s already operating not
to create something entirely new. And you don’t have to use that component if
you don’t have such a program or don’t want to use it. Learner Web is not
intended to be a simple plug-and-play online product, it’s designed to help
link and coordinate different programs and resources (like volunteers) in a
community to support their learners. So it does require some staffing to
implement and manage but hopefully it becomes well integrated into the local structure
of adult ed. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>-Steve<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>
specialtopics-bounces@nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces@nifl.gov] <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>Gail B<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Monday, November 17, 2008
9:26 AM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> specialtopics@nifl.gov<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> [SpecialTopics 1112] Re:
initial response to questions aboutLearner Web</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=1 color=black
face=Arial><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>While
the work and talent that has gone into developing the modules looks impressive
-- Quite frankly the set up for the Learner Web sounds like an administrative
headache -- especially the part about having tutors or helpers available online
-- is there a pilot program that actually has this model set up -- what are the
costs of managing the program? <br>
<br>
Thank you.<br>
<br>
Gail Bundy<br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=1 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
9.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>-----Original Message----- <br>
From: Steve Reder <br>
<reders@pdx.edu>Sent: Nov 17, 2008 11:43 AM <br>
To: specialtopics@nifl.gov <br>
Subject: [SpecialTopics 1090] Re: initial response to questions aboutLearner
Web <br>
<br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: navy;">Good question, David. The Learner Web (LW) has a number of user roles. The most important, of course, is the Learner. There are also roles for a number of assistants – individuals who use the LW to interact with Learners in ways specified by particular learning plans. There are various types of assistants – Teachers, Tutors, Helpers, Counselors. Helpers are telephone-based volunteers who are matched to Learner’s real-time requests and connected via a toll-free telephone application that is closely integrated into LW. They can provide help with use of the LW software as well as with particular topics or steps in Learning Plans. Helpers have profiles within the LW that indicate the kinds of topics they have expertise/training to assist with – e.g., math, writing, etc. When Learners request help with a special topic, they can be are matched with Helpers having that expertise who are currently online. With the Learner’s permission, the Helper can view their screen. The system connects the learner and helper in a way that hides the each other’s phone number. One part of the screen capture demo you mentioned illustrates how this happens.</span>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: navy;">Helper volunteers are recruited, trained and managed by programs, organizations or coalitions implementing the Learner Web. We have training materials available that can be used in training for helper volunteers. Helpers can work from any phone – whether at home, at work, in a homework hotline-like calling center, a community-based organization calling center, etc. Helpers log in via the phone system and declare their availability for a certain period of time. The way the LW maintains confidentiality of the phone numbers being used makes this very portable. <u1:p></u1:p>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: navy;">I hope this answers some of the questions people may have about Helpers.<u1:p></u1:p>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; color: navy;">-Steve<u1:p></u1:p>
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<b>
<font size="2" face="Tahoma">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma; font-weight: bold;">From:</span>
</font>
</b>
<font size="2" face="Tahoma">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Tahoma;"> specialtopics-bounces@nifl.gov [mailto:specialtopics-bounces@nifl.gov] <b>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">On Behalf Of </span>
</b>
David J. Rosen
<br>
<b>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Sent:</span>
</b>
Monday, November 17, 2008 2:28 AM
<br>
<b>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">To:</span>
</b>
specialtopics@nifl.gov
<br>
<b>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Subject:</span>
</b>
</br>
</br>
</br> [SpecialTopics 1077] Re: initial response to questions aboutLearner Web</span>
</font>
<u1:p></u1:p>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">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 <a href="http://learnerweb.org">http://learnerweb.org</a> (Select "View Demonstration" to request a password to view the video.)</span>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">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?</span>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">Now would be a good time for others to post their questions about the Learner Web, too. What would you like to know?</span>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">David J. Rosen</span>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">Special Topics Discussion Moderator</span>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">
<a target="_blank" href="mailto:djrosen@theworld.com">djrosen@theworld.com</a>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">----- Original Message ----- <u1:p></u1:p>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold;">From:</span>
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<font size="2" face="Arial">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">
<a href="mailto:reders@pdx.edu" title="reders@pdx.edu">Steve Reder</a>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;">
<a href="mailto:specialtopics@nifl.gov" title="specialtopics@nifl.gov">specialtopics@nifl.gov</a>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold;">Sent:</span>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;"> Sunday, November 16, 2008 9:09 PM<u1:p></u1:p>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;"> [SpecialTopics 1076] initial response to questions about Learner Web<u1:p></u1:p>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">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. <u1:p></u1:p>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">The Learner Web is a <i>
<span style="font-style: italic;">learning support system</span>
</i>
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.
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">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 <st1:city u3:st="on">Portland</st1:city>
<st1:state u3:st="on">OR</st1:state>
,
<st1:city u3:st="on">St. Paul</st1:city>
<st1:state u3:st="on">MN</st1:state>
,
<st1:city u3:st="on">Boston</st1:city>
<st1:state u3:st="on">MA</st1:state>
,
<st1:city u3:st="on">Providence</st1:city>
<st1:state u3:st="on">RI</st1:state>
,
<st1:city u3:st="on">Westchester</st1:city>
<st1:state u3:st="on">NY</st1:state>
,
<st1:placename u3:st="on">Union</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype u3:st="on">County</st1:placetype>
<st1:placename u3:st="on">NJ</st1:placename>
and
<st1:place u3:st="on">
<st1:city u3:st="on">Washington</st1:city>
<st1:state u3:st="on">DC</st1:state>
</st1:place>
.
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">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).<u1:p></u1:p>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">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.<u1:p></u1:p>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">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.<u1:p></u1:p>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">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. <u1:p></u1:p>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">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.<u1:p></u1:p>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">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.<u1:p></u1:p>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">-------------------------------<br> National Institute for Literacy<br> Special Topics mailing list<br> SpecialTopics@nifl.gov<br> To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/SpecialTopics<br> Email delivered to djrosen1@gmail.com<u1:p></u1:p>
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