Dear Nora,

I hope this finds you well!  

May I post the e-mails below to the NLA list?

Que te vaya bien!

Michael

 
Michael A. Gyori 
Maui International Language School 
www.mauilanguage.com




________________________________
From: Nora Chahbazi <ooprc at comcast.net>
To: The Technology and Distance Learning Discussion List <technology at nifl.gov>
Sent: Fri, October 16, 2009 6:11:20 AM
Subject: [Technology 2392] Re: The *new* GED & Tech

 
Dear Michael - and all,
Michael, I agree with you that this statement is just 
rhetoric (and it certainly sounds good; wish it could possible!) and 
is impossible, even if the perfect potential change happened - teachers 
were actually taught how to teach reading in colleges and students were 
actually taught how to read in school - it would take a lot longer than 
2020 to reap the benefits.  In the Diploma to Nowhere Report released last 
year - http://www.strongamericanschools.org/diploma-nowhere - it is reported that over $2 billion is spent yearly on remedial 
programs in colleges, 1.3 million college students per year SEEK OUT remedial 
help including 43% of students from 2 year colleges and 29% of students from 4 
year universities (this does not include the students who choose to not ask for 
remedial help), and 80% of those seeking remediation had a high school GPA of 
3.0 or higher.  So, as for an answer to your question of what it means 
to be a college graduate even today: 'not much' would seem to 
suffice.  I think we would all agree that these statistics are 
alarming, to put it 
mildly.
What can be done?  We 
must first, as a nation, admit the enormity of the problem, make a decision 
to institute sweeping reform and overhaul both the education system and 
colleges of education, and drop the illusion of change that 
has been cloaked in rhetoric as well as gluttonously 
and blindly throwing billions of dollars at the issue.  Illiteracy and 
education are both huge industries, with lots of sub industries surrounding 
them,  and lots of groups and businesses have benefitted hugely and stand 
to benefit further from the deluge of dollars from the government up 
for grabs and thrown in their direction.  The availability of 
such extensive amounts of money without a clear plan practically 
begs to result in waste, fraud, and abuse with lots of corruption sprinkled 
in.   Our children (who after just a few years transition into 
undereducated adults) are suffering, our society is suffering, and we are going 
to pay dearly as a nation in the not too distant future if something significant 
is not done to change the course of this situation that has long been 
wildly careening out of control.   We should learn from the 
excesses of the auto companies and financial industry...this can't go on forever 
without (further) dire consequences!  
Nora
 
Nora Chahbazi, 
President
EBLI 
Evidence-Based Literacy Instruction
Ounce of 
Prevention Reading Center
www.ebli.org
810.732.4810
fax 810.732.0366
 
 
.       


________________________________
 From: technology-bounces at nifl.gov 
[mailto:technology-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Michael 
Gyori
Sent: Friday, October 16, 2009 12:28 AM
To: The 
Technology and Distance Learning Discussion List
Subject: [Technology 
2392] Re: The *new* GED & Tech


Greetings 
to all,

The FAQ document states: 

President Obama recently 
asserted the need to graduate more high school students and to support their 
transition to postsecondary education or career training programs. “By 2020, 
America will once again have the world’s highest proportion of college graduates 
in the world.” (Address to Joint Session of Congress, February 24, 
2009)

Before that, by the end of the 2013-14 school year, all children 
will be reading at grade level, according to No Child Left Behind.

I also 
wonder what it will mean to be a college graduate in 2020.  I'm not even 
sure what it means today.  

If 40% of all high school graduates, who 
have a high school diploma, cannot pass the G.E.D. test introduced in 2002, I 
really must wonder what any of this rhetoric really means, and whether teachers 
will be able to function with even more pressures on their plate.

Why do 
I feel skeptical? After all, all we need to do is keep on pushing back the 
target dates...

Michael

 
Michael A. 
Gyori 
Maui 
International Language School 
www.mauilanguage.com




________________________________
 From: Jason Keith Guard/AC/VCU 
<jkguard at vcu.edu>
To: The 
Technology and Distance Learning Discussion List 
<technology at nifl.gov>
Sent: Thu, October 15, 2009 10:03:01 
AM
Subject: [Technology 2389] 
Re: The *new* GED & Tech

The FAQ 
document released today by the GED Testing Service says that Computer Based 
Testing (CBT) with the GED will be piloted in 2010.  They will also begin 
field testing test items that will fill gaps between conventional wisdom 
concerning college/career-readiness and the current GED 2002 test series. 
  

Thought on this? Will the 
test become more challenging? Will instruction need to integrate technology more 
seamlessly to adequately prepare testers for CBT? Will these development help 
expand GED credentialing or will adult learners be left behind by these 
developments?   

I look forward 
to the discussion. Here is the document.   

http://www.acenet.edu/Content/NavigationMenu/ged/National_Needs_Announcement_FAQs.pdf 

Jason Guard
GED Specialist
Virginia 
Adult Learning Resource Center
Virginia Commonwealth University
3600 West 
Broad Street, Suite 669
Richmond, VA  23230-4930
Phone: 
 1-800-237-0178 or  804-827-2635  
Virginia GED Helpline: 
1-877-376-9433
eLearn Virginia: 1-888-589-9003
Fax: 
 804-828-7539
Email: jkguard at vcu.edu
Twitter: jkguard
www.valrc.org
www.GEDVA.com
www.elearnva.com 



"Troy, Gail "  <gtroy at nelson.k12.va.us> 
Sent by: technology-bounces at nifl.gov 
10/14/2009 05:18 PM 
Please respond  to
The Technology and Distance Learning Discussion List          <technology at nifl.gov> 
 To "The Technology and Distance  Learning Discussion List" <technology at nifl.gov>  
cc 
 
Subject [Technology 2387] Re: The *new* GED  & Tech 

 
 
 


I too wonder about that brief press 
release. 
  
I believe that adding a test on-line to show 
digital literacy could be done and would be a great idea. 
  
If the test is to be made more difficult, so that it is 
even more difficult than obtaining a high school diploma, (as you noted now 40% 
of graduating hs students could not pass) – ACE has a huge reality problem 
. 
  
Gail Troy, M.Ed 
Lead 
Teacher 
Nelson County Adult GED 
  
  

________________________________
 
From: technology-bounces at nifl.gov 
[mailto:technology-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Jason Keith Guard/AC/VCU
Sent: Wednesday, October 14, 2009 1:42 PM
To: Technology at nifl.gov
Subject: [Technology 2386] The *new* GED & 
Tech 
  
The GED Testing Service recently announced an apparent 
change in thinking about the content, purpose, and possibly method of delivery 
of the GED Test. (See their press release here:  http://www.acenet.edu/Content/NavigationMenu/ged/news/National_Needs_Alter_Plans_for_GED_5th_Edition_100809.pdf).  Although roughly 40% percent of high school 
seniors cannot pass the GED test, the issue of the test's adequacy for 
certifying the skill levels of high school completers has long been at issue. 

The press release describes the new GED as "a new, more 
comprehensive assessment program."  Two common areas of high school 
experience not addressed by the GED test are computer and digital literacy. 
 My questions depends on your interpretation of the GED Testing Service 
announcement, because some there appears to be a shift taking place regarding 
the GED. Should the new test be administered using computers? Should technology 
be added to the GED as a content area?  Would these changes help GEDTS 
frame the GED as gateway to college?  Would a more sophisticated GED test 
leave too many people behind who would otherwise have been able to pass the 
test? 

Thanks for your consideration.  I look forward to 
sharing our respective speculation.       

Jason 
Guard
GED Specialist
Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center
Virginia 
Commonwealth University
3600 West Broad Street, Suite 669
Richmond, VA 
 23230-4930
Phone:  1-800-237-0178 or  804-827-2635 
 
Virginia GED Helpline: 1-877-376-9433
eLearn Virginia: 
1-888-589-9003
Fax:  804-828-7539
Email: jkguard at vcu.edu
Twitter: 
jkguard
www.valrc.org
www.GEDVA.com
www.elearnva.com----------------------------------------------------
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Institute for Literacy
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