Hello, everyone.
As many of you know, the ALE Wiki is a free online resource for teachers,
researchers, advocates, and others who are interested in learning about
adult literacy. There are already 30 established topic areas related to the
field of adult literacy, and new topics can always be added. For example,
there is a new Women and Literacy topic area that I will be putting together
soon. In the meantime, if you have any ideas, comments, or questions that
you would like to see included in the Women and Literacy area, please feel
free to email me. Also, please read the message below from David Rosen to
find out more about the goals/purposes of the ALE Wiki, its accomplishments,
and ways you can help ensure its continued growth and success.
Ryan

_________________________________________________________________________
ALE Wiki soon to be two years old

Colleagues,

To improve practice in our field, teachers need to quickly and easily find
the results of research and professional wisdom.  This is a practical,
everyday concern. A teacher has a question that needs an answer, such as
"What are effective ways to increase student persistence?".  "How do you
handle a multilevel classroom?" "What is the optimum class size for
beginning ESOL or basic literacy?" "What assessments are used in our field?"
"Does my state offer free professional development or training?",  "Does
getting a GED lead to increased earnings?"or  "How can I be an effective
advocate for adult literacy?"

Suppose there were one place to find answers to these questions, one place
organized by topic -- and within each topic by teachers' questions -- and
with lists of web-accessible research and professional wisdom sources.
Suppose the topic area included some of the best discussions in the field.
Suppose that this gold mine of professional development, designed to be
accessed "just-in-time", were free.

That's what the Adult Literacy Education Wiki is becoming.  Some topics are
nearly there, while others have just scratched the surface.  Increasingly,
it is becoming the "go to" place for teachers, researchers, administrators,
and grant writers, both those new to the field and old hands.  Launched in
December, 2004, at the Meeting of the Minds I  practitioner-researcher
Symposium in Sacramento, California,  it will have is second birthday this
year at Meeting of the Minds II, November 30- December 2.  The ALE Wiki now
has 31 topics, 14 topic leaders, over 700 registered users -- 65 of whom
have posted a brief bio statement,  and  nearly 800 pages of text. It was
presented at an international conference on Wikis at Harvard this year.  A
chapter of a new book on communities of practice will be  devoted to the ALE
Wiki. It includes the work and the writing, or links to writing of many of
the top people in our field from across the world. Not bad for a two year
old, especially one that was created and raised entirely by volunteers.

You can use the ALE Wiki.  Check it out at:

http://wiki.literacytent.org

You can contribute to it -- it's easy!  Go to:

http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/New_Here%3F

You might want to be a Topic Leader.

http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/Topic_Leaders

If so, e-mail me.

And, of course, the volunteer "wikiteers" appreciate your comments.
What is useful? What would you like to see to be added or changed?


David J. Rosen
djrosen at comcast.net