August 26, 2009

President’s Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) Call For Functional Context
Education (FCE) and Non-Cognitive Skills in Adult Basic Education

Tom Sticht
International Consultant in Adult Education

In a recent report, President Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers (CEA)
(2009) called attention to problems with the nation’s adult education and
job training system saying, “Many of the components of the Obama
Administration’s vision of a well-functioning post-high school education
and training system cannot be achieved with the current, often conflicting
and confusing, maze of job training programs spread across several Federal
agencies. (p. 19)

In the report, the Council addresses the need for effective curricula in
adult basic skills (English, literacy, numeracy-LLN) and job training
programs. Included in its examples of curricula changes that research
indicates would lead to improvements in participation, retention,
achievement in learning, program completion, and greater work
opportunities, the Council referred to “contextualized learning” and the
growing importance of “non-cognitive” skills.

In its focus on “contextualized learning,” the Council referred to practices
that were first outlined as effective based on adult job training and
literacy research in a book by Sticht, Armstrong, Hickey, & Caylor (1987).
This book outlined the principles of Functional Context Education (FCE),
one of which called for the integration of basic skills and occupational
skills education. Later, in 1991, when Sticht served as a member of the
Secretary of Labor’s Commission on Necessary Skills (SCANS), FCE principles
were included in the first report of the SCANS and referred to as
“contextual learning.”

The Council’s report endorses the FCE principle of integrated or embedded
basic skills and occupational education and states, “
 one of the more
promising curricular innovations that helps to improve student success is
“contextualized learning,” in which adults obtain basic skills in the
context of occupational training. Not only does this allow the students to
progress through the programs more quickly but it also helps to keep them
engaged with relevant examples and applications. (p.20)

In discussing “contextualized learning,” the Council states, “Another common
element of successful programs is that they are based on appropriate
curriculum and pedagogy. Washington State’s I-BEST program, for example,
blends basic skills and occupational training to generate more
contextualized learning, where traditionally these have been segregated
into distinct programs. The result is a more effective approach to teaching
adults who need both basic skills and job skills. A recent analysis
conducted by researchers at the Community College Research Center at
Columbia University’s Teachers College suggests that it is highly
effective. I-BEST students were far more likely than similar basic skills
students to improve basic skills and earn college-level credits.52 As
another example, Alan Krueger and Cecilia Rouse studied a workplace
education program that also taught basic skills in an occupational
context.53 The authors report positive impacts on earnings, job promotion,
performance awards, and job attendance.” (p. 18).


In addition to its focus on “contextual learning”, the SCANS (1991) report
identified a number of competencies that were thought increasingly
necessary in the changing world of work. Among these were Personal
Qualities such as Responsibility, Self-Esteem, Self-Management, Works With
Diversity, Participates as Member of a Team, and others which have more
recently been referred to by the umbrella term, “non-cognitive skills.”


In its 2009 report, coming almost two decades after the SCANS report, the
Council addresses these types of SCANS competencies and states, “Although
“interactive” skills, such as effective communication and the ability to
work well with others, have not traditionally been studied, nor perhaps
valued, by educators, there is growing awareness of their importance for
adult success. Researchers have highlighted the growing importance of
“non-cognitive” skills in the labor market and argue that a range of
behaviors that reflect “greater student self-awareness, self-monitoring,
and self-control” are key indicators that students are able to effectively
learn and succeed in a modern post-secondary environment.” (p. 10)


The attention to contextualized learning and non-cognitive skills by
influential policymakers and advisors to the President of the United States
provides vitally important recommendations for changes to the AELS.  We can
just hope that these same policymakers and the President will find the
financial resources to make it possible for adult educators to implement
these recommendations across the Adult Education and Literacy System of the
United States.

References

Council of Economic Advisers (2009, July). Preparing the workers of today
for the jobs of tomorrow. Washington, DC: Executive Office of the
President.

Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills. (1991). What work
requires of schools: a SCANS report for America 2000. Washington, DC: U. S.
Department of Labor.

Sticht, T., Armstrong, W., Hickey, D. & Caylor, J. (1987). Cast-off Youth:
Policy and Training Methods From the Military Experience. New York: Prager.
Tom Sticht
tsticht at aznet.net