My First Job in Adult Education

How each of us came to the field of adult education says something about our personal mission and approach as instructors/administrators, but I have a hunch that the stories have an even greater significance as a view into the inner workings of our ABE/GED/ESOL system.  Let's be honest.  It takes a special person to choose the red-headed stepchild of education for their career, where only a small percentage of jobs are full-time, and very few political decision-makers are convinced of our effectiveness, much less the necessity of our services.  And what sane person would seek out adult ed in order to be on the cutting edge of instructional technology?  

Since I started this blog in the hopes of trading stories and perspectives with a larger public (that's you!), I think it's time for me to ante up with the story of my first job in adult education.  Besides, I've been feeling reflective since leaving the public sector and taking up a new angle on this education game.  Maybe, if we put the pieces of our respective pasts together, we'll gain some insights about the way forward (road signs, maybe?).

Integrating Technology in Adult Ed, One New Hire at a Time
When I asked Richmond's adult ed program manager for a job, he asked back, "Are you good with computers?" That question meant something different in the year 2000 than it does today. "Pretty good," I responded hopefully.  "Great. Clean out that closet and try to put together some computers from all of the parts you find in there." In this case, I was able to demonstrate my computer prowess by matching color-coded cords from keyboards to CPUs to monitors and mice and speakers.  Pretty advanced stuff (snark), but an unmet need at the time, and I was grateful for the opportunity.

After half of a summer spent dusting off old textbooks and playing IT guy, there were just a couple weeks before the first day of class.  That's when it was decided that I would teach GED classes for 16 and 17 year olds (right up my alley, still feeling like a rebellious youth myself).  I was ready to play big-brother and play an authoritative role, but I couldn't find any clear direction about a standard curricula or text that I should teach from, nor how to address a vague 'career and technical ed' requirement. But, I had a classroom and students and the promise of a paycheck at an hourly rate that I'd never reached before.    

Just prior to this job, I'd been a substitute teacher, a role that really helped me get to know Richmond better, as the schools are often microcosms of the surrounding communities.  At this point, I'd been filling in for a sick teacher who wound up not coming back at all during the remainder of the year.  So I was used to hastily preparing lesson plans, as my substitute teaching job wasn't certain from one day to the next. Really wanting to be successful in this new job, I was hoping to assemble a concrete plan for GED instruction.  And because I knew with teenagers the teacher needs to be ready to shift gears, I wanted a pile of resources for my teaching toolbox. After hounding teachers and support staff and getting nowhere, I was informed of the existence of a statewide adult ed teacher support organization, the Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center (VALRC), and it was less than a mile away. 

The Second First Coming of Blended Learning
Before classes began, I was invited to the VALRC for an impromptu training in KET's Workplace Essential Skills (and later, their GED Connection program).  The blended learning approach of KET's multimedia content immediately became my blueprint for instruction: watch videos, discuss and instruct, work online or in a workbook, give feedback and instruct and repeat.  The system gave rhythm to my work, and made me thirst for more instructional tools.  I even wound up giving a workshop on blended instruction at the VAACE conference in 2001.  I was a little insecure about my lack of a statewide or national context for adult ed and GED services (still working on that, actually), but I wound up training hundreds of teachers in those KET products in years to come. 

My enthusiasm for technology enhanced instruction helped me get invited back to the VALRC, at first to answer the statewide GED Helpline and later as a full time employee offering professional development trainings for teachers all over the state - mostly focused on blended learning and integrating free online teaching tools, but also test-taking strategies as Virginia had launched a fast-track program for near-passers.  Advocating for blended learning for over a decade has been a real roller-coaster - one I need to explore on this blog further. Whether on the phone, email, or through workshops with teachers, there has been a common thread in my practice: putting the tools in learners' hands to help them be successful, but also to encourage them as self-directed learners.

Learner Directed Learning
I'm still trying to piece together how my start in adult ed has affected my current direction. Embracing change and entering into unknown territory have always been my biggest learning opportunities (not that I've done so fearlessly at every turn - after all, I did become a public sector bureaucrat, after all).  There is definitely a theme here though: looking to instructional tools as my guide. Not because they replace teachers. They don't. Computer-based instruction (CBI) makes opportunities for teachers, setting up more efficient targeted instruction and one-on-one tutoring.  But most importantly, because good CBI helps learners reach their potential. Unlike with K-12, adult learners need to become self-sufficient, to continue their own education.   Not simply to stay on the straight and narrow, but to read and interpret the road signs all around them.  Looking for that kind of supportive CBI experience has lead me to Essential Education and GED Academy, but what do the road signs say for the direction of adult education?

And what about your story? (contribute a comment please)

Motivating eLearners, Pt. 1: Time Management

One of the problems commonly cited by distance learning practitioners is getting learners to follow through on their commitment to work.  So, we're basically talking about adult ed's Achilles heal: retention.  Computers are not a magic bullet that will cure all of adult ed's ills, and we can't expect that every application of technology will motivate every learner.  Despite flexibility and accessibility, attrition is still an issue with online learning. So let's look closer at where the process breaks down and how we can see better results as our learners push through their challenges. 

A June post on the LINCS professional development list zeroed in on a particular challenge: time management. Roger Downey, of Brooklyn, Michigan writes:     

One of the main problems is finding a length of time to work at home without interruptions.  They might be able to do ten or fifteen minutes at a time, but find that they have to go over things when they do leave and come back.  The family at home, especially for single parents, is very difficult to get away from.  When the adult comes to school, they can find someone, usually, to watch the ‘home’ while they are away, but to find someone to watch the ‘home’ when they are home is a difficult situation.

I think I've heard every reason why online learning is a non-starter, won't work, isn't applicable, or doesn't fit adult ed over my 12 years promoting distance ed. I can't refute them all, but maybe adult learners themselves can make a case.  Time management seems like a good place to start, as it gets at the core issue of retention: learner motivation. Our learners are the solution to their own problems, and it's their leadership that will shape the future of adult ed services. No offense to Downey (I responded to his post and we spoke on the phone as well), or anyone who's come up short trying to get results with web-based instruction, but we can't exempt the populations we serve from the option of online distance learning.  We're just letting ourselves off the hook from branching out and growing in new directions as educators. I have advice on program design, in which time management is just one facet. 

Time is on Their Side I don't think adult ed will have to leave the traditional classroom behind, but computer-based instruction that results in  self-directed learners is much closer at hand - and much easier to implement - than many seem to think.  Here are a few suggestions to address some of the barriers of time-on-task:

1) So, you wanna be a cheerleader? Say yes.  The facilitator of online learning shifts the bulk of their attention from teaching academic content to counseling on goal-setting and encouraging good study skills (and tutoring to fill in gaps).  Along the way, you will be called on to root for your learners' steady progress, helping them restart when they get off track, and helping them structure their commitments to make time for their studies, switching subjects or learning platforms to boost morale. Whatever it takes to keep motivation high enough to sustain self-directed learning.

2) You can lead a learner to water: Ironically, finding time to study on a 24/7 time-frame is just as hard as getting to class for many learners, even for those who've requested distance education.  Fortunately, without the time and place requirement, there are more opportunities to drop back in.  This is where educators can mentor learners to make good on their intentions. That usually means helping them organize their time or developing a schedule. However, when the drive to learn and achieve is there, they find the time. Most industrious online learners wind up burning the midnight oil, working between 10pm-2am, after the kids are asleep.

3) Let's make a deal: Consider establishing an expectation for participation, below which, their account closes until they recommit. I think five hours per week is a good guarantee that the learner will build a foundation of skills, establish forward momentum, and they'll be rewarded by witnessing their own progress.  While your program's requirement of five hours may motivate your learners to put in more time, three hours per week is pretty good too.  It's like haggling. Ask for five, settle for three.  At least it's not zero.  Set high expectations and use what they give you and encourage it.

The next few recommendations will discuss the basic approach and structural elements of providing distance education and the role they play in motivating eLearners. Be sure to tune back in, but in the meantime, please leave a comment.

(part two concerns the larger programmatic approach to distance ed, see it right here)

The Ticking GED Timebomb

I used one of those pre-fab widgets to create a countdown to the new GED test over on the sidebar (I know it doesn't quite fit right). Maybe I'm just so anxious that I have to spread that feeling to everyone else, but this new test is the elephant in the room for so many adult educators. We've been though so much with the old test. It's gonna be hard to say goodbye to those five tests (that were really just one big reading and critical thinking test). So, we need to talk about it, plan for it, workshop it, unpack it, and generally reorient our whole system of ABE/GED instruction because of it. That last bit is more than I want to talk about in this post, but let's see where the conversation goes (that means, I really want you to comment. But first please click play on this blog's soundtrack).


Recently, I was thinking about the nifty feature on a student's GED Academy "homeroom"  where they set their GED testing goal on a calendar, and it starts a countdown.  It serves as a gentle reminder. It helps them organize their short-term goals and prompts them to look for benchmarking opportunities. And, it adds a little pressure to do the work to be prepared when the time comes.  How does our system of adult education measure up in that regard? Are we making preparations for computer-based testing? What does that look like where you are?  How about the  digital literacy to actually be successful using computer-based instruction? (talking both learners AND teachers here) Where does distance education fit in? Still just for the select few, or will blended learning be the new managed enrollment? Aren't you going to miss those obligatory five-paragraph essays? (I'm not) And most urgent of all, how are we going to accelerate our learners' progress to pass the 2002 series GED test in the meantime?  We've got to do it in a way that simultaneously prepares our system for the 2014 test.

Readers, I look forward to your contributions and to responding with more of my own ideas.

COUNTDOWN WIDGET

Down with Waiting Lists and Summer Break

Schooooool's out. For. Summer!  Schooooooool's out. For. Ever! 


That first line is the refrain in adult education this time of year (the latter sentence, unfortunately, may be our learners' response).  Many adult ed programs operate on the K12 schedule, closing up shop for the summer.  It's not uncommon to turn clients away. Our programs are small and underfunded, often we're basically guests in a school building owned by more robust educational institutions.  When our classes are full, we put people on waiting lists or tell them to come back at a later date. Our primary tool is the classroom, and when that tool is all locked up til fall, our learners are out of luck.  Have you noticed this?  Got a solution to share?

He's no Alice Cooper, but this little guy runs straight into the woods when you cut him loose.

It's time that we addressed the summer down-time and at-capacity classes as an opportunity to promote self-directed learning. The learners who step up will really set themselves apart, and the same goes for the teachers. Back when I answered the GED Helpline for the state of Virginia, I gave out telephone numbers for adult ed programs that I knew were closed.  How frustrating, especially considering that Virginia is hardly the only state where this is the case.  To try and salvage those missed opportunities, I spread the word to learners about the GED Connection TV show and various free study sites.  And in more recent years, I paired eLearn Virginia's online mentors with summer studiers and those seeking opportunities to study online.  

That run into the woods ended up with a personal escort for the second half.

What is preventing adult ed from providing services during the summer and winter breaks?


Closed facilities: If the public school building is locked for the break, have the learners study at home. If that's not an option, help them make arrangements to use community computer labs (libraries, etc), relatives' houses, etc.  Removing barriers to participation is the goal here, and our learners' motivation often goes up when they see us making efforts to accommodate them. 

Staff on break: An online mentor or facilitator of online learning can oversee dozens of learners' work in just a 5-10 hours per week. So, keep a part-time teacher on the payroll for supporting online learners.  Email and telephone is sufficient follow-up and support for many learners if their learning platform and study skills are a good match.  If the issue is a desire for control over the learning process, then try adjusting to a new relationship with your learners. The summer and winter breaks and the period of time learners spend on waiting lists, all of these are opportunities to approach adult education from another angle. Experiment. Put the ball in the learner's court and see what comes back to you. As seen in the picture above, the result may be deeper engagement, increased affinity, and a great bonding experience.

Need proctored assessments: Even though most online learning platforms begin with prescriptive pretests, online learners still need to come in for an assessment in order to be reportable.  That's no excuse for denying services. Don't let the process stop anyone from making progress.  Although I'm for letting learners start ahead of assessment (I think the TABE needs to be administered within the first 6 hours - freeze their account then until they come in, if you like), there are tons of non-reportable activities that you can give learners during an interim period. How about contributing some here with a comment?  Or, how about just working with them as non-NRS-reportable learners and identifying short and long-term goals that you can count: GED, CRC, NEDP, obtain employment. Serve enough people that way and you'll make a bigger impact in the community, elevate your organization's profile, and have more proof of effective services for your grant proposals.

A Little Light Reading

There is so much to talk about right now in adult education.  As one of my last duties with the Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center, I contributed content toward the GED-focused issue of their Progress newsletter. It's a great issue, if I do say so myself.

• David Rosen tackles GED Testing Service's big transition. 
• Integrating technology into instruction is given a fresh look.
• Helping people finish up the 2002 series GED test compiles regional approaches (I wrote it!).
• An extensive interview with GED Testing Service spokesperson, C.T. Turner

Get "a round TUIT"... get it?

Although the above newsletter is out of Virginia, most of the content is relevant to adult ed nationally.  I'd love to get some discussion going around the articles in this issue.

Q & A: The Computer Based 2014 GED Test

Today, the LINCs Assessment list is hosting a panel of GED Testing Service representatives as they field questions about the new test they've been describing with their Assessment Guide.  There's a lot of anxiety about the new test, and I'm hoping that both sides work things out with these sorts of public discussions. In the meantime, I also want to see adult education embrace innovation and meet the growing need for online learning.  So, I'm pulling a few of the questions out, as they come in, so we can debate the topics that are most relevant to computer-based instruction and distance education: 

I certainly understand, and endorse, the need for the computer based test, raising performance standards, and the need for transitioning, but my overriding concern is for the students who lack computer skills.  It seems that by mandating a computer only test based policy, we are placing a large segment of the GED and Adult Education student population at a distinct disadvantage as they prepare to take the test.  In my opinion, a computer version only option for taking the GED test is potentially unfair to this segment of the adult population.  Such a policy could potentially be labeled as discriminatory and could possibly face a legal challenge.(David in Mississippi) 

This is a common concern, so my response is not directed at David.  In fact, I'm glad he described the situation so clearly.  There is a sizable segment of the population that we serve in adult education that either isn't interested in using computers, or we just can't conceive of them becoming proficient enough to be successful as a computer-based tester.  However, I don't know if we can claim that requiring computer skills is unfair. The GED test certifies skills equivalent to those required to graduate from high school. To graduate from high school today, you need to use computers.  Trying to exempt our learners from these skills that are so foreign to them is akin to asking for a time-machine accommodation so they can go back in time to take the GED during the era when they left school.  And even then, they'd need to learn how to work the controls on the time machine (I'm hoping it's part Delorean). 

Okay, that's a cheap joke. But, I'm being silly, because I think that it's puzzling that educators point to learners "lacking skills" as a permanent barrier. And, of course, not every person who is held back by computer illiteracy is generations removed from being a digital native or a millennial, etc. 

COABE Attendees: Care to Share?

I love the COABE conference, and I always desperately need to debrief with my fellow attendees after returning back home.  Each year that I've gotten to attend as a GED Specialist from Virginia, I've left feeling inspired by the workshops, keynotes, and publisher offerings.  This year, I spent the entire conference on my feet in the vendor area at the Essential Education booth.  Although my favorite way to spend a workday is attending short sessions and professional development workshops, I had to miss out on that this year.  So, maybe you'd be willing to share your highlights with a comment. Of course, I've still got a few epiphanies to contribute, so I'll get to that right now. 

I've never really seen myself as a sales person, but I am positively evangelical about the potential of online tools to empower adult learners and to help adult education programs grow in new directions.  So, working the vendor area wasn't too much of a stretch for me.  Interacting with as many adult educators as I did this year was especially gratifying. There was lots of enthusiasm passed back and forth, and although I did hear about some unique circumstances and needs, for the most part, there are a few really big obstacles that are confronting adult educators.  Digital literacy. Workforce and career transitioning.  And budget cuts.  I'm looking forward to following up with my new contacts to chip away at those challenges.

From the vendor room vantage point, I was able to soak up a few things: