News from NCL Members

Date: March 31, 2011

Below you’ll find March News from NCL Members: ACE/GED TS, World Education, CLASP, and MPR Associates, Inc.

ACE and Pearson Collaborate to Transform GED Test, Aligned with Common Core State Standards, Based on GED 21st Century Initiative
Enhanced GED Testing Program Will Validate Career- and College-Readiness

Washington, DC (March 15, 2011)—The American Council on Education (ACE) and Pearson today announced the creation of a ground-breaking new business that will drive the future direction, design, and delivery of the GED® testing program. Building on the goals of the GED 21st Century Initiative, the two partners will combine their collective expertise and resources to develop a new GED Test aligned with Common Core State Standards that will assure colleges, universities and prospective employers that adults who have passed the GED Tests are prepared to compete and succeed in a global economy. For more information, see the full press release on the ACE/GED TS website.

National College Transition Network to Host Fifth Annual National Conference

The National College Transition Network (NCTN) of World Education, Inc. invites you to the fifth annual national conference on Effective Transitions in Adult Education. The conference will take place on November 14 – 15, 2011 in Providence, RI. The two-day conference will focus on strategies and promising practices that help adult learners succeed in postsecondary education and training. Please contact Priyanka Sharma, NCTN Coordinator, by email at psharma@worlded.org if you have any questions about the conference.

Beyond Basic Skills: State Strategies to Connect Low-Skilled Students to an Employer-Valued Postsecondary Education (see full PDF)

Mar 04, 2011 | Marcie Foster, Julie Strawn, and Amy Ellen Duke-Benfield

How much does college matter for getting ahead in America? Having a postsecondary education—broadly defined as a credential beyond a high school diploma—continues to be one of the most important factors in getting a good job and advancing in the workforce. By one estimate, 64 percent of jobs in 2018 will require more than a high school diploma, although not necessarily a four-year degree. For each year of postsecondary education, an adult is more likely to be employed, earn family-sustaining wages, lead a healthier life, and have children who are better prepared to succeed in school. The country, too, benefits from a more educated workforce. Studies of the return on government investments in education (at all levels, not just K-12) show that it is a sound use of public funds.

Critical federal programs, such as funding for student aid and job training, can help lower-skilled adults and youth access postsecondary education, but important policy choices that support their success and completion can be made at the state and local levels. State-level innovations can include: instructional strategies that provide a strong foundation in occupational skills required for jobs in the local economy; acceleration strategies that help students progress further and more quickly in education and training programs in a shorter period of time than traditional approaches, and funding formulas, assessment policies, and other administrative policies that support a statewide vision to provide adults and youth with pathways to better jobs through postsecondary education.

Striking commonalities exist across most of these promising innovations: they are based on best-practice findings from programs at the state and local levels; they can be connected with the needs of industries; and most importantly, they bridge the gap separating local silos from state education and training systems. Beyond Basic Skills describes strategies that state policymakers can use to strengthen connections between basic skills education and postsecondary education to help lower-skilled adults and out-of-school youth attain the postsecondary credentials they need to advance in the labor market.

Read Beyond Basic Skills: State Strategies to Connect Low-Skilled Students to an Employer-Valued Postsecondary Education.

Publications from MPR Associates, Inc.

Several publications from MPR Associates may be of interest to NCL Members and to the field:

Community-based Correctional Education

On behalf of the U.S. Department Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE), MPR Associates, Inc. is pleased to announce the release of Community-based Correctional Education, a report presenting information from 15 community-based correctional education programs in 10 states—from charter schools to technical colleges and adult education programs.

Community-based correctional education—education services for individuals serving all or part of a criminal sentence under parole or probation—is attracting attention as a cost-effective way to address two challenges: rising correctional costs and meeting the needs of those in the corrections population with lower literacy and workforce skills than the general population. The report describes characteristics of community-based correctional education programs, their services and challenges, and the implications for state and federal policy. You may access the full report here.

If you have any questions about the report, contact Michelle Tolbert at MPR Associates, Inc. (mtolbert@mprinc.com) or John Linton at OVAE (John.Linton@ed.gov).

Publications on Adult Education and Policy Funded by the National Institute for Literacy

The following descriptions provide a brief overview of a series of publications on adult education policy and research managed by MPR Associates, Inc. and funded by the National Institute for Literacy. The papers are available here in PDF format.

Adult English Language Learners with Limited Literacy

Martha Bigelow, Associate Professor at the University of Minnesota

Robin Lovrien Schwarz, Consultant in Adult ESOL Education and Learning Disabilities

The adult education system serves English language learners (ELLs) with a range of skills, including some with limited print literacy skills and little or no prior experience of formal schooling. Learning English and acquiring literacy skills for the first time present a unique set of challenges for these learners and the educators and policymakers who serve them. Bigelow and Schwarz review the research on teaching this population of learners, including studies of language acquisition, literacy development in adults and children, cognition, language processing, and teacher professional development. Research findings suggest that adult ELLs with limited print literacy need programs and classes that specifically address cultural influences and their experience (or lack thereof) with formal education.

Algebraic Thinking in Adult Education

Myrna Manly, Numeracy Consultant

Lynda Ginsburg, Senior Research Associate for Mathematics Education, Rutgers University

As industries continue to adopt technological innovations, workers at all skill levels need a solid understanding of mathematics and science. Those without this understanding and accompanying problem-solving skills will be at a significant disadvantage in their careers. Mathematics instruction in adult education in the United States generally begins with basic arithmetic and postpones formal algebra instruction until learners are preparing for the GED math test. Manly and Ginsburg propose that algebraic thinking, which reflects the core principles of number relationships and operations, be integrated into all levels of adult education. They recommend further that algebra instruction for adults be based on real situations to encourage adult learners to apply mathematics where they need it most—in the workplace, continuing education, and daily life.

Emerging Technologies in Adult Literacy and Language Education

Mark Warschauer, Professor of Education and Informatics, University of California-Irvine

Meei-Ling Liaw, National Taichung University, Taiwan

Adult learners need technological proficiency for success in the workplace and full participation in the community, but technology has not yet been adequately integrated into adult language and literacy instruction. Warschauer and Liaw examine emerging technologies, ranging from audio and video production to games, wikis and blogs, mobile devices, cell phones, and open-source software, and describe the potential contribution they can make to adult language and literacy education. The authors note that low-cost mobile devices may be particularly useful to adult educators and students. Addressed to policymakers, the paper aims to generate ideas about the potential role of emerging technologies in adult education and literacy.

Integrating Curriculum: Lessons for Adult Education from Career and Technical Education

Kathleen Chernus, Director of Adult Education, MPR Associates, Inc.

Donna Fowler, Director of Communications, MPR Associates, Inc.

Integrated curricula combine academic and technical content, incorporate academic, technical, and work readiness standards, include project- or problem-based learning, and focus on real-world issues relevant to students. Experiencing a revival in high school career and technical education, integrated curricula are designed to prepare graduates for both college and careers. Chernus and Fowler describe two high school curriculum integration models in detail—the linked learning/multiple pathways approach promoted by ConnectEd: The California Center for College and Career, and the Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies (PAS) interdisciplinary curriculum program—and several efforts in adult education to incorporate integrated curricula. The authors also examine research on curriculum integration to see if it could be adapted for adult education. They identify three potential approaches: course integration, cross-curriculum integration, and program integration. They conclude that these approaches have promise for expanding the integrated curriculum efforts already underway in adult education.

Literacy, Employment, and Youth with Learning Disabilities: Aligning Workforce Development Policies and Programs

Marianne Mooney, Ph.D., Research Associate, TransCen, Inc.

Heidi Silver-Pacuilla, Ph.D., Senior Research Analyst, National Center for Technology Innovation

Despite the challenges they face, youth with learning disabilities can achieve and excel in the workplace. But many lack access to specialized teaching strategies and technologies that can help them reach their full potential. After providing an overview of the education and training systems serving these youth, the authors describe research-based workforce development strategies that can help these young adults make an effective transition to employment. Strategies include targeted professional development for staff serving these youth, technology supports, and efforts to improve youth self-determination and empowerment. A list of resources and technical assistance centers accompanies the description of each strategy. Mooney and Silver-Pacuilla also include examples of noteworthy programs applying some of these approaches. They conclude with a discussion of how programs and policymakers might work together to support future program alignment and research on youth with learning disabilities.