AccountabilityDiscussionHighlights

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Accountability Discussion Highights
A discussion of accountability and "authentic accountability" (Eckert and Bell, 2004 in Adult Basic Education).

This discussion began from a thread titled Education and Learning on the NIFL-AALPD discussion list, and evolved into a new discussion about making learning the focus of an organization’s and system’s efforts, as opposed to activities that take away from opportunities for student learning. The list below are only highlights from the discussion, not a cohesive, linear summary. Accountability is a complex, circular system with no definable beginning or ending. It is a complex system, not a hierarchical model.


  • If WIA and the NRS were focused on learning, then more of what learners say they need and want would be recognized on a national level, in our accountability systems, and legislation. Instead, organizational learning focused around accountability as defined at the federal level (and reinforced by training activities) is not an effort around learning. It re-directs money, time, and energy away from “learning activities” (teaching and professional development) and into “testing and record keeping activities.” (Eileen, #1852)


  • Subscribers explored the question: Publicly funded education is a public trust. How do we account for tax funded expenditures? What benefit has been derived from this funding?


  • In order to be accountable to learners and to the public trust, we first need to know if what we teach is within the framework of learners’ goals *and* broader purposes for participating in ABE programs. To know this means identifying and assessing whether or not our instructional practices are addressing learners’ broader purposes, “quality of life” and “empowerment” by their own definition, and if we are helping them make progress in those directions.


  • In organizing all aspects of education around learning, the process should begin and end with the learner; starting with learner-defined goals and ending with self and participatory evaluation of services. This goes beyond the narrowly defined “countable outcomes” identified by the NRS; we need to further expand the definitions of “legitimate proof” of outcomes and impacts in program accountability. While we the reality of funding requires us to comply with current procedures, and to make the high stakes testing as much a learning experience as possible, we must also continue to advocate for change, for resources that will enable us to serve all who need ABE, always keeping the focus on learners, teaching and learning. (Sally, 1864)


  • Accountability should be a “multi-lane highway traveling in both directions and that all parties involved have levels of accountability that they should in fact meet – including the student." (Marie, #1866)


  • Assessment is about the progress of the individual; evaluation is about the progress of an entire group (the program, for example; or a particular project); accountability should have these other types of 'checks' embedded within it. And there should be clearly written statements about what each of these pieces means, how they are interpreted and used, for what purposes, and how they interact together. (Marie, #1866)


  • NIFL-AALPD subscribers discussed “authentic accountability” as a generative activity that: “… weaves together learning and the documentation, assessment, and evaluation of that learning—at the individual, class, and program levels. Such activity would produce what we call 'authentic accountability” (Eckert & Bell, 2004).


  • Given the inadequate funding of ABE programs, and that programs are stressed, and resources stretched in meeting the exploding demands of the adult literacy population, programs and teachers cannot be expected to take this challenge on alone.


  • We need guidelines, procedures, checklists, etc. for naturalistic or ethnographic reporting of learning outcomes from the learners' perspectives. (Bob, #1867)


  • While teachers and programs can pilot rubrics and other assessments designed specifically for their program’s needs, teachers and programs also need a“doable” literacy practices assessment(s) and need them added to the National Reporting System.


Among the questions that surfaced are:

  • Are publicly funded organizations accountable to educators who work in these systems and to the public? Who monitors publicly funded programs? What results do they report? (Roberta, #1856)
  • What evidence demonstrates organizational accountability – organizational learning? Are publicly funded organizations learning organizations? Should they be? (Roberta, #1856)
  • What is the ultimate goal of accountability? (Richard, #1857)
  • What would it “look like” if the agencies and organizations “above” you in the hierarchy were accountable to you and to learners? How would you know? (Eileen, #1859)

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