Assessing Adult Learners' Readiness for Online Learning
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[Technology 2556] Assessing Adult Learners' Readiness for Online Learning
Richard Sebastian
rasebastian at vcu.edu
Mon Feb 8 12:15:18 EST 2010
> Does your local adult education program offer distance education or online
> learning activities? If so, what tools does your program use to gauge
> learners' readiness for this new form of learning? How do you assess
> learners' technology skills, motivation, and ability to learn independently?
For several years our online program has offered a tutorial and learner self-assessment to determine a potential student's readiness (this is before they actually apply to our program). Once they apply, we conduct a telephone interview with each candidate to make sure he or she understands the demands of the program. However, we are finding that this self-assessment isn't very effective as many potential learners rate themselves pretty highly in tech skills, motivation, etc., but once enrolled, have a lot of trouble meeting our expectations.
I am interested in tools that other programs use to determine their learner's ability to succeed online. If possible, can you share these with this list?
Thanks,
Richard Sebastian
Instructional Technology Specialist
Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center
Virginia Commonwealth University
3600 W. Broad St./ Suite 669
Richmond, VA 23230-4930
(804) 828-7537
[Technology 2557] Re: Assessing Adult Learners' Readiness for Online Learning
Val Yule
vyule at labyrinth.net.au
Tue Feb 9 02:05:06 EST 2010
A good point. http://www.ozreadandspell.com.au assumes an adult can guide the learner, child or adult, in the technical business of accessing the program.
valyule
[Technology 2558] Re: Assessing Adult Learners' Readiness for Online Learning
Wendy Quinones
teacherwendyq at gmail.com
Tue Feb 9 10:07:59 EST 2010
Richard,
Boy do I hear you about students lack of ability in the self-reporting arena! Slap me for a bad girl, but I've come to distrust almost anything that requires it, as my students generally either rank themselves wildly too high or too low regardless of the area that's being examined.
Unfortunately I don't have anything useful to offer. I've just started teaching GED online, and we face the same problems you're describing. I'd also be very interested in anything people have that's proven successful.
Wendy Quinones
[Technology 2560] Re: Assessing Adult Learners' Readiness for Online Learning
Destiny Long
dlong at tiu11.org
Tue Feb 9 13:41:00 EST 2010
One of the things that we have done in Pennsylvania is to give learners the opportunity to actually try a distance lesson before they formally enroll in the program. We had a print-based lesson for learners and online learners had an online lesson that they used. The lesson content was something learners would feel comfortable with and the length of the lesson was slightly shorter than a traditional lesson. Learners were given questions at the end to reflect on their distance learning experience.
Agency staff that would work with the learner to determine whether distance learning was a good option for the learner based on their experiences with the trial lesson or "Distance Learning First Assignment" as we called it. After some learners completed the "trial" lesson, they decided that they preferred face-to-face instruction so the agency staff would help them enroll in classes or tutoring. Others really enjoyed distance learning. Some learners had difficulties with the trial lesson but the agency staff were able to help them identify what their challenges were and identify ways to overcome these challenges.
At one point, we had this as a mandatory part of the distance learning enrollment process. Now, it's optional. However, many agencies still continue this Distance Learning First Assignment in one form or another.
Destiny Long
TIU 11 Community Education Services
MCIDC Plaza, Building 58
6395 SR 103 North
Lewistown, PA 17044
717-248-4942 ext. 199
717-248-8610 fax
<mailto:dlong at tiu11.org> dlong at tiu11.org
[Technology 2561] Re: Assessing Adult Learners' Readiness for Online Learning
Barbara Sabaj
bjteach at ameritech.net
Wed Feb 10 00:46:00 EST 2010
I work with GED-i Online program. In the system at www.ged-i.org, there is an online Orientation outside of the system that anyone can access. It also has sample lessons in each of the 5 modules found on the GED Tests. I always have students do the online orientation and one sample lesson before they even come into the program. If they complete the orientation and e-mail the answers to the questions sent to them, I know they are interested and understand that online is not easier; just more convenient. Students who complete the orientation, and achieve 9.0 or greater on the TABE test, usually do very well online. We also have an Instructor/Learner contract that both the learner and the teacher sign.
Also, the GED-i system, once you are part of it, has some great professional development modules to aid the instructor in achieving success with the students.
Barbara Sabaj
bjteach at ameritech.net
[Technology 2562] Re Adult Learners' Readiness for Online Learning
Val Yule
vyule at labyrinth.net.au
Wed Feb 10 03:02:26 EST 2010
Learners and teachers can try a half-hour overview online, watching individually, and learners then know what they want to ask teachers.
http://www.ozreadandspell.com.au
This is a useful half-hour at home, with different members of the family watching.
val yule
[Technology 2563] Re: Assessing Adult Learners' Readiness for Online Learning
Jeff McNeal
mcneal at etc-1.com
Wed Feb 10 09:09:45 EST 2010
Previous message: [Technology 2558] Re: Assessing Adult Learners' Readiness for Online Learning
We have the same problem and now require that students have an initial face to face meeting/orientation.
Jeff McNeal, M.Ed
Administration/GED Testing
Education and Training Connection
989-631-5202 ext 209
<mailto:mcneal at etc-1.com> mcneal at etc-1.com
[Technology 2564] Re: Assessing Adult Learners' Readiness for Online Learning
Richard Sebastian
richard.sebastian at gmail.com
Wed Feb 10 10:10:46 EST 2010
Thanks, Destiny. Do you have an idea of the percentage potential students who end up enrolling? Or, since it is optional, is that hard for you to track?
We've been doing a post-application orientation--potential students need to complete a series of assignments that demonstrate their ability to succeed as online learners--but while it saved our mentors time, it was too cumbersome for the single staff member who oversaw it.
[Tech & DL 2568] Re: [Technology 2564] Re: Assessing Adult Learners' Readiness for Online Learning
Destiny Long
dlong at tiu11.org
Wed Feb 10 13:45:29 EST 2010
Hi Richard and all-
At this point, we don't have an idea of the percentage of potential students who end up enrolling since it's optional. However, one of the things the PA Department of Education found a couple years ago when they looked at the data was that Pennsylvania distance learners tended to have the same persistent rates as face-to-face learners once they enrolled in the program. Keep in mind that the data included all learners who completed some distance learning so some learners used it to supplement face-to-face instruction while others completed all or most of their studies at a distance.
Destiny
More to be archived
David J. Rosen
7/17/2010
