DOCUMENT RESUME

ED 099 083 JC 750 023

AUTHOR Dudgeon, Paul J.TITLE Innovative Approaches to Adult Basic Education in the

Continuing Education Division of Canadore College,North Bay.

INSTITUTION Canadore Coll., North Bay (Ontario).PUB DATE Nov 73NOTE 19p.; Reprint from B.T.S.D. Review; v11n2 p17-33 Nov

1973

EDRS PRICE MF-$0.75 HC-$1.50 PLUS POSTAGEDESCRIPTORS Adult Basic Education; Behavioral Objectives;

*Computer Oriented Programs; Educational Technology;*Individualized Curriculum; *IndividualizedInstruction; Instructional Innovation; *JuniorColleges; Performance Based Education; ProgramedInstruction; Systems Analysis; *Systeas Approach

IDENTIFIERS Cognitive Style; *Computer Managed ILstruction

ABSTRACTThe Continuing Education Division of Canadore College

has implemented an individualized learning systems approach toinstruction in their Adult Basic Education program. Since most adultstudents are dropouts or failures from traditional learningsituations, a system was developed which utilizes educationaltechnology to obtain better learning outcomes. Performance objectivesdefine exactly what the student must perform, describe the conditionsfor performance, and provide the standard of acceptable performance.Objectives are either purchased or designed by the faculty, and areoften used in combination. The important key to individualization isthe use of cognitive style mapping which gives a picture of how eachstudent perceives, seeks meaning, and obtains information from hisenvironment and personal experience. Through cognitive style napping,students are routed to educational programs that are built on theircognitive style strengths. To evaluate student progress. conti;uousspot checking through a computer based, criterion referencedlongitudinal testing program is used. This Comprehensive AchievementMonitoring model, primarily a management tool for the instructor,will provide pretest, posttest, trend and learning retention data asveil as an automatic system for validating objectives. (MJK)

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INNOVATIVE APPROACHESTO

ADULT BASIC EDUCATIONIN THE CONTINUINC EDUCATION DIVISION

OF CANADORE COLLEGE, NORTH BAY

Paul J. Dudgeon

Continuing Education Division,Canadore College, North Bay, Ontario

1. The Process Begins

In April 1971, the Dean of theCanadote Continuing Education Divi-sion, North Bay, began to experimentwith innovative educational methodsin an attempt to obtain betterlearning outcomes from divisionprograms. In addition, instructorsdesired to be evaluated and it be-came obvious to administrators thattraditional measures used in evalu-ation were unsatisfactory. We

wanted to find a process that wouldallow the precise measurement oflearning and permit administratorsto evaluate instructors on thebasis of whether or not learningwas actually taking place undertheir direction.

Don Stewart, of SLATE (Systemsfor Learning by Application ofTechnology to Education) Services,has said that, "Learning oftenoccurs by chance rather than bydesign", and we came to the sameconclusion about our own program.(At this time we had been operatingsolely on the traditional model.We made little or no use of in-structional technology and employedlock-step timetabling and gradelevel distinctions with no realrecognition of individual learningdifferences other than the factthat so many students "passed" andso many "failed".)

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Instructors were proud of the"quality" and the "high level" oftheir courses, but without empiric-al evidence of specificity this wasimpossible to quantify or evenqualify.

The search for a better waybegan and the path led to exper-iments with programmed learningmaterials. We quickly found thatprogrammed learning was but onetool for the instructor and cer-tainly not totally satisfactory.In fact, using programmed materialwithout specifying objectivesproved to be almost fruitless.Objectives should be clearly spec-ified before the programmed mat-erials are written. Obviously wehad to have a more adequate start-ing point.

2. The Learning SystemsApproach to Instruction

We scheduled two workshops onbehavioral objectives and the learn-ing-systems approach to instruction.Before the workshop, an instruction-al technologist was hired to be oureducational services officer. Thisofficer proved to be essential,especially in the beginning phasesof a new program. Workshop leaderscan take faculty to new levels ofreadiness to implement innovations

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but they also need someone qualifiedto develop and work with them afterthe workshop. Projected innovationsare usually not successfully imple-mented because of lack of continuedsupport. The educational servicesofficer provided this support.

The systems approach to instruc-tion and its essential component---"the behavioral objective"--wereaccepted by faculty and administra-tors to be viable alternatives totraditional approaches to instruc-tion. We were involved with basiceducation for adults who obviouslydo not have time to waste in lock-step programs. These adults them-selves were aware that people learnat different rates. We have foundthat adults want us to be innoVa-ave and teach them onZif what theyoan't do: The majority of adultstaking basic education Are drop-outsor failures from our elementary andsecondary systems. It is ridiculousto sit by and receive payment forduplicating the traditional methodswhich put these persons in thedrop-out or failure category.

In August, 1971 a commitmentwas made to the systems approach toinstruction and the division fullyimplemented a process of individual-ization in its basic education pro-grams.

We have mentioned the termssystems approach, learning systemsand behavioral objectives. What dothese terms mean?

A behavioral, or performanceobjective contains three items: anoutline of what the student must beable to e", a description of thecondition under which he must beable to perform, and the standard ofacceptable performance.

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The following is an example ofa behavioral objective taken fromMager:

"The student must be able to writea musical composition with a singletonal base. The composition must beat least 16 bars in length and con-tain at least 24 notes. The studentmust demonstrate his understandingof the rules of good composition byapplying at least three of them inthe development of his score. Thestudent is to complete his composi-tion within four hours."1

Behavioral objectives werefully implemented so we could besure that both instructors and stu-dents knew what they had to do.

Once we knew what a behavioralobjective was and had written some,we realized that to write object-ives for all our programs would taketoo long, be costly and to our mindsbe a "reinvention of the wheel",since many commercially prepared ob-jectives were already available.

An eclectic approach was usedin which our own objectives, writtenby the faculty, were combined withthe many available commercially pro-duced objectives to get our processof individualization started.

For our definition of a systemwe can turn to Dr. L.C. Silvern:

"A system is simply the structureof organization of an orderly whole,clearly showing the interrelationsof the parts to each other and tothe whole itself."2

More explicitly:

"Systems Approach is a process con-sisting of four major parts; anal-

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ysis, synthesis, modeling and simulation."3

In 1965 Silvern introduced theterm 'Anasynthesis' for the aboveprocess. Anasynthesis applies toany system, not simply to that ofcurriculum development in education.

There follows a discussion oftwo further innovations that arecontributing substantially to ourdevelopment of a systems approachto instruction.

3. The Educational Sciences

The Dean of Continuing Educa-tion, and the educational servicesofficer have participated in theEducational Sciences course givenby Oakland Community College,Michigan. We see the EducationalSciences as defined by Dr. JosephHill, President of Oakland, as akey to furthering and directingour attempts to innovate whileindividualizing our programs.

Presently we place a studentin our individualized programs with-out really knowing his cognitivestyle. The Educational Sciences,as a conceptual framework, willpermit us to begin to reach everystudent in our individualized pro-gram and help us direct him tolearning situations appropriate tothis style.

The Educational Sciences asdefined by Dr. Joseph Hill are:symbols and their meaning, culturaldeterminants of the meanings ofsymbols, modalities of inference,biochemical and electro-physiolog-ical aspects of memory, cognitive

styles of individuals, teaching,administrative and counsellingstyles, systemic analysis anddecision-making. (See Appendix Ffor a paper on the EducationalSciences and a bibliography.')

Cognitive Sty Za Naming

Through the use of cognitivestyle mapping we can begin to route)ur students to personalized educa-tion programs that are built on

cognitive style strengths.can also augment the cognitivele weaknesses found through anal-

y,.s of the map. Drs. Hill andNunney define cognitive style map-i..,ngs as follows:

"The cognitive style map gives apicture of the way a student derivesmeaning from his environment andpersonal experience. Each map, likeeach student, is different. A stu-dent's cognitive style is determinedby the way he takes notice of histotal surroundings---how he seeksmeaning---how he becomes informed.Is he a listener or a reader? Is

he concerned only with his pointof view or is he influenced indecision-making by his family orgroup associates? Does he reasonmore like a mathematician or socialscientist or fisherman? (SeeAppendix E.)"

We can investigate and useadministrative, counsellingand teaching-style information tofully realize the potential of ourhuman resources which at present weknow very little about.

In order to advance our degreeof learning-systems implementation,we have bosun to use the Education-

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al Sciences as the framework andhave already mapped a large groupof basic education students.

We reached a point in theimplementation of an individual-ized process at which we seemed tobe "marking time" and began to haveproblems without solutions. Therewas seemingly no way to augment thestatistical gain scores we receivedafter the individualized processwas implemented.

Through the Educational Sci-ences in general, and cognitivestyle mapping, in ?articular, weshould be able t* increase our gainscores and have a more effectivesystem using the present individ-ualized pLoc(ss as our base.

4. A Sophisticated Evaluation SystemFor An Individualized Program

The Canadore ComprehensiveAchievement Moni toeing Model

Earlier this year, we investi-gated an evaluation system developedby Dr. Wm P. Gorth and Dwight W.Allen at the University of Massachu-setts. Comprehensive AchievementMonitoring (CAM) is a computer basedcriterion-referenced, longitudinaltesting program using samplingtechniques. We know very littleabout retention of objectives bystudents in our program. We pre-sently can say only that the studentachieved the objective on a givenday and at a given time but howlong he retains it is not yet deter-mined. We recognize the importanceof instituting a system that willprovide answers to questions of re-tention of objectives by our stu-dents.

Dr. Robert O'Reilly (Chief ofthe Bureau of School Cultural Re-search, New York State Departmentof Education) implemented CAM inmany schools in New York State.CAM includes interchangeable testinstruments derived through strati-f ied random sampling. These areadministered continuously as a stu-dent progresses through his indivi-dual set of objectives.

We have also noticed that as astudent progresses through a unithe often learns portions of object-ives which are yet to be met inlater units. CAM would documentthis and students would not be for-ced to re-do objectives they hadalready met. Thus, we will not relyon a single pre-test at the begin-ning of a unit to appraise whichobjectives a student must achieve.CAM accounts for the dynamics oflearning through objectives. CAMis primarily a management tool forthe instructor--it helps himmanage the learning in an indivi-dualized program.

Canadore College with the helpof Dr. O'Reilly and the co-operationof Dr. Ewald B. Nyquist--Commis-sioner of Education, the State Edu-cation Department of New York--isnow in the process of implementingCAM in the Continuing EducationDivision Programs.

We have developed a CanadoreCAN Model for Individualized Pro-grams. We know that CAM will intro-duce economy into our testingthrough the use of item and personsampling techniques. The CAM Com-puter Programs being developed willprovide pretest, posttest, trendand retention data as well as anautomatic system for validating ob-jectives and other components of

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the system. This model is designedto sharpen our ability to intervenein the prescription phase so as tomake these suggested learningactivities more accurate for eachindividual learner.

5. Instructional Materials,Equipment and Subject-Matter

An Eclectic Approach to Materials

We used the excellent materialsproduced by Saskatchewan NewStartto get our process of Individual-ization started. Saskatchewan New-Start considered their materials a"starter kit" and they have laudedus for being true to that concept.At North Bay their materials wereused as a starter kit which we aug-mented and revised to suit ourneeds. Information gained throughWO of these materials, along withchanges, was fed back to curriculumdevelopers at NewStart.

The Saskatchewan NewStart mat-erials were found to be too print-oriented in their prescriptions forour adapted use. Almost immedi-ately we began to supplement a widevariety of comnwrcially- producedand faculty-developed media soft-ware. Saskatchewan NewStart provi-ded our process of individualizationwith an immediate core of materialsupon which to build a program thatwould be adapted to our needsthrough judicious selection of otherpackages.

A Variety of Audio-View .1.Equipment and M:zt-crials

Students were given individual-ized programs and they progressed attheir awn learning rates.

The heavy previous emphasis onprint media was altered through thepurchase and development of a widevariety of media as vehicles tofacilitate learning individual ob-jectives. Audio-visual equipmentwas purchased that was complement-ary to the new media.

The ..-tality of media is veryimportant. For example, we foundsome students dislike purple dittoprescription sheets and yet reactedvery favourably to colored pre-scription sheets expertly printedin black on an offset press. Wemust know what "turns a studentoff" if we expect to bring aboutlearning. Malfunctioning equip-ment, or poor audio or visual mat-erial may do more to impede learn-ing than to help it.

Commercial Packages and FacultyProduced Material

The basic education programuses commercially prepared packagesin communications and mathematics.The individualized science curri-culum is based upon a faculty-developed program. Much of thepurchased material has been revised,rewritten, augmented and adaptedto our needs. We have also actedin a field-testing capacity forindividualized media to meet needsof individual students.

Several questions regardingfaculty production must be consid-ered: Who holds the copyright?Should we have several packagesproduced if we know that the cog-nitive style of the person producingthe package may determine the styleof the package? Should instructorsbe given released time to writeprograms especially when none areavailable commercially?

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As a rule we wIrchane object-ives rather than write them. It isless expensive and the market placecurrently offers objectives for al-most any program one wishes to give.

Mg.:ter College's Randi Pk 1741

of Objectives fer individualisodProaraTs

The revised Humber kande (Re-training and Apprenticeshi?) pack-age was a welcome find in our eclec-tic search for additional "higherlevel" objectives. We have profit-ably integrated major portions ofthe English and Mathematics pack-ages to augment our own programs.

Like Skills or "Coptrg"

In our program we feel thatlife or "coping" skills are a nec-essary component of our educationalgoals and we are currently investi-gating the most suitable ones forour purposes from the followingsources: Metro Basic Training forSkill Development (BTSD) CommitteeLife Skills objectives and matrix,Saskatchewan NewStart Life SkillsProgram, the Rural Family Develop-ment Program of the University ofWisconsin and Oakland CommunityCollege General Orientation program.

What has only recently cometo our attention is the work ofProfessor George Isaac Brown of theUniversity of California on "conflu-ent education". Our investigationof the work done in developing copingskills has led us to conclude thatthe total emphasis on the cognitiveelement is perhaps simply too"exclusive" an approach. What hashappened is that one of the oldesttraditions in western education isbeing forgo teen: education of thetotal human being. A vital part of

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this is the education of the af-fective capacities of our students.Quite often students drop out ofschools because they feel they areirrelevant or dehumanized. Theway to combat problems with stu-dents dropping out and becomingalienated is for educators to cometo grips with the affective sideto education. Professor Brown'sframework offers a way to bringabout confluent education wherethere is an "integration or flow-ing together of the affective andcognitive elements of individualand group learning--sometimescalled humanistic or psycholog-ical education".6

Validation o/ Materials

Validation studies were under-taken by the educational servicesofficer on a large segment of ourcommercially purchased objectivesand test instruments. The resultsof our validation studies were madeavailable to students, faculty,administrators and producers of thematerial as well as administratorsand faculty of other colleges whowere using the same materials.(These results are available throughour educational services officer.)

Eralurtion Cornittee onInstru2tional Packages

The subject of evaluation hasbecome critical and the NorthernRegional BTSD Committee, chaired bythe Dean of Continuing Education atNorth Bay, is presently meeting towrite and distribute a manual onthe validation of packages for useby administrators and faculty inthe colleges.

The projected manual will stressthe design of validation projects in

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order that colleges can begin thetask of validating much of the mat-erial that is currently being used.

At North Bay we have undertakenstudies to validate the NewStartcommunications material and our ownfaculty-developed materials in commu-nications, mathematics and scienceas well as commercially-preparedmaterials.

Student Orientation toMaterials and Equipment

Student orientations changedfrom rules-oriented discussions toa program that introduced a studentto the systems approach to instruc-tion with each faculty member. Theorientation should be an individual-ized program using behavioral object-ives as the vehicle. Orientationsalso include instruction in theoperation of instructional hardware,such as video-cassette playbackunits, tape recorders, filmstrip-audio units, language machines andteaching machines.

Once you have a process ofindividualization, the student willuse a greater variety of media andequipment. Without instruction inthe operation of this equipmentthere will be less effort made toseek out different resources.

We have found that as much ofthe audio-visual equipment andmaterials as possible should beportable. This facilitates re-arranging carrels and permits stu-dents to take equipment and soft-ware home for further practice andreinforcement. (See Appendix Bfor a "script" for an audiovisualstudent orientation to the SystemsApproach.)

Student Attitudes as aMeans of bevelopment

We have conducted studentattitude surveys and the results ofthese surveys have given rise tomany changes in procedures and mat-erials as our implementation prog-resses. We have produced a seriesof video tapes on student reactions.Some of the tapes document studentreaction to both individualizedsettings and traditional ones.

6. Placement, Testingand Evaluation

The Grades 5 - 12 AdultBasic Education Program

The adults who joined our pro-gram lacked the necessary prerequi-site standing of either a grade 10or grade 12 to enter their chosenskill training or apprenticeshipprograms. Participants in theprogram were permitted to avoid alock-step system of traditionalgrade level and to begin an indiv-idualized college grades 5 - 12program. Students could enter theprogram at any time, be evaluatedthrough placement inventories, andwork at only what they demonstratedthey could not do upon entry. If astudent successfully completed allplacement inventories he would begranted the college grade 10 or 12certificate (which is not equivalentto the secondary school diploma inOntario, but is all that is requiredfor further skill training).

The Role of Testing and Placementin an Indiidualized Program

Essential to an efficient in-dividualized program is a diagnostic

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testing centre whose personnel admin-ister the tests for cognitive stylemapping..a computerized program todetermine learning strengths---placement inventories and the manyindividualized pre-tests and post-tests.

The diagnosticians in the centremust have a close relationship witheach instructor as the interpretationof the test results should be donejointly by the instructor and thetesting centre personnel.

Tests are but one indicator theinstructor uses in his professionalrole as diagnostician and decision-maker in the learning process.Therefore, he uses test informationtempered by his professional judg-ment in prescribing a route for thestudent to complete objectives.

We don't hide tests and answersfrom students. The approach in asystems-oriented program is to takethe mystery and fear out of tests bygiving the students the objectivesand telling them what they are goingto do. To be meaningful, tests mustmeasure the students' achievement ofthe specified objectives.

We found that cheating mayoccur. Some students may go throughseveral units by simply copyinganswers in written tests. This iseasily avoided through oral testsbuilt in as program objectives. Ournew tracking system also assists inbringing cheating to a minimum. Ifcleating is a problem, some selectedtest instruments can be given in arigorously supervised atmosphere tocheek on student progress.

It has been found that theCanada Manpower Centre (CMC) shoulddo no testing before the studentcomes to the college. The collegeplacement inventories and other

tests are sophisticated enough totell us what the student can andcannot do. Thus standardized tests,not related to our objectives, tendto be a waste of time. Also, ifstandardized scores are given tothe student they may tend to pre-judice his performance on our place-ment inventories.

OPiterin-Deference;; and.7orm-Lf,,ircn,7cd Eilaluation

behavioral objectives and asystems approach to instructionnecessitated a criterion-referenced

measurement system (i.e. the studentmust be able to perform at a speci-fied level cf accuracy which in mostinstances is at 80%), and we imple-ment criterion-referenced measure-ment without disregarding the valid,but different application of norm.referenced measurement. In ourprogram criterion-referenced measure-ment is used to keep track of theindividual student's achievementand progress rather than an assess-ment based upon any comparison witha group. (Far a discussion ofnorm-referenced and criterion-referenced wasurement see Popham'sCriterion-Referenced Measurement7,or view the. Vimcet filmstrip-

cassette presentations on evalu-ation.8)

Tra.,kIng tiv Student on anin.iividuzitzed Program

Systems have been developedto track the daily prugr..ss ofevery student on each objectiveof each subject. A tracking sys-tem is critical to the success ofthe process because it providesdata for the student, the instruc-tor, the educational servicesofficer, the administrators, thecounsellors, and the sponsoring

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agencies. Without immodiate,reliable tracking data, adequatedecl:sion making by instructors ishampered; student progress isslowed; validation of material isimpossible; sponsoring agencies lackdata about clients' possible earlyor late completions; and cost sav-ings can't be ascertained.

We now have a computer systemfor tracking each student by record-ing pretest and posttest data. Thecomputer produces the ur cusedabsence report and detailed enroll-ment information as required byCanada Manpower. We eventually hopethat this computer tracking systemof learner achievement data can beaccepted by Canada Manpower in lieuof the presently utilized unexcusedabsence attendance record.

E=Zuating t;:c Inj;:oi,iuszL Student

the traditional A, B, C, D, Fgrading system was eliminated infavor of an A. B. I system whereB = 100%, completion of objectiveswith a proficiency score of 80 - 85%.A = items in addition to B that arespecified by the instructor to thestudent as required for an A, andI gis Incomplete. Every student begin-ning the program is considered tobe "I" until he completes all of theobjectives of his program and hereaches the "B" standing. (An A - Isystem is presently being contem-plated because if an item is import-ant and you can state it behavior-ally, then it should be part of the100% required for the present "B".)Several persons have developed amatrix of objectives relating tooccupations. It is better to relatean A - I system to an objectives-occupation matrix than to use an A,B, I system to achieve the samething.

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7. Staffing and ProfessionalDeveldpment

A fczm 47poach to PrpIcmentation

It is important that senioradministrators be committed to theseinnovative approaches to education.Too often, faculty get involved ininnovations only to find adminis-trative support lacking and programstherefore fall short of what couldbe achieved.

In the Continuing EducationDivision we took a "team approach"to individuali7ation. The teamconsisted of the Dean of ContinuingEducation (Paul Dudgeon), theEducational Services Officer (AndyJimenez), and the Chairman of theContinuing Education Division (JohnBrock). Specific roles are demanded,and the system becomes effectiveonly when the team member plays hisunique role.

The Dean's role is to managethe operation, specify the policy,knob) where the operation is, knowwhere it is going and assemble anddirect the resources to get it there.The Educational Services Officer ischarged with the job of providingthe systems approach "know how" tosupport and develop administrators,faculty, counsellors, students,programs, objectives and evaluation.The chairman is the man on the"firing line" and his job is tointeract with faculty and studentsand implement the planned innov-ation at the operational level.

In our division, the team ap-proach worked well, and each teammember interacted with the othersto fully implement the system.The team was able to operate as aproblem-solving group permitting a

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fairly smooth implementation andavoiding many potential impasses.The team combined to mea4,ure learn-ing outcomes and provide an effect-ive program of basic education foradults in the North Bay area.

Where Win the new Faculty andAdministrators for the .5yotema-Oriented Roles Como From?

A significant problem in imple-menting a systems approach to educa-tion is, "Where will we get thetrained personnel?" When we haveworked with people to get programsunder way we have found that theyusually have a need for speciallytrained people who are often notavailable.

A need exists for administra-tors, faculty, counsellors, para-professionals, educational servicesofficers, instructional technol-ogists and audio-visual technol-ogists - all with expertise in thelearning-systems approach to educa-tion in general and to curriculumdevelopment in particular.

After having recognized thereal needs in our area, 1 am plaguedwith questions. Are our universitycolleges of education preparinginstructors and administrators forthe systems-oriented need of thecommunity colleges? Or are theypreparing people primarily orientedto the present needs of secondaryand elementary schools?

Community colleges account fora large portion of education inOntario and someone must take theresponsibility to prepare adminis-trators and faculty trained insystems and the educational sci-ences.

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I submit that we should domore institutional research to giveus a strong base. We must alsodetermine who is best suited to

produce the specialized kinds ofadministrators and faculty that weneed to meet the challenges of in-novation we find in the collegestoday.

PofecJiona4 In-Service Development

In the Continuing EducationDivision we place a strong priorityon professional development andelicit all help available from theMinistry of Colleges and Universities,especially from the curriculum andprofessional development sections.

Training Instructors to Implementa Systems Approach to Instruction

Instructors were trained throughworkshops followed by concentratedassistance from the educational serv-ices officer. In an effort to "prac-tise what we preach" the educationalservices officer individualized hisprograms to augment instructor abil-ity to use the learning systems ap-proach. (Appendix A contains adescription of the process used todevelop the Continuing EducationDivision faculty.)

The Use of Paraprofessionals andPeer Tutors

A process of individualizationopens the door for the innovativeuse of paraprofessionals trained towork in a systems-oriented instruc-tional environment. Also, peertutoring becomes a process that ifsupported and paid for, can be oftremendous assistance to students

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with learning problems. Some stu-dents relate much better to peertutors than to instructors or evenparaprofessionals. It is dishonestto use a peer tutor without pay.Peer tutoring with or without paymay slow the tutor's progress. Somepeople believe that peer tutoringhelps the tutor learn his own workmore thoroughly, but I feel thereare !efinite limits to this.

Paraprofessionals are used inour program to do routine work help-ing students meet objectives. Thisfrees instructors to play theirprofessicaal role as learning diag-nosticians, decision-makers andresource persons within the learn-ing environment. Our paraprofes-sionals and instructors are resourcepersons to the students and theyoften solve learning problems byworking in teams. (See Appendix Ffor a description of the hierarchyof the roles of paraprofessionalsin individualized programs.)

8. Interface With The Department ofManpower and Immigration And ItsCanada Manpower Centres (CiCs)

Our BTSD grades 5 - 12 programis primarily designed to meet thebasic education needs of Canada Man-power clients in the Nipissing area.The terminal objectives of the prog-ram are geared to be the entry re-quirements of the client's chosenskill program.

In December 1971 we met withlocal and regional CMC officers todiscuss problems for the collegeinherent in the Dt,.: lock-step pur-chase system. This purchase systemwas impeding the full realizationof the benefits in our individual-ized process.

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A fully individualized prog-re:a demands a variable time purchaseby the CMC with no grade level spec-ifications. Grade levels becomemeaningless in a 5 - 12 individual-ized program. Purchasing a fixednumber of weeks is also meaninglessbecause students learning at dif-ferent rates require differentamounts of time to complete theprogram. The CMC's grade-level,fixed-time system of purchasing wasclearly inappropriate in our indiv-idualized setting.

CMC representatives, both reg-ionally and locally, were quick torespond to the problem. They sol-ved it by giving us the needed openor block purchase as an experiment.They also indicated a strong willing-ness to meet new problems in a spiritof co-operation.

CMC's positive role permittedstudents who were incomplete tospend the few extra days or weeksnecessary to complete their programs.Those who were completing early weregraduated immediately and new CMCcandidates refilled the positionsvacated by the "early completes".

The Week purchase concept andthe elimination of grade level spec-ification in CMC purchases was donewithin the limitations of the 52-week CMC time restrictions for BTSD.

It only makes sense to spendtaxpayer's money for exactly theamount of training needed for aparticular client. Some clientsneed 10 weeks to complete 5 - 12while others may need 75 weeks.Even the 52 week restriction limitshould be variable. The CMC as thepurchaser of training, should decidehow far beyond the 52 weeks theydesire to go for individual clients.We could have a candidate who learns

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at a slow rate but who has done verywell and may have an "A" at week 52.Another client may need 10 moreweeks to receive the college's grade10 certificate. I feel that thecost to a taxpayer at this point isgreater if we impose the 52-weekrule than if we give the candidate10 more weeks to make it to thestatus of a productive employeewith a grade 10 education.

I have explored the 52-weeklimit as an example of the conti-nuous questions faced by the CMCand the college in attempting toimplement the systems process. Wehave found a positive and contin-uing dialogue with the CMC which isabsolutely necessary at the region-al level and t4is has paved the wayto experiment with and solve pro-blems of implementation.

The CMC office in North Bayparticipated in ongoing discussionswith college personnel and this co-operation led to a team approach tosolve mutual day-to-day problems ofimplementation at the local level.

The local CMC appointed onecontact, or liaison person, whosejob description included becomingfamiliar with the problems ofimplementing the systems approach.

CMC personnel attended collegeseminars and programs to becomefully acquainted with our methodsof instruction. In one case, aCMC counsellor was given a certi-ficate in basic education instruc-tor training in individualizedprograms after participating inour seminar.

CMC personnel thus came tounderstand our problems and we ap-preciated their ,:oncerns. Close

liaison during changes affectingthem, especially the institution ofa tracking system, permitted theCMC to make valuable inputs whichhelped to solve information andprocessing problems for their of-tice.

Without a close problem- solvingliaison between the local CMC andthe college, implementation could bedisastrous. Also, the CMC must becommitted to a learning-systemsapproach and familiar with the proc-ess In order to effectively assistthe college in solving implementa-tion problems of mutual interest.

9. Some Successes And Problems.

Our program records show suc-cess as well as a cost savings. Stu-dents are completing their programsearlier than under lock-step arrange-ments. Students are able to progressat their own learning rates. It isthis process of indiVidualizationwhich is itself a success because itprovides the base for other benefits.More students are receiving A's andB's. There are no "failures". (Manywho would fail in a traditional set-ting now receive A's after takinga longer period of time to completetheir work and program.) Even thosestudents who drop out have an I whichpermits them to return at any timethey choose, and resume theirstudies at their functioning level.

A definite success of the prog-ram to date has been a significantincrease in the number of studentsgraduated on the basis of the samenumber of seats. Furthermore, wehave achieved an almost null dropout rate specifically due to learn-ing problems.

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Ph:yeioaL

Initially we operated in arented secondary school during eve-ning hours. Therefore we wereunable to fully implement thephysical arrangement we feel iscritical to full utilization ofindividualization. Our first yearof implementation was carried outunder some severe constraints.

The Continuing Education Divi-sion now shares facilities in one ofthe most modern educational centresin Canada. In fact, there are fourseparate post-secondary institu-tions housed in the one centre.

The physical relocation hashad the most beneficial results onour student's attitude toward them-selves and their program. The word"retraining" is gradually being drop-ped from all designations and thestudents have come to regard them-selves as communl* ..ollegc students.The concept of the community collegeincludes, without discrimination,the student working; through theAdult Basic Education Program inthe Continuing Education Division.

Our new physical facilitieshave provided us with more freedomof movement and a better arrangementof hardware and software. One ob-vious benefit of the new locationis our Evaluation Resource Centre.Here the students work through all"significant",testing which isrelated to our student progressrecords.

The cost of individualizedprograms is usually uppermost inthe hierarchy of questions askedby administrators contemplatingimplementation.

In the Continuing EducationDivision we see a need to examinecost effectiveness, cost benefit,and cost utility with reference toour individualized programs. Wewould like to try to implement theCost-Ed Analysis developed andapplied by Charles Blaschke, Pres-ident of Education turnkey SystemsIncorporated, Washiflgton, D.C.(See Appendix C for more detail onCost-Ed Analysis.)

We need a management simula-tion that will adequately definefor administrators and sponsoringagencies every possible trade-offand compute future opportunitiesfor savings.

Interestingly enough, in-creased short-run costs can alsomean a substantial cost-reductionto taxpayers if we are saving afailing student from years on thewelfare and unemployment rollswithout a chance to contribute tothe economy.

We have been able to imple-ment a systems approach to educa-tion in the Continuing EducationDivision without an increase inbudget and only our status as asmall program may prevent us frommaking larger and larger cost sav-ings, especially where economicsof scale are involved.

In order to implement theprograms in the Continuing Educa-tion Division we set prioritiesand spend only on those thingsthat advance our ability to havean efficient systems approach toeducation.

Proh:e-h.: With Reccioino Programs

We have faced some problemswhen students graduate from our

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program at the grade 11) level andproceed to a skill program orgrade 11 and 12 in other collegesor programs where objectives arenot specified for their own grade10 level. A greater problem existswhere receiving programs state thattheir 11 and 12 programs are notrelated in specificity or continu-ity to our 10 level. In one casea candidate's 10 was questionedwhen he wished to do an 11 programwhere standards were considered tobe of "high quality, and prettyrigorous". Only specificity inreceiving programs can make transfersmooth for graduates of programswhere objectives have been speci-f,ed. You cannot compare a programwith specified objectives to aprogram where objectives have notbeen specified.

It is impossible to validlycompare out grade S - 10 programwith those secondary and element-ary school programs that base theirstandards and grade progressionson required texts and seat timeand where instructors really can'tspecify what a student must be ableto do after receiving instructionfor a lengthy time period. (Com-parisons are also impossible ifnorm - referenced evaluation is usedto the exclusion of criterion-referenced measurement.)

One obvious solution is simplya channel of improved communicationsbetween retraining programs and asharing of information and problems.

10. Information Dissemination

Sharinj

Systems implementation involvessharing because no one has, or everwill have, the "perfect package" or

BE3I C

method that will do everything. Wemust be eclectic in our choice ofmethods and materials. It is onlythrough sharing successes and fail-ures in programs, objectives andresources, that we can develop ourfield and permit others to buildupon our efforts. We have spent agreat deal of time, provinciallyand regionally, assisting othersin the work of implementing innov-ativo programs of individualization.Hopefully, through sharing we avoidneedless duplication of effort.The "name of our game" is buildingupon successes.

ffe.q:,cilte For :nformation

The Continuing Education Div-ision has had many requests forinformation on implementation of alearning systems approach to in-struction and we responded indivi-dual4 to these requests by assist-ing visiting teams from otherOntario colleges.

In May, 1972 we held a five dayseminar on implementing innovativemethods in retraining programs. Thecourse was attended by fifty partic-ipants representing twelve OntarioCommunity Colleges. (See Appendix Dfor the objectives of the five dayseminar for administrators and in-structors.)

In September, 1972 the Continu-ing Education Division held a one-day workship on evaluation (specific-ally Comprehensive AchievementMonitoring) under the direction ofDr. Robert O'Reilly.

In October, 1972-me hosted a twoday seminar on the Edudational Sci-ences as developed by Dr. Joseph Hill,President, Oakland Community College,Michigan.

16

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Implementation of learning-systems approach in an establishedcollege is a difficult process andmany problems surface which needimmediate attention. In order toassist other colleges to answerproblems of implementation we video-taped a series of discussions amongadministrators, instructors and para-professionals on problem solving atvarious levels in individualizedprogram implementation. (The video-tapes were made dur lg our five-dayseminar on learning ystems.)

A New Journal"Learner At the Centre"

To further disseminate inform-ation about innovative educationalmethods, the Continuing EducationDivision is publishing a journalentitled "Learner at the Centre".This journal will provide a freshnnproach to learning systems andconcentrate on the implementationof Innovative educational methodsfor Ontario.

Response to Neede Cther Colleges

We have participated in a var-iety of training seminars for facultyat other colleges. This has beenbeneficial for our faculty as wellin that it has led to a continuedsharing of ideas long after theseminars were completed.

Need f',,r a .71c.:a a;:d

Classificat::n System f,,,r

There is a pressing need on theprovincial level for a data bankand a classification system to gath-er, classify, store, and disseminateobjectives and resources. The NewYork State Education Department has

a sophisticated system consisting ofan advanced data bank with localbanks. Their classification systemis well developed and accepts onlyitems not already on record. Againto avoid "reinventing the wheel",we should investigate the strengthsin the New York State system andtake immediate steps to establish adata bank in Ontario. The estab-lishment of such a bank would solvemany problems in the search formaterials and avoid the costlyprocess of any one program or col-lege trying to locate all the re-sources it could be using.

11. Planning For The Future

The Rote of College AdvisoryCommittees in .:he Developmentof Systems-Based Curricula

College advisory committeescan play a role in curriculum dev-elopment in a systems-based program.But in order to maximize their con-tribution, the college must assistthem to realize the potential ofsystems-oriented curricula.

Industry employs the graduatesfrom our individualized programs andstudent profiles given to employersreflect what each student can do.It is imperative that industry bemade aware of what these new pro-files mean if we want them to hireour people.

Institutional Researchin Ontario Col eges

Surely, at this stage, it hasbecome imperative that we do moreinstitutional research in the com-munity college. We often say thatthe cornerstone of the communitycollege is its "excellence in teach-

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ing". This statement must be sup-ported with institutional researchshowing concrete evidence of learn-ing. We need to foster institution-al research in teaching, adminis-trative and counselling styles sowe can accurately say our work inthese areas is innovative and ef-fective.

One of our colleges in Ontarioshould have an Institute of Educa-tional Sciences to operate as ademonstration model and trainingcentre for the implementation ofinnovative methods for teachers andadministrators at other colleges.We need an operating model since itis easier and better to trainfaculty in innovative methods ifwe are actually using some of thesein an existing program.

We found that when other col-leges first looked to us for help inimplementing a systems orientation,our operating program became a dem-onstration model for implementation.

Survey Ey BTSD Steering Committee

Recently, the BTSD ProvincialSteering Committee completed a sur-vey of implementation of learningsystems in retraining programs inall colleges. Data from this survey

NOTES

can provide implementors with awealth of information, especiallyon vnlidation and materials. (SeeAppendix (3 for a copy of the ques-tionnaire.)

Our 1;zilL.IcoFhy 1j OurPro2v,v1 :).7' Action

We have made the commitment toput the individual student at thecentre of all our attempts. Ourgoal is the creation of a learningenvironment that will utilize tothe maximum all human and physicalresources.

We view our operation in simpleterms: Where are we now? Where arewe going? What do we need to get usthere? The answers take the form ofinnovative action. To remain cora-placent and uncritical of our ownanswers is inconsistent with our useof systems-based instruction.

Our perspective will remainthat of assisting the individuallearner achieve his goals. It isonly in this way that we can effect-ively and humanly succeed with thenumber of adults in need of basiceducation.

We succeed with Individuals.'

1. Mager, R.G. Preparing Instructional Objectives, Belmont, California:Fearon Publishers Inc., 1962.

2. Silvern, L.C. Systems Engineering of Education I: Mc Boolution ofglfdtoms Thinking in Education, Los Angeles: Education and TrainingConsultants Co., 1965 (b).

3. Silvern, L.C. (Ed.). "Systems Approach - What Is It?". EducationalTecnnology, August 30, 1968.

S

-33- pp.

4. The Appendices referred to in the body of this paper are availablefrom the Dean of Continuing Education Division, Canadore College,P.O. Box 5001, North Bay, Ontario.

5. Gorth, G.P. "Introduction to CAM", paper submitted by New YorkState Education Department, Albany, New York.

6. Brown, G.I. liuman Tea thing for Human Learning: An Introductionto Conftuent Education, New York: Viking Press, 1971, p. 3.

g7. Popham, W.J. (Ed.). Criterion Leferenced Mecwurement: An

Introduction, Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Educational TechnologyPublications, 1971.

8. A series of 12 filmstrip-tape programs by W.J. Popham and Eva Bakerand published by Vimcet Associates, Inc., P.O. Box 24714, Los Angeles,California.

9. The innovations described above have continued to develop since thewriting of this article. For further information contact the author.

UNIVERSITY OF CALIF.LOS ANGELES

JAN, 24 1975

CLEAN': "ISE rORL..ESE

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