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Situated Cognition across Three ABE Program Types in Minnesota: A Comparative Study. Jamie Kreil, M.Ed., Doctoral Student, Adjunct Faculty, University of Minnesota [email protected]. Objectives. Participants will : Identify characteristics of low-literate learners - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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SITUATED COGNITION ACROSS THREE ABE PROGRAM TYPES IN MINNESOTA: A COMPARATIVE STUDY
Jamie Kreil, M.Ed., Doctoral Student, Adjunct Faculty, University of Minnesota
OBJECTIVESParticipants will:1. Identify characteristics of low-literate learners2. Explore situated cognition theory as it applies to
work literacy programming3. Discover 4 key arguments for the use of a
situated cognition approach in program planning for low-literate learners
4. Identify for whom and how the theory applies (or does not apply) in 3 ABE program contexts
5. Design a program proposal applying situated cognition (or a modified version of it) in a workplace literacy context
Attempt to apply theory to practice
BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE Are any of you familiar with situated-
cognition?
Come up with a working definition of situated-cognition
INTRODUCTION• Overview of NRS levels, Theory and Work Literacy• Key Terms
• Academic Skills• Context-Specific Skills• Situated Cognition Approach
• 4 Key Arguments
OVERVIEW LOW-LITERATE LEARNERS: NON-ESL
FROM HTTP://MNABE.THEMLC.ORG/ACCOUNTABILITY_AND_NRS.HTML
Literacy Level
Basic Reading and Writing
Numeracy Functional and Workplace Skills
Beginning ABE Literacy
Minimal or no reading and writing skills
Little or no recognition of numbers or simple counting skills
Little or no ability to read basic signs or maps
Beginning Basic Education
-Read simple material on familiar subjects-Write simple notes or messages on familiar situations
Count, add, subtract three digit numbers, multiplication through 12, simple fractions
Able to read simple directions, signs, and maps, fill out simple forms requiring personal info
OVERVIEW LOW-LITERATE LEARNERS: ESL
Literacy Level
Listening and Speaking
Basic Reading and Writing
Functional and Workplace Skills
Beginning ESL Literacy
Cannot speak or understand English
Minimal reading and writing skills in any language
Communicates through gestures or isolated words
Low Beginning ESL
Understands basic greetings, simple phrases and commands
-Read numbers, letters, common sight words-Write basic personal info.
Provide limited information on simple forms
High Beginning ESL
Understands common words and simple phrases
-Read most sight words-Write simple sentences with limited vocab
Can function in familiar social situations and those related to immediate needs
OVERVIEWLOW-LITERATE LEARNERS: SOCIOCULTURAL
PROFILES What else do you need to know about your
learners? Reasons for attending Cultural understandings of work and school
(Jacobson, 2011) Compensatory skills (Binder & Lee, 2012) (e.g.,
excellent decoder, poor comprehension except in workplace context)
Other ideas?
OVERVIEWSITUATED COGNITION AND WORK
LITERACY Reading is viewed as an important job skill Learners read in different ways for different
purposes Highlights the importance of the work
environment Emphasis is on learning to use tools and
procedures in a specific context and workplace enculturation
Allows students to connect skills learned in classroom to workplace
DEFINITION: SKILL TYPES IN ADULT BASIC EDUCATION (MARTIN, 1999)
Key Term Definition Contextualized in this Investigation
Academic Skills A broad set of skills taught in basic skills programs, such as GED and ELL.
Context-Specific Skills A narrow set of skills taught in workplace programs.
DEFINITION: A SITUATED COGNITION APPROACH IN ADULT BASIC EDUCATION (MARTIN, 1999)
Key Term Definition Contextualized in this Investigation
Situated Cognition Learning is grounded in context. Instruction takes place on site.
4 ARGUMENTS FOR THE USE OF A SITUATED-COGNITION APPROACH IN THE INSTRUCTION OF LOW-LITERATE ADULTS
(BROWN, COLLINS, & DUGUID, 1989; MARTIN, 1999; RESNICK, 1987)
1. Situated cognition provides low-literate learners with a mental model of workplace culture when they may not have models of school culture.
2. Academic knowledge acquired in the classroom may not translate to workplace communication skills.
3. Learning is social and collaborative4. Action is contextually-based
DISCUSSION Given these arguments and what you now
know about situated cognition, do you any of your programs use a situated-cognition approach?
If so, what are some examples? If not, where do you see it (or not) fitting into
your context?
METHODOLOGY AND METHOD• Preliminary investigation of 3 ABE sites in
MN• Interviews and document analysis
conducted
3 SITES IN MN1. An adult community school2. An adult school operated through a school
district3. A non-profit organization working with lower-
income adults to gain skills of self-sufficiency through employment training, education, and support services.
METHODSABE Site MethodsAdult Community School Open interview with an instructor,
a woman who has been teaching ELL for the past 5 years.
School District Site Document analysis as well as prior experience working at the site
Non-profit Document analysis as well as prior experience working in partnership with the site
INTERVIEW: COMMUNITY SCHOOL INSTRUCTOR
Semi-Structured Questions Focusing on Work-Related Literacy Program Content and Delivery
INTERVIEW: KEY FINDINGS• Many institutional barriers to successful
implementation of a work-readiness program • First iteration failed due to lack of understanding
of student skill levels• Stopped after government shutdown
• Individual instructors, while acknowledging the need to test learners, recognize “gains” in increases in participation and attendance• Tests do not consider the often traumatic lives and
resiliency of learners.
• At this site, the purposes of literacy instruction are largely social and not necessarily to obtain a job or economic viability.
SCHOOL DISTRICT SITE COURSE ENTRY REQUIREMENTSTABE CASAS Skills EmphasizedTABE D Reading and Math (5.0-12.5)
Reading and Math 236+
Academic and C.S.
6.0-12.5 Reading 236+ Academic and C.S.7.0-12.5 N/A Academic and C.S.8.0-12.5 N/A Situated Cognition5.0.12.5 Reading
form185/186, score of 221+Listening form 55/56, score of 221+
Academic and C.S.
N/A Form 81/82RX 195-220
Academic and C.S.
6.0-12.5 226+ Context-specificTABE M 5.0-12.5 Reading 221+ Context-specific
NON-PROFIT COURSESInformation on this non-profit’s website includes the following: On-the-job training in retail and warehouse work:
Incorporates soft skill training Self-sustaining
Employment skills classroom training including: Banking Clerical Healthcare Certified Nursing Assistant Work Reentry Work-Readiness for specific cultural communities
RESULTS• An Integrated Approach May Work for Low-
Literate Adults• 4 Core Finding• Comparison Table
AN INTEGRATED APPROACH An integrated approach to work-related
literacy may be more effective for low-literate adult learners due to the simultaneous development of job-specific skills, soft skills and academic skills (i.e., “bridge” classes)
Includes both academic and context-specific skills as well as job acquisition and retention, time management, and communication
FINDINGSFindings reflected that: effectiveness and sustainability of the work literacy program depended upon the degree to which the program Tailored work literacy programming to the English,
reading, and math levels of their students in the provision of “bridge” classes
Understood the reasons for which students attend work literacy classes and different modes of participation
Indicating that a situated cognition approach may “fit” in more homogeneous classrooms where there is less variability among reading and math skill levels, but may not be appropriate for heterogeneous groups
FOUR CORE FINDINGSUNDERSTANDING THE WHO AND WHAT OF
SITUATED COGNITION
1. Understanding who is in your class is key: Classes with a wide range of skills and abilities may benefit more from an integrated class
2. Partnerships among several agencies are critical
3. A situated cognition approach (alone) tends to work for learners in employment/skills training programs
4. An integrated academic and context-specific approaches tend to work for work-readiness courses
ABE Site Type of WL Program(s)
Learners’ Purpose(s) for attending
Skill Emphasis
Types of Collaborations
Sustainable?
Community School
Work-Readiness
Largely social
Integrated Tenants association, local community center, school district workforce development center with counselors on-site
No—lack of understanding of learner demographic
School District Adult School
Pre-Occupational, Skills/Training
Economic, educational (credentialing)
Situated-cognition, integrated
Community colleges, local businesses and non-profits
Yes, high enrollment, sustainable partnerships several options
Non-Profit Skills/Training
Continuing education
Situated Cognition, Integrated
Contract with local businesses and maintains partnership with school district (provides instructors)
Yes and no—not accessible to low-literate learners
IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH AND PRACTICE
IMPLICATIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH
Research Additional models or examples of situated-
cognition approaches—explicitly stated as such—are needed
IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE Practice All stakeholders must be aware of learner purposes
and goals in regard to their participation in the program
Create “bridge-to-bridge” programs to strengthen English, reading, and math skills for a particular career path
Substitute student portfolios of written work and work experience for test scores
Use situated cognition to assist in job-specific academic skills and work context-specific skills to be practiced at work sites
Attention must be given to capacity building through partnerships and collaboration
DISCUSSION Think about the work-readiness courses you
provide in your respective contexts. Do you see situated-cognition as a viable approach for lower-level learners? Why or why not?
What would a viable approach look like?
ACTIVITY: PROGRAM DESIGN (15 MINUTES)If you were to design a work literacy course using an situated cognition or integrated approach (depending on your answer):
Where would you hold the classes? What would you need to know about your learners? What key stakeholders/collaborations would you
need to include and what information would you need to know from them?
What job-related content (job skills, expectations, duties, etc.) would you need to know?
Time Permitting What would three key learning objectives be? Design a simple lesson.
THINK-PAIR-SHARE (10 MINUTES) Share what you’ve done with a partner Pay attention and provide feedback on what
they have listed: Are there any additional support services that
are needed to maximize skill development? Reiterate how you think your partner’s design
reflects either situated cognition or an integrated approach.
Be prepared to report out after 10 minutes
CONCLUSION• Integrated programs and collaborations are
key
CONCLUSION: STRETCHING SITUATED COGNITION
Integrated programs can use literacy practitioners and occupational and related skills specialists to design short-term learning experiences that teach literacy skills applicable to job-related tasks and the development of broad-based soft skills and academic skills
Collaboration with businesses or agencies willing to train are key to program sustainability and continuous development of basic skills
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