Adding distance ed to ABE-coabe2011

Adding DE to your ABE/ESL Program 4/17/11

Johnston, Project IDEAL Support Center 1

1

Adding Distance Education to Your ABE/ESL Program

Jere Johnston – Project IDEAL Crystal Hack – GED-I

COABE 2011

2

The Project IDEAL Consortium

3



Today •  Overview of DL in ABE/ESL in the U.S. •  Models of delivery •  DL curricula •  Measuring distance contact Hrs (PCH) •  Selecting distance teachers •  Planning & implementing a DL program •  Keys to success •  State DL Policy, data systems, $$ •  Marketing DL

4

OVERVIEW OF DL IN ABE/ESL Jere

5

History •  1994-2007:

– “Pure” distance for learners who can’t come to classrooms

•  2007+: – Growth of DL to supplement classroom

courses – But NRS requires DL to be a separate

course 6



7

Defining Distance •  Self-Study Primarily Outside the

Classroom –  A curriculum or collection of study materials

designed with self-study in mind •  Online is common, but not essential

–  Different from homework

•  Interaction with a Teacher Is Primarily at a Distance

8

Distance vs. Classroom

The Heart of Distance Ed is Learner Self Study and

Teacher Coaching

9

SkillsTutor



10

Communicating at a Distance

11

Some F2F Required •  Intake & Orientation

–  Standard pretest & counseling –  Interested in DE?

•  Assess fit with self-study •  Familiarize with curriculum •  Complete a contract

•  Monitoring Assignments •  Instruction/Coaching •  Counseling

•  Optional F2F Tutoring •  Posttest

F2F (12 hrs+/-)

At a distance

F2F

12

Going to Scale •  Orientation

–  Pretest –  Familiarize with curriculum –  Assess fit with self-study –  Contract

•  Counseling •  Instruction/coaching •  Monitoring •  Feedback •  Extra Tutoring •  Posttest Partner

Partner

Hub

Hub

Partner

Partner

Partner Partner



13

Common Distance Curricula •  IDEAL States Begin with 1-2 Curricula

–  ABE/GED •  MHC GED Online, Pre GED Online •  GEDi (Illinois) / GED Missouri •  PLATO / SkillsTutor •  GED Connection / Pre GEDC

–  ESL •  Crossroads Cafe •  English For All – USA Learns •  Rosetta Stone

•  With Experience, Curriculum Tailored to Individual Learner Needs

OHIO: AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT’S POSSIBLE

Follow handout…

14

15

Six Years

5 agencies, 13 Teachers @ .25FT

5 Hubs, 10 Teachers @ .50 FTE New delivery model increases capacity

With experience & PD, enrollments increase

5 hubs each provide DE to distance learners in

their own and in partner agencies

5 agencies each offer DE to their own learners

2% of all ABE



ABE Attainment Ohio, 2007-08 Distance Classroom

Enrolled 891 41,005 Level Completion (TABE) † 56% 63% Entered Employment * 87% 87% Retained Employment * 72% 64% Earned a GED * 88% 86% Entered Postsecondary * 94% 93%

† Those with both pre- and posttest data

* Percent of those declaring this goal

DE is 2.1% of total

16

17

ESL Attainment Ohio, 2007-08

Distance Classroom Enrolled (DE = ~ 1%) 67 7,204 Level Completion 63% 66%

18

Distance Learner Load - Ohio

Year Distance Teachers

Average Student Load

2002-03 14 * 13

2003-04 14 * 20

2004-05 13 * 25

2005-06 10 ** 62

Load increases with Experience & PD

New Model: “Hubs”

* .25 FTE; ** .50 FTE



19

With Experience, Cost Drops

Ohio: Mostly the Same Teachers Year to Year

DELIVERY: PURE, BLENDED, SUPPLEMENT

Crystal

20

BREAK

21



DE CURRICULA Jere

22

23

Common Distance Curricula •  IDEAL States Begin with 1-2 Curricula

–  ABE/GED •  MHC GED Online, Pre GED Online •  GEDi (Illinois) / GED Missouri •  PLATO / SkillsTutor •  GED Connection / Pre GEDC

–  ESL •  Crossroads Cafe •  English For All – USA Learns •  Rosetta Stone

•  With Experience, Curriculum Tailored to Individual Learner Needs

24

www.glencoe.com/catalog/contemporary/onlinesuite/onlinesuite_sampler.html



SkillsTutor Sampler

25

skillstutor.com/hmh/site/skillstutor/

English for All / USA Learns •  English for All •  USA Learns, Second English Course

– USA Learns – USA Learns/teacher – USA Learns/class

26

•  Focusonlifeskills•  Engaging

mul1media•  Guided

interac1on•  Varietyof

ac1vi1es–  Listening–  Reading–  Speaking–  Wri1ng

U.S.A. Learns Content

27



28

Proxy Contact Hours •  Teacher Verification Model

–  Used for multimedia curricula like GED Connection –  Teacher certifies work completed –  Formula: equiv hours in typical classroom

•  Learner Mastery Model –  Learner demonstrates unit mastery by testing –  Formula: expert panel sets hours –  Crossroads Café and English For All are Mastery

•  Clock-Time Model –  Curriculum contains a “tutor” and tracks time learners

spend doing activities. –  MHC is Clock Time

Proxy Contact Hours GED Online Clock Time SkillsTutor Clock Time GEDi Mastery (50 mins/unit) English For All Mastery (70% = 6 hrs) USA Learns Mastery (70% = ? hrs) Rosetta Stone Clock Time

29

ONE ABE CURRICULUM UP CLOSE

Crystal

30



LUNCH

31

SELECTING DISTANCE TEACHERS

Jere

32

Distance Teaching Self Assessment

•  www.adultedonline.org

•  Free, online self-assessment of key skills needed for distance teaching

•  What you need to know and be able to do?

•  Informal way to see if distance fits your style, skills, and interests

33



PLANNING & IMPLEMENTING A DISTANCE PROGRAM

Jere

34

35 projectideal.org

A Timetable for Development •  Year 1

– Develop a plan: DL101 –  Implement plan with ongoing support

•  Conference calls, webinars

•  Year 2 – Refine distance teaching skills

•  DL102 – a study group on distance teaching

•  Conference calls, webinars, DL topics at PD activities

36



•  Year 3+ – Four-week virtual study groups

•  DL103: Online resources •  DL104: Persistence

– Continue ongoing virtual supports as needed

37

Distance Learning 101 Online •  Develop a DL plan for your agency •  Four units: Recruiting, Orientation,

Teaching, & Assessment •  Handbook of Distance Ed •  6-8 Weeks, 1-2 hrs/wk •  Each week:

– Within agency: work on a piece of the plan

– Between agencies: share ideas 38

KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS

Crystal

39



KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS

Jere

40

41

Keys to Successful Programs

•  Strong support from the state… – Resources, PD, clear expectations

•  Local agencies given freedom to discover what works

•  Flexible Teachers Who Can Coach •  Continuous PD & Support for

teachers •  Appropriate Curricula

42

Successful Distance Learners •  10 hrs per week available to study

•  Took a classroom course in last 5 years

•  Technology access at home

•  Strong desire for further education

•  Independent – doesn’t feel need to be part of a class or have regular F2F teacher interaction.



43

Also Noted…

•  DE is difficult. Select teachers carefully, provide PD continually

•  Low tech works (CrCafe, GEDC workbook), but online programs build important tech skills

STATE POLICY, TRACKING LEARNERS, PAYING TEACHERS

Jere

44

State Policy •  OVAE Requirement •  Definitions

– “Distance learners” – How assign PCH – Approved curricula

•  Requirements for an agency to add DL •  Funding of DL •  Training required to teach DL

45

See Handout



Tracking Learners •  Minimum

– Proxy Contact Hours •  Cumulative or by time period

•  Optional – Course (unique code for DL course) – Enrolled (do recruits stay to enr?) – Active (a rule to drop students who

don’t do the work)

46

47

!

Tracking Students’ Distance Work

48

Tracking PCH for a Single Curriculum

!



Should You Subsidize New DL?

•  Curriculum •  Technology •  Advertising •  Release time

– Administrator 5% – 2 teachers @ 25% time

•  1 teacher support 15-25 learners

49

MARKETING YOUR PROGRAM Crystal

50