Handbook of Distance Education for Adult Learners

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IDEAL—Improving DistanceEducation for Adult Learners

Handbook of

Distance Education

for Adult Learners

Project IDEAL

University of Michigan • Ann Arbor, Michigan

First Edition • September 2002



i

Leslie I. Petty and Jerome Johnston

Handbook of Distance Education for Adult Learners

First Edition, September 2002

Published ByProject IDEAL • Institute for Social Research • University of Michigan

With Funding FromA consortium of 13 states working together to explore

the potential of distance education to reach adult basic learners.

Arkansas, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri,New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania,

Rhode Island, and South Carolina

For further information on Project IDEALwww.rcgd.isr.umich.edu/ideal/

© 2002 Regents of the University of Michigan

First Printing: September, 2002

File: DEHandbook1stEdition.doc

The preparation of this book was underwritten by the Project IDEAL states using

funds from a variety of sources including national adult education leadership funds provided by the US Department of Education, Office of Vocational and AdultEducation. The contents do not necessarily represent the positions or policies of the

underwriters and you should not assume endorsement by them.





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Acknowledgements

Many of the insights in the Handbook were derived from working for two years with

teachers and administrators in Pennsylvania as they experimented with teachingWorkplace Essential Skills at a distance. We thank them all for the knowledge they

imparted to their colleagues and to us. We also wish to thank all of the people who

attended the Project IDEAL Facilitator Training in August, 2002 for their helpfulcomments and suggestions about ways to improve the Handbook. They provided

invaluable advice about how to make it more useful for each of their states. Specialthanks go out (in alphabetical order) to Julia Hixon, Randolph Hollingsworth, Chuck

Klinger, Jane Martel, Kim McCoy, Beatta Peterson, Dehra Shafer, Deb Walker and

Cheryl Zimmer for taking the time after the training session to review individual chaptersand provide more extensive feedback.






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Table of Contents

Introduction Distance Education: A Variety of Options for Adult Learners................................... 2

Distance Learning Curricula........................................................................................ 3 Chapter 1: Recruitment 5

What Audience Do You Want to Serve? ..................................................................... 5 What Does the Program Teach and Who Might Benefit From It? .............................. 6 What Skills Are Required for a Student to Be Successful? ......................................... 6 Narrowing the Target................................................................................................. 10 How Do You Recruit This Audience?....................................................................... 10 Making the Initial Contact ......................................................................................... 14

Chapter 2: Orientation of Distance Learning Students 15 Learner Goal Assessment .......................................................................................... 15 Materials and Technology Access ............................................................................. 16

Product Specific Training .......................................................................................... 16 Assessment of Existing Competencies ...................................................................... 17 Skills Training ........................................................................................................... 19 Independent Study: Planning, Organization And Study Skills.................................. 20 Setting Expectations For The Class ........................................................................... 20 A Complete Orientation Plan..................................................................................... 21

Chapter 3: Teaching at a Distance 25 Develop Learning Plans............................................................................................. 25 Providing Direct Instruction for Learners.................................................................. 26 Assign Work to Students ........................................................................................... 26 Motivate and Encourage Students ............................................................................. 27 Provide Feedback on Student Work .......................................................................... 28 Online Communication with Students....................................................................... 30 Thinking About Teaching At a Distance ................................................................... 30 Program-Specific Strategies ...................................................................................... 31

Chapter 4: Assessment of Distance Learning Students 33 Assessment to Gauge Student Progress ..................................................................... 34 Measuring Learner Participation ............................................................................... 35 What Are Reasonable Expectations for Assessing Distance Learners? .................... 36 Identifying Assessment Strategies............................................................................. 36

Appendix Is Online Learning for Me?........................................................................................ 40 Computer Skills Assessment...................................................................................... 41 Tips for Teaching at A Distance ................................................................................ 43 Recruiting Materials................................................................................................... 45



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Introduction

Distance education refers to delivering instruction in non-classroom settings. It can takemany forms – from online courses to independent study using videotapes and workbooks.

This Handbook is intended to help teachers and administrators design and deliver distance education programs for adult basic learners. It is a very new field, and as a

result, the Handbook itself is a work in progress. It identifies the key issues and offers

guidance on what is currently known from the field. Much of what is presented here isdrawn from one and one-half years of experimentation in the Commonwealth of

Pennsylvania in delivering Workplace Essential Skills to adult learners at a distance. Asmore states undertake to implement distance education programs for their adult learners,

the available knowledge base will expand significantly and this book will be revisedaccordingly. This initial version therefore, is similar to an early map of the United States – it contains the outlines of the states and a few key features in each state, but many

details remain to be discovered. As the early maps continually changed to reflect

explorers’ new discoveries, so too will this Handbook. We invite you to join us in thisexploration, using this Handbook as a guide to your initial forays into distance education

for adult basic learners. Bear in mind that all of us are just starting out on this path; bysharing our knowledge we will be able to create more detailed guides for those who

follow.

The Handbook is organized into the following major topics of concern in the

implementation of a distance education program:

• Recruiting students: how to identify the appropriate students for

a distance learning program and recruit them to participate

• Developing orientation programs: designing an orientation that

provides the teacher with information about the student, and thestudent with the necessary information and skills for successful

participation

• Teaching at a distance: providing instruction at a distance,

change in the teacher’s role, providing feedback on students’ work,

motivating and supporting students at a distance• Assessing participation and performance: reasons for

assessment, possible ways to assess distance learning students

Each section provides an overview of the issue, specific implementation ideas andactivities designed to help teachers and administrators plan for their programs. It is based

upon the premise that distance learning is so different from classroom teaching that it

amounts to “re-inventing the school.” Thus, readers will be challenged to think about




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adapting or modifying their classroom teaching approaches in ways that are appropriate

and effective for distance learning students. The Handbook will not provide all of theanswers, but will serve as a guide to help you find your way. Ultimately, each program

will adapt these ideas in the ways that best meet the needs of their students.

An online course titled “Recruiting and Teaching Adult Learners at a Distance” is

available to states in the Project IDEAL consortium. It provides opportunities for teachersand administrators to develop plans in response to lessons in the Handbook that are

adapted to the opportunities and constraints of local communities. A separate coursestudy guide provides students with guidance in using the online resources and becoming

part of the online community that explores issues of distance education over an extended

period of time. The course study guide is the recommended starting point for studentsnew to online classes.

Distance Education: A Variety of Options for Adult Learners

States are looking at distance education as a means of reaching a greater proportion of

adult learners in need of services. But what is distance learning? The terms distanceeducation and distance learning have been in wide use for several decades, but the terms

were coined at a time when the technological possibilities for distance instruction were

more limited. The stereotype of distance learning is a course that has a textbook and a

series of lectures broadcast on a regular basis to learners studying at home or in a remoteclassroom. Most of the distance learning series created for adult learners in recent yearsdo not fit this stereotype. The video component does not show an instructor talking to an

audience; instead, it provides case illustrations of problems discussed in the text, or

scenarios that learners need to analyze. The video program may not be designed for

broadcast at all, rather it is expected that learners will view portions of the programselectively on their VCR when the textbook calls for it. A new medium—the World

Wide Web –has made possible a host of new distribution and communication possibilities. These new uses of media bring new possibilities to learning at a distance,

but they make delivery by educators and consumption by learners a more complicated

process.

This project takes a broad view of what comprises distance education, preferring the term

“non-classroom based learning,” coined by Lennox McLendon, Director of NAEPDC.

By moving beyond the confines of the classroom, we expand the potential of adulteducators to reach adults and increase the array of options from which potential students

may choose. From this perspective, it is possible to envision a continuum of distancelearning options including:

• students working alone, either online or with video and/or printmaterials

• students working independently but meeting on a regular basiswith others studying the same curriculum

• “hybrid” or “facilitated” programs which combine classroomlearning with a distance component




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• classroom-based programs outside of the educational agency (e.g.,at a local business or a community center in a rural community)

• informal educational programs aimed at motivating adults to

continue their education

•

structured classes which offer parallel content to classroom-basedinstruction and offer a certificate to students upon completion

As can be seen from even this limited list, distance education is not a unitary construct. It

can–and should be–adapted to best meet the needs of the populations served byindividual agencies and states. Our understanding of what constitutes distance learning

for adult learners will continue to evolve as various ways of employing distance

modalities are explored.

Distance Learning Curricula

Many curricula can be used for working with adult learners at a distance. These includemultimedia instructional series designed for adult learners and produced with distancelearning in mind (though not specifically designed just for distance learning) as well as

computer assisted instruction (CAI). The curricula differ not only in content, but also inthe methods used to deliver instruction. These differences have implications for teaching

at a distance.

Multimedia Instructional Series

Project IDEAL states have expressed the interest in five instructional series. Theseinclude: Workplace Essential Skills, Crossroads Café, GED Connection, TV411, and On

Common Ground. Only the first three have been selected for experimentation in theinitial year of the project. All of these series are multimedia—they utilize two or more

media to package the learning experiences. All of the series utilize print, but the seriescan be divided into two categories according to the role and prominence of online and

video.

Online is Central. Workplace Essential Skills (WES) and GED Connection both utilizevideo, print, and online. The core instruction is carried in the print and online. Given the

centrality of the online, teachers turn to the online connection as the vehicle for

supporting learners. WES and GED Connection both have an online management systemthat teachers can use to examine student portfolios and provide feedback to students on

their performance. The system also has a built-in e-mail program to support other formsof teacher-student communication, making it reasonable for a distance education program

to be built around online forms of learner support. The videos provide case examples of

things referred to in the print and online. But a teacher is likely to think of the video as asecondary, not a primary means of instruction. Helping educators deliver WES and GED

Connection at a distance places the primary emphasis on the challenging task of connecting learners to the Internet and supporting them in the use of online tools.




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Video is Central. Crossroads Café, Madison Heights/Lifelines, On Common Ground and

TV411 use video and print (though TV411 has a newly available set of Web resourcesfor students to use). Learning from these series requires careful engagement of the video

and some mediation by a teacher to help learners interpret and apply the lessons to their lives. While the workbook may “set up” the video for learners, it may be helpful if the

teacher asks the learner to respond to questions about the video using a medium likeemail, chat or the telephone.

Online Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI)

Another distance learning option is to use online versions of computer-assistedinstruction, such as PLATO or SkillsTutor. This calls for a third approach to supporting

distance learning. Virtually all of the instruction in these curricula is built into the

software itself, potentially requiring a minimal intervention by teachers. But, the learnerstargeted for CAI may need to study at a literacy or computer center to get the kind of

technical and learning support they need to complete the lessons in the program. Theymay also need to have a teacher keep them focused on their goal or help them see what

their new set of skills qualifies them for.

Implications for Teaching: The Need for Product Training

Supporting adults studying curricula where the online is central involves different

activities and skills than supporting adults studying curriculum where the video is central

and both of these differ from computer assisted online learning. Thus, distance educationrequires differentiated approaches depending on the needs of learners and the

characteristics of the curricula being taught. Each of the curricular products listed aboveand each of the CAI programs provides different resources for both teachers and students

and makes different demands upon the teacher. Each has its own set of characteristics

that will shape how teachers will use and teach with them. Successful distance learningteachers will have a thorough knowledge of the product or curriculum being used,

including the instructional content, how the material is organized, what supports andresources it offers, etc. The developers of the major online courses and programs for

adult distance education typically offer extensive training to familiarize teachers and

administrators with the intricacies of their products; Project IDEAL strongly recommendsthat this product-specific training be an integral part of training for distance education

teachers.



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Chapter 1: Recruitment

Recruiting adult learners into educational programs is always a challenging task; whenthe program involves distance learning it becomes even more so. It is important to match

the needs and functional levels of the prospective students to the content of theeducational program. In addition, because distance learning places greater demands than

a traditional classroom does on students to function independently and structure their own

learning, determining which students are likely to succeed at a distance is crucial. Thischapter guides you through a process to determine who you want to recruit and how you

might be able to reach them.

• What audience does your agency want to serve with distance education?

• What does the distance education program you are using teach?

• What skills are required for students to be successful with this distance learning

course?

• How do you recruit this audience?

What Audience Do You Want to Serve?

Adding distance education to the menu of existing educational programs requires that the

local agency make decisions regarding what role the distance education programs will play. Will the distance education programs offer new areas of instruction or will they

provide novel ways to teach content parallel to classroom-based programs? Will the

distance education programs be aimed at students already being served by the agency or will they be an attempt to reach a new audience? These decisions need to be made in the

context of the agency’s goals and missions and with a full understanding of the needs of the population the agency serves.

Local programs vary in their goals and missions, based upon the needs of the particular population they serve. Some provide GED instruction, some workplace training, some

basic literacy education, some a combination of programs. Each program will need to

determine how distance education might fit the needs of their particular population.Distance education should be one of the options available to provide educational

opportunities to students. For example, an agency whose primary educational mission isto prepare students to take the GED might select distance education options that work

toward that goal, while an agency that concentrates on English as a Second Language

(ESL) might look for programs that focus on the acquisition of English language skills.Thus, the first step in thinking about recruitment is understanding the needs of the

audience you hope to reach. The next step is to examine the particular distance education




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curriculum being taught to see how it meets the needs of the target audience and to

understand the demands it places upon students.

What Does the Program Teach and Who Might Benefit From It?

It is necessary to understand the purpose of the program you are offering and how itmeets the needs of your target audience. For instance, a distance education program

focusing on employment skills might be useful for displaced workers, adults in welfare-

to-work programs and entry-level employees seeking to upgrade their skills. In contrast,a distance learning program designed to help non-native English speakers improve their

English communication skills might have as its target audience recent immigrants to theUnited States.

Think about the distance learning program you will be teaching and the content it

includes. The more specific you are in detailing the content of the course, the more

guidance this will provide in identifying the students for whom it might be appropriate.

For example, it might seem as if the Employment Strand of Workplace Essential Skills is

geared to people who are not currently employed. However, by examining in depth thetopics covered in this strand, it becomes evident that this course could be suited both for

people seeking employment (e.g., the focus on matching skills and jobs, applying for

jobs, etc.) and for those already in the workplace who want to improve their skills (e.g.,

the sections about being ready to work, learning on the job and workplace safety).

What Skills Are Required for a Student to Be Successful?

In addition to understanding what the program teaches, it is important to understand the

demands that the program places upon students. Any curriculum – including that for a

distance learning program - is based upon certain assumptions about what a student will

bring to the course. For example, students must read at a particular level to be admittedto GED classes or must demonstrate basic computer competency before being allowed totake a more advanced computer class. These are usually not arbitrary decisions, but

rather ones that have been adopted because they increase a student’s likelihood of

success. These issues become critical in distance education because distance learningstudents must function more independently than students in traditional classrooms; this

makes it even more important that students be guided into classes in which they are havea good chance for success. Successful distance learning students are likely to be self-

motivated, able to work independently and have strong study and organizational skills.

In addition, studying at a distance often requires that the student have access to various

forms of technology (e.g., VCR, computer, etc). Thus, in dealing with distance learning

programs there are at least three categories of skills and access that must be addressed:course-specific requirements, materials and technology issues, and learner characteristics.

Course-specific requirements

These will obviously differ for different distance learning programs and are closely tiedto the content of the course. GED preparation math classes, for example, will assume

that the student taking the class has already mastered certain basic mathematical concepts




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The Voice of Experience

In a classroom program, there are pre-requisite skills necessary to be placed in

a traditional class setting. For WES, an

adult learner must be computer literate,or willing to learn. In addition, a

computer with Internet access is

required. An adult learner must therefore have the ability or resources to

1) become computer literate, 2) access a

computer with Internet. Consequently,we cannot recruit low-level adult

learners or those who have serious

computer access problems. However,this problem is offset by the many

advantages to WES, such as

convenience, ease of use, etc. Furthermore, WES overcomes such

roblems as weather, travel, roads,

scheduling problems, classroom

boredom and the like. A person could even participate in WES if they were

completely and physically unable to

leave a hospital bed or a nursing homebed, for example.

--A Pennsylvania Distance Teacher

and skills. Similarly, most curricula are written at a specific reading level, and students

whose reading skills are below that level may have difficulty with the material. Coursesusing the computer for instruction require that the student have some basic computer

literacy. It is necessary to review the course materials to determine what skills theydemand of students.

Materials and technology access issues

In a classroom setting, most materials are supplied for the student (with the exception of basic items such as

paper and pens). In addition to books and workbooks,distance learning often makes use of videotapes,

television programming or computer based instruction.

While most students are likely to have fairly easyaccess to a television and/or VCR, computer access is

often more challenging. Thus, another factor to beconsidered in your recruiting is how to provide

students with access to all of the materials andtechnologies they will need to get the most from theclass.

Learner Characteristics

One of the major differences between traditionalclassroom instruction and distance education is the

amount of face-to-face contact students have with their teacher and with other students. For most people,

learning is a social process, and the support of teachers

and classmates forms an important element of thelearning that occurs. Distance learning students still

have contact with their teacher, although the formsthrough which that contact occurs are different.

Teachers and students may meet only once or twice over an entire course, with the

remainder of the communication occurring on the phone, via mail, via email or throughonline learning communities. Many distance learning students have little or no face-to-

face contact with other students taking the same class, although some programs doencourage and facilitate student-to-student support (this may be in person, but may also

occur through distance modalities). Experience suggests that students most likely to

succeed are able to function on their own, be self-starters, motivated and have the

organizational and study skills needed to work on their own. While less tangible thanacademic skills (it is more difficult to quickly assess someone’s ability to work independently than it is to assess their reading ability), these are important issues to

address with potential learners.

Activity 1.1 asks you to think about what students will need to be successful in your

distance education program. The Employment Strand of Workplace Essential Skills isused as an example. Use the chart to fill in details for the distance learning class you will




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be teaching. In Column A, list course-specific requirements, in Column B describe the

material and technology access issues for your program, and in Column C identify thelearner characteristics students need to possess. The more specific you are in detailing

what you think the student will need, the more focused you will be in your recruiting. (If you are taking the online course that accompanies the Handbook, the activity charts for

all activities in the Handbook are available as assignments for download.)




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Activity 1.1 : What’s Needed for Students to Be Successful?

Course Title/Program: Workplace Essential Skills Employment Strand

Column ACourse-Specific Requirements

Column BMaterials & Tech Access

Column C Learner Characteristics

Example:

-Reading at the 7th grade level or higher

-Basic computer skills (typing,using mouse, scrolling through

text, etc.)

-Able to use computer to accessInternet

Example:

-Access to TV and VCR to playvideotapes

-Need to arrange to pick up &return videotapes on regular basis

(need transportation to centrallocation)

-Access to computer (does not

need to be at home) with Internet

capabilities

Example:

-Able to work independently

-Able to deal with minor computer glitches with some

support

-Able to organize time

-Self-motivated and a self-starter

– does not need to be directedeach step of the way

-Reliable/responsible: will return

borrowed video tapes

Course Title/Program: ____________________________________

Column A

Course-Specific Requirements

Column B

Materials & Tech Access

Column C





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Narrowing the Target

Obviously, not all students are suited for all programs: in distance learning, “one size”

definitely does not “fit all.” You should now have a clearer understanding of what your

distance learning program offers and what the student is likely to need to be successful init. That information should be the basis for thinking about recruiting students for your

distance education program. Once again, the more specific you are, the more useful itwill be. While a general statement such as “Our target audience is any adult who needs

additional job skills” is inclusive, open and inviting, it does little to help you shape

recruiting strategies. It is important to identify specific populations you wish toapproach.

Suppose you were offering a distance learning program to teach employment skills. You

might decide that you want to focus on adults either in the workforce or those trying toenter it. Some possible approaches to recruiting might be through career transition

programs, working with local businesses or building ties with local unions. In addition,your distance learning program requires that students complete some of their work via the

Internet. Thus, you might want to recruit students who already have basic computer skills. One option might be to recruit students who are taking basic computer skillsclasses: they will have the skills to handle the computer component of your course and

they may be looking for a job to use these new skills.

Your recruiting strategy would be very different for a distance learning program that usesvideotapes to teach English language skills to non-native English speakers. Here, you are

less concerned with the person’s employment status and computer abilities than with their

English skills. You might decide that working with churches in immigrant communities

and social service agencies dealing with new immigrants are two approaches that mighthelp you identify potential students. By taking into account the content of the course and

the skills students will need, it is possible to focus recruitment efforts for your program.

How Do You Recruit This Audience?

Recruiting students for adult education programs is very challenging. Distance learning programs are no exception. While some potential students are attracted by the flexibility

that distance learning offers, others are concerned about trying something different.Some things to keep in mind:

• Expect recruiting to be difficult, particularly until your distancelearning program becomes established.

• Use multiple recruiting strategies to increase your likelihood of success.

• Recruit from non-traditional adult education sources, as well asfrom established adult education programs and agencies. This

allows you to reach a wider audience. Remember: traditionaladult education programs reach only a small proportion of adults

who need their services.




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• Form partnerships with other agencies, local business and localunions whenever possible. Convince these organizations that both

of you will gain from the partnership. These partnerships will taketime to build and nurture, but have the potential to greatly increase

the number of students for your programs.

• Be creative: think of novel ways to advertise and market your program. Develop eye-catching flyers, posters and other materialsto spread the word about your program. Take your message to

where the people you want to reach will see it.

It may be helpful to look at recruiting strategies from two different perspectives:identifying organizations and agencies with which you can form partnerships and

promoting your program directly to potential students.

Working with Other Agencies, Organizations and Businesses

One goal for distance learning programs is to reach students who might not enroll in

existing classroom-based programs. How do you reach these students? One possibleway might be to work with other agencies, organizations or businesses in your

community. This requires that you take the initiative to build connections with groups

that are outside of the traditional adult education community. It will take time and effort but it is likely to provide access to a group of adults you might not otherwise reach.

When approaching another agency, it is helpful to encourage the other agency to see that

the relationship has benefits for both sides. Working with another agency allows youaccess to a larger pool of potential students and allows them to offer their clients an

additional service. The initial arrangements to work with another agency need to bemade with someone who can authorize the relationship. However, once the agreement to

work together has been reached, it is more effective to deal directly with people whointeract on a regular basis with the people you want to recruit.

Building partnerships with local businesses is another effective technique. Businesses

should be encouraged to see this as a “win-win” situation: you gain students, they gain better skilled employees. To accomplish this, adult education providers may want to

work in conjunction with local workforce development agencies to help educate both theemployers and the employees about the value of a skilled and educated workforce. A key

to success in this arena is being able to match your distance learning program to the

business’ needs. For example, if the company has many immigrants for whom English isa second language, making communication difficult, they may find a distance learning

program offering English language instruction of more immediate value than one that prepares students for the GED test. You need to do your homework: learn what the

needs and concerns of the business are and help them understand how your program fits

those needs.

The range of businesses and agencies with whom you can explore relationships is limited

only by your imagination. Some places that have been explored by organizations running

distance learning programs include:




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• Local businesses

• Housing Authorities and housing projects

• Veteran’s organizations

• Unions

• One-stop career and job training centers

• Head Start and Even Start programs

• Church organizations

• Social service agencies

• Homeless shelters

Activity 1.2 asks you to think about the target audience for your program and how you

might be able to recruit them. In Column A, identify at least 5 possible audiences for this program in your area. Keep in mind the course content and the demands the course will

place upon the students.

In Column B, list at least two ways you might be able to reach each of the populationsyou listed in Column A. An example is shown below.

Activity 1.2 Example: Identifying and Recruiting a Target Audience


Column A

Possible Audiences

Column B

Possible Ways to Recruit Each Audience

Displaced workers 1. Agencies providing counseling for displaced workers.

2. Work with local plant’s human resources director to

provide information to all laid off workers.

Welfare-to-work clients 1. Provide information to clients at their training sessions.

2. Get information to clients through their case workers.

Students taking basic computer skills

classes

1. Computer training classes held at our agency.

2. Basic computer classes taught by community education.

Union members in unskilled or semi-

skilled positions

1. Local autoworker’s union.

2. Hotel worker’s union at large downtown hotel.

Women re-entering the workforce after long absences

1. Mothers of children attending the local middle school.

2. Women coming into our agency for career counseling.






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In the past 18 months we have located segments of the local population that

have previously been blocked from

access to classes because of numerousbarriers. Now that the inroads to

reaching these learners have beencreated and continue to evolve, we

would be abandoning these groups if

distance education did not continue in

some form. In such a rural setting asours, many residents are very isolated,

geographically and psychologically. Distance education can break through

these barriers and begin to expand thelearner’s world so that they can become

better equipped to overcome the factorsthat limit their opportunities in the

world. We have established acontinuously evolving network with

other agencies that will enable us to

reach a significant number of learners.

The nature of the project has led to newcollaborative endeavors with partners in

the community that provide more

comprehensive services to the client


• Local radio and television spots

• Information on the paper placemats used at local fast foodrestaurants

• Posters in grocery stores, local malls, churches, social service

agencies, unemployment offices, local schools, housing projects,homeless shelters, etc.

• Information in church newsletters

• Flyers sent home with children attending local public elementaryschools and Head Start programs

• Websites with information about your agency’s offerings

Flyers, posters and other promotional materials should be

attractively designed; if you can afford it, color and

graphics add visual appeal. The text needs to be simpleand direct, without getting bogged down in too many

details. Be certain that all promotional materials includeyour agency’s name, phone number, email address (if

available) and a contact person’s name (if appropriate).

(A selection of print materials used for recruitment bysites in the Pennsylvania pilot study is included in the

Appendix)

Making the Initial Contact

What does your agency do when a potential student hasseen or heard your promotional materials and isinterested in your distance education program? It is

imperative that the initial contact the potential studenthas with your agency is a positive experience. The

prospective student needs to feel welcome, comfortable

and respected. They need to come away from theencounter with the impression that your agency

understands their needs, can help them accomplish their goals and provides an environment in which they can

grow. Each agency has their own way of welcoming

adults into the learning community that they can adapt toinclude adults learning at a distance.



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Chapter 2: Orientation of Distance Learning Students

Orientation is a critical component of a distance learning program. A carefully plannedorientation can address a wide range of issues and better prepare the distance learner for a

successful and positive experience. Obviously, the orientation will introduce the studentto the curriculum materials and to the concept of working at a distance. In addition,

orientation allows the teacher to assess a student to determine if this program is a good

match for their interests and abilities, and to determine if the student has the requisiteskills to succeed. Orientation can also be a time during which the teacher can help the

student set goals for participating in the program and clarify the expectations for course participants. Study skills, strategies for working at a distance and computer skills (for

programs with an online component) are other topics that can be covered in an orientationfor distance learning students. Teachers can also use the orientation process to buildrapport with their students. Finally, orientation provides a way for teachers to take care

of some of the “housekeeping” details, such as obtaining ways to contact the student

(e.g., a home telephone number or e-mail address). In order to best cover these issues,face-to-face orientations are recommended. Although it is possible to conduct

orientations online or via the telephone for students who are unable to attend a face-to-face orientation, it is more difficult to do so. In some ways, orientation may look very

similar to what you typically do for your students in classroom-based programs.

However, it should also cover some areas specifically of concern to distance learners.

This chapter explores the following issues:

• Learner goal assessment

• Materials and technology access

• Baseline assessment of existing competencies

• Product-specific training

• Skill training (e.g., computer use)

• Independent study: planning, organization and study skills

• Setting expectations for the class

Learner Goal Assessment

Orientation can be used to help learners identify their goals for participating in thedistance education program. This information is not only useful to the student, but can




16

assist the teacher in best meeting the student’s needs. Understanding the student’s goals

is also helpful in determining if the distance learning program is a “good fit” for that particular student.

Many agencies already ask questions about goals as part of their intake process. This

same process can be used at an orientation with prospective distance learning students. If

you do not have a process to assist students with goal setting, we recommend that youcreate one to use in your orientation. It can be as simple as a form on which the teacher

records the student’s goals for the distance learning course and his or her long-termeducational goals (e.g., obtain a GED, learn to speak English well enough to enroll in

ABE classes).

Materials and Technology Access

Your students will need to know how to obtain materials (videotapes, workbooks, etc)

and how and where they can access a computer (for curricula with an online component).

This information should be provided to the student during orientation. It may be helpful

to provide the student with a “quick reference” sheet listing pertinent information (e.g., alist of places at which they can pick up and drop off videotapes) for later reference.

Product Specific Training

In the previous chapter, you explored the demands that your distance learning curriculum places upon students. A well-designed orientation provides the opportunity to train your

students in the skills they will need to be successful. Clearly, students need to understandwhat the components that comprise your program are, and need to be taught how and

when to use them. For example, you may decide that you want the students to use the

three WES components (online, video and workbook) in a specific fashion. You may

want them to read the “Before You Watch” section prior to viewing the videotape, viewthe entire video and then return to the workbook. You must therefore familiarize thestudents with the various parts of the workbook, and teach them the desired sequence.

Activity 2.1 asks you to examine the need for product specific training for your selecteddistance leaning product. You are asked to identify the features of the curriculum for

which students will need training (Column A) and to explain how you will provide this

training during your orientation session (Column B). You will have several features of your product for which training will help your students succeed.




17

Activity 2.1: Product Specific Training Needs

Column A

Features for which training is needed

Column B

How training will be provided

Example (for Workplace Essential Skills):

Navigating the WES website

Computers will be available for all orientations.

We will walk student through website at orientation,answering any question they have. We will alsohave handouts with step-by-step directions

reference.

Example: (for Crossroads Café): Understanding how to use the multi-level worktexts

We will explain the system to students and recommend the appropriate level for them to begin

their studies. Students will work through a sample

of the different levels during the orientation session.

Assessment of Existing Competencies

It is important to determine if the student has the requisite skills (e.g., reading abilities,

computer competencies) needed to participate in the distance learning program;

orientation provides the teacher with an opportunity to do this. Examining the students’




18


Keep the on-site and one-on-one

orientations for content and to allow usto get to know the students and collect

more information. Feedback and communication need to be stressed at

the orientation. Even those skilled in

computer use have problems.

Orientations usually lasted from 20minutes to one hour, but orientation

length, focus and intensity need to bedetermined by learner’s background,

experience with computers, computer

access and lifestyle

--The revised plans of a PA literacy

center that taught “WES at a

Distance” for 8 months

skills can be done with a formal assessment tool (e.g.,

TABE, CASAS) or by informal means (e.g., watchingtheir computer skills as they register as a WES online

student, observing the ease with which they readmaterials about the program, listening to their oral

English skills as they talk to the teacher). For students tosucceed in a distance learning program, they must havethe academic skills needed to handle the work. Thus,

some type of assessment is strongly recommended tohelp ensure that the program is a “good fit” for the

student’s needs and abilities.

Many agencies already have a system in place for

evaluating all new students and it may be possible toexpand that to include distance learning students. In fact,

some agencies may require that the same assessment tool

is used. However, it is important to make sure that theassessment measure is appropriate for the content being

studied in the distance learning program: using a TABE test of reading ability may not beuseful for students entering a distance learning program aimed at improving their oral

English skills. The more closely you can match your assessment of the student’s skills to

the content of the distance learning program, the more useful the process will be. (For more information about assessment and adult education distance learners, see the Project

IDEAL working paper on assessment.)

Think about the following issues to determine what type of initial student diagnostics youwill do at orientation:

• Does my agency require that I use a particular assessment tool for all students, regardless of the program in which they are enrolled?

If so, your decisions have already been made for you.

• Do I want to use a formal assessment tool? If yes:

– What are the skills I want to assess?

– What tool(s) will I use? How well do they match the

content of my distance learning program?

– When will I administer the assessment?

– Who will administer the assessment?

– What criteria will I use for determining if this student

is a good candidate for this distance learning program?

– If the student does not meet the criteria, what action doI take?

• Provide additional training prior to admitting student to course

• Refer student to a more appropriate class




19

• Allow the student to enter class but provide additional support asneeded

• Do I want to assess the student’s skills on an informal basis? If

yes:

– What are the skills I want to assess? – What are the conditions or situation in which I

anticipate that I will be able to see the student

demonstrate these skills?



– If the student does not meet the criteria, what action do

I take?



• Allow the student to enter class but provide additional support as

needed

Skills Training

If the student does not have all of the needed skills to succeed in your distance learning program, you may decide to require additional training before allowing the student to

study at a distance. This is more likely to be a concern for programs with a computer component than for those that rely on workbooks and videos. Basic computer skills are a

necessity for students studying online at a distance, because conventions for print on the

computer differ from conventions for print on the printed page. For example, studentsknow to flip the pages of a book to find what comes next; they might not know that they

need to scroll down on a Web page to see all of the information on the page. Computer knowledge needed to study online includes such rudimentary skills such as:

• Using the mouse to navigate on the screen and to click onappropriate items.

• Using a keyboard to enter text. While touch typing is not essential,the student needs to have a level of comfort at using the keyboard

to enter responses and complete assignments.

• Being able to connect – and stay connected – to the Internet.

• Understanding how a Web page is set up, including using the back button to return to where you have been.

It may be helpful to use a quick checklist to assess students’ computer skills. Anexample is included in the Appendix.

If you determine that students need additional skills prior to beginning the distanceeducation program, you may opt to provide this training yourself (for example, running a




20

one- or two-session class on basic computer skills) or you may refer the student to an

existing program (e.g., a regularly scheduled basic computer class). You will need todetermine what resources are available at your agency to help the students build the

necessary skills to participate in the distance education program.

Independent Study: Planning, Organization And Study Skills

Distance learning requires that the student be able to organize his/her time, work

independently and have good study skills. Students who lack these skills are apt toflounder in a distance learning program. But how can you quickly assess if a student has

these skills? Unfortunately, there is no surefire way to make this determination. Thus, itis recommended that orientation for distance learning programs provide a component on

independent study skills and time usage.

One way to get a rough idea of how well-suited a student is for distance learning is to use

the 10-item questionnaire provided on the Kentucky Virtual High School website

(www.kvhs.org, click on “Is online learning for me?” A printed copy of this

questionnaire is included in the Appendix). It asks students about their need for teacher support, ability to work independently, organize their time, etc. Based upon the student’s

answers, the Web version provides a recommendation about how well suited the student

appears to be to study at a distance. This questionnaire (or any variations of it you may

develop) provides another piece of information you and your students can use to helpthem select the most appropriate educational opportunity. Concrete information abouttime usage, study skills and the ability to organize are a valuable component of

orientation for distance learning students. It is recommended that you provide your

students with assistance in these areas before they begin working at a distance.

Setting Expectations For The Class

Orientation is the ideal time to set the expectations for the distance learning class,including what the student is expected to do and what the student should expect from the

teacher. This is the time to spell out, in detail, the course requirements. It is anticipated

that these may vary widely: some agencies will use distance learning classes as a lessformal educational opportunity and choose not to impose many requirements, while

others may view the distance learning class as a structured (but non-classroom based)learning experience. Whatever the expectations are for your class, they need to be

communicated to the students. The questions below will help you think about setting

expectations for your students.

•

Are there specific assignments, or is the student free to explore thematerial on his/her own? Are there “due dates” by which you

expect work to be turned in to the teacher? Does this varydepending upon the materials being used (e.g., online vs.workbooks).

– If students are working in workbooks, are they

required to submit them to the teacher for review?

How often? By mail, at a drop off point, or in person?




21

• What type of feedback will the student receive on his/her work?

– How does the teacher return work to students?

– How quickly should students expect teacher feedback

on their work?

– What should the student do if he/she has questionsabout the teacher’s feedback?

• Is the student required to take any tests? If so, how and where will

this be done? Does your agency require both pre- and post-testingof students for accountability purposes? How will you arrange this

for your distance students?

• Will the student receive a certificate or any documentation of completion at the end of the course? What are the requirements in

order to receive this recognition?

• How will the student and teacher communicate?

– Email? Make certain that both the student and teacher have each other’s addresses. Make sure student knows

how to access email system. If a learner does not havean email account, be ready with a current list of free

email providers. (On the Web search for “free e-

mail.”)

– Telephone? Make certain that both the student andteacher have each other’s phone numbers (if you want

to permit students to contact you). Specify the timesthe teacher is available for calls.

– Drop-in office times? Identify when and where these

will be held.

– Virtual office hours? If teachers and students are

comfortable with the technology, this could be a

regularly scheduled time during which the teacher isavailable online for communication with an instant

messenger program, such as those offered by AOL or Yahoo.

The more clearly expectations for all parties involved are presented before the start of the

class, the more smoothly things will operate. Be as specific as possible with your

students. Consider presenting them handouts with the pertinent information.

A Complete Orientation Plan

In Activity 2.2, you will design an orientation plan for your distance learning program.You will list the components you want to include and describe how you will implement

them. Your plan should be geared toward the specific distance education curriculum you

will be teaching. The goal of this activity is to have a plan that you can put into action




22

with your students, yet allow you to remain flexible enough to meet the needs of

individual students.




23

Activity 2.2: An Orientation Plan

Component How it will be implemented (leave blank if you will not include this

component in your orientation)

Learner GoalAssessment

Materials and technology

access

Baseline assessment of

existing competenciesand for assessing

learning

Product-specific training

Skill training (e.g.,

computer use)

Preparation for

independent study

Setting expectations for completing work

Other component(specify)





25

Chapter 3: Teaching at a Distance

Teaching is at the heart of a distance learning course. Although most of the student’swork will be at a distance rather than in a classroom setting, the teacher still needs to

structure the learning experience, make assignments, provide feedback on student work and provide encouragement and motivation. But how do you do this at a distance? This

chapter explores possible ways of accomplishing key teaching activities and tasks when

teaching students in a non-classroom setting.

Develop Learning Plans

In a classroom, teachers typically design a lesson plan for the entire group. Sincedistance learning students are likely to be working at their own pace, an individual

learning plan may be needed. To a large degree, how teachers approach developing the

plan is a function of how informal or structured the individual’s distance learning program is. For very informal programs, where students work on what they choose at

their own pace, a learning plan is less critical. In this situation, the teacher may simplyguide the student through the materials in a fashion that best meets his or her individual

needs, rather than actively directing the student’s work. When a distance education

program is more formal and structured, the teacher needs to have thought out theobjectives for the student and the steps a learner needs to take to meet those objectives.

Issues to consider in developing learning plans for these students include:

• Making use of the existing distance learning curricular materials.Most distance learning programs have extensive support materialsfor students to facilitate independent learning. These materials can

form the basis for a learning plan, often with little other work by

the teacher.

• Supplementing existing curricula materials with other materials.

Teachers may use the existing distance learning curricular materials as the foundation for the learning plans and supplement

these materials with handouts, practice materials, additionalreadings and referrals to related websites. This may be useful in

providing additional skills practice for students and expanding thelessons beyond what is covered in the curriculum.

• Planning for individual students vs. planning for a group of students. One of the strengths of distance learning is its

individualized nature. However, it is unrealistic to expect teachers

to generate a different learning plan for each individual student.One possibility is for the teacher to have a general outline of the




26


…You must provide many more

visual/mental examples. An instructor can’t just hold up an example, or show a

icture. You must provide these online

or through print medium, with

accompanying text for explanation. Lessons must include, in writing, each

step that you might normally do verballyin a regular classroom setting. But in

doing so, instructors need to be careful

not to bog down students with a lot of

text-heavy material.


content, activities and sequence they want students to follow,

which they can vary as needed for individual students.

All of these require that the teacher have an intimate familiarity with the content andmaterials in the distance course.

Providing Direct Instruction for Learners

This is a particularly challenging task for distance teachers. In a classroom, the teacher is

often the primary source of information for the student. In distance courses, the primary

source of information is more apt to be the curricular materials. This requires a dramaticswitch in how teachers view their roles. In many cases, the teacher’s role is less of an

“expert” presenting the information, and more of a “guide” leading the student throughthe content available in the learning materials

This does not mean that the teacher is not needed to

present, clarify or expand on content. In fact, the teacher is

critical in helping the student fully understand and applythe information in the distance learning products. In the

Pennsylvania experiment, the teachers used severalmethods to present the content information covered in WES

to students, including:

• Supplementing the WES content with referrals toother materials

• Referring students to related websites (for thoseworking online)

• Using regular mail, email, phone calls and

occasional drop-in sessions to provide additionalinformation and clarify areas of confusion for students

• Including as much content as possible when providing feedback on

the student’s work.

It is not enough for the student to have access to the distance learning material on their own. They need to interact with a teacher who can reinforce and expand on the content

in order to maximize the potential for learning. Thus, although the teacher’s role as the

provider of content information may shift, it remains crucial to the learning process.

Assign Work to StudentsThe way in which teachers assign work to students will also be influenced by how formalor informal the distance learning program is. In an informal program, a student may

select those areas in which he or she wants to work, with the teacher providing feedback

and support. This was the approach most often taken in the Pennsylvania experiment,where most teachers indicated that they did not typically “assign” work to their WES

students. Instead, they were likely to suggest what materials the student should cover,often providing the students with a recommended sequence and time frame. In a more




27

structured distance learning program, however, teachers are likely to make specific

assignments to their students. As discussed earlier, these expectations for student work should be clearly defined during the orientation. Teachers will need to determine the

appropriate time frame in which to expect students to complete work. They will need toinstruct students on how to submit work for evaluation and when and via what

mechanism(s) they will receive feedback. In addition, teachers must decide if theyexpect all students to complete the same assignments, in the same time frame, or if theyare going to develop individual learning plans for each of their students.

Motivate and Encourage Students

A critical issue for any adult education program is the ability to keep students involved.

This is difficult in a traditional classroom setting, but becomes even more challenging

when dealing with students working at a distance. Students rely on teacher feedback ontheir work and support from both the teacher and other students to help them succeed in

the coursework. In a classroom setting, this is usually accomplished as part of the on-going face-to-face interaction between teacher and student and between student and

student. How can this be accomplished when teaching at a distance? Is it possible toorchestrate online learning in a way that allows students to support each other?

Ironically, some of the difficulties in supporting and motivating students in distance

education programs may stem from the same attributes of distance learning that areattractive to students. Distance education appeals to many students because it removessome of the barriers that impede their attending a traditional classroom program at a

regularly scheduled time. They may lack transportation to the class, have erratic work

schedules or problems with childcare that make attendance on a regular basis difficult, if

not impossible. Distance education allows them to have a greater degree of control over the time and place in which they can further their education. However, it does so at a

cost: it frequently removes many of the social supports that a classroom teacher and other students provide, while simultaneously requiring them to structure their time and work

independently. Thus, the teachers need to develop new ways to motivate and support

their online students.

The Pennsylvania experiment again provides some insight into this issue. Most teachers

in that pilot study reported that it was more difficult to support and motivate their

students in a distance learning program than in a traditional classroom program, largelydue to less frequent contact with the students and their inability to read the student’s non-

verbal communications and body language. In addition, many teachers felt it was moredifficult to build a personal rapport with a student they rarely, if ever, saw in person; they

felt that this lack of a personal relationship made it more challenging for them to find the best ways to motivate and support students. Despite these difficulties, teachers did findeffective ways to support their students, including:

• Sending e-cards encouraging students and praisingaccomplishments

• Sending individual, rather than group emails to students, to makethe messages more personal




28

• Emailing encouragement to students on a regular basis

• Sending emails which asked questions and prompted students tothink about their goals

• Offering assistance to students in finding information or sites on

the Internet that could help their studies• Telephoning students in order to have a synchronous conversation

and learn more about the student’s goals and concerns

• Telephoning students who had not been active online for a periodof time to encourage them to stay with the program

• Provided certificates upon completion of a pre-determined unit of work

• Offering drop-in times for students who wanted assistance from ateacher in person

• Using praise and positive feedback on students’ work

• Offering constructive criticism

• Helping students see how the content they were studying could beapplied to situations they encounter in their daily lives

All of these were methods of providing support from the teacher to the student. But,

student-to-student support is also an important aspect of learning for many adult students.Little is known at this time about the most effective ways to create systems to allow

distance students to support one another. Some possibilities you may want to try include:

• Encouraging students to meet on a regular basis at a convenientlocation (e.g., coffee shop) in the community

• Establishing chat rooms online

• Establishing asynchronous communication online.

• Encouraging students to study at a distance with a partner.

Given what is known about the social component of learning, the issue of student-to-

student support for distance learning students is one that needs much more attention in

the future.

Provide Feedback on Student WorkProviding feedback on student work is one of the most important tasks for distance

teachers. Commenting and correcting the student’s work not only provides the studentwith the relevant academic information, but allows the teacher to build a relationship with

the student. Methods of providing feedback to distance learning students will varydepending upon the design of the distance learning program (e.g., is it an online program

or does it use videos and workbooks?).




29


I emailed encouragement, asked

questions and prompted goal-setting and eedback. They emailed me their

rogress in workbooks, or comments

about the videos. I corrected the spelling and grammar of only those

students who would not be threatened by

critique of their work, and sent back to

them highlighted or underlined portions

of their essays or resumes through theother email systems. If they only had theWES [email] system, then I capitalized

what needed to be corrected.


Courses with an Online Component . Students taking online classes will receive most

feedback from their teacher online. This may be through a system that is a part of thecourse (e.g., the online management system that is part of WES and GED Connection) or

via a separate email account. While the built-in systems have the advantage of being anintegral part of the distance learning program, they often have limitations that prevent the

teacher from offering the type of feedback he or she would like to provide. For example,the online management system in WES allows a teacher to indicate if work has beencompleted (e.g., done to the teacher’s satisfaction) or attempted (e.g., the student has

done some work, but there is room for improvement), but does not provide a way for teachers to provide more detailed feedback. Many teachers in the Pennsylvania pilot

study felt this was inadequate and created their own ways providing supplemental

feedback. Some worked within the LiteracyLink online system and provided feedback

by inserting their comments – in all capital letters or italics – within the students’ text intheir portfolio entry. Others moved outside of the online management system and sentseparate emails in which they responded to the student’s work. It is often useful to set up

separate email accounts (using one of the free email services) to provide another way in

which to interact with students.

The timing of teacher feedback is important for studentsworking online. Once they send their work, they expect

rapid turnaround. Most teachers in the Pennsylvania study

attempted to respond to students’ work within 48 hours – at least to let the student know that they had received the

work and would respond shortly. Receiving promptresponse to their online work seemed to help keep

students motivated and working online.

Because students do not have the ability to immediately

question the teacher if they are confused by the feedback they receive, any online feedback on student’s work needs

to be concise, clear and easy to understand. As much as possible, teacher comments need to be precise and leave

little room for confusion. It is also helpful if the feedback

is personalized to the individual student; this may be

facilitated by the individualized nature of distancelearning.

Courses with Workbook Components. Providing feedback on work done in workbooks is

challenging, because of the difficulties involved in providing the teacher with access to

the student’s workbook. Expectations for how often work will be turned in, where it will be turned in and how it will be returned all need to be established during orientation.Without these expectations, it becomes very difficult for teachers to have access to

completed student work. Some possible ways to accomplish this include:

• Establishing central drop-off points at which students can leaveworkbooks (or workbook pages) for teacher review and at which

they can pick up their corrected workbooks




30

• Cutting the bindings off of the workbooks, punching the pageswith a 3-hole punch and placing them in a 3-ring binder. This will

allow the student continue working in the workbook and simplysend completed pages to the teacher.

• Providing the student with stamped, self-addressed envelopes in

which to return workbooks or workbook pages to the teacher.

• Scheduling on-site review or practice sessions to which students bring their workbooks for teacher feedback.

Providing feedback to students working at a distance in programs that do not have anonline component is quite challenging. It will take a concerted effort by the teacher to

implement a program in which students regularly receive feedback on work completed inworkbooks. As more programs implement distance learning programs, it is expected that

knowledge about the most effective ways to accomplish this will grow.

CAI programs. CAI programs such as Skills Tutor and PLATO provide their own

feedback on student performance. But this may not be sufficient to keep a studentmotivated to persist at completing the assigned lessons, whether the assignments come

from the program itself or from a plan worked out during orientation. Some form of

ongoing support using an independent communication system (email or phone) will probably be required to help learners stay focused on their goal. Both of these programs

can provide teachers with statistics on usage and performance that can be included in thecommunication.

Online Communication with Students

Communicating with students online is different from communicating with them in a

face-to-face situation. Neither you, nor they, have the advantages of eye contact, body

language or tone of voice to help clarify what is said. As a result, it is imperative thatonline communications be clear, concise and not open to misinterpretation. In theAppendix, Deb Walker—an experienced online teacher in Pennsylvania—provides some

useful tips

Thinking About Teaching At a Distance

Activity 3.1 asks you to think about how you will handle these teaching tasks when

teaching at a distance. For each task, describe how you plan to do this with your distancelearning students.




31

Activity 3.1: Teaching Tasks and Activities

Teaching Task or Activity How you will do this with your distance learning students?

Develop study plans

Present content knowledge

to students

Assign work to students

Motivate and encourage

students

Provide feedback on student

work

Program-Specific Strategies

There are common principles that are useful to any distance teacher. However, since

each distance learning program is unique, each also makes certain demands upon theteacher. At this time, not enough research has been done with different distance learning products to propose program-specific strategies. However, the next version of this

Handbook will draw on the experience of the states involved in Project IDEAL and willexplore specific teaching strategies for use with several of the key distance leaning

programs.





33

Chapter 4: Assessment of Distance Learning Students

The issue of assessing distance learners is fraught with difficulties. In addition to thelogistics, there are serious questions about how and why they should be assessed. If

distance learning is seen as parallel to a classroom-based program, then comparableassessments seem appropriate. However, if distance learning is seen as a less formal

educational experience, it may not be necessary to have as structured an assessment

process. In addition, some early experience suggests that distance learners may spendconsiderably less time involved with the learning materials than classroom students. If

this is the case, the expectations for progress would be different for the two groups.However, given the current climate of accountability, assessment is a concern for

distance learning programs.

Several types of assessment can be distinguished: (1) assessment for placement

purposes, (2) assessment to gauge student progress, and (3) assessment for accountability purposes. In addition, measuring learner participation (“seat time”) is important to

classify the learner in several ways. The issue of assessing students to determine if they

have the requisite skills to participate in a distance learning class was discussed in thechapter on orientation. Assessing student progress is of tantamount importance to

teachers: it allows them to determine what a student has learned and helps them plan anappropriate educational program for the student. In addition, student progress can be

used as one measure for accountability purposes. Assessment for accountability is

focused on what the information programs need to report to their state, and the state tothe Federal government. To a large extent, this is driven by the demands of the National

Reporting Standards (NRS). Issues related to accountability are beyond the scope of thefirst edition of the Handbook, but they are addressed in a separate working paper from

Project IDEAL. In addition, some states make a distinction between traditional

assessments using standardized tests for pre- and posttesting and assessing student work using checklists, inventories, etc.

Activity 4.1 asks you to think about the importance of assessment for the variousconstituencies in adult education (students, teachers, programs, and states). In Column

A, describe, for all adult education programs (classroom and distance), why assessment is

important for each of the groups named. In Column B, identify special issues for distance education programs. This exercise will help you broaden your understanding of

the role that assessment can play in using distance learning with adult basic learners.




34

Activity 4.1: Importance of Assessment

Constituency

Column A

Importance in General

Column B

Specific Issues for Distance Students

Students

Teachers

Adult Education

Programs

Your State

Assessment to Gauge Student Progress

It is important for teachers and their adult education agencies to have a way to determineif an individual student is making progress in a course. This is true for distance learning

students as much as it is for students in classroom programs. The logistics of doing thisat a distance, however, are more challenging to teachers. What is used as the basis for

assessment? Can this be based solely on students’ work in the course, or are more formal

means of gauging progress (i.e., teacher evaluations, tests, quizzes, etc.) needed? Theseare decisions that will need to be made on a state-by-state basis, reflecting each state’s

requirements for adult education programs.

Assessing student work on an on-going basis has already been discussed in the previous

chapter (Providing Feedback on Students’ Work). This provides both the teacher and thestudent with a sense of the student’s progress, points out both strengths and weaknesses

and helps the teacher plan appropriately to meet the student’s needs. If a more formal




35

record of student work is desired, it may be useful to develop a portfolio in which to

capture examples of work demonstrating growth. The State of Ohio is using portfolio- based assessment for all of their adult basic learners and has developed a standardized

portfolio format. (For more information visit www.literacy.kent.edu/opas/ portfoliomodel.html)

Depending upon the structure of adult education programs in a particular state, using testsand quizzes to assess distance students may make distance learning more parallel to

classroom-based assessment. Thus, it may be most appropriate for more formal or structured distance learning classes as opposed to those programs that aim to provide

informal educational opportunities. There are many issues involved in administering

tests and quizzes at a distance, particularly concerning the security of the testingsituation; these same concerns apply to assessing distance students using standardized

tests. Thus, many programs that require testing as part of their distance learning courses(e.g., Maryland’s online high school completion program) require students to come to a

secure location for pre- and post-testing. Coming to a center or agency for testing may be

difficult for those students who opt for distance learning because of the difficulty of getting to an adult education center. If testing at a secure location is required, it may be

useful to think about community-based locations (e.g., local schools, local libraries),close to students’ homes, that might be recruited to act as testing centers. Additionally, it

may possible to create for a network of local proctors who can give exams to students.

Accessibility of adult education centers is a reason some students opt for distanceeducation; the easier it is for students to get to a specified location for testing, the more

likely it is that they will comply.

Some online programs, such as PLATO and SkillsTutor have assessment components asan integral part of their design. Teachers using these programs therefore have an

advantage in having built-in assessment tools that are designed to fit with the curriculum

they are teaching. For other programs, it is important to make sure that the tests beingused assess what is being taught. The match between existing assessment tools and

several distance learning programs are discussed in depth in the Project IDEALassessment working paper.

Measuring Learner Participation

One measure often used in classroom-based programs is that of “seat time,” the amountof time a student spends in orientation, the classroom, the lab, etc. This figure determines

when a learner becomes an official student (12 hours), whether they can be considered aProject-Based Learner (30 hours of instruction maximum), and when assessment of

educational functioning levels should be administered (frequently at 40 or 50 hours).

How do you measure “seat time” for distance learners working independently? One

possibility is to develop standards for a minimum amount of time a student would need to

spend to complete a particular segment of a distance learning course. Any student whocompleted that segment (based on an examination of their work) would be credited with

that number of hours, regardless of the actual time it took him or her to complete thework. (An Excel template that can be used for this purpose is available from Project




36


Tying in the students’ online presence

with the [Pennsylvania Department of Education] requirements of assessment

and hours presents a challenge… The

real challenge, if we are working with

‘real’ distance learners in a non-traditional manner, is not to create

barriers that discourage those we are

trying to reach.-- Administrator of a

Pennsylvania literacy center that

experimented with offering

“WES at a Distance”

IDEAL). But what figures do you use as a time estimate? It is hoped that as more states

explore this issue, a consensus can be reached for several of the distance curricula.

What Are Reasonable Expectations for Assessing Distance Learners?

Administrators participating in the Pennsylvania experiments were asked to indicate howreasonable or realistic a variety of assessment options were, both from the perspective of

their agency and from the perspective of a distance learner. Administrators reported that

the following options were reasonable from both an agency and student perspective:

• Teachers keep a portfolio of each student’s work

• Teachers maintain a log of student contacts, noting time of contactand topics covered

• Students in online programs are required to complete a specified

number of online assignments

•

Students working in workbooks are required to submit workbooksto teachers on a regular basis and are required to complete a

specified number of assignments

The administrators appeared had some concern about

assessment options that required the students to come to acentral location for a pre- and/or posttest. They saw the

posttest as the most challenging requirement. In addition,they did not think it was realistic to require students to track

the time they spent working on assignments. These

administrators appeared to have concerns about imposingrequirements that may diminish the appeal of distance

learning to students who either cannot, or chose not to, cometo adult education centers. However, these concerns may be

less of an issue if these requirements are communicated to

the student up front.

Identifying Assessment Strategies

Activity 4.2 asks you to think about how you will handle assessment for your distancelearning students. First, you need to determine if your state and/or local program have an

assessment policy or plan and describe what it is. That information should be used as a

basis for completing the rest of the activity; in other words, your decisions must be in line

with any existing policies. For each item listed, decide if you will require this for your distance learning students. Then, for each item you will require, describe your plans for implementing this assessment strategy.




37

Activity 4.2: Identifying Assessment Strategies

Strategy

Will You

Require? Description of implementation plan

Require students to come to acentral location to take apretest prior to taking a

distance learning class

❑ Yes

❑ No

Require students to come to a

central location to take aposttest in order to get creditfor completing distance

learning class

❑ Yes

❑ No

Teacher maintains a portfolio

of each distance student’s work

to use in assessing progress

❑ Yes

❑ No

For programs with an online or

CD component: require

students to successfullycomplete a specified number of

assignments to get class credit

❑ Yes

❑ No

❑ Not relevant

For distance programs with aworkbook component: require

that students submit work to

teacher on a regular basis

❑ Yes

❑ No

❑ Not relevant

For programs with a workbook component: require that

students successfully complete

a specified number of workbook pages to get classcredit

❑ Yes

❑ No

❑ Not relevant

For programs with a video

component, require students toview a specified amount of the

videos to get class credit

❑ Yes

❑ No

❑ Not relevant

Estimate “seat time” using

Project IDEAL template

❑ Yes

❑ No

❑ Not relevant

Require students to track theamount of time they spend

working on assignments anduse this as a basis for estimating

“seat time.”

❑Yes

❑ No

Maintain a log of student

contacts, noting time and topic

of contact

❑ Yes

❑ No




38

Strategy

Will You


For programs with a “built–in”

evaluation component: require

students to complete all

evaluation activities

❑ Yes

❑ No

❑ Not relevant

Require student to take teacher

designed and administered tests

and quizzes

❑ Yes

❑ No

❑ Not relevant

Other assessment activity

(Specify)


(Specify)



39

Appendix

On the following pages are a number of resources to assist you in developing your plansfor recruiting and teaching adults at a distance.

• Is Distance for Me?

• Computer Skills Assessment

• Tips for Teaching at a Distance

• Examples of Recruitment Materials




40

Is Online Learning for Me?

This quiz appears on the Kentucky Virtual High School website (www.kvhs.org).

Students interested in studying online can fill it out to assess whether they are good

candidates for distance learning.

1. My need to take this course is❑ high- I need it immediately to graduate, to fulfill a credit requirement, or other important reason.

❑ moderate- I could take it at my local high school later or substitute another course.

❑ low- it is a personal interest that could be postponed.

2. Having face-to-face interaction is

❑ not particularly important to me.

❑ somewhat important to me.

❑ very important to me.

3. I would classify myself as someone who

❑ often gets things done ahead of time.

❑ needs reminding to get things done on time.❑ puts things off until the last minute.

4. Classroom discussion is

❑ rarely helpful to me.

❑ sometimes helpful to me.❑ almost always helpful to me.

5. When an instructor hands out directions for an assignment, I prefer

❑ figuring out the instructions myself.

❑ trying to follow the directions on my own, then asking for help as needed.❑ having the instructions explained to me

6. I need my teachers to constantly remind me of due dates and assignments

❑ rarely.

❑ sometimes.❑ often.

7. Considering my academic, extracurricular, family and personal schedule, the amount of time I have towork on an online course is

❑ more than for my high school face-to-face course.

❑ the same as for a class at school.

❑ less than for a class at school.

8. When I am asked to use email, computers, or other new technologies presented to me

❑ I look forward to learning new skills.

❑ I feel scared, but try anyway.

❑ I put it off or try to avoid it.

9. As a reader, I would classify myself as

❑ good- I usually understand the text without help.

❑ average- I sometimes need help to understand the text.

❑ below average- I often need help to understand the text.

10. If I have to go to a school to take exams or complete work

❑ I have difficulty getting to school, even in the evenings and on weekends.

❑ I may miss some lab assignments or exam deadlines if school is not open evenings and weekends.

❑ I can go to school anytime.




41

Computer Skills Assessment

Kimberly McCoy (Technology Projects Coordinator, Ohio Literacy Resource Center,

Kent State University) developed this computer skills self-rating form. It is very

comprehensive, and suitable for use to help teachers determine their own computer competencies as well as the skills of their students. It includes skills that students may

not need to use online distance education programs; you may want to use the items hereas a guide to develop your own checklist that focuses on the skills required by the

particular distance education program you are offering.

Technology Assessment

To be completed by each designated Project Ideal instructor

1. Do you have a computer at your local program?❑ Yes ❑ No2. Does the computer at your program have Internet access?❑ Yes ❑ No3. Please indicate your knowledge level of each of the computer skills/tasks listed

below. If additional training is needed, indicate that as well.




42

Computer Skill

Self

Sufficient

Limited

Knowledge

No

Knowledge

Need

raining

Open & close Windows (Minimize &Maximize)

❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Work with the Taskbar ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Save a file to disk ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Create new folders ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Cut/copy and paste ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Insert clipart ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Create tables and graphs ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Create or format a document ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Create a spreadsheet ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Send and receive email messages ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Use Electronic list/Mailing list ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Downloading items from the Internet ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Attach documents to an email

message❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Create an email address book ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Create an MS Power-point

presentation❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Managing Bookmarks and/or

Favorites❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Creating a Website/page ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Search the Web using directories &engines

❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Chat rooms ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Instant Messenger (AOL, ICQ,Yahoo, etc.)

❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Start up and shut down a computer ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Navigation on the Internet ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Microsoft Internet Explorer Browser ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Netscape Communicator/Navigator ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Keyboarding ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Basic mouse navigation (clicking,

right clicking & dragging etc.)❑ ❑ ❑ ❑




43

Tips for Teaching at A Distance

Deb Walker ([email protected]) is an experienced distance education teacher in

Pennsylvania. Below she offers some tips on working at a distance with adult learners.

1. Preparation

• Know your materials

• Study the online procedures as a

student – register and learn!

• Prepare a method of recordinginformation

2. Be patient, firm, and forgiving.

Students will need to learn the

following things, all at once, all on-line!

· Typing · Math · Spelling · History · Communicating

· Navigating · Reading · Testing · Websites · Organization

· Internet · Grammar · Email · Science · Self-motivation

3. Try to really understand the reasons why the learner is studying online

4. Don’t judge a person by his [email] paragraph

5. Online persona

• Personality: matching their speed, expectations and rhythm• Sense of Humor: You say tomãto…I say tomâto

• Sixth Sense : What do they mean by that?

• Educational Presence: You get what you pay for

6. Respond quickly and frequently

• Response time: 3-Day Rule

• Form letters

• Form answers to frequent questions, site problems

7. Respond appropriately

• Watch terms and expressions

• Never promise something you cannot deliver

• Protect anonymity

• Don’t take it personal

• Keep responses non-political, non-religious, and non-judgmental

Online

Comfort

Zone




44

8. Collecting Necessary Information

• Send a warm welcome letter immediately, asking about their current situation,

educational background, goals, email address, and computer experience.

• Friday Progress Reports that they can just check and email back.

• Use the multiple mail system with discretion. Students prefer their anonymity.

Send each email separately unless they know they are part of a class.• Keep a file of individual email correspondence for quick reference

9. Motivation and Encouragement

• Offer certificates for completed sections

• Praise, e-cards, congratulations

• Ask opinions

• Ask for help

• Stay on top of regional happenings for correspondence

10. Handling duplicate responses

• Create a website, community or Word/e-mail document for posting/sendingwebsites, references, duplicate questions, problems on site affecting everyone

11. Educational Expectations

• Response Time: 3 Day Rule

• Work in grammar and spelling gradually

• Continually challenge

• Take them to other sites

• Ask about classes in their area and offer to find an agency near them

• Remind them often why they are doing this

12. Keeping yourself motivated, energized and enthused!




45

Recruiting Materials

The following pages show examples of recruiting materials developed by some of the

agencies participating in the Pennsylvania distance experiments. They are intended to

provide you with some ideas for designing recruiting materials for your program.



i

Leslie I. Petty and Jerome Johnston


First Edition, September 2002

Published ByProject IDEAL • Institute for Social Research • University of Michigan

With Funding FromA consortium of 13 states working together to explore

the potential of distance education to reach adult basic learners.

Arkansas, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri,New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania,

Rhode Island, and South Carolina

For further information on Project IDEALwww.rcgd.isr.umich.edu/ideal/

© 2002 Regents of the University of Michigan

First Printing: September, 2002

File: DEHandbook1stEdition.doc

The preparation of this book was underwritten by the Project IDEAL states using

funds from a variety of sources including national adult education leadership funds provided by the US Department of Education, Office of Vocational and AdultEducation. The contents do not necessarily represent the positions or policies of the

underwriters and you should not assume endorsement by them.





iii

Acknowledgements

Many of the insights in the Handbook were derived from working for two years with

teachers and administrators in Pennsylvania as they experimented with teachingWorkplace Essential Skills at a distance. We thank them all for the knowledge they

imparted to their colleagues and to us. We also wish to thank all of the people who

attended the Project IDEAL Facilitator Training in August, 2002 for their helpfulcomments and suggestions about ways to improve the Handbook. They provided

invaluable advice about how to make it more useful for each of their states. Specialthanks go out (in alphabetical order) to Julia Hixon, Randolph Hollingsworth, Chuck

Klinger, Jane Martel, Kim McCoy, Beatta Peterson, Dehra Shafer, Deb Walker and

Cheryl Zimmer for taking the time after the training session to review individual chaptersand provide more extensive feedback.






v

Table of Contents

Introduction Distance Education: A Variety of Options for Adult Learners................................... 2

Distance Learning Curricula........................................................................................ 3 Chapter 1: Recruitment 5

What Audience Do You Want to Serve? ..................................................................... 5 What Does the Program Teach and Who Might Benefit From It? .............................. 6 What Skills Are Required for a Student to Be Successful? ......................................... 6 Narrowing the Target................................................................................................. 10 How Do You Recruit This Audience?....................................................................... 10 Making the Initial Contact ......................................................................................... 14

Chapter 2: Orientation of Distance Learning Students 15 Learner Goal Assessment .......................................................................................... 15 Materials and Technology Access ............................................................................. 16

Product Specific Training .......................................................................................... 16 Assessment of Existing Competencies ...................................................................... 17 Skills Training ........................................................................................................... 19 Independent Study: Planning, Organization And Study Skills.................................. 20 Setting Expectations For The Class ........................................................................... 20 A Complete Orientation Plan..................................................................................... 21

Chapter 3: Teaching at a Distance 25 Develop Learning Plans............................................................................................. 25 Providing Direct Instruction for Learners.................................................................. 26 Assign Work to Students ........................................................................................... 26 Motivate and Encourage Students ............................................................................. 27 Provide Feedback on Student Work .......................................................................... 28 Online Communication with Students....................................................................... 30 Thinking About Teaching At a Distance ................................................................... 30 Program-Specific Strategies ...................................................................................... 31

Chapter 4: Assessment of Distance Learning Students 33 Assessment to Gauge Student Progress ..................................................................... 34 Measuring Learner Participation ............................................................................... 35 What Are Reasonable Expectations for Assessing Distance Learners? .................... 36 Identifying Assessment Strategies............................................................................. 36

Appendix Is Online Learning for Me?........................................................................................ 40 Computer Skills Assessment...................................................................................... 41 Tips for Teaching at A Distance ................................................................................ 43 Recruiting Materials................................................................................................... 45



1

Introduction

Distance education refers to delivering instruction in non-classroom settings. It can takemany forms – from online courses to independent study using videotapes and workbooks.

This Handbook is intended to help teachers and administrators design and deliver distance education programs for adult basic learners. It is a very new field, and as a

result, the Handbook itself is a work in progress. It identifies the key issues and offers

guidance on what is currently known from the field. Much of what is presented here isdrawn from one and one-half years of experimentation in the Commonwealth of

Pennsylvania in delivering Workplace Essential Skills to adult learners at a distance. Asmore states undertake to implement distance education programs for their adult learners,

the available knowledge base will expand significantly and this book will be revisedaccordingly. This initial version therefore, is similar to an early map of the United States – it contains the outlines of the states and a few key features in each state, but many

details remain to be discovered. As the early maps continually changed to reflect

explorers’ new discoveries, so too will this Handbook. We invite you to join us in thisexploration, using this Handbook as a guide to your initial forays into distance education

for adult basic learners. Bear in mind that all of us are just starting out on this path; bysharing our knowledge we will be able to create more detailed guides for those who

follow.

The Handbook is organized into the following major topics of concern in the

implementation of a distance education program:

• Recruiting students: how to identify the appropriate students for

a distance learning program and recruit them to participate

• Developing orientation programs: designing an orientation that

provides the teacher with information about the student, and thestudent with the necessary information and skills for successful

participation

• Teaching at a distance: providing instruction at a distance,

change in the teacher’s role, providing feedback on students’ work,

motivating and supporting students at a distance• Assessing participation and performance: reasons for

assessment, possible ways to assess distance learning students

Each section provides an overview of the issue, specific implementation ideas andactivities designed to help teachers and administrators plan for their programs. It is based

upon the premise that distance learning is so different from classroom teaching that it

amounts to “re-inventing the school.” Thus, readers will be challenged to think about




2

adapting or modifying their classroom teaching approaches in ways that are appropriate

and effective for distance learning students. The Handbook will not provide all of theanswers, but will serve as a guide to help you find your way. Ultimately, each program

will adapt these ideas in the ways that best meet the needs of their students.

An online course titled “Recruiting and Teaching Adult Learners at a Distance” is

available to states in the Project IDEAL consortium. It provides opportunities for teachersand administrators to develop plans in response to lessons in the Handbook that are

adapted to the opportunities and constraints of local communities. A separate coursestudy guide provides students with guidance in using the online resources and becoming

part of the online community that explores issues of distance education over an extended

period of time. The course study guide is the recommended starting point for studentsnew to online classes.

Distance Education: A Variety of Options for Adult Learners

States are looking at distance education as a means of reaching a greater proportion of

adult learners in need of services. But what is distance learning? The terms distanceeducation and distance learning have been in wide use for several decades, but the terms

were coined at a time when the technological possibilities for distance instruction were

more limited. The stereotype of distance learning is a course that has a textbook and a

series of lectures broadcast on a regular basis to learners studying at home or in a remoteclassroom. Most of the distance learning series created for adult learners in recent yearsdo not fit this stereotype. The video component does not show an instructor talking to an

audience; instead, it provides case illustrations of problems discussed in the text, or

scenarios that learners need to analyze. The video program may not be designed for

broadcast at all, rather it is expected that learners will view portions of the programselectively on their VCR when the textbook calls for it. A new medium—the World

Wide Web –has made possible a host of new distribution and communication possibilities. These new uses of media bring new possibilities to learning at a distance,

but they make delivery by educators and consumption by learners a more complicated

process.

This project takes a broad view of what comprises distance education, preferring the term

“non-classroom based learning,” coined by Lennox McLendon, Director of NAEPDC.

By moving beyond the confines of the classroom, we expand the potential of adulteducators to reach adults and increase the array of options from which potential students

may choose. From this perspective, it is possible to envision a continuum of distancelearning options including:

• students working alone, either online or with video and/or printmaterials

• students working independently but meeting on a regular basiswith others studying the same curriculum

• “hybrid” or “facilitated” programs which combine classroomlearning with a distance component




3

• classroom-based programs outside of the educational agency (e.g.,at a local business or a community center in a rural community)

• informal educational programs aimed at motivating adults to

continue their education

•

structured classes which offer parallel content to classroom-basedinstruction and offer a certificate to students upon completion

As can be seen from even this limited list, distance education is not a unitary construct. It

can–and should be–adapted to best meet the needs of the populations served byindividual agencies and states. Our understanding of what constitutes distance learning

for adult learners will continue to evolve as various ways of employing distance

modalities are explored.

Distance Learning Curricula

Many curricula can be used for working with adult learners at a distance. These includemultimedia instructional series designed for adult learners and produced with distancelearning in mind (though not specifically designed just for distance learning) as well as

computer assisted instruction (CAI). The curricula differ not only in content, but also inthe methods used to deliver instruction. These differences have implications for teaching

at a distance.

Multimedia Instructional Series

Project IDEAL states have expressed the interest in five instructional series. Theseinclude: Workplace Essential Skills, Crossroads Café, GED Connection, TV411, and On

Common Ground. Only the first three have been selected for experimentation in theinitial year of the project. All of these series are multimedia—they utilize two or more

media to package the learning experiences. All of the series utilize print, but the seriescan be divided into two categories according to the role and prominence of online and

video.

Online is Central. Workplace Essential Skills (WES) and GED Connection both utilizevideo, print, and online. The core instruction is carried in the print and online. Given the

centrality of the online, teachers turn to the online connection as the vehicle for

supporting learners. WES and GED Connection both have an online management systemthat teachers can use to examine student portfolios and provide feedback to students on

their performance. The system also has a built-in e-mail program to support other formsof teacher-student communication, making it reasonable for a distance education program

to be built around online forms of learner support. The videos provide case examples of

things referred to in the print and online. But a teacher is likely to think of the video as asecondary, not a primary means of instruction. Helping educators deliver WES and GED

Connection at a distance places the primary emphasis on the challenging task of connecting learners to the Internet and supporting them in the use of online tools.




4

Video is Central. Crossroads Café, Madison Heights/Lifelines, On Common Ground and

TV411 use video and print (though TV411 has a newly available set of Web resourcesfor students to use). Learning from these series requires careful engagement of the video

and some mediation by a teacher to help learners interpret and apply the lessons to their lives. While the workbook may “set up” the video for learners, it may be helpful if the

teacher asks the learner to respond to questions about the video using a medium likeemail, chat or the telephone.

Online Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI)

Another distance learning option is to use online versions of computer-assistedinstruction, such as PLATO or SkillsTutor. This calls for a third approach to supporting

distance learning. Virtually all of the instruction in these curricula is built into the

software itself, potentially requiring a minimal intervention by teachers. But, the learnerstargeted for CAI may need to study at a literacy or computer center to get the kind of

technical and learning support they need to complete the lessons in the program. Theymay also need to have a teacher keep them focused on their goal or help them see what

their new set of skills qualifies them for.

Implications for Teaching: The Need for Product Training

Supporting adults studying curricula where the online is central involves different

activities and skills than supporting adults studying curriculum where the video is central

and both of these differ from computer assisted online learning. Thus, distance educationrequires differentiated approaches depending on the needs of learners and the

characteristics of the curricula being taught. Each of the curricular products listed aboveand each of the CAI programs provides different resources for both teachers and students

and makes different demands upon the teacher. Each has its own set of characteristics

that will shape how teachers will use and teach with them. Successful distance learningteachers will have a thorough knowledge of the product or curriculum being used,

including the instructional content, how the material is organized, what supports andresources it offers, etc. The developers of the major online courses and programs for

adult distance education typically offer extensive training to familiarize teachers and

administrators with the intricacies of their products; Project IDEAL strongly recommendsthat this product-specific training be an integral part of training for distance education

teachers.



5

Chapter 1: Recruitment

Recruiting adult learners into educational programs is always a challenging task; whenthe program involves distance learning it becomes even more so. It is important to match

the needs and functional levels of the prospective students to the content of theeducational program. In addition, because distance learning places greater demands than

a traditional classroom does on students to function independently and structure their own

learning, determining which students are likely to succeed at a distance is crucial. Thischapter guides you through a process to determine who you want to recruit and how you

might be able to reach them.

• What audience does your agency want to serve with distance education?

• What does the distance education program you are using teach?

• What skills are required for students to be successful with this distance learning

course?

• How do you recruit this audience?

What Audience Do You Want to Serve?

Adding distance education to the menu of existing educational programs requires that the

local agency make decisions regarding what role the distance education programs will play. Will the distance education programs offer new areas of instruction or will they

provide novel ways to teach content parallel to classroom-based programs? Will the

distance education programs be aimed at students already being served by the agency or will they be an attempt to reach a new audience? These decisions need to be made in the

context of the agency’s goals and missions and with a full understanding of the needs of the population the agency serves.

Local programs vary in their goals and missions, based upon the needs of the particular population they serve. Some provide GED instruction, some workplace training, some

basic literacy education, some a combination of programs. Each program will need to

determine how distance education might fit the needs of their particular population.Distance education should be one of the options available to provide educational

opportunities to students. For example, an agency whose primary educational mission isto prepare students to take the GED might select distance education options that work

toward that goal, while an agency that concentrates on English as a Second Language

(ESL) might look for programs that focus on the acquisition of English language skills.Thus, the first step in thinking about recruitment is understanding the needs of the

audience you hope to reach. The next step is to examine the particular distance education




6

curriculum being taught to see how it meets the needs of the target audience and to

understand the demands it places upon students.

What Does the Program Teach and Who Might Benefit From It?

It is necessary to understand the purpose of the program you are offering and how itmeets the needs of your target audience. For instance, a distance education program

focusing on employment skills might be useful for displaced workers, adults in welfare-

to-work programs and entry-level employees seeking to upgrade their skills. In contrast,a distance learning program designed to help non-native English speakers improve their

English communication skills might have as its target audience recent immigrants to theUnited States.

Think about the distance learning program you will be teaching and the content it

includes. The more specific you are in detailing the content of the course, the more

guidance this will provide in identifying the students for whom it might be appropriate.

For example, it might seem as if the Employment Strand of Workplace Essential Skills is

geared to people who are not currently employed. However, by examining in depth thetopics covered in this strand, it becomes evident that this course could be suited both for

people seeking employment (e.g., the focus on matching skills and jobs, applying for

jobs, etc.) and for those already in the workplace who want to improve their skills (e.g.,

the sections about being ready to work, learning on the job and workplace safety).

What Skills Are Required for a Student to Be Successful?

In addition to understanding what the program teaches, it is important to understand the

demands that the program places upon students. Any curriculum – including that for a

distance learning program - is based upon certain assumptions about what a student will

bring to the course. For example, students must read at a particular level to be admittedto GED classes or must demonstrate basic computer competency before being allowed totake a more advanced computer class. These are usually not arbitrary decisions, but

rather ones that have been adopted because they increase a student’s likelihood of

success. These issues become critical in distance education because distance learningstudents must function more independently than students in traditional classrooms; this

makes it even more important that students be guided into classes in which they are havea good chance for success. Successful distance learning students are likely to be self-

motivated, able to work independently and have strong study and organizational skills.

In addition, studying at a distance often requires that the student have access to various

forms of technology (e.g., VCR, computer, etc). Thus, in dealing with distance learning

programs there are at least three categories of skills and access that must be addressed:course-specific requirements, materials and technology issues, and learner characteristics.

Course-specific requirements

These will obviously differ for different distance learning programs and are closely tiedto the content of the course. GED preparation math classes, for example, will assume

that the student taking the class has already mastered certain basic mathematical concepts




7


In a classroom program, there are pre-requisite skills necessary to be placed in

a traditional class setting. For WES, an

adult learner must be computer literate,or willing to learn. In addition, a

computer with Internet access is

required. An adult learner must therefore have the ability or resources to

1) become computer literate, 2) access a

computer with Internet. Consequently,we cannot recruit low-level adult

learners or those who have serious

computer access problems. However,this problem is offset by the many

advantages to WES, such as

convenience, ease of use, etc. Furthermore, WES overcomes such

roblems as weather, travel, roads,

scheduling problems, classroom

boredom and the like. A person could even participate in WES if they were

completely and physically unable to

leave a hospital bed or a nursing homebed, for example.


and skills. Similarly, most curricula are written at a specific reading level, and students

whose reading skills are below that level may have difficulty with the material. Coursesusing the computer for instruction require that the student have some basic computer

literacy. It is necessary to review the course materials to determine what skills theydemand of students.

Materials and technology access issues

In a classroom setting, most materials are supplied for the student (with the exception of basic items such as

paper and pens). In addition to books and workbooks,distance learning often makes use of videotapes,

television programming or computer based instruction.

While most students are likely to have fairly easyaccess to a television and/or VCR, computer access is

often more challenging. Thus, another factor to beconsidered in your recruiting is how to provide

students with access to all of the materials andtechnologies they will need to get the most from theclass.


One of the major differences between traditionalclassroom instruction and distance education is the

amount of face-to-face contact students have with their teacher and with other students. For most people,

learning is a social process, and the support of teachers

and classmates forms an important element of thelearning that occurs. Distance learning students still

have contact with their teacher, although the formsthrough which that contact occurs are different.

Teachers and students may meet only once or twice over an entire course, with the

remainder of the communication occurring on the phone, via mail, via email or throughonline learning communities. Many distance learning students have little or no face-to-

face contact with other students taking the same class, although some programs doencourage and facilitate student-to-student support (this may be in person, but may also

occur through distance modalities). Experience suggests that students most likely to

succeed are able to function on their own, be self-starters, motivated and have the

organizational and study skills needed to work on their own. While less tangible thanacademic skills (it is more difficult to quickly assess someone’s ability to work independently than it is to assess their reading ability), these are important issues to

address with potential learners.

Activity 1.1 asks you to think about what students will need to be successful in your

distance education program. The Employment Strand of Workplace Essential Skills isused as an example. Use the chart to fill in details for the distance learning class you will




8

be teaching. In Column A, list course-specific requirements, in Column B describe the

material and technology access issues for your program, and in Column C identify thelearner characteristics students need to possess. The more specific you are in detailing

what you think the student will need, the more focused you will be in your recruiting. (If you are taking the online course that accompanies the Handbook, the activity charts for

all activities in the Handbook are available as assignments for download.)




9

Activity 1.1 : What’s Needed for Students to Be Successful?


Column ACourse-Specific Requirements

Column BMaterials & Tech Access

Column C Learner Characteristics

Example:

-Reading at the 7th grade level or higher

-Basic computer skills (typing,using mouse, scrolling through

text, etc.)

-Able to use computer to accessInternet

Example:

-Access to TV and VCR to playvideotapes

-Need to arrange to pick up &return videotapes on regular basis

(need transportation to centrallocation)

-Access to computer (does not

need to be at home) with Internet

capabilities

Example:

-Able to work independently

-Able to deal with minor computer glitches with some

support

-Able to organize time

-Self-motivated and a self-starter

– does not need to be directedeach step of the way

-Reliable/responsible: will return

borrowed video tapes

Course Title/Program: ____________________________________

Column A

Course-Specific Requirements

Column B

Materials & Tech Access

Column C





10

Narrowing the Target

Obviously, not all students are suited for all programs: in distance learning, “one size”

definitely does not “fit all.” You should now have a clearer understanding of what your

distance learning program offers and what the student is likely to need to be successful init. That information should be the basis for thinking about recruiting students for your

distance education program. Once again, the more specific you are, the more useful itwill be. While a general statement such as “Our target audience is any adult who needs

additional job skills” is inclusive, open and inviting, it does little to help you shape

recruiting strategies. It is important to identify specific populations you wish toapproach.

Suppose you were offering a distance learning program to teach employment skills. You

might decide that you want to focus on adults either in the workforce or those trying toenter it. Some possible approaches to recruiting might be through career transition

programs, working with local businesses or building ties with local unions. In addition,your distance learning program requires that students complete some of their work via the

Internet. Thus, you might want to recruit students who already have basic computer skills. One option might be to recruit students who are taking basic computer skillsclasses: they will have the skills to handle the computer component of your course and

they may be looking for a job to use these new skills.

Your recruiting strategy would be very different for a distance learning program that usesvideotapes to teach English language skills to non-native English speakers. Here, you are

less concerned with the person’s employment status and computer abilities than with their

English skills. You might decide that working with churches in immigrant communities

and social service agencies dealing with new immigrants are two approaches that mighthelp you identify potential students. By taking into account the content of the course and

the skills students will need, it is possible to focus recruitment efforts for your program.

How Do You Recruit This Audience?

Recruiting students for adult education programs is very challenging. Distance learning programs are no exception. While some potential students are attracted by the flexibility

that distance learning offers, others are concerned about trying something different.Some things to keep in mind:

• Expect recruiting to be difficult, particularly until your distancelearning program becomes established.

• Use multiple recruiting strategies to increase your likelihood of success.

• Recruit from non-traditional adult education sources, as well asfrom established adult education programs and agencies. This

allows you to reach a wider audience. Remember: traditionaladult education programs reach only a small proportion of adults

who need their services.




11

• Form partnerships with other agencies, local business and localunions whenever possible. Convince these organizations that both

of you will gain from the partnership. These partnerships will taketime to build and nurture, but have the potential to greatly increase

the number of students for your programs.

• Be creative: think of novel ways to advertise and market your program. Develop eye-catching flyers, posters and other materialsto spread the word about your program. Take your message to

where the people you want to reach will see it.

It may be helpful to look at recruiting strategies from two different perspectives:identifying organizations and agencies with which you can form partnerships and

promoting your program directly to potential students.

Working with Other Agencies, Organizations and Businesses

One goal for distance learning programs is to reach students who might not enroll in

existing classroom-based programs. How do you reach these students? One possibleway might be to work with other agencies, organizations or businesses in your

community. This requires that you take the initiative to build connections with groups

that are outside of the traditional adult education community. It will take time and effort but it is likely to provide access to a group of adults you might not otherwise reach.

When approaching another agency, it is helpful to encourage the other agency to see that

the relationship has benefits for both sides. Working with another agency allows youaccess to a larger pool of potential students and allows them to offer their clients an

additional service. The initial arrangements to work with another agency need to bemade with someone who can authorize the relationship. However, once the agreement to

work together has been reached, it is more effective to deal directly with people whointeract on a regular basis with the people you want to recruit.

Building partnerships with local businesses is another effective technique. Businesses

should be encouraged to see this as a “win-win” situation: you gain students, they gain better skilled employees. To accomplish this, adult education providers may want to

work in conjunction with local workforce development agencies to help educate both theemployers and the employees about the value of a skilled and educated workforce. A key

to success in this arena is being able to match your distance learning program to the

business’ needs. For example, if the company has many immigrants for whom English isa second language, making communication difficult, they may find a distance learning

program offering English language instruction of more immediate value than one that prepares students for the GED test. You need to do your homework: learn what the

needs and concerns of the business are and help them understand how your program fits

those needs.

The range of businesses and agencies with whom you can explore relationships is limited

only by your imagination. Some places that have been explored by organizations running

distance learning programs include:






13

Activity 1.2: Identifying and Recruiting a Target Audience

Course Title/Program: ___________________________

Column APossible Audiences

Column B

Possible Ways to Recruit Each Audience

Promoting Your Program Directly to Potential Students

Distance learning programs can be promoted in many places, using many different media.

The goal should be simple: to reach as many people in your target audience as possibleand to provide the information in a way that interests and excites them. Again, your only

limits are your imagination and (unfortunately) your budget. Organizations that haveoffered distance learning programs have used a variety of promotional approaches,

including the following:

• Promotional flyers

• Mailers

• Ads in local newspapers





15

Chapter 2: Orientation of Distance Learning Students

Orientation is a critical component of a distance learning program. A carefully plannedorientation can address a wide range of issues and better prepare the distance learner for a

successful and positive experience. Obviously, the orientation will introduce the studentto the curriculum materials and to the concept of working at a distance. In addition,

orientation allows the teacher to assess a student to determine if this program is a good

match for their interests and abilities, and to determine if the student has the requisiteskills to succeed. Orientation can also be a time during which the teacher can help the

student set goals for participating in the program and clarify the expectations for course participants. Study skills, strategies for working at a distance and computer skills (for

programs with an online component) are other topics that can be covered in an orientationfor distance learning students. Teachers can also use the orientation process to buildrapport with their students. Finally, orientation provides a way for teachers to take care

of some of the “housekeeping” details, such as obtaining ways to contact the student

(e.g., a home telephone number or e-mail address). In order to best cover these issues,face-to-face orientations are recommended. Although it is possible to conduct

orientations online or via the telephone for students who are unable to attend a face-to-face orientation, it is more difficult to do so. In some ways, orientation may look very

similar to what you typically do for your students in classroom-based programs.

However, it should also cover some areas specifically of concern to distance learners.

This chapter explores the following issues:

• Learner goal assessment

• Materials and technology access

• Baseline assessment of existing competencies

• Product-specific training

• Skill training (e.g., computer use)

• Independent study: planning, organization and study skills

• Setting expectations for the class

Learner Goal Assessment

Orientation can be used to help learners identify their goals for participating in thedistance education program. This information is not only useful to the student, but can




16

assist the teacher in best meeting the student’s needs. Understanding the student’s goals

is also helpful in determining if the distance learning program is a “good fit” for that particular student.

Many agencies already ask questions about goals as part of their intake process. This

same process can be used at an orientation with prospective distance learning students. If

you do not have a process to assist students with goal setting, we recommend that youcreate one to use in your orientation. It can be as simple as a form on which the teacher

records the student’s goals for the distance learning course and his or her long-termeducational goals (e.g., obtain a GED, learn to speak English well enough to enroll in

ABE classes).

Materials and Technology Access

Your students will need to know how to obtain materials (videotapes, workbooks, etc)

and how and where they can access a computer (for curricula with an online component).

This information should be provided to the student during orientation. It may be helpful

to provide the student with a “quick reference” sheet listing pertinent information (e.g., alist of places at which they can pick up and drop off videotapes) for later reference.

Product Specific Training

In the previous chapter, you explored the demands that your distance learning curriculum places upon students. A well-designed orientation provides the opportunity to train your

students in the skills they will need to be successful. Clearly, students need to understandwhat the components that comprise your program are, and need to be taught how and

when to use them. For example, you may decide that you want the students to use the

three WES components (online, video and workbook) in a specific fashion. You may

want them to read the “Before You Watch” section prior to viewing the videotape, viewthe entire video and then return to the workbook. You must therefore familiarize thestudents with the various parts of the workbook, and teach them the desired sequence.

Activity 2.1 asks you to examine the need for product specific training for your selecteddistance leaning product. You are asked to identify the features of the curriculum for

which students will need training (Column A) and to explain how you will provide this

training during your orientation session (Column B). You will have several features of your product for which training will help your students succeed.




17

Activity 2.1: Product Specific Training Needs

Column A

Features for which training is needed

Column B

How training will be provided

Example (for Workplace Essential Skills):

Navigating the WES website

Computers will be available for all orientations.

We will walk student through website at orientation,answering any question they have. We will alsohave handouts with step-by-step directions

reference.

Example: (for Crossroads Café): Understanding how to use the multi-level worktexts

We will explain the system to students and recommend the appropriate level for them to begin

their studies. Students will work through a sample

of the different levels during the orientation session.

Assessment of Existing Competencies

It is important to determine if the student has the requisite skills (e.g., reading abilities,

computer competencies) needed to participate in the distance learning program;

orientation provides the teacher with an opportunity to do this. Examining the students’




18


Keep the on-site and one-on-one

orientations for content and to allow usto get to know the students and collect

more information. Feedback and communication need to be stressed at

the orientation. Even those skilled in

computer use have problems.

Orientations usually lasted from 20minutes to one hour, but orientation

length, focus and intensity need to bedetermined by learner’s background,

experience with computers, computer

access and lifestyle

--The revised plans of a PA literacy

center that taught “WES at a

Distance” for 8 months

skills can be done with a formal assessment tool (e.g.,

TABE, CASAS) or by informal means (e.g., watchingtheir computer skills as they register as a WES online

student, observing the ease with which they readmaterials about the program, listening to their oral

English skills as they talk to the teacher). For students tosucceed in a distance learning program, they must havethe academic skills needed to handle the work. Thus,

some type of assessment is strongly recommended tohelp ensure that the program is a “good fit” for the

student’s needs and abilities.

Many agencies already have a system in place for

evaluating all new students and it may be possible toexpand that to include distance learning students. In fact,

some agencies may require that the same assessment tool

is used. However, it is important to make sure that theassessment measure is appropriate for the content being

studied in the distance learning program: using a TABE test of reading ability may not beuseful for students entering a distance learning program aimed at improving their oral

English skills. The more closely you can match your assessment of the student’s skills to

the content of the distance learning program, the more useful the process will be. (For more information about assessment and adult education distance learners, see the Project

IDEAL working paper on assessment.)

Think about the following issues to determine what type of initial student diagnostics youwill do at orientation:

• Does my agency require that I use a particular assessment tool for all students, regardless of the program in which they are enrolled?

If so, your decisions have already been made for you.

• Do I want to use a formal assessment tool? If yes:

– What are the skills I want to assess?

– What tool(s) will I use? How well do they match the

content of my distance learning program?

– When will I administer the assessment?

– Who will administer the assessment?



– If the student does not meet the criteria, what action doI take?






19

• Allow the student to enter class but provide additional support asneeded

• Do I want to assess the student’s skills on an informal basis? If

yes:

– What are the skills I want to assess? – What are the conditions or situation in which I

anticipate that I will be able to see the student

demonstrate these skills?



– If the student does not meet the criteria, what action do

I take?



• Allow the student to enter class but provide additional support as

needed

Skills Training

If the student does not have all of the needed skills to succeed in your distance learning program, you may decide to require additional training before allowing the student to

study at a distance. This is more likely to be a concern for programs with a computer component than for those that rely on workbooks and videos. Basic computer skills are a

necessity for students studying online at a distance, because conventions for print on the

computer differ from conventions for print on the printed page. For example, studentsknow to flip the pages of a book to find what comes next; they might not know that they

need to scroll down on a Web page to see all of the information on the page. Computer knowledge needed to study online includes such rudimentary skills such as:

• Using the mouse to navigate on the screen and to click onappropriate items.

• Using a keyboard to enter text. While touch typing is not essential,the student needs to have a level of comfort at using the keyboard

to enter responses and complete assignments.

• Being able to connect – and stay connected – to the Internet.

• Understanding how a Web page is set up, including using the back button to return to where you have been.

It may be helpful to use a quick checklist to assess students’ computer skills. Anexample is included in the Appendix.

If you determine that students need additional skills prior to beginning the distanceeducation program, you may opt to provide this training yourself (for example, running a




20

one- or two-session class on basic computer skills) or you may refer the student to an

existing program (e.g., a regularly scheduled basic computer class). You will need todetermine what resources are available at your agency to help the students build the

necessary skills to participate in the distance education program.

Independent Study: Planning, Organization And Study Skills

Distance learning requires that the student be able to organize his/her time, work

independently and have good study skills. Students who lack these skills are apt toflounder in a distance learning program. But how can you quickly assess if a student has

these skills? Unfortunately, there is no surefire way to make this determination. Thus, itis recommended that orientation for distance learning programs provide a component on

independent study skills and time usage.

One way to get a rough idea of how well-suited a student is for distance learning is to use

the 10-item questionnaire provided on the Kentucky Virtual High School website

(www.kvhs.org, click on “Is online learning for me?” A printed copy of this

questionnaire is included in the Appendix). It asks students about their need for teacher support, ability to work independently, organize their time, etc. Based upon the student’s

answers, the Web version provides a recommendation about how well suited the student

appears to be to study at a distance. This questionnaire (or any variations of it you may

develop) provides another piece of information you and your students can use to helpthem select the most appropriate educational opportunity. Concrete information abouttime usage, study skills and the ability to organize are a valuable component of

orientation for distance learning students. It is recommended that you provide your

students with assistance in these areas before they begin working at a distance.

Setting Expectations For The Class

Orientation is the ideal time to set the expectations for the distance learning class,including what the student is expected to do and what the student should expect from the

teacher. This is the time to spell out, in detail, the course requirements. It is anticipated

that these may vary widely: some agencies will use distance learning classes as a lessformal educational opportunity and choose not to impose many requirements, while

others may view the distance learning class as a structured (but non-classroom based)learning experience. Whatever the expectations are for your class, they need to be

communicated to the students. The questions below will help you think about setting

expectations for your students.

•

Are there specific assignments, or is the student free to explore thematerial on his/her own? Are there “due dates” by which you

expect work to be turned in to the teacher? Does this varydepending upon the materials being used (e.g., online vs.workbooks).

– If students are working in workbooks, are they

required to submit them to the teacher for review?

How often? By mail, at a drop off point, or in person?




21

• What type of feedback will the student receive on his/her work?

– How does the teacher return work to students?

– How quickly should students expect teacher feedback

on their work?

– What should the student do if he/she has questionsabout the teacher’s feedback?

• Is the student required to take any tests? If so, how and where will

this be done? Does your agency require both pre- and post-testingof students for accountability purposes? How will you arrange this

for your distance students?

• Will the student receive a certificate or any documentation of completion at the end of the course? What are the requirements in

order to receive this recognition?

• How will the student and teacher communicate?

– Email? Make certain that both the student and teacher have each other’s addresses. Make sure student knows

how to access email system. If a learner does not havean email account, be ready with a current list of free

email providers. (On the Web search for “free e-

mail.”)

– Telephone? Make certain that both the student andteacher have each other’s phone numbers (if you want

to permit students to contact you). Specify the timesthe teacher is available for calls.

– Drop-in office times? Identify when and where these

will be held.

– Virtual office hours? If teachers and students are

comfortable with the technology, this could be a

regularly scheduled time during which the teacher isavailable online for communication with an instant

messenger program, such as those offered by AOL or Yahoo.

The more clearly expectations for all parties involved are presented before the start of the

class, the more smoothly things will operate. Be as specific as possible with your

students. Consider presenting them handouts with the pertinent information.

A Complete Orientation Plan

In Activity 2.2, you will design an orientation plan for your distance learning program.You will list the components you want to include and describe how you will implement

them. Your plan should be geared toward the specific distance education curriculum you

will be teaching. The goal of this activity is to have a plan that you can put into action




22

with your students, yet allow you to remain flexible enough to meet the needs of

individual students.




23

Activity 2.2: An Orientation Plan

Component How it will be implemented (leave blank if you will not include this

component in your orientation)

Learner GoalAssessment

Materials and technology

access

Baseline assessment of

existing competenciesand for assessing

learning

Product-specific training

Skill training (e.g.,

computer use)

Preparation for

independent study

Setting expectations for completing work

Other component(specify)





25

Chapter 3: Teaching at a Distance

Teaching is at the heart of a distance learning course. Although most of the student’swork will be at a distance rather than in a classroom setting, the teacher still needs to

structure the learning experience, make assignments, provide feedback on student work and provide encouragement and motivation. But how do you do this at a distance? This

chapter explores possible ways of accomplishing key teaching activities and tasks when

teaching students in a non-classroom setting.

Develop Learning Plans

In a classroom, teachers typically design a lesson plan for the entire group. Sincedistance learning students are likely to be working at their own pace, an individual

learning plan may be needed. To a large degree, how teachers approach developing the

plan is a function of how informal or structured the individual’s distance learning program is. For very informal programs, where students work on what they choose at

their own pace, a learning plan is less critical. In this situation, the teacher may simplyguide the student through the materials in a fashion that best meets his or her individual

needs, rather than actively directing the student’s work. When a distance education

program is more formal and structured, the teacher needs to have thought out theobjectives for the student and the steps a learner needs to take to meet those objectives.

Issues to consider in developing learning plans for these students include:

• Making use of the existing distance learning curricular materials.Most distance learning programs have extensive support materialsfor students to facilitate independent learning. These materials can

form the basis for a learning plan, often with little other work by

the teacher.

• Supplementing existing curricula materials with other materials.

Teachers may use the existing distance learning curricular materials as the foundation for the learning plans and supplement

these materials with handouts, practice materials, additionalreadings and referrals to related websites. This may be useful in

providing additional skills practice for students and expanding thelessons beyond what is covered in the curriculum.

• Planning for individual students vs. planning for a group of students. One of the strengths of distance learning is its

individualized nature. However, it is unrealistic to expect teachers

to generate a different learning plan for each individual student.One possibility is for the teacher to have a general outline of the




26


…You must provide many more

visual/mental examples. An instructor can’t just hold up an example, or show a

icture. You must provide these online

or through print medium, with

accompanying text for explanation. Lessons must include, in writing, each

step that you might normally do verballyin a regular classroom setting. But in

doing so, instructors need to be careful

not to bog down students with a lot of

text-heavy material.


content, activities and sequence they want students to follow,

which they can vary as needed for individual students.

All of these require that the teacher have an intimate familiarity with the content andmaterials in the distance course.

Providing Direct Instruction for Learners

This is a particularly challenging task for distance teachers. In a classroom, the teacher is

often the primary source of information for the student. In distance courses, the primary

source of information is more apt to be the curricular materials. This requires a dramaticswitch in how teachers view their roles. In many cases, the teacher’s role is less of an

“expert” presenting the information, and more of a “guide” leading the student throughthe content available in the learning materials

This does not mean that the teacher is not needed to

present, clarify or expand on content. In fact, the teacher is

critical in helping the student fully understand and applythe information in the distance learning products. In the

Pennsylvania experiment, the teachers used severalmethods to present the content information covered in WES

to students, including:

• Supplementing the WES content with referrals toother materials

• Referring students to related websites (for thoseworking online)

• Using regular mail, email, phone calls and

occasional drop-in sessions to provide additionalinformation and clarify areas of confusion for students

• Including as much content as possible when providing feedback on

the student’s work.

It is not enough for the student to have access to the distance learning material on their own. They need to interact with a teacher who can reinforce and expand on the content

in order to maximize the potential for learning. Thus, although the teacher’s role as the

provider of content information may shift, it remains crucial to the learning process.

Assign Work to StudentsThe way in which teachers assign work to students will also be influenced by how formalor informal the distance learning program is. In an informal program, a student may

select those areas in which he or she wants to work, with the teacher providing feedback

and support. This was the approach most often taken in the Pennsylvania experiment,where most teachers indicated that they did not typically “assign” work to their WES

students. Instead, they were likely to suggest what materials the student should cover,often providing the students with a recommended sequence and time frame. In a more




27

structured distance learning program, however, teachers are likely to make specific

assignments to their students. As discussed earlier, these expectations for student work should be clearly defined during the orientation. Teachers will need to determine the

appropriate time frame in which to expect students to complete work. They will need toinstruct students on how to submit work for evaluation and when and via what

mechanism(s) they will receive feedback. In addition, teachers must decide if theyexpect all students to complete the same assignments, in the same time frame, or if theyare going to develop individual learning plans for each of their students.

Motivate and Encourage Students

A critical issue for any adult education program is the ability to keep students involved.

This is difficult in a traditional classroom setting, but becomes even more challenging

when dealing with students working at a distance. Students rely on teacher feedback ontheir work and support from both the teacher and other students to help them succeed in

the coursework. In a classroom setting, this is usually accomplished as part of the on-going face-to-face interaction between teacher and student and between student and

student. How can this be accomplished when teaching at a distance? Is it possible toorchestrate online learning in a way that allows students to support each other?

Ironically, some of the difficulties in supporting and motivating students in distance

education programs may stem from the same attributes of distance learning that areattractive to students. Distance education appeals to many students because it removessome of the barriers that impede their attending a traditional classroom program at a

regularly scheduled time. They may lack transportation to the class, have erratic work

schedules or problems with childcare that make attendance on a regular basis difficult, if

not impossible. Distance education allows them to have a greater degree of control over the time and place in which they can further their education. However, it does so at a

cost: it frequently removes many of the social supports that a classroom teacher and other students provide, while simultaneously requiring them to structure their time and work

independently. Thus, the teachers need to develop new ways to motivate and support

their online students.

The Pennsylvania experiment again provides some insight into this issue. Most teachers

in that pilot study reported that it was more difficult to support and motivate their

students in a distance learning program than in a traditional classroom program, largelydue to less frequent contact with the students and their inability to read the student’s non-

verbal communications and body language. In addition, many teachers felt it was moredifficult to build a personal rapport with a student they rarely, if ever, saw in person; they

felt that this lack of a personal relationship made it more challenging for them to find the best ways to motivate and support students. Despite these difficulties, teachers did findeffective ways to support their students, including:

• Sending e-cards encouraging students and praisingaccomplishments

• Sending individual, rather than group emails to students, to makethe messages more personal




28

• Emailing encouragement to students on a regular basis

• Sending emails which asked questions and prompted students tothink about their goals

• Offering assistance to students in finding information or sites on

the Internet that could help their studies• Telephoning students in order to have a synchronous conversation

and learn more about the student’s goals and concerns

• Telephoning students who had not been active online for a periodof time to encourage them to stay with the program

• Provided certificates upon completion of a pre-determined unit of work

• Offering drop-in times for students who wanted assistance from ateacher in person

• Using praise and positive feedback on students’ work

• Offering constructive criticism

• Helping students see how the content they were studying could beapplied to situations they encounter in their daily lives

All of these were methods of providing support from the teacher to the student. But,

student-to-student support is also an important aspect of learning for many adult students.Little is known at this time about the most effective ways to create systems to allow

distance students to support one another. Some possibilities you may want to try include:

• Encouraging students to meet on a regular basis at a convenientlocation (e.g., coffee shop) in the community

• Establishing chat rooms online

• Establishing asynchronous communication online.

• Encouraging students to study at a distance with a partner.

Given what is known about the social component of learning, the issue of student-to-

student support for distance learning students is one that needs much more attention in

the future.

Provide Feedback on Student WorkProviding feedback on student work is one of the most important tasks for distance

teachers. Commenting and correcting the student’s work not only provides the studentwith the relevant academic information, but allows the teacher to build a relationship with

the student. Methods of providing feedback to distance learning students will varydepending upon the design of the distance learning program (e.g., is it an online program

or does it use videos and workbooks?).




29


I emailed encouragement, asked

questions and prompted goal-setting and eedback. They emailed me their

rogress in workbooks, or comments

about the videos. I corrected the spelling and grammar of only those

students who would not be threatened by

critique of their work, and sent back to

them highlighted or underlined portions

of their essays or resumes through theother email systems. If they only had theWES [email] system, then I capitalized

what needed to be corrected.


Courses with an Online Component . Students taking online classes will receive most

feedback from their teacher online. This may be through a system that is a part of thecourse (e.g., the online management system that is part of WES and GED Connection) or

via a separate email account. While the built-in systems have the advantage of being anintegral part of the distance learning program, they often have limitations that prevent the

teacher from offering the type of feedback he or she would like to provide. For example,the online management system in WES allows a teacher to indicate if work has beencompleted (e.g., done to the teacher’s satisfaction) or attempted (e.g., the student has

done some work, but there is room for improvement), but does not provide a way for teachers to provide more detailed feedback. Many teachers in the Pennsylvania pilot

study felt this was inadequate and created their own ways providing supplemental

feedback. Some worked within the LiteracyLink online system and provided feedback

by inserting their comments – in all capital letters or italics – within the students’ text intheir portfolio entry. Others moved outside of the online management system and sentseparate emails in which they responded to the student’s work. It is often useful to set up

separate email accounts (using one of the free email services) to provide another way in

which to interact with students.

The timing of teacher feedback is important for studentsworking online. Once they send their work, they expect

rapid turnaround. Most teachers in the Pennsylvania study

attempted to respond to students’ work within 48 hours – at least to let the student know that they had received the

work and would respond shortly. Receiving promptresponse to their online work seemed to help keep

students motivated and working online.

Because students do not have the ability to immediately

question the teacher if they are confused by the feedback they receive, any online feedback on student’s work needs

to be concise, clear and easy to understand. As much as possible, teacher comments need to be precise and leave

little room for confusion. It is also helpful if the feedback

is personalized to the individual student; this may be

facilitated by the individualized nature of distancelearning.

Courses with Workbook Components. Providing feedback on work done in workbooks is

challenging, because of the difficulties involved in providing the teacher with access to

the student’s workbook. Expectations for how often work will be turned in, where it will be turned in and how it will be returned all need to be established during orientation.Without these expectations, it becomes very difficult for teachers to have access to

completed student work. Some possible ways to accomplish this include:

• Establishing central drop-off points at which students can leaveworkbooks (or workbook pages) for teacher review and at which

they can pick up their corrected workbooks




30

• Cutting the bindings off of the workbooks, punching the pageswith a 3-hole punch and placing them in a 3-ring binder. This will

allow the student continue working in the workbook and simplysend completed pages to the teacher.

• Providing the student with stamped, self-addressed envelopes in

which to return workbooks or workbook pages to the teacher.

• Scheduling on-site review or practice sessions to which students bring their workbooks for teacher feedback.

Providing feedback to students working at a distance in programs that do not have anonline component is quite challenging. It will take a concerted effort by the teacher to

implement a program in which students regularly receive feedback on work completed inworkbooks. As more programs implement distance learning programs, it is expected that

knowledge about the most effective ways to accomplish this will grow.

CAI programs. CAI programs such as Skills Tutor and PLATO provide their own

feedback on student performance. But this may not be sufficient to keep a studentmotivated to persist at completing the assigned lessons, whether the assignments come

from the program itself or from a plan worked out during orientation. Some form of

ongoing support using an independent communication system (email or phone) will probably be required to help learners stay focused on their goal. Both of these programs

can provide teachers with statistics on usage and performance that can be included in thecommunication.

Online Communication with Students

Communicating with students online is different from communicating with them in a

face-to-face situation. Neither you, nor they, have the advantages of eye contact, body

language or tone of voice to help clarify what is said. As a result, it is imperative thatonline communications be clear, concise and not open to misinterpretation. In theAppendix, Deb Walker—an experienced online teacher in Pennsylvania—provides some

useful tips

Thinking About Teaching At a Distance

Activity 3.1 asks you to think about how you will handle these teaching tasks when

teaching at a distance. For each task, describe how you plan to do this with your distancelearning students.







33

Chapter 4: Assessment of Distance Learning Students

The issue of assessing distance learners is fraught with difficulties. In addition to thelogistics, there are serious questions about how and why they should be assessed. If

distance learning is seen as parallel to a classroom-based program, then comparableassessments seem appropriate. However, if distance learning is seen as a less formal

educational experience, it may not be necessary to have as structured an assessment

process. In addition, some early experience suggests that distance learners may spendconsiderably less time involved with the learning materials than classroom students. If

this is the case, the expectations for progress would be different for the two groups.However, given the current climate of accountability, assessment is a concern for

distance learning programs.

Several types of assessment can be distinguished: (1) assessment for placement

purposes, (2) assessment to gauge student progress, and (3) assessment for accountability purposes. In addition, measuring learner participation (“seat time”) is important to

classify the learner in several ways. The issue of assessing students to determine if they

have the requisite skills to participate in a distance learning class was discussed in thechapter on orientation. Assessing student progress is of tantamount importance to

teachers: it allows them to determine what a student has learned and helps them plan anappropriate educational program for the student. In addition, student progress can be

used as one measure for accountability purposes. Assessment for accountability is

focused on what the information programs need to report to their state, and the state tothe Federal government. To a large extent, this is driven by the demands of the National

Reporting Standards (NRS). Issues related to accountability are beyond the scope of thefirst edition of the Handbook, but they are addressed in a separate working paper from

Project IDEAL. In addition, some states make a distinction between traditional

assessments using standardized tests for pre- and posttesting and assessing student work using checklists, inventories, etc.

Activity 4.1 asks you to think about the importance of assessment for the variousconstituencies in adult education (students, teachers, programs, and states). In Column

A, describe, for all adult education programs (classroom and distance), why assessment is

important for each of the groups named. In Column B, identify special issues for distance education programs. This exercise will help you broaden your understanding of

the role that assessment can play in using distance learning with adult basic learners.




34

Activity 4.1: Importance of Assessment

Constituency

Column A

Importance in General

Column B

Specific Issues for Distance Students

Students

Teachers

Adult Education

Programs

Your State

Assessment to Gauge Student Progress

It is important for teachers and their adult education agencies to have a way to determineif an individual student is making progress in a course. This is true for distance learning

students as much as it is for students in classroom programs. The logistics of doing thisat a distance, however, are more challenging to teachers. What is used as the basis for

assessment? Can this be based solely on students’ work in the course, or are more formal

means of gauging progress (i.e., teacher evaluations, tests, quizzes, etc.) needed? Theseare decisions that will need to be made on a state-by-state basis, reflecting each state’s

requirements for adult education programs.

Assessing student work on an on-going basis has already been discussed in the previous

chapter (Providing Feedback on Students’ Work). This provides both the teacher and thestudent with a sense of the student’s progress, points out both strengths and weaknesses

and helps the teacher plan appropriately to meet the student’s needs. If a more formal




35

record of student work is desired, it may be useful to develop a portfolio in which to

capture examples of work demonstrating growth. The State of Ohio is using portfolio- based assessment for all of their adult basic learners and has developed a standardized

portfolio format. (For more information visit www.literacy.kent.edu/opas/ portfoliomodel.html)

Depending upon the structure of adult education programs in a particular state, using testsand quizzes to assess distance students may make distance learning more parallel to

classroom-based assessment. Thus, it may be most appropriate for more formal or structured distance learning classes as opposed to those programs that aim to provide

informal educational opportunities. There are many issues involved in administering

tests and quizzes at a distance, particularly concerning the security of the testingsituation; these same concerns apply to assessing distance students using standardized

tests. Thus, many programs that require testing as part of their distance learning courses(e.g., Maryland’s online high school completion program) require students to come to a

secure location for pre- and post-testing. Coming to a center or agency for testing may be

difficult for those students who opt for distance learning because of the difficulty of getting to an adult education center. If testing at a secure location is required, it may be

useful to think about community-based locations (e.g., local schools, local libraries),close to students’ homes, that might be recruited to act as testing centers. Additionally, it

may possible to create for a network of local proctors who can give exams to students.

Accessibility of adult education centers is a reason some students opt for distanceeducation; the easier it is for students to get to a specified location for testing, the more

likely it is that they will comply.

Some online programs, such as PLATO and SkillsTutor have assessment components asan integral part of their design. Teachers using these programs therefore have an

advantage in having built-in assessment tools that are designed to fit with the curriculum

they are teaching. For other programs, it is important to make sure that the tests beingused assess what is being taught. The match between existing assessment tools and

several distance learning programs are discussed in depth in the Project IDEALassessment working paper.

Measuring Learner Participation

One measure often used in classroom-based programs is that of “seat time,” the amountof time a student spends in orientation, the classroom, the lab, etc. This figure determines

when a learner becomes an official student (12 hours), whether they can be considered aProject-Based Learner (30 hours of instruction maximum), and when assessment of

educational functioning levels should be administered (frequently at 40 or 50 hours).

How do you measure “seat time” for distance learners working independently? One

possibility is to develop standards for a minimum amount of time a student would need to

spend to complete a particular segment of a distance learning course. Any student whocompleted that segment (based on an examination of their work) would be credited with

that number of hours, regardless of the actual time it took him or her to complete thework. (An Excel template that can be used for this purpose is available from Project




36


Tying in the students’ online presence

with the [Pennsylvania Department of Education] requirements of assessment

and hours presents a challenge… The

real challenge, if we are working with

‘real’ distance learners in a non-traditional manner, is not to create

barriers that discourage those we are

trying to reach.-- Administrator of a

Pennsylvania literacy center that

experimented with offering

“WES at a Distance”

IDEAL). But what figures do you use as a time estimate? It is hoped that as more states

explore this issue, a consensus can be reached for several of the distance curricula.

What Are Reasonable Expectations for Assessing Distance Learners?

Administrators participating in the Pennsylvania experiments were asked to indicate howreasonable or realistic a variety of assessment options were, both from the perspective of

their agency and from the perspective of a distance learner. Administrators reported that

the following options were reasonable from both an agency and student perspective:

• Teachers keep a portfolio of each student’s work

• Teachers maintain a log of student contacts, noting time of contactand topics covered

• Students in online programs are required to complete a specified

number of online assignments

•

Students working in workbooks are required to submit workbooksto teachers on a regular basis and are required to complete a

specified number of assignments

The administrators appeared had some concern about

assessment options that required the students to come to acentral location for a pre- and/or posttest. They saw the

posttest as the most challenging requirement. In addition,they did not think it was realistic to require students to track

the time they spent working on assignments. These

administrators appeared to have concerns about imposingrequirements that may diminish the appeal of distance

learning to students who either cannot, or chose not to, cometo adult education centers. However, these concerns may be

less of an issue if these requirements are communicated to

the student up front.

Identifying Assessment Strategies

Activity 4.2 asks you to think about how you will handle assessment for your distancelearning students. First, you need to determine if your state and/or local program have an

assessment policy or plan and describe what it is. That information should be used as a

basis for completing the rest of the activity; in other words, your decisions must be in line

with any existing policies. For each item listed, decide if you will require this for your distance learning students. Then, for each item you will require, describe your plans for implementing this assessment strategy.




37

Activity 4.2: Identifying Assessment Strategies

Strategy

Will You


Require students to come to acentral location to take apretest prior to taking a

distance learning class

❑ Yes

❑ No

Require students to come to a

central location to take aposttest in order to get creditfor completing distance

learning class

❑ Yes

❑ No

Teacher maintains a portfolio

of each distance student’s work

to use in assessing progress

❑ Yes

❑ No

For programs with an online or

CD component: require

students to successfullycomplete a specified number of

assignments to get class credit

❑ Yes

❑ No

❑ Not relevant

For distance programs with aworkbook component: require

that students submit work to

teacher on a regular basis

❑ Yes

❑ No

❑ Not relevant

For programs with a workbook component: require that

students successfully complete

a specified number of workbook pages to get classcredit

❑ Yes

❑ No

❑ Not relevant

For programs with a video

component, require students toview a specified amount of the

videos to get class credit

❑ Yes

❑ No

❑ Not relevant

Estimate “seat time” using

Project IDEAL template

❑ Yes

❑ No

❑ Not relevant

Require students to track theamount of time they spend

working on assignments anduse this as a basis for estimating

“seat time.”

❑Yes

❑ No

Maintain a log of student

contacts, noting time and topic

of contact

❑ Yes

❑ No




38

Strategy

Will You


For programs with a “built–in”

evaluation component: require

students to complete all

evaluation activities

❑ Yes

❑ No

❑ Not relevant

Require student to take teacher

designed and administered tests

and quizzes

❑ Yes

❑ No

❑ Not relevant


(Specify)


(Specify)



39

Appendix

On the following pages are a number of resources to assist you in developing your plansfor recruiting and teaching adults at a distance.

• Is Distance for Me?

• Computer Skills Assessment

• Tips for Teaching at a Distance

• Examples of Recruitment Materials




40

Is Online Learning for Me?

This quiz appears on the Kentucky Virtual High School website (www.kvhs.org).

Students interested in studying online can fill it out to assess whether they are good

candidates for distance learning.

1. My need to take this course is❑ high- I need it immediately to graduate, to fulfill a credit requirement, or other important reason.

❑ moderate- I could take it at my local high school later or substitute another course.

❑ low- it is a personal interest that could be postponed.

2. Having face-to-face interaction is

❑ not particularly important to me.

❑ somewhat important to me.

❑ very important to me.

3. I would classify myself as someone who

❑ often gets things done ahead of time.

❑ needs reminding to get things done on time.❑ puts things off until the last minute.

4. Classroom discussion is

❑ rarely helpful to me.

❑ sometimes helpful to me.❑ almost always helpful to me.

5. When an instructor hands out directions for an assignment, I prefer

❑ figuring out the instructions myself.

❑ trying to follow the directions on my own, then asking for help as needed.❑ having the instructions explained to me

6. I need my teachers to constantly remind me of due dates and assignments

❑ rarely.

❑ sometimes.❑ often.

7. Considering my academic, extracurricular, family and personal schedule, the amount of time I have towork on an online course is

❑ more than for my high school face-to-face course.

❑ the same as for a class at school.

❑ less than for a class at school.

8. When I am asked to use email, computers, or other new technologies presented to me

❑ I look forward to learning new skills.

❑ I feel scared, but try anyway.

❑ I put it off or try to avoid it.

9. As a reader, I would classify myself as

❑ good- I usually understand the text without help.

❑ average- I sometimes need help to understand the text.

❑ below average- I often need help to understand the text.

10. If I have to go to a school to take exams or complete work

❑ I have difficulty getting to school, even in the evenings and on weekends.

❑ I may miss some lab assignments or exam deadlines if school is not open evenings and weekends.

❑ I can go to school anytime.




41

Computer Skills Assessment

Kimberly McCoy (Technology Projects Coordinator, Ohio Literacy Resource Center,

Kent State University) developed this computer skills self-rating form. It is very

comprehensive, and suitable for use to help teachers determine their own computer competencies as well as the skills of their students. It includes skills that students may

not need to use online distance education programs; you may want to use the items hereas a guide to develop your own checklist that focuses on the skills required by the

particular distance education program you are offering.

Technology Assessment

To be completed by each designated Project Ideal instructor

1. Do you have a computer at your local program?❑ Yes ❑ No2. Does the computer at your program have Internet access?❑ Yes ❑ No3. Please indicate your knowledge level of each of the computer skills/tasks listed

below. If additional training is needed, indicate that as well.








44

8. Collecting Necessary Information

• Send a warm welcome letter immediately, asking about their current situation,

educational background, goals, email address, and computer experience.

• Friday Progress Reports that they can just check and email back.

• Use the multiple mail system with discretion. Students prefer their anonymity.

Send each email separately unless they know they are part of a class.• Keep a file of individual email correspondence for quick reference

9. Motivation and Encouragement

• Offer certificates for completed sections

• Praise, e-cards, congratulations

• Ask opinions

• Ask for help

• Stay on top of regional happenings for correspondence

10. Handling duplicate responses

• Create a website, community or Word/e-mail document for posting/sendingwebsites, references, duplicate questions, problems on site affecting everyone

11. Educational Expectations

• Response Time: 3 Day Rule

• Work in grammar and spelling gradually

• Continually challenge

• Take them to other sites

• Ask about classes in their area and offer to find an agency near them

• Remind them often why they are doing this

12. Keeping yourself motivated, energized and enthused!




Recruiting Materials

The following pages show examples of recruiting materials developed by some of the

agencies participating in the Pennsylvania distance experiments. They are intended to

provide you with some ideas for designing recruiting materials for your program.

Documents

Handbook of Distance Education for Adult Learners