Plateaued Learners Plateaued Learners Challenges for the Institute for Adult Education at Challenges for the Institute for Adult Education at Holland CollegeHolland College

Dr. Carla DiGiorgioDr. Carla DiGiorgioFaculty of EducationFaculty of EducationUPEIUPEI

April 11, 2008April 11, 2008

ACE’s mandateACE’s mandate

To provide instruction for adult learners To provide instruction for adult learners to obtainto obtain Basic literacyBasic literacy GED preparationGED preparation High school creditsHigh school credits

ACE’s structureACE’s structure

Province wide delivery [12 sites]Province wide delivery [12 sites] Continuous intake/exitContinuous intake/exit Classes run October-May Classes run October-May

What are plateaued What are plateaued learners?learners?

Any learner who has not progressed Any learner who has not progressed within their educational goals in two within their educational goals in two academic years academic years

Learner Characteristics Learner Characteristics

Hard workingHard working MotivatedMotivated DiligentDiligent Punctual with daily Punctual with daily

attendanceattendance Strong advocate for Strong advocate for

their rightstheir rights

Inability to progress Inability to progress academicallyacademically

Unrealistic Unrealistic educational goalseducational goals

Offers ‘excuses’ for Offers ‘excuses’ for lack of achievementlack of achievement

Defensive Defensive

Profile: Jane DoeProfile: Jane Doe

Mid to late 50sMid to late 50s Wants to get her GEDWants to get her GED Has psychological issues in addition to Has psychological issues in addition to

learning issueslearning issues Has worked on her GED for 15 yearsHas worked on her GED for 15 years

Jane’s reasons for not Jane’s reasons for not obtaining the GEDobtaining the GED

Lights were not bright enough in the Lights were not bright enough in the testing roomtesting room

People stared at her while she wrotePeople stared at her while she wrote Was not taught what she needed to knowWas not taught what she needed to know ‘‘people’ didn’t want her to get her GEDpeople’ didn’t want her to get her GED

Profile: John DoeProfile: John Doe

Age early 20sAge early 20s Wants to get into either the police Wants to get into either the police

academy or a carpentry courseacademy or a carpentry course Has been in a Levels learning class for 5 Has been in a Levels learning class for 5

yearsyears Can not master grade 5 mathCan not master grade 5 math

John’s reasons for not John’s reasons for not getting past grade 5 mathgetting past grade 5 math

The tests are too hardThe tests are too hard He doesn’t get enough one on one He doesn’t get enough one on one

attentionattention No one supports his learningNo one supports his learning He doesn’t really need it to do what he He doesn’t really need it to do what he

wants to dowants to do ‘‘people’ don’t want him to achievepeople’ don’t want him to achieve

What challenges do they What challenges do they present?present?

External locus of control: the blame gameExternal locus of control: the blame game Unable to accept their level of abilityUnable to accept their level of ability Unwilling to change their learning goalUnwilling to change their learning goal Continue to work using unsuccessful Continue to work using unsuccessful

strategies strategies

Instructor Fatigue Instructor Fatigue

Supports required outstrip resources Supports required outstrip resources availableavailable

Amount of time invested goes beyond Amount of time invested goes beyond capacitycapacity

Instructors try to find ways to get Instructors try to find ways to get educational and progress messages educational and progress messages acrossacross

Matching goals and Matching goals and abilitiesabilities

How do we match goals and abilities with How do we match goals and abilities with these students? these students? Internal locus of controlInternal locus of control Supports to achieve thisSupports to achieve this Social service network to advocate for these Social service network to advocate for these

learnerslearners

This projectThis project

Helps to identifyHelps to identify What instructors can do to support the What instructors can do to support the

process of problem identificationprocess of problem identification Support learner development of an internal Support learner development of an internal

locus of controllocus of control

Research questionsResearch questions

1. What are the barriers to students with learning 1. What are the barriers to students with learning disabilities/challenges in post-secondary disabilities/challenges in post-secondary programs in PEI?programs in PEI?

2. What successful practices have helped 2. What successful practices have helped students?students?

3. How do educators at community college and 3. How do educators at community college and university view their role as teachers of university view their role as teachers of students with learning challenges?students with learning challenges?

4. What practices might improve the experiences 4. What practices might improve the experiences of students?of students?

Factors affecting post-secondary Factors affecting post-secondary success:success:

level of academic achievement in the school systemlevel of academic achievement in the school system low self-esteem low self-esteem lack of occupational goalslack of occupational goals gendergender ageage literacyliteracy povertypoverty in some cases health issues, including mental health in some cases health issues, including mental health

issues such as anxiety, depressionissues such as anxiety, depression

Leads to…?Leads to…?

negative experiences in school systems negative experiences in school systems lead to lack of confidence in pursuing lead to lack of confidence in pursuing areas of learning which are challenging. areas of learning which are challenging.

students not having realistic students not having realistic understanding of their strengths and understanding of their strengths and weaknesses in pursuing post-secondary weaknesses in pursuing post-secondary programs leads to unrealistic goals (Reiff, programs leads to unrealistic goals (Reiff, 1997). 1997).

Very little research has explored teaching Very little research has explored teaching and other related educational practices and other related educational practices that help adult learners reach their that help adult learners reach their potential in accessing and succeeding in potential in accessing and succeeding in these settings (Butler, 2003; Towler, these settings (Butler, 2003; Towler, Wallace and Smith, 2000). Wallace and Smith, 2000).

Assessment practices and the transition Assessment practices and the transition from secondary school to post-secondary from secondary school to post-secondary need to be improved to allow for better need to be improved to allow for better access for students, and better sharing of access for students, and better sharing of information with students and educators information with students and educators (Ross-Gordon et al, 2003; Goupil et al, (Ross-Gordon et al, 2003; Goupil et al, 2002).2002).

Direct teaching practices, mentoring, Direct teaching practices, mentoring, strategy instruction, and organizational strategy instruction, and organizational skills have been found to help students skills have been found to help students and educators adapt their learning and and educators adapt their learning and teaching to better educate not only those teaching to better educate not only those students with learning disabilities but all students with learning disabilities but all participants in programs (Deford, 2006). participants in programs (Deford, 2006).

Several specific programs exist in Several specific programs exist in American universities which address American universities which address students with learning disabilities, but students with learning disabilities, but these practices need to be available to these practices need to be available to adults in basic education and community adults in basic education and community college settings as well (Covington, 2004).college settings as well (Covington, 2004).

In Canada:In Canada:

Community colleges offer assessment, counselling and Community colleges offer assessment, counselling and accommodations for students with learning difficulties.accommodations for students with learning difficulties.

Associations such as the Learning Disabilities Associations such as the Learning Disabilities Associations in each province advocate for students and Associations in each province advocate for students and inform them of available services and occupational inform them of available services and occupational opportunities. opportunities.

BUT there is a BUT there is a lack of integrationlack of integration between these various between these various systems (Learning Disabilities Association of Canada, systems (Learning Disabilities Association of Canada, 2007). 2007).

StagesStages

1. Interviews with students at Holland 1. Interviews with students at Holland CollegeCollege

2. Interviews with instructors at Holland 2. Interviews with instructors at Holland CollegeCollege

3. Workshops with instructors/students at 3. Workshops with instructors/students at both institutions and at the LD Assoc.both institutions and at the LD Assoc.

4. Develop recommendations and 4. Develop recommendations and disseminate disseminate

Stage 1: InterviewsStage 1: Interviews

Holland College students with LD/ Holland College students with LD/ learning challenges: 7learning challenges: 7

Holland College instructors: 7Holland College instructors: 7 One hour interviewsOne hour interviews Open-ended questionsOpen-ended questions

InterviewsInterviews

1. For students: what are the positive and 1. For students: what are the positive and negative experiences you have had as a negative experiences you have had as a person with a learning challenge? person with a learning challenge?

2. For instructors: What is it like to have a 2. For instructors: What is it like to have a student with learning challenges in your student with learning challenges in your class? How have you adapted your class? How have you adapted your teaching for this?teaching for this?

Community College Community College studentsstudents

Life experienceLife experience Gender, familyGender, family DeterminationDetermination Lack of identification of LDLack of identification of LD Negative experience of schoolNegative experience of school Plans for futurePlans for future Need for supportNeed for support Health including mental health issuesHealth including mental health issues Large range of abilities and motives Large range of abilities and motives

Community college Community college instructorsinstructors

Plateaued learnersPlateaued learners Goals and abilitiesGoals and abilities Curriculum vs. peopleCurriculum vs. people Variety of programsVariety of programs Easy accessEasy access Limits to time in programLimits to time in program Self-paced learningSelf-paced learning Gender of teachersGender of teachers

Themes and questionsThemes and questions

OwnershipOwnership StigmaStigma Assessment servicesAssessment services School experienceSchool experience Role of the community collegeRole of the community college Outside influencesOutside influences Future opportunitiesFuture opportunities Carryover into next generationsCarryover into next generations

RecommendationsRecommendations

Earlier assessment and identification in Earlier assessment and identification in schoolsschools

Connection between parents and childrenConnection between parents and children Integration of education and health, community Integration of education and health, community

care and supportcare and support More technological supportMore technological support Closer look at teaching and personal supportCloser look at teaching and personal support Length of time in program; economic supportLength of time in program; economic support Transitioning to lifeTransitioning to life Opportunities to support othersOpportunities to support others

LimitationsLimitations

Time for studyTime for study Range of students and Range of students and

instructors/programsinstructors/programs Differences between university and Differences between university and

community college programscommunity college programs LD vs. learning difficultiesLD vs. learning difficulties Gender in community collegeGender in community college

Further info and Further info and participationparticipation

Carla DiGiorgioCarla DiGiorgio 566-0365566-0365

cdigiorgio@upei.cacdigiorgio@upei.ca