- Multiple entry points are needed so that adults with skills gaps and lower levels of education can enroll in career pathways classes. Providers should consider what entry requirements are needed for students to understand the course material, complete the program, and prepare for postsecondary education or employment. Similarly, programs should track how entry-level students are advancing through the course sequence, from ESL, ABE, or GED® classes to occupational or career and technical education (CTE) classes.
- Programs should ensure that counselors, coaches, case workers, and other support staff have manageable caseloads. Funders and policy makers should consider increasing the funding for support services that address students’ non-academic concerns. These supports should help increase persistence and program completion.
- For careeer pathways to be effective, organizations need measures that capture interim outcomes toward longer-term goals such as completing a degree or obtaining a job. Interim outcomes are especially important for showing the achievements of students with greater barriers to education or employment. Policymakers and funders should support the development and use of interim outcome measures.
- To minimize problems such as gaps in services, duplication, and competition for students, funders and policy makers should support the creation of groups, events, or initiatives that help career pathways providers coordinate their efforts. Funders and policy makers can play a key role in helping workforce and adult education entities collaborate in providing career pathways programs.
- determine whether we are pushing our students to produce the most rigorous, level-appropriate language and thinking possible;
- identify challenges to students’ learning;
- plan instruction to address and assess the most relevant standards; and
- plan for scaffolding and other supports to better meet our students’ needs.
- Analyze and reflect on instructional tasks through the process of identifying the relevant disciplinary practices and ELP Standards
- Understand the what, why, and how of utilizing the ELP Standards in planning and instruction
- Download and print the module’s resources (which appear in the Resources tab beginning on slide 4) before you begin the training.
- Please turn off pop-up blockers in your browser for this module.
- Use the following instructions for navigating through this module using your keyboard and using JAWS assistive technology:
- Use the Tab key to move forward through each screen’s content. Press Shift + Tab to move backwards. A box surrounds the object that is currently selected.
- To select the skip navigation button and the navigation buttons that appear at the bottom of the screen (Play, Pause, Forward, Back, Volume, Closed Captions and Exit buttons), use the spacebar key.
- Press Shift + Enter to select a navigation button at the top of the screen or a hyperlink.
- For closed captioning select the cc button.
- What process can adult educators follow to understand the content knowledge, analytical skills, and language demands of an instructional task?
- What does task analysis reveal about the demands of instructional tasks in relation to academic content standards and language use?
- Determine whether we are challenging students to produce the most rigorous, level-appropriate, standards-aligned activities;
- Identify roadblocks to students’ understanding; and
- Plan for scaffolding and supports to better meet our students’ needs.
- Understand the value of a task analysis process that examines what adult English Language Learners (ELLs) need to know and do around content knowledge, analytical skills, and language use to accomplish an instructional task; and.
- Use a task analysis process to analyze and reflect on instructional tasks for various levels and content areas.
- Download and print the module’s resources (which appear in the Resources tab beginning on slide 4) before you begin the training.
- Please turn off pop-up blockers in your browser for this module.
- Use the following instructions for navigating through this module using your keyboard and using JAWS assistive technology:
-
- Use the Tab key to move forward through each screen’s content. Press Shift + Tab to move backwards. A box surrounds the object that is currently selected.
- To select the skip navigation button and the navigation buttons that appear at the bottom of the screen (Play, Pause, Forward, Back, Volume, Closed Captions and Exit buttons), use the spacebar key.
- Press Shift + Enter to select a navigation button at the top of the screen or a hyperlink.
- For closed captioning select the “cc” button.
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Abstract:
This toolkit contains tutorials, templates and sample lessons that help adult educators create documents that use hypertext to help students learn key concepts independently.
This website is a collection of resources aimed at helping adult educators create and use HyperDocs in their courses. HyperDocs are digital documents that use hypertext to link students to online content that guides and deepens their understanding of important concepts. The goal of HyperDocs is to provide students with a single document that allows them to direct their own learning while under the guidance of an instructor that serves as a facilitator.
The site includes how-to instructional videos, documents and templates for creating HyperDocs, as well as sample lessons in reading and writing; math; social studies; English as a second language and family literacy; career and college readiness; and digital literacy. There are also professional development materials that can be used independently by instructors or as part of a professional development program. A discussion board is provided for adult educators to share their thoughts, ideas, suggestions, questions and struggles about using HyperDocs in their classrooms.
What the experts say
HyperDocs are a tool for teachers who want to guide their students to resources and websites in the cloud as opposed to just sending them out on their own to search for something relevant to the lesson. With one HyperDoc, students have all the information they’ll need to complete their lesson at any time or place because they're accessible online.
HyperDocs are also a tool for substitute teachers because it keeps students on task without upsetting the flow of the topics/lessons being learned. They can be also used for Professional Development, new teacher orientation, and guided practice on digital literacy.
HyperDocs for Adult Educators is an innovative resource providing a user-friendly method for students to learn how to create hypertext instructional materials. The format is interesting in that it breaks down and simplifies the website to streamline the process of mastering each function. This feature is especially useful for adult educators—and their students—as the integration of technology into their learning environment is often challenging for them.
A brief history of Inquiry-Based Instruction would have helped users establish a knowledge base users upon which to build future learning. Although the author references some research on multi-modal instruction and Inquiry-Based learning, users must access that research on their own. Users will also note that the HyperDoc Girls video on the front page is unavailable for viewing.
Resource Notice
This site includes links to information created by other public and private organizations. These links are provided for the user’s convenience. The U.S. Department of Education does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this non-ED information. The inclusion of these links is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse views expressed, or products or services offered, on these non-ED sites.
Please note that privacy policies on non-ED sites may differ from ED’s privacy policy. When you visit lincs.ed.gov, no personal information is collected unless you choose to provide that information to us. We do not give, share, sell, or transfer any personal information to a third party. We recommend that you read the privacy policy of non-ED websites that you visit. We invite you to read our privacy policy.
Publication Year
2018
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Abstract:
The ESOL Tutor Resource Pack includes resources for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) tutors to use with learners who are in prison or who have had recent experience with the criminal justice system.
Developed in the United Kingdom, this pack includes resources for ESOL tutors to use with learners who are in prison or who have had recent experience with the criminal justice system. It is based on the principles of the Learning and Work Institute’s Citizens’ Curriculum model, which promote flexible, local programs of study that are co-designed with learners and cover an interlinked set of skills and capabilities.
These resources cover three topics: civics, financial literacy and health literacy. Each topic consists of six ‘units’, each of which provides enough material for a three-hour ESOL class or session. The resources can be used to support the delivery of accredited learning leading to Skills for Life ESOL or Functional Skills English qualifications. They are mapped to the Adult ESOL Core Curriculum.
Each unit includes a set of tutor notes that provide a suggested approach, ideas for differentiation and learner involvement, and possible extension activities. They also include stimulus materials for tutors to use in these activities. The tutor notes are not meant to be prescriptive – they are only intended as guidance.
What the experts say
This is a fantastic resource for ESOL programs in correctional settings. There is great need in the field for tutor training materials and this resource is a valuable tool. American correctional facilities have significant populations of non-English speaking or English as a Second Langauge (ESL) students. Educational programs usually try to accommodate these learners by assigning bilingual inmate tutors, but there is usually little to no tutor training. This resource, though very basic, is a great introduction for tutors.
It is also a highly useful and relevant resource for general adult basic education instructors. It contains content appropriate to young adult and adult learners both in and beyond incarceration settings, contains generous resource links as well as material to be used in classroom settings. Participatory educators will be grateful to add this content to their repertoire; those newer to participatory processes are supported by clear explanations, examples of classroom activities, and processes and strategies that ensure the usefulness of this resources as well as its potential for adaptation and expansion.
Resource Notice
This site includes links to information created by other public and private organizations. These links are provided for the user’s convenience. The U.S. Department of Education does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this non-ED information. The inclusion of these links is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse views expressed, or products or services offered, on these non-ED sites.
Please note that privacy policies on non-ED sites may differ from ED’s privacy policy. When you visit lincs.ed.gov, no personal information is collected unless you choose to provide that information to us. We do not give, share, sell, or transfer any personal information to a third party. We recommend that you read the privacy policy of non-ED websites that you visit. We invite you to read our privacy policy.
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Publication Year
2018
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Abstract:
This report presents findings from a research project that examines how adult education providers in three cities designed and implemented career pathways programming for adults who are immigrants or have barriers to employment and education.
This research project examined how adult education providers in Chicago, Houston, and Miami designed and implemented career pathways programming, especially for adults who are immigrants or have barriers to employment and education. The project consisted of three research phases: (1) a survey of all known adult basic education providers (ABE) in the three cities, (2) focus groups with adult education providers in those cities, and (3) case studies of six programs (two per city). The authors offer the following implications based on the findings.
What the experts say
This research provides critical insights into ways that community literacy providers, adult schools, community colleges, skill trainers, workforce development, and human service providers can find their place in developing a career pathway system that is responsive to all adult learners. Adult education programs will find the report useful in developing comprehensive strategic plans and operational pathways for individuals with barriers to employment.
Providers will find a wealth of information about the challenges ABE providers face when adding career pathways to their offerings and promising responses. For example, supportive services are a core element of career pathways but often are not part of the adult education mix of services. The IES research identified two models – bundled and voluntary. They found two national bundled models, the Center for Working Families, and the Financial Opportunity Center. Both bundled models require participation in two or more integrated support services, including financial coaching, employment coaching, and/or access to income supports. Voluntary models, on the other hand, give students access to one or more services, but participation is voluntary, and rarely offer financial literacy or counseling.
Another example is access for lower-skilled students and students with barriers to employment. The IES survey data showed that there are minimum test score, language, or other entry requirements for more than one-half of all the career pathways services or classes in their research. The case studies confirm that overall, lower-level students had less access to career pathways programs. The researchers did identify some promising models for addressing these barriers for lower-skilled students. For example, a Miami-based provider, Lindsey Hopkins Technical College, had, “per Florida state policy, an exit requirement for all but one of its CTE courses. This model enabled lower-level students to enroll and then demonstrate their academic or practice-based competence – a minimum TABE score or industry certifications, respectively – upon program completion.”
Resource Notice
This site includes links to information created by other public and private organizations. These links are provided for the user’s convenience. The U.S. Department of Education does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this non-ED information. The inclusion of these links is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse views expressed, or products or services offered, on these non-ED sites.
Please note that privacy policies on non-ED sites may differ from ED’s privacy policy. When you visit lincs.ed.gov, no personal information is collected unless you choose to provide that information to us. We do not give, share, sell, or transfer any personal information to a third party. We recommend that you read the privacy policy of non-ED websites that you visit. We invite you to read our privacy policy.
Publication Year
2018
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Abstract:
This module digs deeper into the English Language Proficiency Standards using the last two steps in the four-step task analysis process that was introduced in Analyzing Student Tasks in Relation to Content Demands, Thinking Skills, and Language Use - Module Two.
“Digging Deeper Into the English Language Proficiency Standards for Adult Education,” is the third in a three-part series professional development modules about the English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standards for Adult Education. The training is intended for instructors, instructional leaders, program administrators, and professional development providers.
Module Three engages users in the last two steps of the task analysis process. Steps three and four help us to better understand which of the core disciplinary practices and ELP standards are relevant to certain instructional tasks—and to instructional practices. This training answers the question: How does the task analysis process support educators’ understanding and integration of the ELP Standards during their own planning and instruction?
Benefits and Uses
There are several benefits of engaging in task analysis. The process helps us to
Required Training
Completion of Modules One and Two, and an understanding of your state’s academic content standards.
Resource Notice
This site includes links to information created by other public and private organizations. These links are provided for the user’s convenience. The U.S. Department of Education does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this non-ED information. The inclusion of these links is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse views expressed, or products or services offered, on these non-ED sites.
Please note that privacy policies on non-ED sites may differ from ED’s privacy policy. When you visit lincs.ed.gov, no personal information is collected unless you choose to provide that information to us. We do not give, share, sell, or transfer any personal information to a third party. We recommend that you read the privacy policy of non-ED websites that you visit. We invite you to read our privacy policy.
Publication Year
2018
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Abstract:
An evaluation of the two-year Transition to College and Careers demonstration project, which addressed academic and non-academic barriers to college for adult learners in six adult education centers across New England.
Transition to College and Careers (TCC) was a two-year demonstration project that addressed the academic and non-academic barriers to college experienced by many adult learners. The programs were designed to foster college and career readiness skills in four areas: personal readiness, career readiness, academic readiness, and college readiness and knowledge. One innovative program feature was an online "Introduction to Health Science" course that students from all programs took as a cohort.
Of the 397 adult learners who enrolled in one of the six participating TCC programs, 66% completed the progam, 69% attained college level reading skills, and a majority enrolled in college afterwards. Participants reported that the main reasons for non-completion of the program were a lack of reliable transportation and health issues. These findings support a program design that emphasizes students’ personal readiness, math, online learning, pro-active counseling and advising, and engagement with career centers and employers.
This article appears in an issue of the COABE journal. This article begins on page 4.
What the experts say
The ideas in this article will be helpful to ABE programs and colleges in designing or evaluating college transition or bridge programs. It describes a holistic college transitions project that considers academic readiness as one of the components for success along with personal readiness, career readiness, and college readiness and knowledge. The key elements for student success are laid out with the importance of each component and strategy clearly described. Project findings identify elements that promote student success and provide concrete suggestions for building or evaluating a college transitions program as well as challenges to be overcome. Consequently, the article could be used as a blueprint or discussion points by a staff, advisory board, or planning committee.
Resource Notice
This site includes links to information created by other public and private organizations. These links are provided for the user’s convenience. The U.S. Department of Education does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this non-ED information. The inclusion of these links is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse views expressed, or products or services offered, on these non-ED sites.
Please note that privacy policies on non-ED sites may differ from ED’s privacy policy. When you visit lincs.ed.gov, no personal information is collected unless you choose to provide that information to us. We do not give, share, sell, or transfer any personal information to a third party. We recommend that you read the privacy policy of non-ED websites that you visit. We invite you to read our privacy policy.
Publication Year
2018
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Abstract:
This module focuses on the task analysis process in relation to content demands, thinking skills, and language use.
“Analyzing Student Tasks in Relation to Content Demands, Thinking Skills, and Language Use” is the second in a three-part series of professional development modules about the English Language Proficiency (ELP) Standards for Adult Education. This training is intended for instructors, instructional leaders, administrators, and professional development providers who are learning to use the new ELP standards.
Module Two introduces the first two steps in a task analysis process. The content of the training responds to the following questions:
Benefits and Uses
In order to successfully complete an instructional task (or activity), our English language learners (ELLs) must demonstrate certain content knowledge, analytical skills, and language use. In analyzing an instructional task, instructors determine what students need to know and be able to do with regard to these three components (or lens). Analyzing a task through these three lenses helps us to focus on all the various cognitive demands placed on students as they tackle an instructional task or project.
Task analysis helps us think more deeply about the structure and demands of an instructional task for ELLs—especially tasks we did not create ourselves. The task analysis process allows us to:
Required Training
Completion of Module One: Introduction to the English Language Proficiency Standards for Adult Education; an understanding of your state-adopted academic content standards.
Resource Notice
This site includes links to information created by other public and private organizations. These links are provided for the user’s convenience. The U.S. Department of Education does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this non-ED information. The inclusion of these links is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse views expressed, or products or services offered, on these non-ED sites.
Please note that privacy policies on non-ED sites may differ from ED’s privacy policy. When you visit lincs.ed.gov, no personal information is collected unless you choose to provide that information to us. We do not give, share, sell, or transfer any personal information to a third party. We recommend that you read the privacy policy of non-ED websites that you visit. We invite you to read our privacy policy.
Publication Year
2018
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Abstract:
This First Look report from the National Center for Education Statistics provides selected key findings on adults' attainment of nondegree credentials (licenses, certifications, and postsecondary certificates), and their completion of work experience programs such as apprenticeships and internships.
This report presents data on adults’ training and education in the United States as of 2016. The report focuses on nondegree credentials and work experience programs. Nondegree credentials include two types of work credentials—certifications and licenses—and postsecondary educational certificates. Work experience programs include internships, co-ops, practicums, clerkships, externships, residencies, clinical experiences, apprenticeships, and similar programs. Characteristics of the adults who earn these credentials and complete these programs are also presented, including sex, race/ethnicity, age, level of education, labor force and employment status, earnings, job sector, and occupational field.
Readers are cautioned not to draw causal inferences based on the results presented. It is important to note that many of the variables examined in the report may be related to one another, and complex interactions and relationships among the variables have not been explored. The variables examined are just a few of the variables that can be examined in these data; they were selected to demonstrate the range of information available from the study. The release of the report is intended to encourage more in-depth analysis of the data using more sophisticated statistical methods.
This report (NCES 2017-103rev) is revised from an earlier version (NCES 2017-103) that was released in September 2017. This updated version corrects an error in the row header for occupational field in tables 1, 2, and 5 to specify that estimates are among adults who were ever employed. All estimates presented in the report remain unchanged.
The appendices include technical notes, glossary, and standard error tables.
Benefits and Uses
This report provides policymakers with information about the prevalence of nondegree work credentials, the type of work they are for, the perceptions of the usefulness of these credentials in the labor market, and the role of postsecondary education programs in preparing adults for these credentials. It also provides policymakers with information about the characteristics of participants in these programs. The descriptive statistics direct researchers toward potentially useful lines of inquiry.
Resource Notice
This site includes links to information created by other public and private organizations. These links are provided for the user’s convenience. The U.S. Department of Education does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this non-ED information. The inclusion of these links is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse views expressed, or products or services offered, on these non-ED sites.
Please note that privacy policies on non-ED sites may differ from ED’s privacy policy. When you visit lincs.ed.gov, no personal information is collected unless you choose to provide that information to us. We do not give, share, sell, or transfer any personal information to a third party. We recommend that you read the privacy policy of non-ED websites that you visit. We invite you to read our privacy policy.
Publication Year
2018
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Abstract:
This report presents the results of a systematic examination of rigorous evaluation studies to determine what is known about the impact of career pathways on adults seeking to attain a living-wage career.
A limited but growing body of rigorous evaluation studies examines how career pathways influence student success. Based on experimental or quasi-experimental studies, this growing body of results shows that career pathway participants are employed and retained in employment at higher rates and attain higher wages and annual earnings than students with similar characteristics who enroll in training that does not use a career pathway approach. They also earn entry-level credentials and gain basic skills at higher rates than the comparison group. The results make a case for scaling career pathways to reach many more adult learners. Persuasive evidence shows that well-designed career pathways can improve academic, employment, and income outcomes for adults.
Descriptive Research
Simple Descriptive
What the experts say
This is a well-written and concise review of rigorous research in the adult education career pathway field. The findings and recommendations are positive, and in general, validate existing best practice knowledge/research about successful implementation of career pathway programming. Together they provide a big picture, systems change framework for adult education stakeholders in their pathways implementation and scaling considerations.
The authors provide a unique and simplified model for understanding career pathway outcomes. These outcomes are grouped into three categories: Pathway Entry, Integrated Training, and Career Progression. For each of the outcome areas, results are synthesized from career pathway studies into results linked to pathway implementation and results linked to impact on the participants. Adult educators will find these implementation and impact results enlightening as there are many positive results noted as well as some results that show null or negative impacts of career pathway implementation. Adult educators and policy makers will find the recommendations with regard to practice and policy useful as these recommendations are evidence-based and flow logically from the synthesis of multiple, credible career pathway studies/evaluations.
Although the study recommendations are practical and insightful, they lack embellishment with regard to a description or link to specific best practices (i.e., concrete examples) that could give the reader insight into actualizing the recommendations.
Resource Notice
This site includes links to information created by other public and private organizations. These links are provided for the user’s convenience. The U.S. Department of Education does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this non-ED information. The inclusion of these links is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse views expressed, or products or services offered, on these non-ED sites.
Please note that privacy policies on non-ED sites may differ from ED’s privacy policy. When you visit lincs.ed.gov, no personal information is collected unless you choose to provide that information to us. We do not give, share, sell, or transfer any personal information to a third party. We recommend that you read the privacy policy of non-ED websites that you visit. We invite you to read our privacy policy.
Publication Year
2019