1. Develop common definition for D.E. 2. Review AE research related to learner intensity. 3. Identify barrier of D.E. and the necessary steps for implementation. 4. Identify tools for implementing effective D.E. program.

Circle Up

Who are you and why are you here?

Distance Education Distance Education—Formal learning activity where student and instructors are separated by geography, time or both for the majority of the instructional period. What thoughts or questions arise from this definition? DWD Distance Education Policy

Learner Persistence Study, NCSALL (2004)6 Intensity The data tells us we need: ◦ intensity (hours/month) and ◦ duration (months/year) for many adults learners to succeed.

7 Program Improvement When programs improved services, ◦ Months of engagement did not increase but hours of participation did. Learner Persistence Study Comings et al., 2004

Hours of Instruction How important are hours of instruction?

Indiana EGR 11 Data

The longer it takes, the more life gets in the way of success. From: “Time is the Enemy” Complete College America (September, 2011)

Time is the Enemy

Time is the Enemy cont.

Hours of Instruction Do you place an equal value on classroom time versus distance learning time? Why or Why Not?

McLendon and Polis Why is persistence so important? GLE Increase EFL Gains Duration and Intensity Duration and Intensity Another gain after 250 – 300 hours 75 percent chance of making a 1+ GLE increase at 150 hours 100 hours required for a 1 GLE increase Learner Persistence Study, NCSALL (2004)

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE? It depends on:  Your starting point.  Your ability to focus on the prize. (How engaged you are when attending or studying.)  Your intensity. (The hours of time you devote towards learning.)  Your persistence. (How well you navigate the barriers that are a part of life.)

McLendon and Polis Why is persistence so important? GLE Increase EFL Gains Duration and Intensity Duration and Intensity Another gain after 250 – 300 hours 75 percent chance of making a 1+ GLE increase at 150 hours 100 hours required for a 1 GLE increase Learner Persistence Study, NCSALL (2004)

What is your standard reply to the question: How Long Will It Take? What impact might it have if you could provide each student with a projected date, based on their intensity, that he/she would be test ready? Questions for Discussion

Hyperlink to excel file. How long will it take to get my GED or High School Equivalency?

Distance Education Necessary Steps to Success Identify goals Manage time Become part of a team Develop technology skills ◦ MS Excel ◦ ◦ Word Processing ◦ Web Browsing ◦ Online Learning Resources

McLendon and Polis21 Indicators of Persistence Which of these do you think characterize the “persistors” in the NCSALL (2004) study? ◦ Gender ◦ Immigrant status ◦ Age of children ◦ Employment status ◦ Working hours ◦ Goal ◦ Negative school experience ◦ Parent’s education ◦ Involvement in previous training ◦ Single parent status Identify Goals Identify Goals

Address (for everyone) ◦ Required for most job applications ◦ Need to check and use  Gather addresses of friends and family  Share their address with others ◦ Develop skills  Composing  Replying  Forwarding  CC:ing, BC:ing  Managing

cont. Planned and Intentional Use of ◦ Daily 1.Use learning activities that require a reply. 2.Expand the student’s contact list. ◦ Weekly Summaries or Celebrations ◦ Shared documents  Writing activities (add links)  Educational videos (add links) Group ◦ Create an support team. ◦ Provide group learning activities.

Web Browsing Resource How to Be a Good Online Learner The Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center Becoming More Web Search Savvy Barbara Schloman x )

Online Learning Resources ITTS Achieve Open Book Kahn Academy Purdue OWL YouTube Others…

Kahn Academy Whole class progress summary Individual progress reports Track daily activity  Verify exact total time spent on the site  See exercises worked on and videos watched Check skill and topic area mastery  Shows total problems worked and number correct  Details which specific problems were incorrect  Records how much time spent on each problem  Add assignments Students set their own learning goals

Purdue OWL The Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University houses writing resources and instructional material. Students, members of the community, and users worldwide will find information to assist with many writing projects. Teachers and trainers may use this material for in-class and out-of-class instruction.

Final Reflection Think about one thing that you learned in this session that will have the greatest impact as a back home application.

1. Develop common definition for D.E. 2. Review AE research related to learner intensity. 3. Identify barrier of D.E. and the necessary steps for implementation. 4. Identify tools for implementing effective D.E. program.

Kevin W. Hunter Adult Educator