Equipped for the Future:
Tales
from the Field
by Frank Smith,
Instructional Resources Coordinator,
Northwest Regional Literacy Resource Center
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Equipped for the
Future (EFF) is "a customer-driven,
standards-based reform process" for adult
education. But what does that mean to the
average adult basic skills instructor in the
Northwest? In this issue of the Regional
Resource Roundup, we'll try to provide some
answers to that question with input from
teachers who are familiar with EFF and have some
ideas on how it can fit into the larger context
of what we do every day in our classrooms. If
you'd like to read more about EFF from those who
are putting it together, see the references at
the end of this brief overview.
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The EFF process was begun in 1993 by the National
Institute for Literacy. Above all, EFF is an attempt to
develop a framework for accountability in adult
education. EFF is designed to enable what goes on in the
adult basic skills classroom to be analyzed in terms that
reflect the desires and needs of adult learners and to
accurately measure what is really being taught. And just
as importantly, this analysis is meant to be presented in
a language that makes sense to students, funders,
policymakers and the community at large.
In the beginning, the EFF
developers conducted a survey of adult learners in the
US, in order to build the whole process "from the ground
up." From that survey, it was determined that there are
four fundamental purposes (the official EFF terms for
these are in bold) for adult learning in this
country:
- Obtaining access to
information in order to better orient oneself in the
world
- Acquiring the ability
to express one's ideas and opinions in a manner that
will be understood and respected (voice)
- Acquiring the ability
to independently solve problems and make informed
decisions in life (independent action)
- Learning how to
continue to learn on one's own in order to be prepared
for the future in a rapidly changing world (bridge to
the future)
To many of you, this
approach already has the familiar ring of a
competency-based approach to instruction (and, of course,
assessment). But EFF intends to do more than simply break
basic skills learning down into manageable units or
specific competencies needed by adults to function in the
world-an approach proven effective in encouraging adults
to learn more by showing them tangible success each step
of the way. EFF also focuses on how these individual
competencies fit into a larger picture of adult life
called "role competence."
EFF conceives of three
primary roles that adults serve in society:
- Parent/Family
member
- Citizen/Community
Member
- Worker
The next step in EFF
then, building on the conceptual framework above (which
was devised based on the initial survey of adult
learners), is to develop content and performance
standards for instruction/ assessment. These standards
will describe clear, measurable objectives that describe
the knowledge and skills adults need to be effective in
specific adult situations which comprise the three roles.
Basic skills programs in
12 states are already working with EFF as "development
partners," testing and refining the framework described
above, using it to inform actual classroom instruction
and assessment. And because EFF has been learner-centered
from its inception, it should come as no surprise that
adult learners themselves are just as important as
instructors in this refinement process, just as their
input is (and should be) crucial for the everyday
planning of their learning process.
Because none of this
development is currently taking place in the Northwest
region, we've gone to teachers experienced in this
process in other states for some of their opinions and
experiences, to help give you a clearer picture of what
all this can mean for your classroom.
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E-mail addresses
for the authors of each of the articles in this
newsletter are included following the article;
please feel free to contact them with any
questions you might have about their experience
with EFF. If you'd like to know more about the
future of EFF in your state, you can contact the
following people:
In
Idaho: Shirley
Spencer, Director of Adult Basic Education,
State Dept. of Education, (208) 332-6933 e-mail:
stspence@sde.state.id.us
In
Oregon:
Agnes Precure, Staff Development and Curriculum
Specialist, Office of Community College Services
(503) 378-8648 ext. 372 e-mail: agnes.precure@occs.state.or.us
In
Washington:
Brian Kanes, Basic Skills Programs
Administrator, Office of Adult Literacy (360)
664-0507 e-mail: bkanes@sbctc.ctc.edu
In
Wyoming: Diana
Stithem, Wyoming Literacy Resource Center (307)
766-3970 e-mail: dstithem@uwyo.edu
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