NLA Discussion: EFF and assessment

[Mary Beth Bingman]

"You are activated, proud of it."  This is how one Tennessean talked about
the outcomes of participation in adult literacy programs from her
experience.  The Center for Literacy Studies as part of our work as a NCSALL
partner is addressing some of the assessment issues George raised in his
Sunday message. We are interviewing people about their lives including their
adult education experiences and about how they see their lives as having
changed because of these experiences. From these narratives we are learning
about how these people at least, assess the outcomes of their participation.

We are also beginning action research with ABE programs that have used the
EFF framework. We hope to determine ways that programs can document and
report outcomes that go beyond grade levels and what the new legislation
calls "unsubsidized employment."  We want to figure out ways to capture a
broad range of outcomes beginning with what learners hope for from their
participation. But we also want to include the outcome goals of programs
(and funders) and look at the outcomes that make differences in communities
as well as individual lives. A challenge.

Beth Bingman
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Beth Bingman
Center for Literacy Studies
600 Henley, Suite 312
Knoxville, TN 37996
(423) 974-4109  FAX 974-3857
Bingman at utk.edu

CLS is a partner in the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and
Literacy and in the Equipped for the Future Initiative