Inge De Meyer - 31/10/2006Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences – Department of Teaching sciences

What works in Innovation in Education“Improving teaching and learning for Adults with Basic Skill

Needs through Formative Assessment”

2nd National Experts meeting

Paris, October 2006

- Flemish reflections ~ theme 1 : Empowering Learners and Communities -

Inge De Meyer - 31/10/2006Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences – Department of Teaching sciences

Theme 1: empowering learners and Communities

How are adult LLN programme objectives for teaching and learning linked to broader community

goals for integration/social inclusion, civic participation and employment? How do instructors use formative assessment approaches to address

these larger goals?

Inge De Meyer - 31/10/2006Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences – Department of Teaching sciences

Better Administrative Policy (January 1st 2006):

• 13 policy domains, three of which have a responsibility for training‣ Education and training‣ Work and social economy‣ Culture, youth, sports and media

• cooperation between the domains embedded at the level of‣ Policy decisions (Ministerial Committee on Education and Training)‣ Policy making (interdepartmental steering group)‣ Policy implementation (DIVA – Training and Alignment Information

Centre)

Inge De Meyer - 31/10/2006Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences – Department of Teaching sciences

Major objectives of the integrated education and training policy:

• stimulating lifelong and life wide learning

• strengthening the connection between education and training from the one hand and the labour market from the other hand:

‣Valorisation of competencies;‣Alignment between changing demands of competencies in the

professional world and the education and training provision;‣Possibility to gain relevant work experience;‣Etc.

Inge De Meyer - 31/10/2006Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences – Department of Teaching sciences

Adult basic education: mathematics learning trajectory

Math competencies ~ labour market demands

Inge De Meyer - 31/10/2006Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences – Department of Teaching sciences

Adult basic education: module BEWIS 07

• (standard) final goals:‣Students can compute the circumference and surface area of a circle;‣Students understand the concept “promille” (‰); ‣Students can read, note down and compute the square root of natural

numbers.

• key competencies:‣Students can solve a maths problem by switching from a specific real-

life situation to a mathematical design and vice versa;‣Students can assess their results and performances and will use

alternative learning strategies to improve their learning and achievement.

Inge De Meyer - 31/10/2006Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences – Department of Teaching sciences

Adult basic education: module BEWIS 07

• (optional) final goals ~ specific professional demands:‣Students understand the concepts “random surveys”, sample size,

frequencies and know how to construct a histogram;‣Students can draw a curve; ‣While drawing or computing angles and distances, students use the

Pythagorean theorem and the geometric proportions in right-angled triangles;‣Etc.

Inge De Meyer - 31/10/2006Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences – Department of Teaching sciences

Adult basic education: learning trajectory ~ “Dutch as a second language” modules

Inge De Meyer - 31/10/2006Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences – Department of Teaching sciences

NT2-course = part of an integration programme

NT2-course ≠ part of an integration programme

Level 1 (Breakthrough) BENT2 01 BENT2 04

BENT2 02 BENT2 05

BENT2 03 BENT2 06

BENT2 07

Level 2 (Waystage) BENT2 08

BENT2 09

BENT2 10

Inge De Meyer - 31/10/2006Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences – Department of Teaching sciences

Adult basic education: learning trajectory ~ “Dutch as a second language” modules

• final goals ~ breakthrough level (= “elementary” level):‣Students can have a social talk with strangers;‣Students can write a little note or a picture postcard.

• final goals ~ waystage level (= “survival” level):‣Students can formulate a complaint, opinion or problem in a structured

manner;‣Students can relay information in a (semi-formal) letter, invitation or

description.

Inge De Meyer - 31/10/2006Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences – Department of Teaching sciences

Inge De Meyer - 31/10/2006Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences – Department of Teaching sciences

Theme 1: empowering learners and Communities

What are the most important learning and personal outcomes in meeting goals for empowerment of

individual learners? Do instructors use formative assessment as a deliberate strategy in working

towards these outcomes?

Inge De Meyer - 31/10/2006Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences – Department of Teaching sciences

Outcomes embedded in the centres for basic education’s assignment:

• address students’ personal (educational) deficits and needs;• improve students’ self-reliance;• improve students’ employability;• improve students’ educational skills.

Learn students the basic knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to fully participate in society or to follow further education

Inge De Meyer - 31/10/2006Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences – Department of Teaching sciences

2000: 208 adult basic education (ex-)students were questioned ~ their experiences with adult basic education

Results ~ outcomes of adult basic education:

• 55% reported large or very large benefits ~ self-reliance and life skills;

• 73% agreed adult basic education met his/her (educational) needs;

• less than 50% reported effects on their work situation;

• 30% considered adult basic education had effect on his/her educational skills or attitude towards life long learning.

Inge De Meyer - 31/10/2006Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences – Department of Teaching sciences

2000: inspection of 6 centres for adult basic education

Results ~ outcomes of their education:

“The centres perfectly respond to their students’ personal (educational) needs and focus on the improvement of their students’ coping abilities and self-image. On the other hand, they don’t sufficiently stimulate their students’ professional employability or his/her educational skills and attitudes towards lifelong learning.”