Indicators of Program Quality

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Indicators of Program Quality

• ALECC Module 7

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QUALITY

• How do we define it?

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Todays Agenda

• Insert Time Registration Coffee
• Insert Time Workshop Start-Up
• Insert Time Mid-Workshop Break
• Insert Time Workshop End Time

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The Ten Ks of the Professional Adult Educator

• 1. Knowledge of self as a learner
• 2. Knowledge of how adults learn
• 3. Knowledge of adult learning theories
• 4. Knowledge of Literacy Numeracy
• 5. Knowledge of Language Communication

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The Ten Ks of the Professional Adult Educator

• 6. Knowledge of standards content, performance,
  program
• 7. Knowledge of science-based research
  evidence-based practice
• 8. Knowledge of diversity
• 9. Knowledge of standardized assessment
• 10. Knowledge of NYSEDs P-16 Action Plan

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The Five Themes for Today

• Standards Data
• Regents P-16 Action Plan
• Kirkpatrick Four-Level Program Evaluation Model
• Indicators of Program Quality
• Personal Professional Development Plan

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Todays Activities

• Standards Data
• Regents P-16 Action Plan
• Kirkpatrick Four-Level Program Evaluation Model
• Indicators of Program Quality
• Personal Professional Development Plan

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A Rapid Review of Standards Data

• Content standards
• Performance standards
• Program Standards
• Standardized Assessment
• New York State Learning Standards
• Qualitative Data
• Quantitative Data
• NRS Data
• ALIES/ASISTS Data

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Some Indicators of Best Practice

• Staff-to-student ratios
• Intensity duration of instruction
• Managed enrollment
• Class levels
• Non-threatening learning environment
• Promote active learning
• Organized curriculum
• Range of instructional approaches

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More Indicators of Best Practice

• Relevant and meaningful to adult students life
  contexts
• Evaluating progress
• Monitoring persistence
• Students self-efficacy
• Educational and personal counseling
• Students need for support services

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Reflect on the following

• Not everything that can be counted counts, and
  not everything that counts can be counted.
• - Albert Einstein

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Reflect on the following

• People of all ages who seek more knowledge and
  skill will have the fullest opportunity to
  continue their education.
• - NYS Regents P-16 Action Plan

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Reflect on the following

• The Board of Regents envisions a New York in
  which all people are prepared for citizenship,
  work and continued learning throughout their
  lives.
• - NYS Regents P-16 Action Plan

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The Kirkpatrick Model
RESULTS
BEHAVIOR
LEARNING
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The Kirkpatrick Model
Does it make a difference?

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Indicators of Program Quality

• Objective
• To familiarize program administrators, teachers
  and policy makers with an evidence-based tool for
  assessing their programs strengths and needs for
  improvement.

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Think of Features of Quality for

• Making Three Investments

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Organizing a Retirement Plan
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Buying a House
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Sending Children to College
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Common Features of Quality

• Performance
• Accessibility
• Safety
• Comfort

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Remember .

• Different programs, goals, entities can share
  common features of quality.

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Now imagine you are

• the realtor or seller of a house, or
• the college admissions officer, or
• the retirement plan broker.
• How would you know what features of quality a
  potential investor/buyer wants?

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Some Ideas to Determine Features

• Do a Survey Ask Questions
• Use Your Own Experience
• Do Research or Evaluations

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Adult Literacy Education Programs

• are no different!
• Both students and funders INVEST in programs
• So how do you ensure that your program has all
  the features of quality that investors will want?

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How can we know what our investors want?

• Ask or survey students funders
• Examine your own data and experience
• Look at the research on program features that
  lead to better performance, working conditions,
  accessibility, etc.

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Wouldnt it be nice

• If someone had gone through all of the research,
  the theories and the experiential wisdom about
  what makes adult basic education high performing,
  accessible, and of high quality, hence of value
  to students and funders?

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NYSED has done this!

• New York has developed a program self-assessment
  that programs can use to gauge their strengths
  and weaknesses.

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Four Components of Programs

• Program Quality Supports
• Entering a Program
• Participating in a Program
• Re-Engagement

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Program Quality Supports

• Includes having
• A well-defined mission and goals
• A system for planning, evaluation and governance
• A system to manage human resources, and
• An adult student-centered environment for learning

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Entering a Program

• Includes having
• An organized student recruitment process
• An organized approach to intake and student
  orientation

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Participating in a Program

• Includes having
• An effective approach to classroom management
• An effective approach to instruction
• An effective approach to supporting student
  persistence

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Re-Engagement

• Includes having
• An effective system for supporting student
  reengagement in learning returning after
  stopping out, transitioning to further education

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What makes a High Quality Program?

• Are you working for a good program?
• How do you know?
• How can you prove it?
• Do you get credit for being a good program?
• How? More money? Recognition?
• How do you evaluate your program?
• Who evaluates it?

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Program Quality Indicator Hunt

• IPQ Foundation Document
• IPQ Information Hunt Sheet

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Program Quality Self-Assessment

• Rate Your Own Program

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Ideas for Using the IPQ Self-Assessment

• Who inside and outside of your program should be
  involved in using the self-assessment to identify
  strengths and needs?
• When could this assessment be used?
• How could you adapt this assessment for use by
  various stakeholders?
• What is the next step once you have information
  from stakeholders about the assessment? What
  would you do next?

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Post Workshop Assignments

• Readings
• Reflections

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For more information on ALECC, contact

• Marilyn J. Rymniak
• Project Leader
• Statewide Professional Development System ALECC
• Literacy Assistance Center
• 32 Broadway, 10th Floor
• New York, NY 10004
• 212-803-3322, marilynr_at_lacnyc.org