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There is general agreement that teacher quality provides an added value to effective education; hence, in recent years, organizations such as IEA, UNESCO, and OECD, as well as governments around the world, have shown an increased interest in areas related to teachers and teacher policy. Previous research has shown that teacher experience plays an important role in determining student achievement, particularly in the first years of teaching. In this policy brief the authors contribute to the debate on the relationship between number of years of teaching experience and student achievement by using international comparative data to address two questions: first, whether teacher experience is associated with student mathematics achievement of fourth graders; and second, how this association changes when other teacher characteristics are taken into account.

The term "evidence-based programs" is becoming quite common in prevention and human service work. However, many still struggle to recognize the importance of evidence-based programs and to understand what qualifies as "evidence-based." The language used may even seem to confound the issue further. The terms evidence-based, research-based, science-based, blueprint programs, model programs, promising programs, and effective programs are often used interchangeably. Different agencies and groups have adopted different criteria to determine whether or not a program is evidence-based. In this fact sheet, the authors examine definitions of, and standards and reasons for using evidence-based programs. A list of evidence-based program web sites is also included. [This fact sheet was produced by the Prevention Research Center for the Promotion of Human Development.]

This final report discusses the activities and outcomes of a study that investigated the involvement of American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) and non-American Indian/Alaska Native parents of children with disabilities in the general educational and Individualized Education Program (IEP) processes, and the specific needs of parents that would encourage their greater participation in the IEP processes. A total of 132 parents responded to a parent involvement survey, including 34 AI/AN parents and 98 non-AI/AN parents. Results indicated that although AI/AN parents reported that they were not involved as members of a school committee, they were involved in the education of their children with disabilities by attending school events, helping their child complete teacher assigned home activities, establishing a home environment conducive to learning, receiving information from the school about their child, and volunteering at their childs school. Conversely, the data suggest that in the Individualized Education Program process, AI/AN parents were not involved to the same extent in the special education-specific parent roles. Few reported involvement in the roles of political advocate or member of family-directed or family-centered organizations. Finally, the majority of AI/AN parents reported that they always attend IEP meetings for their child. (CR)

Because family literacy programs' success depends on strong relationships between family literacy programs and Head Start partners, a series of focus groups were convened to identify ways of strengthening cooperation between Pennsylvania's family literacy and Head Start programs. The six focus groups sites represented a mix of Pennsylvania's geographic regions, rural and urban sites, and Act 143 and Even Start programs. One site opted to hold separate focus groups for Head Start and family literacy staff. The Head Start and family literacy staff at the other five sites elected to have their focus groups together. Four of the programs were co-located, and most participating families were co-enrolled in both programs. All five programs made reciprocal referrals and provided cross training and/or co-training. In most cases, Head Start personnel provided ideas for grant proposals, and family literacy personnel took the lead in preparing the proposals. All five programs stated that staff from both program components had trusted each other from the outset and shared the same philosophies. At five sites, staff conducted their planning together. Three sites included personnel from both program components on advisory boards, held joint staffing meetings, and shared assessment results and evaluations. (MN)

This document reports preliminary results from a national survey of college faculty performed as part of the Mapping Project. The project and the survey concern the ways faculty balance, or do not balance, commitments to work and family. The theoretical framework was based on the work of J. Williams (1991) and others who have argued that an "ideal worker norm" has developed that often leads to job discrimination against women. In the academic context, the ideal worker norm may led to "bias avoidance" behaviors that occur when individuals deny themselves the opportunity to take on family commitments or minimize the impact of family on work performance. The survey process began with a sample of 702 U.S. colleges and universities. Of these institutions, 507 provided faculty names and addresses, and complete responses were eventually received from 4,188 faculty members (net response rate of 28.6%). Analysis of the survey results shows that bias avoidance behaviors are more common among female than male faculty. Women responding reported raising fewer children and reported lower levels of organizational and supervisor support for dual commitments to work and family. Although evidence was mixed, it did not appear that research institutions are less conducive to family formation than are teaching institutions. An appendix describes the sample of institutions. (SLD)

Pennsylvania's family literacy programs were subjected to a statewide evaluation in 1999-2000. Data were collected through focus groups with parents, a survey of staff in community agencies and organizations, and analyses of program data and the findings of selected assessments administered to adults and children involved in the program. Pennsylvania's family literacy programs were credited with improving adult participants' basic skills and helping them achieve personal goals, enabling their children to meet parents' expectations, helping parents to support their children's literacy development, and giving families access to support services. The children of participating parents entered school ready to learn and were successful in school. However, program impacts on family economic status were mixed. Selected recommendations were as follows: (1) have family literacy providers identify and address changes in their communities that affect delivery of family literacy services; (2) provide family literacy with continued assistance in building effective local collaborations that move beyond simple referral services; (3) have providers identify and implement strategies to increase parents' and their children's participation in family literacy services; and (4) support the family literacy professional development and program improvement systems. (Twenty-five tables/figures/boxes are included. Appendixes present statistical notes for the tables; descriptions of the adult education and early childhood assessment instruments; and eight references.) (MN)

This report discusses findings of a study that investigated the effectiveness of video self-modeling (VSM) for increasing request communication of children with autism. A single subject design using multiple baselines across subjects was used. Four participants (ages 4-6) with autism were taped in the home setting for the purpose of creating VSM training tapes and then observed in the school setting to monitor the generalization of requests. The VSM involved eliciting and videotaping request behaviors, editing the videotape to show only desired request behaviors, and having participants view the edited videos of themselves performing the desired request behaviors. During a 30-minute orchestrated play session, participants were allowed to choose from a range of board games, play dough, play with action figures, train play, and quiet time reading. The orchestrated play sessions were videotaped to provide video footage that could be edited to create training tapes. Following intervention, all four participants demonstrated stable baselines, variable accelerating trends during intervention, and stability during maintenance. Data show a positive change in participants' spontaneous requesting in preschool settings. Maintenance checks of participants 1 through 3 showed that the levels of spontaneous requests were stable after intervention. An appendix includes data charts. (Contains 34 references.) (CR)

Two single subject multiple probes across subjects research studies were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of two instructional writing programs. The objective of the first study was to determine the effect of an instructional program on the selection of initial letters of words by 3 children with developmental disabilities (ages 7-10) who used augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). The writing instructional program included direct instruction in letter-sound correspondence and selection of initial letters of words, and a writing workshop-type of activity to provide instruction in writing tasks. Two of the 3 children were successful in the acquisition of the target skill, maintained use of the skill at least 1 month following instruction, and demonstrated some generalization. The goal of the second study was to determine the effect of an instructional program on the selection of final letters of words by 2 children with developmental disabilities (age 10) who used AAC and who had mastered the selection of initial letters of words. The instructional program included direct instruction in the selection of final letters, a review of the selection of initial letters, and a writing workshop-type of activity. Both participants were successful in acquiring the target skill. Appended are the following items from Study 1 and Study 2, respectively: Organization of words for Instructional Stimuli and Probes; The Instructional Program--Initial Letter; and Sample Data for Selection of Initial Letter in a Writing Task. (Contains 57 references.) (Author/CR)

This report presents the activities, accomplishments, and outcomes of a study of the long-term outcomes of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) interventions with individuals with severe communication disabilities. The study evaluated long-term outcomes for 7 young men (ages 19-23 years) who had used AAC systems for at least 15 years. Outcomes were measured in the following domains: (1) receptive language; (2) reading comprehension; (3) communicative interaction; (4) functional communication; (5) educational and vocational achievement; (6) self-determination; and (7) quality of life. In addition, qualitative interviews were conducted to identify contextual factors that may have contributed to the measured outcomes. The study provided data regarding the feasibility of the outcome measurement tools used. It identified four factors believed to contribute, positively and negatively, to outcomes and communicative competence. These were: (1) attitudes of family members, professionals, peers and the general public; (2) cultural issues; (3) technological issues such as the operational demands of AAC systems; and (4) service delivery (a team approach is critical). (Contains approximately 135 references.) (DB)

The Framework of Work Based Foundation Skills Project was undertaken to facilitate development of Pennsylvania's new workforce investment system Team PA CareerLink by identifying and developing common definitions of the foundation skills all workers need to function effectively in any workplace. A framework of 19 work-based foundation skills and knowledge with component subskills was developed through a comprehensive synthesis and comparison of state and national work-based foundation skills efforts. The skills identified included basic workplace skills, basic employability skills, and basic organizational knowledge (core knowledge about the nature of work and workplace organizations). The framework included links to assessment systems and instruments capable of measuring the foundation skills and links to Occupational Skills Standards to illustrate applications of skills in specific industry clusters. Once development of the unified framework is finalized, it will help practitioners accomplish the following things: design and implement competency-based curricula that are meaningful for workers; develop individualized education plans to meet learners' education and employment goals; link work-based curriculum, instruction, and assessment; reflect on current instructional and assessment practices and develop program improvement plans related to workplace education; and use a common framework and understanding of work-based foundation skills when working with new workforce investment system partners. (MN)

This study compared the effects of personal characteristics and teaching practices in the development of professional competencies by undergraduate engineering students. A survey completed by 480 engineering students gathered information concerning students' personal, academic, and demographic characteristics; characteristics of their current engineering course; and their self-evaluation of progress made in various areas as a result of their current course. Results indicated that self-evaluated gains in group, problem-solving, and design skills were more the result of current teaching practices than the outcome of students' precollege characteristics. Results suggest that gains in professional competencies can be fostered in the classroom by frequent interaction with and feedback from the instructor, frequent opportunities to work collaboratively with peers, and by clear instructions and structure provided by the instructor. No significant differences were found between male and female students. An appendix lists engineering program accreditation criteria. (Contains 62 references.) (DB)

Substantial ethnic differences in fertility were documented in the Congo in the mid-1950s. These differences, apparent as well among women residing in Kinshasa, the capital, were linked to variations across ethnic groups in the incidence of venereal diseases and sterility. By the mid-1970s ethnic differences in fertility had diminished but were still present. Using a 1990 survey of more than 2,400 reproductive-age women, a study revisited fertility differentials among 6 broad ethnic groups that are well represented in the city. Significant differences by ethnic group remain, but these differences appear to be small compared to those that prevailed in the 1950s. At the same time, substantial fertility differentials by educational attainment have emerged, particularly at the middle and higher secondary and university levels. While ethnicity remains as a significant influence on fertility behavior, educational attainment has become a key factor associated with larger fertility differences in Kinshasa. During the past 40 years, increased access of women to schooling especially secondary education has been associated with a decline in fertility in Kinshasa. Distinctly lower fertility of relatively well-educated women is a phenomenon increasingly evident in a number of African countries. Appended is information on ethnic groups in Kinshasa, accompanied by a map of cultural regions of the Congo and 2 tables of data. Contains 5 tables of data, 15 notes, and 22 references. (Author/BT)

The Center for Vocational Professional Personnel Development conducted a needs assessment in order to plan and deliver staff development workshops in the 34 vocational schools served in Pennsylvania's central region. Respondents from the 30 participating schools were 30 administrators and 600 teachers (371 vocational and 144 academic teachers and 85 others). Administrators' questionnaires were to be used to help to plan future inservice activities. Data from teachers' questionnaires were coded and analyzed. Descriptive statistics were used to see differences in rank order of choices between vocational and academic teachers and other personnel. In an open-ended question, teachers shared their most memorable inservice experience. This field varied greatly between schools but was consistent within them. Many sessions mentioned involved new teaching strategies with immediate practical application to classrooms. When rank-ordering staff development initiatives, vocational teachers chose teaching strategies first, discipline-specific updates second, and common planning time third. Academic teachers chose common planning time first, discipline-specific updates second, and teaching strategies third. Others chose common planning time first, teaching strategies second, and professional conferences third. In an open field, teachers listed other ideas, many of which included technology topics. (Appendixes contain 49 references and the survey instruments.) (YLB)

An external evaluator worked with the project team of the Wisconsin Technical College System National Workplace Literacy Program to develop the evaluation design. Although she was at the project site for only limited periods of time, she and the project team maintained periodic contact during the 3-year period by telephone, fax, and email. Three technical colleges were selected for onsite study. During each site visit, the evaluator met with college coordinators, instructors, business and labor partners, supervisors, and learners. The evaluation design was planned primarily as a naturalistic inquiry that used the structured interview approach to data collection. The Kirkpatrick model (1994) was used to guide the summative evaluation. Project staff decided on procedures to collect data used as evidence for accomplishment of each of four levels of evaluation: stakeholder evaluation, mastery of basic skills, transfer of learning, and impact on organizations. Evaluation highlights were business institutionalization of their programs; a culture shift in many businesses with workers valued as equals in decision making; and dissemination through newsletters targeted to workers in the business site. (The six-page report is followed by these extensive appendixes: program benefits handbook; structured interview forms for partners, supervisors, learners, and staff; interview data; and analysis of trends in the data.) (YLB)

Compared to the organization of two-year education in other states, Pennsylvania can be said to have a "non-system" in which local determination predominates and state planning and coordination agencies are little more than advisory bodies. California, for example, has a much larger and more regulated system than Pennsylvania, with the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges coordinating 107 public and private institutions. New York's community colleges are well organized in a hierarchical state system, while Texas maintains a well-defined 2+2+2 system. Florida and Illinois also differ from Pennsylvania through the existence of a central governing board for community colleges, while Ohio and Michigan differ in that colleges are planned to be geographically accessible by all residents. In Pennsylvania, however, two-year institutions are not strategically located in terms of geography or population; individual institutions report to their local board of trustees, rather than the central state body; and the two-year schools actually began before passage of the state's Community College Act in 1963, with many branch campuses originally separate from their main campuses. The organization of five of the first community colleges in the state, initiated by local counties and based on local support, illustrate the problems of the decentralized system. As the colleges were formed, two lawsuits were filed by residents in separate counties to block their establishment and resulting relations between institutions have been competitive and confusing. Contains 35 references. (HAA)

An independent evaluation of the College of Lake County's National Workplace Literacy Program included both formative and summative evaluations over the 3 years of the project. The evaluation design was planned primarily as a naturalistic inquiry that used the structured interview approach to data collection. An external evaluator interviewed all project stakeholders during scheduled visits over the 3-year period to identify project strengths and recommendations for improvement. In addition, the evaluator visited classes at various sites and provided feedback on the instruction. The project had several unique aspects: development of a list of learning objectives and curriculum that could be used as a model across all sites; development of an assessment instrument for use with English-as-a-Second-Language students; and inservice education provided to part-time adult educators. The evaluator provided an introductory inservice session to the project staff on the Kirkpatrick evaluation model. Interview data were entered into a Filemaker Pro Database to detect trends in data across time and sites. Included in the trends were that all stakeholders were impressed by the changes evident in the learners and that staff viewed the project as a learning experience for themselves. Findings indicated the project was well implemented and became more central to the businesses concerned as time went by. (The five-page report is followed by these appendixes: structured interview forms, interview data, and analysis of trends.) (YLB)

The Adult Learner Competencies Project included literature research and consultation with adult education practitioners in Pennsylvania to establish learner competencies that could be used by all adult basic and literacy education (ABLE) providers in the state. During the project, existing and emerging lists of adult learner competencies were researched and analyzed, which resulted in the development of lists of basic and higher order skills as well as extended literacy skills (such as time management, systems knowledge, interpersonal skills). The skills were divided into basic, intermediate, and advanced levels of expertise. These lists established a foundation of skills that were applicable across many adult life roles such as family members, workers, and citizens. Sample applications of the skill competencies in each role were included at each level. The skill competencies will provide opportunities for practitioners to refine curriculum, instruction, and assessment practices to better meet the educational needs of learners. (Contains 39 references and a sample matrix linking skills, applications, and assessment.) (KC)

This report describes a joint project among two U.S. universities, a university in the Netherlands, and one in London, England, designed to prepare U.S. students of higher education policy with an understanding, appreciation, and analytic knowledge of the effect of the unification of Europe on higher education policy, as well as give European students who choose to specialize their policy research studies in the area of higher education policy an enhanced understanding of the relevant research, practice, and experience of American higher education. The program consists of seminars, workshops, and advanced graduate study in European and American higher education policy. The institutions work collaboratively to exchange researchers, faculty, students, and scholarly or pedagogical materials, and to develop joint research or technical assistance/training activities. The report notes that students who participated in the program spoke highly of the exchange opportunity. However, one challenge still to be faced are differing European and American purposes; the American institutions emphasize opportunity to study abroad, while the European emphasis is on distance education. (Author/JLS)

The goal of this research project was to create a guide on the effective use of assessment instruments and methodologies, related resources, and guidelines for measuring adult learners' attainment of basic skills and competencies to document educational gains and demonstrate program quality. The project focused on confirming current use of assessment in adult basic and literacy education (ABLE) programs and conducting focus groups to determine perceived barriers to using standardized assessments. Ongoing consultation with COSMOS Corporation (the project contractor) confirmed ABLE programs' current use of assessment instruments and methodologies. The project team conducted a literature review to develop supplemental information on recently published, commercially available assessments and on current assessment practices. This research also included conducting focus groups with ABLE practitioners to identify concerns and issues relating to assessment practices. Based on the research, project staff developed a basic guide to the effective use of standardized and informal assessments. (Focus group questions are appended.) (YLB)

This report discusses the objectives and outcomes of a project that investigated the use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems by students with severe communication disabilities. The first objective of the project was to conduct five investigations to identify skills that contribute to the communicative competence of students who use AAC systems. The following skills were identified: use of an introduction strategy, use of partner-focused questions, use of nonobligatory turns by AAC users with efficient rates of communication, and use of grammatically complete messages by AAC users with efficient rates of communication. The project's second objective was to conduct three investigations to evaluate the efficacy of instructional techniques to promote the acquisition, generalization, and long term maintenance of these skills. The instructional techniques resulted in the successful acquisition of target behavior, generalization of its use to practices and new situations in the natural environment, and maintenance of the target skill at least two months post-instruction. The third objective was the successful development and evaluation of three instructional modules for use by speech language pathologists, teachers, and other professionals that documented the instructional goals and techniques. The instructional modules are included in the appendices. (Contains 99 references.) (CR)

Three Pennsylvania universities focused on defining the functional role and identifying the training needs of work-based mentors for Pennsylvania's system of school-to-work transition, in order to design a training protocol. Interviews were conducted with 81 experienced employees concerning their view of the mentoring role and the activities that experienced mentors perceive to be important for proteges to succeed at work. The mentoring expectations of the experienced workers included the provision of the following: (1) technical instruction; (2) broad-based occupational instruction; (3) knowledge of the work-based environment; (4) a training plan that outlines a framework for personal growth; (5) feedback through authentic assessment and conferences; (6) instruction about the organization's policies; (7) information pertaining to the organization's culture; (8) instruction in work-related competencies; (9) information and guidance on career advancement; (10) opportunities for critical reflection; and (11) mentoring through a framework. The verified elements were organized into three content categories aligned with the original definition for mentoring, and content outlines were developed. The initiative is considered to be a working example of the cooperative relationships that the state hopes to establish between educational agencies as it develops and implements its school-to-work system. (Four appendixes are included: a project implementation timeline, the project instrument and rating scale, a summary of interview results, and the content outlines. Contains 23 references.) (KC)

To gather data on the goals and effectiveness of a postsecondary program organized from the perspective of multiculturalism, a case study was conducted of Nuevos Horizontes (NH), an immigrant education program at Triton College, in Illinois. NH is designed to facilitate access to higher education for Hispanics and other minority students; provide educational programs for immigrant adults; and inform the community of educational and cultural opportunities available at Triton. In a 3-day site visit, interviews were conducted with 14 students and 27 faculty and staff participating in NH and program reports and materials were collected and analyzed. Results of the case study included the following: (1) in 1993, over 8,000 students utilized NH's services; (2) outstanding program elements included a festival celebrating Hispanic culture, an HIV/AIDS education and prevention program, and a swearing-in ceremony for citizens prepared through NH; and (3) keys to NH's effectiveness were the emphasis placed on celebrating Hispanic culture while increasing participants' knowledge of English and U.S. culture, the bilingual staff, the commitment to holistic education, the physical proximity to the Hispanic community, and the effective use of community partnerships. Although the program was successful in creating an educational environment that makes Hispanic immigrants feel comfortable, the college runs the risk of compartmentalizing multiculturalism and limiting the impact cultural diversity might have on the main campus and the entire community. (KP)

A project was conducted to offer customized software to adult basic education (ABE) programs in Pennsylvania and to train the program participants on software customization principles. The project produced an updated list of software publishers and products that can be customized for adult education students. Workshops were presented on customization of software through the regional staff development centers. Software was customized for local programs to make it appropriate for the needs of the learners. Guidelines were developed for instructors of the programs that use the customization service about how to do future customization on their own. As a result of the project, 169 software programs that can be used to develop customized instruction for ABE students were identified and stored in a database in FileMaker Pro format. The project concluded that at present most Pennsylvania ABE providers are primarily interested in the electronic customization of the administrative aspects of their programs; the project scope was expanded to include software customization for both instructional and administrative purposes. The project also concluded that most providers need more technical training in this area to meet their needs. (The bulk of the document is a printout of the database. Each entry includes the following: product name, company name, address, telephone, fax and electronic mail address, subject area, instruction type, cost, media, platform, language, instruction level, and description. A description of software customization methods is also appended.) (KC)

The influence of parents and other important adults on adolescent substance use is becoming recognized as a salient topic of research. A study designed to assess the impact of adult substance use on adolescents' progression through increasingly more advanced stages of substance use is reported here. Latent Transition Analysis was used to estimate the probabilities, conditional on exposure to adult substance use, of adolescents' (N=5,242) belonging to one of nine progressively more advanced stages of adolescent substance use. The probabilities of adolescents moving from one stage in the onset process to another, again, conditional on adult substance use, were also estimated. Results suggest that substance use by adults is a potent risk factor for adolescent substance use experimentation. Adolescents who reported exposure to adult use of alcohol, tobacco, or marijuana are more likely to be further advanced in the onset process at each of the junior high school years, grades 7 through 9. Findings regarding exposure to adult use of marijuana were most pronounced. It was not known whether the increased risk was due to modeling of substance use behavior, ineffective parenting due to substance use, the availability of substances, or a genetic predisposition toward substance use. (RJM)

Based on a literature review, this paper proposes an approach to identifying indicators of learning for English composition courses at the college level. Section 1 provides a rationale for using curricular artifacts as a means to identify indicators. Section 2 describes the proposed taxonomy of model indicators and its framework which uses the broad categories of knowledge, skills--grouped into those exhibited in the written product and those demonstrating cognitive abilities--and affect. Section 3 presents the list of proposed indicators with relevant studies cited to justify each item's inclusion in the taxonomy. Proposed indicators of knowledge evaluate the following: knowledge of the composing process; understanding of the rhetorical problem; composing--strategies and metacognition; knowledge of the planning process; knowledge of the review process; self-reflection; knowledge of the need for rhetorical specification; audience awareness and writer-reader interaction; genre and discourse community; collaboration; and topic knowledge. Proposed indicators of skills cover: basic mechanics; vocabulary fluency; sentence construction; organization between and among sentences; paragraphs; coherence; organization; voice; focus, contrast, and classification; concept formulation; analysis; inductive and deductive arguments; synthesis; dialectical thinking; metaphorical thinking; and reading/writing skills. Finally indicators of affect evaluate: motivation; confidence and risk taking; ability to accept criticism; sensitivity to situational exigencies; sensitivity to audience; sensitivity to context; and intellectual humility. Section 4 addresses possible questions concerning the feasibility of this approach. Contains over 120 references. (JB)

This study analyzed data to identify courses which have been associated with improved mathematics and quantitative reasoning ability among students who enter college with high verbal skills but low math skills. The study used the Coursework Cluster Analytic Model (CCAM) to analyze the course sequences of students with high verbal and low math skills who showed varying degrees of improvement as demonstrated by nine item-types of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test. Student transcripts provided the course enrollment data. The transcripts and GRE scores of 5 successive samples of nearly 1,000 graduating seniors at a private comprehensive college provided the raw data for the analysis. Results indicated that taking different patterns of coursework does lead to different types and levels of development. Other findings suggested: (1) the development of general learned abilities did not have an exact one-to-one relationship with departmental categories and all quantitative reasoning development did not occur exclusively in mathematics classes; (2) the development of general learned abilities was not confined to the lower division; (3) there was little formal monitoring and description of the curriculum in terms of general learned abilities at the college-wide or university-wide level; and (4) coursework associated with gains among high ability students was not the same as that associated with gains among low ability students. Extensive tables and graphs detail the study's findings. Contains 11 references. (JB)

To gather data on the place of community colleges in the overall structure of American postsecondary education, a study was conducted of state-level administrators of community colleges regarding the practice of baccalaureate degree-granting institutions offering programs of upper-division collegiate credit at community colleges. Administrators were queried as to the level of practice and the extent of interest raised by the issue as well as whether or not there was a stated policy bearing on the activity. Initial responses were received from 33 states, analysis of which indicated that in the majority (n=13) there was some practice but no policy. Following distribution of a preliminary report and requests for validation of findings or further information, responses were received from 16 states. Four states indicated that the preliminary report was accurate, while three disagreed with their placement in the practice/policy matrix. In addition, nine new states provided information on practices and policies related to the issue. An analysis of additional responses received as of May 1993 validated the three general findings of the preliminary report. First, the practice is fairly widespread, with 35 out of 41 states reporting four-year offerings on college campuses. Second, the practice has not yet attracted widespread policy attention, with 26 states indicating no policy. Finally, neither the level of practice nor the strength of related policies can be described as high except in a few states, such as Florida and states where community colleges are an integral part of the state university system. Contains 19 references. (KP)

This document includes a final report and curriculum guide developed by a project to improve the basic skills of adults enrolled in a union-based, preallied health, adult basic education program. Its objective was to prepare learners to become more effective workers and union members by incorporating worker-centered materials into the curriculum. Union and job-related materials were used to develop the curriculum. Instructors were trained in the materials and used the curriculum and materials successfully in class. The curriculum guide is titled Worker-Centered Learning: A Curriculum to Develop Union Members' Basic and Higher Order Skills. It contains ideas, techniques, suggestions, guidelines, and sample activities. Section 1--Background Information contains information about learner-centered teaching methods, such as discussion, building background knowledge, emphasizing meaning, and collaborative learning. The information is illustrated with union materials. Section 2--Curriculum Materials includes the following: ideas for open sessions; language arts and mathematics activities to accompany An Overview of Health Care Benefits, Pension Plan for Hospital and Health Care Employees, and the union contract; and ideas for a culminating project. Section 3--Appendixes contains a list of 33 resources and related readings to learn more about worker-centered methods, materials, and programs; response sheets to record reactions and responses to activities; and a list of terminology. (YLB)

A project developed a comprehensive database of Pennsylvania state adult literacy service providers that could be used to provide information on service provision to public and private organizations and individuals. The project team distributed a mailed survey to 2,911 known and potential adult literacy service-providing organizations throughout the state, including Pennsylvania Department of Education-funded programs, literacy councils, libraries, and businesses with over 500 employees. The survey questioned organizations on six areas: services, staffing, sites, outreach, technology, and funding. Findings indicated that 324 of 948 responding organizations provided services. The largest categories of service providers were community-based organizations, school districts, and literacy councils. The types of services most likely to be provided were adult basic education, general educational development or alternative secondary education, and basic literacy services. Responding organizations reported approximately 70,000 students being served across all categories of services. They reported 10,029 volunteer tutors, 1,270 part-time teachers/coordinators, and 591 full-time teachers/coordinators in adult literacy provision. Responding organizations used traditional technologies for instruction, staff training, and information sharing, and used mainly government funds to provide services. (Appendixes to the 28-page report are the survey, 17 summary tables, and 15 figures and tables.) (YLB)