Self perceived needs of adult basic education students and their role in program development /
| Main Author: | |
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| Other Authors: | , , |
| Format: | Thesis Book |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
1991.
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | Link to OAKTrust copy |
| Abstract: | The purposes of this study were: (1) to examine what individual learning and/or other needs were identified by Adult Basic Education (ABE) students, (2) to assess ABE teachers' propensity to identify the same student needs, and (3) to determine if these needs were met within the ABE program. Sixty Adult Basic Education participants in attendance at Texas' Region VI Education Service Center Adult Education Cooperative sites were interviewed, using the Beder and Valentine (1987a) ABE student survey. Thirty ABE teachers were asked to complete a questionnaire adapted from the student interview instrument in order to allow for a comparison of teacher-perceived and student self-perceived needs. Finally, a follow-up survey was conducted by telephone with the original 60 ABE students. Another component of this research was classroom observations, intended to clarify what actually happened in the classrooms. They were used as a form of triangulation with the student and teacher information. The combination of the teacher questionnaire, student surveys, and observations created a research design both qualitative and quantitative in nature. Qualitative responses were grouped, tabulated and listed in order of frequency. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, frequencies and means, and independent t-tests. Conclusions drawn from the data analysis indicated that: (1) ABE students perceive themselves as their own reason for entering ABE programs; (2) ABE students identify educational success and learning skills as needs while teachers identified the basic rudiments of literacy as student needs; and (3) teachers observed in this study do not incorporate the student-perceived needs into their ABE programming. Recommendations included suggestions for improving staff training and development, refocusing recruiting techniques to address student-perceived needs, incorporating pre-entrance counseling into program enrollment, and allowing the students to have ownership of the programs. This research should be replicated in other areas with other ABE populations and instructional staff... |
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| Item Description: | Typescript (photocopy). Vita. "Major subject: Adult and Extension Education." |
| Physical Description: | xiii, 174 leaves : illustrations ; 29 cm |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references. |