1. Transitioning & Contextualized Instruction
NCTN
Effective Transitions Conference
Southern Illinois Professional
Development Center
part of the Illinois Community
College Board Service
Center Network

2. Transitioning To Work and Post-Secondary Education
What is transitioning?
What does it mean?
Who transitions?
What types of transitioning does one do?
How often does one transition?

3. Creating Pathways for Adult Learners “Strategic Plan for Illinois Adult Education and Family Literacy”
“Unlike in the past, Illinois workers can no longer expect to hold a family-sustaining job with only a high school diploma. Illinois must ensure workers are prepared to thrive in this new world, and currently, far too many are not.”

4. Creating Pathways for Adult Learners “Strategic Plan for Illinois Adult Education and Family Literacy”
Assessment, Curricula and Instruction:
Adopt aligned assessment, curricula and instructional practices that support adults as they prepare for family-supporting jobs and career advancement.

5. What curriculum do you use?
What are you doing to prepare your students for the GED® Tests?
What are you doing to prepare your students for post-secondary or employment?

6. What have you heard about contextualized instruction?

7. Contextualized Instruction
Developing skills, knowledge and attitudes drawn from the context in which they will be used, using real-life materials and situations from that context
Teaching relevant behaviors in relevant contexts

8. Contextualized Instruction
Increases the likelihood that what is taught in the training or classroom setting will be used in future applicable settings
The focus is on the application or the process rather than on the possession of basic skills and knowledge

9. Think about a situation where you had a chance to learn through the active application of knowledge and skills.
What difference did this make for you?

10. Contextualized Instruction
Research has shown that knowledge learned only at the level of rote memory rarely transfers.
Transfer is most likely to occur when the learner knows and understands both the facts and the “big picture”
The underlying principles that can be applied to problems in new contexts

11. Contextualized Instruction
In Adult Education we may teach how to write a business memo
Our student may memorize the parts of a typical business memo and how to punctuate sentences
BUT…to fully understand, the student needs to know how to apply this knowledge
What are the various purposes for writing memos at work
How to organize and tailor what is written for different audiences

12. Contextualized Instruction
Further transfer of learning – making connections
Student learns how to write a business memo
Next apply what they have learned to sending notes to a child’s teacher
Or how to apply what they have learned to writing a letter to the editor of the local paper

13. Contextualized Instruction REACT
Relating – linking the concept to be learned with something the student already knows
Experiencing – hands-on activities and teacher explanation allow students to discover new knowledge
Applying – students apply their knowledge to real-life situations
Cooperating – student solve problems as a team to reinforce knowledge & develop collaborative skills
Transferring – students take what they have learned and apply it to new situations and contexts

14. Learners are encouraged to work as a collaborative team to identify and solve problems – just as scientists, mechanics, nurses, musicians, citizen group members, and parents do in everyday life

15. In workforce education:
Acquiring job-related content of basic academic skills is not enough to prepare adults to be effective on the job.
Also need
Interpersonal
Decision-making
Planning
Skills & knowledge of when & how to apply these skills within the social context of the workplace
These skills need instructional approaches that focus on:
Cooperative learning
Apprenticeship models
Teamwork

16. Soft Skills – What are They?
Confidentiality
Positive Attitude
Works Independently
Initiative
Appropriate Appearance/Hygiene
Communication Skills
Flexibility
Managing Personal Issues
Problem Solving
Workplace Etiquette
Dependability
Ethical Behavior
Work Ethic
Punctuality
Interpersonal Skills
Job Commitment
Customer Service
Teamwork
Accountability
Understand Expectations

17. How, within adult instruction, can we teach soft skills?
Without teaching skills separately what can you do?
How would you incorporate those skills (in training/instruction) in your educational program?
What would you do differently?
How, specifically, would you include each soft skill into your current instructional plan?

18. States’ Career Cluster Initiative Essential Knowledge and Skills
Essential skills necessary for success all in careers
Persons preparing for careers at any level should be able to demonstrate these skills in the context of their chosen cluster and pathway.

19. Contextualized Instruction
Planning for contextualized instruction requires that teachers make a fundamental shift in their understanding of what it means to plan curricula and instruction

20. Contextualized Instruction
Instead of mapping out all the prerequisite knowledge and skills students need and planning lessons before discovering learners’ immediate needs, teachers begin with tasks learners need immediately in their daily lives and then “back into” the knowledge, skills, and strategies required to perform those tasks
Basic skills are covered in an repeating rather than a sequential manner

21. Contextualized Instruction
Curriculum development cycles and recycles skills across a series of tasks
Avoids teaching a curriculum that is “a mile wide and an inch deep”
Allows learner to develop a deeper understanding of the “big picture” ideas and real-life applications

22. Let’s Try it Out! Phil’s Promotion
What are your thoughts on Phil’s needs and the instructor’s concerns?
What tips, insights, or new ideas do you have for instructors?
Do you have systems/materials in place in your program to support these ideas?

23. Contextualized Instruction – Workplace Skills
When teaching reading an adult education instructor may use the following workplace materials:
Food order slips
Logs of working hours
Appropriate safety procedures
Operation procedures
Safety logs

24. Contextualized Instruction – Workplace Skills
When teaching math an adult education instructor may use the following workplace skills:
Compute sales prices
Count finished products to determine if product orders are complete
Weigh or measure ingredients
Collect payments from customers
Balance currency, coin, and checks in cash drawers

25. How do we know what skills are needed?
Local labor market information
Targeted industry clusters
High priority occupations
Learner self-appraisal

26. How do we organize these skills?
The Foundation Skills
Framework
Basic Workplace Skills
Basic Workplace
Knowledge
Basic Employability Skills
Lifelong Learning Skills

27. Lessons and activities…
…are built around teaching the particular skills using materials and scenarios needed for success in the workplace.
…are designed to include measures for learner gains through observation, surveys, checklists, and role plays.

28. What else?
Thoughts and questions

29. Transitioning & Contextualized Instruction Bevan Gibson
Sarah Goldammer
(618)
Linda Cox
Colleen Potter
Southern Illinois Professional Development Center
-part of the Illinois Community College Board Service Center Network