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ABE for the 21st Century

ABE for the 21st Century TIME OUT ABE for the 21st Cemtury C omputer literacy is becoming a necessity in our lives; it is a pervasive influence in most of our professional lives, and more of us are finding we want computers as part of our personal lives as well. Although we are doing a better job of acquainting the beginning adult educator with new tech- niques and strategies, there is a critical need, especially as training for ABE certification becomes mandatory in more states, for first-hand knowledge of computer technology for ABE teachers. The field of adult basic education (ABE) has been singularly reluc- tant to incorporate training in this technology as part of its own professional development, yet it is the ABE teacher who is called upon to help those in the work force acquire needed job skills. Why are we lagging behind the times? If we look for reasons to explain this phenomenon, we can find a clue in teacher training programs in general. We expect these programs to focus on the specific disciplines that will be taught. The math teacher is not expected to know how to teach instructors are in the regular ranks. field, I was one of those well- will increasingly rely on computers social studies. The higher up we As a proponent of certification meaning people who was given a Second, if we want to bring go on the educational ladder, the and training for ABE instructors few materials and told to go teach computers into the classroom and more stratified one's knowledge basic skills. I term this the "card- long before they were realities, I then "sell" computer training to becomes-we are expected to board box training approach." It our students, we must have some am pleased that literacy programs know our individual disciplines was thought that any good firsthand knowledge about com- and tutor-training are flourishing; and to be able to transfer this person could pick up anything puters. Many ABE teachers do not that many states now mandate knowledge to others-period. else that was necessary along the know the meaning of such beginning teacher training for ABE Since many ABE supervisors and way. But it is certainly not true common terms as word proces- and GED programs; and that we administrators have been trained now-if it ever was-that you data entry. How can we are moving in the direction of in the traditional K-12 preparation sing and can pick up such things as help students to be comfortable in partnerships with business and it is not surprising, programs, computer literacy. a technical workplace that we, as industry. Now it's time to then, that so many expect that There are three fundamental adult educators, don't understand? strengthen what has already ABE teachers will be able to teach reasons why adult educators How can a program planner begun. Let's build computer basic skills-period. We believe should be computer literate. The successfully argue to incorporate literacy into certification and into that only a teacher who is using training programs so we are out first, and foremost, is that we can computers in classes without computer-aided instruction or a in front, not bringing up the read no longer afford to be solely some knowledge and background teacher who is responsible for remediation-oriented. We need of computers? teaching the use of computers -by Nancy N. Spradling equal emphasis on transference Third, as adult education needs to be computer literate. Adult Education Specialist skills to take remediation into strengthens its position in the Another reason lies in the National Center for Family technical settings. Let's help whole spectrum of education, a historical and traditional view of Literacy students be ready for the twenty- more legitimate position will be the adult educator. Sixteen years Loukville, Kentucky first century's workplace, which reached if computer-literate ABE ago when I began teaching in the February 1991 31 http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Adult Learning SAGE

ABE for the 21st Century

Adult Learning , Volume 2 (5): 1 – Feb 1, 1991

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Publisher
SAGE
Copyright
© 1991 American Association for Adult and Continuing Education
ISSN
1045-1595
eISSN
2162-4070
DOI
10.1177/104515959100200515
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

TIME OUT ABE for the 21st Cemtury C omputer literacy is becoming a necessity in our lives; it is a pervasive influence in most of our professional lives, and more of us are finding we want computers as part of our personal lives as well. Although we are doing a better job of acquainting the beginning adult educator with new tech- niques and strategies, there is a critical need, especially as training for ABE certification becomes mandatory in more states, for first-hand knowledge of computer technology for ABE teachers. The field of adult basic education (ABE) has been singularly reluc- tant to incorporate training in this technology as part of its own professional development, yet it is the ABE teacher who is called upon to help those in the work force acquire needed job skills. Why are we lagging behind the times? If we look for reasons to explain this phenomenon, we can find a clue in teacher training programs in general. We expect these programs to focus on the specific disciplines that will be taught. The math teacher is not expected to know how to teach instructors are in the regular ranks. field, I was one of those well- will increasingly rely on computers social studies. The higher up we As a proponent of certification meaning people who was given a Second, if we want to bring go on the educational ladder, the and training for ABE instructors few materials and told to go teach computers into the classroom and more stratified one's knowledge basic skills. I term this the "card- long before they were realities, I then "sell" computer training to becomes-we are expected to board box training approach." It our students, we must have some am pleased that literacy programs know our individual disciplines was thought that any good firsthand knowledge about com- and tutor-training are flourishing; and to be able to transfer this person could pick up anything puters. Many ABE teachers do not that many states now mandate knowledge to others-period. else that was necessary along the know the meaning of such beginning teacher training for ABE Since many ABE supervisors and way. But it is certainly not true common terms as word proces- and GED programs; and that we administrators have been trained now-if it ever was-that you data entry. How can we are moving in the direction of in the traditional K-12 preparation sing and can pick up such things as help students to be comfortable in partnerships with business and it is not surprising, programs, computer literacy. a technical workplace that we, as industry. Now it's time to then, that so many expect that There are three fundamental adult educators, don't understand? strengthen what has already ABE teachers will be able to teach reasons why adult educators How can a program planner begun. Let's build computer basic skills-period. We believe should be computer literate. The successfully argue to incorporate literacy into certification and into that only a teacher who is using training programs so we are out first, and foremost, is that we can computers in classes without computer-aided instruction or a in front, not bringing up the read no longer afford to be solely some knowledge and background teacher who is responsible for remediation-oriented. We need of computers? teaching the use of computers -by Nancy N. Spradling equal emphasis on transference Third, as adult education needs to be computer literate. Adult Education Specialist skills to take remediation into strengthens its position in the Another reason lies in the National Center for Family technical settings. Let's help whole spectrum of education, a historical and traditional view of Literacy students be ready for the twenty- more legitimate position will be the adult educator. Sixteen years Loukville, Kentucky first century's workplace, which reached if computer-literate ABE ago when I began teaching in the February 1991 31

Journal

Adult LearningSAGE

Published: Feb 1, 1991

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