| A Word from the Director | On the Horizon | PLLI Symposium | Focus on NCSALL |
| International Insights | Stacey Returns to PLLI | PLLI-Sponsored Publications |
A Word From the Institute Director
With the national interest turning toward universal education through the first two years of college, equity in college admissions and student loans, achievement in reading and mathematics for our children with its implications for adult literacy and numeracy, PLLI's work becomes even more urgent than before. I look to our Institute's family--staff and grantees, as well as the larger postsecondary community--to provide the research and development needed to form an evidentiary basis for major policy decisions in the postsecondary arena.
--Carole Lacampagne
Field Initiated Studies: Grant Alert
An anticipated notice providing information about the 1997 Field Initiated Studies (FIS) Research Grants Program should be published in an issue of the Federal Register in March or April. Under the FIS sponsored by the National Institute on Postsecondary Education, Libraries, and Lifelong Learning (PLLI), applicants are invited to address any educational research topic that seeks to improve postsecondary education, libraries, literacy, and lifelong learning. To be placed on the FIS mailing list to receive an application, please forward your name and mailing address to
or fax information to
(202) 501-173;3005 or e-mail at delores.monroe@ed.gov
PLLI Holds Symposium on Outcomes and Diversity in Higher Education
In late November PLLI, in conjunction with the National Center for Postsecondary Improvement at Stanford University and the Charles A. Dana Center at the University of Texas at Austin, convened a meeting of key individuals from the research, policy, and funding communities to discuss critical issues and compelling research needs in order to foster the well-being of higher education, and indeed of society, by taking into account the implications of equity and diversity. It was hoped that the outcomes of the symposium would include a suggested agenda for further research and the beginnings of collaboration among researchers, among funding organizations, and among policy makers to put the research intooperation.
Two presentations framed the overall discussion. Dr. Robert Berdahl, President of the University of Texas at Austin, whose admission policies had been challenged by the Hopwood case, discussed the implications of that case to the demographic profile of the university campus vis a vis those of the state, and by extension, to projections of the demographic profile of future Texas professionals. Two distinguished lawyers, Mark Yudof, Executive Vice President and Provost of the University of Texas, and Judith Winston, General Counsel and Acting Under Secretary, U.S. Department of Education, presented a brief history of desegregation litigation and legislation.
Mr. Yudof and Ms. Winston noted that arguments in affirmative action or desegregation cases have typically used one of two approaches: arguments that actions are needed to address past discrimination or vestiges of discrimination, or arguments that programs and policies are necessary to enhance or establish diversity within higher education. Mr. Yudof noted: "The Supreme Court has never resolved the tensions between these [two] approaches. [In Bakke,] the Court said that race could be one of the factors considered in admissions, but it did not say how much it could be taken account." Ms. Winston noted that the goal of achieving a diverse student body and faculty, "continues to be the most stated goal of institutions, but it is the least developed justification for affirmative action." She summed up by saying: "We believe that diversity is a goal to be sought and valued, but we in the legal and academic community have not found the clear nexus of academic freedom, educational excellence, and a diverse student body."
Following these presentations, participant discussion focused on a number of issues:
OERI organizers of and participants in the symposium were PLLI's Carole Lacampagne and Greg Henschel, and OERI's Chief of Staff, Sandra Garcia. Judith Winston; Commissioner of National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Pascal Forgione; and Alba Ortiz, member of OERIs National Educational Research Policy and Priorities Board were also participants. PLLI's Cliff Adelman wrote a paper for the symposium entitled "The Language of `Diversity': Creating, Reflecting, and Masking Reality."
Goals of the symposium appear to have been achieved: Various participant researchers have begun exploring collaborative efforts and PLLI will be convening a small group of funding organizations this spring.
A short document on the symposium, which will highlight a proposed research agenda, will be available in the near future. Watch our next Newsletter for further details.
Focus on the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy
In a study conducted by World Education, Inc. in 1994 to discover what the field really wanted to know, four research areas emerged as critically important to the adult learning and literacy community. The National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL) research agenda is organized around those themes:
Motivation
Researchers will study persistence in adult education programs; the impact of GED completion on future postsecondary education, work training, and earnings; and the hypothesis that successful coping with adult life requires a developmental transformation of cognitive thinking patterns in addition to the acquisition of particular skills and information mastery.
Classroom Practice
Researchers will investigate the nature of adult reading difficulties, such as decoding and comprehension, that underlie the functional difficulties of adults in basic education programs; study the relevance of Howard Gardner's multiple intelligence theory to adult learning and literacy; examine how adults acquire literacy skills outside of the classroom and the roles communities in promoting everyday literacy activities; and assess the impact of health-related instructional content on both adult learning and health behavior.
Staff Development
Researchers will evaluate outcomes of the three most common staff development approaches used in adult learning and literacy systems (e.g., workshops, study circles, and practitioner research); and review best practices among staff development systems throughout the country.
Outcomes
Researchers will identify outcomes of participation in adult learning and literacy programs; develop an approach to measuring these outcomes; develop indicators and performance measures for life skills outcomes related to work, family, community, and self; study the impact of legislation on state and local programs; and conduct a longitudinal study of adult learner behavior and change, and its implications for lifelong learning. For further information contact Harold Himmelfarb at (202) 219-173;1802 or e-mail at harold.himmelfarb@ed.gov.
Funded by NATO's Cooperative Research Grants Program, three staff members of the Center for Science Research and Statistics (CSRS) in Moscow visited a variety of agencies and organizations in Washington in December. Cliff Adelman of PLLI organized the visit as part of his work with CSRS on a comparative study of tracking the advanced knowledge workforce from higher education into the labor market. During the visit, the research design of the project was modified to focus on the information technology workforce in the health care sector of the economy because in both countries we can observe education and training, research and development, and application of learned skills in the same institutions, (e.g. medical schools with teaching hospitals and health science centers.)
In a series of discussions with the Russian group, we learned the following aspects of convergence and contrast in the state of information technology, science, and higher education in Russia:
The chart illustrates the percentage of the population completing bachelors degrees or equivalent in Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries.
This is a small sample of the many issues and topics raised in the CSRS presentations and seminars. For further information contact Clifford Adelman at (202) 219-2251 or e-mail at clifford.adelman@ed.gov
Danish Visit
In early February the staff of the Danish Ministry of Education visited with PLLI. They had a specific focus in requesting this visit in that they are currently developing a national education strategy to establish nationwide standards of qualifications and the development of competence within the fields of higher education, adult education, vocational training, and the future training of private business sector employees. As part of this effort, this group, consisting of eight Ministry of Education officials and three representatives from private industry, where interested in finding out more about the following issues: U.S. labor market projections of future areas of expertise and skills to be required from university graduates, areas of studies to be developed at the university level in order to meet the demands of the future business market, methods companies use for training their employees to meet the challenges of tomorrow's labor market, and background on university and business partnerships.
PLLI staff presented a number of their research findings and developments in the U.S. Department of Education which addressed the delegations issues. Dr. Adelman presented findings regarding computer science courses offered and the needs of business. He used selected databases from education and the Census Bureau to illustrate his findings that business needs individuals with training in higher order computer skills. Dr. Lieb described her work with states and higher education school-to-work efforts. Many states are concerned about students education and their ability to get jobs after graduation.
Ms. Stacey discussed the Department's grant program in school-to-work. Many believe this is an important area of study and a number of states are developing potential models to improve the program. In addition, the delegation was given a number of publications from through out government pertinent to their issues.
Nevzer Stacey has returned from a detail to the National Office of School-to-Work (STW), jointly funded by the Departments of Labor and Education to implement the School-To-Work Opportunities Act of 1994. STW is a new approach to learning in America's schools that links students, schools and workplaces. Locally-driven and community-based, it is an effort to reform education that combines high-level academic achievement with a understanding of the world of work. A new way of preparing young people for their entry into the workplace, STW also encourages schools at secondary and postsecondary levels to develop school-to-work systems cooperatively--together with employers, unions, civic groups, and other public and private sector organizations.
Nevzer Stacey, in collaboration with STW grantees, developed a number of core indicators to measure the progress of their participation and performance in developing statewide STW systems. She also created a long term research agenda through inserting STW related questions in large-scale national surveys, such as the National Employers Survey conducted by the Census and the National Longitudinal Youth Survey and the School Administrators Survey conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
She plans to continue to pursue the connection of learning to earning at the postsecondary level, which appears to be the weak link in the STW system building efforts.
The report, developed with PLLI support, represents the contributions of several organizations including SHEEO, ECS, ACT, ETS, Johnson Foundation, College Board, and OERI. Copies are available from
Building Knowledge for a Nation of Learners establishes seven priorities for education research set by OERIs National Educational Research Policy and Priorities Board. Copies are available from
On the Road to Economic Development, A Guide for Continuing Education Programs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities is a guide based on a study of the continuing education functions at nine Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The purpose of the study was to identify and describe the capacities and potential of HBCUs that are providing continuing education services within the contexts of their labor markets, including the ways in which they determine the match between community needs and the services that are provided. The guide provides a review of the literature on successful higher education-economic development initiatives; descriptions of promising practices and exemplary programs; a model for developing continuing education programs that contribute to community economic development, together with implications of the model for stakeholders that will be involved with program implementation. Copies are available from
Learning and Earning: Analysis of HEA Title II-B, Graduate Library Fellowship Program Recipients, Fiscal Years 1985-1991 is a study undertaken to determine the success rate of fellows recruited into the training program and to determine if this training enabled them to enter the library profession or reentered it with the enhanced skills needed to further their careers. The study revealed a high success rate in terms of degree attainment at all training levels. It showed little difference in completion rates between male and female, or between minority and nonminority.
Copies are available from the National Library of Education at (800) 424-1616.
Realizing the Potential: Improving Postsecondary Teaching, Learning, and Assessment was prepared by the National Center on Postsecondary Teaching, Learning, and Assessment at the Pennsylvania State University, one of the OERI funded national research and development centers that completed its mission in 1995. The publication contains easily understood research syntheses, based on the Center's five years of research that included a longitudinal study of student learning, and 18 focused studies on the effects of curriculum and instruction, faculty roles and preparation, out-of-class experiences, and organizational structures. The report illustrates some of the problems, highlights promising programs, and points to practices that postsecondary institutions can use to improve and enhance their impact on students. It concludes with a discussion of the research findings and candidly offers recommendations to those who can best affect higher education. Re-released by OERI, PLLI with permission. Copies are available from
Social Benefits of Education was edited by Nevzer Stacey of PLLI and Jere Behrman. Education provides social benefits for individuals and society, including a better way of taking care of ourselves, and consequently creating a better society to live in. Though difficult to quantify these social benefits, a more systematic analysis would improve our understanding of the full effects of education and provide a bases for considering related policies. Topics include measurement issues regarding what we mean by education and its benefits, basic analytical issues in assessing the impact of education on these social benefits using behavioral data, and whether the social benefits of education justify public policy interventions. Copies are available from
U.S. Department of Education
Richard W. Riley, Secretary
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
Marshall S. Smith, Acting Assistant Secretary
National Institute of Postsecondary Education, Libraries, and Lifelong Learning
Carole Lacampagne, Director
Learning Connections
Editor: Joseph Teresa
PLLI 97-8045
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