THE ALPINE MANUAL OF GOOD PRACTICE
Socrates Grundtvig Project


TEACHING, LEARNING AND ADULTS

  I Introduction

  II The comparative study based on the KOLB's Learning Style Inventory

  1) Analyses
2) Appendix
    
  III Comparative analyses of adult education programme descriptions

  1) Analyses
2) Appendix
3) Case studies
    
  Key messages

  Further reading

Table of Contents

 APPENDIX: KNOX CLASSICAL COMPARATIVE ANALYSES
 CONTENTS OF THE ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAMMES

  

KNOX CLASSICAL COMPARATIVE ANALYSES
CONTENTS OF THE ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAMMES

A. Environment, setting
Type and size of the provider organization, including the size and characteristics of the service area of programme.

B. Outcomes
B.1. Goals, objectives:
Programme goals, content and intended outcomes (include the major stated objectives, the types of people and groups that influence goals, as well as the process of reaching agreement on these goals and objectives. Indicate the main societal benefit that the programme tries to serve, such as assimilation of immigrants, modernisation of technology.
B.2.Benefits
Evidence of actual programme benefits to learners and others (based on evaluation of findings or general impressions).

C. Process
C.1. Planning, preparation
Programme planning (including who conducts a needs assessment and /or context analysis, and how they usually do so, along with other major planning arrangements, such as objectives and activities, and use of plans).
C.2. Methods
Methods of teaching and learning (including main types of methods and materials for helping adults to learn).
C.3. Development and improvement
Programme improvement (including evaluation and improving the performance of programme staff)
C.4. Participation
Encouraging participation and responsiveness of learners (including counselling, confidence raising, listening to problems, encouragement, compassion, breaking the ice, stress management, incentives, „joy training”, and other ways to retain learners in programmes)

D. Input and access
Numbers and characteristics of people and resources that are acquired for the programme to function, along with the procedures to obtain them. For example:
D.1. Participants (numbers and characteristics of learners or students and average number of hours spent in the programme each week)
D.2. Needs (indication that a problem or educational need exist that the programme should address)
D.3. Staff (number of full time equivalent administrators, teachers, discussion leaders, co-ordinators and other staff members)
D.4. Content (major subject matter fields)
D.5. Finances (money and in-kind support from any source)
To describe general levels of financial support and expenditures for this programme, estimate the total amount of annual financial and in-kind income and support that the programme receives to cover all instructional and other direct programme costs. (Do not include indirect costs.)
Using the total budget level for the programme as a base, calculate and report the percentage of programme income and support from government funds, fees paid by participants, and all other sources combined. Also, report the percentage of the total budget that is used to pay staff.
D.6. Facilities, equipment, materials
D.7. Other (including feedback regarding outcomes that influence inputs and process)

E. Evaluation
Brief history of major programme trends to describe how this programme started or evolved, and the major past influences that helped and hindered its development.

F. Influences
Major current societal influences during the past few years and now that affect stability and change in the programme’s functioning and outcomes (examples could include: financial support, government policies, economic status or conditions, religious or social traditions, available volunteers and staff). The influences could be local, regional or international.

F.1. Positive influences that help or contribute to the programme’s effectiveness or success.

F.2. Negative influences that hinder or make it difficult for the programme to be effective.

G. Other
Any other brief comments that help to explain how and why the programme functions as it does in its societal context.
Descriptive comments could include clarification of important variables, indications of how the selected programme differs from others of its type in your country, opinions about widespread values and beliefs relevant to the programme (description of important adult education staff roles) and your own perspective and interpretation of activities and meanings).
Pertinent articles, reprints, statistics, and bibliographic citations that would clarify the programme for readers are also welcome.