A practice gaining much attention in the community college world is contextualized learning opportunities for basic skills students who are interested in vocational or technical fields, such as allied health or early childhood education.7 These programs may be geared either toward
adult basic education students who have yet to earn a high school credential or toward devel- opmental education students who are entering community college. In both cases, students have not yet developed the reading, writing, or math skills needed to earn the credential of interest, and they need additional preparation in these areas to master the course content. Therefore, occupational programs in these colleges have looked to develop integrated vocational and
6Grubb and Kraskouskas (1992); Berns and Erickson (2001); Perin (2001); Badway and Grubb (1997). 7Baker, Hope, and Karandjeff (2009); Berns and Erickson (2001); Jobs for the Future (2010).
professional training along with substantial basic skills preparation. Many also provide oppor- tunities for direct enrollment in degree or certificate programs, thus accelerating students’ completion of these credentials.8
Examples of Contextualized Learning in Vocational Programs
One of the most promising contextualized learning models to date is Washington State’s Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (I-BEST) program, in which English as a Second Language (ESL) and adult basic education instructors work together with career-
8Jobs for the Future (2010); Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (2005).
Program I-BEST Breaking Through Learning Communities
Positive outcomes: Increased progress into credit-bearing courses; higher persistence rates; earned more credits that counted toward a credential; higher rate of earning occupational
certificates; learning gains on basic skills tests
Modestly positive outcomes: Impacts on student engagement, credits earned, and progression through developmental course sequence; positive effects diminish over time
Jenkins, Zeidenberg, and Kienzl (2009) Scrivener et al. (2008); Weiss, Visher, and Wathington (2010); Weissman et al. (2010); Visher, Schneider, Wathington, and Collado (2010)
Positive outcomes: Increases in college credits earned; improvements in access and completion of workforce training; some gains in English language skills
Positive outcomes: Increased rates of college readiness; improvements in progress toward completing occupational certificates
Positive outcomes: Increased student engagement and persistence
Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
Bragg and Barnett (2009)
Engstrom and Tinto (1998); Tinto (1997); Zhao and Kuh Findings
Studies
Rigorous research
Promising trends
Unlocking the Gate: What We Know About Improving Developmental Education Table 4.1
Summary of Research on Contextualized Instruction Strategies Vocational Programs
Findings
technical faculty to jointly design and teach occupational courses. In the I-BEST program, basic English instruction is tailored to the language and communication skills needed for students’ chosen occupation and are taught in the context of students’ workforce training classes. Such comprehensive supports as tutoring, advising, and mentoring are often key program compo- nents for assisting students. The primary goal of I-BEST is to ensure that students receive at least one year of college training that culminates in the award of a certificate or degree.9
Another promising program that emphasizes contextualized learning models is the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation’s Breaking Through initiative. Its pilot programs have been tested in a number of community colleges throughout the country, with many focusing on contextualized learning as a key gateway to college success. For instance, Central New Mexico Community College in Albuquerque has implemented the Construction Apprenticeship pro- gram, which offers for-credit contextualized courses in math and reading while integrating these skills into other college-level courses, such as carpentry. Similarly, Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, Ohio, has created a pre-state-tested Nursing Assistant program that allows individuals who have skills below the eighth-grade level to improve their academic abilities while learning about core concepts in health care and nursing.10 While many of these programs
focus on students in adult basic education programs, several also target developmental educa- tion students who have already received a high school credential.
Research Evidence Supporting Contextualized Learning in Vocational Programs
The most promising evidence supporting contextualized learning for students with re- medial needs comes from a recent evaluation of Washington State’s I-BEST program by the Community College Research Center (CCRC). Building on encouraging results from the state’s descriptive analysis, CCRC’s evaluation used statewide data to compare I-BEST students with other similarly skilled adult basic education students. Using a multivariate logistic regression analysis and controlling for students’ background characteristics, such as socioeconomic status and previous schooling, the analysis found positive effects across the board. Compared with nonparticipating students, those who were in the I-BEST program were significantly more likely to advance into credit-bearing courses, persist in college, earn credits that counted toward a credential, earn an occupational certificate, and make learning gains on basic skills tests. I-BEST students often showed large gains on many of these measures.11
9Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (2005). 10Bragg and Barnett (2009).
Promising evidence also exists documenting the success of several Breaking Through programs. Internal evaluations at some of the participating colleges have shown positive outcomes overall for students who are in the programs, such as increased rates of college readiness and progress toward completing occupational certificates.12 The findings from this
research should be approached with caution, however, as the statistical analyses employed either do not use a comparison group or fail to control for such factors as earlier differences in achievement levels between students who are in the program and those who are not.