Hal Beder

Motivational Profiles of Adult Basic Education Students

This study explores the reasons why low-literate adults participate in Adult Basic Education (ABE). A 62-item scale to measure motivations was constructed based on in-depth interviews with learners; the scale was embedded into a questionnaire surveying a broad array of back-ground variables. Questionnaire data were collected by means of face-to-face, structured inter- views from a large random sample (N= 323) of learners currently enrolled in ABE programs in the state of Iowa; a 50%o random subsample was also administered a test of academic ability. Through factor analysis of the motivation items, ten dimensions were identified: (a) self-improvement, (b) family responsibilities, (c) diversion, (d) literacy development, (e) community/church involvement, (f) job advancement, (g) launching, (h) economic need, (i) educational advancement, and (j) urging of others. Cluster analyses based on factor scores revealed six distinct subgroups of students. Implications are discussed.

The Effects of Andragogical Teacher Training on Adult Students' Attendance and Evaluation of Their Teachers.

Although there is a substantial literature on andragogy, there is a paucity of empirical research on the subject. The research reported here deals with a central problem: Is andragogy an effective strategy for teaching adults? To this end two hypotheses were tested: (a) Andragogically trained teachers of adults will have higher rates of student attendance in their classes than teachers not trained in andragogy and (b) students will evaluate more positively andragogically-trained adult education teachers than teachers not trained in andragogy.The design was a randomized control group, post only field experiment utilizing treatment, placebo, and null groups. The intervention was a nine-hour course of instruction designed to facilitate acquisition of andragogical teaching methods. The subjects were public school adult education instructors teaching a variety of subjects. Student attendance and teacher evaluation were dependent variables.It was found that, although the treatment had a positive and significant effect (p = .10) on attendance, there was no significant effect on student evaluation.

Success in a High School Completion Program and Its Relation To Field Dependence—Independence

This study explored the cognitive style of field dependence-independence (FDI) and its relation to performance on the General Educational Development Test (GED), performance on the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE), and learner attrition. The subjects were enrollees (N= 40) in a New Jersey GED preparation program sponsored by the Comprehensive Employment and Train ing Administration (CETA). Participants who passed the GED were found to be significantly more field independent while those who failed the GED or dropped out of the program were relatively more field dependent. As expected, field independence was related to higher math and reading scores on the TABE and GED. Field dependence-independence was discussed as a diagnostic variable in determining the needs of individual learners in adult education programs.