ERIC Number: ED629638
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2022-Apr-23
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
"Wicked Problems": Exploring Alignment of Standards and Courses in Adult ES(O)L and Developmental English
Suh, Emily; Owens, Sam; Dyer, James; McGee, Barrie; LeBlanc, Rene'
AERA Online Paper Repository, Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association (San Diego, CA and Virtual, Apr 21-26, 2022)
In Texas, adult English as a Second Language (ES(O)L) and developmental education classes both offer adult multilingual students remediation guided by distinct standards: Texas Workforce Commission (2016) and Texas College and Career Readiness Standards (2018). Within various colleges, the courses are overseen by different departments lacking coordination, resulting in the "wicked problem" (Rittel & Weber, 1973, p. 136) of streamlining support for a growing multilingual college student population. Through thematic analysis (Clark & Braun, 2014) of 76 hours of observation and interviews at five Texas community colleges and community support programs, we apply systems theory to explore alignment between standards' application and instruction. Although the standards' language indicates alignment, unequal implementation indicates the need for additional training to support students.
Descriptors: Alignment (Education), English (Second Language), Second Language Learning, Second Language Instruction, Multilingualism, Remedial Instruction, Community Colleges, Community College Students, College Faculty, State Standards, College Readiness, Language Skills, Career Readiness, Adult Education
AERA Online Paper Repository. Available from: American Educational Research Association. 1430 K Street NW Suite 1200, Washington, DC 20005. Tel: 202-238-3200; Fax: 202-238-3250; e-mail: subscriptions@aera.net; Web site: http://www.aera.net
Publication Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers; Reports - Research
Education Level: Adult Education; Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Two Year Colleges
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Texas
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A