Evaluation Report of the Wisconsin Technical College System National Workplace Literacy Program Grant.

N

186

Office of Vocational and Adult Education (ED), Washington, DC. National Workplace Literacy Program.

Adult Basic Education; Basic Skills; Educational Benefits; Inplant Programs; Participant Satisfaction; Program Evaluation; School Business Relationship; Skill Development; Technical Institutes; Transfer of Training; Two Year Colleges; Workplace Literacy

An external evaluator worked with the project team of the Wisconsin Technical College System National Workplace Literacy Program to develop the evaluation design. Although she was at the project site for only limited periods of time, she and the project team maintained periodic contact during the 3-year period by telephone, fax, and email. Three technical colleges were selected for onsite study. During each site visit, the evaluator met with college coordinators, instructors, business and labor partners, supervisors, and learners. The evaluation design was planned primarily as a naturalistic inquiry that used the structured interview approach to data collection. The Kirkpatrick model (1994) was used to guide the summative evaluation. Project staff decided on procedures to collect data used as evidence for accomplishment of each of four levels of evaluation: stakeholder evaluation, mastery of basic skills, transfer of learning, and impact on organizations. Evaluation highlights were business institutionalization of their programs; a culture shift in many businesses with workers valued as equals in decision making; and dissemination through newsletters targeted to workers in the business site. (The six-page report is followed by these extensive appendixes: program benefits handbook; structured interview forms for partners, supervisors, learners, and staff; interview data; and analysis of trends in the data.) (YLB)

1999

ED426294