Educational Planning and Design Associates

More than meets the eye

Helen Woodrow began her career in 1974 with Memorial University Extension Service. She travelled throughout the province, working with groups to document important community issues, produce videos, and conduct local research.

"My understanding of literacy, education and culture was shaped by those experiences. I learned as much in kitchens and inshore fishing boats as I did in graduate school," she says.

These days, Helen works with Educational Planning and Design Associates. Helen and Frances Ennis formed the company in 1991. They had worked together at the university's distance education unit to design a curriculum and pilot a program for literacy providers. When the project ended, they decided to create their own jobs.

"We didn't have a big plan. Our goal was simple - to do good work. Both of us had spent about twenty years working in non formal education and community development. We wanted to continue that effort."

Many ABE instructors, literacy providers, and students involved in upgrading programs have participated in courses, special seminars or workshops designed by Helen. In fact, registration has just started for a teleconference course that begins in April. Language Awareness: Teaching Grammar in the Context of Writing Instruction is a new course developed for the ABE Writing Network. Though technology has helped her reach thousands of people in the literacy field, Helen admits that she prefers workshop settings.

"I get a tremendous sense of energy from students and teachers. The room overflows with knowledge, creativity, and humour. That energy keeps me alive when I'm locked away in my office working on text," she says.

Writing has become an increasingly important part of Helen's work. The company produces numerous publications. Their two most recent works are Propriety and Possibilities and Strong as the Ocean: Women's Work in the Newfoundland and Labrador Fisheries. They've also written or edited other teachers' manuals such as Learning Differently: the anthology, A Newfoundland Spell; and an array of reference publications.

Today Educational Planning and Design Associates has a broad clientele which includes the Newfoundland and Labrador Women's FishNet, the Adult Basic Education Writing Network, and Human Resources Development Canada. They have been contracted to do work by the Department of Education, the National Literacy Secretariat, and regional colleges. The company also works with other agencies and departments interested in health, distance education delivery and community research.

Amazingly, all this work is produced primarily by Helen, Frances and one fulltime employee. To supplement their staff, they contract editors, designers, researchers and other people.

As for the future, Helen has her sights set on documenting literacy practices in rural Newfoundland and Labrador. She would like to explore how ordinary people use reading and writing in their everyday life. Helen has already begun to look at some archival material because she is interested in comparing current practices with those of previous generations. Additional information will be gathered in interviews with elders. She hopes a team of researchers from the ABE community, including program graduates and dropouts, will work on the project.

"The media and the general public make all kinds of assumptions about literacy. They look at the studies and statistics and conclude we have no tradition of reading and writing. Yet there is evidence of popular literacies in earlier generations. And by focusing on current literacy practices we can construct a social view of literacy. This social view can enhance curriculum and instruction."

You can contact Helen at edplan@firstcity.net or by calling 753-8815.