Overview of the Research Project

In 2001 when Naming the Magic: Non Academic Outcomes (NAO) in Basic Literacy2 was completed, Evelyn presented the final report at the Edmonton research-in-practice conference that June.3 At this gathering, funders expressed enthusiasm for more research-in-practice projects and potential practitioner researchers were encouraged to do a collaborative project. In October 2001, Evelyn invited four ABE/Literacy practitioners to join her to explore the possibility of designing and carrying out a research project. She chose people she felt she would like to work with, people she felt were likeminded and with whom she had experience working in the development of the field. She also was concerned to have practitioners from different regions of the province. I was selected because, Evelyn said, "You were an up-and-coming instructor who showed promise, and were interested in looking at the same issues the group had looked at in their own development" (Telephone conversation, May 18, 2004).

The team consisted of five ABE/Literacy practitioners:

  • Evelyn Battell from Malaspina University-College, Cowichan Campus, Duncan, BC
  • Leora Gesser from Selkirk College, Grand Forks, BC
  • Judy Rose from Capilano College, North Vancouver, BC
  • Jan Sawyer from Okanagan University College, Salmon Arm, BC
  • Diana Twiss from Capilano College, North Vancouver, BC

and three research friends from the academic field who were based in the Lower Mainland.

  • Marina Niks, a Doctoral Candidate from UBC
  • Betsy Alkenbrack,4 a Doctoral Candidate from UBC
  • Bonnie Soroke, then a Masters student from UBC

2 Faced with the possibility that ABE/Literacy learners would be assessed solely on academic outcomes, a group decided that it was time to articulate other positive changes that ABE/Literacy learners went through as a result of participating in ABE/Literacy programming, things like being able to work in a group, to stand up for themselves, to improve their parenting skills and to contribute to their community. In the spring of 1999, 40 veteran ABE/Literacy instructors gathered with the task of defining and describing the Non- Academic Outcomes (NAOs) they witnessed in ABE/Literacy learners over the years. They worked in groups to design tools to measure or evaluate those NAOs. The tools were fieldtested and a final report with recommendations was written.

3 The Edmonton research-in-practice gathering took place the summer of 2002 sponsored by the Literacy Coordinators of Alberta, in partnership with the Centre for Research on Literacy, University of Alberta, and The Learning Centre Literacy Association, Edmonton. Fifty-eight participants from across Canada, from the UK, from the USA and from Australia brought their hearts and minds to the "Gathering." Participants included literacy and ABE teachers and facilitators, staff in literacy organizations and government offices, university professors and self-employed consultants. During four days of workshops, inquiry groups, discussion sessions, rounds and chats, participants shared and built knowledge about literacy research in practice.

4 Betsy was added to the group during the first official research team meeting, October 2002.