In September 2003, the American Youth Policy Forum (AYPF) produced a report edited by Betsy Brand entitled Essentials of High School Reform: New Forms of Assessment and Contextual Teaching and Learning. (Washington, DC: American Youth Policy Forum www.aypf.org). The report includes two papers that discuss issues related to the development of contextualized teaching and learning (CTL) curricula in high schools and developing assessments that will provide a more accurate indication of student learning in CTL classrooms. The report also presents summaries of the discussions in two roundtables convened by AYPF to discuss the ideas and issues presented in the two papers.

In addition to presenting discussions of the issues and challenges that fact those who wish to move toward CTL, the report appendix offers examples of CTL using problem-based learning, service-learning, project-based learning, curriculum integration, work-based learning and collaborative/cooperative learning. It also provides some cases of CTL in high schools.

FCE In Community Colleges

A January 2003 report by C. Mazzeo et al. entitled Building Bridges to College and Careers: Contextualized Basic Skills Programs at Community Colleges is available from the Workforce Strategy Center on the web at http://www.workforcestrategy.org/publications/Contextualized_basic_ed_report.pdf

The report's authors describe their research in five community colleges that are committed to CTL, The authors of the report state that, "Research suggests that contextualized basic skills instruction is often more successful than traditional models of adult education in engaging disadvantaged individuals and linking them to work."

In developing their CTL programs, the five colleges: Integrated developmental (basic skills) and academic content Developed new curricular materials and professional development for CTL faculty. Maintained links with employers and industry associations. Found resources to fund the programs, at least in the short-term.

The authors state that, "While none of these colleges profiled in this study have been able to serve more than 20% of their developmental, English as a Second Language (ESL) and adult education population, they all seek the resources and capacity to go to scale."

Functional Context Education in ABE.

Following Functional Context Education principles, which call for integrating basic skills education with important content area knowledge and skills, more rapid progress can be made in educating youth and adults to meet the needs of the new world of work than is typical of sequential programs in which basic academic skills are first raised to some assumed necessary level before the adult can obtain the education and training needed. Functional Context Principles can be applied to skill and knowledge activities such as: