Responses might range from seeking outside help (talking to the supervisor or calling the city councillor) to trying to understand what the disagreement is all about and approaching the other person. What do the responses show about approaches to problem solving and thinking creatively?

Other types of assessment

Educators recognize the need to improve basic skills assessment of experienced adults. Portfolio assessment is one commonly used method. A portfolio documents a learner's skills, knowledge, education plans and goals, learning styles, and self-assessments. In compiling portfolios participants explore past experiences, set education goals, choose samples of their work to illustrate variety and quality, and evaluate their progress. Portfolio development is a collaboration between teacher and learner. Together they decide what it will include, what procedures to use for ongoing creation, and how the documentation will be used.

In some workplaces each learner documents the phases of learning: needs assessment, goals, tracking progress, examples of the learner's work, self-evaluations, and course evaluations. Some educators refer to this as "seamless" assessment, in which assessment and learning are not differentiated but woven together.

Computer-assisted assessment is also gaining popularity, especially for learners interested in working toward their high school diploma or college entrance. This is most frequently a form of standardized testing, although some programs may allow for new items to be added. Learning centres often house computer software to provide self-paced learning materials for assessment and upgrading.

While serving specific populations of workers with limited needs, computer software alone has not replaced some essential components of adult education. Face-to-face interaction allows unforeseen issues to emerge, and participants have opportunities to consider other people's ideas, respond, and collaborate. We recommend that computers be supportive rather than central components in an education program.