Community Newspapers With Teachers & Students as Researchers & Reporters

In the 1990s the San Diego Consortium for Workforce Education and Lifelong Learning (CWELL) worked in the San Diego Community College District (SDCCD) to better understand adult English as a Second Language (ESL) education and Adult Basic Education (ABE). An Action Research Center (ARC) was established which engaged both teachers and students as researchers. To disseminate the results of this research and other information of relevance to the students, teachers, and other members of the Community College District, the CWELL ARC published seven issues of a newspaper called the Community Exchange. Six of these newspapers were eight pages in length and the middle two pages were dedicated to the publication of writings by students. Research by teachers were reported in other sections of the newspaper. Following are examples of these student and teacher research articles.

Student Research Report: Adult Students Speak Out About School Participation
(From the Community Exchange, Vol. 3, Issue 1, Summer 1994, p. 2)

The CWELL Student Writing Contest is a great way to learn more about what students think of different school issues. For the last contest, SDCCD Continuing Education were invited to write about school participation. Here is what these students had to say [Note: student reports were based on interviews with other students and non-students and summarized across student researchers for this article].

Why do adults not participate in education?
Students presented many reasons for the lack of participation. Financial consideration were the most common. Lack of time was the main reason cited, as many adults are very busy and have to work and/or have to take care of their children. Some work more than one job to support the family.

Other reasons for the lack of participation were school-related. Many students do not go to school because there are no childcare services available or the parent cannot get a babysitter.

Other reasons for the lack of participation were: school was not relevant for student needs, school was not welcoming for students, teachers who do not care about the students, and lack of information about school in general. These factors promoted frustration and discouragement and eventually the students dropped out.

Personal reasons for non-participation were: adults were too old to be educated, lack of self esteem, shyness, lack of motivation, lack of interest, and lack of family and peer support. Some adults said it was too difficult to learn a second language. [Note: these were non-English speaking adults talking about ESL instruction].

Teacher Research Report: SDCCD Teachers Become Researchers To Improve Adult Basic Education
(From the Community Exchange Vol. 1, Issue 1, Winter 1993, p. 2)

Teachers in the San Diego Community College District (SDCCD) are also becoming researchers. They are studying in adult basic education.

Begun in March 1993, ten Teacher as Research projects are underway. These projects are sponsored by the CWELL Action Research Center.

In one project, “Families Learning English Together,” Marjorie Howe, SDCCD Home Economics Resource Instructor and Esther Garcia, SDCCD ESL/Child Development Instructor have joined forces.

They are developing new course curriculum and instructional materials to help Limited English Proficient (LEP) parents, especially mothers, and their preschool children integrate better into the community by : (1) developing their skills in accessing community resources, locating an using medical services, using the library, shopping for family necessities, and communicating at a basic level with school personnel a their child’s school; and (2) expanding their basic survival English in the context of family situations.

In another project, “Intergenerational Transfer in the GAIN/ABE Classroom,” Instructor Judy Quinn is documenting the intergenerational transfer of cognitive skills from parent to child in her classroom.

Judy is documenting this phenomenon through a literature review of the topic, various surveys, journal writing by students directed towards how their own attendance at school affects their children, and encouraging parents to participate with their children in various educational activities.

More innovative and exciting Teacher as Researcher projects will be featured in future editions of The Community Exchange!