3.5.2. Data on Learning: and Related Needs of Women in ABE Programs

Data were gathered to describe the learning and related needs of women who attend ABE programs as perceived by both providers and women students in such programs. Questions related to:

• needs that led to attendance in program;

• learning and related needs during program;

• barriers to regular attendance in program;

• educational aspirations upon completion of program; and

• job aspirations upon completion of program.

Learning and related needs have been defined as follows:

• Learning needs: requirements, conditions, wants, interests, and/or concerns about which women can secure information, gain experience, develop understanding and/or acquire skills.

• Learning-related Needs: those factors which women require in order to obtain access to, and stay in, learning programs. These can be personal (e.g., self. confidence), social (e.g., transportation, childcare), economic (e.g., fees subsidy), or institutional (e.g., flexible entrance requirements, absence of sexual discrimination).

(See the Interview Schedule in Appendix E for the questions asked of women students about their learning and related needs.)

3.6. DATA COLLECTION TECHNIQUES AND INSTRUMENTS

Two techniques were employed and, correspondingly, two data collection instruments were used.

Questionnaires were mailed to 360 providers of ABE programs across Canada (see Appendix B). Completed questionnaires were returned by 106 providers, a response rate of 29 percent. Of these, 98 were used in the data analysis. The remaining 8 were received too late for inclusion in the analysis.

Personal interviews were conducted with 30 women students, registered in different ABE programs included in the survey sample (see Appendix C). They were asked questions about their experience in the programs, their learning and related needs, and their view of the extent to which the programs were meeting their needs. The students were interviewed by different persons. Those in Vancouver, British Columbia, and The Pas, Manitoba were interviewed by one staff member of the ABE project. Those in Ontario were interviewed by another staff member of the ABE project. Students in Trail, British Columbia, were interviewed by an affiliate of CCLOW. All of the interviewers had previous training and experience in interviewing. (See Appendix D for a copy of the interview schedule.)

Both the questionnaire and interview schedule were pre-tested with a small group of ABE teachers and students in Toronto.