Lewis and Clark Community College

10/12/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/12/2024 20:54

Instructional Coordinator Presents Research on Persistence

Adult Education Instructional Coordinator William Ellington conducted field research in persistence in 2024 as a part of ProLiteracy's Innovative Research and Improvement Group (IRIG). He hopes to have his work published in the Adult Literacy Journal, an academic journal for adult and continuing education. LAURA INLOW/L&C Marketing & PR

GODFREY - At Lewis and Clark Community College, educators like William Ellington are leading the charge to combat issues with persistence and completion among the adult education population.

Ellington is an instructional coordinator in L&C Adult Education. Over the past year, he has been one of six professionals across the country participating in field research through the Innovative Research and Improvement Group (IRIG), affiliated with ProLiteracy, an organization leading the advancement of adult literacy in the United States and worldwide.

He recently presented his work and findings at a ProLiteracy conference and hopes to have his work published in the Adult Literacy Journal, an academic journal for adult and continuing education.

Ellington identified retention as an issue among students working to obtain their Illinois High School diploma (formerly GED). He said many students stop attending after 18-20 attendance hours.

"His project tested the efficacy of texting new students once a week for the first three weeks of their enrollment," said IRIG advisor Alisa Belzer, who is the program coordinator in Adult and Continuing Education at Rutgers University and editor of the Adult Literacy Journal.

Ellington hypothesized that students who received the texts would be more likely to persist and complete. He collected data from about March to May 2024, including quantitative data and information from qualitative interviews with the students.

Results over the course of the limited study were mixed.

"The quantitative data did not prove my hypothesis, but the qualitative interviews were very positive," Ellington said. "The students spoke highly of the texting and said they would help them be engaged. One student was about to drop, but then I texted him and he showed up the next day. In his interview, he did say the communication inspired him to stay."

Ellington believes that if he were to continue gathering data over a longer period that the quantitative data would more closely mirror the students' qualitative experience.

For now, the texting will continue. Ellington and the rest of the Adult Education department continue to collect data through their efforts, but not in the same way.

"Now, we're hoping to identify students who have barriers like transportation and childcare, to see if we can help," he said.

This past semester, Ellington attended a ProLiteracy Conference in Baltimore, Maryland, with IRIG to share his research. He continues working with Belzer on his article for publication.

Ellington said he is grateful to L&C's Adult Education program for giving him the opportunity to work on this research.

"Thank you to my administrators for giving me the opportunity to do this - not only to be in IRIG, but also to present among my peers," Ellington said. "It was a great opportunity to brainstorm ways to serve students who have barriers in and outside of the classroom. It was an honor to get to be a part of it."

As an instructional coordinator, Ellington teaches Illinois High School Diploma preparation classes. He also coordinates the program's instruction, advising on curriculum, scope and sequence.

Belzer said Ellington's commitment and dedication to his work was evident from the moment he joined IRIG in late 2023.

"His work to develop an innovative approach to improving learner retention built on both the affordances of technology and the importance of personal connection between learners and instructors," she said. "It has the potential not only to improve his practice but could be impactful for the whole program."

To learn more about Illinois High School Diploma courses at Lewis and Clark, visit https://www.lc.edu/academic-programs/high-school-diploma/index.html or call (618) 468-4141.