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University Microfilms International 300 N. Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, Ml 48106 8309029 Yates, Doris Denise AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF WOMEN WHO RETURN TO COMPLETE A HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION Michigan State University University Microfilms International Ph.D. 1982 300 N. Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48106 Copyright 1982 by Yates, Doris Denise All Rights Reserved PLEASE NOTE: In all c a s e s this material has been filmed in the best possible way from the available copy. Problems encountered with this docum ent have been identified here with a check mark V 1. Glossy photographs or p a g e s ______ 2. Colored illustrations, paper or print______ 3. Photographs with dark background______ 4. Illustrations are poor copy______ 5. P ages with black marks, not original copy______ 6. Print shows through a s there is text on both sid e s of page______ 7. Indistinct, broken or small print on several p a g e s 8. Print exceeds margin requirem ents______ 9. Tightly bound copy with print lost in spine______ 10. Computer printout pages with indistinct print______ 11. P ag e(s)____________lacking when material received, and not available from school or author. 12. P ag e(s)____________seem to be missing in numbering only a s text follows. 13. 14. 15. ■ ✓ Two pages num bered___________ . Text follows. Curling and wrinkled p a g e s ______ Other______________________________________________________________________ _ University Microfilms international AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF WOMEN WHO RETURN TO COMPLETE A HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION By Doris Denise Yates A DISSERTATION Submitted to Michigan State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Department of Adult and Continuing Education 1982 © Copyright by DORIS DENISE YATES 1982 ABSTRACT AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF WOMEN WHO RETURN TO COMPLETE A HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION By Doris Denise Yates It has been said . . . that an education for women which sharpens intellectual curiosity and quickens the imagination is either a waste of time or a source of frustration, since the roles of women as wives and mothers will prevent them from enjoying any of their intellectual or cultural interest. Taylor, 1954 The central purposes involved in this exploration were to (1) identify the personal and environmental charac­ teristics of women enrolled in Adult Basic Education, General Educational Development and High School Completion programs; (2) identify the intrinsic and extrinsic factors which motivated their return to formal education; and (3) identify the most significant marketing techniques which created the awareness of adult education programs for women. The total population for the study was comprised of 138 women enrolled in high school completion programs in an urban mid-Michigan city. A questionnaire was developed and administered in order to gather data for the study. A pilot study was Doris Denise Yates conducted to determine (1) clarity of the questions asked, (2) whether information gathered from the questionnaire was the information sought, and (3) whether the instrument would have to be read to the population by the administrant. Frequencies and means were utilized to examine the responses to the questionnaire. Summary of Major Findings 1. Women who participated were single, predominantly white, unemployed and had incomes below $5,000. 2. The primary motivating factors for participation in a high school completion program were to obtain a high school diploma and to further their educa­ tional and career plans. 3. The variety of times when classes were offered and individual learning seemed to satisfy the perceived educational needs of the women. 4. Word of mouth was the means through which many of the women became aware of the programs. However, the Black and Hispanic women learned of the programs through television. 5. The significant other of the participant had more education than the women participants. This dissertation is dedicated to my mother Doris, my sister Carol and My Aunt Martha and Uncle Walter for their love, encouragement, and support and Lilly B. Nelson Douglas (1917-1982) for her warm smile and undying strength iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Dr. Richard E. Gradner, the chair of my Doctoral Dissertation/ has been very supportive of my interest and efforts as I have pursued this task through the highs and lows. I have grown greatly from the perfection, strength, wisdom, and knowledge of a true gentleman. Dr. Howard W. Hickey, who served as a professor and friend and who introduced me to a different concept of Adult Education known as Community Education. Dr. Kenneth L. Harding, who served as a calming influence and a source of encouragement when I reached the point of where 50 percent finish and 50 percent don't, after comprehensives are completed. Dr. Peter M. Gladhart, who served as my Master's chair and member of the dissertation committee. Pete pro­ vided the fresh perspective and I am grateful for the time and encouragement he invested in me. Dr.s Featherstone, Levine, and Nelson for their interest in my progress, their friendship, and faith in my abilities. iv Dr. Mitzi D. Bond, who from long distance and many years of friendship shared her wisdom, support, and wit when a friendly voice from "home" was needed. Khail Elaian the computer wizzard who helped me through the coding of the questionnaire and the interpreta­ tion of the data, when it looked like just numbers! Ms. Carolyn Calahan and Ms. Melody Pierce who offered the sense and source of competition when necessary. Dr. Lee Meadows and Brenda Mills who offered a very special friendship and knew when to encourage the much needed symposiums when the walls started closing in and a mental health break was badly needed, and Pattie Richards, who could sing the “blues" aways. Ms. Loretta Cunningham gave me the listening ear and shared her tower of strength during the first two years of this endeavor. Dr. Ralph W. Bonner, who in his own way, encouraged me to "hang in there." Donna Palmer, Lorraine Hull, and Virginia Wiseman, who made sure that all things were all in the right places at all the right times. The Knaaks, Red and Ginny, who taught me to take it one day at a time, and easy does it! Finally, Terry Siegrist and Silas Taylor for paving the road which allowed me access to the population. Mr. Lee Mason the Director and the entire staff of the Adult Edu­ cation Center for their interest and support. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF T A B L E S ......................................... viii Chapter I. I N T R O D U C T I O N ............................... Statement of the Problem................... Purpose ................................... Importance of the S t u d y ................... Research Questions......................... Research Methodology ...................... Procedures for Collecting Data............. Study Limitations ......................... Study D e l i m i t a t i o n s ...................... Definition of T e r m s ...................... O v e r v i e w ................................... II. III. IV. REVIEW OF LITERATURE......................... 1 4 4 6 7 8 8 9 10 10 11 13 Adult Basic Education...................... General Educational Development . . . . Adult High School C o m p l e t i o n ............. Adult Education............................ Secondary Education for Women ............ Continuing Education for Women............ S u m m a r y ................................... 13 17 18 19 26 29 32 P R O C E D U R E S ................................... 34 Methods of Data C o l l e c t i o n ................ Sample...................................... Data Collection Procedures ................ Data A n a l y s i s ............................ S u m m a r y ................................... 34 36 36 37 38 ANALYSIS OF D A T A ............................ S u m m a r y ................................... vi 39 57 Chapter Page Personal/Socio-Economic Characteristics . Factors Which Influenced Return. . . . Marketing Techniques ................... Significant Individuals to Whom Participants Turned for Advice . . . V. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS . . Summary of the F i n d i n g s ................... Conclusions and Recommendations . . . . Recommendations and Suggestions for Further Research......................... Reflections............................... 57 57 58 58 60 60 62 65 67 APPENDICES Appendix A. Information Request Letter.................... 69 B. Information Request Responses................ 70 C. Pilot Study Questionnaire ................... 78 D. Population Questionnaire andComputer Grid S h e e t ...................................... 85 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY............................... vii 94 LIST OF TABLES Table 3.1 Page Number of Participants in Adult Education Programs 37 Distribution of Women Participants in the Sample by R a c e ............................ 40 Marital Status of Participants (Frequency/ P e r c e n t ) .................................. 41 Employment Status of Participants in the Sample by Race (Frequency/Percent) . . . 42 Family Income Levels of Participants by Race (Frequency/Percent) ...................... 43 4.5 Mean Age of Participants in the Population 43 4.6 Percent of Participants Who Completed 9thf 10th, or 11th Grades in the Sample (Frequency/Percent) ...................... 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.7 4.8 4.9 4.10 4.11 . Percent of the Sample Who Participated in ABE, GED, Adult High School by Ethnic Breakdown.................................. 44 45 Motivating Factors of the Population for Returning to the Adult High School Classroom.................................. 46 Expected Outcomes for Participating in Adult . . . . High School Completion Programs 47 Benefits Offered by the Adult Education S e t t i n g ................................... 49 How Participants in the Population Perceive They Learn Best............................ 50 viii I Table 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 Page Physical Features Which the Participants Perceived Were Important to Them . . . . 51 Marketing Techniques Used to Attract Participants to Adult Education Classes by Rank O r d e r ................... 53 Relationship of Significant Other to Participants of Population ................ 54 Sex of Significant Other by Participants' Racial Group............................... 55 Educational Status of Significant Others by Race of P a r t i c i p a n t ................... 56 ix CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Historically/ education has been fashioned around the adult roles and tasks which men and women were to assume. Men were expected to fulfill the role of provider and father, women to carry out the responsibilities of domestic life which included bearing and rearing children and main­ taining the home (Sexton, 1976). Societal expectations often locked individuals into situational barriers which prevented the development of their potential. the situation was stifling. For women, Taylor (1954) made the following statement: It has been said . . . that an education for women which sharpens intellectual curiosity and quickens the imagination is either a waste of time or a source of frustration, since the role of women as wives and mothers will prevent them from enjoying any of their intellectual or cultural interest. The organization of educational opportunities for males and females was a reflection of this attitude. Formal educa­ tional opportunities for males were established in the United States in 1636 while women did not enter the class­ room until 1746. It was an additional seventy-five years before Emma Willard opened Troy Seminary in New York in 1 2 1821 as the first women's high school. Educational oppor­ tunities increased during the latter part of the 1800s, but the percentage of females participating lagged far behind the percentage of males (Altbach, 1974). The attitudes towards female education have changed during the past few decades. More women began pursuing educational opportunities than ever before. The more edu­ cation they received, the more their occupational aspira­ tions changed (Baker, et al., 1980). Education also changed the self-image, provided new skills, increased independence and enlightened them about their human legal rights (Sexton, 1976). Data regarding education for women, their motivation, program selection and placement have been readily available (Karelius-Schumacher, 1977; Sexton, 1976; Westervelt, 1975; Baker, et al., 1980). The re-entry of women into the work force, the "displaced homemaker," and women support groups at the college level have been researched in various environ­ ments throughout the country. The population which has received the least amount of attention in the research has been women who left the educational environment prior to high school graduation. Undereducated women have been a very real part of the population and without an adequate education, they fall into the "clutches of ignorance." this observation: An anonymous writer made 3 Ignorance is the mother of superstitution, of bigotry, of fanaticism, of disaffection, of cruelty, and of rebellion . . . and we may lay this down as incontestible truth, that a well informed and intelligent people . . . will always be more orderly, more decent, more humane, more virtuous . . . than a people devoid of instruction and all education. (The Joy of Words, 1960) In 1970, there were 534,117 women 25 years of age or older with less than a high school diploma in the State of Michigan. The annual dropout rate of women from high school (grades 9-12) was 5.12 percent (Michigan Statistical Abstracts, 1980). This situation was not gone totally unnoticed. Recommendation: The first priority in the nation's commitment to equal educational opportunity for women should be placed on changing policies in pre-elementary, elementary, and secondary school programs that tend to deter women from aspiring to equality with men in their career goals. This will require vigorous pursuit of appropriate policies . . . (A Report and Recommenda­ tions by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education, "Opportunities for Women in Higher Education," New York: McGraw Hill Cook Co . , 1973) A large population of undereducated women walk among us while the nation's schools go about attending to the recom­ mendations of the Carnegie Commission. Half a million Michigan women have less than a high school education. Less than 22,000 women have enrolled annually in high school completion programs, General Educational Development and/or Adult Basic Education programs. The dropout rate of women superimposed over enrollments of women in adult programs leading to high school completion has projected continued growth of the undereducated female population of this state. 4 Statement of the Problem There has been a growing number of women who have not completed the requirements for graduation from high school. Difficulties in obtaining employment, managing personal affairs and coping with society have often been the result. Research has given little insight into the causative factors which have influenced women to return to programs which lead to high school completion. Data regard­ ing the personal/social characteristics of these women have been lacking as well. Data have not been compiled as to the marketing techniques which played a part in the return of women to the classroom. American society has been built on the premise of an educated and enlightened citizenry. Educators in general and adult educators specifically have labored long in attempting to attract undereducated individuals to experi­ ences which respond to the premise of better education. Adult educators have attempted to attract individuals to programs utilizing a variety of techniques with little, if any, substantive data regarding clients or their motivation. With insufficient information adult educators are ill-equipped to develop programs for undereducated women which will reduce the numbers of such women who possess less than a high school education. Purpose The major purposes of this study were to (1) identify the personal and environmental characteristics of women 5 enrolled in ABE, GED and high school completion programs; (2) identify the intrinsic and extrinsic factors which motivated the return of women to formal education; and (3) identify the most significant marketing procedures which created the awareness of the adult education programs for women. The major dimensions considered included the following: 1. To extract relevant data from research regarding factors which were identified with motivating individuals to pursue foriffal education and to determine their appropriateness for adult women returning to complete high school requirements. 2. The construction of a questionnaire designed to gather data from women participants in high school completion programs with respect to their personal and environmental characteristics and to determine which intrinsic and extrinsic factors were signifi­ cant in their return to formal education. 3. The development of a demographic profile of women participants in adult education classes. 4. The identification and presentation of factors which motivated women participants to return to the adult education classroom. 5. The identification of the methods by which parti­ cipating women became aware of the adult high school completion programs. 6 6. The development of a set of strategies with respect to program development and marketing of programs for women with less than a high school education. Importance of the Study A substantial proportion of the intellectual talent of women has been and is being lost to society as a result of cultural circumstances . . . (Carnegie Com­ mission, 1973) Concerned citizens and educators have had a long standing commitment to improving the educational climate for all students. The adult educator has long been con­ cerned with identifying methods for encouraging individuals to return to the classroom as well as for improving program quality. The paucity of data on the returning women to the high school completion programs had hindered adult educators in providing for the systematic marketing of programs. Due to the large number of adult women who have not attained a high school diploma, a great deal more under­ standing of the slippage between existing marketing and actual participation is required. More data regarding influential factors affecting adult participation in learning activities is crucial (Cross, 1978). Therefore, this study had a two-fold purpose: (1) to provide data on the women participants in ABE, GED, and Adult high school programs, and (2) to provide adminis­ trators, counselors, and recruiters for the adult education 7 programs with data on women who participate so as to improve these points: 1. the delivery processes employed 2. recruitment strategies 3. counseling techniques, i.e., career and educational 4. scheduling and location of classes 5. marketing techniques employed 6. support services offered This study has implications for community based adult education centers. It could potentially impact the offerings at the university level as well as generate more interest in the varied populations of adult learners. This information on the adult women with less than a high school diploma and the implications it has for administrators, counselors, and educators of adults, should help move these adults from their present step-child existence into the forefront with the other identified adult populations. The research efforts here should be viewed as an initial step in that direction. Research Questions This research is a study of the demographic data on women of adult education programs who participate in either ABE, GED, or adult high school programs in a mid-Michigan city. The study was designed to provide information regard­ ing the following questions: 8 1. What are the demographic characteristics of women participants in adult completion programs, i.e., personal and environmental characteristics? 2. What factors contributed to and influenced the return and continued participation of women in the adult high school classroom, i.e., intrinsic and extrinsic factors? 3. What marketing techniques employed served as influ­ ential factors for the women participants? Research Methodology The data were gathered via a questionnaire which was distributed to participants enrolled in adult high school completion programs. To establish the clarity and overall usefulness of the survey, the questionnaire was distributed to a pilot sample which consisted of thirteen participants who were enrolled in adult high school com­ pletion classes. The research sample consisted of 151 women who were enrolled in either adult high school comple­ tion classes, ABE or GED classes in five locations around a mid-Michigan city. Procedures for Collecting Data Leaders in the field of adult education were con­ sulted to establish the availability of existing data on the population of non post-secondary women which could be used, and secondly, to further determine the need for a study on this population. (See Appendix A for letter of inquiry and Appendix B for responses.) As a result of the paucity of literature on this population, other areas of social science research were investigated to provide 9 direction on the development and structuring of the instru­ ment. The research of Deldin (1980) and Tate (1971) were consulted in order to determine items related to general demographic information, factors which motivated the return and continuation of students and the marketing techniques. A pilot study was conducted to provide information on three areas: (1) the clarity of the questions asked, (2) whether information retrieved from the instrument was the informa­ tion sought, and (3) whether the instrument would have to be read to the population by the administrant. The questionnaire was distributed to women who were participants in an adult education program at an alternate site. Based on the information from the pilot study, the questionnaire was revised where necessary and distributed to the sample of 151 women participants in high school com­ pletion classes in a mid-Michigan city. Study Limitations This study is limited by the factors inherent in the use of a questionnaire. These include but are not limited to the difficulties in securing the complete coopera­ tion of the respondents. Caution should be exercised in that the demographic data may vary in another setting with a different racial concentration of the population. There­ fore, the findings of this study may not be generalized beyond the women participants in adult education programs in an urban mid-western city. 10 Study Delimitations The main delimitation of this study was that it was concerned only with women participants in either high school completion classes, Adult Basic Education or General Edu­ cational Development programs. Definition of Terms Adult Education: all organized instruction for persons beyond compulsory school age who have terminated or interrupted their formal schooling and who are available for regular full-time instruction {Social Indicators, 1976— Selected Data on Social Conditions and Trends in the United States, U.S. Department of Commerce— Office of Federal Sta­ tistical Policy and Standards, Issued December 1977). Adult Basic Education (ABE): a program for a per­ son 16 years of age and older who functions at less than an eighth grade level in reading, writing, and arithmetic (Michigan Statistical Abstracts, 1980). Adult High School; a program established to provide second chance opportunities for adults who have not com­ pleted high school (Minzey and LeTarte, 1979). Displaced Homemaker; Women who through divorce, separation, widowhood, or other crisis in mid-life, have been displaced from their primary job of homemaker and forced into the labor market with little training (Berman, 1980). 11 Dispositional Barriers: those referring to atti­ tudes about learning and perceptions of oneself as a learner. Feeling "too old" to learn, lack of confidence, and boredom with school (Aslanian and Brickell, 1980). Fictive K i n : a non-kin relation which is maintained by consensus between individuals, and in some context can last a lifetime (Stack, 1974). General Educational Development (GED) or High School Equivalency; GED tests are designed to measure the equi­ valence of educational achievement in comparison to tests of achievement at the level of high school graduation. Eligibility to take the GED will vary from state to state (Lilley and Perkins, 1977). Motivational Factors; anything which has created an interest in making a change in one's present situation. Significant Other; male/female companion, relative, friend, fictive kin who have a specific role within the participant's environment. Situational Barriers; those arising from one's situation in life at a given time, such as lack of time due to home or job responsibilities, lack of transportation, geographical isolation, lack of child care, etc. and Brickell, 1980). (Aslainian 12 Overview In Chapter II a selected review of literature will be reported. The major section headings include (1) history of adult education, recruitment, (2) adult education, i.e., marketing and (3) secondary education for women, and (4) con­ tinuing education for women. The design and methods of conducting this study are presented in Chapter III. This chapter includes a descrip­ tion of the source of data, the design and development of the questionnaire used to collect the data and the procedures selected to analyze the data. Chapter IV includes a presentation of the data collected during the study in a descriptive form. The analysis of the data will conclude the chapter. Chapter V, the final chapter, contains a description and summary of the findings, a statement of conclusion, and recommendations for further research. CHAPTER II REVIEW OF LITERATURE The review of literature is divided into the follow­ ing four areas: (1) history— for the purposes of this study, the historical portion of the field of adult edu­ cation will be confined to Adult Basic Education (ABE), General Educational Development (GED), and Adult High School completion programs; recruitment; (2) adult education— marketing and (3) secondary education for women; and (4) continuing education for women. Adult Basic Education The concept of adult education in America can be traced back to Benjamin Franklin. In 1727, he initiated discussion clubs to explore moral, political, and philo­ sophical problems. From this very early beginning, the adult education movement expanded in very diverse and creative directions. The first task of adult education in this nation was the transformation of an entire people from being subjects to being citizens— from perceiving themselves as subservient to an aristocracy to an acceptance and understanding of 13 14 freedom and a democratic form of government (Minzey and LeTarte, 1979). Many evening schools began in large public schools around 1810. While evening schools today are generally accepted as the domain of the adult, the early evening schools were established primarily for working children over 12 years of age. The curriculum was usually a repeat of the day program, stressing reading, writing, and computational skills. As these schools began to stabilize, the age of the student population being served gradually shifted to older teens and young adults. This gradual expansion established the foundation for the present adult education programs in the public schools (Minzey and LeTarte, 1979). Later, other efforts were made to provide basic education for the adult population. One such effort was "Americanization” classes which were developed for foreign speaking immigrants. The general feeling seemed to be that if a man born in America wanted an education, but was poor and illiterate, it was his own responsibility rather than society's. In the early 1900s educational opportunities were broadened. These opportunities were offered to illiterate adults through a variety of local and state programs. One of the first and most famous efforts in the South was known as the "Moonlight Schools" of Kentucky. The schools were called "Moonlight Schools" because they were conducted only on nights when the moon provided enough light for adults to make their way through rough mountain country to the 15 schools. These evening classes were conducted for persons who wanted to learn to read, write, and "figure" (Lilley and Perkins, 1977). While most states providing adult education did not establish legislative programs until after 1920, a few earlier notable exceptions did exist. For example, the New York Legislature authorized the expenditure of $6,000 per year in Adult Education and the Rhode Island assembly appro­ priated $5,000 in 1873 for the same purpose. The federal government's first real entry into adult education was in agricultural education. The Hatch Act of 1887 established agricultural experimental stations within the land grant colleges. The act was followed in 1914 by the Cooperative Extension Act. The Cooperative Extension Act was intended to educate farmers to improve crop yield and farming techniques. Today this effort is heralded as this nation's greatest single adult educational venture, and many believe it is most successful. Another date in history which impacted the development of adult education as we know it today was the Smith-Hughes Act passed by Congress in 1917 which provided federal funds to be matched by state funds for vocational education (Lilley and Perkins, 1977). The Depression of the thirties brought about emer­ gency programs which gave a boost to adult education. World War II further emphasized the educational needs of adults when a large number of men called to duty were found to be illiterate and were rejected as unfit for military 16 service. Crash programs for both military and civilian personnel were established. Adult education prospered, but with the end of the war the programs declined. It was not until the 1960s that the federal govern­ ment again became seriously involved with literacy education. The philosophy of the country had changed. There was genuine concern for both the effective development of individuals and the desire on the part of the individuals for better lives. Illiteracy and poverty came to be seen as social problems and social responsibilities. Educational and political leaders in the United States responded to an acute need for a large segment of the nation's society. The earlier concept of literacy education was broadened into the concept now known as Adult Basic Education (ABE). The need for a program fitting the description of Adult Basic Education was particularly emphasized when the 1960 census data revealed that there were 22,732,000 Americans 25 years old and over with less than eight years of school completed (Lilley and Perkins, 1977). Because of the numbers of adults in 1960 who were functional illiterates, several offices were established to make attempts at reducing the illiteracy rates. The Bureau of Adult and Vocational Edu­ cation, established in 1965, was part of the U.S. Office of Education. Within this office the division of Adult Edu­ cation Programs was created. legislative acts were passed: In the 1960s several pertinent the Manpower Development and Training Act in 1962; the Vocational Education Act in 1963; 17 the Economic Opportunity Act in 1964; and in 1966, the Adult Education Act and its subsequent amendments (Klevins, 1978). General Educational Development The concept of General Educational Development (GED) does not have the long historical development as that of ABE. War I. The GED concept dates back to some point before World However, the current patterns of continuing education in the military took form during World War II. Full mobili­ zation created unprecedented challenges and stirred imagina­ tive responses to meet the educational needs of service men and women. Courses were needed to fill the inactive hours of millions serving around the globe and to help those who came to military service ill-equipped by prior education to perform simply military duties. Military leadership turned to civilian educators to fashion a response. Correspondence courses were d*e#eloped to reach the Armed Forces everywhere. Programs and materials were developed to cope with the problems of adult basic education with professionals in uniform doing the instruction (Klevins, 1978). During the World War II era, the military services organized an edu­ cation and training staff structure extending from Washing­ ton, D.C. headquarters to field sites and ships at sea for the purpose of providing educational programs and services. Out of the great surge of effort during World War II, there also came farsighted innovations which have become an esta­ blished part of the broader national scene in meeting the 18 challenge for increased educational opportunity and the recognition of personal accomplishment. For example, the concept of equivalency was then established, providing academic credit and recognition based on examination. The high school General Educational Development (GED) Test was initially designed for the Armed Forces under a War Department contract. Today all states award high school equivalency status based on this test (Elevens, 1978). Adult High School Completion Adult high school completion programs have been established to provide second chance opportunities for adults who have not completed high school. This group of adult citizens who are in need of basic literacy skills present many problems to the society in addition to the personal problems they encounter in their daily lives. High school completion programs for adults, like any other edu­ cational program, must be carefully planned and initiated to attain maximum success. This planning must concern itself with curricular and course content, scheduling, counseling, financing, administration, faculty in-service, and promotion (Minzey and LeTarte, 1979). It is suggested in the literature thus far that ABE, GED, and Adult High School programs gained their foundations from the military. Despite the concerns which were expressed throughout the progression of adult education such as democratic freedoms and reduction of illiteracy rates, funding and socio-economic status of participants are still 19 concerns of today's adult educators. However, it is through the involvement of the military with education that we have witnessed the growth and development of ABE, GED, and Adult High School programs as we have come to know them today. Adult Education Since the field of adult education is such a broad area, for the purposes of this study and this section of the literature review, adult education will be discussed as it relates to (1) recruitment, retention, and the motives for adult participation, and (2) marketing techniques used to attract adults to Adult Basic Education programs. When the adult learner enters the classroom for the first time, the instructor becomes involved in the process of retention— keeping the adult student enrolled in the learning process. At the first meeting, students should be made to feel at ease with the teacher, and with their new learning environment. Also, each student should gain con­ fidence in their learning ability through activities that will give them immediate success. Therefore, the strategies used to make an adult student comfortable in the learning environment will play a key role in retention, motivation and overall interest the adults have and maintain as they take advantage of educational opportunities (Lilley and Perkins, 1977). The crucial problem in adult basic education speci­ fically is the recruitment and retention of the illiterate adult. This problem increases with the adult's need for literacy training. The adults within the group are generally 20 individuals who have not had positive experiences with the schools. They did not succeed as youngsters and usually have many misgivings about going back into the same or a similar situation in which they previously experienced failure. Once students are recruited for adult basic edu­ cation, they should begin a program that provides them with much personal satisfaction, a feeling of growth and potential, and ability to better handle problems that are presented daily, and steady observable growth in literacy skills (Minzey and LeTarte, 1979). As Minzey and LeTarte suggest, adult basic education is certainly one of the most difficult areas to program in all of continuing education. Further, one can seldom justify its existence on the basis of extensive program enrollments. In very basic terms, it is the real core of what adult edu­ cation is all about. It provides service to those most in need— individuals whose lives are dwarfed and diminished by an inadequate education who often do not realize the cause of their dilemma and sometimes actively oppose any attempt to assist them. It can be understood why participants in Adult Basic Education programs oppose assistance when studies like the one conducted at Pennsylvania State University in 1980 (Reaching the ABE Target Population. How Are We Doing? Planning Studies in Continuing Education) produced the following conclusions: "... given the age characteristics of the target population (persons ages 16 and over) it may be unrealistic to expect that a large portion can be served 21 and the programs geared toward improving employability may not be relevant to them. The results of the study raised serious questions about the advisibility of concentrating resources on the least educated group as regulations suggest (Sebring and Hanniford, 1980). It is this kind of attitude which creates the misgivings adults have about returning to the classroom. As a result of this type of opposition, many men and women are finding themselves unable to compete for the jobs they would like to have and are returning to school. Some are sent back to school by employers, unions and by other sources because many lack the necessary skills to function in their present employment situations and are finding themselves being by-passed or replaced by those with more education and better skills. As a result of this frustration many adults are anxious to upgrade their skills and them­ selves. There are many other reasons why adults choose to return to school, but one of the most compelling reasons is economics— one's livelihood (Report to Michigan State Board of Education from the Adult Extended Learning Advisory Council, 1980). Therefore, every adult education administra­ tor needs to know "why" and to "what extent" adults parti­ cipate in educational programs. This kind of information will help him/her plan an effective program. An administra­ tor who can plan to meet the wants and needs of adults will be assured of a successful turnout and a successful educa­ tional program. There are many "internal" determinants of 22 participation such as needs and interest which may be inferred once the educator knows the participant's motives for participation. Adults participate in education for a variety of reasons but research has shown motivational orientations associated with participation to be reasonably stable through time and space (Klevins, 1978). Houle (1961) suggested there were basically three types of adult education participants— goal-oriented, learning-oriented, and activity-oriented. The goal-oriented were purported to use adult education to accomplish fairly clear-cut objectives. The activity-oriented were assumed to take part because they find, in the circumstances of the learning experience a meaning which has no necessary con­ nection, and often no connection at all, with the content or announced purpose of the activity. The learning-oriented were assumed to seek knowledge for its own sake. In a series of factor analytic studies conducted since 1962, it has become increasingly apparent that Houle's typology is an over-simplified "explanation" of participants types. For example, in recent research, "motives for par­ ticipation" clustered into factors such as these. People enroll in adult education for six reasons: 1. Escape/Stimulation— to get relief from boredom, to remedy deficiencies in social life and educational background. 2. Professional Advancement— to gain knowledge, attitudies, and skills which will facilitate job advancement. 23 3. Social Welfare— to acquire knowledge, attitudes, and skills which can be applied in achieving social or community objectives. 4. Social Contact— to meet new friends, remedy defici­ encies in social life, and enjoy group activities. 5. External Expectations— to carry out the expectations of some person with "authority" such as a priest, friend, social worker, employer, or physician. 6. Cognitive Interest— to learn just for the sake of learning, not tied to any particular goal, just for the inherent joy of participation and learning. Participants are basically life-chance or life-space motivated. Growth or life-space oriented people participate in adult education for expression rather than in an attempt to cope with some aspect of their life. Life-chance oriented people participate because of the need to acquire knowledge, attitudes, or skills. Research has thus enabled researchers to argue that motives and needs which impel people into continuing education do not exist in some isolated way but are embedded in and meaningfully related to other aspects of the person's life. Motives vary as a function of socio­ economic status and are significantly related to the psy­ chological infrastructure of the participants. Motives for participation appear to be surface manifestations of psy­ chological states which are in turn related to developmental task and psycho-social conditions that characterize various age and socio-economic groups (Klevins, 1978). Depending on the socio-economic status of the clientele group to be reached the types of marketing stra­ tegies employed by continuing education could be a motive for participation. Effective marketing, which includes 24 analysis, planning, implementation, and control, has become as important for adult education agencies as it has for other nonprofit organizations. This is understandable because marketing is inherent in all organizations. All organizations offer some product or service to some type of consumer and use marketing to regulate demand. In adult education, the service is part-time or short term education and the clients are typically adults (Bock, 1980). The central concept underlying marketing is exchange: marketing offers something of value (in our case, education) to someone (adults) in exchange for something else of value (participation and money). Adult education practitioners are interested in marketing concepts because they want to be able to do a better job of informing the public about adult education programs and encouraging participation in them. The essence of modern marketing is that an organization exists to serve its clients. This "client needs" orientation aims at creating client satisfaction as the key to satisfying organizational goals. Resources must be identified, employees must be stimulated, clients must be found. Enhancement of incentives to encourage participation is crucial to stimula­ tion of these exchanges. Marketing is thus concerned with managing exchanges between the agency and its public effec­ tively and efficiently (Bock, 1980). Marketing can render two specific benefits to adult education practitioners. One is increased satisfaction of clients through increased attention to desires of potential 25 participants. The second is improved efficiency in recruit­ ment activities. Marketing emphasizes planning and managing activities related to development, pricing, publicity, and provision of educational programs for adults. All providers of adult education programs engage in some forms of marketing to encourage potential clients to participate (Bock, 1980). Marketing services range from general public infor­ mation efforts designed to increase the visibility of the program to active efforts to obtain referrals of new learners from other agencies and to recruit participants through mass media and person-to-person contact. Direct-mail brochures are relied upon as the most cost effective method of reaching the greatest number of people. Studies of reasons for attendance in adult education programs indicate that mass media, such as brochures, promote awareness and interest in the educational program but that personal contact with friends or others familiar with the program is also usually influential in the decision to attend (Booth and Knox 1967; Parker and Paisley, 1966). Most agencies make little effort to establish personal contact with potential participants. Promotion strategies using mass media techniques usually attract more of the same rather than attracting a broader range of participants (Bock, 1980). According to Bock (1980), administrators who seek to attract undereducated adults, as they do for adult basic education programs, cannot rely solely on printed media. However, undereducated adults are active television viewers 26 (although they tend not to use the information for instru­ mental purposes). Therefore, marketing for programs such as adult basic education can include television public i' service announcements, appearances on talk shows, and coverage by local television news reporters of important program events such as the presentation of awards or the holding of an open house. Those who respond positively to such media tend to be the most upwardly mobile. Some participants will be attracted by recruitment methods that make limited use of reading, such as posters, fliers, billboards, and marquees placed in shopping centers, banks, post offices, factories, grocery stores, community action facilities, housing projects, laundromats, and churches. The use of these methods would encourage what Lilley and Perkins (1977) refer to as Interagency Cooperation. These interagency groups in there everyday work deal with persons who are in need of Adult Basic Education programs of all kinds. These groups may help by identifying the adults who need educational help, talking with adults concerning their needs, and advising them of ABE programs which may help solve some of their problems. Of course, in order for these groups to be aware of existing ABE programs, they must be kept informed. Again, use of mailing lists, phone calls, or personal visits will keep them informed. Secondary Education for Women There are numerous educational programs across the country which offer alternatives for women who are interested 27 in pursuing post-secondary education; however, there are relatively few programs for women wishing to complete high school. Before completing this section of the literature review on secondary education for women, many leaders in the field of adult education were contacted for data on this population. Among the researchers and organizations con­ tacted were K. Patricia Cross, Harvard University; National Association for Women Deans, Administrators and Counselors; Rosalind K. Loring, University of Southern California; Alan B. Knox, University of Wisconsin; Mary Ellen Capek, Princeton University; Project on the Status and Education of Women; Iran Mohsenin, Pennsylvania State University and the Women's Research and Education Institute. As the responses to the request started coming in it became evident that there is a paucity of information available in the area of women returning to the high school classroom. See Appendix A for letter of request and Appendix B for letters of response. The information which was available does suggest, however, that in some cases, the completion of high school equivalency or diploma increases earning poten­ tial and may enable women to think about continuing the education to the level of where there is a dramatic increase in salary (Berman, 1980). In conjunction with Berman, Darabi (1979) suggested that females who return to high school after the birth of their first child seemed to be there as a result of high educational aspirations and modern sex role attitudes. This also goes along with the thinking 28 of Cross (1981) where she suggested that the more education people have, the more interested they will be in further education, the more they will know about available oppor­ tunities, and the more they will participate. Ploetz (1977) suggested that educationally, economi­ cally, or psychologically disadvantaged women suffer from even more social and economic injustices than do other women. Although a woman's ability to provide for herself rises with her educational level, approximately half of all American women lack a high school diploma. Family relation­ ships, religious tradition, school practices, and blue collar attitudes foster women's feelings of fatalism and powerless­ ness. Ploetz further suggested that there are four ABE objectives for women which can alleviate these feelings: (1) the development of academic skills, (2) the recognition and appreciation of their abilities and strengths, (3) the promotion of full development of each woman's intellectual capacity, and (4) the awareness of available life style options. To achieve these goals Ploetz suggest that teachers must be able to teach women from disadvantaged backgrounds. Personal and vocational counseling, individualized instruc­ tion and flexible programs allowing for women's childrearing responsibilities are necessary. Finally, widespread sexism in learning materials with respect to roles, vocational opportunities, life styles, and general characteristics, must be eliminated. 29 In an attempt to address the needs of women with less than a high school diploma, Alabama University in 1970 did a "Special Demonstration Project for Involvement of Adult Residents of Soul City, Tuscaloosa, Alabama." This special demonstration project was designed to develop ways of reach­ ing illiterate women and motivating them toward Adult Basic Education goals through programs that support and strengthen family life. To reach the goal of getting women motivated toward ABE help was solicited from Adult Basic Education classes, Homemaking Skill Programs, the School of Social Work, agencies and organizations, and volunteer service groups. One of the problems with adult education particularly the Alabama project was that in the past adult education has too often focused on courses, subject matter, and narrow vocational subjects— usually of a highly traditional nature — to the neglect of people and their needs, as individuals, groups, and communities. According to Sexton (1976), rarely have adult education programs addressed themselves to the special needs of women as an interest group, as a "minority," or as people who can play significant role, collectively, in consumer affairs, civic and community affairs, the world of work and of politics. Continuing Education for Women There is a paucity of information on women with less than a high school diploma/equivalency. However, the field of Continuing Education does recognize that this population 30 exists and does make an attempt to include these women in the literature (Sexton, 1976). Women in the labor force increased by 12 million between 1950 and 1969, 62 percent of whom were 35 years of age and older. Among the age groups, the greatest gain in employment during recent decades has been made by women ages 45-54. In 1940, 25 percent of women in this age group were employed, in 1950 this figure increased to 37 percent, and in 1969, it was 54 percent. Most of these mature women needed education and training to prepare them for the job market. The college programs created to offer special pre­ paration for mature women provide both liberal arts and more vocationally oriented programs. In 1960 the University of Minnesota set up a center that organized the resources of the University for adult women. The objective of the program was to help women reach their goals, whatever they were— careers, self-enrichment, community participation. was the core feature of the program. Guidance About this time the Radcliffe Institute for Independent Study was begun. In the beginning, the program served only women with degrees who needed an opportunity to do creative work. Later the Insti­ tute also offered regular liberal arts courses to mature women. In 1961 Rutgers University initiated a program to train women college graduates in mathematics. The program was aimed at relieving the shortage of mathematic teachers. There were many other programs set up to address the post­ secondary educational needs of women. Of the students 31 enrolled in these programs it was found that many of the women were from middle or upper middle income families and many had previous college experience. Concern has grown about offering similar services to women other than suburban housewives; women whose educational needs are still unmet— especially working class and low-income women, working women, women with young children, and women who have lost their husbands and need to support themselves (Sexton, 1976). These programs are only the fast growing edge of an elaborate and long established system of continuing edu­ cation, mainly in post-secondary schools. Mainly, because so few courses have apparently been designed either for or about women, aside from the traditional home economics offerings. Little publicity is given to women's courses in adult education because they serve mainly noncollege women who have a low profile on the women's scene and in the media. These programs have a potential for reaching deep into the communities of noncollege women, where the vast majority of American women live, and bringing to them skills and knowledge they can use to improve themselves, their families, communi­ ties and the status of women generally (Sexton, 1976). Berman (1980) suggested that inspite of the efforts of many women's groups and organizations, there are many women who still believe that the best kind of preparation for moving up remains the oldest path— as a secretary. Regardless of the goals the thousands of women who have chosen to return to school, school is often the crucial 32 catalyst in producing a changed self-image, awareness of potential, increased confidence, and a set of more ambitious personal goals. Education at all levels offers the chance to exercise the mind, expand the horizons, and begin to give priority to some needs and interest. Summary This chapter contained an overview of selected literature concerning the history of Adult Basic Education (ABE), General Education Development (GED), Adult High School Completion, marketing and retention, secondary education for women and continuing education for women. 1. The concept of adult education is one with an ex­ tensive history and a primary focus of teaching reading, writing and computational skills or basic literacy skills. 2. The crucial problem in adult education is recruit­ ment, retention and the motivation of the students to participate. Therefore, in order for an adminis­ trator to market the program effectively, the "why" and "to what extent" adults participate in educa­ tional programs must be known. 3. The secondary education programs are aimed at bringing the educational and earning potential of women up to the level where there is a dramatic increase in salary. 4. The majority of educational programs offered in continuing education are for women who have some college, a stable financial base and not for the noncollege, low-income women. These conclusions help provide the basis for the significance of this research. Who are the women who parti­ cipate in adult education programs? about the programs? How did they find out Why they were enrolled in the programs? 33 As noted earlier, few studies have dealt with this population of women and why they participate in high school completion programs. The purpose of this study is to investi­ gate and examine these questions. The basic task will be to provide insight into the field of adult education with emphasis on the characteristics of women participants in high school completion programs, the marketing strategies used to attract them to adult education programs and what motivated them to participate. CHAPTER III PROCEDURES This study was undertaken to gather information about women who participate in high school completion pro­ grams in a mid-Michigan city. senting three areas: Data were collected repre­ (1) the personal/social characteristics of the women participants, (2) the marketing techniques employed, and (3) what factors influenced women to parti­ cipate. Methods of Data Collection The review of related research revealed that data regarding women returning to high school completion programs were virtually non-existent. Therefore, the first task was the development of a questionnaire to retrieve relevant data in response to the research questions. Data gathering for the development of the instrument encompassed one year and began with a review of literature which was related to the education of women. The work of Deldin (1980) and Tate (1971) provided the most relevant information with respect to the development of the instru­ ment. The research of Deldin focused on adult students 34 35 withdrawing from Michigan State University. Tate's research examined the personal Socio-Economic Characteristics of adult women and their reasons for enrolling in a community college. During the course of the year, the researcher parti­ cipated in several discussion groups and workshops which focused on the education of women. From these workshops, ideas were developed in relation to the types of questions researchers were asking and the general response received from the questions. As a result of these sessions the questionnaire was drafted and included twenty-five items. With the foundation of the questionnaire laid, additional input was solicited from experts in the field through correspondence. (See Appendix A for a copy of the letter dispatched and Appendix B for responses.) The responses were supportive of the research effort and in some cases provided references to related studies. The instru­ ment was again revised, where necessary, based on the input from the experts. To further aid in the development of a well-rounded instrument, input was also secured from adult educators who were actively involved in working with women in high school completion programs. A second revision was subsequently completed. The content validity of the instrument was established based on the opinions of a panel of experts which were polled. From the recommendations of this panel a pilot test was conducted with thirteen adults who were enrolled in high 36 school completion programs to determine clarity and validity of the items. As a result of the pilot study, 2 items were combined into 1 question, 9 items were modified by rewording, 1 item was added and 1 item required additional written instructions. In addition to the changes, a time of approxi­ mately 15 minutes was established, as the amount of time necessary to complete the instrument. Thus, the development of the instrument was completed. Sample The sample for the research consisted of all women enrolled in General Educational Development (GED), High School Completion or Adult Basic Education (ABE) in a midMichigan city. Permission to administer the instrument was secured from the following: the "University Committee on Research Involving Human Subjects" (Michigan State University, February 1982), the Director of the site, Building Coordina­ tor, Supervisor of Support Services, instructors of the classes and the participants. Women who participated in the study were enrolled in one of the following three programs: high school completion, Adult Basic Education or General Educational Development. All of the women who were enrolled in these programs participated in the study. Data Collection Procedures One hundred fifty-one women responded to the question­ naire. To assure a 100 percent return rate, each question­ naire was numbered and the instruments were administered by 37 the researcher. Of the 151 women who participated in the survey, 135 met the criteria of this study is had not com­ pleted high school. One woman had completed some college and twelve had completed high school and were enrolled in adult education programs to refresh their skills in academic areas. Of the 135 usable questionnaires, three were com­ pleted without indication of program enrollment (see Table 3.1). Table 3.1.— Number of Participants in Adult Education Programs. Program Number of Participants Adult Basic Education 17 General Educational Development 83 Adult High School 35 TOTAL 135 Data Analysis The questionnaires were coded according to the number of variables and columns necessary to allow the data from the questionnaire to be transferred to data grid sheets, and IBM cards punched according to the information derived from the grid sheets. sheet.) (See Appendix B for grid The analysis of the data was conducted using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). 38 Due to the nature of the information secured, fre­ quencies and meanswere used for each dependent variable of the questionnaire. Summary This chapter described the method and procedures used in this study including the pilot participants and sample, datacollection, the instrument, and the analysis design. The study included 135 women participants in adult high school completion programs from five sites in an urban Michigan area in the winter of 1982. The data in this research were gathered by adminis­ tering a questionnaire to women participants in adult high school completion programs. The data were analyzed by SPSS and frequencies and means were used for each dependent variable of the questionnaire. CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS OF DATA The data presented in this chapter were gathered from a questionnaire distributed to 135 women who participated in either Adult Basic Education, General Educational Develop­ ment or high school completion programs. sented addressed two broad questions: The results pre­ (1) What are the personal/social characteristics of the women participants in adult high school completion programs? and (2) What factors contributed to the participants' decision to return to the adult high school classroom? The data in this chapter is presented in the follow­ ing sequence: (2) (1) the demographic information of the women, the factors which were influential in the woman's return, and (3) the marketing techniques employed. Frequencies and means were utilized in this study to examine the responses to the questionnaire. In some presentations of these data the percentages did not total 100 percent because of rounding or participants not respond­ ing to an item. It should be noted that the sample refers to women participants in adult high school programs, who 39 40 they were, how they found out about adult high school com­ pletion programs and why they were participating in the adult education programs. It should also be noted that the relationship of the significant other including that person's employment and educational status are reported, along with the perceived benefits, learning environments and physical features which the participants felt helped them attain their goals. The ethnic breakdown of the participants in the population is displayed in Table 4.1. Henceforth, the American Indian, Asian, Asian American and other races will be grouped into the "other" category due to the low number of cases in each of the groups. Table 4.1.— Distribution of Women Participants in the Sample by Race. Total Respondents Percent 3 tO • to Participants (N=135) Black 26 19.3 White 77 57.0 Asian 2 1.5 22 16.3 Asian American 1 .7 Other 4 3.0 American Indian Mexican/Hispanic 41 Table 4.1 shows that the predominant populations in the study were White, Black, and Mexican/Hispanics. Table 4.2 presents the marital status of the parti­ cipants in the population by ethnic breakdown and total population. Table 4.2.— Marital Status of Participants (Frequency/Percent). Percent White (N=77) Percent Black (N=26) Percent Hispanic Single 30/39.0 14/53.8 Married 23/29.9 Widowed 2/2.6 Divorced Percent Other Total Percent 9/40.9 2/20.0 33/40.0 6/23.1 8/36.4 7/70.0 46/33.6 0/0 1/4.5 0/0 3/2.2 10/13.0 3/11.5 2/9.1 0/0 15/10.9 Separated 3/3.9 2/7.7 0/0 1/10.0 Living with Someone 8/10.4 1/3.8 2/9.1 0/0 No Responses 1/1.2 Status — — 6/4.4 11/8.0 — — Table 4.2 shows that in proportion to the sample the Black participants had a higher percentage of single women in adult education classes than any other racial group. Based on the number of participants in the "Other” category, those participants had the highest percent of married participants in proportion to the sample. Table 4.3 presents the employment status of the participants in the population by race. The Black popula­ tion had slightly more participants who are employed than 42 Table 4.3.— Employment Status of Participants in the Sample by Race (Frequency/Percent). Status Percent White Percent Black Percent Hispanic Employed 18/25.4 18/32.0 Layed-Off 0/0 Unemployed 51/71.8 Mo Response 8/2.8 Percent Other Total Percent 2/9.1 1/11.1 30/21.7 2/8.0 2/9.1 0/0 15/60.0 18/81.8 8/88.9 4/12.9 93/62.4 8/8.0 the white participant and more than the Hispanic, "Other" and total population in proportion to the sample. It should be noted that the Black participants proportionally have a lower percentage of unemployed participants than any other participant group. Table 4.4 in the presents the income levels of participants population by race. In proportion to the sample by ethnic groups, the income levels across all groups is con­ sistent. Table 4.5 in the presents the mean age of the participants population according to the age at the time of their drop out and the present age. The ages when the participants entered high school ranged from 13 to 42 years of age with the largest percent being between the ages of 14 and 16 years of age. The range of ages when the participants dropped out of school was from 9 to 21 years of age with the largest percent being between 16 and 17 years of age. 43 Table 4.4.— Family Income Levels of Participants by Race (Frequency/ Percent). Income Percent White Percent Black Percent Hispanic Less than 5,000 25/38.5 10/38.5 10/15.4 10,000 - 14,000 Percent Other Total Percent 5/22.7 1/10.0 42/30.4 1/3.8 1/4.5 0/0 13/9.4 4/6.2 4/15.4 2/9.1 1/10.0 11/8.0 15,000 - 19,000 6/9.2 1/3.8 2/9.1 0/0 20,000 and over 10/15.4 3/11.5 3/13.6 1/10.0 17/12.3 No Responses 22/15.1 7/27.0 13/41.0 7/7.0 43/33.4 5,000 - 9,000 9/6.5 Table 4.5.— Mean Age of Participants in the Population. Age Age When First Entered High School Age at Drop Out Current Age 13.9 16.0 27.1 44 The range of ages of the participants at the time of the study ranged from 14 to 56 years of age with the largest percent being between 17 and 18 years of age. Table 4.6 presents the percentages of the partici­ pants who completed the 9th, 10th, or 11th grades in the population. Table 4.6.— Percent of Participants Who Completed 9th, 10th, or 11th Grades in the Sample (Frequenty/Percent). Last Grade Completed Percent of Participants 9th 10th 11th 24/17.8 46/34.1 43/31.9 In Table 4.6 the data indicate that more of the participants completed the 10th grade than either the 9th or 11th grades. Table 4.7 presents the distribution of participants in the population by ethnic background and participation in either Adult Basic Education (ABE), General Educational Development (GED), or Adult High School. In Table 4.7 there were significantly more parti­ cipants proportionally enrolled in the GED program in all ethnic groups than in either ABE or Adult High School. Table 4.8 presents the factors in rank order which motivated the women of the sample to return to the adult high school classroom. It should be noted that of the total population wanting a high school diploma was the most 45 Table 4.7.— Percent of the Sample Who Participated in ABE, GED, Adult High School by Ethnic Breakdown. Percent ABE Percent GED Percent Adult High School White 7/9.1 44/57.1 26/33.8 Black 4/15.4 18/69.2 3/11.5 Hispanic 4/18.2 13/59.1 5/22.7 Other 2/20.0 16/60.0 1/10.0 Race No Responses — 1/3.8 — 1/10.0 outstanding factor followed by wanting to improve how the participants plan to get ahead and to improve how they felt and thought about themselves. When Table 4.8 is broken out according to the program in which the participants were enrolled, the factor of obtaining a high school diploma was still the priority. The priority order given to the first five items after wanting a diploma varied as much according to the program as it did for the ethnic groups. The Black participants had as a second priority entrance into a field which required special training versus planning to get ahead. However, the first six items were the same priority items for both the ethnic groups as well as the program of enrollment. Table 4.9 presents what the participants of the population expected to gain out of enrollment in adult edu­ cation programs. importance. The variables are listed in rank order of Table 4.8.— Motivating Factors of the Population for Returning to the Adult High School Classroom. Percent of Respondents White Black Hispanic Othe: Want a High School Diploma 87.8 87.0 88.5 81.8 50.0 To Improve How You Plan to Get Ahead 56.6 55.8 38.5 63.6 20.0 To Improve How You Feel About Yourself 52.1 46.8 46.2 54.5 20.0 To Improve How You Think About Yourself 50.9 41.6 46.2 40.9 10.0 To Gain General Information and Knowledge 49.6 45.5 42.3 50.0 30.0 To Go Into a Field Which I Like But, It Takes Special Training 46.8 37.7 53.8 54.3 10.0 Ready to Start a Career/Occupation 37.8 29.9 38.5 40.9 30.0 Meet New People and Make Friends 35.0 35.1 30.8 27.3 10.0 To Become More Useful in Your Community and Society 28.8 19.5 34.6 31.8 40.0 Increase Family Income 26.6 18.2 42.3 27.3 10.0 To Have Something To Do 24.8 20.8 26.9 31.8 0 Help Children With School Work 24.2 26.0 23.1 18.2 10.0 Job Promotion 20.6 16.9 3.8 22.7 20.0 To Improve How Much Money You Can Make 17.7 15.6 19.2 18.2 10.0 Other Reasons 6.7 5.2 3.8 0 30.0 You Get Money for Attending (WIN) 2.6 3.9 0 0 0 Your Job Pays You For Being In School 2.5 3.9 3.8 0 0 Factors 47 Table 4.9.— Expected Outcomes for Participating in Adult High School Completion Programs. Expected Outcomes Percent of Respondents White Black Expect to Further Educational and/or Career Plans 63.6 50.6 Expect to Go to Work 47.2 Expect Self-Enjoyment Hispanic Othe] 69.2 81.8 60.0 42.9 50.0 54.5 10.3 35.7 37.7 30.8 22.7 30.0 Expect a New Job 29.1 22.1 34.6 22.7 50.0 Expect Higher Wages 15.1 11.7 19.2 9.1 20.0 Expect an Advancement on Present Job 11.9 7.8 11.5 18.2 10.0 Expect to Go Back to Work 10.9 7.8 15.4 9.1 20.0 Expect Another Job Level 6.9 3.9 11.5 9.1 0 Other 6.2 7.8 7.7 4.5 10.0 Expect a Different Job at About the Same Pay 1.7 1.3 3.8 4.5 0 48 In Table 4.9, the participants had as a priority expectations to further educational and/or career plans followed by anticipated employment. These data indicate that the participants anticipated further education with a career orientation, in both the ethnic group breakdown and program enrollment. The information which is presented in Tables 4.104.12 is information which was unexpected, but could be counted as motivational factors for participation in adult education programs. Table 4.10 presents the benefits in rank order which the adult education setting had to offer to the participants and the percents of the participants who utilized the ser­ vices. The sample had the variety of times when courses were offered as a benefit followed by special courses in reading, writing, and math and the proximity of the classes to the participant's home. When the benefits were viewed in relation to the programs participants were enrolled in the order of priority did not change. However, when the benefits were viewed by ethnic groups, the Blacks and Hispanics had the need for job information as a benefit over the proximity of the class to their home (Table 4.10). Table 4.11 presents the participants' perception of how they learn best in an adult education setting. From the data in Table 4.11 the participants per­ ceived that they learned best through individual learning, 49 Table 4.10.— Benefits Offered by the Adult Education Setting. Percent of Respondents White Black Hispanic Variety of Times When Classes are Offered 55.3 45.5 34.6 68.2 20.0 Special Courses in Reading, Math and Writing 34.5 28.6 26.9 31.8 40.0 Closeness to Your Home 29.5 32.5 15.4 9.1 10.0 Job Information 25.9 19.5 23.1 36.4 10.0 Job Placement Upon Completion 19.6 14.3 19.2 22.7 10.0 Counseling 9.7 7.8 7.7 13.6 0 Financial Assistance 8.1 9.1 3.8 4.6 0 Other 7.0 7.8 3.8 4.5 0 Child Care 5.5 2.6 7.7 0 Parking 4.7 3.9 3.8 4.5 0 Tutorial Services 2.7 2.6 0 4.5 0 Transportation to the Adult Education Center 1.9 1.3 3.8 0 0 Social and Recreational Activities for Women 1.8 0 3.8 4.5 0 Benefits Other 20.0 50 Table 4.11.— How Participants in the Population Perceive They Learn Best. Delivery Methods Percent of Respondents White Black Hispanic Othej Individual Learning 55.5 54.5 53.8 45.5 40.0 Through Books and Printed Materials 48.0 49.4 34.6 50.0 20.0 Mostly Reading and Writing Papers 36.9 35.1 38.5 27.3 50.0 Mostly Discussion 31.5 26.0 38.5 36.4 20.0 Small Groups (Reading, Writing, and Math) 30.7 27.3 30.8 27.3 30.0 Lecture 18.1 9.1 23.1 27.3 20.0 Use of Tapes, Slides, Films, Overheads, Etc. 14.4 10.4 19.2 22.7 0 Through the Use of Pictures to Explain a Point 10.2 11.7 3.8 13.6 0 Programmed Learning 4.9 3.9 3.8 9.1 0 Other 2.4 0 0 9.1 10.0 .8 0 3.8 0 T.V. Classes 0 51 followed by learning through books and printed materials. The Blacks had reading and writing papers and small group activities as second and third priority and the Hispanics indicated discussion as the third priority. Of the first five delivery methods there is no clear distinction as to which method had priority over the other when the programs of enrollment were viewed. Table 4.12 presents the physical features which the population perceived as contributing to their attaining their goal of returning to the adult education classroom by rank order of importance. Table 4.12.— Physical Features Which the Participants Perceived Were Important to Them. Physical Features Percent of Respondents White Black Location of Class— Closeness to Your Home 65.5 63.6 42.3 36.4 50.0 Size of Class— Number of People in the Class 37.7 29.9 30.8 27.3 20.0 Other 10.5 7.8 3.8 13.6 10.0 Seating Arrangement 9.3 5.2 7.7 13.6 0 Lighting 3.3 1.3 7.7 0 0 Air Circulation 2.0 1.3 3.8 0 0 Size of Furniture 0 0 0 0 0 Hispanic Other 52 Table 4.12 shows that the participants perceived that location of classes in proximity to how close it was to the participants' home had an impact on them attaining their goal of returning to the adult education classroom. This perception does not change when the ethnic backgrounds or programs of enrollment are viewed. Table 4.13 presents the source distribution of how the participants first found out about adult education classes by ethnic breakdown. The participants' source of information primarily came from friends, television, or fami ly. The White and "Other" population had more partici­ pants who found out about adult education classes through friends than any other groups. The Black and Hisppanic populations had more participants who found out about adult education classes through television than any other group. The Hispanic population had more participants who found out about adult education classes through family than any other group. From the research we see that a high percentage of women participants had been made aware of adult education programs from others. Participants were asked to identify significant people to whom they turned for advise. 4.14 presents data on the significant other. Table It should be noted that participants could check more than one signifi­ cant other. other.) (All participants did not have a significant Table 4.13.— Marketing Techniques Used to Attract Participants to Adult Education Classes by Rank Order. Source Percent White Percent Black Percent Hispanic Percent Other Total Percent Through Friends 54.1 52.0 33.3 55.6 50.0 Through Television 24.0 65.4 52.4 12.5 29.3 Through Family 28.2 28.0 40.0 12.5 28.3 Personal Contacts 17.8 12.0 23.8 0 16.0 Through Radio 13.3 16.0 26.3 0 14.7 Other 14.3 0 4.8 33.3 11.0 Through Newspaper 9.5 12.0 14.3 0 9.9 Through Flyers or Pamphlets 5.4 8.0 20.0 0 7.7 From Teachers or Administrators in the Program 6.6 11.5 4.8 0 7.4 Through Information Given to You From the Center 5.6 4.0 0 0 4.8 Billboards 4.1 11.5 0 0 4.6 Posters 6.7 0 0 12.5 4.6 Table 4.14.— Relationship of Significant Other to Participants of Population. Percent White Percent Black Husband 26.1 29.4 Male Companion 28.8 41.2 4.6 5.9 Mother 30.8 44.4 28.6 12.5 30.8 Father 6.3 0 21.4 12.5 7.5 Children 7.7 11.1 14.3 0 Sister 9.6 21.4 20.0 20.0 14.5 Brother 7.9 0 0 4.8 Other Relative(s) 4.9 6.3 14.3 0 6.0 Non-Relative (Not Related) 4.6 5.6 0 14.3 4.8 Other 3.1 0 0 12.5 2.8 Significant Other Female Companion Percent Hispanic Percent Other Percent Total 56.3 66.7 33.6 20.0 14.3 28.0 0 0 0 3.3 9.4 55 Table 4.15 presents the distribution of the sex of the significant other by ethnic breakdown of the partici­ pants. Table 4.15.— Sex of Significant Other by Participants' Racial Group. Significant Other Percent Hispanic Percent Other Total Percent 54.5 70.0 49.3 34.6 13.6 30.0 31.2 30.8 31.9 Percent White Percent Black Male 51.9 34.6 Female 35.1 No Response 13.0 0 19.5 In Table 4.15, the White, Hispanic, and "Other" populations had significant others who were males. Blacks split between males and females in relation to the sex of the significant other. The "Other" population had husband as the significant other where as the Black population had mother as the significant other. Of the participants who had significant others, 61.9 percent of these individuals were employed, 5.3 percent were layed-off, and 28.3 percent were unemployed. Table 4.16 presents the distribution of the edu­ cational status of the significant others of the population. The participants had significant others with an equivalent or higher educational level than the participants. Table 4.16 shows that more Hispanic and Black parti­ cipants had significant others who were high school gradu­ ates. White, Black, and Hispanic had about the same percent Table 4.16.— Educational Status of Significant Others by Race of Participant. Educational Status Percent White 0 - 4 Years of School 2.9 5 - 8 Years of School 7.1 9-11 Years of School High School Graduate Vocational Education After High School Some College Percent Black Percent Hispanic Percent Other Percent Total 0 0 1.7 15.8 12.5 0 8.6 24.3 21.1 25.0 10.0 22.4 31. 4 42.1 37.5 20.0 33.6 8.6 5.3 6.3 10.0 7.8 14.3 15.8 6.3 40.0 15.5 0 0 Associate Degree from a Community College 4.3 0 6.3 Bachelor's Degree 0 0 0 10.0 .9 Graduate Work 1.4 0 0 10.0 .9 Graduate Degree 1.4 0 0 0 3.4 1.7 57 with less than a high school education. However, they differ in the degree to which they exceed high school. In the "Other" category, the significant others had the highest percentage in the category of some college, Bachelor's degree and some graduate work in proportion to the population. Summary Frequencies and means were employed to analyze the data presented in this study. As a result of this study, there were several significant outcomes. Persona1/Soc io-Economic Characteristics 1. The women participants were predominantly white, single, unemployed, and had family incomes below $5,000 per year. 2. Many had dropped out of school at the mean age of 16 years and were currently enrolled at the mean age of 27. 3. The majority of women were enrolled in the General Educational Development program across all ethnic groups. Factors Which Influenced Return 1. The women participants had as their primary moti­ vating factor the completion of the high school diploma or equivalency. 58 2. The expected outcome from participating was to further educational and/or career goals. 3. The variety of times when classes were offered was seen as the primary benefit. 4. Individual learning was the learning style by which the women perceived they learned best. 5. The proximity of the class to the participants' home served as a feature the participants listed as a priority. Marketing Techniques 1. Word of mouth from friends was the primary source of information on adult education programs among the total population. 2. The women participants of both the Black and Hispanic ethnic groups had television as their major source of information about adult education programs. 3. Of the women participants, the Hispanic women had family as a source of information about the adult education programs. Significant Individuals to Whom Participants Turned for Advice 1. Of the participants who had a significant other, a large number of them had a male in that role. Black participants, however, had an even split between males and females as the significant other. 2. There was no clear distinction between the signifi­ cant other role of husband, male companion and 59 mother. However, there was a definite distinction of significant other role when the participants were examined according to ethnic breakdown. Hispanics and "Other” had the highest percent where husband was the significant other. Blacks had the highest percent among male companions and mother. 3. Of the women who had a significant other, that person was employed. 4. The educational level of the significant others ranged from high school graduate to some college. The highest percent of the significant others who had finished high school was among the Black parti­ cipants, and the "Other” participants had the highest percent among those having some college, a Bachelor's degree and graduate work. CHAPTER V SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS The purpose of this study was to investigate three broad areas as they relate to women's education, specifically the completion of secondary education. discussed are as follows: The areas which were (1) the characteristics of the women who returned to the adult education classroom, (2) the marketing techniques employed which were influential, and (3) the factors which motivated the women to return to the adult education classroom. As a result of this investigation, additional infor­ mation was gained on the significant others, (the person to whom the participants turned when making a decision) and who that person was. Also, data were gathered on the learn­ ing environment and whether that environment served as a motivational factor in the women's return to the adult education classroom. Summary of the Findings Three research questions guided this study. questions were as follows: The (1) What are the demographic characteristics of women participants in adult education 60 61 completion programs i.e., personal and environmental charac­ teristics? (2) What factors contributed to and influenced the return and continued participation of women in the adult high school classroom, i.e., intrinsic and extrinsic factors? and (3) What marketing techniques employed served as influ­ ential factors for the women participants? As a result of this study the data indicated that there were a larger number of white women who participated in adult education classes than women of any other ethnic group. (This could be attributed to the fact that the majority population of the study area was white.) There were slightly more single women than married who participated in classes and the majority of the participants were un­ employed. The results further showed that many of the par­ ticipants had on the average incomes below $5,000 a year, they had dropped out of school at the average age of 16 and were currently enrolled at the average age of 27. Of the total population 62.5 percent of the women were enrolled in the General Educational Development (GED) program. Of the factors which contributed or influenced the women to return, getting a high school diploma or equivalency was top priority. Individualized learning and the use of books and printed materials were delivery methods through which the participants perceived that they learned best. Other factors which had an influential effect were the times when classes were offered, the proximity of the classes to the participant's home, and special courses offered in reading, writing, and math. 62 Of the techniques utilized to attract adults to the adult education setting, television was a medium through which 65.4 percent of the Blacks and 52.4 percent of the Hispanic participants gained information about the adult education classes. The other sources which provided information to the participants about the adult education classes were friends and family. Conclusions and Recommendations As a result of this study there were several con­ clusions which were important to present. With the large number of white women who participated in these adult edu­ cation programs, it was evident that the marketing strategies employed were reaching only portions of the population which can be served through adult education. The Black and Hispanic women had television as a source of information concerning adult education classes. It can be speculated that more emphasis was placed on television announcements for Fall publicity campaigns due to the way the adult edu­ cation programs are funded and what is called the ”4th Friday" count. This count is based on the number of students enrolled in Adult Basic Education and Adult High School com­ pletion programs when the 4th Friday of the academic year occurs. Based on the number of persons enrolled and the funding formula, funds are appropriated. The funding formula for the GED program is different from that of the Adult high school completion and the ABE programs. Therefore, more 63 emphasis is placed on the publicity campaigns of the Adult High School completion and Adult Basic Education programs due to the funds these programs generate. Inspite of the publicity efforts it is evident that more adults are attracted to the GED classes because of its individualized nature. Therefore, the administrators of adult education programs should consider the use of more televised announcements and other media sources throughout the academic year to attract a wider diversity of participants, to appeal to that portion of the population who have limited reading skills and who prefer individualized instruction. There were a larger number of women who participated in the General Educational Development (GED) classes than in any other area. This coupled with the fact that many of the women preferred individualized self-paced instruction has implications for the delivery methods employed by instructors of adults, and should be utilized in both the Adult Basic Education and Adult High School completion pro­ grams. Of the women in adult education classes for a high school diploma, many wanted to improve their plans for getting ahead. Reviewing the information on expected out­ comes for participating, it was shown that the participants wanted to further their educational and/or career plans. These items have implications for how counselors respond to the needs of the adults. Since further education and/or career plans are and expectation, in conjunction with 64 wanting to get ahead then the counselors also need to be aware of both the job and educational trends. They should be aware of what educational and occupational fields have sufficient and insufficient numbers and channel the parti­ cipants accordingly. The variety of times classes were offered was one of the benefits the participants said was an attraction to the adult education setting. This coupled with the size of the classes may affect learning, willingness to participate, or the participants making further recommendations to others. It is the opinion of this researcher that if a positive atmosphere makes these individuals participate, then recom­ mendations to others to participate will follow. The services of counseling, financial assistance, child care, transportation to the center and special recrea­ tional activities were low priorities among the sample. It could be speculated that the rationale for these services having low priority could be that the services were offered at inconvenient times, i.e., in conflict with academic and personal schedules or were non-existent. In either case, by there being a need for these services (regardless of how small) how and when they are offered could have an effect on the visibility of the service and the usability by the participants. Of the methods through which participants found out about adult education programs, 50 percent found out through friends. If this is indeed the case, efforts should be 65 directed toward assuring that the participants in the adult education programs have a positive experience while enrolled and that the learning environment provides for the perceived academic and social needs of the participants. Of the participants who had significant others, these persons had more education than the participants. One can speculate from this information that the significant other's educational level had a positive effect on the women parti­ cipants and could have served as a motivational factor for them returning to the adult education classroom. These conclusions are based on the data gathered during this investigation and cannot be generalized beyond the women who participated in the study from the mid-Michigan city. Recommendations and Suggestions for Further Research This study gathered basic data on women who return to programs in order to complete their high school education. Recommendations drawn from the findings in this study will hopefully serve as a stimulus to others who have an interest in this area. Since these recommendations were derived from what is essentially a very specific adult population, the recommendations should be weighted accordingly. The recom­ mendations are as follows: 1. Data should be gathered from males who are enrolled in high school completion programs. 66 2. A comparison of men and women participants in high school completion classes should be conducted to determine if there are any significant differences between the two groups, i.e., their responses to the questionnaire. 3. The questionnaire should be distributed in multiple settings to determine whether the geographic loca­ tions have any significance on the characteristics of the women, how they found out about the adult education programs and why they participate. 4. The relationship of the significant other and the impact which that person's educational level has on the women participants should be studied to deter­ mine whether the significant others level of edu­ cation serves as a motivating factor for women to return to the adult education setting. 5. The study depressed ment rate women who 6. A follow-up study should be conducted to determine how accurately the participants predict it will take them to complete a high school diploma or equivalency. 7. A comparison between men and women to determine per­ ceived learning methods and its relationship on the socialization skills developed during childhood, i.e., would the males learn better through mechani­ cal devices for example, slides, tapes, etc., vs. women learning through books and printed materials. 8. Question #2 of the instrument should be reworded to include "self" due to the high percentage of parti­ cipants who wrote in "self" under the "other" response category. 9. A study should be conducted with a control and ex­ perimental group to determine whether those parti­ cipants who participate and benefit from special reading, writing, and math classes do better on test scores of the GED and to predict more accurately how soon they will finish than those who do not. 10. should be conducted in economically states to determine whether the unemploy­ has a bearing on the number of men and participate in adult education classes. The study should be conducted in rural and urban areas of several states to determine whether the racial composition of the population would be affected. 67 11. A follow-up study should be conducted on the parti­ cipants to find out how many go on to higher educatin, either at a community college or university. Reflections As a result of this study, specifically, the review of literature and the fact that few authorities of adult education who the researcher contacted had very little information on women's programs. It became evident to this researcher that adults at the secondary level male or female are indeed a neglected species. If adult educators are truly to fulfill their roles, than this population of secondary adult learners needs' to have more attention paid to them and the horizans of the educators broadened to include this population. When adult educators are asked why the secondary educational levels of adults have not been studied, the response is that they are not a captive audience. How captive of an audience does one need, particularly when this population is captive by the mere fact that they are without an adequate education and because of this inadequate edu­ cation they are among the low-incomed, undereducated, and the unemployed. It is past time for adult educators at all levels, especially the university levels, to look beyond the re­ entry women, post-secondary, evening college, and professional continuing education groups, and start looking at the secondary education groups. As we the "educated" are quick 68 to point out, the more education we have, the more we want. The less we have, the less we want. Our task is to move the less to more and more and more . . . APPENDICES APPENDIX A INFORMATION REQUEST LETTER APPENDIX A INFORMATION REQUEST LETTER January 29, 1982 Dr. Gordon Godbey Dean, Department of Adult education The Pennsylvania State University University Park, Pennslyvania 16082 Dr. Godbey: I am a doctoral student in the Department of Adult and Continuing Edu­ cation at Michigan State University. At this time I have completed all of the pre-dissertation requirements including proposal approval and questionnaire design. The topic of the research is a "Study of Women Who Return to the Adult High School Classroom in a Mid-Michigan City." The study will look at three broad areas, (1) the characteristics of the adult woman who returns to complete high school, (2) the reasons which brought the adult woman back to the classroom, and (3) the com­ munication processes which were influential in the return of the adult women to the classroom. At this point I have also conducted an ERIC Computer Search which did not provide a lot of information related to the research topic. My request of you is to make suggestions as to reference materials, individuals to contact, or to make any other recommendations which would be helpful as I continue the study. Thank you for your time. Sincerely, Doris D. Yates East 518 Owen Graduate Center Michigan State University East Lansing, Michgan 48825 (517) 353-7023 69 APPENDIX B INFORMATION REQUEST RESPONSES APPENDIX B INFORMATION REQUEST RESPONSES /, National A ssociation for W omen Deans, Adi I Counselors February 11, 1982 Ms. Doris D. Yates East 518 Own Graduate Center Michigan State University East Lansing, ME 48825 Dear M s . Yates: As you may know our association publishes quite a lot of the literature in the fields related to women and women in education. I am not personally acquainted with articles which relate to women returning to complete high school as adults. That is not to say, however, that there are not articles on this topic in our Journals. We have published continuously since 1937. I would refer you to the periodical desk of the Michigan State University library which subscribes to our Journal, and urge you to send a copy of your finished piece to our editor, Patricia Gartland, Asst. V.P., American College Testing Program, P.O. Box 168, Iowa City, Iowa, 52243. Good luck with your project. Sincerely, Executive Director cc: Pat Gartland 1625 I Street, NW, Suite 624A, Washington, DC 20006 (202) 659-9330 70 71 College ol R o salin d K Lorm g D ean C ontinuing Education Uiiivpisity ol Soutliiirn C .ililcm ia D CC 1 1 ? • U niversity P.iik l o s A iig n lcs C.'i'ilorina 90007 February 1 9 , T clu p h o n o (?1 3 ) 743-773G Tclen G74B03 1982 D o r i s D. Y a t e s E a s t 518 Owen G r a d u a t e C e n t e r M ich ig a n S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y E a st L a n s in g , M ich ig a n 48825 D e a r Ms. Y a t e s , In r e s p o n s e t o y o u r i n q u i r y o f F e b r u a r y 1 , r e g r e t f u l l y , I , t o o , have l i t t l e d a ta or r e f e r e n c e m a t e r ia l on you r t o p i c . I n my v a r i o u s s e a r c h e s I d i s c o v e r e d t h a t ERIC h a s l i t t l e o n t h e s u b j e c t o f women. M o s t o f my r e f e r e n c e s h a v e com e fr o m n e w s p a p e r and m a g a ­ z in e c lip p in g s . And I h a v e n o t w r i t t e n on th is su b ject a t a l l . For p o s s i b l e I su ggest: sou rces o f stu d ie s in t h is area 1) C l e a r i n g h o u s e on A d u l t E d u c a t i o n , Ray J . A s t , M o n t c l a i r S t a t e C o l l e g e , U p p er M o n t c l a i r , New J e r s e y 0 7 0 4 3 2) Los A n g e le s U n i f i e d S c h o o l D i s t r i c t - A d u l t E d u c a t i o n D i v i s i o n , 4 5 0 N. Grand A v e n u e , L o s A n g e l e s , CA 9 0 0 1 2 3) T he N a t i o n a l C e n t e r f o r R e s e a r c h i n V o c a t i o n a l E d u c a t i o n , 1 9 6 0 K enny R o a d , C o lu m b u s , O h i o 4 3 2 1 0 4) Women's B u r e a u , U . S . W a s h i n g t o n , D .C . D epartm ent o f L ab or, I w i s h y o u h a p p y h u n t i n g an d much s u c c e s s . C o r d ia lly , R o s a lin d K . L o rin g E n c l. 72 ty m dm, t m nu X S U S’B ISIO' BSffJUiUlISIZJITlTS DRUG MAKERS LIABLE IN DES SUIT For further information, contact Belita Cowan, the Na­ A New York appeals court upheld the de deion la tional Women's Health Network, 224 Seventh St., S.E.. BichUr u. EU Lilly A Company, that a women harmed by Washington, D.C. 20003. (202) 643-9222. In New York, the drug DES could eue a drug manufacturer for call Sybil Shainwald at (212) 962-8020. damages even if the could not identify the actual com* paay that had made the drug which caused the injury. /PC POLICY-RELATED RESEARCH Joyce Bichler, who developed cancer because her PROMOTED ON CAPITOL HILL mother was given DES, had to have extensive surgery. Hie Woman's Research and Education Institute of the She was a warded 1600,000 in damages in a trial based on Congresswomen’s Caucus recently held a meeting with, the legal doctrine of "concert of action." Lilly A Com* representatives of 22 women's research and policy pany was shown to have dominated the DES market at centers in the U.S. to discuss ways that research on the time Bidder's mother was given DES and to have women’s issues can be made more accessible and useful to worked with other drug manufacturers to get PDA ap­ policymakers. proval of the drug and to market it without testing it. The meeting initiated a serious attempt by the “Women were used as guinea pigs with DES," saya 'omen's Rosearch and Education Institute (with the Sybil Shainwald, a member of the Board of Directors of lefo’of a Enrrl-Foundation grant) to establish systematic the National Women's Health Network and a lawyer for glinka between researchers and policymakers. Inquiries Bidder. from individuals and research.centers are encouraged. In upholding the jury verdict, the Court found that the For further information, contact Sara Rix. Research industry as a whole failed to have proper safoguarde and Coordinator, WREL400 South Capitol St., Washington, to test DES adequately. D.C. 20003. (202) 646-1010. To Subscribe or Renew Your Subscription to: "Women's RepEesentative