Students weak in literacy, need testing, says study
As students become more tech
savvy, it seems that literacy skills
are falling by the wayside and colleges
need to step up with solutions,
reported a recent study by
Fanshawe College researchers Dr.
Roger Fisher and Whitney Hoth.
Three years ago, it was determined that lack of engagement in the college community and poor literacy skills were the two factors that affected students' decisions to drop out, said Fisher.
As a result of that past study, this latest one, entitled "College-Level Literacy: An Inventory of Current Practices at Ontario Colleges," concluded that Ontario colleges need an assessment of student literacy for each student when they are admitted.
Ideally, every student that is accepted at Fanshawe would complete a language assessment test to identify the 10 to 15 per cent of students who need upgrading. Subsequently, the college would provide a remedial program for those students, explained Fisher.
The assessment would be postadmission, so it would not be a determining factor in whether you could actually attend Fanshawe, he added.
However, the debate now is over the definition of literacy, which is halting the creation of these assessment tests.
"There is no Ontario college literacy test because colleges can't agree on where to draw the line (regarding what literacy means)," said Fisher.
Literacy could just refer to basic reading and writing skills, but for the college level, it means more. "College-level (literacy) includes the ability to communicate in a clear, organized manner and with supporting evidence and examples," he explained.
The difficulties researchers are finding with college students is that, while they are able to form sentences, they cannot put those sentences in a competent format to explain their ideas and positions — a skill essential to students' success in their other courses and out of the classroom, said Fisher.
Fisher also stressed the urgency of developing a form of standardized testing given the diversity of students being accepted into colleges now. "(Before) almost all college students come from high school. That's no longer the case," he said, referencing individuals who took a break in between high school and post-secondary education, second-career students and new Canadians.
Regarding international students, it would depend on their situation as to whether they would receive the assessment. The predicted criteria is that students who are studying English as a second language with the intent to return to their home country would not be required to do the test. On the other hand, new Canadians who plan on remaining and working in Canada would be required to take the test. "They need it more than anybody. We believe they need the same level of language skills," said Fisher.
He is also pointed out that the assessments are not meant as punishment for prospective students. They are common in other provinces and across the United States.
"We are not penalizing people for literacy deficits, and we are not setting up barriers," said Fisher. "What we are doing is identifying people with deficits and offering them opportunities for improvements."
In terms of a timeline for when the assessments may be happening, Fisher said he predicts at least three years. Next year, a study is looking at five colleges, including Fanshawe, and will be tracking some of its students who will write a form of assessment test for two years. The exact details on what will happen next year in terms of testing are still pending, he said.
Three years ago, it was determined that lack of engagement in the college community and poor literacy skills were the two factors that affected students' decisions to drop out, said Fisher.
As a result of that past study, this latest one, entitled "College-Level Literacy: An Inventory of Current Practices at Ontario Colleges," concluded that Ontario colleges need an assessment of student literacy for each student when they are admitted.
Ideally, every student that is accepted at Fanshawe would complete a language assessment test to identify the 10 to 15 per cent of students who need upgrading. Subsequently, the college would provide a remedial program for those students, explained Fisher.
The assessment would be postadmission, so it would not be a determining factor in whether you could actually attend Fanshawe, he added.
However, the debate now is over the definition of literacy, which is halting the creation of these assessment tests.
"There is no Ontario college literacy test because colleges can't agree on where to draw the line (regarding what literacy means)," said Fisher.
Literacy could just refer to basic reading and writing skills, but for the college level, it means more. "College-level (literacy) includes the ability to communicate in a clear, organized manner and with supporting evidence and examples," he explained.
The difficulties researchers are finding with college students is that, while they are able to form sentences, they cannot put those sentences in a competent format to explain their ideas and positions — a skill essential to students' success in their other courses and out of the classroom, said Fisher.
Fisher also stressed the urgency of developing a form of standardized testing given the diversity of students being accepted into colleges now. "(Before) almost all college students come from high school. That's no longer the case," he said, referencing individuals who took a break in between high school and post-secondary education, second-career students and new Canadians.
Regarding international students, it would depend on their situation as to whether they would receive the assessment. The predicted criteria is that students who are studying English as a second language with the intent to return to their home country would not be required to do the test. On the other hand, new Canadians who plan on remaining and working in Canada would be required to take the test. "They need it more than anybody. We believe they need the same level of language skills," said Fisher.
He is also pointed out that the assessments are not meant as punishment for prospective students. They are common in other provinces and across the United States.
"We are not penalizing people for literacy deficits, and we are not setting up barriers," said Fisher. "What we are doing is identifying people with deficits and offering them opportunities for improvements."
In terms of a timeline for when the assessments may be happening, Fisher said he predicts at least three years. Next year, a study is looking at five colleges, including Fanshawe, and will be tracking some of its students who will write a form of assessment test for two years. The exact details on what will happen next year in terms of testing are still pending, he said.
