Discusses Michael Collins' critique of competency-based education and differentiates among competency-based education (CBE), competency-based adult education (CBAE), and adult performance level (APL). (JOW)

A compilation of abstracts of 120 current Adult Performance Level (APL) and Adult Competency Education (ACE) federally supported projects being conducted in 34 States and the District of Columbia, this project profile was developed for adult and secondary education administrators, teachers, and program developers who are beginning or are currently…

A compilation of brief descriptions of 20 current resources for Adult Performance Level (APL) and Adult Competency Education (ACE) programs, this guide was developed for adult and secondary education administrators, teachers, and program developers who are beginning or are already involved with APL/ACE programs. Each citation contains information…

Reviews literature on U.S. Office of Education-sponsored Adult Performance Level project that cites among its accomplishments (1) a model for competency-based education, (2) creation of national awareness of illiteracy, and (3) individualized programs. Among its insufficiencies are absence of reliable measures of validity, value-laden curriculum,…

Defines competency-based adult education; provides a brief history of the Adult Performance Level (APL) Curriculum and Competency-Based High School Diploma program; explains the National Diffusion Network; examines how the APL staff offers training and technical assistance; and focuses on nontraditional APL program implementation. (CT)

The research was conducted to identify competencies appropriate for adult basic education (ABE) teachers who use the adult performance level (APL) approach, and to determine which are critical for ABE/APL teachers. A jury of APL authorities was impaneled to: (1) validate that all ABE competencies established by Mocker in 1974 were appropriate for…

This article explains the research phase of the Adult Performance Level (APL) project, providing a brief history of how the APL life coping skills curriculum and Competency-Based High School Diploma Program evolved from the project's research and national survey of adult functional competency. Focuses on APL programs implemented within a…

This document contains abstracts describing competency-based programs related to the Adult Performance Level (APL) project and adult education. The catalog is divided into two sections: state program implementation and local program implementation. The first section describes programs and research projects currently active in Alabama, California,…

Discusses successes and problems of the Adult Performance Level (APL) project funded by the U.S. Office of Education in 1971 to identify the skills necessary for an adult to function successfully in today's society. (TA)

The Adult Performance Level (APL) project, which developed and validated a series of objectives for adult functional competency free from school-based notions of literacy, is the most widely accepted approach to adult literacy and adult literacy education in the United States today. Yet a review of the project and its impact reveals that the APL…

Developed at Auburn University, Alabama, and based on Adult Performance Level (APL) research conducted at the University of Texas, the two teaching modules for adult career education in this curriculum guide are for the health and for the consumer economics curriculum areas. Focus is on development of basic skills in communication, problem…

Six goals are essential to basic skills mastery. Goal one is the identification of specific competencies and performance indicators which are necessary for students to master to become a coping adult. The appendix lists 17 competencies modeled after the Adult Performance Level Project (APL). Competencies are organized into five knowledge areas:…

In this keynote address, the author introduces several topics of concern for participants in a workshop on competency-based adult education (CBAE). First, he defines four basic terms: adult performance level, minimum competency testing, comptency-based education, and competency-based adult education. Then he reviews the historical background of…

The evolution of the Adult Education Act (AEA) in the last 25 years illustrates the progress of adult basic education (ABE) in the United States. A detailed look at the literature and outcomes of AEA-funded projects provides a sense of the effectiveness of 25 years of federal involvement. The passage of the AEA in 1966 led to the first systematic…

Defines competency-based adult education as activities providing coping and life skills, functional literacy, mastery learning, external or alternative high school diplomas, and educational credits for life experiences. Discusses activities in relation to federally authorized Adult Basic Education, minimal testing, Adult Performance Level…