Diversity in Vancouver's Adult Education:
A Microscale

By Leo Hutchinson

This semester, I started my Math 12 class in the computer lab. The difference from past semesters was that this time I was determined to use technology as much as I could and the lab seemed to be the starting point.

The idea was simple. Put the course materials on Power Point Presentations or in other text formats and use the Centre’s online resources to allow students to follow the course within a structured and a self-paced environment through the use of computers. The course now is called Math 12 Mixed Mode.

The actual lab space is designed to hold about 25 students comfortably. However, in the first day of classes I had a full registration of 30 students and the office stopped the waitlist at number 14. All in all, 38 students appeared on the first day and available space became a serious problem.

A fast look around the room perhaps would have surprised an unfamiliar observer. The students’ age ranged from 45 to 17 years old; there were at least 10 different nationalities represented in the class; and there were as many males as females.

It is not unusual in adult education to find students who come back into schooling after a number of years of absence. This semester in my class I have four students who are taking Math 12 for the first time; six who have achieved a Math 12 mark more than 75% (as high as 90 percent in one case); and 20 who have achieved a failing or low passing Math 12 mark. In such a class culture, at least 50 percent of my students have developed math anxiety and probably 15 to 20 percent have some form of a learning disability..

Here, as study case illustrations of their diversity of needs and experiences, are three of the students in my Math 12 class.

Case One
JP is a 26-year old male student who suffered a brain injury when he was involved in a car accident when he was a teenager. He has attended Roberts Centre for the last three years and has advanced from the Math Upgrading class to the Math 12 class.

JP’s first test score was 42 percent, but according to him it was his fault! “Sometimes” he mentioned, “I need to put in more work. I only did the chapter review questions two times. I run out of time to practice the review questions more.” JP pretty much lives in the Centre — he appears at 8:30 in the morning, has his lunch and dinner in the Centre, and leaves at 8:30 pm, Monday through Friday.

One day in the class, JP, one hour after a lesson on logarithms had started and after he had raised a couple of questions on the topic, asked me: “Is it possible to remind me what is the topic of the day?” When I told him that the topic was “Logarithms” he remarked. “Oh yes! That’s what we were talking last class. Oh right!” JP did not notice that on the computer screen in front of him, the title of the notes was “Examples on Logarithms”.

Case Two
KB is a 19-year old female who, because of chronic migraines, missed a large part of the regular school last year. This September she started with a couple of grade 12 courses at Roberts Centre. Apparently, the use of overhead projectors and/or the extra use of computers intensify her migraines.

Since KB had missed a number of classes already, I worked with her on a self-paced schedule so that she can continue her studies on a “structured individualized program”. She is bright young woman, but one can observe that her medical issues use a lot of her energy.

Case Three
DR is a young mother (with a four-year-old daughter) who is trying to get her graduation diploma. She has not attended school “since Grade 11”. Her main concern was missing classes because of not being able to get someone to take care of her daughter. I assured her that bringing her daughter into the Centre is perfectly okay and adult staff can help somewhat in keeping an eye on the child.

DR scored 52 percent on her first test and she was delighted with her performance. “Transformations is a difficult topic” she commented. “I had to review a lot of stuff.” DR does not ask any questions in the class and she has asked me not to direct questions to her, as she does not “want to be on the spot”. This was not a criticism of my teaching style, but rather that I needed to “understand her wish” she told me.

Leo Hutchinson works at Roberts Education Centre, located in the West End of Vancouver. He has taught Math 12 and Physics 11/12 to adult students since 1991. More than 700 adult students graduate from Vancouver’s six education centers every year. Leo has a Master’s Degree in Education of Mathematics from SFU. On a part time basis, he instructs working adults Statistics and Mathematics in the University of Phoenix Burnaby Campus. He is also Chair of General and Professional Studies for the University.

Groundwork · Vol. 22 No. 1 · Fall 2000 · page 11