A study of the educational goodness of a GED preparation program in a Pacific Northwest town using qualitative research methodology portraiture /by Esther Wangui Muchira Tirima.

Recent criticism of the General Education Diploma preparation programs (GEDPPs) is that they are not having the significant impact they should. GEDPPs that only prepare participants for the GED tests do not lead to significant academic or economic progress for the participants. This qualitative study attempted to capture educational goodness, as defined by Sarah Lawrence-Lightfoot, of an exemplary GEDPP. The study was conducted under a constructivist philosophical framework using Portraiture research methodology. The resulting GEDPP portrait illuminated good characteristics of an Adult Basic Education Program (ABEP) through goodness indications (GIs) such as, effective leadership, quality faculty and instruction, program flexibility, comprehensive connections, inspiration, commitment, and student regard driven by a learner-centered ideology. The ideology and practices of Bahari Town GEDPP have marked it is as an exemplary transition program that encourages the adult learners (GED graduates) to move beyond the GED. The faculty and staff's high regard for their students, commitment and desire help the GEDPP graduates transform from high school drop-outs into GED graduates on successfully complete other programs. Although the context-bound nature of this study means it cannot be generalized, the portrait can be used to inform the establishment of a similar program, and policy and practices of new and existing programs. The portrait can be used to support quantitative data about the program to funders and program partners. This portrait adds the voices of the GEDPP staff and faculty as well as the program participants that often muffled by the quantitative data about the GEDPP.Thesis (Ph. D., Education)--University of Idaho, May 2007