Staff Development Baseline Needs Assessment. Analysis of a Statewide Survey of Directors and Full-Time Instructors.

A survey was conducted to determine the technical curriculum needs of adult basic education (ABE) directors and full-time instructors employed through the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education's Office of Adult Literacy. Data were gathered through a 93-item survey that was developed and administered to all the 37 directors at a conference in February 1998 and by mail to 159 instructors, with 117 instructors (73 percent) responding. Results of the data analysis yielded implications for staff development planning for computer technology integration in adult basic education. Findings were as follows: (1) 94 percent of the ABE professionals had access to computer technology; (2) these educators want to know the advantages of computer-facilitated training; (3) they face time constraints as barriers to use of computer technology and do not want to work with complex computer applications; (4) they want curriculum compatible with their values and experiences as adult educators; (5) they need time to experiment with computer applications; (6) they want to see how other adult educators use computer technology; and (7) ABE professionals need technical support. (The survey instrument is included.) (KC)