LEARNING RESOURCE CENTER BASED COMMUNITY EDUCATION SYSTEM (LRCBCES) - LAC REGIONAL

THE PURPOSE OF THE GRANT IS TO DEVELOP A CONCEPTUAL MODEL OF A LEARNING RESOURCE CENTER-BASED COMMUNITY EDUCATION SYSTEM (LRCBCES) WHICH WOULD BE ADAPTABLE IN A VARIETY OF LATIN AMERICAN (LA) SETTINGS. THIS FINAL PROJECT EVALUATION IS BASED ON REVIEW OF PROJECT DOCUMENTATION AND PROJECT PRODUCTS. THE EVALUATORS CONCUR THAT THE LRCBCES MODEL AS DEVELOPED BY SAN JOSE IS ACCEPTABLE AND THAT THE PROJECT WILL ACHIEVE ITS PURPOSE BY THE SCHEDULED END DATE OF 6/30/79. THEY NOTE, HOWEVER, THAT THE MODEL WAS NOT DEMONSTRATED IN THE FIELD AS WAS ORIGINALLY PLANNED, DUE TO A LACK OF USAID FUNDING. THE CONCEPT, ALONG WITH COMPLIMENTARY DIDACTIC MATERIALS, WAS TESTED AT A 1/79 TRAINING WORKSHOP CONDUCTED AT SAN JOSE FOR 20 EDUCATIONAL PLANNERS FROM 6 LA COUNTRIES. THE LRCBCES CONCEPT IS EMBODIED IN THE PAPER "FROM VISIONS TO DEVELOPMENT". SUB-CONTRACTORS PRODUCED COMPLIMENTARY MATERIALS SUCH AS AN INVENTORY OF VALIDATED INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND METHODOLOGY FROM THE LA REGION, A PAPER ON LRCBCES INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY, AND A GUIDE FOR ANALYZING LRCBCES ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY. A FULL LISTING OF THESE AND OTHER PROJECT PRODUCTS IS ATTACHED TO THE PES. THESE MATERIALS CAN SERVE AS AN IMPORTANT REFERENCE FOR LA DEVELOPMENT SPECIALISTS AS THEY DESIGN PROGRAMS APPROPRIATE TO THEIR RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES. FOR ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION, HOWEVER, THE MODEL AND THE DIDACTIC MATERIALS NEED TO BE DEVELOPED INTO A "FIELD APPLICATION PACKAGE" SO THAT LOCAL PERSONNEL CAN BECOME NOT ONLY ACQUAINTED WITH THE CONCEPT BUT ALSO LEARN THE NECESSARY SKILLS FOR ADAPTING AND IMPLEMENTING THE MODEL IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. THE MODULES, MANUALS, AND OTHER INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR DOING THIS NEED TO BE COMPLETED AND TRANSLATED INTO SPANISH. LESSONS LEARNED INCLUDE (1) THE IMPORTANCE OF CLOSE COORDINATION WHEN COMBINING THE TEAM APPROACH TO PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION WITH THE SUB-CONTRACTING OF SPECIFIC REPORTS AND (2) THE NEED FOR COMPLETE STAFF, MANAGEMENT, AND CONSULTANT INVOLVEMENT FOR SUCCESSFUL UTILIZATION OF "FAULT FREE ANALYSIS" AS A FORMATIVE EVALUATION TOOL.