6,519 results
Search Results
2. Commission for International Adult Education (CIAE) of the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE). Papers of the 2020 International Pre-Conference (69th, Virtual, October 27-30, 2020)
- Author
-
American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE), Commission for International Adult Education (CIAE), Avoseh, Mejai, and Boucouvalas, Marcie
- Abstract
The Commission on International Adult Education (CIAE) of the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE) provides a forum for the discussion of international issues related to adult education in general, as well as adult education in various countries around the globe. These papers are from the CIAE 2020 Virtual International Pre-Conference. The global aberration, called COVID-19, defined 2020 beyond national borders. COVID-19 reshaped the format of the 69th annual AAACE conference by replacing the traditional bustling human interaction with virtual meetings and presentations. These "Proceedings" contain 12 papers from 17 authors. The preeminence of COVID-19 in the 2020 International Pre-Conference papers demonstrates CIAE's commitment to being globally responsive and relevant. The word COVID appearing 88 times and COVID-19 appearing 86 times with mentions in two paper titles are an acknowledgement of the common threads of humanity and of hope for a surpassing future. [Individual papers are indexed in ERIC.]
- Published
- 2020
3. The Science of Adult Literacy. Social Protection & Jobs. Discussion Paper No. 2001
- Author
-
World Bank, Thomas, Michael S. C., Knowland, Victoria C. P., and Rogers, Cathy
- Abstract
This report considers the science of adult literacy acquisition, with the goal of identifying principles that may improve the effectiveness of adult literacy programs. We define literacy as a continuum, from emerging literacy, through improving literacy, to fluent literacy and we outline the factors that influence how far along that continuum an adult learner is likely to proceed. Four nested levels are identified at which obstacles to literacy progress operate, but to which adult learners may also bring strengths. We consider the evidence base for each of these levels: (1) "The Brain," where the basic neuroscience of how learning changes over the lifespan gives us clues about processes that restrict adult learning, and hints about how teaching can be optimized for the adult brain; (2) "The Person," where the roles of motivation, resilience and engagement can have a profound impact on outcomes; (3) "The Learning Environment," where teaching approach, course structure, fellow learners and technology can all affect progress; and (4) "The Cultural Context," where integrating expectations and local needs into literacy programs can allow learners to access materials in the most acceptable and appropriate ways. Principles derived from this evidence base are integrated and contextualized in an analysis of six case studies from the field. We indicate areas where further research is required (e.g., determining the degree of practice adults require to achieve fluency); and identify metrics that future literacy programs should collect in order to build an evidence base of properties that improve effectiveness. The evidence summarized in this report suggests that there is scope to improve outcomes in adult literacy programs around the world, and to realize more of the social and economic benefits that such gains provide. [This paper was commissioned for the World Bank activity on Innovations in Adult Literacy.]
- Published
- 2020
4. Empowering Individual Workers through Skills -- A New Labour Project Revisited. SKOPE Research Paper No. 129
- Author
-
University of Oxford (United Kingdom), Centre on Skills, Knowledge and Organisational Performance (SKOPE) and Keep, Ewart
- Abstract
This article explores the efficacy and cost effectiveness of New Labour's skills-based policies to help low paid workers adjust to the pressures generated by globalisation, of which the leading example was Train to Gain (T2G). It also analyses the more general issue of how, why and under what circumstances education, training and skills can help imbue low paid workers with greater bargaining power within the labour market.
- Published
- 2019
5. How Competency-Based Education May Help Reduce Our Nation's Toughest Inequities. Lumina Issue Papers
- Author
-
Lumina Foundation and Krauss, Stephanie Malia
- Abstract
Competency-based education (CBE) is a rapidly growing movement of postsecondary and K-12 programs that allow learners to move ahead based on what they know and can do, rather than time spent in class. At the postsecondary level, CBE could be a pathway that helps many thousands of learners move from poverty to prosperity. This paper considers how CBE can be used to educate, equip, and empower learners who struggle in postsecondary learning programs because of who they are and where they live. Recommended starting points--places and programs--are provided throughout the paper to highlight where and how CBE providers can prioritize equity. The first section identifies three learner populations for CBE programs to prioritize: (1) learners of color; (2) adult learners who are unemployed or underemployed; and (3) adult learners with some postsecondary education but no credential. The second section details the types of programs CBE providers should offer, and the final section suggests some occupations and industries for which CBE programs should prepare their graduates.
- Published
- 2017
6. Innovating Teachers' Professional Learning through Digital Technologies. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 237
- Author
-
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (France) and Minea-Pic, Andreea
- Abstract
Digital technologies offer immense potential for transforming teacher learning and the delivery of professional development activities throughout teachers' careers. As the COVID-19 pandemic has made face-to-face professional learning challenging or impossible for teachers to attend in many contexts, online professional learning options for teachers have been receiving renewed attention. This paper puts forward research evidence on the effectiveness of various forms of online learning for teachers and adults, and examines prerequisite conditions for enhancing teacher learning through digital technologies. Teachers' engagement in online learning activities, as captured by OECD surveys, remained limited in many OECD countries before the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper provides a basis for investigating how policies can support teachers' engagement in professional learning using digital technologies and help strike a balance between system-level provision of online teacher professional learning opportunities and the facilitation of teacher-led initiatives.
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
7. Annual Proceedings of Selected Papers on the Practice of Education Communications and Technology Presented at the Annual Convention of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (38th, Indianapolis, Indiana, 2015). Volume 2
- Author
-
Association for Educational Communications and Technology and Simonson, Michael
- Abstract
For the thirty-eighth time, the Research and Theory Division of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) is sponsoring the publication of these Proceedings. Papers published in this volume were presented at the annual AECT Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Proceedings of AECT's Convention are published in two volumes. Volume 1 contains 29 papers dealing primarily with research and development topics. Twenty-three papers dealing with the practice of instructional technology including instruction and training issues are contained in Volume 2. The 23 papers in this volume include: (1) Acculturation into a Collaborative Online Learning Environment (Iryna V. Ashby and Victoria L. Walker); (2) TriviaPrep: Inside the Research, Design, Development, and Implementation of an Educational Competitive-Trivia Mobile Application (Sean D. Bailey); (3) Social Network Analysis as a Design-Based Research Tool in Deploying University-Wide Online Quality Course Standards (John Cowan, Aline Click, Stephanie Richter, Jason Rhode, and Jason Underwood); (4) A Revision to the "Revised" Bloom's Taxonomy (Afnan N. Darwazeh and Robert Maribe Branch); (5) ElevatEd: An Innovative Web-Based Solution for Strategic Planning and Continuous Improvement in Schools (Ioan G. Ionas, Matthew A. Easter, and Blake A. Naughton); (6) Using a Backchannel to Build a Community of Practice in a Professional Development (Lenora Jean Justice); (7) Learning to Lose: Using Gaming Concepts to Teach Failure as Part of the Learning Process (Lenora Jean Justice); (8) Active Learning in Online Learning Environments for Adult Learners (Yu-Chun Kuo and Yu-Tung Kuo); (9) Assessment Strategies for Competency-Based Learning--Lessons Learned (Darci Lammers and Stephen Beers); (10) Peer-Led Hackathon: An Intense Learning Experience (Miguel Lara, Kate Lockwood, and Eric Tao); (11) Fostering Interaction In Distance Learning through Purposeful Technology Integration in Support of Learning Goals (Wei Li and Jennifer. M. Brill); (12) Collaborative Communications in the Classroom (Patrice C. Nyatuame); (13) A Mixed-Methods Study: Student Evaluation Response Rates of Teacher Performance in Higher Education Online Classes (Kelli R. Paquette, Frank Corbett, Jr., and Melissa M. Casses); (14) Creating Effective Instructional Design: Feedback Loops And Habitus (Ardelle Pate and Jeffrey L. Hunt); (15) Efficiency in the Online Environment: Digital Tools That Streamline the Research Paper Process (Kelly Paynter and Jimmy Barnes); (16) An Online Social Constructivist Course: Toward a Framework for Usability Evaluations (Alana S. Phillips, Anneliese Sheffield, Michelle Moore, and Heather Robinson); (17) Games and Simulations: A Potential Future for Assessment (DeAnna L. Proctor and Lenora Jean Justice); (18) An Analysis of Technological Issues Emanating from Faculty Transition to a New Learning Management System (Mapopa William Sanga); (19) AuthorIT & TutorIT: An Intelligent Tutor Authoring & Delivery System You Can Use (Joseph M. Scandura); (20) Design of Instructional Modeling Language and Learning Objects Repository (Altaf Siddiqui); (21) Training Instructional Designers: Engaging Novices in ID Process through a Progressive Case (Lina Souid and Tiffany A. Koszalka); (22) How Human Agency Contributes to Thinking about E-learning (Brent G. Wilson and Andrea Gregg); and (23) Issues in Activity to Improve Subjects and Methods in University Lesson through Active Learning Using Media (Morio Yoshie). (Individual papers contain references.) [For Volume 1, see ED570117.]
- Published
- 2015
8. The White Paper on Adult Education: Learning For Life. Synopsis, Analysis of Recommendations, Issues for AONTAS.
- Author
-
Irish National Association of Adult Education, Dublin. and McCauley, Fiona
- Abstract
The issues facing the following areas of adult education in Ireland in the era of lifelong learning were examined in a white paper: (1) second chance and further education; (2) community education; (3) workplace education; and (4) higher education. The Irish National Association of Adult Education (AONTAS) analyzed the recommendations presented in the white paper. Although AONTAS generally welcomed the changes in Ireland's adult education system that are outlined in the white paper, it did express specific concerns about several proposals. The following were among AONTAS' specific policy recommendations: (1) limiting the proposal regarding lowering the pupil-teacher ratio to literacy programs could lead to a proliferation of provision at the foundation level with a lack of supported programs after completion of the foundation program; (2) program fees should be abolished not just for the most disadvantaged adults but for all adult learners; (3) because low-skill workers will still be a marginalized group under the proposals outlined in the white paper, measures must be put in place to ensure that they can avail themselves of the opportunities necessary for success in a high-skilled, knowledge-based economy; (4) only the complete abolition of student fees can remove the confusion regarding entitlement to free fees and protect the interests of all adult learners. (MN)
- Published
- 2000
9. Making an Impact: The AONTAS Response to the Green Paper 'Adult Education in an Era of Life Long Learning'.
- Author
-
Irish National Association of Adult Education, Dublin., Brady, Berni, and McCauley, Fiona
- Abstract
A 6-month consultation process was conducted to identify changes needed in Ireland's system of adult education in the era of lifelong learning. The following issues were addressed: (1) financial barriers for adults wishing to return to education; (2) the lack of access to mainstream programs of education and training; (3) the lack of information and guidance services to meet adult learners' needs; (4) the lack of properly funded childcare facilities; (5) the discrepancy between opportunities available to long-term unemployed individuals and individuals in low-paid jobs; and (6) the lack of progression routes from basic education to higher education and training programs and between the formal and nonformal sectors. The following were among the recommendations that emerged from the consultation: (1) current finance systems must be evaluated in the context of equality of opportunity, particularly for students in part-time or modular degree programs; (2) to permit upskilling of the existing workforce, paid educational leave should be considered; (3) adult education in the context of an expanded service must be based in locally accessible premises; (4) all adult education practitioners should have opportunities to participate in professional training; and (5) local communities must play a key role in developing their own education. (22 references) (MN)
- Published
- 1999
10. Spiritual Knowing and Transformative Learning. NALL Working Paper.
- Author
-
Ontario Inst. for Studies in Education, Toronto. New Approaches to Lifelong Learning. and Dei, George J. Sefa
- Abstract
The roles of spirituality and spiritual learning in transformative learning are discussed. The discussion was initiated from an anti-colonial perspective on engaging spiritually in the political project of transformative learning, and it is grounded in issues of African education and in the principle of teaching critically so that education serves the spiritual development of learners and their communities. Transformative learning is seen as education that is able to resist oppression and domination by strengthening the individual self and collectives to deal with continued reproduction of colonial and re-colonial relations in academic institutions. It is argued that transformative learning must also assist learners in dealing with the pervasive effects of academic institutions' imperial structures on the processes of knowledge production and validation; understanding of indigenousness; and pursuit of agency, resistance, and politics for educational change. The following were among the recommendations to educators wanting to help students become critically and spiritually grounded and to engage in transformative learning: (1) give learners a sense of place, history, culture, and identity; (2) recognize that learners are not a generic, homogeneous group; (3) recognize the contextual variations and differences existing between teachers and their students; (4) create relevant knowledge; (5) teach collaboratively; (6) tell success stories; and (7) recognize the sociopolitical contexts of knowledge production. There are 39 references. (MN)
- Published
- 2002
11. Navigating Difficult Waters: Learning for Career and Labour Market Transitions. Research Paper No 42
- Author
-
Cedefop - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training
- Abstract
This report analyses how learning supports labour market transitions and career changes of adult workers across five countries (Denmark, Germany, Spain, France and Italy). To make the most of career and labour market opportunities, individuals have to rely on their own resources and their agency but also know how to navigate the institutional context. To make successful labour market transitions, individuals need to have a sense of direction, they need to learn about opportunities, and they need to learn skills. Education and training has a special role in supporting adult workers in their careers, providing them with the competences, qualifications and, in some cases, with the self-confidence needed for successful transition. Guidance services tailored to individual needs can help individuals find appropriate career trajectories in their search for suitable job opportunities, and can foster relational, emotional, cognitive and practical learning. [This report is the result of a team effort. Cedefop is grateful to Alan Brown, Jenny Bimrose and Barbara Merrill from the University of Warwick (Institute for Employment Research and Centre for Lifelong Learning) for coordinating the research teams and contributing to and editing project reports. The interviews were carried out and the country reports prepared by country teams: Massimo Tomassini from the Faculty of Education Science, University of Roma Tre and Silvia Zanazzi from the Faculty of Education Science, University of Roma La Sapienza (Italy); Rie Thomsen, Ida Juul and Pia Cort from Aarhus University (Denmark); Esther Oliver and Lena de Botton from the University of Barcelona and Itxaso Tellado from University of Vic (Spain); M'Hamed Dif from the University of Strasbourg (BETA-Céreq Alsace), Rachel Mulvey from the University of East London and Sophie Perdrix from the University of Lausanne (France); as well as Simone Haasler and Barbara Rinken from the University of Bremen (Germany). Cedefop experts Antje Barabasch and Giovanni Russo coordinated the study, under the supervision of the Head of Area Pascaline Descy, with a valuable contribution from Pedro Moreno Da Fonseca who reviewed this publication. The work was carried out under Cedefop's service contract No AO/RPA/GRUSSO-ABARA/Narrative learning transitions/015/11.]
- Published
- 2014
12. 'So, You're a Woman, 38, Back in School, and Writing 'Research Papers?'
- Author
-
Stoffel, Judith
- Abstract
Colleges are still designed for 18 to 22 year old students, even though that category includes only about 20% of the total population seeking degrees. Because of this fact, the term "andragogy," or how to teach adults, should become a more recognizable concept in education. A study was conducted in which 25 first-year adult women at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College in Terre Haute, Indiana, were asked to write down their thoughts and concerns as they worked on research papers, after they completed the paper, and after they had heard from the instructor about the papers. The same information was requested from 25 upper-level students. Comments were classified into either affective or cognitive. Several conclusions can be drawn from the data. First, the affective aspect of learning needs to be attended to with adult women students. Second, there was an apparent falling off of interest in the content of the paper after the students heard from instructors, who tended to comment heavily on composition techniques rather than on content. Numerous examples of student comments demonstrate the wide range of needs of adult learners, in both the affective and the cognitive modes. In comparing the first-year students' comments with the upper-level students' comments, a substantial rise in complexity of thought and ability to analyze was evident. Adult students, generally, are hard-working, motivated, appreciative, and usually quite good, so that teachers find working with them a gratifying experience. (Three tables of data are included.) (HB)
- Published
- 1992
13. Specific Quality Criteria for Research Papers on Adults Learning Mathematics?
- Author
-
Wedege, Tine
- Abstract
Since 1997, the identity of the research field of adults learning mathematics has been debated; the research field has grown in quantity and quality; and the research forum Adults Learning Mathematics (ALM) has established an international journal. In practice, the researchers answer the question about identity and quality of research papers in committees, in editorial teams or as referees in journals. The purpose of this article is to create a starting point for a debate, based on quality criteria in the field of mathematics education research, on specific criteria to locate quality of research papers on practice-related educational research in the field of adults learning mathematics. Following general criteria in mathematics education any research paper has to explain and present its own "problematique" explicitly, i.e. define the problem field and the theoretical/methodological/philosophical approach of the study reported. Additional criteria specific to the field of adults learning mathematics are suggested, namely, the author should position themselves by answering the following three questions: (1) What is adult mathematical knowledge (or adult numeracy)?; (2) How do adults learn mathematics?; and (3) Why teach mathematics to adults?
- Published
- 2009
14. Mapping Adult Literacy Performance. Background Paper
- Author
-
National Centre for Vocational Education Research, Circelli, Michelle, Curtis, David, and Perkins, Kate
- Abstract
Language, literacy and numeracy are necessary for greater workforce participation, productivity and social inclusion. Being able to measure the level of proficiency in these skills, and any changes in the level of skills, is important for getting a sense of how well language, literacy and numeracy programs are working. Two measurement tools used in Australia are the Adult Literacy and Life Skills (ALLS) survey and the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF). This paper outlines a National Centre for Vocational Education Research study which will investigate whether it is possible to map the performance levels of the ALLS to the performance levels of the ACSF in order to gain more frequent information than is currently available about the literacy and numeracy progression of adult learners against national goals. Appended are: (1) About the ALLS survey and the ACSF; and (2) Delphi method and descriptions of ALLS items. (Contains 1 table and 9 footnotes.)
- Published
- 2011
15. Reluctant Learners: Their Identities and Educational Experiences. Occasional Paper
- Author
-
National Centre for Vocational Education Research and Wallace, Ruth
- Abstract
This study explores the relationship between regional people's identities, their experiences of learning, and engagement with learning. Fifteen adult learners describe those experiences of education and the significant impact of their learning identity on their engagement with learning in the long term. The study was based in a regional area of the Northern Territory and includes people from different age groups and backgrounds including Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, long-term residents and migrants from other places. The participants describe their learning identity as it relates to their identity as individuals and members of local, family and global communities. Drawing on interviews with students in regional and rural areas of the Northern Territory, this paper looks at their participation in education and training. The paper suggests that learning strategies which acknowledge rural learners' identities may be successful in engaging regional and remote learners in education and training. [This work has been produced by the author, who received an National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) New Researcher Award to present their research.]
- Published
- 2008
16. Re-Imagining California Higher Education: Research & Occasional Papers Series: CSHE.14.10
- Author
-
University of California, Berkeley, Center for Studies in Higher Education and Douglass, John Aubrey
- Abstract
2010 marks the 50th anniversary of California's famed Master Plan for Higher Education, arguably the single most influential effort to plan the future of a system of higher education in the annals of American higher education. This essay builds on the analysis offered in a previous CSHE research paper ("From Chaos to Order and Back") by discussing the major challenges facing California's higher education system, and offering a possible pathway to reforms and institution-building essential for bolstering socioeconomic mobility and greater economic competitiveness. Most critics and observers of California's system remain focused on incremental and largely marginal improvements, transfixed by the state's persistent financial problems and inability to engage in long-range planning for a population that is projected to grow from approximately 37 million to some 60 million by 2050. President Obama has set a national goal for the US to once again have among the highest educational attainment rates in the world. This would require the nation to produce over 8 million additional degrees; California's "fair share" would be approximately 1 million additional degrees. A number of studies indicate that California's higher education system will not keep pace with labor needs in the state, let alone affording opportunities for socioeconomic mobility that once characterized California. California needs to re-imagine its once vibrant higher education system. The objective is to offer a vision of a more mature system of higher education that could emerge over the next twenty years; in essence, a logical next stage in a system that has hardly changed in the last five decades. Informed by the history of the tripartite system, its strengths and weaknesses over time, and the reform efforts of economic competitors throughout the world who are making significant investments in their own tertiary institutions, I offer a "re-imagined" network of colleges and universities and a plan for "Smart Growth." I paint a picture that builds on California's existing institutions, predicated on a more diverse array of institutional types, and rooted in the historical idea of mission differentiation. This includes setting educational attainment goals for the state; shifting more students to 4-year institutions including UC and CSU; reorganizing the California Community Colleges to include a set of 4-year institutions, another set of "Transfer Focused" campuses, and having these colleges develop a "gap" year program for students out of high school to better prepare for higher education. It also encompasses creating a new Polytechnic University sector, a new California Open University that is primarily focused on adult learners; and developing a new funding model that recognizes the critical role of tuition, and the market for international students that can generate income for higher education and attract top talent to California. There is also a need to recognize that for the US to increase degree attainment rates, the federal government will need to become a more engaged partner with the states. For the near and possibly long-term, most state governments are in a fiscally weakened position that makes any large-scale investment in expanding access improbable. Because of the size of its population alone, California is the canary in the coal mine. If the US is to make major strides toward President Obama's goal, it cannot do it without California. (Contains 5 figures and 20 endnotes.)
- Published
- 2010
17. Blind Date: An Exploration of Potential Partnerships between Literacy Teachers and Community Service Workers. Occasional Paper
- Author
-
National Centre for Vocational Education Research and Leske, Ann
- Abstract
Partnerships between literacy teachers and community service workers have the potential to engage people with low literacy levels in learning. Through interviews and surveys with these two groups, this paper explores their views on literacy, how it impacts on their work, and their ideas about partnerships with each other. Overall, partnerships are viewed more favourably by literacy teachers than community service workers. In addition, if partnerships are to proceed, both groups need to develop a greater awareness and appreciation for each other's roles. This research was undertaken by a novice researcher in the Community of Practice Program and was funded as part of NCVER's Building Researcher Capacity initiative. Appended are: (1) Definitions; and (2) Survey. (Contains 9 tables and 2 figures.)
- Published
- 2010
18. Annual Proceedings of Selected Research and Development Papers Presented at the National Convention of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (30th, Anaheim, California, 2007). Volume 1
- Author
-
Association for Educational Communications and Technology, Washington, DC. and Simonson, Michael
- Abstract
For the thirtieth year, the Research and Theory Division of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) is sponsoring the publication of these Proceedings. Papers published in this volume were presented at the National AECT Convention in Anaheim, California. The Proceedings of AECT's Convention are published in two volumes. Volume 1 contains several dozen research and development papers dealing with instructional technology and instructional design. (Individual papers contain references, figures, and tables.) [For Volume 2, see ED499896.]
- Published
- 2007
19. Adult Learners in Higher Education: Barriers to Success and Strategies to Improve Results. Employment and Training Administration. Occasional Paper 2007-03
- Author
-
Department of Labor, Washington, DC, Kazis, Richard, Callahan, Abigail, and Davidson, Chris
- Abstract
This reports synthesizes the research literature on the challenges facing adult learners in higher education today and emerging strategies for increasing the number of adults over 24 who earn college credentials and degrees. This synthesis is meant to provide perspectives on key issues facing adults as more and more of them see the need for higher education credentials, not just for short-term training. The project has two phases: first, this document, which is a broad, synthetic overview of the issues; and second, a more in-depth exploration of particular high-value topics that will be agreed upon by the partners and department personnel. The paper looks at: (1) the nature of the obstacles that adult learners face in trying to earn credentials with labor market value; (2) the promise of innovative practices that target adult learners; and (3) changes in institutional and governmental policies that might help more adults earn higher education credentials. The paper is divided into five sections that explore: (1) Supply and demand dynamics; (2) Accessibility; (3) Affordability; (4) Accountability; and (5) Recommendations. Each section begins with a set of talking points summarizing main findings and implications. Research and policy literature is reviewed. Promising innovations are mapped and their implications for improving college access and success for adult learners are highlighted. (Contains 24 endnotes, 9 figures, and 7 tables.) [This report was prepared for the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Office of Policy Development and Research by Jobs for the Future in partnership with Eduventures and FutureWorks.]
- Published
- 2007
20. Evaluating and Interpreting Research Syntheses in Adult Learning and Literacy. NCSALL Occasional Paper
- Author
-
National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy, Boston, MA., Cooper, Harris, Cooper, Harris, and National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy, Boston, MA.
- Abstract
This occasional paper introduces the methods of research synthesis and meta-analysis to researchers and consumers of research in the field of adult learning and literacy. To begin, the first section of the paper defines key terms and offers a brief history of how the methodologies developed. The second section provides a conceptualization of research synthesis that views it no differently from other research endeavors in the social sciences. Then, the tasks of research synthesis are presented in more detail within the context of a hypothetical example drawn from the literature on adult learning and literacy. (Contains 1 figure and 5 tables.)
- Published
- 2007
21. Rebuilding NIFL to Meet Future Needs: A New Innovative Agency with a Broader Mission. Discussion Paper
- Author
-
Council for Advancement of Adult Literacy, Chisman, Forrest P., and Spangenberg, Gail
- Abstract
One major report after another shows that the United States needs a large, innovative, and effective adult education and workforce skills system. It is essential to the national security, economic stability, and democratic way of life. To address this need fully a leadership agency focused on a singular national goal is required, one with a legislative mandate to perform strategic planning and other coordination functions between and among federal agencies and public and private sector groups. Such an agency can accomplish its mission only if it is supported by a strong governance structure. The Council for Advancement of Adult Literacy (CAAL) proposes that the National Institute for Literacy (NIFL) be reauthorized with a new and broader mission, mode of operation, and governance structure, and that these transformational elements be clearly set forth in the reauthorizing legislation. This will effectively create a new agency (with a new name, National Institute for Adult Learning, NIFAL) in place of the current National Institute for Literacy. NIFL, as chartered by the 1991 and 1998 Acts, might have been an important agency in the adult education field, but it was handicapped from the outset. Redeveloped as discussed in this paper, NIFAL will be able to take on the essential and far larger task of building an adult education and workforce skills system to meet the nation's 21st Century needs. About the Authors and NIFAL Working Group are appended. (Contains 7 notes.)
- Published
- 2009
22. Educational Outcomes of I-BEST, Washington State Community and Technical College System's Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training Program: Findings from a Multivariate Analysis. CCRC Working Paper No. 16
- Author
-
Columbia University, Community College Research Center, Jenkins, Davis, Zeidenberg, Matthew, and Kienzl, Gregory
- Abstract
This paper presents findings from a study conducted by the Community College Research Center (CCRC) at Teachers College, Columbia University, on the outcomes of the Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training program (I-BEST), developed by the community and technical colleges in Washington State to increase the rate at which adult basic skills students enter and succeed in postsecondary occupational education and training. Under the I-BEST model, basic skills instructors and college-level career-technical faculty jointly design and teach college-level occupational courses for adult basic skills students. Instruction in basic skills is integrated with instruction in college-level career-technical skills, offering the potential to accelerate the transition of adult basic skills students to college programs. The study used multivariate analysis to compare the educational outcomes over a two-year tracking period of I-BEST students with those of other basic skills students during academic year 2006-2007. Researchers examined data on more than 31,000 basic skills students in Washington State, including nearly 900 I-BEST participants. The analyses controlled for observed differences in background characteristics of students in the sample. The study found that students participating in I-BEST achieved better educational outcomes than did other basic skills students. I-BEST students were more likely than others to: (1) Continue into credit-bearing coursework; (2) Earn credits that count toward a college credential; (3) Earn occupational certificates; and (4) Make point gains on basic skills tests. The study also compared I-BEST students to a group of non-participants with similar characteristics who were matched with the I-BEST students using a statistical technique called propensity score matching (PSM). Using the PSM analysis, the study also estimated significantly enhanced results for I-BEST students over the comparison group over the two-year tracking period. Although results of this analysis indicate that participation in I-BEST is correlated with better educational outcomes over the two-year tracking period, authors note that they do not provide definitive evidence that the I-BEST program caused the superior outcomes. Because of the way students are selected into the program, those who participate have higher motivation or other characteristics not measured in this study that make them more likely to succeed. Selection bias could also operate in the other direction if I-BEST students are more disadvantaged in ways not measured by the study. A Brief Description of Propensity Score Matching is appended. (Contains 9 footnotes and 14 tables.) [For the corresponding brief, see ED505705.]
- Published
- 2009
23. Teaching and Incentives: Substitutes or Complements? Working Paper 28976
- Author
-
National Bureau of Economic Research, Allen, James, IV, Mahumane, Arlete, Riddell, James, IV, Rosenblat, Tanya, Yang, Dean, and Yu, Hang
- Abstract
Interventions to promote learning are often categorized into supply- and demand-side approaches. In a randomized experiment to promote learning about COVID-19 among Mozambican adults, we study the interaction between a supply and a demand intervention, respectively: teaching, and providing financial incentives to learners. In theory, teaching and learner-incentives may be substitutes (crowding out one another) or complements (enhancing one another). Experts surveyed in advance predicted a high degree of substitutability between the two treatments. In contrast, we find substantially more complementarity than experts predicted. Combining teaching and incentive treatments raises COVID-19 knowledge test scores by 0.5 standard deviations. [Additional support for the working paper includes: Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab via the Innovation in Government Initiative at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Innovations for Poverty Action via the Peace and Recovery Program at Yale University, and the Michigan Institute for Teaching and Research in Economics via the Ulmer Fund.]
- Published
- 2021
24. Washington State's Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training Program (I-BEST): New Evidence of Effectiveness. CCRC Working Paper No. 20
- Author
-
Columbia University, Community College Research Center, Zeidenberg, Matthew, Cho, Sung-Woo, and Jenkins, Davis
- Abstract
To increase the rate at which adult basic skills students advance to and succeed in college-level occupational programs, the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) developed the Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training, or I-BEST. In the I-BEST model, a basic skills instructor and an occupational instructor team teach occupational courses with integrated basic skills content, and students receive college-level credit for the occupational coursework. The goal of this instructional model is to increase the rate at which basic skills students are able to succeed in college-level coursework leading to certificates and associate degrees in high-demand fields. The authors examined students who enrolled in I-BEST in 2006-07 and 2007-08. They examined the effect of the program on seven educational outcome variables: (1) whether a student earned any college credit (of any kind), (2) whether a student earned any occupational college credit, (3) the number of college credits a student earned, (4) the number of occupational college credits a student earned, (5) whether or not a student persisted to the following year after initial enrollment, (6) whether a student earned a certificate or degree, and (7) whether a student achieved point gains on basic skills tests. They also examined the following two labor market outcomes: the change in wages for those who were employed both before and after program enrollment, and the change in the number of hours worked after leaving the program. They found that enrollment in I-BEST had positive impacts on all but one of the educational outcomes (persistence was not affected), but no impact on the two labor market outcomes. However, it is likely that I-BEST students did not fare better than the comparison group in the labor market because they were entering the market just as the economy was entering the recent major recession. Perhaps a future evaluation will reveal better labor market outcomes. The difference-in-differences (DID) analysis found that students who attended colleges with I-BEST after the program was implemented were 7.5 percentage points more likely to earn a certificate within three years and almost 10 percentage points more likely to earn some college credits, relative to students who were not exposed to I-BEST. Unlike the regression and PSM analyses, the DID approach allows them to make causal inferences about the effectiveness of I-BEST. The DID findings are especially impressive given that they are based on the effects of I-BEST during their first year of implementation at the subset of colleges offering the "treatment" examined. They assume that the effectiveness of the I-BEST model will improve as colleges have more experience with it. Appendices include: (1) Tables; and (2) A Brief Description of Propensity Score Matching. (Contains 13 tables, 4 figures and 17 footnotes.)
- Published
- 2010
25. Local Structures in Adult Education: A Discussion Paper.
- Author
-
Irish National Association of Adult Education, Dublin.
- Abstract
In January 2002, Ireland's minister of state announced the establishment of the National Adult Learning Council to take effect in March 2002. One of the council's priorities will be to establish local adult learning boards (LALBs) to oversee development and delivery of adult education. An Irish government white paper recommended that LALBs' operation be based on the following principles: area-based planning; social inclusion; access, quality, relevance, and progression; partnership; integration; information; flexibility; voluntary effort; and devolved authority. The white paper also recommended that LALBs have the authority to make decisions on the deployment of resources within each region with regard to designated programs within the further education sector in accordance with existing national standards prescribed by the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland, standards and guidelines for good practice, national policies, and Ireland's existing framework for accountability and provision. Plans call for LALBs to include representatives of a variety of stakeholders, including the following: the community; training agencies; schools; Ireland's teachers' union; learners; employers; adult literacy services, library services; health boards; institutes of technology, and universities. LALBs will be required to report annually to Ireland's National Adult Learning Council and develop and follow plans with clearly defined targets and mechanisms of qualitative evaluation. (Contains 6 references.) (MN)
- Published
- 2002
26. Research Utilization in the Field of Adult Learning and Literacy: Lessons Learned by NCSALL about Connecting Practice, Policy, and Research. NCSALL Occasional Paper
- Author
-
National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy, Boston, MA., Smith, Cristine, Bingman, Beth, and Beall, Kaye
- Abstract
This occasional paper is a summary of what the staff of the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL) Dissemination Initiative learned about how to connect research, policy and practice in ways that promote evidence-based practice in the field of adult learning and literacy. NCSALL Tools for connecting practice, policy, and research are appended. (Contains 4 footnotes.)
- Published
- 2007
27. Research Methods for Studying ABE/ESOL Populations. NCSALL Occasional Paper
- Author
-
National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy, Boston, MA. and Drago-Severson, Eleanor
- Abstract
family literacy, and workplace sites) for a year or more to examine their experiences of learning and change. Each program was aimed at enhancing participants? English language fluency, content knowledge, and effectiveness as students, parents, and/or workers. The purpose of this study was to better understand how these adults experienced learning in their programs; how this learning transferred to their roles as parents, workers, or learners; how the programs supported and challenged their learning; and how this learning helped them change. This was the first in-depth study examining how adults ?make meaning? of their learning experiences in ABE/ESOL programs. This paper addresses questions of methodological and practical importance: What methodological challenges might be encountered when conducting research that relies heavily on language (to understand the content of learners? thoughts and assess the structure of their thinking) with adult ESOL learners? How might researchers adapt measures and develop strategies to better understand ESOL learners? perspectives on their program experiences and meaning making? What are the lessons learned from adapting measures to better suit this population? The adults who participated in this study made time available on three (and at one site, four) separate, extended occasions to share their thinking via a variety of data collection methods and tools. This study demonstrates that language-based research measures can be administered if the effectiveness of the measures is carefully monitored and assessed, if they are properly adapted, if the students' expressive English skills are adequate, and if multiple measures are used to triangulate findings and assess validity. The following are appended: (1) Focus Group Questions for Family Literacy Site; (2) Participant Interview #1; (3) Subject-Object Interview Procedures; (4) Paper and Pencil Measure: Sentence Completion Test; (5) Learner Vignettes: Community College Site;e.
- Published
- 2004
28. Adults' Informal Learning: Definitions, Findings, Gaps, and Future Research. NALL Working Paper #21.
- Author
-
Ontario Inst. for Studies in Education, Toronto. and Livingstone, D. W.
- Abstract
This paper on adult informal learning is divided into four sections. Section 1 examines different conceptions of informal learning and the issues and limitations associated with alternative definitions of informal learning. Section 2 is a review of empirical research on the estimated extent, role, and outcomes of informal learning and posited linkages between informal and formal methods of learning. It reports that, according to the New Approaches to Lifelong Learning (NALL) 2000 national survey, over 95 percent of Canadian adults are involved in some form of informal learning activities that they identify as significant. Section 3 critically assesses current research approaches to studying informal learning and identifies policy-relevant knowledge gaps concerning the general level and nature of informal learning, distribution of informal learning across the adult population, impact of informal learning on individual and firm performance, and relationship of informal learning to formal skills development. Section 4 recommends optimal approaches to future research on informal learning practices with a particular focus on survey research in Canada and finds it imperative to establish benchmarks of the general incidence, basic contents and modes, and any differential patterns of intentional informal learning and training, and to continue to track trends in relation to other dimensions of adult learning. (Appendixes include NALL questions and 69 references.) (YLB)
- Published
- 2001
29. Edinburgh Working Papers in Applied Linguistics, 2001.
- Author
-
Edinburgh Univ. (Scotland). Dept. of Theoretical and Applied Linguistics., Edinburgh Univ. (Scotland). Inst. for Applied Language Studies., and Parkinson, Brian
- Abstract
This collection of papers falls into three categories: stylistics, discourse analysis, and language pedagogy. The papers are: "Feedback on Writing: Attitudes and Uptake" (Kenneth Anderson, Cathy Benson, and Tony Lynch); "An Alternative View of 'Like': Its Grammaticalisation in Conversational American English and Beyond" (Isabelle Buchstaller); "Examining the Intangible Process: Lotus Screencam as an Aid to Investigating Student Writing" (Eric Glendinning, Ron Howard); "Strategy and Style in English and French Translations of Japanese Comic Books" (Peter Howell); "The Value of an Additional Native Speaker in the English Language Classroom" (Tony Lynch, Kenneth Anderson); and "'The Way to a Man's Heart': Journey and War Metaphors. Metaphors--Metaphorical Conceptualizations of the Western Romance Model in English and Spanish" (Maria Angeles Navarrete Lopez). (Papers contain references.) (SM)
- Published
- 2001
30. How Do You Teach Content in Adult Education? An Annotated Bibliography. NCSALL Occasional Paper
- Author
-
National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy, Boston, MA., Zachry, Elizabeth M., and Comings, John P.
- Abstract
Adding to the resources for evidence-based practices, this occasional paper provides sources of research and professional wisdom that are useful to the design of evidence-based instruction. This annotated bibliography is divided into seven subsections that focus on reading, writing, math and numeracy, English as a second language, GED, adult learning theory, and technology. Each section presents adult education sources and then additional resources based on K-12 research, instruction, and professional development resources. (Contains 3 footnotes.)
- Published
- 2006
31. Establishing an Evidence-Based Adult Education System. NCSALL Occasional Paper.
- Author
-
National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy, Boston, MA., Comings, John P., Beder, Hal, Bingman, Beth, Reder, Stephen, and Smith, Cristine
- Abstract
To benefit from the support of public and private sector leaders and to ensure that all students receive effective services, the adult education system must identify program models that have empirical evidence to support claims of effectiveness. The U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences defines evidence-based education as "the integration of professional wisdom with the best available empirical evidence in making decisions about how to deliver instruction." An evidence-based adult education system would have the following components: (1) basic and applied research; (2) program model evaluation; and (3) practitioner knowledge. These three components would work together in a cycle that continually improves program models. The main steps in establishing an evidence-based adult education system are as follows: (1) define groups of students to focus on in the initial baseline program evaluations; (2) for each group of students, identify specific achievement outcomes and tools for measuring them; (3) choose a few groups to begin with first; (4) support a team to develop the baseline program models for each group; (5) engage research methodology experts to design an evaluation of the baseline program models; and (6) publish a detailed description of the baseline program models and the program model evaluation methodology. (Contains 28 references.) (MN)
- Published
- 2003
32. A Vision for the Future: Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training--A Discussion Paper [and] Current Context and Selected Trends: A Profile of Apprenticeship and Industry Training in Alberta [and] A Vision for the Future: Responses to a Discussion Paper from the Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training Board and the Alberta Apprenticeship and Industry Training Division. Keeping You Informed....
- Author
-
Alberta Learning, Edmonton. Apprenticeship and Industry Training.
- Abstract
These three publications examine the current state and future of apprenticeship and industry training in Alberta, Canada. The "Current Context" publication, released in October 1996, examines the following topics: the structure of apprenticeship and industry training in Alberta; enrollment and industry participation; Alberta's contribution to apprenticeship training and the interprovincial standards (Red Seal) program; funding apprenticeship and industry training; the emerging economic environment and skill requirements; and recent government initiatives. A "Vision for the Future," also published in October 1996, is a discussion paper and outlines the vision and principles of apprenticeship and industry training in Alberta. The "Keeping you Informed" publication, released in March 1997, presents the responses from stakeholders to the discussion paper. Both the "Vision for the Future" and the "Keeping You Informed" responses are structured around 14 specific goals and strategies related to responsiveness, accessibility, affordability, and accountability. The following are among the recommendations discussed in both papers: (1) redesign the advisory committee network; (2) consider opportunities for flexible certification; (3) increase flexibility in methods of formal instruction; (4) review the regulatory framework; (5) communicate alternative ways of accessing apprenticeship training; and (6) provide apprentices with appropriate financial supports. The three documents include a total of 21 tables/charts and a questionnaire examining the vision and principles of apprenticeship and industry training in Alberta and strategies for achieving them. (MN)
- Published
- 1997
33. A Framework for Monitoring Transition Systems. OECD Education Working Papers, No. 20
- Author
-
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, van der Velden, Rolf K., and Wolbers, Maarten H.
- Abstract
With its publication of the Thematic Review on the Transition from Initial Education to Working Life in 2000, OECD has laid the foundation for the development of indicators regarding the transition from education to work. One of the core activities of OECD's Network B in 2005 and 2006 was to further develop these indicators by establishing a framework for monitoring transition systems. A transition system is defined as "the social institutions and processes through which a society provides its members to make the transition from the education system to the employment system". The current report presents the results of this developmental work. It first presents the results of a quick scan carried out among the Network B members on the policy goals for transition systems and relevant indicators used to assess national situations (November 2002-January 2003). Next a theoretical framework is presented that identifies the most relevant characteristics of transition systems. It also relates the outcomes of the transition system to relevant characteristics of the educational system on the one hand and the employment system on the other hand. Based on the results of the quick scan and the developed theoretical framework, an evaluation of the earlier defined policy goals is carried, proposing a new set of 11 policy goals. As a next step, the existing data sources from OECD, EUROSTAT and major international surveys have been analysed to identify relevant indicators for the policy goals as well as descriptors for relevant other aspects of the developed framework. This report presents an overview of these indicators and descriptors. The theoretical framework and the developed set of indicators have been discussed at the March 2006 meeting of the Network B in Washington DC. Members of the network have also sent written comments. All these comments have been taken up in this final version. The report concludes with recommendations for the further data collection strategy. Appended are: (1) Description of Data Sources; (2) Relevant Questions from EULFS and ECHP; (3) Comparison of Age Groups, Synthetic Cohorts and Real Cohorts; (4) Comparison of Unemployment Rates for Lower Educated and Higher Educated; and (5) Comparison of Two Measures of Graduation Rates. (Contains 2 figures, 9 tables and 8 footnotes.)
- Published
- 2008
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
34. Lifelong Learning for Social Development: A Review of Global Perspectives. Papers Presented at the International Conference on Lifelong Learning for Social Development (Kerala, India, August 13-15, 2002).
- Abstract
This document contains 67 papers from an international conference on lifelong learning for social development. The following papers are among those included: "Lifelong Learning for Social Development" (John Dewar Wilson); "Building Networks of Lifelong Learning for Social Development outside the Center" (Shen-Tzay Huang, Chi chuan Li, An-Chi Li); "Self Help Groups for Empowerment of Women" (C.B. Damle); "Institutional Intervention and Empowerment of Women Footwear Workers" (Giriyappa Kollannavar, B. Krishnama Naidu); "Women Development and Micro Enterprises in Kerala" (Abraham Vijayan); "Gender Equity and Lifelong Learning--Training of Women's Groups in Gender and Human Rights in Sri Lanka" (Tressie Leitan, Swinitha Gunasekera); "Life Skills and the Mentally Ill" (Helena Judith P.); "Healthy Aging" (Usha S. Nair); "Rural Development Programmes in India with Reference to Five Year Plans" (K. Parthasarathy); "Impact of Culture on Learning and Development Process of Adult Workers in Stone Quarries" (G. Sundharavadivel, T. Thiripurasundari); "Selection of Beneficiaries through Participatory Process" (Fr. Premkumar); "The Role of Educated in Eradicating Illiteracy among Rural Masses" (V. Seeni Natarajan); "Experience of an Instructor in the Successful Conduct of a Nonformal Education Centre" (V.B. Padmanabhan); "Toward Justice, Peace and a Sustainable Future" (Peter G. Malvicini); "Adolescence Reproductive Health Education" (N. Nagarajan); "Learning Together--Involving Parents in Children's Learning" (Thomas Uzhuvath); "Role of Adult Education in Promoting Environmental Awareness" (Bhasakar A Yerroju); "From Where Do Forces and Values of Transformation Emerge in Adult Education?" (P.K. Michael Tharakan); "A Paradigm Shift in Continuing Education" (B. Vijayakumar); "Learning Process and Styles for Human Development (Best Practices in Learning)" (Grace Annie Mathews); "Action Research in Educational Settings" (Sonny Jose, Prakash Pillai R.); "Eradication of Poverty through People's Participatory Approach" (D. Venkateswarlu); "Learning through Community Colleges" (G. Arun Senthil Ram); "Refugee Resettlement Lifelong Learning/Nashville Davidson County USA" (Jyotsna Paruchuri); "Naming and Character Modeling in Indigenous Swazi Culture" (S.M. Nxumalo); "Learning to Unlearn" (P. Devanesan); "Science and Technology Education as a Catalyst for Sustainable Development" (Sheeba M.N.); and "Liter@cy and Information Technology at the Dawn of a New Millennium" (Thierry Karsenti, Mohamed Hrimech). Some papers include substantial bibliographies. (MN)
- Published
- 2002
35. Reaching Out for Lifelong Learning: A Discussion Paper.
- Author
-
Mould, Claire
- Abstract
This paper outlines the background of an early years training program being implemented in inner city and rural settings in the United Kingdom. The paper is based on 5 years of observations, interviews, meetings, and training initiatives with educators and parents. In their comments, educators and parents often attributed their lack of participation in training to external constraints such as lack of time rather than to lack of interest. Program developers decided that in order to genuinely reflect the rights, interests, and needs of the children and adults, an open, flexible, and visionary attitude toward development and learning had to be adopted. It was necessary to think deeply about genuine accessibility and to question some elements of traditional training structures. Further research focused more specifically on the significance of the process of adults continuing to develop and learn, and analysis emphasized the importance and complexity of the concept of personal and professional well-being in development and learning. Nurturance of confidence, trust, and expectation provided the focus for initial supportive intervention. Program developers learned that throughout the implementation of such programs, the development and learning process must be stimulated through a sensitive context in which the needs, capabilities, and aspirations of individuals are shared and valued. (EV)
- Published
- 1999
36. Social Capital: An Analytical Tool for Exploring Lifelong Learning and Community Development. CRLRA Discussion Paper.
- Author
-
Tasmania Univ., Launceston (Australia). Centre for Learning & Research in Regional Australia., Kilpatrick, Sue, Field, John, and Falk, Ian
- Abstract
The possibility of using the concept of social capital as an analytical tool for exploring lifelong learning and community development was examined. The following were among the topics considered: (1) differences between definitions of the concept of social capital that are based on collective benefit and those that define social capital as a resource used for the benefit of those individuals with access to it; (2) community development and community division; (3) the role of the concept of social capital in theories of community development; (4) the role of the concept of social capital in research into community development education; and (5) social capital and social cohesion. A social capital framework for analyzing community development was proposed. The framework called for considering the following items when analyzing community development, including adult education: (1) the balance between internal and external networks; (2) the presence and diversity of brokers who are able to operationalize the bridging and linking of networks; (3) the levels of self-confidence and self-esteem of community members and skills in working together, including conflict resolution; (4) norms present in the community (especially norms of inclusion/exclusion and reciprocity); and (5) the extent to which the community of analysis has shared visions for its future. (Contains 60 references.) (MN)
- Published
- 2001
37. The Influences of Social Capital on Lifelong Learning among Adults Who Did Not Finish High School. NCSALL Occasional Paper
- Author
-
National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy and Strawn, Clare L.
- Abstract
This study of social capital employs data from the Longitudinal Study of Adult Learning (LSAL), funded by the National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL) and conducted at Portland State University to increase understanding of the learning process of adults with limited formal education. It provides longitudinal data on how people continue learning in multiple contexts--through formal adult education programs and in their daily lives. This paper is presented in two sections. The first is a theoretical exploration of the intersections of critical literacy, adult learning, and social capital theories. The intent of this discussion is to introduce key concepts from multiple disciplines and develop a synthetic model of social capital influences on lifelong learning (SCILL) in which adults construct their social environment and the discourses that influence their learning strategies. The second section empirically tests a piece of the SCILL Model related to the structural and discursive dimensions of social capital, using data from the first wave of the LSAL. Multiple measures of social capital are detailed. The author argues that in addition to the structural dimension of social capital, local discourse generated through interaction is an interpretive dimension of social capital. The discussion ties the empirical and theoretical elements, offering implications for the study of adult education participation in adult education for research on social capital. Appendices include: (1) Longitudinal Study of Adult Literacy Study Design; (2) Instrument Items from LSAL Wave 1; (3) Confirmatory Factor Analysis of Lifelong Learning; (4) Tables of Descriptive Statistics and Univariate Analyses of Indicators; (5) Items Parameters in Final Models; and (6) Model Calibration. (Contains 18 tables, 3 figures, and 6 footnotes.)
- Published
- 2003
38. ICCE/ICCAI 2000 Full & Short Papers (Lifelong Learning).
- Abstract
This document contains the following full and short papers on lifelong learning from ICCE/ICCAI 2000 (International Conference on Computers in Education/International Conference on Computer-Assisted Instruction): (1) "A Study on the School Information Technology Pilot Scheme: Possibilities of Creative and Lifelong Learning" (Siu-Cheung Kong, Wing-Kee Au, and Sai-Wing Pun); (2) "Attitudes of Older Taiwanese Adults toward the Elderhostel Model of Residential Educational Programs" (Bobbie T. Biggs and Hsiu-Ying Chang); (3) "CedarLearning: The Development of Learner-Centred Environments" (Tanya Wilson, Jeanette Muzio, Roger Mundell, Denise Stockley, Laureen Vickery); (4) "Design and Implement CAI Programs for Adult Literacy Learners" (Pi-Chi Chen); (5) "Development and Evaluation of Web-Based In-Service Training System for Improving the ICT Leadership of Schoolteachers" (unavailable in English); (6) "Empowering Secondary School Teachers To Effectively Exploit Internet Resources for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning" (Y. T. Yu and B.C. Chiu); (7) "Learning from the Learning of Other Students" (Stuart Garner); (8) "Strategies for Searching in the WWW" (Meng-Jung Tsai); (9), The Development of a Multimedia Program for Teachers To Integrate Computers into the English Curriculum" (Ya-Fung Chang); (10) "The Production of Web-Based Interactive Video from Structured Script" (Cheng-Huang Yen); and (11) "The Web of the Teacher Professional Development" (Chia-Ling Hsu, Hsiao-Ching She, and Min-Sheng Lin). (MES)
- Published
- 2000
39. Researching 'Inclusion.' Papers from the Annual Conference of the Standing Conference on University Teaching and Research in the Education of Adults (30th, Nottingham, England, July 3-5, 2000).
- Author
-
Standing Conference on Univ. Teaching and Research in the Education of Adults., Jackson, Ann, and Jones, David
- Abstract
This document contains 43 papers from a conference on researching inclusion. The following are among the papers included: "Include Me Out: Critique and Contradiction in Thinking about Social Exclusion and Lifelong Learning" (Paul Armstrong); "The Linking of Work and Education To Enable Social Inclusion" (Dave Beck); "Including Citizenship in the Adult Curriculum" (Roseanne Benn); "Researching 'Inclusion': Reality and Rhetoric; It's All in the Curriculum Approach" (Darol Cavanagh); "Flexibility and Inclusion in Lifelong Learning: Working the Discourses in Further Education" (Julia Clarke, Richard Edwards); "Researching Inclusion: The Development of Adult Education for Women" (Janet Coles); "Peripheral Vision: Staff Development and Part-Time Tutors in Adult Education" (Derek Cox);"Valuing Exclusive Educational Provision for Disabled Adults" (Mark Dale); "Without and Within: Inclusion, Identity and Continuing Education in a New Wales" (Ian Davidson, Brec'hed Piette); "Adding Life to Your Years: Transformative Learning for Older People at the Irish Museum of Modern Art" (Ted Fleming); "The Network Society and Lifelong Learning--The Work of Manuel Castells and Theories of Adult Education" (Nick Frost); "An Inclusive MBA? Researching Curriculum Design and Delivery" (Roger Hall, Caroline Rowland); "Including the Excluding Image: Researching and Teaching Cultural Images of Adult Educators" (Ann Harris, Christine Jarvis); "Re-Visioning the Boundaries of Learning Theory in the Assessment of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL)" (Judy Harris); "Reducing Exclusion--Introducing Choice: The Introduction of Distance Learning into Taught Courses" (Christine Hibbert); "Accountability, Audit and Exclusion in Further and Higher Education" (Phil Hodkinson, Martin Bloomer); "Voices from the Community: The Challenge of Creating a Culturally Relevant Curriculum and Inclusive Learning Environment" (Ann-Marie Houghton, Helen Ali); "Opening Pathways to Inclusion: The Importance of Non-Accredited Learning in the Lives of Students in the Local Authority Sector" (Ann Jackson, Belinda Whitwell); "Education in a Uniting Society?" (Nick Small); "'We're Not the Only Ones Learning Here'--An Investigation of Co-Tutoring and the Dynamics of Power within a Class of Adult Dyslexics" (Barbara Taylor); and "Including Mezirow's Concept of Perspective Transformation in the Study of Adult Education" (Miho Tokiwa-Fuse). Many papers contain substantial bibliographies. (MN)
- Published
- 2000
40. Some Have Credit Cards and Others Have Giro Cheques: A Study of New Labour's 'Individuals' and 'People' as Lifelong Learners in Late Modernity. Occasional Papers.
- Author
-
Southampton Univ. (England). Centre for Language Education. and Piper, Alison
- Abstract
The linguistic behavior of individuals and people in the official literature on lifelong learning (LL) was examined and interpreted in light of the theories of individualization in late modern culture and society, particularly the theories of Ulrich Beck and Anthony Giddens. The analysis was performed to shed light on that literature's ideological stance toward participants in the "learning society" and to demonstrate that the analysis of language is crucial to social and cultural inquiry. A 900,000-word corpus of recent government and academic publications on LL was used to perform a concordance-based analysis of the collocations of "individuals" as members of institutionalized collectives, agents, rational citizens, and consumers and to compare them with "people". The 1 million word British National Corpus was used as a reference corpus. The LL corpus contained 1,775 instances of forms of the word "individual" and 1,450 instances of "people," whereas the British National Corpus contained 22,264 instances of forms of the word "individual" and 123,427 instances of "people." By demonstrating that "individual" occurs more frequently with societal institutions in the LL discourse than in general usage, that individuals and people are different, and that people is a far more frequent word in the whole language than it is in policy-making, the researcher concluded that the different usage of "individuals" and "people" show that the discourse of LL has close affinities with contemporary sociocultural models of individualization, consumption, production, and the risk society. (The bibliography lists 41 references. A list of 30 documents in the lifelong learning corpus is appended.) (Author/MN)
- Published
- 2000
41. Professional Identity as Learning Processes in Life Histories. Roskilde University Life History Project Paper.
- Author
-
Roskilde Univ. Center (Denmark). and Salling Olesen, Henning
- Abstract
The question of how to theorize the subjective side of work within a life history perspective was explored. The findings of a study on engineers' subjective recognition of their lives, their education and jobs, and their life perspectives and the findings of a study of continuing education within a number of white-collar and semiprofessional work domains were cited as supporting the existence of a close interrelationship between professional learning and personal development. It was argued that, within the theory of modernization, professionalization appears as a moment in rationalization of society. The ongoing professionalization within public human services in the Nordic countries and elsewhere was used to illustrate how professional learning leads to personal development. The evolution of various human service occupations from "craft-like" occupations to professions was shown to parallel the process of development of a new identity during which individuals who had viewed themselves as individuals performing labor for a wage began viewing themselves as individuals in a career or "position." The concept of identity was discussed in relation to Ute Volmerg's conception of basic socialization as a production of identity, Erikson's cultural psychology theory, and Lorenzer's theory of socialization, as well as in relation to the concepts of contradiction and ambivalence. (Contains 27 references.) (MN)
- Published
- 2000
42. Experience and Life History. Roskilde University Life History Project Paper.
- Author
-
Roskilde Univ. Center (Denmark). and Salling Olesen, Henning
- Abstract
The Life History Project at Denmark's Roskilde University is a 5-year research project that was initiated in 1998 to examine learning and participation in adult and continuing education from a life history perspective. The project was designed to build on a broad range of qualitative interview studies and case studies into learning processes. The research methodology designed for the project was grounded in the critical theory tradition and in the following premises: (1) the need to adopt a "holistic" approach that takes the learner's perspective; (2) the notion of experience and the specificity of the learning subject; (3) the need to move beyond conventional hermeneutics to "in-depth hermeneutics," which involves looking for meanings and implications going beyond the knowledge or intent of the acting, knowing, or speaking subject; and (4) the notion that a learning subject is a historical product of modernity and the need to relate it to a dynamic-utopian concept of a learning individual. (Contains 12 references.) (MN)
- Published
- 2000
43. Co-Participatory Practices at Work. NALL Working Paper.
- Author
-
Ontario Inst. for Studies in Education, Toronto. New Approaches to Lifelong Learning., Billett, Stephen, Barker, Michelle, and Hernon-Tinning, Bernie
- Abstract
The reciprocal process of engaging in and learning through work was examined. Reciprocity between how workplaces invite individuals to participate in and learn through work (its invitational qualities) and individuals' engagement in the workplace was proposed as a means of understanding how learning through work proceeds. Workplaces' invitational qualities were shown to be shaped by workplace norms and practice and by affiliations (for example, cliques, associations, occupational groupings, and employment status) and to be frequently characterized by inequitable distribution. The distribution of and access to opportunities for practice were shown to be directed toward sustaining the work practice and/or the interests of particular individuals and groups who participate in it. These reciprocal processes of participation in workplace were illustrated through an analysis of the participatory practices of three workers--a union worker, a grief counselor, and a school-based information technology consultant--over a 6-month period. The work of all three individuals was examined through the lens of an analytical framework comprising categories of activities and interdependencies. In all three cases, there was evidence of exercise of individuals' agency in shaping the organization of their work and evidence of new learning opportunities arising from events that were structured by workplace practices and leading to significant new learning. (Contains 34 references.) (MN)
- Published
- 2002
44. The Rationale for Experiential/Participatory Learning. Working Papers in Early Childhood Development 16.
- Author
-
Bernard Van Leer Foundation, The Hague (Netherlands). and Torkington, Kate
- Abstract
Experiential learning has been defined as the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of the experience of the learner who is at the center of the learning process. Modern experiential learning theory begins with John Dewey and his "Experience and Education" (1938). Coleman (1976) describes traditional learning as "information assimilation" and the steps in experiential learning as being almost the reverse of those in traditional learning. Other contributors to experiential learning are Lewin, Piaget, Jung, Rogers, Perls, Maslow, Freire, and Illich. The body of theory relating to experiential learning includes theories of learning and teaching, the relationship of theory and practice in training, and adult learning and adult learners. Introducing experiential training methods presents such problems as the self-perpetuating nature of learning, credibility, large numbers of trainees, and the training of trainers. Trainers who want to design their own training course using experiential methods should decide that practice will be the focus of the training, begin with a diagnostic approach, avoid beginning courses with theory, use analysis of practice as the basis of the group training session, encourage peer support, spend time with trainees in their practice situation, be sensitive to cultural and traditional practices, develop materials and activities, and review assessment methods. Contains 18 references, an 18-item bibliography, and a 16-item list of Working Papers in Early Childhood Development.) (YLB)
- Published
- 1996
45. The Search for Meaning in Young Adulthood: Implications for Educational Practice. ASHE Annual Meeting Paper.
- Author
-
Baxter Magolda, Marcia B.
- Abstract
These narrative accounts follow a group of young adults searching for meaning during the ten years after their college graduation, and offer insights into how higher education might create conditions for this search to occur during college. This longitudinal study is based on interviews with 39 participants at various points during their undergraduate, graduate, and/or early working years for a 13-year period beginning in 1986 when they entered college. All participants were traditional-age students attending state institutions with a liberal arts focus. The primary focus of the college phase of the study was on epistemology, or students' assumptions about the limits, certainty, and criteria for knowing. Phase 2 of the research explored development after college. Sections of the paper examine the implications for educational practice of holistic education and the developmental dimensions of the search for meaning. Interview data inform discussions of complexities encountered in the search for meaning; realization of the need to search for meaning; construction of internal authority and meaning; and solidifying internal meaning-making. Interview responses were analyzed using grounded theory methodology. A final section discusses the creation of educational contexts for internal meaning-making. (Contains 21 references.) (CH)
- Published
- 1999
46. Poverty Alleviation, Work and Adult Learning. Report of the UIE Round Table Held during the International Congress on Vocational Education and Training (2nd, Seoul, Korea, April 26-30, 1999). UIE Working Paper.
- Author
-
United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Hamburg (Germany). Inst. for Education. and Singh, Madhu
- Abstract
This document contains six papers about and from a roundtable discussion of poverty alleviation, work, and adult learning. The "Introduction" (Madhu Singh) presents an overview of the roundtable. "Work-Related Adult Education: Challenges and Possibilities in Poverty Areas" (Enrique Pieck) describes work-related adult education strategies and argues that training alone is insufficient for poverty areas. Competence reform in Norway is examined in "The Future of Work and Adult Learning: The Norwegian Case" (Ole Briseid). "The New Role of Adult Education Institutions: From Schools to Learning Agencies" (Peter Krug) explains why educational institutions must become open learning centers and act as facilitators of the transition between schools and universities and continuing education. "Trade Unions and Adult Vocational Learning for the Informal Sector" (Christine Nathan) discusses the situation of women construction workers in India and suggests how trade unions can help them through adult education. Adult vocational education's responsiveness to those it serves is considered in "Ethical Implications of Contemporary Trends in Work and Adult Vocational Learning" (Richard D. Bagnall). Concluding the document are abstracts and the tables of contents of two United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Institute for Education publications on work-based learning. (MN)
- Published
- 1999
47. Second NALL Bibliography on Informal and Non-Formal Learning. NALL Working Paper.
- Author
-
Ontario Inst. for Studies in Education, Toronto. New Approaches to Lifelong Learning. and Luciani, Teresa
- Abstract
This bibliography with 1,273 entries is an updated supplement to the preliminary 1997 bibliography on informal adult learning. It is a useful resource guide for those interested in publications (e.g. academic papers, government reports, grassroots publications) aimed at furthering understanding of how learning and teaching takes place in different settings (specifically, informal and non-formal environments). The guide also lists resources that address how the different ways that learning and teaching exist in various learning environments can be valued and supported. Introductory materials include bibliography sources and search terms. Entries are grouped into these seven categories: (1) general (overviews, definitions and conceptual distinctions, theories of learning, conceptual factors/histories, research methods and standpoint of researchers); (2) surveys/ethnographies; (3) learning power and action in resisting communities; transitions between learning and work (youth, higher education, seniors, learning and work mismatches); (4) learning in the workplace (general; corporations, management, professionals; workers; other work sites); (5) union-based learning; (6) informal learning and technology; and (7) prior learning assessment and recognition. (YLB)
- Published
- 2001
48. Socioeconomic Contributions of Adult Learning to Community: A Social Capital Perspective. CRLRA Discussion Paper.
- Author
-
Tasmania Univ., Launceston (Australia). Centre for Learning & Research in Regional Australia., Balatti, Jo, and Falk, Ian
- Abstract
The socioeconomic contributions of adult learning to community were examined from a social capital perspective. The concepts of human capital and social capital were differentiated, and the relationship between learning, human capital, and social capital was explored. The relevance of social capital in describing the wider benefits of adult learning was illustrated through the examples of a study of the impact of the adult and community education (ACE) sector on communities and society in Victoria, Australia, and a study of a group of African women refugees located in a suburb of a large Australian capital city. The studies documented wider benefits of ACE in the following areas: health; education and learning; employment and quality of working life; time and leisure; command over goods and services; physical environment; social environment; and personal safety. Social capital building was shown to be implicated in effective adult learning in the following ways: (1) social capital is involved in program design, management, and delivery whether it is explicitly recognized as such or not; (2) the processes of drawing on and building social capital are part and parcel of the learning process; and (3) social capital can be a direct or indirect benefit of learning. (Contains 27 references.) (MN)
- Published
- 2001
49. Revolution of Experiences: Evolution of the Skills and Knowledge Profile. NALL Working Paper.
- Author
-
Advocates for Community-Based Training and Education for Women, Toronto (Ontario). and Morais, Anne
- Abstract
The Skills and Knowledge Profile (SKP) is a tool developed in Canada to document learning styles and strategies of adult learners. The instrument was developed as a systematic approach to capturing the learning styles of unemployed and employed adults across sectors. It is made up of these six sections: (1) Learning Access and Personal Information; (2) Personal Informal Learning; (3) Job-Related Informal Learning; (4) Non-Formal Courses and Workshops; (5) Future Learning Plans; and (6) Your Comments on the Profile. The SKP was created through action-based research using learners in a unionized factory, community-based women's employment program, and community-based literacy program. Volunteers at all three sites committed their time and efforts to filling out the SKP and then provided feedback on the clarity, usefulness, and ease of using the tool. Feedback has been incorporated into the SKP in a continuous process. The evaluation can be used by individuals to sort out their skills and to focus their efforts on a career path. The SKP is not only a tool, but also a reflection of a positive trend in adult education by which adult learners build on and share their own wealth of knowledge and skills. (This paper documents the evolution of the SKP from its inception in the spring of 1997 to the end of 1998.) (KC)
- Published
- 2001
50. Transportation & Work: Exploring Car Usage and Employment Outcomes in the LSAL Data. NCSALL Occasional Paper
- Author
-
National Center for the Study of Adult Learning and Literacy and Sullivan, Kerri
- Abstract
This analysis addresses the role of car usage in employment outcomes such as employment status, average weekly wages, and weeks worked per year. It postulates that car ownership is an important employment tool for adults of low educational attainment in Portland, even in the context of other factors such as social networks/resources (social capital) and literacy skills (human capital). This research used data from the Longitudinal Study of Adult Learning to examine the role of car usage in employment outcomes. The results indicate a strong relationship between car ownership and employment status, average weekly wage, and weeks worked per year. Additional analysis shows that this relationship remains strong even when other factors, such as education level, literacy proficiency, and social networks are accounted for in the model. Interestingly, the relationship varied by gender. Car usage generally was more influential in the employment outcomes of men than of women. These results show that car usage is important for non-high school graduates in Portland, and that while literacy proficiency is important as well, its impact is separate from car ownership. This work seems to suggest some directions for programs geared toward helping individuals with low educational attainment find and maintain employment. The answer may not necessarily lie solely with car ownership assistance; indeed, as suggested by this research, a combination of literacy proficiency training and flexible transportation alternatives would likely have the greatest impact. (Contains 9 tables, 7 footnotes, and 1 figure.)
- Published
- 2003
Discovery Service for Jio Institute Digital Library
For full access to our library's resources, please sign in.