Browsing by Subject "Adult Literacy"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
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    Adult Literacy Programs: Producing Adult Literacy Research That Informs Policy
    (Midwest Research-to-Practice Conference in Adult, Continuing, and Community Education, 2003) Martin, Larry G.
    During the past decade, state and federal policy makers have made significant changes in domestic policies that significantly affect how adult literacy programs are organized, what potential students are considered eligible for classes, how long students can participate in classes and programs,who pays for classes, and other programmatic decisions. However, these policy decisions, although based on some research, are oftentimes not informed by adult education research. This paper addresses the issue of developing an adult literacy research agenda that effectively informs federal and state policy decisions particularly as these relate to adult education and the U.S. opportunity structure, the challenge to the GED diploma, welfare reform and adult literacy, family literacy programs, and adult literacy and multicultural learners.
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    Applying Science-Based Research To Teaching Adult English Language Learners
    (Midwest Research-to-Practice Conference in Adult, Continuing, and Community Education, 2004) Orem, Richard A.
    The purpose of this paper is to examine the research base on which rests the current best practices of teaching reading to adult English language learners. My focus is on reading because that is the skill most closely correlated to student academic success or socioeconomic improvement in the United States. The definition of science-based research is taken from Title VIII of the No Child Left Behind legislation (P.L. 107-110) of 2001 and is considered by the U.S. Department of Education to represent the “gold standard” in educational research. This definition identifies five critical qualities of acceptable research: application of rigorous, systematic, and objective procedures; reliance on empirical evidence; experimental design with testable hypotheses; ability of the study to be replicated; peer-reviewed or otherwise approved by independent experts. Five factors are found to be significant for affecting literacy development in English language learners across the lifespan: level of literacy proficiency in the first language; level of attained formal schooling in first language; second language proficiency; learner motivation; and professional development of instructors. This paper will include a discussion of best practices based on current knowledge, and conclude with implications for further research. Further research is needed to examine the role of first language proficiency and its transferability to learning literacy in English. We need to investigate the variability of time needed to attain proficiency in second language literacy. Finally, we need to examine the role that professional development plays in influencing teacher effectiveness.
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    Profiles Of Internet Use In Adult Literacy And Basic Education Classrooms
    (2006-08-21T15:09:09Z) Berger, Jim
    This study sought to create profiles of adult literacy and basic education (ALBE) instructors and their use of the Internet in their classrooms. Rogers’ theory of Diffusion of Innovations (2003) provided the theoretical framework for this study. A set of 50 surveys was mailed out to each of the fifty states. Twenty-four states distributed 1200 surveys and returned 219 surveys for a response rate of 18.25%. Of the respondents, 81% indicated they had computers available, 32.0% indicated they used e-mail with their class, and 67.3% indicated they used the Internet. Five scales were developed and used to construct profiles of ALBE instructors. Two profiles were developed that mirrored each other. The first profile showed instructors liked the Internet, used it often, found positive consequences, were neutral on negative consequences and did not find many barriers to using it. The second profile did not like the Internet, did not use it much, found few positive consequences, were neutral on negative consequences, and found many barriers to using it. Significant differences were found between the two groups based on average number of computers, use of e-mail in the classroom, average number of days using the Internet, average number of students served.