At Literacy NJ, the decline in our basic literacy services has caused us to reevaluate and reinvent our program. The cornerstone of our new plan is to offer an 8-week vestibule program called Steps to Success for new basic literacy students, focused on goal setting, crucial digital skills, and the development of independent learning strategies. We…

This design case will discuss how design strategies evolved through the development and implementation of two e-service-learning project cohorts. The article provides a detailed account for how Designers for Learning launched its first e-service-learning instructional design project to address adult basic education needs. Information and design…

Proposes evaluation guidelines that are tailored specifically for adult basic education programs and reflect the issues of content and delivery typical of many local programs. Includes a sample evaluation tool. (JOW)

Three hypothetical cases illustrating adoption of National Diffusion Network programs in adult basic education are used to identify problems that can occur when attempting program adoption or development of new programs. The importance of making the innovation one's own is stressed. (SK)

Impressive advances in literacy education have been witnessed in Saudi Arabia during the last 15 years. Massive growth of educational facilities has resulted in increased adult enrollment in literacy programs. Certain strategies--curriculum improvement, inservice training, and experimental programs--were adopted to improve the quality of literacy…

Presents the results of a survey of adult basic education (ABE) literature from 1977 to l983 and offers suggestions on the design of future ABE programs. (AEA)

Discusses the complexity of the process needed to effect renewal and improvement in adult literacy and basic education. Suggests that various stakeholders hold their own sets of interests and that, to implement changes effectively, these groups need to negotiate and construct a conception of quality that all can accept. (JOW)

Presents three tenets from the research for adult literacy instruction: (1) improvement in one literacy skill should mirror improvement in others; (2) instructors should facilitate, not control, learning; and (3) students should be able to transfer classroom learning to their daily language encounters. Includes ideas for application. (CH)

Interviews with adult basic education students revealed that (1) some program demands and conditions threaten them with fear of failure; (2) some adults want more autonomy than instructors want to give; and (3) the special needs of some students demand special learning conditions. (SK)

Suggests that action research provides ownership and often results in a sense of efficacy by engaging practitioners in the change process. Describes the practitioner-based movement in professional development and program improvement in Pennsylvania. (JOW)

Describes experiences in teaching adults to read and discusses the following needs of illiterate adult students: a program containing adult materials and a low student/teacher ratio, teachers skilled in teaching basic skills who are knowledgeable about a variety of teaching methodologies, and a way to find and bring them into the classroom. (EL)