According to practice engagement theory within the field of adult education, everyday workplace activities offer an opportunity for skill development among youth and young adults; yet, prior research highlights the prevalence of routine and low-skill work within entry-level jobs. Utilising data from the Programme for the International Assessment…

Earlier institution-sponsored research revealed that about 20% of students in community college basic math and pre-algebra programs lacked a sense of part-whole relationships with whole numbers. Using the same tool with a group of 86 workforce students, about 75% placed five whole numbers on an empty number line in a way that indicated lack of…

This paper attempts to engage the field in a discussion about what mathematics is needed for students to engage in society, especially with an increase in technology and digitalization. In this respect, mathematics holds a special place in STEM as machines do most of the calculations that students are taught in K-12. We raise questions about what…

In the research project Literacy Practices in Working Life, the role played by reading and writing in common nonacademic occupations in Sweden was investigated. The results highlight not only some typical ways of using writing to frame units of work but also differences reflecting the main focus of work ("people" or "things")…

While research on globalisation can hardly be said to have ignored the phenomenon of the global corporation or the globally distributed supply chain, the focus has overwhelmingly been on "globalization from above"--on corporate structures and on the movement of global capital in global "knowledge economies". My focus in this…

The Screening Battery of the Adult Basic Learning Examination and a demographic questionnaire were completed by 65 employees in small manufacturing firms in Oklahoma City. Despite overall educational attainment of 11.5 years, grade equivalents of scores were 7.6 for reading comprehension, 8.9 for problem solving; 21.5% were classified as…

As work organizations restructure to remain competitive, problem solving is being pushed down to frontline workers, and emphasis is increasingly placed on workplace learning. In this exploratory, qualitative study, we focus on workers' experiences of problems within the context of their work and how these contexts foster their learning and…

A method to increase use of modals by knowledge workers moves from workers' existing knowledge into four stages: (1) illustrating ambiguous things; (2) talking about doubt and certainty; (3) applying modals to models; and (4) reaching consensus about solutions. (SK)

Considers how little training is provided for writing "the internal proposal." Notes that the internal proposal provides an opportunity for students to develop the competence and confidence to express their ideas in the workplace, encouraging them to demonstrate awareness and initiative, utilize problem-solving skills, and create a persuasive…

Draws on the perceptions and experiences of upper-division students enrolled in writing-intensive (WI) classes in their majors at a large state university. Discusses findings as they relate to the ideologies of writing across the curriculum and writing in the disciplines. Suggests greater attention to a field's inquiry methods and strategies for…

Describes the Workplace Literacy Project which teaches mathematics to remedial and special education secondary students through a combination of conceptual approaches and problem-solving exercises anchored in the students' world. The approach also incorporates the use of calculators and computer software such as spreadsheets. (DB)

Describes an effective literacy program in two hospitals, which benefited both the employer and employee by empowering participants to solve problems, think critically and creatively, and make decisions. Discusses criteria for effective workplace literacy programs, the program's framework, and program evaluation. (RS)

Argues that preparing students for literacy demands outside school means increasing both the amount of time students spend reading and writing and the range of real world reading and writing materials that they use to solve problems and complete tasks. (HOD)

This article explores the concept of the "vocational" in contemporary educational discourses, and argues for the centrality of vocational aspects of learning in making meaning. The existing tensions are seen to lie between discourses that place the vocational at the bottom of a hierarchy of knowledge and value, and discourses concerning…

Presents four suggestions from teachers on classroom and teaching matters, including (1) using a journalism model for teaching essay writing; (2) a framework of teaching options for content area instruction; (3) what makes a good workplace literacy project; and (4) what helps students learn problem solving. (SR)