More than 5 million adults lack both functional literacy (below level 1) and numeracy (below entry level 3); an estimated 11.5 million adults do not have basic digital skills; and one in five adults do not have basic financial capabilities. Around 850,000 people have English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) needs. At the same time,…

Title II of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 directs the federal government to conduct a national assessment of adult education, including activities to understand the extent to which adult education strategies positively affect learners. A systematic review of the research on the effectiveness of particular strategies in adult…

Given the changes made to the GED® test in 2014, one concern among state policy makers, adult educators, and GED® service providers has been the impact of these changes on students as well as teachers, staff, volunteers, and other GED® program stakeholders. Using a qualitative, case study research approach focused on one GED® test preparation site…

In 1997 the British Columbia Open University (BCOU) adopted a virtualization strategy based primarily on twinning off-line independent study distance education courses (textbook-based with study guide and telephone and e-mail tutor support) with alternate online versions (textbook-based with integrated conferencing and communications provided…

Play is so important that it is declared as one of the human rights by the United Nations. Although it is focused on children, play does "not" stop there. In the 1990s the author designed and facilitated a blended curriculum for a Head Start Program. The instructional goal was to introduce and get the children to effectively and…

An evaluation (involving questionnaires, telephone interviews, focus groups, site visits, e-mail questions, and lab observation) assessed the success in implementing a statewide technology plan for adult literacy programs in Massachusetts that grew out of a set of recommendations developed by the Massachusetts Adult Literacy Technology Team…

This guide builds on the framework for evaluating technology effectiveness in K-12 schools as described in the Council for Educational Development and Research's publication, "Plugging In: Choosing and Using Educational Technology." The revised framework is designed to provide encouragement and some rudimentary guidelines for critical thinking…

This annual newsletter contains updates on the latest CCRC research, new publications and details of upcoming presentations at major conferences. The feature article in this issue, "Addressing the Needs of Underprepared Students," by Thomas Bailey, summarizes the discussion found in the paper "Challenge and Opportunity: Rethinking…

Economic analysis of the addition of a basic skills center to a word processing training center for unemployed adults showed that over three years the return on investment could be $14.00 to $1.00. (SK)

This report contains the Higher Education Coordinating Board's (HECB) assessment of the higher education needs in Snohomish, Skagit, and Island (SIS) Counties, and its recommendations to the legislature regarding those needs. The report contains two sections. Section I provides: (1) Primary conclusions and related considerations derived from the…

Materials from a conference on computer use in adult literacy programs are provided. Introductory materials include a history of the conference and the agenda. A summary of the keynote address, "Impact of New Information Technologies on Literacy" (Linda Roberts), is followed by a brief overview of the conference opening. Descriptions are provided…

The Technology for Literacy Project was a three-year experimental project to explore the use of computers and other forms of technology with adults lacking basic skills in reading, writing, and mathematics. The project, which concentrated on St. Paul, Minnesota, and its surrounding counties, had four components: direct service, incentive grants,…

The staff development component of the Outreach and Technical Assistance Network (OTAN) began the second year of operation with all 11 resource centers active. Constant emphasis and assistance was given to providing staff development through the centers. English as a Second Language (ESL) Institutes for Experienced Teachers were scheduled on a…

Recognizing the pressing need to explore the issues surrounding education, incarceration, and reentry, the Prisoner Reentry Institute at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and the Urban Institute hosted the Reentry Roundtable on Education on March 31 and April 1, 2008, at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City. The two-day…

The Technology for Literacy Center (TLC) was designed to find a new and better way to teach literacy skills to adults by using computers and other forms of technology. It served 1,300 illiterate adults in the St. Paul, Minnesota, area of Ramsey, Washington, and Dakota counties. The project had four major components: direct services, training,…