Job automation can undermine economic security for workers in general, and older workers, in particular. In this respect, consistently updating one's knowledge and skills is essential for being competitive in a technology-driven labor market. Older workers with lower adult literacy skills experience difficulties with continuous education and…

Considering the digitalization of the workplace and increasingly crucial digital skill proficiency in the technology-rich labor market, the objectives of the present study are to develop digital skill use profiles and to identify specific individual characteristics that are linked with digital skill use patterns among older workers in the United…

Job automation can undermine economic security for workers in general, and older workers, in particular. In this respect, consistently updating one's knowledge and skills is essential for being competitive in a technology-driven labor market. Older workers with lower adult literacy skills experience difficulties with continuous education and…

Adults with low numeracy skills often start adult foundational education services or work with individual tutors. Using U.S. PIAAC 2012/2014/2017 data, this paper examines the characteristics, educational backgrounds, and numeracy proficiency of adult learners in adult foundational education, along with use of numeracy skills at home and how…

The knowledge-based economy and the information society highlights the importance of developing new competencies for personal, professional and social integration. Problem-solving in technologically rich environments (PS-TREs) is one of these competencies. This research examines the relationships between higher education and the PS-TREs…

A sizeable proportion of adults has learning disabilities (LD); along with having LD, incidence of other disabilities and health conditions is a concern. Adults with LD face educational and employment challenges as well. Little is known about their skills in numeracy and digital literacy and how they use those skills, whether in the workplace or…

This study builds an empirical research model that explores societal and individual antecedents of adult learning and examines the adult learning effect on problem-solving skills in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. Considering national differences, it uses multilevel data sources available from the…

The role of international governmental organisations (IGOs) in global policymaking has received significant attention in the field of adult learning and education (ALE) in the twenty-first century, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) was recognised as one of the most influential IGO due to its skill surveys --…

This article explores cross-country patterns in how conditions relating to family background, education, and the labor market are related to literacy and numeracy skills. It seeks to assess whether these patterns are in agreement with models of skills formation as identified in the political economy literature. The novelty of this article resides…

This study advances the analysis of cognitive skill use at work by considering another crucial factor: the motivation-to-learn (MtL). Previous research has indicated that MtL forms cognitive skills in the school setting. However, the role of MtL in the work setting is much less understood. The present study analyses the association between MtL and…

Adult numeracy and literacy skills are key to transforming lives, promoting social inclusion and contributing to sustainable societies. Achieving an optimal return on investment with regard to the development of adult skills and competencies requires the collation of comprehensive data to assess what people know, what they do with what they know,…

Little is known about which educational activities are most associated with incarcerated adults' literacy and numeracy skills. The present study examines whether informal engagement in reading, writing, and numeracy activities (e.g., reading newspapers or using calculators) is associated with incarcerated adults' literacy and numeracy skills.…

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused one of the worst economic crises since the Great Depression. Although countries responded quickly to support displaced workers with assistance packages and funding for education and training, additional measures might be needed. Each country's economic recovery will most likely depend on how well its workforce is…

The field of Adult Literacy and Numeracy (ALN) has an evidence problem. This paper analyses that problem through the lens of three overarching types of evidence available to researchers and policymakers: Type 1 evidence, which provides descriptions of the scope of social problems; Type 2 evidence measuring the impacts of programmes addressing…

The evolving technological landscape in the digital era has a crucial influence on lifelong learning and the demand for problem-solving skills. In this paper, we identify associations between formal, non-formal and informal learning with sufficient problem-solving skills in technology-rich environments (TRE). We focus on adults' problem-solving…