Despite rapid advances, modeling a variety of instructional designs to support variations in teaching and learning during the design of educational technologies is still an open challenge. In this paper, we propose a patterns based approach for the design of educational technologies to address this challenge. This is in contrast with existing…

One out of six adults in the United States possesses low literacy skills. Many advocates believe that technology can pave the way for these adults to gain the skills that they desire. This article describes an adaptive intelligent tutoring system called AutoTutor that is designed to teach adults comprehension strategies across different levels of…

Reading comprehension is often assessed by having students read passages and administering a test that assesses their understanding of the text. Shorter assessments may fail to give a full picture of comprehension ability while more thorough ones can be time consuming and costly. This study used data from a conversational intelligent tutoring…

Now in its third edition, the "Handbook of Research on Teaching the English Language Arts"--sponsored by the International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English--offers an integrated perspective on the teaching of the English language arts and a comprehensive overview of research in the field. Prominent…

This is the second of two issues focused on teaching beginning reading skills to adults--both native and non-native English speakers. According to the latest research in reading, one of the best strategies for improving reading skills is systematic, explicit instruction in decoding skills or phonics. Although many critics have argued that the…

Argues that the computer has many advantages over traditional technologies in learning, thinking, and problem solving. Argues that if reading and writing are taught as thinking processes akin to problem solving, then skills and experiences acquired on the computer should transfer well, with guidance, to print literacy. (RS)

Technology is changing the way literacy is being taught to adults, and it is also bringing new sets of problems and challenges for adult basic education programs. Some of the problems associated with the new technology include rapid changes in computers, leading to indecision in purchasing and uncertainty in use, and lack of appropriate software…

A demonstration project explored the use of speech synthesis and speech recognition in writing-based classes held by two Philadelphia literacy providers. The project examined the use of high quality speech synthesis (the computer reads words from the screen in an understandable voice) and speech recognition (the computer responds to verbal…

Issues related to the use of technology in literacy programs, such as how decision makers can sort through the claims made by hardware and software vendors and how scarce resources can be found to purchase technology, are the focus of this report. The paper also provides a framework for incorporating technology into the curriculum. It gives a…

Computer-assisted learning (CAL) can be used for adults functioning at any academic or grade level. In adult basic education (ABE), CAL can promote greater learning effectiveness and faster progress, concurrent learning and experience with computer literacy skills, privacy, and motivation. Adults who face barriers (financial, geographic, personal,…

This newsletter contains nine articles covering the topic of technology and adult learning and exploring what has been achieved in the six years since the Office of Technology Assessment conducted a study on adult literacy and new technologies. Included are (1): "Technology and Adult Learning: A Collection of Current Perspectives" (Office of…

Produced by a demonstration project that explored the use of speech synthesis and speech recognition in writing-based classes held by two Philadelphia literacy providers, this manual was developed for teachers who may wish to integrate speech synthesis into their curriculum. It contains a description of the technologies and activities that may be…

Following an introductory section that provides a rationale for using computers in workplace literacy classes, this guide reviews six computer programs and provides activities that teachers can use with the programs in teaching workplace literacy classes. The six computer programs reviewed are as follows: "Grammar Games,""Spell It 3,""The Way…

This guide was designed for trained tutors who teach adult literacy students on a one-to-one basis using a computer with a word-processing program. The guide is organized in five parts. The first part covers the use of computers in adult literacy and the language experience approach, a method in which the student's own words and stories are used…

The Bidwell Training Center, Inc., in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, evaluated the effectiveness of IBM's Principle of the Alphabet Literacy System (PALS), an interactive instructional program to teach adolescents and adults writing and reading skills. Bidwell's goal was to use PALS to teach large numbers of adults who read below the fifth-grade level.…