This document is a summary and evaluation of the methodological procedures and results of the full-scale implementation of the Beginning Postsecondary Student Longitudinal Study, 1990-92 (BPS). The BPS starts with a cohort of students beginning postsecondary education regardless of when they completed high school. As a result, information will be…

This document examines political questions that surround the issue of literacy. "City Literacy Cuts" outlines effects of the most recent budget cuts in New York City. "Families, Inequality, and Power: The Cultural Politics of Literacy" (Deborah D'Amico-Samuels) focuses on the importance of understanding the different models…

A study described and analyzed the uses of literacy at school, home, and work of two working adults labeled functionally illiterate, as measured by a score of 5.0 or less on a standardized reading test. Data were collected over an 18-month period by observation at five sites, which included the classroom, work sites, and homes of the participants.…

This ERIC/RCS Special Collection contains two ERIC Digests (brief syntheses of the research on a specific topic in contemporary education) and nine FAST Bibs (Focused Access to Selected Topics--annotated bibliographies with selected entries from the ERIC database), providing up-to-date information in an accessible format. The collection focuses on…

A comprehensive profile of the adult learner and his or her literacy performance was educed by examining factors that are manifestations of both the formal school experience and the environment. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine the tenability of 10 research hypotheses that each included one of the 10 literacy subtests of the…

The Off-Campus Degree Program at Linfield College (Oregon) provides quality coursework to a group of part-time adult students who would not otherwise have access to a four-year degree program. In 1980, Linfield joined six other institutions to form the National University Consortium (NUC), the first national organization of colleges and…

Resulting from a project designed to demonstrate that entrepreneurship can be a realistic choice for persons aged 55 years and older, this instructor handbook offers assistance in preparing and teaching courses for older adults on starting a small business. Introductory remarks provide background on the project and explain the use of the guide.…

The results of the study of 217 persons enrolled in 16 noncredit courses tend to indicate that the primary reasons persons enroll in a noncredit course are to accomplish goals which relate to the acquisition of knowledge. (Author)

This narrative report provides descriptive information on the Louisiana adult education program. The report compares accomplishments to goals established for fiscal year 1986; defines reasons for slippage in areas in which goals have not been met; and determines on a statewide basis the average cost per student. Some of the highlights of the…

An examination of the probability of enrolling in postsecondary education, the likelihood of completing various types of credentials, and the effects of these credentials on wage rates, earnings, and other adult outcomes was conducted using data derived from the National Longitudinal Study of the Class of 1972. The followup survey in 1986…

This study examined the questions of what alterations to teacher preparation programs are needed to better accommodate the older, second career person. Focus of the study was on a group of students who had been recruited from industry into a special science/mathematics teacher preparation program. Recommendations for teacher education program…

The research aimed to determine instructors' and adult students' perceptions of differences in men and women students' classroom behavior in higher education classes. A questionnaire was developed consisting of items representing classroom behaviors, personal attributes, a measure of overall student participation (not used in this analysis), and…

A June 1990 survey was used to determine characteristics and aspirations of University of the Third Age (U3A) participants in Australia. The overall response rate was 73 percent. The three parts of the survey questionnaire collected information regarding wider adult education questions such as educational background, extent of activity in leisure…

Through in-depth interviews, the motivation and experience of 40 Elderhostel participants, aged 60 to 80, were studied and personal stories were collected. This information was analyzed within the framework of relevant psychosocial and gerontological theory and research. The findings identified some general characteristics of the population,…

This short book, based on the Swedish experience, explores the concept and the operation of study circles. The book is organized in nine sections. The first section looks at the various definitions of study circles in history and the literature, arriving at a broad working concept of study circles. This is followed by an overview of the…