Low literacy adults education: Towards a holistic view of the context

Abstract

The aim of this article is to identify the variables influencing the learning context of adults with low levels of literacy. Learning environments depend on pedagogical strategies, semiotic resources, light, temperature, air quality, ownership, flexibility, complexity and color, among others. It is essential to have a holistic and critical view of these environments, where a multiplicity of stories and memories can raise the doubt regarding to education's contribution. This case study, in its initial exploratory phase, uses an ethnographic approach that will enable researchers to get and interpret data. Using the Context Design approach, we developed several models of information representation, resource integration, and collaborative processes. This approach can bring a contribution to the study of these learning environments and give us answers to the main Research Question of this study: Which variables can influence the learning context of this adult population that has low levels of literacy? From this study we can conclude that aspects like flow of information, artefacts to support communication, cultural influences, actors in the educational process, the organization of the learning space, the pedagogical methods, can impact learning, among others.