Adult Education Programs Research Articles

Developing Multimedia Programmes for Out-of-School Girls: The Case of GIRLS Inspire in Tanzania

Learning resources such as audio, video and online content are developed as supplementary learning resources to print-based materials. This study focuses on the development of multimedia learning in adult education programmes for out-of-school girls and young women in Tanzania. It defines multimedia and adult education before showing the relationship between them. The study used a descriptive paradigm and adopted a qualitative case study design. It is informed by 25 in-depth interviews that were conducted with Institute of Adult Education (IAE) facilitators in April, 2018. Participants were purposely selected based on their multimedia experience. The findings revealed that most facilitators have little experience in multimedia resource development. However, 13 self-instructional audio and audio-visual programmes were produced to elaborate and enhance the effectiveness of instructions. It will be argued that IAE should include development and use of multimedia resources in its strategic rolling plan. Learning material development policy should also include multimedia resources and create awareness.

EduIMPACT: A scale for measuring the impact of literacy programmes for youth and adults

This article presents an instrument for measuring the effectiveness of literacy programmes for youth and adults. To assess the impact of participation on individual learners’ lives and their environment, the authors developed a structure comprising five main dimensions: (1) “personal sphere” (six sub-dimensions); (2) “social skills” (six sub-dimensions); (3) “life project” (four sub-dimensions); (4) “knowledge” (five sub-dimensions); and (5) “economic situation” ´(five sub-dimensions). Phase 1 of developing this instrument included the definition of dimensional and sub-dimensional features; Phase 2 comprised drafting the design of the measurement scale. During Phase 1, the authors conducted focus group discussions and individual interviews with 15 students, 14 teachers, 10 graduates and 2 former managers of a Colombian second-chance adult education programme called Avancemos [Let’s go forward]. The programme was launched in 1993 and has since been further developed by the University of Ibagué. During Phase 2, six specialists in education and psychology validated the survey items in an expert trial. In the third phase of development, the authors finalised a survey questionnaire to test their scale and distributed it among 132 Avancemos graduates, of whom 124 (63 women and 61 men) returned completed forms. In their analysis of the results, the authors found that their instrument, which they named EduIMPACT, had proved useful for evaluating and acting upon the programme’s perception among its target group.

Adult emergency department naloxone education and prescription program: Video and pamphlet education comparison

ObjectivesThis study looked at the fill rate of naloxone prescriptions, after the implementation of an opioid overdose and naloxone education intervention for adult patients in the emergency department (ED). The study compared fill rates between recipients who received this education by video versus written format. MethodsThis was a prospective, randomized controlled study of patients seen in the adult ED for opioid-related complaints between August 1, 2017, and December 1, 2018. The study randomized patients to education through video or written pamphlet, and all patients received a prescription for a free naloxone kit redeemable at the discharge pharmacy. The study calculated and compared naloxone prescription fill rates for the respective education methods. ResultsOf the 770 patients reviewed for recruitment, the study excluded 703. Of the 67 patients enrolled, 59 were contacted at follow-up and eighteen (30.5%) had filled a naloxone prescription. Thirty-three percent (13/39) of patients who received video education and 25% (5/20) who received written pamphlet education filled naloxone prescriptions. The p-value of the chi-square for this data was 0.53. ConclusionsThere is a large population affected by opioid overdose both nationally and locally in Arizona. Opioid overdose and naloxone distribution education for ED patients through both video and pamphlet is feasible but requires more research to determine which education method is superior. Legislative changes, improved identification of patients at high risk for opioid overdose, opiate education for medical providers, and naloxone availability from multiple venues are needed to create a holistic approach to improve naloxone access to those who need it most.

The American Heritage Project: A Legacy of Public Libraries and Community Discussions

Abstract From 1951 to 1955, the American Library Association’s (ALA) national reading and discussion program, the American Heritage Project, facilitated community conversations about democracy across public libraries in the United States. In partnership between the ALA and the Ford Foundation’s Fund for Adult Education, the American Heritage Project was born from decades of emerging adult education programs across the United States that existed inside and outside of public libraries. The American Heritage Project is significant because it developed a platform of discussion groups that demonstrated the library’s newly established commitment to defending intellectual freedom through adult education.

A Community-Engaged Project Discovering the Sexuality Questions of Adults With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Abstract This study used a community-based participatory research approach to examine what adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) view as important topics in sexuality education. A thematic analysis was conducted on questions written by adults with IDD regarding sexuality after attending a sexuality education group. Results were checked for accuracy using a community focus group. Findings provide direct implications for community-based sexuality education programs for adults with IDD, demonstrating the need for mentoring regarding authentic relationship experiences as well as developmentally appropriate sexual health information. Programs need to focus on helping adults with IDD navigate these interpersonal experiences. This study also demonstrates the importance of including the voices of adults with IDD in research in order to ensure its applicability and acceptability.

MOTIVATION AND BARRIERS OF UNEPLOYED PEOPLE REGARDING THEIR PARTICIPATION IN LIFELONG LEARNING PROGRAMS: A CASE STUDY IN A PREFECTURE OF GREECE

This article presents the results of a survey on the motivation and barriers of unemployed people regarding their participation in lifelong learning programs in a prefecture of Greece. As for the methodology followed, we selected the quantitative research, which was based on the collection of quantitative research data from 109 unemployed persons using a structured questionnaire during November and December 2019. The questionnaire used in this study was based on the PRB Questionnaire, which was slightly adjusted to fit the unemployed population. Specifically, most of the unemployed (62.4%) who participated in this survey stated that they did not participate in any seminar, training program or educational activity related to their profession. Even lower participation rates are found in general adult education programs, with only 22% saying they have attended some educational activity. Regarding the motivation of unemployed people to participate in a vocational training program, the research participants stated that finding a job was the most important motivation. They then set priorities to be more efficient in their jobs, to increase their financial returns and to maintain their future jobs. With regard to the barriers for unemployed people to participate in a vocational training program, the most important obstacle in all questions is the cost of participation. Next in the hierarchy are the lack of information, the difficulty of moving, the lack of time due to work obligations, the lack of time for occupations and the lack of time due to family obligations.
 
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Migrants and the Labor Market: The Role and Tasks of Adult Education

The process of migration to a new country brings with it a host of challenges, and therefore also learning needs. Some countries have systems in place to facilitate the transition of migrants into society, often including adult education programs. Those programs, however, cannot be effective if blithely designed in ignorance of the interrelationship between established systems for facilitating integration and the experiences of migrants during the integration process. Focusing on the transition into the labor market and drawing on the expertise of adult educators who work in these systems in Germany, this article explores several stumbling blocks that make a successful integration for migrants more difficult and describes three strategies to address them: challenging the logic of the labor market, dealing with failure, and acknowledging multiple forms of discrimination. The analysis of Germany can provide insights that are useful in other national contexts.

A Conceptual Model for Developing Climate Education in Sustainability Management Education System

Climate change issues are multi-faceted and transcend different parts of society and the economy; they expose future generations to life-long health risks. We have a responsibility to future generations. One way to shape the future is the appropriate design of education systems. In this article we argue that climate education requires a holistic approach which goes beyond classroom pedagogies. We argue that climate education should not be limited to interventions within the field of school curricula alone. We review the main elements of the system of education qualitatively, both at macro- and micro-levels, and attempt to form a point of view. Our main argument is that climate education efforts should be coordinated and institutionalised. Based on our qualitative research in Poland, we developed a conceptual model and linked it to an assessment tool. Our model includes the elements necessary for a climate-oriented education program. We propose certain indicators which can be applied at school and higher levels of education system management. Our suggestions should not be limited to children’s education but should be incorporated into continuing education for professionals such as lawyers and accountants as well as other adult education programs. The science and research results are now rich and reliable enough that they can be applied to systemic social change (not only at the individual level). For this reason our model presents a conceptual framework for implementing systemic change in education systems that supports the efforts of local and national authorities to address climate change. The model is general and independent of national cultures. Our research offers both policymakers and scientists the opportunity to modify our concept and adapt it to local contexts and the national legal system. Our model should provoke decision-makers to introduce necessary changes in the legal system. The development of climate awareness should take a formalised role within a national education system. In this paper we demonstrate a logical process of reasoning ensuing from the literature review through empirical research down to the implementation stage.

Accountability in Adult Basic Education: The Marginalization of Adults with Difficulty Reading

Federal accountability policies requiring rapid, measurable outcomes have increasingly shaped the nature and type of public literacy services available to adults. However, little empirical research has explored the impact of accountability policies on program practice in adult basic education, and almost no research has focused on the effect on services for adults who have difficulty reading. This ethnographically grounded research article explores one publicly funded adult basic education program’s efforts to comply with federal accountability policy and the impact these efforts had on services for adults with difficulty reading. Findings suggest that efforts to comply with accountability policies resulted in instructional practices that limited students’ opportunities for substantive engagement with reading and in program policies that excluded students who did not produce outcomes from participation. The findings also suggest that in the context of accountability pressures, student marginalization became normalized as an ordinary part of practice.

A stand-alone structured educational programme after myocardial infarction: a randomised study

BackgroundAcute myocardial infarction (MI) is a major clinical manifestation of coronary artery disease. Post-MI morbidity and mortality can be reduced by lifestyle changes and aggressive risk factor modification. These changes...

Risky sexual behavior and its associated factors among patients with severe mental disorder in University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, 2018

BackgroundPeople with severe mental disorders are more likely to engage in high-risk sexual behaviors. As a result of these high-risk behaviors, they might contract sexually transmitted infections and become pregnant unintentionally. Despite the high burden of this problem, very little is known about the association between mental disorders and high-risk sexual behaviors; for this reason, the current study aimed at determining the association between these two behaviors in patients with mental disorders attending an outpatient clinic at the University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Psychiatric Clinic.MethodsA total of 223 study participants were recruited via a stratified sampling followed by a systematic sampling technique. An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted from April to May 2018. Data were collected using a pretested interviewer-based questionnaire. A four-item questionnaire was adopted from a behavioral surveillance survey and different literature sources. A multivariable logistic regression model was fitted to assess the strength in addition to the direction of the association between risky sexual behavior and independent variables. An interpretation was made based on the adjusted odds ratio and p-value at a 95% confidence interval (CI).ResultNearly half of the study participants (49.8, 95% CI; 43.9–56.5%) presented risky sexual behavior. The study found that male gender (2.98; adjusted odds ration [AOR] = 2.98; 95% CI; 1.49–5.95), no ability to read and write (3.99; AOR = 3.99; 95% CI: 1.53–10.4), history of hospitalization (3.95; AOR = 3.95; 95% CI: 1.87–8.32), perceived internal stigma (2.45, AOR = 2.45; 95% CI: 1.18–5.11), and poor social support (3.07, AOR = 3.07; 95% CI: 1.29–7.30) were significant predictors of risky sexual behaviors among patients with severe mental disorder.ConclusionRisky sexual behavior among patients with a severe mental disorders was high (49.8%). Special attention should be given to male patients, incorporating people with severe mental disorders into the adult education programs, continuous health education regarding risky sexual behavior and utilization of condoms, building self-esteem, and engaging others to provide good social support systems are strongly recommended to alleviate this type of behavior in this population.

Breaking Barriers to Healthcare Access: A Multilevel Analysis of Individual- and Community-Level Factors Affecting Women’s Access to Healthcare Services in Benin

Background: In low-income countries such as Benin, most people have poor access to healthcare services. There is scarcity of evidence about barriers to accessing healthcare services in Benin. Therefore, we examined the magnitude of the problem of access to healthcare services and its associated factors. Methods: We utilized data from the 2017–2018 Benin Demographic and Health Survey (n = 15,928). We examined the associations between the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of women using multilevel logistic regression. The outcome variable for the study was problem of access to healthcare service. Adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were estimated. Results: Overall, 60.4% of surveyed women had problems in accessing healthcare services. Partner’s education (AOR = 0.70; 95% CI; 0.55–0.89), economic status (AOR = 0.59; 95% CI; 0.47–0.73), marital status (AOR = 0.44; 95% CI; 0.39–0.51), and parity (AOR = 1.85; 95% CI; 1.45–2.35) were significant individual-level factors associated with problem of access to healthcare. Region (AOR = 5.24; 95% CI; 3.18–8.64) and community literacy level (AOR = 0.69; 95% CI; 0.51–0.94) were the main community-level risk factors. Conclusions: Enhancing husband education through adult education programs, economic empowerment of women, enhancing national education coverage, and providing priority for unmarried and multipara women need to be considered. Additionally, there is the need to ensure equity-based access to healthcare services across regions.

Development and Effects of a Community-Based Death Education Program for Older Adults

Development and Effects of a Community-Based Death Education Program for Older Adults

The contribution of the distance library of the Hellenic Open University to adult education

Libraries in the context of open and distance education and adult education can make a vital contribution to the overall educational process of trainees providing services based on their users' needs. This paper investigates the contribution of the services offered to postgraduate students in the Education Sciences and Adult Education programs of the School of Humanities - Hellenic Open University (HOU) by their library. Our basic methodological approach consists of 214 postgraduate students, using the quantitative method and a questionnaire with closed questions. Based on our analysis, postgraduate students are mostly aware of the services offered by the HOU's library, however, they do not use them often. Moreover, despite the crucial role of HOU's distance library, our research showed that students are not satisfied with the services provided. As this study is the first in the last ten years to investigate the discussed subject, it provides the university administration a valuable lesson to improve the quality of the library tools.

The Potentials of Whatsapp Group in Promoting Learning, Social Interaction and Democracy among Undergraduate Students in University of Maiduguri, Borno State Nigeria

The Whatsapp platform created in the year 2009 is a mobile messaging app which allows the users to exchange messages without having to pay for SMS. It also makes communication and the distribution of multimedia messaging more easily and faster using internet connectivity. This study therefore investigated the potentials of Whatsapp group in promoting learning, social interaction and democracy among undergraduate studentsin University of Maiduguri, Borno State Nigeria. The study had three objectives and three corresponding research questions. Qualitative design was adopted for the study. The population consisted of all the four Whatsapp groups formed for the undergraduate levels of adult education programme. Out of these four Whatsapp groups, two were selected for the study. The two groups selected for the study were those of 300 and 400 levels in the 2017/2018 academic session. The population of the group members at 300 level were 97 while those at 400 level were 103. This gave a total population of 200. Three posts consisting of messages covering information text and supportive images, audio, video and document files posted to the group platform made by three male students and female students in each of the levels in line with the research objectives raised for this study were chosen by expert views for analysis. The reliability of the posts were determined cross checking with the facts on ground to ensure that only consistent data is used for the analysis. Analysis in this study was done using narratives only. The result of the study shows that Whatsapp groups utilized by undergraduate adult education students in 2017/2018 academic session for the 300 and 400 level students has greatly promoted their learning, social interaction and practice of democracy. The study concluded that the Whatsapp group is a very important platform for undergraduate adult education students. It therefore recommends amongst others, that Class Representatives should partner and add their various course Lecturers to their groups so that they could help them clarify certain concepts or issues they did not understand in the classroom.

Challenges Facing Women’s Empowerment through Adult Education: The Case of Ethiopia’s Integrated Functional Adult Education Program

Challenges Facing Women’s Empowerment through Adult Education: The Case of Ethiopia’s Integrated Functional Adult Education Program

Relationship between Parents’ Education and their children’s Academic Achievement

This study explored the relationship between parents’ education and their children's academic achievement focusing on father and mother educational level for their children's academic achievement. Tenth class students of government high schools at District Mardan constituted the population of the study. The study employed systematic random sampling techniques to select students as a sample of the study. Through a self-developed questionnaire, the data were collected from the respondents of the study. The findings of the study revealed that the high education of father and mother positively contributes to their children's academic achievement. Large co-relation was found between parents’ education and students’ academic achievement. On the basis of the findings, the study recommended introducing adult education programs, awareness campaigns, and the use of social media for community education.

Examining Growth Among College Students With Intellectual and Developmental Disability: A Longitudinal Study.

Inclusive postsecondary education programs for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are proliferating across the United States. Although college can be a formative time for any student, there has been limited research on the growth that college students with IDD may experience during their time on campus. We address this gap by using a longitudinal design to examine the adaptive behavior, self-determination, executive functioning, and social skills of college students with IDD across three points in time-upon initial entry into the program, at the end of their first year, and at the end of their second year. Analyses suggested significant improvements in adaptive behavior and self-determination across the first year of the program. We offer recommendations for research and practice aimed at documenting and promoting growth for students with IDD throughout their collegiate experience.

Digital Identity Levels in Older Learners: A New Focus for Sustainable Lifelong Education and Inclusion

Identifying the digital identity of older adults entails an essential step for their effective digital inclusion grounded in a holistic and sustainable human development in hyperconnected societies. This paper proposes a theoretical framework with three levels of digital identity based on motives and practices: location, action, and significance. This framework was used for designing an ad-hoc scale, tested with a sample of senior learners (n = 659) aged 55 and over involved in active aging programs in Adult Education in Spain. Participants filled out a five-point 20-item Likert scale measuring their agreement with the digital identity factors, along with two complementary scales evaluating their internet uses and motivations, as well as other items on living arrangements and perceived social support. Exploratory and confirmatory analyses showed a factorial structure with three levels of digital identity for older adults. The results revealed that active older adults with diverse motives for using the internet and variety in digital practices recorded a higher digital identity level, as did those who felt more isolated or with less social support. As a conclusion, the educational implications according to instrumental, social, and motivational variables are key for the progressive construction of a digital identity in older adults and for their digital inclusion.

Impacting Health Behaviors of Older Adults Through a Volunteer-Led Health Literacy Program

A community based, peer volunteer-driven educational program was developed to empower older adults to improve health behaviors through health literacy. A community needs assessment determined the curricula which included classes on chronic disease management and issues impacting older adult health. Volunteers were recruited and trained on the curricula by health educators using a train-the-trainer module. 173 volunteers convened 302 workshops, and trained 2,065 unique older adults who account for 5000 attendees. Using a pretest posttest design, an outcome evaluation found statistically significant increases in knowledge among older adult workshop attendees on 6 of the 7 health topics (p<.01). Eighty-three percent of attendees reported positive health behavior changes at 3-month follow-up. The most commonly cited changes were increased physical activity and improved nutrition. Program challenges included volunteer scheduling and retention. Building a sustainable community-based, peer volunteer-driven health education program for older adults will be discussed.