Adult Education Institutions Research Articles

Incorporating health literacy in education for socially disadvantaged adults: an Australian feasibility study.

BackgroundAdult education institutions have been identified as potential settings to improve health literacy and address the health inequalities that stem from limited health literacy. However, few health literacy interventions have been tested in this setting.MethodsFeasibility study for an RCT of the UK Skilled for Health Program adapted for implementation in Australian adult education settings. Implementation at two sites with mixed methods evaluation to examine feasibility, test for change in participants’ health literacy and pilot test health literacy measures.ResultsTwenty-two socially disadvantaged adults with low literacy participated in the program and received 80–90 hours of health literacy instruction. The program received institutional support from Australia’s largest provider of vocational education and training and was feasible to implement (100 % participation; >90 % completion; high teacher satisfaction). Quantitative results showed improvements in participants’ health literacy skills and confidence, with no change on a generic measure of health literacy. Qualitative analysis identified positive student and teacher engagement with course content and self-reported improvements in health knowledge, attitudes, and communication with healthcare professionals.ConclusionsPositive feasibility results support a larger RCT of the health literacy program. However, there is a need to identify better, multi-dimensional measures of health literacy in order to be able to quantify change in a larger trial. This feasibility study represents the first step in providing the high quality evidence needed to understand the way in which health literacy can be improved and health inequalities reduced through Australian adult education programs.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12939-016-0373-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Polskie tradycje instytucji edukacji dorosłych w kontekście uczenia się całożyciowego

An article presents Polish institutions dedicated to adult education from the 19th century and the beginning of 20th century that are a part of the lifelong learning concept which is so common and well-recognised currently. The aim of the article is to show that lifelong learning is not a new phenomenon; rather a well-established one. The need for andragogical historical research on the development of Polish adult education institutions, especially institutions, in which the adults could experience learning, is discussed along with the methodological comments. The article presents some selected adult education institutions; 1. Institutions connected to the self-education movement from the 19th century; 2. Type of common university – the Flying University, which developed from the before mentioned movement; 3. Higher schools for adults; 4. Folk high schools; and, 5. Day rooms for adults. The institutions exemplify the changes in the way the term learning was understood; from fulfilling the cognitive needs, through the needs of social engagement to the cultural, social and ludic needs. On the other hand, they are the examples of gradual enlargement of circles involved in those learning institutions; from the intelligence to blue-collar workers and farmers, from men to women, from those highly ranked in social stratification to those ranked much lower.

Prediction and Prevention of Dropouts in Vocational Retraining

Principal objective: To verify if a psychological intervention targeting individuals with high resignation tendency prevents dropouts in vocational retraining. For individuals with high resignation tendency a high risk of dropping out was assumed under regular conditions. Data was collected at 2 adult education institutes. At the beginning of vocational training the occupational inventory Work-related Behaviour and Experience Patterns (AVEM) was used. The questionnaire allows to classify 4 types of coping behaviour. G: healthy-ambitious, S: unambitious, A: excessively ambitious, B: resigned. Using a quasi-experimental design, the effect of resilience building was verified by comparing a treatment group with a control group. Control group was offered the usual treatment of the education institute. The treatment group was additionally offered two individual meetings and a work-related group treatment focussing on coping behaviour. Given a very high resignation tendency in both groups, dropping out of rehabilitation was less frequent in the treatment group. Other individuals tended to drop out more frequently, but this is not statistically significant. The study shows that work-related resilience building helps to minimize risk of dropping out of vocational rehabilitation in the case of extremely resigned coping behaviour.

Reading at the front: books and soldiers in the First World War

This paper focuses on the reading and educational practices of common soldiers during the First World War. It argues that the question of how war libraries were imagined and constructed by civilians needs to be framed in the larger context of pre-war Edwardian debates surrounding the “value of books” in society. Indeed, it was within this debate that “humanities activists” first sought to play a role in times of crisis, confident that the war library operation had the blessing of prominent authors. The paper analyses the experience of British self-improvers at the front, their enduring connections with adult education institutions at home and the opportunities that the war opened up to new Australasian common readers fighting as part of the colonial expeditionary forces.

Interview with Cecile Starr

Cecile Starr was born in Nashville, Tennessee, on July 14, 1921, and she died in Vermont on December 9, 2014. During World War II she worked at the Australia News and Information Bureau, associated with the Office of War Information and at the March of Time as she moved amongst the greats of documentary filmmaking of the period and Greenwich Village: John Grierson, Robert Flaherty, Damien Parer, Alexander Hammid, Joris Ivens, Helen van Dongen, Raymond Spottiswoode, Helen Levitt, Henwar Rodakiewicz, Willard Van Dyke, Boris Kaufman, Irving Jacoby, Ricky Leacock, and Aram Boyajian, whom she married in 1957, as well as James Agee and Iris Barry. In 1949, Starr started writing film reviews for the Saturday Review of Literature, taught film and film history in the Graduate Program from 1955 to 1961 at Columbia University, and created and coordinated school film programs for the Lincoln Center Education Department from 1967 to 1968. During this period she was particularly active contributing to Sight and Sound, Film Quarterly, and Filmmakers Newsletter. She was an instructor and consultant in film and film history at the New School for Social Research and Hunter College in New York City, the New York Society of Ethical Culture, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Walden High School. Starr also consulted for the United Nations World Health Organization, the Institute of Adult Education, the Public Library Inquiry, the Film Council of America, and the Mental Health Film Board. As producer, scriptwriter, and consultant on four films including Fellow Citizen: A. Lincoln (1972), Islamic Carpets (1970), Richter on Film (1972), and Rembrandt and the Bible (1967), Starr turned her scholarly interest in film to a practice born out of her research. Starr also published the books Experimental Animation: Origins of a New Art (1968) (with Robert Russett), Ideas on Film: A Handbook for the 16mm Film User (1971), and Discovering the Movies: An Illustrated Introduction to the Moving Image (1972).Cecile Starr: Let's go backwards a little. You asked how I got into this. My first real job was at the Australian News Bureau. I got that because a fellow I had known in college at Louisiana State University, he came up to New York at the same time I went to Columbia graduate school. He was going to Harvard business school. He introduced me to his sister. His name was Peter Fritsch, her name was Mia Fritsch, and she had just met a new boyfriend whose name was Jim Agee. I went to dinner at Mia's house with Peter. Jim was there and was very much in love with Mia. Though he was married and had a previous wife divorced and he was young, the relationship with Mia lasted the rest of both their lives. Peter and Mia's brother, the Fritsch family, were kind of early refugees from Nazi Austria. Their brother, Henry, was married to an Australian woman whose name I forget. She was working for the Australian News and Information Bureau, but she came down with TB [tuberculosis] and her doctor said she had to have bed rest for a year. So I was looking for a job, and they asked me if I would take her job. Her job was listening to recordings. This was now 1942, and the recordings were from the Australian government, which were newscasts about what was going on in the war in the South Pacific area where we had some bases and other European countries had some territories. New Guinea. Was it the Dutch that had divided up that place? I started listening to recordings, which were the size of big dinner platters. They were brought in by truck every morning from Montauk, the far end of Long Island. They were received by radio and recorded because it got a clearer sound than if it was recorded in the city. It was from Australia. I then took these recordings about 10 o'clock in the morning and played them on a transcribing machine, typed them out. Then we called the messenger, and the messenger took them by hand to the New York Times, the New York Herald Review, and the New York Daily News. …

Isidore of Seville and liberal studies - from ancient to medieval culture

Medieval education, adult education included, is usually inadequately treated in the educational history surveys, therefore some of the significant features and individuals stay unduly neglected although they represent specific bridge between old, allegedly liberal but pagan and new, medieval culture dominated by Church that supressed much of scientific, philosophical and cultural heritage of clasical antiquity. Isidore of Seville is among those notable, although insufficiently investigated and well-known personalities of medieval scholarship and especially adult education. As one of the principal encyclopedists od the early Middle Ages, in his master work Etymologiae (”The Etymologies”), in accordance (but also notwithstanding) with all restraints of his own time, Isidore tried to maintain many meaningful attainments of ancient culture and to translate them into the new, christian and church culture, and into the medieval mainly adult educational institutions as well. Accordingly, Isidore also represented the momentous interpreter of the seven liberal arts (septem artes liberales) tradition, educational system that was, by virtue of Isidore himself, succesfully transfered from classical antiquity to the first universities and beyond. Investigation and interpretation of Isidore’s work, based on historical methodology, resulted in conclusion that Etymologies represent valuable contribution to educational history and, within that context, to the history of adult education specifically.

Influence of Literacy Education Programmes on Socio-economic Empowerment of Women in Edo and Delta States, Nigeria

The study examined the influence of literacy education programmes on the socio-economic empowerment of women in Edo and Delta states, in the South South geopolitical zone of Nigeria. A sample of 1,022 women was randomly drawn from basic intermediate and post literacy classes organised by the Agency of Adult and Non-formal Education, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and private institutions in the area under investigation. The outcome of the study showed a strong correlation between literacy education programmes and socio-economic empowerment of women. Women had more access to loan and credit facilities for their economic activities thereby leading to higher income. They were able to use family planning methods and witnessed tremendous improvement in their families’ nutritional status. It was recommended that literacy promoters and policymakers should intensify public enlightenment programmes for more women to participate; post literacy programmes should be encouraged to prevent relapse into illiteracy; and above all, literacy programmes should be designed to meet the needs and aspirations of women to ensure sustainability of literacy programmes.

Sınıf Öğretmenlerinin, Kaynaştırma Eğitimine İlişkin Görüşleri ve Çeşitli Değişkenlere Göre Mesleki Tükenmişliklerinin İncelenmesi

In the Regulations of Ministry of National Education Special Education Services, mainstreaming is described as the practice of educating students with special needs in regular classes in public and private preschool, elementary, middle, secondary and adult education institutions with educational support services and with their peers without disability during specific time periods based on their skills. Inclusive education is seen as the best choice within the current options for the students who need special education. Field experts expect that our education system should by pass the steps and pass to reverse mainstreaming and integration instead of easy mainstreaming. One of the points to be considered in the evaluation of the effectiveness of inclusive education is the approaches, application studies, efficiency and competencies of teachers who are practitioners in inclusive education. In the study, semi-structured information form and the Maslach Burnout Inventory are implemented to 53 classroom teachers. In the study teachers’ approaches on mainstreaming, how they evaluate themselves, how efficient they find the application of integration, whether they want mainstreaming students in the classroom or not and their occupational burnout situation depending on other variables are tried to be determined

Automated Learning Support System to Provide Sustainable Cooperation between Adult Education Institutions and Enterprises

One of the most important prerequisites for a long-term development of all countries is a high level of education for society. Nowadays the impact of technology on society is very deep. It is not story only about a group of people who share a defined territory and a culture. Technology plays a large role in many aspects of day-to-day life and many processes become automated. With automated learning support system is possible to work more closely with an adult to provide effective learning solutions that meet their unique needs. The problem is the inefficient or incomplete utilization of presence and cognition technologies and the non-usage of knowledge management technologies for the useful development of adults in an online environment. The goal of the paper is get a new perspective on knowledge sharing process and understanding of the future of automated learning support system involving the use of new technological opportunities. The main study question is how the automated learning support system could improve the efficiency and quality of further knowledge flow and provide sustainable cooperation between educational institutions and entrepreneurs. The research idea is to describe the principles of automated learning support focusing on an online system and knowledge management technologies for adults. The result of the research is the analysis of the information system as an online learning support platform, improved quality of knowledge flow, and recommendations for future work in this field.

Automated Learning Support System for Adult Education Institutions and Enterprises

One of the actual problems in the world is how to successfully build efficient cooperation between educational institutions and industry representatives. The impact of technology on society is growing and there is a necessity for developing system supporting this cooperation. The system could be focused on knowledge sharing in both directions. It is possible to work more closely with an adult to provide effective learning solutions that meet their unique needs using an automated learning support system. The problem is the non-usage of knowledge management technologies and work-based learning potential to develop and use information systems for sustainable cooperation between education institutions and enterprises. The goal of the paper is to get a new perspective on an efficient cooperation support information system and understand the future of automated learning support systems involving the use of new technological opportunities. The main study question is how the automated learning support system could improve the effective knowledge flow between adult education institutions and enterprises. The research idea is to describe the principles of automated learning support focusing on an online system and knowledge management technologies for adults. The result of the research is the analysis of technological solutions, improved quality of knowledge flow and the information system as a cooperation platform.

Teachers' Experiences In Educationalmulti-Media Content Development: The Case Of Tanzania’s Institute Of Adult Education

This paper is an academic observation of an Educational Multimedia Content development-training programme funded by the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) in Tanzania. This project focused on skills development in script writing and in radio and video programme development, aimed at transforming selected subjects from text to multimedia content. The ultimate objective was to enable better and easy understanding of the lessons, for Open and Distance Learning learners. A group of 25 teachers from the Tanzania’s Institute of Adult Education participated in the training and development of the programmes. In this paper the author shares the new and exciting experiences of teachers on adding such skills to their professional career, as the development of these programmes. Author’s own participation and interviews with peers in the project were employed as methods of data collection. A total number of 13 videos and 12 radio programmes were developed over the span of six months. Five school subjects were covered, namely: English, Mathematics, Biology, History and Geography. Some of the challenges encountered in developing the programmes included: difficulties in developing a video idea from the textbooks; working as a group online in collaboration with the training consultant in another country especially in script development; memorizing words (as actors playing in the productions) and saying it on camera; and time constraints (working under pressure). The author recommends to African nations and educators in other parts of the world to access these multimedia-learning programmes online since they are OER, and to use them in their context. The video and radio programmes reflect the Tanzanian context to some extent, but most of the lessons are general for use by any country.

Is adult education a ‘white’ business? Professionals with migrant backgrounds in Austrian adult education

This paper is based on an applied research project, which examines the participation of migrants (first and second generation) as professionals in Austrian adult education. We present selected outcomes concerning barriers and encouraging factors in the careers of professionals with migrant background. Our main findings show the importance of the recognition of credentials, of social capital and of strategies to avoid discrimination on behalf of the institutions of adult education. Introducing the analytical perspective of critical whiteness, we conclude that Austrian adult education still has to reflect its own role in terms of white privileges. Finally we point out some approaches and strategies to widening participation and reducing discrimination in the professional field.

Problems and Strategies for Improving the Non-formal Learning Accreditation System in Taiwan

Learning accreditation has a long history in Europe and North America. The accreditation promotion experience among advanced countries are deserved to be learned. Taiwan also has considerable experiences in relation to technical and vocational education system, community colleges, and other adult education institutions. The research method of the study is literature searches and document analysis. We used definitions and theoretical concepts associated with accreditation as a foundation for examining the deficiencies in the Taiwanese non-formal learning accreditation system. Furthermore, based on the accreditation promotion experience among the advanced countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), we proposed a number of specific recommendations for learning accreditation reform in Taiwan.

Educational Concepts for Social Inclusion on the Labor Market of Young People at Risk

The European policies through its own funding programs underline the increase need for creating educational models for people at risk. Many official documents speak about vulnerable groups of the European society, constantly creating categorizations that are not always understandable and relevant for social workers with activities in social inclusion. Slightly less is discussed about the failure of some implemented programs to facilitate the social inclusion of vulnerable raised within the social assistance systems of the Member State .In Romania also, for some years now, a series of social integration models for youngsters which come from the child protection system was experimented, which unfortunately can’t always be considered good practices. These young people abandoned by their families, are abandoned for the second time after graduation by the system in which they grew up and which offered them a range of services and protection measures, but without access to the labor market. Through the opportunities opened by the adult education system it is possible to develop some innovative training concepts for these young people which often do not require state protection by basic services, a house and food, but adequate employment opportunities. This article analyses the European and Romanian possibilities for the inclusion of youngsters at risk by proposing the implementation of a training and employment system through apprenticeship in local workshops or Small and medium enterprises (SMEs). This model offers youngsters a place of work where they can practice their competencies, a mentor from which they can learn, the experience of a job environment and of course a minimum income for their work. This training concept can be included and valorized by establishing a legal framework to facilitate the public-private partnership, the cooperation between adult education institutions, local businesses and child protection systems, for the benefit of this disadvantaged category.

Adult Education and some Andragogical Dimensions of Higher Education in the Republic of Moldova

The “meeting” between the institutions of higher education and adult education produced not only on the non-formal educational platform, but also on that of the formal education constitutes a defiant challenge of entrenched models and traditional approaches and also an opportunity to increase the number of candidates to higher education in the situation of “loss”, out of various reasons, of traditional students. Thus, on the one hand, the adult education and andragogy as a didactic paradigm of adult education and, on the other hand, university education acquire connections determined by widening the heterogeneousness of the actors involved in the educational process in terms of age, educational pathways, professional experience, learning needs and motivations, life experince, and skills.The article provides an analysis of policies and practices in the Republic of Moldova in the sphere of continuous education at universities, of andragogidal dimensions of university education and it emphasizes on the formal education opportunities provided by universities to mature students.The article cited 5 sources of conceptual, policy and methodological nature of adult education researchers and many other electronic sources that show statistics and practices from the domain.As the result of analyses, we conclude that adult education at universities and andragogical particularities of higher education derive from the judgements of organizational character of the educational system, as well as of psycho-social, demographic, economic, and psychopedagogical nature.

Edukacja dorosłych we Włoszech na przełomie XX i XXI wieku

Italy among developed countries, has one of the lowest levels of education of the population. After World War II the government led the fight against illiteracy, which was common especially in the south and on the islands. Adult education includes the socalled priority groups. In addition to juvenile there are prisoners and foreigners. However, the decision about learning in institutions is not easy. In many cases, the start of education is accompanied by expectations of better professional and social position, better pay. There also remains a question (uncertainty) when to start ?, where to start?, what to learn? Currently in Italy is conducted a discussion on the integration of adult education. It is necessary to develop an integrated program covering different groups: a high level of education, well prepared for lifelong learning (including the Internet), a low level of education, which (despite a) deal with the choice of learning opportunities and the weakest – requiring support and assistance in the choice of courses, training and in their follow-up. Adult Education in Italy is characterized by an individual approach to its participants can talk about education through settlement and choice. The base of the action is unit with its problems, needs, expectations and interests. Research on education reveal the role of groups involving individuals with similar interests, needs and abilities. These groups become the basis for the development of educational projects and programs of work. Adult education institutions are mainly Permanent Education Centres (Centro educazione permanente) in different localities. An important role is played by the Provincial Adult Education Centres (Centri Provinciali per L’Istruzione degli Adulti), Universities of the Third Age and the library.

Social Media Adoption in Adult Education ‒ Administrators' Experience

The rapid development of social media poses a multitude of considerations on this technology adoption. The emphasis in literature is put mainly on student or teacher perspective and less emphasis is dedicated upon administrators who also represent an important group of stakeholders. The aim of the study is to examine the phenomenon of potential educational use of social media at the public institutions of adult education based on administrators’ lived experience, taking into account how administrative factor influences social media adoption in education. The findings reveal that admitting the advantages of social media use, administrators also identify certain problematic areas and have cautious attitudes towards social media in education.

Learning for Transformation in a Changing Landscape

This article argues that transformative learning becomes increasingly essential for educators in the changing landscape of the adult and higher education institutions of the United States that has continuously hosted highest numbers of international students among other countries. First, it presents a context discussing learning for transformation. Then, it talks about Confucian core values and their influences of teaching and learning, and uses international students from this tradition as an example to illustrate different ways of teaching and learning, and life in general. Finally, it shares some experience, observations, and recommendations toward future development of adult and higher education educators, who will learn while teaching and interacting with international students, through possible transformative learning.

USE OF ICT IN DISTANCE EDUCATION AT HANYANG CYBER UNIVERSITY: Possible Best practices for the Institute of Adult Education

This study was carried out at Hanyang Cyber University (HYCU) in the Republic of Korea. The main purpose of this study was to explore Hanyang Cyber University’s experience in the use of ICT in Distance Education (DE) so as to learn best practices that can be adapted by the Institute of Adult Education (IAE) in Tanzania. Specifically, the study explored on how HYCU uses ICT in DE and the challenges that they encounter in the course of using ICT in DE. Both structured and unstructured interviews were used for data collection. Findings showed that HYCU use various ICTs such as Learning Management System and online interaction assessment methods to enhance DE. Challenges such as difficulties in meeting online teaching and learning requirements and lack of human and material resource to undertake DE courses were identified to constrain effective use of ICTs in DE at HYCU. It is recommended that IAE should consider contextualization of the Learning Management System that is currently used at HYCU when establishing online study programme to ensure quality DE in the Institute.

Adult education in migration societies and the challenge of ‘recognition’ in Austrian and German adult education

Adult education institutions face a variety of challenges in ‘migration societies’. This paper first analyses the marginal adoption of the topic by researchers in a German-speaking context and points out the dominance of a target group approach in the past. To open up alternative perspectives, I will discuss challenges for adult education in migration societies by referring to an empirical study which explored the labour market situation of highly skilled immigrants in Austria. The analysis focused on the question of how adult education/vocational training can strengthen the agency of learners under certain social conditions in terms of ‘recognition’. The theoretical framework developed in this research project interrelates work from the philosopher Axel Honneth with those from Pierre Bourdieu as well as with theories of (institutional) discrimination and racism. Finally, challenges for institutions active in adult education and professional qualifications are named through defining adult education as a context for, and practice of, recognition.