Displaying results 1 - 10 of 12
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Developing digital proficiencies of English learners in adult education
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Description
All around the globe, the development of digital skills is considered a priority because individuals are increasingly asked to interact with digital information. Digital literacy is required to communicate effectively and accomplish social and work-related tasks. Although there is a significant body of literature on the development of digital proficiencies in educational settings from elementary school to university, there is limited research with adults who are continuing their education later in life, usually outside of formal educational systems.
The purpose of this paper is to report results from a study conducted with English learners in an adult education program in the U.S. The study evaluated the digital component of a new curriculum named CILIA-T (Content-Integrated Language Instruction for Adults with Technology Support), CILIA-T is a 16-module curriculum supporting adult learners to build their English skills, US History and Civics knowledge and digital proficiencies.
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Current Assessment Needs in Adult Education and Workforce Development
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Description
The present report summarizes the research conducted through focus groups, literature reviews, and listening sessions to understand and document the specific assessment needs in adult education and workforce development.
(November 2023)
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Assessing the Dimensionality of O*NET Cognitive Ability Ratings Across Job Zones
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The present report analyzes the US Department of Labor’s Occupational Information Network (O*NET) data, revealing social skills, reasoning skills, and verbal skills are important for success across different types of jobs.
(February 2024)
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Assessment Resources in Adult Education and Workforce Development
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Description
As part of ASAP we reviewed the literature and practices in adult education and workforce development to compile information on existing assessments and related resources. We plan to periodically update this compilation, so feedback on the structure, content, and organization of the compilation is welcome, as are suggestions for resources not yet included (asap@umass.edu).
(September 2022)
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Defining and Assessing Literacy and Numeracy Skills for 21st Century Adult Learners: A Summary of Research and Practice
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Description
Numerous definitions of literacy and numeracy have been developed to date. In this report, we summarized and analyzed 20 definitions of literacy and numeracy. These definitions often respond to specific stakeholders’ goals and agendas. In this paper, however, we do not aim to provide an integrated definition of literacy and numeracy for all people in all places. Instead, we believe operational definitions of constructs as relevant as literacy and numeracy must respond to specific needs given at a specific moment.
(September 2022)
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Working Bibliography of Culturally Sustaining and Anti-Racist Assessment Resources
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Description
Consistent with ASAP’s assessment principles of offering a justice-oriented, antiracist approach, we prepared a working bibliography of culturally sustaining and anti-racist assessment resources. We plan to periodically update this bibliography, so feedback on the structure, content, and organization of the bibliography is welcome, as are suggestions for resources not yet included (asap@umass.edu).
(January 2023)
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Current Assessment Needs in Adult Education and Workforce Development
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Description
The present report summarizes the research conducted through focus groups, literature reviews, and listening sessions to understand and document the specific assessment needs in adult education and workforce development.
From: The Adult Skills Assessment Program (ASAP) Research Team
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Linking Adult Education to Workforce Development in 2018–19: Early Implementation of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act at the Local Level
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Description
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 includes new requirements and incentives to strengthen the link between its Title II -- adult education -- and the overall workforce development system. This report from a national evaluation of Title II examines the extent to which local adult education providers’ instructional approaches and coordination with other agencies in 2018-19 reflected this link and highlights the challenges providers reported collecting related performance data. A compendium provides detailed tables supporting the policy report. For more information about this report, visit the IES site here.
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Subject Area Frameworks for Adult Learners
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Description
These aggregate frameworks provide a structure to support learning in five subjects relevant to adult learners: Civics Education, Digital Literacy, Financial Literacy, Health Literacy, and Workforce Preparation. They include domains, topics, and subtopics in each subject. The frameworks were developed by aggregating existing curricula, assessments, and frameworks used in adult education and compiling insights from organizations and individual instructors. Use them to support Teaching Skills That Matter-aligned instruction, to locate and use resources in SkillBlox, or as a checklist for planning instruction and assessment.
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Researcher Guide on Interpreting Impacts
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Description
IES released a guide to help researchers avoid common misinterpretations of statistical significance and report study impacts that are more actionable for end users. Improving the quality and relevance of education studies is IES Director Mark Schneider’s central goal for the Standards for Excellence in Education (SEER).
The guide introduces BASIE (Bayesian Interpretation of Estimates), an alternative framework to null hypothesis significance testing, and walks researchers through the key steps of applying BASIE:
Select prior evidence based on the distribution of intervention effects from existing impact studies (e.g., IES’ What Works Clearinghouse database).
Report traditional (based only on study data) and shrunken (based on both study data and prior evidence) impact estimates.
Interpret impact estimates using Bayesian posterior probabilities (or credible intervals).
Examine the sensitivity of shrunken impact estimates and posterior probabilities to what prior evidence is used.
The guide includes “express stops” and a simple Excel tool so that researchers can quickly start using BASIE. Detailed “local stops,” technical appendices, and programming code are also provided for evaluation methodologists.
View the guide by clicking here.
This guide is one of a series that helps researchers implement SEER. Guides on generalizability and sharing study data were recently released, and a guide on implementation research is in development and will be announced on https://www.ies.ed.gov.
The Institute of Education Sciences, a part of the U.S. Department of Education, is the nation's leading source for rigorous, independent education research, evaluation, statistics, and assessment.