2014 Octobervet Seminar

'Refocusing Program Accountability: Lifelong And Life-Wide Perspective On Literacy And Numeracy Development'

Stephen Reder, Portland State University

Thursday 23 October, 2014 5 pm – 6 pm followed by refreshments

University of Technology, Sydney, 235 Jones Street, Bldg 10, level 5, seminar room 580

RSVP: to Sandris.Zeivots@uts.edu.au by 16 October, 2014

ABSTRACT

This seminar considers findings from recent research in the USA with the Longitudinal Study of Adult Learning (LSAL), which followed about 1,000 adults over nearly a decade, collecting information from repeated interviews, skills assessments and data on their life outcomes. Comparisons of the learning trajectories and changing life outcomes of program participants and nonparticipants provide new and important information about programs’ effects on adults’ learning and life outcomes. The program impact that can be seen in longer-term outcome measures is much larger than what can be seen through the short-term proficiency gains for which programs are held accountable.

Implications of these findings for policies and programs will be discussed. Special attention will be given to the critical role that practitioners must play in bringing about needed changes in adult LLN training.

PRESENTER BIO

Stephen Reder is Professor of Applied Linguistics at Portland State University. He has been involved throughout his career in teaching, research and service activities in education, workplace and community settings. Prof. Reder’s research focuses on adults’ lifelong and life-wide literacy, digital literacy and second language development processes.

He has been the Principal Investigator of several recently completed research projects: the National Labsite for Adult ESOL, the Longitudinal Study of Adult Learning (LSAL), and Tutor-Facilitated Digital Literacy Acquisition in Vulnerable Adult Populations. He is currently conducting research and preparing a publication series on the long-term impacts of adult education programs on economic, educational and lifelong learning outcomes.

Prof. Reder is the author of numerous publications about adult literacy and second language research and its implications for education and training programs. He recently edited a volume with John Bynner, Tracking Adult Literacy and Numeracy: Longitudinal Studies in Adult Education, published by Routledge.

This is a free seminar thanks to the Australian Council for Adult Literacy, NSW Adult Literacy & Numeracy Council and the Centre for Research in Learning & Change, UTS

 

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